Caricom Secretariat gets energy monitoring equipment under GIZ/REETA Programme
Energy monitoring equipment was handed over to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat on Tuesday, 8 March 2016. The equipment, worth more than US$20,000, was donated by the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) through the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Technical Assistance (REETA) Programme. The equipment forms part of the development cooperation between the Government of the Federal Republic of German and the Secretariat.
Ms. Carol Corbin, Programme Manager, Administrative Services, received the equipment on the behalf of the Secretariat from Mr. Glynn Morris, Energy Advisor in the GIZ/REETA Programme. The handing over was held on the compound of the Secretariat. The equipment will provide sub metering for monitoring the consumption of electricity by the major devices within the CARICOM Secretariat Headquarters Building. The equipment will also enable the collection of detailed temperature, humidity and carbon dioxide data, which is necessary for the monitoring of indoor air quality and comfort.
Energy monitoring is a key activity within the CARICOM Building Energy Efficiency Project (CARICOM BEEP) that has been underway since January 2015. The BEEP concept was developed by the Energy Unit of the CARICOM Secretariat and utilises a protocol that constitutes a "mix" of energy management practices and principles, energy efficiency applications and renewable energy use. In this, the first phase of the CARICOM BEEP, the energy management practices applied have already yielded significant energy and financial savings to the Secretariat. The financial savings are already being reinvested in efficient air conditioning systems, which will generate additional savings. Future phases of the project will include the implementation of efficient lighting devices, insulation to reduce the heating caused by incoming solar radiation, automated energy management controls, building occupancy sensors, and solar power generation.
Through the use of the energy monitoring equipment, the CARICOM Secretariat will have better quality data and information related to the building's energy use and can identify, at any point in time, how much electricity is being used and the consumption of major devices within the building. This will improve the ability of the facilities managers to better respond to excessive and inefficient usage, thereby improving the energy management practices that are already being applied and providing "greater control" over consumption and costs.
The high cost of energy is of concern to the Executive Management of the CARICOM Secretariat. Paying the energy bills continues to divert funds from other areas, necessary for the efficient operation of the organisation. The CARICOM BEEP has been mainstreamed within the Secretariat and a Project Management Committee, chaired by the Deputy Secretary-General, is providing oversight. Activities under the programme are aimed at reducing energy costs to improve the economic situation of the organisation. They are also aimed at providing example and proof to Member States of the tangible benefits that can be derived from addressing the efficiency with which energy is used in public buildings across the Region, as promoted under the CARICOM Energy Policy and the Caribbean Sustainable Energy Roadmap and Strategy (C‑SERMS).
The positive experience of the BEEP activities in the CARICOM Secretariat has also led to an expansion of the initiative across the Community to support other major administrative buildings, including the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission Headquarters in Saint Lucia.
Paba development league finals
The curtains came down on the 2015-2016 PABA Development league as the Wesley Methodist Sting Rays defeated the Tci Community College Admirals in a nail biting game.
The fans were treated to an exciting game of many lead changes and spectacular plays by both teams. It was a match up of experience from the college versus youth of Wesley Methodist where youth and athleticism prevailed in the end.
At the sound of the final horn the Sting Rays led by Captain Shardanno Clarke edged out the Community College 49-44.
Mr Clarke led the way for the Sting Rays with 16 points, 19 rebounds 2 blocks, Rajun Valentine supported him with 16 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 blocks, 1 steal.
Randy Rigby sustained an injury early in the 2nd quarter but was able to lead the scoring for the College with 21 pts 7 rebs, 3 asts, 7 stls. Captain Dalevon Hardware added 8 pts, 15 rebs, 1 asts, 1 blk, 3 stls.
In the supporting game CHHS Senior secured third position after defeating the CHHS juniors 36-34. Fedloir Semora scored 16 pts, 8 rebs for the seniors and Marcus Ulysse dished out 15 pts and grabbed 15 rebs for the CHHS Juniors.
It was a fitting end to the development league season as the PABA has achieved its objective of promoting the development of Basketball at a competitive level in Providenciales.
Up next for the PABA youth players are the summer programs which is set to begin Monday 4th July 2016.
GOVERNOR AND DEPUTY GOVERNOR LAUNCH NEW PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN PUBLIC SERVICE AND BUSINESSES
The Governor and Deputy Governor announced on 7 March an initiative to bring private sector expertise to the public sector. Under the overall programme recently launched by the Deputy Governor of "Vision 20/20: Creating Excellence in the Public Sector" the new scheme aims to encourage public sector departments to learn from some of the efficiencies introduced in the private sector.
