Dwight Simmons sentenced to 13 years Imprisonment
On Friday 17th March 2017, in the Grand Turk Supreme Court, 34 year old Dwight Simmons pleaded guilty to numerous firearm related offences in connection with a report that was made on Monday 4th November 2016 in Blue Hills Providenciales.
Around 9pm on that date, Mr. Simmons entered the City Market Store located on the Millennium Highway with masked on and demanded cash after firing shots inside. He was tackled and subdued by customers inside of the store and restrained until police arrived.
He was arrested and charged.
He was sentenced to five (5) years for Carrying Ammunition, five (5) years for Carrying Firearm, thirteen (13) years for Discharging firearm and Thirteen (13) years for Robbery.
Update:
Three males who escaped Prison Custody on December 2nd 2016 was also sentenced on Friday in the Magistrate’s Court for Escaping Lawful Custody. Randell Rigby sentenced to 9 months, Stavon Harris and Henrico Morris sentenced to 10 months each.
Students will benefit from funds raised during a charity party
THE IRIS Stubbs Primary School in South Caicos and the Food For Thought organization will both benefit from the funds raised at the 'La Fete under the Moon' charity event, a recent celebration held at the Beach House in Providenciales on March 11, 2017.
The cover charge of US $80 included a welcome drink, a chance to win prizes from various raffles and live entertainment.
Friends of the organizers flew in from Canada, the United States and several parts of the Caribbean to bring a carnival environment to the event.
The ladies walked around throughout the night in carnival inspired outfits as they posed for photos with attendees and kept them entertained.
Cofounder of La fete TCI Foundation, Kanzy Dillon, told RTC that the event that she was pleased with the turnout and the enthusiasm from attendees.
"The event was a great success and as always it was a fun social gathering for both the local and expat community involved. For next year we would like to further broaden its scope of assistance to the TCI education," she said.
La Fete TCI Foundation was started up in 2013 by Kanzy Dillon and Jocelyn Menzies to provide children in the Turks and Caicos Islands with additional tools for a better education.
The first event was held back in 2013 at Mother's House villa in Blue Mountain, Providenciales, to raise funds to provide primary schools in South Caicos with computers and AC units for their classrooms.
Last year La Fete TCI Foundation was able to provide the Iris Stubbs Primary School and Marjorie Basden High School with 200 educational tablets.
Food For Thought is a non-profit organization based in Providenciales, which aims at providing children with well balanced meals so that they can concentrate on their studies better with full stomach.
London Attacks at Westminister
Theresa May came out into Downing Street tonight to tell the world that any attempt to defeat the values that Parliament stood for was "doomed to failure".
She said the streets of Westminster, where the attack took place, were engrained with a spirit of freedom that echoed in some of the further corners of the globe.
Praising the police and security services for their exceptional bravery she said the fact that they had lost one of their own today only made their calmness and professionalism under pressure all the more remarkable.
Parliament had been packed at the time of the incident with politicians, tourists and school children too. It was quickly cordoned off as medics and emergency services arrived.
Westminster went into lockdown and some MPs were held in the Commons chamber, Others were moved to Westminster Abbey for safety.
As politicians left this evening they spoke of their shock and sadness and praised the police officer, Keith Palmer, who lost his life protecting politicians and parliament. The best and the bravest, one MP said.
Flags are to be lowered to half-mast over Downing Street as a mark of respect to the people who died says political correspondent Eleanor Garnier.
Source-BBC
CTO launches new learning tool for Caribbean primary schools
The Barbados-based Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) Wednesday said it has launched its first ever tourism education for the Caribbean digital learning series geared towards primary school students in the region.
CTO said that in addition to its first ever tourism education for the Caribbean digital learning series of four (4) e-workbooks, students will also benefit from activities, videos and fun facts about the Caribbean designed for use by teachers, and students ages 6-11.
“These resources are intended to encourage schools across the Caribbean to integrate more tourism topics in their curriculum in order to build greater awareness among young students regarding what tourism entails and the significance of tourism to the Caribbean, demonstrate the importance of taking care of the environment for ourselves and visitors, inform students on how they can play a role in tourism’s success, showcase the many career opportunities available to Caribbean nationals and have fun while exploring the learning materials”.
Director of resource mobilisation and development at the CTO, Bonita Morgan, said ‘we began by creating a series of physical workbooks and a tourism module for primary schools which were used in the past by many schools throughout the region.
But we felt that we needed to refresh and upgrade our materials and present them in a colourful, creative and digital manner that children would enjoy and which would help them to have better recall,” said Morgan.
These audio-visual materials allow students the opportunity to focus on their country and the wider Caribbean, view their country and the region through the eyes of the visitors and take pride in what the region has to offer as tourism destinations.
The learning series was officially launched at the Hillaby Turner’s Hall Primary School in Barbados, the first school to have access to the digital tourism resource materials and was witnessed by the principal, teachers and students.
