TCIG Successfully Host First Youth Competition
The Department of Mental Health and Substance Dependence (DMHSD) hosted its first annual Youth Expression: Essay, Rap and Poster competition under the theme, “Help for today, hope for tomorrow”. The event was held on Monday, March 02, 2015 at the Gustavus Lightbourne Auditorium, Providenciales.
Dr. Alicia Malcolm, Director, DMHSD stated "The event was aimed at creating awareness about the important public health issue of underage drinking and to encourage individuals and families to get help for alcohol or drug related problems.
"All in attendance were fortunate enough to witness an array of talented performers who showcased not only their artistic ability, but also demonstrated their leadership in the fight against alcohol and drug abuse."
Winners for the various categories were a follows:
Art/Poster competition:
Category 1 (Grades 2 & 3)
1st Place- Jonathan Hosey (Shinning Stars)
2nd Place - Xavier Malcolm (Ona Glinton Primary)
3rd Place – Samarii Missick (Ona Glinton Primary)
Category 2 (Grades 4-6)
1st Place- Daveon Durham (Enid Capron Primary School)
2nd Place- Fredline Morency (Enid Capron Primary School)
3rd Place- Raheem Hall (Iris Stubbs Primary School)
Essay Competition
1st Place- Rashaundra Cooke (Marjorie Basden High)
2nd Place- Claudenise Jean (Marjorie Basden High)
3rd Place- Htenneb Williams ( Wesley Methodist School)
Rap Competition
1st Place- Luywine Francis (H J Robninson High)
2nd Place- Joel Occius (Marjorie Basden High)
3rd Place- Natalia Rigby (Marjorie Basden High)
Judges included: Bennett Williams, Charlotte Chapman and Dwight Outten- Art Competition,
Lynette Higgs, Tatianna McTaire and Edwin Taylor-Essay Competition
and Romaine Pinnock, Twiston Forbes and Sophia Thomas- Rap Competition.
Contestants were judged in general for creativity, originality, interpretation of the theme and overall presentation.
The Department wishes to thank all the schools that participated and everyone who helped to make the event a success.
Special thanks also goes out to the following sponsors:
Do It Center, Caribbean Management, Islandcom, Provo Water, Lew 1 Shipping, First Caribbean, K K & T Rentals and Royal Jewels.
MORE SUNSHINE FOR THE TURKS AND CAICOS
One of the Caribbean’s top tourist destinations is set to give its residents and visitors an extra hour of sunshine each and every day of the year, it was announced today, Tuesday, 3 March 2015.
When the Turks & Caicos Islands (TCI) moves its clocks forward on hour on Sunday, 8 March 2015, it will be for the last time - from then on the territory will observe Atlantic Standard Time (AST) rather than Eastern Standard Time (EST).
Given its proximity to the equator, TCI’s days tend to be of a similar length all year round, but when the Islands have traditionally moved to EST in November, it gets dark at about 5pm in the Islands. Now everyone will be able to enjoy the TCI’s warm sunshine until well after 6pm during the winter.
“This move will provide our visitor and residents with an extra hour of sunshine during our winter months, our peak tourist season,” said the Honourable Ricardo Donhue Gardiner, Minster for Border Control and Employment. ”This will be good news for our resorts, bars and restaurants, as well as allowing our residents to enjoy a little more sunshine at the end of their day.
The decision was made to move permanently to AST in 2014, but only implemented now to allow proper notification of the relevant international authorities, including airlines and shipping companies.
TCI was previously in the same time zone – EST – and follows the same Daylight Savings Time schedule as most of eastern United States and Canada. Clocks are set one hour forward on the second Sunday in March and turned back one hour on the first Sunday in November. From 8 March 2015 TCI will be on AST all year round, making it one hour ahead of cities like New York and Toronto when the US and Canada who will continue to observe the move to EST each fall.
Carrie Underwood and Hubby Mike Fisher Welcome Baby Boy Isaiah
Carrie Underwood, 31, can officially add mother to her resume. The country music singer has given birth to a healthy baby boy, her first child with husband Mike Fisher, 34. The "American Idol" alum delivered the bundle of joy Friday, February 27.
The proud mother reveals the baby's name and gives a sneak peek at her precious newborn on Instagram. "Tiny hands and tiny feet ... God has blessed us with an amazing gift! Isaiah Michael Fisher - born February 27," so she captioned the picture.
Carrie Underwood married Mike Fisher, a hockey player, in 2010 after two years of dating. She once told Self magazine that she wanted to have "two" children, adding, "Three is fine. Four? Somebody's getting something done, because we ain't having five!"
Source-Aceshowbiz
EUROPEAN UNION CONFIRMS NEARLY $30M FOR THE TURKS AND CAICOS
The Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) had nearly US$30m (€25.6m) of European cash to support its education and business sectors confirmed at the EU’s recent Overseas Countries and Territories (EUOCT) event 24-26 February 2015.