The launch the scheme, "Public-Private Partnerships – Enhancing Service Delivery", three senior businessmen in Turks and Caicos Islands have agreed to share some of their expertise with senior members of the public sector. Ken Adams, The Do It Center and Building Materials, Gilly Williams, The Wine Cellar and Turks Head Brewery, and Robert Brace, Graceway - IGA, Smart and Gourmet, will attend occasional meetings of Government Departments to hear about some of the problems public servants face, and discuss with them how to improve efficiency in those departments. The businessmen will initially focus on alternative energy, the work permit system, infrastructure implementation and road safety certification.
Commenting on the initiative the Governor Peter Beckingham said:
"I am grateful to these three senior and successful businessmen for giving up their time to discuss ways in which the public sector can learn from business. Everyone in TCI will know how their businesses operate successfully and efficiently, and I am confident the advice they can offer will help public servants look at their operations in new and different ways.
"All Government Departments in the UK now automatically have on their Boards senior members of the private sector, so we can learn from their example how our own public sector can benefit from business. We are fortunate to have the free services of these three businessmen to support the departments. I have been keen to get the public sector more engaged with business, and I am confident this is a great way of starting".
Deputy Governor Anya Williams said: "My focus over the next year is going to be unrelentingly on generating more efficiencies in our public service. I know there are areas where we can improve delivery standards to the public, and engaging three highly experienced businesspeople in this way is bound to help find ways of making improvements. I look forward to working with all three businessmen and having them help us with our work."
Robert Brace, Graceway, said: " From my time in business with some of Europe's large companies I have seen how the public sector can benefit from closer working relations with companies. It is very common in many European countries for these sorts of exchanges between the private and the public sector to take place. I am pleased to see this sort of co-operation happening in the Turks and Caicos. I am sure that Gilly Williams, Ken Adams and I can, at least at the margin, help to bring some efficiencies and a new way of looking at services offered by the public service."
TURKS AND CAICOS POST CABINET MEETING STATEMENT
His Excellency the Governor, Peter Beckingham, chaired the 8th meeting of the Cabinet on Wednesday, 9 March 2016, at the Hon. Hilly Ewing Building on Providenciales.
All Ministers were present.
At this meeting Cabinet:
· Agreed to the use of contingency funds for the RTCIPF to purchase a replacement police patrol vehicle for one that was written off in an incident during an operational deployment. The cost of the replacement vehicle has been covered by insurance;
· Approved the draft Flag and Coat of Arms (Regulation) Bill 2016, as amended, for forwarding to the House of Assembly for approval. The Bill and subsequent legislation will prescribe and guide the use of the national flag, the coat of arms and the national song as well as other national symbols;
· Agreed to the formulation of a TCI Climate Change Committee and approved draft Terms of Reference for the Committee and the selection of Committee members as follows: Director of the Office of the Premier (Chair); Director, DEMA; Director, Public Health; Director, Environmental Health; Director, DDME; Energy and Utilities Commissioner; Policy Analyst, Office of the Premier; and two representatives from the private sector;
· Noted the recommendations of the Procurement Board to award contracts in line with the Public Procurement Ordinance 2012 as follows – TR15/41 National skills audit consultancy; TR15/52 Design and build of a green fitness park at Leeward in Providenciales;
· Approved, as a result of a Supreme Court Order of 22 December 2015, a payment of $20,000 to be made from the National Forfeiture Fund (NFF) to the wife of Mr David Smith as a percentage of the proceeds from the sale of the residential property owned by Mr Smith under a Confiscation Order of 25 April 2012 in order for Mrs Smith to purchase a residential property for her and her four young children; and approved a further payment of $34,500 to be made from the NFF to the National Colony Realty company for professional services for marketing and selling the property to the satisfaction of the Crown under an agreement of 27 March 2015;
· Advised His Excellency the Governor to agree to renew a casino licence for a further ten years to BK Partners Ltd based on the same terms and conditions as the original licence;
· Advised His Excellency the Governor to agree to the re-appointment of the following members to the Turks and Caicos Islands Tourist Board for a period of one year from 1 April 2016 – 31 March 2017 in accordance with the TCI Tourism Ordinance – Don Gardiner (Chair); Crystal Greene (Deputy Chair); Wayne Garland; Brenda Lightbourne; Lloyd Stubbs; Jayne Hutchinson; Bianca Harvey Garland; and Permanent Secretary (ex-officio);
· Agreed that the 2015/16 lobster (crawfish) season should be extended to 31 March 2016;
· Advised His Excellency the Governor to agree to the appointments of the following members to the Immigration Appeals Tribunal for the period 1 April 2016 – 31 March 2017 - Edward Hall; Alice Malcolm; Paul Beresford; Oswald Williams; and Fuller Gardiner Sr. Cabinet also advised His Excellency the Governor to agree to the appointments of Edward Hall as Chair of the Appeals Tribunal and Martha Missick as Secretary of the Appeals Tribunal for the same period;
· Received an up-date on a construction in the Princess Alexandra National Park and noted that following the Ministry’s discussions with the owners the structure has subsequently been removed;
· Advised His Excellency the Governor to agree to the appointments of the following members to the Zone 1 (Turks islands, South Caicos, East Caicos and Ambergris Cay) and Zone 2 (the remaining islands) Work Permit Boards –
Zone 1: Arthur Lightbourne (Chair); William Fulford (Grand Turk Member); Allan Dickinson (Salt Cay Member); and Emily Saunders (South Caicos Member).