“We are deeply grateful here at Hillaby/Turner’s to have this opportunity to utilise e-resources in the teaching of our pupils. These e-tourism workbooks will enhance the tourism unit of social studies currently being taught in the class threes, the nine and ten year olds”, said Angela Edwards, the school’s principal.
Source-CMC
PNP to confirm Phillips as president Sunday
THE Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) is set to hold a special delegates conference on Sunday where it is expected to confirm Dr Peter Phillips as the new president of the 78-year-old movement.
Phillips was the only candidate nominated for the post.
The conference, which will be held at the National Arena in Kingston, is set for 10:00 am.
General secretary of the party, Julian Robinson, told journalists at a press briefing at the party’s headquarters in St Andrew yesterday that the conference is to afford delegates the opportunity to select Phillips “via acclamation”.
Former party president P J Patterson, outgoing President Portia Simpson Miller and President-designate Phillips are among those scheduled to speak.
Source-Observer
New airplane electronics rules stem from ISIS-associated threat
New aviation security measures restricting electronic devices on flights from certain overseas airports were prompted by new threat intelligence obtained earlier this year indicating that ISIS associates were working on smuggling explosives-laden electronics onto U.S.-bound flights, ABC News has learned.
The U.S. government has deemed the threat information “substantiated” and “credible,” according to one source familiar with the intelligence.
Sources said that the airports -- in eight Middle Eastern and African countries -- affected by the restrictions were not directly named in the most recent threat intelligence gathered by authorities, but determined through intelligence analysis paired with other government information.
The Department of Homeland Security banned all electronics bigger than a cellphone from the cabins of some direct flights to the United States from 10 airports in eight Muslim-majority countries.
During an interview Tuesday, ABC News' Pierre Thomas asked a member of the House Intelligence Committee about the new DHS measures.
“I’ve spoken a couple times in the last week with the Department of Homeland Security about a new aviation threat," explained Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-California. "We know that our adversaries, terrorist groups in the United States and outside the United States, seek to bring down a U.S.-bound airliner. That’s one of their highest value targets. And we’re doing everything we can right now to prevent that from happening.
Source-ABC
Uncommitted Republicans put Obamacare overhaul in jeopardy
At least 22 Republicans in the U.S. House oppose or remain undecided on the American Health Care Act, enough to jeopardize the fate of the sweeping bill when it is slated to come for a vote on Thursday evening, according to an ABC News count.
House GOP leaders need 216 votes to pass the bill, which allows for 21 Republican "no" votes, assuming every Democratic member in the chamber also votes "no." Still, the count remains fluid as the lobbying efforts on both sides continue.
Several conservative members of the Republican caucus say the bill, aimed at repealing and replacing Obamacare, doesn't go far enough. GOP leaders made tweaks to the bill today in order to try to bring those members on board.
"No" votes from the 22 Republicans would kill the bill in the House. Regardless, the fate of the bill in the Senate, where only three Republican defections would kill the bill, is uncertain.
The White House says President Trump is enthusiastic about the bill and is all-in in the efforts to get it passed. He has been personally and intensively engaged over the past few weeks, warning Republican lawmakers Tuesday in a meeting not to be "fools" and kill the legislation, according to some attendees.
"We had a great meeting and I think we’re going to get a winner vote," Trump told reporters after leaving the meeting. "It was a great meeting, we have terrific people and they want a tremendous healthcare plan -- and that’s what we have. And there are going to be adjustments, but I think we’ll get the vote on Thursday."
Over the next 48 hours, Trump is expected to keep working the phones and meeting face-to-face with lawmakers at the White House. Tomorrow he will host another gathering of members to pitch the bill, following his meeting with the GOP conference Tuesday.
White House press secretary Sean Spicer warned Republicans who oppose the proposed health care bill to expect to “pay a price at home” in the event the bill fails.
"I think there's going to be a price to be paid,” Spicer said to ABC News' Jon Karl at Tuesday's White House press briefing.
"It will be with their own voters. They'll have to go back and explain why they made a commitment to them and then didn't follow through," Spicer said.
Asked if the president would consider campaigning against those who oppose the American Health Care Act, Spicer didn’t rule it out.
Source-ABC
Students participate in Youth Centre 2017 Black History Month Essay Competition
TEN STUDENTS between the ages of 11 and 15 from three high schools in Providenciales participated in the Edward Gartland Youth Centre's 2017 Black History Month Essay Competition.
The competition opened to members of the Youth Centre and high schools in Providenciales during the first week of February and closed off on February 24, 2017.
The topic was: 'What does Black History Month mean to me and why is it celebrated in February'.
Although February is a month filled with activities such as sports and Valentine's Day themed activities, these students still managed to take the necessary time to conduct research on the topic given and construct essays that allowed them to take a moment and reflect on the true significance of Black History Month.
Keana Burrows from the Clement Howell High impressed the judges with her passion and understanding of Black History Month, making her the winner of the competition.
Daquant Duncanson of Maranatha Academy came in second place and Thamara Pierre of Maranatha Academy placed third.