“We can now reveal that the TCI has secured $16.39m of new funding to support our education sector,” said Deputy Governor Anya Williams, “this in addition to the $13.3m already announced for improving the way that government interacts with businesses in our Territory. We have already arranged important training for government commercial officers in this regard for April.
“I have worked with the EU for three years to secure this funding, which we are eligible for thought the UK’s membership of the EU. This is bringing us a range of new opportunities to the TCI.”
“That the TCI has secured nearly $30m in direct funding from the European Union is recognition of the significant improvements that we have made in both our economy and public financial management,” said Finance Minister Washington Missick.
“We will now use these funds to boost arguably our two most important sectors in the short to medium term - education and business. The TCI will also look to play its part alongside other countries and territories in protecting our environment and biodiversity, as well as looking to increase out use of renewable energies, which can only further benefit our people and commercial institutions.”
The EUOCT event saw leaders from 22 European Union countries and territories, including the eight inhabited UK Overseas Territories, gather for the 13th EUOCT Forum, held in the British Virgin Islands,to strengthen their relationships with key EU institutions and to discuss how they can work better together.
It took place under the patronage of the outgoing Chair Dr. Orlando Smith, Premier of the British Virgin Islands, European Commissioner for International Development and Development, Neven Mimica and other high level EU Commission officials, including Marcus Cornaro, Deputy Director General for International Cooperation and Development and Member of the European Parliament, Maurice Ponga.
Supporters Turn Out in Their Numbers to Celebrate Industry's Best
Supporters of the ever popular Star Awards event hosted by TCHTA came out in their numbers on Thursday February 26 to celebrate the achievements of the finest tourism, leisure and hospitality employees, businesses and partners throughout TCI.
The 7th annual Star Awards event took place at a sold-out and transformed Tropicana Show and Supper Club venue and included breathtaking performances by Clement Howell High School and Wesley Methodist High School. As resident emcee E Jay Saunders and first timer Veronica Clare announced the winners the crowd erupted in thunderous applause as their favourites was named winners of the coveted 17 awards. Taking home the awards were:
Bartender of the Year - Carlton "The Doc" Waite, Regent Palms
Housekeeper of the Year - Rangitha Mohottallage, Seven Stars Resorts
Taxi Driver of the Year - Gustavus Francis
Employee of the Year - Lila Upreti, Seven Stars Resort
Supervisor of the Year - Ricardo Cyriaque, Gansevoort Turks & Caicos
Heart of Hospitality - Emelito Amores, Regent Palms
Ambassador of the Year - Fredrico Johnson, Beaches TCI
TCHTA's Shining Star - Mona Beeson, The Sands at Grace Bay
Chef of the Year - Lauren Callighen, Regent Palms
Manager of the Year - Jamila Lowe, AIB Hotel & Restaurant Supplies
Allied Member of the Year - Marco Travel/Turtle Tours
Hotelier of the Year - Yolander Forbes, Parrot Cay Resort
Restaurant of the Year - Seven Restaurant, Seven Stars Resort
Hotel of the Year - Regent Palms
Entertainer of the Year - David Bowen
New to the star-studded event this year were two exciting categories, Fan Favourite and Hospitality Hero, which allowed the general public to vote for their favourite nominees by liking their photos on the Association's Facebook page. After the votes were tallied Fan Favourite was awarded to Melanie Smith of Seven Stars Resort with a resounding 450 plus likes, with Hospitality Hero Jamy Williams of Coral Gardens receiving over 200 votes online.
Stacy Cox, TCHTA's Executive Director expressed her delight at the success of the event by stating, "Our 2015 event was without a doubt an exciting one as we had much to celebrate throughout our industry which stands poised for unprecedented growth in the coming years given the buoyancy of TCI's economy. Acknowledging, rewarding and promoting service excellence in the tourism and hospitality industry will be a long-term objective of the Association and because of the industry's proven role in stimulating economic growth, employment generation and social integration, honouring our employees, the lifeline of the industry is something the Association will continue to do for years to come."
Cox added, "Our tourism product can compete with the best of the best, with our fantastic range of diverse accommodation, activities, fabulous places to eat but without the plethora of people who go out of their way to give our visitors a warm welcome, our product would not strive or develop as much as it has. As we promote excellence and recognise the efforts put in by various stakeholders in the development and promotion of TCI's Tourism product, the Association would like to encourage all tourism partners to continuously work together with an innovative mind and positive approach for development of the industry in a sustainable and responsible manner and encourage all persons and companies with a vested interest in the industry to keep raising their own standards. Let us all continue to work together to show that TCI has the potential to become the best tourist destination in the world."
