Supervisor of Elections list NOMINATION VENUES
The Supervisor of Elections Lister Dudley Lewis has indicated that the following Nomination Venues for Nomination of Candidates on November 18, 2016 are as follows:
1. Electoral District 01 Grand Turk North, Steven James Hall
2. Electoral District 02 Grand Turk South and Salt Cay, Yellow Man and Sons Auditorium
3. Electoral District 03 South Caicos, Community Center
4. Electoral District 04 Middle/ North Caicos, Whitby Community Center
5. Electoral District 05 Leeward, Providenciales, Harvest Bible Chapel
6. Electoral District 06 The Bight, Providenciales, Tropicana Plaza
7. Electoral District 07 Richmond Hills & Cheshire Hall, Disaster Management Conference Room
8. Electoral District 08 Blue Hills, Providenciales, Church of God of Prophecy Office
9. Electoral District 09 Five Cays, Felix Morley Community Center
10. Electoral District 10 Wheeland, Best Institute
Lister Dudley L. Lewis
Supervisor of Elections
UPDATE FROM THE ENERGY AND UTILITIES DEPARTMENT
The Energy & Utilities Department has regulatory responsibilities for the electricity services sector, the petroleum sector; the water and sewerage sectors as well as the regulation of electricians. This department, although small in size, has been working towards improving the various sectors under its remit by drafting policy and modernizing the regulatory frameworks governing the sectors.
• A policy was drafted for the Water and Sewerage Sector to ensure the sustainable management of water resources and better oversight of water and sewerage operators across the TCI. Modification to the institutional arrangements and the enhancement of the regulatory regime to improve oversight of the sector is to undertaken.
• Work related to the reform of the legislative and regulatory framework of the energy sector is ongoing. This work entails significant and fundamental changes to the electricity sector that will ensure a more balanced and robust framework for the regulation of the energy sector, in particular electricity, thereby ensuring a more sustainable energy future for the TCI.
• Building upon the electrician licensing regime now in place, the department has begun initial consultations with relevant stakeholders for the establishment of a similar licensing mechanism for solar PV installers, practicing in the TCI. The licensing process will ensure only competent and capable persons are allowed to undertake work in this field to ensure safety to personnel, property and equipment.
• A national audit and inspection of petroleum storage and handling facilitates across the TCI will be conducted as part of a qualitative risk assessment of the sector. This work is intended to identify existing operational and structural gaps and to put in place measures for addressing identified deficiencies. The legislative framework of the petroleum sector will also be improved to ensure going forward, improved oversight, monitoring and compliance to establish industry standards to ensure improved safety to personnel and property.
First Diagnosed Case of Zika in Grand Turk
The Ministry of Health, Agriculture and Human Services, wishes to inform the general public that three (3) new cases of Zika have been confirmed in TCI. This includes the first confirmed case in Grand Turk and brings the total number of confirmed cases in TCI to fifteen (15), which includes 12 females and 3 males.
The Ministry wishes to further inform the general public that there has been an increase in mosquito activity in the TCI as a result of the recent rains. In response, the Ministry continues to enhance prevention and control measures already in place against diseases transmitted by mosquitoes such as Dengue, Chikungunya and Zika. These include education, premises inspections, fogging to kill adult mosquitoes and treating potential breeding sites such as swamps to prevent mosquito breeding.
Zika is a viral illness, which is spread by the bite of an infected Aedes aegypti mosquito. Most persons with Zika are often not aware that they have the virus as they may not have any symptoms but can spread the virus to others when bitten by a mosquito. This mosquito is found throughout the Americas, including the TCI. It is found in and around our homes, workplaces, and schools. Zika was first identified in the Caribbean region in May 2015, in Brazil, and has subsequently spread throughout Latin America, the Caribbean, and parts of the USA.
Symptoms of Zika are similar to other mosquito bourne illnesses such as Dengue and Chikungunya. They appear between four and seven days after being bitten by an infected mosquito and include skin rash, mild fever, conjunctivitis (also known as pink eye), muscle or joint pain, and general malaise. The public is advised to seek medical attention at the nearest clinic facility if any of these symptoms are experienced.
