Jermain Missick remains on US $20,000 bail after appearing in court
Jermain Missick appeared in the Magistrates Court number 1 in Providenciales on February 14 before Judge Jolyon Hatmin for the charge of causing death by dangerous driving, following an accident that took the lives of Martin Field Jr. and Correll Glinton.
Missick remains on a $20,000 bail and a sufficiency hearing has been set for April 7, 2017 at the Supreme Court in Grand Turk.
At the time of the incident, officers were called to the area of South Dock road at around 11:12 pm on Thursday (September 8, 2016) to investigate an accident involving a white Nissan V8 Titan Truck, driven by the accused, and a scooter, driven by Field Jr., with Glinton as a passenger.
The bodies of Field Jr. and Glinton were found off the road in the bushes almost 10 to 15 feet apart. They were both pronounced dead on the scene by Dr Adolphus Oguche.
The suspect was taken to the Cheshire Hall Medical Centre to be treated for minor injuries and was released shortly after.
However, he was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.
TCHTA Urges Officials to Address Crime Situation
With crime rates steadily rising in TCI the Turks and Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association is appealing to the newly appointed Administration and Governor the Excellency Dr. John Freeman to urgently address the matter before the destination’s leading industry is severely affected.
With 2,080 crimes reported by the Royal Turks and Caicos Police Force between the period January to September 2016,87 of these crimes involving crimes against visitors,along with the more recent shooting incident involving TCHTA’s Allied member and TCI businessman Galmo Williams, TCHTA is urging both parties to better equip the local Police Force in order for them to perform more effectively.
Praising the Force for having an increased presence along the Grace Bay tourist area, TCHTA’s Board of Directors stated, “The increased presence is welcomed but more must be done and at a much higher level to address this troubling situation.
Police can patrol the area but if they aren’t equipped with the necessary resources or if their manpower is limited then the issue remains. We need the persons at the top, including the Premier and the Governor to engage the country’s influential Associations in some serious dialogue to find solutions which will work to address and alleviate the growing crime level.“
The Board also noted, “This is a critical situation because not only are crimes being committed against our visitors but because we live in an age now where news is real-time. A visitor who is robbed will share the story instantly with their friends and family via social media and will no doubt warn them against the dangers they have encountered in the TCI.
This then endangers our product and the brand we have worked so hard to develop. It puts our tourism product and our reputation of being a safe tourist destination at great risk. Over the past five years our Association and its members have put measures in place to assist the destination with combatting the crime situation, including donations to the Police Force and the installation of CCTV cameras along the Grace Bay tourist area. However, our hands are tied at this point because there is only so much our members can afford to contribute towards. At some juncture, there must be national dialogue between all partners, where a serious and detailed analysis of the threat is given and a workable solution found which includes educating our society about how negatively crime affects the industry.”
With the Association predicting a busy Winter 2017/2018 the Board is hoping that the meetings can be held soon to craft out a way forward.
Police Investigate Fire arm related offences
Police are investigating two firearms related reports that occurred between Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th February 2017 in the area of Blue Hills Providenciales.
Around 10:50pm, police responded to an Aggravated Burglary report to a home on the Millennium Highway, where the victim told police that she heard someone knocking on her front door, and upon opening it, four masked men rushed and entered the home and demanded money, jewelry and cellphones. The culprits got away with a number of items including a large undisclosed amount of cash. No one was injured during this incident.
Another report was made at 12:21 am the following morning, Police went to the Bay Road area where the complainant told officers that a male was shot in the ear by a masked man. The victim told officers that he was in his home when he heard his female neighbor screaming. He ran outside to see what was happening and came face to face with three masked gun men who fired shots at him. He received a gun-shot wound to the right ear.
The neighbor was seen and told officers that she came outside and saw a number of men in the corridor with guns in their possession, she screamed and ran back into her home.
The man was taken to the hospital where he was treated and discharged.
Investigations are ongoing.
TCIFA Announces Men's Beach Soccer National Team
Following the National Team’s last training session on the night of February 16th, players, staff and executive members gathered for final goodbyes and words of encouragement. The team, scheduled to depart to Nassau on Saturday, February 18th, were also presented with their travel gear and national team kits.