Zone 2: Sheba Wilson (Chair); Veldon Robinson (Middle Caicos Member); Kadra Handfield (North Caicos Member); and Owenta Coleby James (Providenciales Member).
Cabinet also advised His Excellency the Governor to agree to the appointments of Kirk Forbes, an Immigration Officer based in Grand Turk, as Secretary of the Zone 1 Board and Deserika Glinton, an Immigration Officer based in Providenciales, as Secretary of the Zone 2 Board;
· Advised His Excellency the Governor to make amendments to the Customs (Government Transit Shed and Queen’s Warehouse Rent) Regulations to reduce customs warehouse rents and agreed that Customs should undertake an exercise to clear existing goods in store by offering a maximum charge to the equivalent of 90 days storage fees under the new rates;
· Advised His Excellency the Governor to approve an amendment to the Customs Tariff to reduce the rate of import duty on green coffee beans from 15% to zero.
FLOW AND MANCHESTER UNITED PARTNERSHIP LAUNCHED
Cable & Wireless’s retail brand Flow has delivered yet another major landmark deal in the Caribbean with Manchester United. The deal between Manchester United and Flow, the only telecoms provider in the region with extensive partnership and broadcast rights for the world’s most popular football club was officially launched in Kingston, on Thursday, February 18.
Flow will also have exclusive distribution rights of the dedicated MUTV channel in the region. This will give Flow subscribers access to exclusive Manchester United programming as well as behind-the-scenes access to the club, starting with the upcoming 2016/17 Premier League season.
As the region’s leading quad-play operator, Flow will also enable access to Manchester United content “on the go” via mobile, tablets and desktop devices. Fans will be able to access Manchester United’s Red Alerts and download the Manchester United App. Manchester United is an industry leader making an excellent fit with C&W as the Caribbean’s most innovative operator providing products and services across multiple platforms.
The Manchester United partnership provides Caribbean fans with unique experiences including the chance to win tickets to Manchester United games, signed merchandise, as well as interaction with Manchester United Legends.
John Reid, C&W’s President Consumer Group welcomed the exciting regional partnership and said, “This deal with Manchester United is certainly paving the way for Flow to truly become the undisputed Home of Sports in the Caribbean. FLOW is bringing sports fans closer to football through our new association with the biggest club in the world. With Flow and Manchester United, we can truly say, ‘together we are in a different league.’”
Manchester United has a global community of 659 million followers.
The Indian Premier League Has A New Home in the C'bbean
Flow Sports – the region’s newest and only Caribbean-based High Definition (HD) sports TV network – today announced that it has become the Official Broadcast Partner of the Indian Premier League (IPL) T20 cricket tournament starting in 2016.
In securing the broadcast rights, Flow Sports will be the only broadcaster in the region to provide HD coverage of all the IPL action. The deal also gives Flow exclusive digital rights for the IPL, which will be available for free to all Flow mobile and broadband customers via the cricketgateway.com platform – making it easy for working fans to catch the daytime games.
Entering its ninth season, the IPL is the largest and most popular professional T20 cricket tournament in the world, and features West Indies’ superstars including Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Kieron Pollard, Lendl Simmons, Dwayne Smith, Samuel Badree, and Jason Holder. The IPL is also the most popular regular-season cricket tournament in the Caribbean, and often the most watched event in the annual sporting calendar. Flow Sports will be showing all 60 games of the 8-team tournament live, with up to two games being broadcasted per day, all in crystal clear HD.
“Our customers consistently tell us that, as the biggest and most exciting T20 tournament in the world, the IPL is their favourite regular season cricket competition – the IPL is to cricket fans what the English Premier League is to football fans. We are therefore thrilled to announce our agreement with the IPL to confirm what is the region’s best cricket and, indeed, sports line-up” said John Reid, President of Flow.