The concern with Zika is a growing body of evidence regarding the connection between infection with Zika in pregnancy and microcephaly. Microcephaly is a condition where a baby's head is smaller than expected, which can be a result of poor development of the brain and other complications. In addition there has been an association with Zika and other neurological complications such as Guillain-Barré syndrome.
There is no specific medication to treat Zika and there are currently no vaccines to prevent it. However, research is ongoing in this area. Treatment is given to minimise the symptoms being experienced as a result of the infection. Most persons recover within five to fourteen days.
Symptoms of Zika can be managed by:
• Getting plenty of rest
• Drinking fluids to prevent dehydration
• Taking medicines, such as acetaminophen, or paracetamol, to relieve fever and pain.
• Do not take aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as Aleve or Ibroprofen until Dengue can be ruled out.
To protect yourself and your family, the Ministry advises persons in the TCI to take the following precautions:
1. Prevent mosquitoes breeding in and around your home by keeping your environment clean by checking your gutters, removing standing water, emptying old flower vases and tires and other containers which may collect water and might act as breeding sites. It is also essential to cover water drums and barrels.
2. Avoid being bitten by wearing loose long-sleeved shirts and long pants, applying insect repellents to exposed skin and use mosquito nets when sleeping.
3. Use safe household insecticides indoors.
4. Have intact window and door screens in dwellings.
5. Consistent condom use as Zika can be transmitted sexually
The Ministry will keep the public updated on any new developments. The health of our population and visitors is paramount. For more information contact the Health Promotion and Advocacy Unit on (649) 338- 2772.
PDM Leader, Sharlene Cartwright Robinson talks political rallies
Last week the PDM Party had a series of Rallies throughout the Turks and Caicos Islands and we are pleased to report that the people are excited and are uniting around the very clear message that they themselves crafted..."Enough is Enough and It Is Time For A Change".
On Monday night hundreds of supporters congregated here in Providenciales at our Party's Headquarters and the Islands were set ablaze with the clarion call for change and we stood united with all nationalities on our grounds demonstrating that we are and will unite for change.
On Wednesday evening the people of North Caicos showed that they remain excited by the PDM's Standard Bearer, Hon Ralph Higgs and PDM saw one of the biggest ever Rallies in recent times on the Island of North Caicos.
On Friday, we reaffirmed our respect and love for the birth place of our Great Party and the love was returned as residents stood for hours and hours basking in the hope of change for an Island sorely neglected by the Government of the day.
Whilst the atmosphere was charged with a catalogue of new songs written largely by supporters who are just excited, it was filled with expectation of a message that will give hope and present the change that they not only want but deserve.
Last week we introduced the following plans to our people:
We believe that the economy nor the development of these Islands are working for the people of these Islands. Our response must be people centered decisions and people centered development. We will not continue to grow this country and allow our people to be left behind. Governments are elected to improve the lives of its citizens and the building of roads, schools and basic infrastructure is a duty. We will fulfill our basic duties but will also present cutting edge plans that are realistic, innovative and represents the change that our people need and deserve.
Last week we introduced our people to a few of our plans with more to come. We need to ensure that:
1. We will use our position on the National Security Council Advisory Group where the Premier sits with the Governor, the Commissioner of Police, the PS Finance and make real strong representations for our people. We will provide the resources and support needed to reverse this rise in crime in our Islands. Our 12 point plan was again presented in 4 points: People/Police relations; Resources and Training for our Police; Incentives to attract and retain our Police and Rehabilitation and Reentry for would be reoffenders.
2. There must be Jobs and Job Placement, Promotion and Protection. This will be immediately addressed by a stimulus package that will inject monies in the Islands with depress economies and high unemployment. There is an immediate need to clean up these Islands and to begin to repair crumbling infrastructure and we will begin these works through this stimulus package.
