PDM SPEAKS OUT ON RECENT HEADLINES RELATING TO RITZ CARLTON PROJECT RECENTLY SIGNED
The PDM in a release to RTC expressed their concerns on Ritz Carlton.
The people of these Islands have recently learnt of a possible law suit against participant developers in the Ritz Carlton Project recently signed by the Rufus Ewing led Government on April 1, 2015 and set to commence in November 2015. Like the people of these Islands, we awaited the Government’s response but nearly a week later since this information has been released, there is still no word from the Government.
The signing of this deal and this Government’s multiple announcements over the past years gave comfort and legitimately so to the residents of this country that due diligence was done and that the Rufus Ewing led PNP Administration was satisfied with the Report. We believe that there is sufficient cause for the Government to address the fears and confusion that rests with the people of these Islands. We are therefore calling on the Government to address its people on this important issue.
The PDM and the people of these Islands wish to be assured that this project is a viable one especially following the revelations that this Rufus Ewing led PNP Government has committed substantial investment concessions. This project has given the country great pause to expect the anticipation of much needed investment into the country and the country needs to be assured that it is the type of investment that we welcome in this new chapter of our country’s existence.
On behalf of the people I will publicly ask in the House of Assembly several questions that are pertinent and relevant.
But we must ask publicly now, WHY ARE THESE ISSUES being ignored by THE GOVERNMENT and why is it that the Rufus Ewing led PNP Government is NOT WILLING TO ADDRESS the TCI people about it?
We welcome an urgent closure to this matter.
That was the full text from the People's Democratic Party.
RTC made several attempts to reach out to members of the Government but were unsuccessful.
Speaker of the House visited South Caicos today
The island of South Caicos and in particular the students and teachers of the Iris Stubbs Primary and Marjorie Basden High School were honored with the presence of the Hon. Robert Hall, speaker of the House of Assembly.
Before leaving Grand Turk Hon. Hall explain to Radio Turks and Caicos that for sometimes he had planned to visit all Government schools and eventually private schools in the Turks and Caicos Islands to speak with them about our history, social and political duties with a view of developing an appreciation for how far we have come from despite the various obstacles.
For nearly 2 hours the speaker, a former teacher and Minister of Education held the staff and students attention as he spoke of the present
Taino Indians as early as 700 AD becoming of the Europeans 1492
The Bermudians in the late 1600
The ship wreck of the Slave Ship off East Caicos
1976 Elections and beyond
The forming of the Government Legislature
The Judiciary
The Executive and
His role as speaker
At the end of each presentation at both schools there was a live question and answers period with several questions from students and teachers.
There were renditions at both schools.
Digital music matches physical sales for the first time
Digital music revenues matched physical sales for the first time in 2014, thanks to strong growth in the streaming market.
The digital market rose 6.9% to $6.9 billion (£4.6 billion), representing 46% of all global music sales, reported the music industry body IFPI.
CDs, vinyl and other physical formats also accounted for 46% of the market, with rights for performances, films and advertisements making up the rest.
But overall revenue slipped by 0.4%.
Pharrell Williams's Happy was the most-downloaded single globally in 2014, with Taylor Swift the most popular artist, the IFPI said.
The London-based body also noted that vinyl sales had increased by 54.7%, and now account for 2% of global revenues.
UK sales drop
The global recorded music industry was worth $14.97 billion (£10.1 billion) last year, down from $15 billion (£10 billion) in 2013.
Although the rate of decline has slowed since the mid-2000s, it is the second consecutive year of falling music sales.
A brief upturn in 2012, when global revenues rose 0.3%, now appears to be an aberration.
But the picture varies from country to country. The US, the world's largest music market, saw an overall increase of 2.1%.
Japan, where falling CD sales have dragged down the global industry in recent years, saw an increase in digital revenue for the first time in five years, as streaming services gained a firmer foothold.
Other large markets saw declining sales - including France (down 3.4%) and the UK (down 2.8%).
And 37 countries - including Sweden, Mexico, Spain and South Korea - saw streaming revenue overtake download income.