“I would like to thank Coach Bryan for preparing the team, both mentally and physically. I am so grateful to the players who have taken time away from school, work and their personal lives. I am even more grateful that these players have accepted the challenge of representing our country, Turks & Caicos Islands. This experience is not all about winning. What I want the team to be aware of is that I am satisfied, knowing that they will give it everything that they’ve got, leaving it all out on the field, and having fun, which then translates into performing well. I am proud of our team already,” said President Bien-Aime.
Coach Bryan’s main goal is to present a more improved and refined team to this year’s Championship. “We have a strong team, and an obedient team. Do not underestimate what you can achieve. We have played against some of the top Beach Soccer players in the world, and there is no reason that our players cannot be recognized.”
The TCI Men’s National Team Delegation consists of the following:
Jersey # Player Name Position
3 James Rene (Team Captain) Defender
2 Jepthe Francois Defender
4 Wildens Delva Defender
5 Mackenson Cadet Defender
6 Peterson Evariste Midfield
7 Billy Forbes Forward
8 James Lee Louis Midfield
9 Jeff Beljour Midfield
10 Alexander Bryan Midfield
11 Herby Magny Forward
12 Pendeino Brooks Goalkeeper
Staff Name Position
Christopher Bryan Head Coach
Tamara Hall Team Manager/Administrator
Matthieu Yeghiazarian Team Physician
Game Times:
Feb 21 3:00pm El Salvador vs. TCI
Feb 22 3:00pm TCI vs. Costa Rica
Feb 23 4:15pm Panama vs. TCI
Feb 24 Quarter Finals
Feb 25 Semi Finals
Feb 26 Finals
PUBLIC FORECAST FEBRUARY 20TH 2017
GENERAL SITUATION: A WEAK FRONTAL SYSTEM IN THE VICINITY OF THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE SOUTHEASTWARDS AND EXIT THE AREA TODAY.
SPECIAL WARNINGS: NO WARNINGS.
FOR TURKS AND CAICOS:
WEATHER: VARIABLE CLOUDINESS AND BREEZY WITH A FEW SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THE CHANCE OF ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS IN THE VICINITY OF THE FRONT. MOSTLY FAIR AND MILD TONIGHT.
ADVISORY: BOATERS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR GUSTY WINDS AND HIGHER SEAS IN OR NEAR HEAVY SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS.
WINDS: NORTHERLY AT 15 KNOTS OVER OPEN WATERS.
SEAS: 3 TO 5 FEET OVER THE OCEAN.
HIGH TEMPERATURE TODAY 81F 27C
LOW TEMPERATURE TONIGHT 68F 20C
SUNRISE: 6:40 AM
SUNSET: 6:07 PM
MOONSET: 1:03 PM
MOONRISE: 2:42 AM TUE.
LOW TIDE: 9:11 AM HIGH TIDE: 2:57 PM
LOW TIDE: 9:08 PM HIGH TIDE: 3:39 AM TUE.
POLICE KEPT BUSY IN PROVO
Detectives of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force are conducting inquiries into the murder of 25-year-old James Smith Jr. which occurred today (Friday 17th February 2017) in Blue Hills, Providenciales.
Around 12:05am, Police and Medical services responded to the Bay Road area after the numerous reports of shooting were made to 911. Upon arrival the victim’s lifeless body was seen and was later pronounced
deceased by Dr. King.
No arrest has been made in this incident.
Meanwhile, Police Units were dispatched to the Leeward Palms area of Providenciales after reports of gunshots were heard at 11:11am this morning (Friday 17th February 2017).
Upon arrival at location, a number of persons were interviewed by officers and confirmed that they heard noise that sounded like gunshots but are unable to give exact location.
Further checks were carried out but was unsuccessful.
Anyone with information regarding this report should either contact the police at Chalk Sound Police at 338-5901/941-8067 or contact Crimestoppers at 1-800-8477. The information you provide will be treated in the strictest of confidence. We remind you not to report crime information via our Facebook and Twitter page.
White House denies report that National Guard would be used for immigration round ups
The Trump administration considered a proposal to mobilise as many as 100,000 National Guard troops to round up unauthorised immigrants, including millions living nowhere near the Mexico border, according to a draft memo obtained by The Associated Press.
Staffers in the US Department of Homeland Security said they had been told by colleagues in two DHS departments that the proposal was still being considered as recently as February 10. A DHS official described the document as a very early draft that was not seriously considered and never brought to Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly for approval.
The 11-page document calls for the unprecedented militarisation of immigration enforcement as far north as Portland, Oregon, and as far east as New Orleans, Louisiana. The document can be accessed at http://apne.ws/2l1Dj0k
Four states that border on Mexico were included in the proposal — California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas — but it also encompasses seven states contiguous to those four — Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana.