3. That there is access to real capital for those who want to own businesses
4. That there is a real effort to determine the number of unemployed in these Islands and the creation of a jobs policy
5. Single mothers will receive strong support from a PDM Government especially after school support for their children.
6. The elderly will receive hospice care in Providenciales.
7. Taxi drivers and industry workers will get their fair share of the pie.
8. The Youth have been crying out for attention and we will ensure that youth are central to our plans. The building of a High Performance Center and Creative Arts Centers is a must for the PDM with a return of the Sports Commission to ensure the proper development of Sports.
9. We will ensure that there is a Second Chance Program for those who may have been offenders of the Law so that they are able to reenter society successfully. We will address the use of Police Records as a stumbling block for jobs in the public and private sector.
10. We will continue the push for a full investigation of the Healthcare System and will properly resource all of our Clinics ensuring through programs that we have a strong primary health care system. We assured the Staff of NHIP that we will fix the issues that affect them and we assured our people that we will review the referral system that has presented serious challenges to our people.
11. Education is key and central to our plans. We will transform education and will concentrate on children as well as adults learning. We must repair our Schools through an aggressive program, we will build a purpose built college and university campus, the introduction of vocational as well as a Hospitality Training School. We will modernize the tools we use to teach our children and will create satellite campuses for Islands outside of Campus states so that persons in the other Islands can access education without leaving home.
12. We will govern on a strong labour platform and ensure that labour is reviewed and that resources are adequately placed and provided for it to carry out its mandate for the placement of jobs for our people, and to ensure promotion and protection on their jobs. We will have a labour presence in North Caicos as well as South Caicos.
13. We assured the fishermen that we will review the recently passed Regulations that sought to make criminals of them and will together with them position a fishing industry that can once again become a strong pillar in our economy
14. What seem to have excited even the youth of this country is the PDM's Plan to construct a Spine Link Highway that will in its first phase connect North Caicos to Providenciales and we will deliver.
15. We have created a Plan to support those who want to own homes and will immediately address the challenges of the Crown Land Ordinance to ensure that our people are able to obtain crown land in a fair and dignified manner.
16. The elderly, the special needs, and physically challenged will not be ignored and special plans will be introduced to them with a properly resourced and supported Social Services Department.
17. Civil Servants can expect real change under a PDM Government and in a few weeks we will remind them of the challenges that remain after four years of a Rufus Ewing led Government.
We assured our people that we will develop a National Plan that we can all unite around.
Our people are central to our plan and we will govern close to them and will empower them through elected local government to manage a bit of their affairs directly. We will extend local government to Grand Turk as well.
During our constituency Rallies and following the release of the Party's Manifesto/Blue Print, we will continue to roll out plans that are realistic, achievable, people centered and above all plans that unite, give hope and inspire our people to want more and to do more. We must immediately seek to reverse the brain drain that is happening by ensuring through our Partnership Program (which will see a cooperation between public and private sector) that will ensure that our people are priorItised for job placements especially our returning students. We will also use this Body to address underemployment which speaks to the fact that our people are in jobs that they had to take because of the fact that opportunities were not available to them in the areas in which they trained.
We will put our people center and I am pleased to announced that on Friday, we will be nominating a full slate of candidates. This Superior Team has excited our people and equally our superior plans have already begun to. But this is not the end of the road as there is more to come.
We are pleased to partnered with so many people across the divide of color, creed and race to present real plans for real issues that will be accomplished by real leadership.
Over the next few weeks we will be on the road in all constituencies and we are pleased to say that we will be bringing the PDM to you in the following constituencies on the following dates:
November 22nd-Tuesday LEEWARD CONSTITUENCY RALLY
November 23rd-Wednesday NORTH CAICOS - BOTTLE CREEK CONSTITUENCY RALLY
November 24th-Thursday SOUTH CAICOS PUBLIC MEETING
November 27th-Sunday OUR SPECIAL SALT CAY APPEARANCE
November 28th-Monday GRAND TURK NORTH CONSTITUENCY RALLY
November 30th-Wednesday THE BIGHT CONSTITUENCY RALLY
December 2nd-Friday MIDDLE CAICOS PUBLIC MEETING
December 3rd-Saturday CHESHIRE HALL CONSTITUENCY RALLY
December 5th-Monday SOUTH CAICOS CONSTITUENCY RALLY
December 6th-Tuesday BLUE HILLS RALLY
December 9th-Friday WHEELAND RALLY
December 10th-Saturday FIVE CAYS RALLY
December 11th-Sunday LEADER'S LUNCHEON
December 14th-Wednesday MASSIVE PUBLIC RALLY AT PROVIDENCIALES HEADQUARTERS.