The IPL deal comes hot on the heels of the recent announcement that Flow Sports had secured broadcasting rights for two other global cricket tournaments – The Pakistan Super League (PSL) T20 and the ASIA Cup 2016. During its recent coverage of the PSL, Flow Sports was consistently the most popular sports network on the Flow TV platform, demonstrating the enduring popularity of cricket in the Caribbean.
“With IPL rights, we have cemented Flow Sports as the “Home of Cricket” in the region,” said Reid. “Thanks to this deal with the IPL, as well as the partnerships we’ve secured with the New Zealand Home Series, South Africa Home Series, Bangladesh Premier League T20, the Ram Slam T20 and more recently the PSL20 and Asia Cup, our customers can watch their favourite West Indies players in action from leagues all around the world, and never miss a ball.”
Flow’s TV customers can catch all of the IPL 2016 season action between April 8th and May 29th, 2016 on Flow Sports, with further announcements set to made to Flow customers on how to access digital coverage.
C&W BUSINESS WINS 2015 TOP FORTINET PARTNER AWARDS
C&W Business, part of Cable & Wireless Communications, Plc (CWC), today announces it has been named as Fortinet’s Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP) of the Year 2015 and the Enhanced Technologies Partner of the Year 2015 for the Caribbean and Latin American region. C&W Business was recognized during the Fortinet Global Partner Conference, an annual gathering of more than 1,200 top partners from around the world. The Fortinet Partner Awards acknowledge the outstanding achievements delivered by Fortinet partners and distributors. This year’s award winners were selected from a group of nominations based on their commitment to meeting customers’ cyber security requirements, their market impact and exemplary use of Fortinet solutions.
C&W Business is the leading managed services provider in the Caribbean and Latin American region comprising the best talent, processes and technology capabilities to deliver state of the art information security and risk mitigation services. Fortinet is the worldwide leader in Unified Threat Management (UTM) technology, with a complete ecosystem of security solutions that allow the Company to design dynamic security architectures that protect their clients from advanced threats.
Last month, C&W Business announced that it had been recognized as a Fortinet Platinum Partner, having achieved the highest level of certification within Fortinet’s partner program. C&W Business also received the Enhanced Technologies Partner of the Year 2015 award. This recognition enhanced C&W Business’s credibility as the only provider offering the latest technology and managed services to prevent security intrusions and protecting customers’ data and networks.
“It is a great honour for us to receive these recognitions and we are very proud of being the only service provider in the Caribbean and Latin American region to receive both the MSSP and the Enhanced Technologies Partner of the Year recognition,” said John Maduri, President C&W Business. “We are excited to partner with Fortinet and to bring innovative security solutions and managed services that drive customer success to businesses and government entities throughout the region,” added Maduri.
“We are pleased to recognize C&W Business with two Fortinet Partner Awards for their dedication to providing the best cyber security solutions in the Caribbean and Latin America,” said Pedro Paixao, General Manager, Latin America, at Fortinet. “C&W Business delivers the most innovative technology to customers so they can safeguard their data and networks from rapidly evolving cyber security threats,” added Paixao.
Fortinet’s annual Global Partner Conference (GPC) provides the Fortinet partner community with access to key marketing and business strategies, leadership, and information regarding specific customer solutions designed to help partners succeed in the marketplace. Along with informative learning opportunities covering sales, marketing, services and technology, the Fortinet GPC presents an ideal setting for partners to take away valuable knowledge from their peers and from Fortinet. In addition, technology alliance partners sponsor a live tech expo highlighting their innovations and Fortinet implementations, providing the partner attendees an opportunity to learn about new ways to serve and meet their customers evolving cyber security needs.
World Travel Awards 2016 nominees unveiled
World Travel Awards (WTA) has revealed the nominees for its Grand Tour 2016, with thousands of hospitality leaders from across the globe in the running for the prestigious titles.
Voting is now underway ahead of the Latin America, Europe, Caribbean & North America, and Asia & Australasia Gala Ceremonies, so make your voice heard by registering to vote here.
World Travel Awards President Graham Cooke said: “Revealing the nominees for our annual Grand Tour is always an exciting time of year for World Travel Awards.
"We have carefully selected the leaders in international hospitality, be that hotels, airlines, destinations, or operators, and offered our voters a chance to select the very best among them.
“Sign up now to make your voice heard as part of our Grand Tour 2016.”
Each year WTA covers the globe with a series of regional Gala Ceremonies staged to recognise and celebrate individual and collective successes within each key geographical region.
Each WTA Gala Ceremony offers unrivalled networking opportunities to members of the travel and tourism industry, with the events welcoming government and industry leaders as well as international print and broadcast media.