Source-BBC
Trey Songz Releases Surprise 'Intermission' EP
Fresh off finishing his European tour with Nicki Minaj, Trey Songz surprised his fans on Tuesday, April 14 when he unexpectedly released a new EP. The R&B crooner made all songs off the project called "Intermission" available on his SoundCloud and then alerted his fans via Twitter, writing, "Just a lil Intermission," alongside a link to his website and a trailer for his upcoming album "Trigga Reloaded".
The EP opens with "Intermission (Intro)" and features five full tracks including "Don't Play", "Boss", "Good Girls vs Bad Girls", "Talk About It" and "Change". These songs will hopefully keep fans entertained until Trey's anticipated LP comes on June 23.
"Trigga Reloaded" is a re-issue of the 30-year-old heartthrob's sixth studio effort, 2014's "Trigga". The updated version will have additional new songs including single "Slow Motion" which he debuted earlier this year.
"With Trigga Reloaded, I wanted to give records like 'Slow Motion' and other records that I had no place for a home," he recently explained "Reloaded".
Source-Ace.Showbiz
Game of Thrones Periscope broadcasts anger HBO
Games of Thrones broadcaster HBO has sent "take down" notices to Periscope, the live-streaming video app owned by Twitter, after users of the app broadcast episodes of the hit show on Sunday night.
HBO also said Saturday's online leaks of four episodes had come from within a group that had received preview DVDs.
Twitter maintains that the Periscope app complies with US copyright law.
But HBO indirectly criticised the video streaming company.
"In general, we feel developers should have tools which proactively prevent mass copyright infringement from occurring on their apps and not be solely reliant upon notifications," HBO said in a statement.
Periscope's terms and conditions make it clear that users should respect intellectual property rights, but the app currently only reacts to copyright infringement allegations rather than trying to prevent them happening in the first place, HBO believes.
The long-awaited series five of Game of Thrones aired in the US on Sunday and in Europe on Monday.
Source-BBC
Soul singer Percy Sledge dies aged 74
US soul singer Percy Sledge, famed for his song When a Man Loves a Woman, has died aged 74.
Steve Green from talent agency Artists International Management Inc confirmed to the BBC that he died at his home in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on Tuesday.
"He was one of my first acts, he was a terrific person and you don't find that in this business very often," said Green. "He was truly a standout."
Sledge had surgery for liver cancer in January 2014 but soon resumed touring.
Sledge's debut single When a Man Loves a Woman reached the top 10 twice in the UK and topped the US Billboard chart for two weeks in 1966, when it also got to number four in the UK chart.
During an interview for the the 2013 documentary Muscle Shoals, he recalled his first recording of it.
"When I came into the studio, I was shaking like a leaf. I was scared," he said, adding that it was the "same melody that I sang when I was out in the fields. I just wailed out in the woods and let the echo come back to me".
He told BBC Radio 6 Music's Craig Charles in a 2011 interview that he came up with the melody for When A Man Loves A Woman, but signed away the rights of the song to Calvin Lewis and Andrew Wright, because "I didn't know any better".
"I had the melody in my mind so I gave that song to them," he said, adding they then created the lyrics.
Sledge did not contest the agreement, saying: "I felt like if God fixed it in my mouth to give it to them I won't change anything about it.
"I'm satisfied with what I wrote but I cut my kids out of so much because I gave it to someone else - I just wasn't thinking."
Music producer David Gest was among those paying tribute to the singer.
"I am so saddened by the death of my good friend Percy Sledge. I was fortunate enough to have him perform on three of my legends of soul tours and he was absolutely amazing to watch, be it singing When A Man Loves A Woman or Dark End Of The Street," Gest told BBC News.
"Percy was one of the great performers and a man that knew the true meaning of the word 'soul'. Sleep well my friend."
BBC Radio 2 DJ Tony Blackburn added his feelings to those paying tribute on Twitter, and said: "Sad to hear that Percy Sledge has died. I wonder how many times I've played When A Man Loves A Woman. RIP."