White House spokesman Sean Spicer said today the document was "not a White House document".
"There is no effort to do what is potentially suggested," he said. Spicer called the AP report "100 per cent not true," adding that there was "no effort at all to utilise the National Guard to round up unauthorised immigrants."
The AP had sought comment from the White House beginning Thursday and DHS earlier today and had not received a response from either.
Governors in the 11 states would have had a choice whether to have their guard troops participate, according to the memo, which bears the name of Kelly, a retired four-star Marine general.
While National Guard personnel have been used to assist with immigration-related missions on the US-Mexico border before, they have never been used as broadly or as far north.
The memo was addressed to the then-acting heads of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement and US Customs and Border Protection. It would have served as guidance to implement the wide-ranging executive order on immigration and border security that President Donald Trump signed Jan. 25. Such memos are routinely issued to supplement executive orders.
Also dated January 25, the draft memo says participating troops would be authorized "to perform the functions of an immigration officer in relation to the investigation, apprehension and detention of aliens in the United States." It describes how the troops would be activated under a revived state-federal partnership program, and states that personnel would be authorized to conduct searches and identify and arrest any unauthorized immigrants.
If implemented, the impact could have been significant. Nearly one-half of the 11.1 million people residing in the US without authorisation live in the 11 states, according to Pew Research Center estimates based on 2014 Census data.
Source-AFP
Regional leaders end successful summit in Guyana
Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders have ended a two-day summit here adopting decisions that they said are important to moving the 15-member regional integration movement “towards its objects”.
CARICOM chairman and host, President David Granger told the summit news conference that the leaders had also reflected on the importance of the 'CARICOM brand’, and the pride that we have in our citizenship, citizenry and membership.
“Every citizen of this Community must count; every citizen of this Community has rights, and, wherever our citizens are, they have the right to be treated as Caribbean citizens.
“There is no such thing as a ‘stateless person’ in our Community. There should be no such occurrence as a citizen of a Caribbean state being treated as inferior in any jurisdiction in the Community,” he added.
The regional leaders had entered their 28th inter-sessional summit with the future of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) that allows for the free movement of goods, skills, labour and services across the region, under the microscope.
Granger acknowledged that in the discussions “for which we received a review, the matter of free movement of skilled persons was ventilated.
“We agreed on priority areas to be addressed, including the completion of the protocol on procedures relating to facilitation of travel.
“We commended the significant progress in implementation of the CSME. We agreed on priority areas to be addressed including the challenges of payments for goods and services traded within the region.”
But he said the regional leaders continued to be concerned that “some of our previous decisions have not been fully complied with and agreed that the necessary action will be taken to effect compliance.
“In that regard, the meeting also addressed the need for the relevant ministerial councils and committees to meet,” he said. At the start of the summit, Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit said that of particular concern is the inability of the Legal Affairs Committee comprising Attorneys-General to come together to deal with critical agreements with respect to both the CSME and regional security.
“ I am also concerned that our Council for Finance and Planning has not been able to meet for a considerable period of time. We can and must do better,” Skerrit said, adding “this is a time for action. We cannot afford the luxury of procrastination”.
Granger said that the “unacceptable levels of crime” in CARICOM was another critical agenda item at the meeting with the leaders resolving “to do more to curb the scourge, including placing greater focus on the social determinants of crime, especially among the youth.
“Our Attorneys-General will take action to finalise agreements which are essential to the implementation of the regional crime and security Agenda.
“We will be seeking to take full advantage of opportunities for capacity-building to address existing and emerging threats, including those related to cyber security and cybercrime, crime prevention and drug demand reduction.”
Granger said that the leaders had approved the draft road map for a Single ICT Space and commended the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU), the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) and the officials who had prepared the document.
He said the Single ICT Space would be one of the driving forces for social and economic development of the Community.
“It would enhance the environment for investment and production, provide an opportunity for innovation to flourish, support a sustainable increase in growth and jobs and enhance efficiency and increase access to public services.”
Grenada’s Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell, who has lead responsibility for ICT within the quasi CARICOM Cabinet, told reporters that the leaders had agreed on a new strategy to support innovation.
“It will also protect our citizens on the whole issue of where cyber security is concerned, ensuring that the best legal and regulatory framework is available to support our citizens in the digital economy.