WTA was established in 1993 to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the tourism industry.
Today, the World Travel Awards brand is recognised globally as the ultimate hallmark of quality, with winners setting the benchmark to which all others aspire.
TOURISM STATISTICS 2015 – TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS
The Turks and Caicos Islands welcomed and hosted some 1,315,268 million tourists to its shores in 2015. Backed by an 8.1 percent increase in stay-over arrivals, the destination continues to reach new heights with noted growth in stay-over arrivals recorded for each month of the year, and within the majority of its major source markets. Further assessment of the 1.3 million visitors in 2015 shows 385,531 visitors were stop-over guest arriving primarily at the Providenciales International Airport (PLS) and 929,737 visitors came via cruise.
Stop-Over Arrivals
Moving towards the inclusion of arrivals at the destination fixed based operations (FBOs) to the overall stop-over arrivals, the Turks and Caicos Islands recorded 8,206 tourist arrivals via private aircraft in 2015. An outstanding 3,253 tourists arrived to the destination via private aircraft in the first quarter alone. Stop-over arrivals via private aircraft however were excluded from the overall statistical information for both years as the recordings lacked demographical details. *Once the demographical details are received, this data will be added to the overall stop-over arrivals for 2015 and used in comparisons for 2016.
The Turks and Caicos Islands saw an increase in stop-over arrivals for each month of the year ranging from a growth rate of 23.2 percent in January to 0.7 percent in March of 2015. The first and fourth quarters of 2015 posted the greatest growth in stop-over arrivals for the Turks and Caicos Islands – with increases of 9.9 percent and 9.7 percent respectively when compared to the same periods in 2014. The first quarter accounted for 115,979 stop-over arrivals. Of significance, the month of January experienced growth of 23.3 percent, the most of any month, whilst the month of March welcomed 41,690 stop-over arrivals, the most arrivals of any month in 2015.
"See attached for more."
Turks__Caicos_Tourism_Statistics_2015.pdf
Police visits Dock Yard
Investigators of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force are investigating a number of offences that occurred over the past weekend.
On Saturday 5th March 2016 around 1:49 am complainant reported that he heard a loud noise from the outside of his home in Dock Yard and upon making checks he noticed a man known to him beating another known male. Police responded to the area and met the aggrieved who stated that he was beaten about the body and hit with a bottle on his head by a man he knows. He was taken to CHMC for medical treatment.
Also, on the same date at around 11:45 am complainant reported that the storage room of a building located in Long Bay was burglarized. Officers responded to the area where the complainant was met. He told officers that the laundry room of the building was secured on Friday 4th March 2016 and upon his arrival today, he made the discovered of the break in and five (5) televisions (three (3) 55inches and two (2) 32inches missing.
Another complainant reported to Police that the Tuck Shop at the Adelaide Oemler Primary School was secured on Thursday 3rd March 2016 at 2:45 pm and on Saturday 5th March 2016 at 8:20 pm it was discovered broken into. Missing were one box of M&M candy, one box of Candy, one box of Munch Bars and one box of warheads candy.
On Sunday 6th, March 2016 in the early morning Police responded to a home on Breezy Brae where a complainant stated that her home was secured at 5 pm the today before (Saturday 5th March 2016). When she arrived home at 2:26 am she discovered the house broke into. Three bedrooms were ransacked, and a black iPod was missing.
Also on Grand Turk on today’s date (Monday 7th March 2016), a complainant reported to officers that at around 4:15 am while in the districts he noticed the door of the Dominican Supermarket located on Pond Street open. As a result, officers visited the store and observed an East wooden door with hangers pulled off, and the inner glass door was broken. The store Manager was met and stated that the Supermarket was secured at 5 pm on Sunday 6th March 2016. Stolen were some meat from a cooler, a few bottles of Hennessy, Coconut Bambara Rum and three (3) cases of Budweiser can beer.
Officers are also investigating two separate reports of wounding that occurred earlier this morning at 809 Club located on Blue Hills Road, Providenciales. At 3:28 am officers responded to the Cheshire Hall Medical Centre where two males (brothers) were being attended to by doctors in the emergency room for serious stab wounds. Also, at 4 am, a 19year old male reported to the Police that while at the said Club he had an altercation with two men who he believe are brothers which resulted in a fight, causing him to receive two wounds to his right arm.
Investigations are ongoing on all offences.
Police are urging anyone with information about any of the crimes above to call Crime Stoppers on 1-800-8477 or use the Crime Stoppers online reporting page: www.crimestoppers.tc, Chalk Sound Police Station 3385901. Information you provide will be treated in the strictest of confidence. We remind people they should not report crime information via our Facebook and Twitter page.