Musician Bootsy Collins paid tribute on his Facebook page with the words: "Just lost another legend funkateers, Mr Percy Sledge."
Paul Gambacini told the BBC that When a Man Loves a Woman was "one of the all time classic songs".
"This was the essence of soul, dripping with feeling. It never had a time, it was in a world of its own, so it was timeless," he added.
The track reached number two when it was re-released in the UK in 1987 after appearing in Oliver Stone's film Platoon, and was featured in several other films such as The Big Chill, The Crying Game and a 1994 Meg Ryan drama named after the song itself. It was also the soundtrack to a Levis advert in 1987.
It was the first US number one recorded at Alabama's Muscle Shoals studio, where Aretha Franklin and the Rolling Stones would later record.
The track also scored a first gold disc for Atlantic Records, whose executive Jerry Wexler called the song "a transcendent moment" and "a holy love hymn."
It remained Sledge's biggest hit and helped sustain a long touring career in the US, Europe and South Africa, averaging 100 performances a year. His other chart successes included Warm and Tender Love, It Tears Me Up and Take Time to Know Her.
The song found new life in 1991 when Michael Bolton's cover of the song topped the Billboard chart.
Before his music career, Sledge worked in the cotton fields around his hometown of Leighton in northwest Alabama, before taking a job as a hospital nurse in the early 1960s.
A patient heard him singing while he worked and recommended him to record producer Quin Ivy.
The singer was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005 and was a member of the Alabama Music Hall of Fame and the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame.
He is survived by his wife and children.
Source-BBC
Ex-NFL player Aaron Hernandez guilty of murder
Former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez has been found guilty of the first-degree murder of his friend, another American footballer.
Relatives of the victim wept in the Massachusetts courthouse as the verdict was announced on live television.
Hernandez was sentenced to life in prison without parole.
He was arrested in 2013 and charged with killing Odin Lloyd, a semi-pro player who was dating the sister of Hernandez's fiancee.
Lloyd's body was found with six bullet wounds less than a mile from Hernandez's home.
At the time, Hernandez had a contract worth $40m (£27m).
But within hours of his arrest, the Patriots sacked Hernandez, considered one of the top tight ends playing the game.
Source-BBC
PDM OUTRAGED AT GOVERNMENT’S CONTINOUS ATTEMPTS TO BY PASS TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDERS
In another release to RTC, the PDM says they are outraged with Government to side step the people of the TCI.
"The PDM has been reliably informed that the Rufus Ewing led PNP Administration is once again by passing its people and is blatantly committing some of the said same acts that we frown upon in the Private Sector.
This latest assault on its people, more directly under the Hon Washington Misick, will see a senior contract officer in one of the Statutory Bodies under Misick’s portfolio who has been met with personal challenges under that contract, favored and positioned to head up the new Statutory Body recently supported by the PDM - the new Invest TC which is also under Misick’s portfolio. We understand that the contract officer has tendered his resignation a few months ahead of the end of his current contract and may still enjoy full gratuity privileges while moving to this new post.
Persons we have spoken to have not seen nor did we see the position advertised. This says to us that there were no real attempts to make this a bonafide Turks and Caicos empowering experience. It is certainly not cliché to say that there are qualified Turks and Caicos Islanders who are more than qualified to hold this position and who have experience in the area. We maintain that there are Turks and Caicos Islanders who could certainly lead in positioning Turks and Caicos Islands for growth which it did experience under a Turks and Caicos Islands CEO before.
This Government, also by this move, is saying to our young Turks and Caicos Islanders that they are prepared to remain stuck in an era that is long past and not to allow new and innovative ideas heralded by younger persons to see the light of day.
Only a few months ago, as a Question in Parliament, the Party’s Leader Hon Sharlene Robinson raised these type practices of having guest workers move from contract to contract without leaving this country and with inflated qualifications in job advertisements to suit the persons intended to be employed. Again, we see a worse experience where there may not have been an advertisement and if so, a not well circulated one.