“It will also provide meaningful partnerships among private sector, public sector and the people at large,” he said, adding that “:it would link several national ICT programmes for regional impact, and it examines also the educational opportunities in linking ICT in the whole area of science, technology, engineering and mathematics” more seamlessly”.
Mitchell said that there is no doubt in his mind ICT will allow for the region to compete in the global economy.
“That is going to be the one that will equalise us with our big brothers and sisters internationally because one can do business in Grenada or Guyana wherever in the Caribbean providing services to all parts of the world if we harness the issue of technology more than we are doing at this particular time”.
Granger told reporters that on the issue of corresponding banking, the leaders had recognised the need for a regional approach and “continued concerted, urgent action to address effectively the challenge posed by the de-risking strategies of the global banks which result in the withdrawal of correspondent banking services”.
He said the regional approach was also necessary to strengthen the integrity of the financial system in CARICOM member states and to attenuate the perception of the Caribbean as a high-risk region.
“We considered the strategy and action plan submitted by the Committee of Central Bank Governors and we have asked the Committee of Ministers of Finance with responsibility for Correspondent Financing to assume the oversight of its roll-out.
“We noted, particularly, the need to strengthen Member States’ compliance with the global regulatory standards with regard to Anti- Money Laundering/Counter Terrorism Financing (AML/CTF) and Tax Transparency Information Exchange.”
He said regarding the tourism industry, the summit recognised the importance of the “vital sector in the economies of member states” and welcomed proposals from the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) and the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) for advancing a regional tourism agenda particularly through the public-private sector partnerships.
“We acknowledged the importance of transportation and facilitation of travel, human resource development, the creative industries and marketing as well as competitiveness and financing for the sustainability of tourism in CARICOM.
“We also asked that the marketing campaign(s) encompass, in particular, the tourism product of the mainland member states – Belize, Guyana and Suriname. “
He said with regards to travel, the leaders called for an urgent meeting of the Council for Trade and Development (COTED) on Transportation to address air transport issues in particular, including those related to the tourism sector.
The leaders also received a progress report from Prime Minister Freundel Stuart on the preparations for CARIFESTA which will be held in Barbados from August 17-27, 2017, under the theme ‘Asserting Our Culture, Celebrating Ourselves’.
“We acknowledged the importance of the Festival to the Caribbean identity and ‘brand’, and we encourage full participation in this event. We are a unique people and it is important that we showcase the diversity of our people,” Granger said.
Source-CMC
Jamaican gets 3 years in US prison for possession of child porn
A 28-year-old Jamaican citizen was sentenced to three years in prison and another three on extended supervision after pleading no contest to a charge of possession of child pornography in a Wisconsin court yesterday.
Jermayne Webley's hard drives were found to contain videos and images of young boys engaged in sexual acts after police raided his home in May of last year.
Webley admitted to his crime, according to Assistant District Attorney Rick Spoentgen, and struck a deal to get the state's minimum sentence for such a charge.
He was also required to pay US$2,000 in fines, register as a sex offender and have no contact with minors as part of the sentence.
Webley reportedly spent his entire adult life in America. He may, however, be deported after his conviction.
Source-JO
Democrats and some Republicans want to stop Trump from lifting Russia sanctions
Democrats and a handful of Republicans are rallying around a bill designed to prevent President Donald Trump from lifting sanctions on Russia without congressional approval.
The measure, introduced by House Democrats Wednesday and supported by at least three Republicans, would give Congress 120 days to block lifting any sanctions on Russia imposed in response to actions in Ukraine and Russia's efforts to interference in the 2016 election.
Rep. Adam Schiff, D-California, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said questions about the Trump campaign’s alleged communications with Russian officials ahead of the election makes the proposed legislation “all the more important.”
“If there were condoned discussions that Flynn had or he was acting as free agent, this president shouldn't have ability to eliminate Russian sanctions,” he said at the Democrats' press conference.
“It's obvious and clear that Putin is testing the new administration,” said Rep. Eliot Engel, D-New York. “The last thing that the U.S. should consider is dialing back sanctions on Russia.”
Late last month, Trump said it was "very early to be talking about" lifting sanctions on Russia, but "if we can have a great relationship with Russia and with China, and with all countries, I'm all for that."
A bipartisan group of senators led by Sens. Ben Cardin, D-Maryland, and Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, recently introduced an identical bill in the Senate.
Source-ABC