MASSIVE PUBLIC RALLY IN GRAND TURK SOUTH
We will be participating in all the constituency debates that have been organized by a private citizen and in a Leader's Debate agreed now between all Parties for December 7th, 2016 at the Palms.
And on DECEMBER 15TH, 2016, there will be Grand PDM ELECTION DAY CELEBRATIONS over all of Turks and Caicos.
On DECEMBER 16TH there will be the SWEARING IN OF CABINET at 10.00AM at the GOVERNOR'S OFFICE in Grand Turk followed on DECEMBER 29TH with the SWEARING IN OF THE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY IN GRAND TURK.
GOVERNOR ATTENDS REMEMBRANCE DAY SERVICE
His Excellency the Governor, Dr John Freeman, attended the Remembrance Day Service held in Grand Turk at the Cenotaph, St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral, on Sunday, 13 November. During the service the Governor laid a wreath in memory of all the soldiers who fell in the two World Wars 1914-1918 and 1939-1945. He was joined in laying a wreath at the Cenotaph by the Hon. Minister of Finance, Trade and Investment, Mr Charles W Misick, representing the TCI Government, and by the Hon. Derek Taylor on behalf of the Opposition.
Others participating in the service included the Hon. Minister of Home Affairs, Transportation and Communication, the Assistant Commissioner of Police, the TCIG Medical Department, the Scouts, Guides and Brownies, Rotaract International, Soroptomists International and the TCI Red Cross and former members of the armed forces.
Reflecting on Remembrance Day, Governor Freeman said, "Remembrance Day is a time for reflection. A time to recall with deep gratitude the sacrifices made by others on our behalf. A time for quiet prayer and thanksgiving."
Also on display at the Cenotaph were display panels courtesy of the Turks and Caicos National Museum depicting the role played by those from the Turks and Caicos Islands and the wider Caribbean in the two World Wars. The panels are now on display at the museum.
Ministry of Health Announces Brilliant New Hire at TCI's Wellness Centers
The Ministry of Health Agriculture and Human Services is carefully adhering to its strategic plan in the area of care for the ill and underserved population. Today it announces the new hire of Vanderzee K. Forbes Warlock RN, BSN, as the new Nurse Supervisor for the Wellness Centers of the Turks & Caicos Islands.
Daughter of the soil Mrs. Forbes Warlock brings nearly 15 years of experience to this role. Prior to joining the Turks & Caicos Islands Government, she was a senior Nurse at the Turks & Caicos Islands Hospitals with responsibilities for Infection Control and Emergency Triage Training. Prior to that, Nurse Forbes Warlock was the manager of Provo's Children Home and Nurse Supervisor at Florida Infirmary. She graduated from Barry University in 2011 with a Bachelor's Degree and gained her registration and licensure through the Florida Board of Nursing. She is now in the process of pursuing her Master's Degree in Management specializing in Public Sector Management and is also pursuing her licensure in infection control.
In her new role at the Wellness Centers, she will work as a Nurse Supervisor. Her responsibilities include managing staff and ensuring quality care for the clients utilizing her experience in the nursing field. Her particular interest and expertise is in implementing services and maintaining nursing standards. As a result, she will help staff and the community to understand their responsibilities pertaining to the elderly, mentally ill and disabled.
Nurse Forbes Warlock shares the same ideals and values as The Turks & Caicos Islands Wellness Centers when it comes to service, she stated; "Customer service is vital in this arena. My daily objective is to work as hard as I can, be as flexible as I can be, and more importantly to be reliable to my staff members and patients. My goal is to help to reshape the service that we are providing at a new and improved standard."