We are calling out the Government and charging them with one of the most offensive act against its people. When the Government of this country makes this statement, it loses the moral authority to champion these issues for its people in the public and private sector. This Government does not practice what it preaches. This Government continues to demonstrate its lack of care for the abuses our people suffer and with this move, only adds insult to injury.
We are calling on the Government to explain this move to the people of this country. We need to understand the procedure followed in this matter – its advertising and recruitment process. The Government needs to tell its people why it feels that it should bypass qualified Turks and Caicos Islanders who have experience and who can be empowered so as to make the return of Invest TC a true bonafide Turks and Caicos experience.
The PDM has been fighting these types of injustices and will continue to represent our people on these issues."
That was the full text from the PDM.
PABA Playoffs is in full swing
The mighty Stallions galloped over the Hustlerz 77-58 to take a 1 nil lead in game 1 of the PABA playoffs.
Capt Kirk Adams fought valiantly to try and save his Huslterz but to no avail. He finished the game with 22 pts, 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals. Devanio Quant added 15 pts, 6 rebounds and 3. steals. Linda Cox was able to collect 13 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 steal while Enrico Smith scored 20 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists 3 steals. Smith's dunk over the opponents was a photo finish and is still being talked about.
Tamaurrii Lightbourne scored 9 pts, 11 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 critical steals. Kino Williams added 13 points,1 rebound, 4 assists and a 1 steal for the Stallions.
In game 2 the youth and athleticism of the Knights proved too much for the Coca Cola Classics as they were beaten 75-54. Alvin Parker grabbed 15 rebounds and contributed 4 points, 4 assists and had 2 steals. Derek Hanna scored 14 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and Ezra Taylor had 10 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists.
Andujar Gardiner scored a season high 38 points which included the electrifying seven 3 pointers, 5 Rebounds, 8 steals while Mark Handfield supported him with 13 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 5 steals.
On Saturday night the police suffered a big loss to the Steelers 78-75 to go down 0-1 in the best of 3 series.
Melvin Elsie scored 26 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 4 steals, he was supported by Saundro Germain with 13 points and 7 rebounds.
Tavern Missick scored the winning point with o.4 seconds left in the game. He finished with 30 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists. Wesley Cherry supported him with 11 points, 10 rebounds and 1 assist.
Also, the Flyers defeated the Predators 59-57 in game 2 to take a 1-0 lead in the series. Anthony cash scored 14 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists along with Troy Forbes added 10 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists for the Flyers.
Cameron Henry scored 12 points while Troy Saunders added 11 points, 3 rebounds for the Predators.
Games will continue this weekend in Provo. Will there be a sweep for some teams or will there be a game 3? Who will go fishing? Join the PABA for another action packed exciting weekend.
St Lucia imposes ban on poultry products from United States
St Lucia has placed a ban on poultry products from the United States after the country confirmed the Avian flu in eight states.
"The Avian flu is designated as either Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) or Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza (LPAI) based on the characteristics of the virus and the ability of the virus to cause disease and mortality in chickens," said Acting Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Auria King-Cenac.
"HPAI causes high mortality in birds. Both strains are highly contagious and extremely detrimental to the poultry industry."
Canada reported the detection of HPAI among commercial flocks in British Colombia in December 2014, while the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has detected the HPAI H5 virus in wild birds, as well as in a few backyard and commercial poultry flocks in the US states of Arkansas, California, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Oregon and Washington State.
"Based on St Lucia’s import requirements, all poultry and poultry products raised, processed, or stored in the mentioned states are not eligible for export to St. Lucia and the importation of poultry from these areas is not permitted,” King-Cenac said.
“Travelers are asked to note that effective immediately all personal (casual) imports of all fresh, frozen or cooked poultry and poultry products from the US are restricted until further notice.”
The Veterinary and Livestock Services Division assures the public that “there is no immediate food safety risk and the consumption of properly cooked poultry meat and poultry products remains safe.
The Division said it would continue to monitor the disease situation in North America and by extension the region, to determine whether any further steps are necessary to safeguard the island’s poultry sector as well as human health.
Souce-CMC