Jeannia Prosper, assistant program coordinator with the Edward Gartland Youth Centre explained the selection process to this publication, stating that the students aged 11 and 12 were graded together, while the 13-year-olds to 15-year-olds jointly.
"Of course we checked for plagiarism and grammar. We also thoroughly read through to make sure that the students had a clear understanding of what Black History Month is and the struggle that many had to endure for a lot of us to live the comfortable lives that we live today."
Representatives from the EGYC will visit the schools of the winning students on March 17, 2017 to award them with their certificates and prizes.
The assistant program coordinator said that with the enthusiasm that was shown in all of the essays, she was confidently expecting Black History Month 2018 to be even greater.
She said: "Thanks to all of the participants for all of their efforts and also the teachers that assisted them because it would have not been possible without the teachers. We appreciate all the support that we get for all that we do and we look forward to doing more initiatives with the students for more years to come."
Black History Month, also known as African-American History Month in America, is an annual observance in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom for remembrance of important people and events in the history of the African diaspora.
Black History Month was observed in February in the United States.
Desarrollos Hotel Group tightlipped on Ritz Carlton hotel going forward
THE DEVELOPERS for the proposed Ritz Carlton resort in Gracebay has refused to say what progress they have made, if any, with the current government regarding the new development going forward.
When this publication contacted the TCI point person for the group, real estate agent Walter Gardiner, he would only say that they have "nothing to say at this time" and that the matter is still engaging the attention of the courts.
However, Gardiner's statement is not quite accurate as the most recent court matter in which Dessarollos was named as an interested party has since been resolved, paving the way for the planning process for the resort to be restarted.
That process had been halted since the court became involved.
Strata Corporation, under which the Venetian and Tuscany hotels fall, had started the court matter in 2015, and earlier this month the Appellate Court had pounded the proverbial nail in their coffin with a dismissal of the hotel's last appeal.
But there is one last ditch effort the hotels can pursue, that of an appeal to Her Majesty's Privy Council.
When contacted on Thursday, legal eagle for Strata, Conrad Griffiths indicated that his client is still awaiting the court's written judgement, which will contain their reasons for denying the appeal.
Griffiths had previously told the media that his client will made a decision on whether they will move to the Privy Council after they have reviewed the appellate court's reasons.
But while Dessarollos remains quiet on their progress, Premier Sharlene Cartwright told the press two weeks ago, that her government has already met with the Group's officials to find out what direction they would like to go.
She had indicated that the developers are eager to go forward, but she had also stated that while her government is willing to go forward with any development, they are only prepared to go ahead with ones that benefit the people of the TCI.
She had also denied allegations by the Opposition that the PDM Government is not in favour of the project.
The Premier's cautious attitude to the Ritz Carlton project has stirred speculation that the government does not intend to follow through on the project.
Her position is the polar opposite of the former government's, which was eager to bring in the Dessarollos Group over the past four years they were in office.
The group had first proposed to construct the JW Marriot Hotel in the TCI, but shortly after announced that they would instead be switching to the Ritz-Calton brand.
The Marriot was to have been a nine-story hotel, scheduled to open in early 2016, to be built on an11-acre site along the Grace Bay beach in Providenciales.
After Dessarollos switched the brand, in April 2015, the Rufus Ewing government signed a development agreement with them to build a $224 million Ritz Carlton hotel, resort, casino and spa in the Grace Bay area.
That development is expected to consist of 124 luxury hotel guest rooms, penthouses, resort residences and associated facilities.
Wyclef Jean speaks out on being handcuffed
Wyclef Jean is speaking out about the incident early Tuesday morning in which he was handcuffed by L.A. sheriff's deputies who mistook him for a robbery suspect. Clef is upset about the incident, but not because he has a problem with the police.
"As a person who has law enforcement in their family -- I mean I ran for president of a country -- I understand law and order," he tells ABC Radio.
Part of the incident was captured on video, but he says the really scary part was not.
"When I got out the car, the part that y'all did not see...is the quick roll-up on me, and the guns drawn," he tells ABC Radio. "Your mind is going 360 miles an hour..I'm being pulled over. Now I'm being handcuffed. My bandana is being pulled off my head. I still don't know why."
Clef says he identified himself and urged the deputies to Google him, but that didn't happen quickly enough for him. He's upset at the lack of communication, and how his behavior was described in a statement by the sheriff's department.
"They said I went to the back of the trunk. And this is not true," he tells ABC Radio. He also says they characterized him as being hostile.
"I'm not here to incite a race war here," he explains. "I'm here to address an issue where I feel like it's abuse of power, and information is tampered with from the side of the citizen. And for me, this is not right."
What's also upsetting is that he always instructed his daughter how to behave if she's ever pulled over by the cops, and now she sees that doesn't work in real life.
"She...goes, "Dad, you did all of this like you told me what to do. They still put you in cuffs in the back of a car.' Now what?"