Deputy Governor, Anya Williams extended congratulations and best wishes to Mrs. Forbes Warlock on her new appointment and stated; "Following on from the departure of our former Supervisor of the Wellness Center Mrs. Alexia Durham, we are most pleased to both welcome and congratulate Mrs. Forbes Warlock on her new appointment as we are certain that her academic qualifications and years of experience will be an asset to this role. TCIG recently completed Phase 1 of its Wellness Center Upgrade Works which will include the opening of a new Wellness Center facility in Grand Turk."
"As we transition to the new property and seek to implement new programs and to improve client care, Mrs. Forbes Warlock will play a very vital role in this process and will greatly assist the Director of Special Needs, Ms. Betty Ann Been in developing a new Special Needs Policy and program for the Turks and Caicos Islands. I want to commend the department on the great work that it is doing and would like to extend my best wishes to the entire staff. "
Caricom states losing millions due to bad agricultural practices
The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) says Caribbean Community (Caricom) member states are losing millions through poor pre and post agricultural practices.
Addressing the second regional dialogue on Prevention and Reduction of losses and waste in Latin America and the Caribbean, here on Thursday, Katherine Baldwin, of the FAO’s Statistics Division said although limited, data on post-harvest food losses from some Caricom member states indicate that losses can range between 25 per cent and 55 per cent in commodities such as cassava and tomatoes at times up to 100 per cent for pumpkin exports.
Majeed Mohammed, one of the consultants, told the participants from the Caribbean and Latin America that based on research, the five critical loss points were identified as Agricultural Production; Post harvest handling and storage; Processing; Distribution and Consumption.
FAO consultant, Catalina Giraldo, said in Latin America and the Caribbean, the single largest proportion of the food loss occurs in the production and consumer segments of the food supply chain.
According to the FAO, food waste refers to the discarding or non-use of food that was fit for human consumption by choice or neglect.
The first regional dialogue was held in the Dominican Republic in 2015 with this dialogue being the second, held in collaboration with the island National Authority for the Zero Hunger Challenge Initiative. This is an initiative, which aims to achieve goal number 12 of the Sustainable Development Goal that is to reduce hunger and reduce food waste by half by the year 2030.
Source-CMC
Gov’t pursuing open skies policy
Transport and Mining Minister Mike Henry says the government is pursuing an open skies policy.
This is an agreement under which two or more countries allow unrestricted over flight and landing rights to one another.
In remarks read on his behalf by Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority Chairman, Phillip Henriques, at the opening of a new air traffic control tower at the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston on November 16, Henry said the policy is being pursued to increase connectivity to the island and promote Jamaica as a regional hub.
“It will also encourage competition and expansion of international air services,” he said.
He noted that the policy will provide an environment that will encourage operations into Jamaica’s international airports.
In addition, it will facilitate the development of Jamaica’s international trade, investments, tourism and all sectors of air transport.
The Transport and Mining Minister informed that since 2010, Jamaica has negotiated bilateral air services agreements with more than 20 states.
These include Canada, Chile, Iceland, Singapore, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia, China, Brazil, Qatar, India, and the Czech Republic.
Henry indicated that as the travel industry prepares for a surge in growth, Jamaica needs to put in place innovations to enhance the safety, performance and security of the industry in tandem with the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
Source-JIS
TURKS & CAICOS ISLANDS DPP VISITS ANTIGUAN HIGH COURT
The Acting Director of Public Prosecutions, Mrs. Angela Brooks was one of the attendees at the "Civil Recovery of the Proceeds of Crime Advocacy Workshop" held in Antigua. This invitation was extended to Mrs. Brooks by Mrs. Nicole Suter, from the Financial Crimes Legal Advisor, International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, U.S.
Mrs. Suter conducts practical training throughout the Caribbean territories on anti-money laundering and financial crimes matters.
The training took the form of a live mock trial conducted at the Antiguan High court. Antiguan High Court Judges, Her Ladyships Peraletta Lanns and Henry added the extra realism to the experience by presiding over the matters.
With the Turks and Caicos Islands being one of the 26 countries that comprises the CFATF from South and Central America and the Caribbean and with Turks and Caicos being slated in early 2017 to be evaluated on it National Risk assessment all training in the area of anti-money laundering, combatting terrorist financing and financial crimes is absolutely essential.
"The workshop afforded me the opportunity to work my way through the legislation and provided me with the real practical experience that one can only get from actually attending such an exercise. It is paramount that we at the ODPP continue to educate ourselves, attend and participate in such workshops so that we can be aptly equip to not only to assist the court, advise the police but to remain competent in our profession," said Mrs. Brooks.
Mrs. Brooks also had the distinct privilege to meet the acquaintance of the Attorney General of Antigua and Barbuda, Honorable Steadroy C.O. Benjamin. "It was such a pleasant and cordial experience to meet the Honorable Attorney General. He has a charming personality and he expressed his interest in visiting the Turks and Caicos Islands."
Mrs. Brooks also had the opportunity to meet the Antigua and Barbuda Solicitor General, Lebrecht Hesse and the Director of Public Prosecutions Mr. Anthony Armstrong.
"It was an awesome opportunity to network, to meet collogues in the profession and esteem officials from the beautiful islands of Antigua and Barbuda. I was honored to represent the ODPP and by extension my country Turks and Caicos."
Celebrate TCI's National Tree with the DECR
The first, annual Caicos Pine Awareness week will be held in December. The Department of Environment & Coastal Resources (DECR) have deemed the first week of December 'Caicos Pine Awareness Week', in order to celebrate our national tree and to draw attention to the plight of this unique pine species.
"Historically, Caicos pines were cut from the pine yards in North and Middle Caicos to use as Christmas trees in community tree lightings. Because of the impact of the invasive pine tortoise scale which has killed over 90% of the wild trees, this is no longer a feasible option – every single surviving Caicos pine is needed to perpetuate the species. This year for the first time, we are celebrating the National Tree and traditional Christmas tree with an honorific week of awareness and celebration," said B Naqqi Manco, Caicos Pine Recovery Project Manager and DECR Terrestrial Ecologist.
On the 3rd of December families, residents and visitors are all invited to a guided tour of the National Tree ramble, located in the Middle Caicos pine yard. The tour, led by Mr Manco, will start at 10am. Refreshments will be enjoyed afterwards, at the Conch Bar Community Centre. If you can't make it to the trail, be sure not to miss the lighting of the Caicos Pine 'Christmas' Tree, that evening at beginning at 6 PM at the DECR & Agriculture Office Garden (Rest House) in Kew, North Caicos.
Provo Primary will be assisting the DECR and the National Museum with a Caicos Pine Tree planting, on Monday, 5 December. The national tree is exhibited at the indigenous garden, at the National Museum's Heritage House, in the Village at Grace Bay.
"The Caicos Pine has been threatened by an invasive insect pest and Climate Change for a number of years; it has been the DECR's aim to combat this unfortunate problem and we hope that education and awareness will guide us as we strive to safeguard our national tree," explained Dr John Claydon, DECR Director.
The Caicos Pine Recovery Project (CPRP) was launched in 2008 and have been a long term collaboration between TCI partners and the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew (RBG Kew) in the UK. The current nursery is located in the government farm at Kew in North Caicos and holds more than 300 pines grown from seed collected locally. The Caicos pine, Pinus caribaea var. bahamensis, is endemic to the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) and the Bahamas, where it is the dominant species in the pine forest ecosystem. In TCI, it grows only in the islands of Middle Caicos, North Caicos and Pine Cay. Here this pine has been under threat of extinction in the past decade, because of a severe infestation by the non-native and pine-specific pine tortoise scale insect Toumeyella parvicornis. This scale insect has killed the majority of pines in TCI devastating the local pine yards in the past 10 years and few live healthy trees can be seen nowadays. The Caicos pine is now listed in the IUCN red list of threatened species as Vulnerable.