The evening's proceedings also saw the Association recognising its TCHTA's Board of Directors whose tender ends March 31, 2015 as well as persons who were instrumental in the conceptualisation and development of the event. Karen Whitt, Caesar Campbell and Nicholette Thomas were recognised for developing and perfecting the event with the dream of acknowledging and awarding the industry's shining stars and tourism partners. For the first few years of the event's existence the team worked tirelessly to promote Star Awards ensuring that each February the tourism sector came alive as employees and employers discussed the various nominations from their respective companies.
With more sponsors like premier sponsor Scotia Bank coming on board each year thanks to the efforts of the Star Awards Committee and with new venues being afforded the opportunity to host the event the Association looks forward to taking the event to greater heights. Special thanks was given to sponsors:
ScotiaBank
Delta Airlines
Olympia Destination Management Company
Discovery Tours and Adventures
Turks & Caicos Hotel & Tourism Association
Blue Heron Aviation
Caicos Dream Tours
CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank
CSC Insurance Brokers
FedEx
FortisTCI
Gilley's Enterprises/ The Wine Cellar
Graceway IGA
LIME
Royal Bank of Canada
TCI Hospitality Supplies
T&C Islands Airports Authority
T & C Tourist Board
Uni-Source/ AIB
Turks & Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association
Spa Tropique
Wrightfully Fit Gymnasium
TCI Ferry & Crusin'
The Sands at Grace Bay
Seven Stars Resort
Regent Palms
Parrot Cay Resort
Islandcom
Jai's
Grace Bay Club
Gansevoort
Easy Car Rentals - North Caicos
Digicel
Blue Horizon Resort - Middle Caicos
Beaches
Automotive Art TCI
Amanyara
Global Surrounds Paradise while the Saints defeated the Romans
The church slow pitch co-ed league continued on Monday evening with Paradise Baptist Church taking on the Global United Fellowship.
Global started the game 3 to 0 and took the Paradise out of the Baptist to defeat them 10 to 1, winning the game. Paradise never got themselves going and have lost there third game.
Can they return? We'll keep you updated as the season goes on.
In the second game of the night between the Roman Catholic Church and St Monica's Church, the Saints started the game with an 8 to 0 lead as Catholics tried to make a come back, but the Saints held on to win that exciting game 11 to 6 to give the Catholic Church there second loss of the season.
The Saints, Prophecy and the Champs Jericho are the only teams with three wins and remains undefeated.
During the game earlier, umpire & softball President Godfrey Been was struck by a ball, we're told he will be fine after being examined, but he appeared in a lot of pain after the game.
The next game is scheduled for Wednesday evening at the National Stadium between the Champions Jericho taking on Bethany and Prophecy Church challenging Methodist.
RTC Sports was told that games were changed to this Wednesday evening in order to facilitate the College sports.
Zimbabwe game 'now big' for Ireland
Ireland's game with Zimbabwe on Saturday is "now very big" after their World Cup thrashing by South Africa, says captain William Porterfield.
Hashim Amla's 159 and Faf du Plessis's 109 helped South Africa to 411-4 with the Irish all-out for 210 in Canberra on Tuesday.
However, a win in Hobart on Saturday will keep Ireland's hopes of a quarter-final spot very much alive.
"The game against Zimbabwe now is very big for us," said Porterfield.
"We'll be looking to go down there [to Hobart] and pick up two points."
Porterfield acknowledged that the Irish had endured a "difficult evening" against a sharp Proteas side.
"They played very well. We had one early breakthrough and wanted more but then it was hard for us," said the Ireland skipper after his team were unable to build on John Mooney's early dismissal of Quinton de Kock.
Ireland's prospects weren't helped when Amla was dropped on 10 as Ed Joyce failed to hold a sharp chance with the opener going on to hit another 149 runs.
"You want to be taking your chances but that's part of cricket," added Ireland skipper Porterfield.
"All credit to him [Amla]. He played very well. It was a very good pitch and it was very difficult to muster up those wickets."
Du Plessis, Amla and AB de Villiers departed to leave South Africa on 301-3, but Ireland's death bowling was once again punished as Rilee Rossouw (61) and David Miller (46) produced a 110-run partnership.
Any slim Irish hopes of getting near the huge South African total ended as Paul Stirling, Porterfield, Joyce, Niall O'Brien and Gary Wilson were cheaply dismissed to leave them on 48-5 in the 11th over.
Andrew Balbirnie's 58 and Kevin O'Brien's 48 helped the Irish edge towards respectability and some late aggressive hitting by George Dockrell and Max Sorensen moved them beyond 200 before they were all-out in the 46th over.
"All credit to the lower order for the way that they stuck at it," continued Porterfield.
"And with the partnership [of 81] between Kevin O'Brien and Andrew Balbirnie, there were still a few good things in there."
Ireland remain well placed to qualify, although the margin of defeat at the Manuka Oval will have a negative impact on their net run rate before Saturday's Zimbabwe contest.
Source-BBC Sports
Bill Gates still world’s richest man, Forbes says
Billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates kept his spot as the world’s richest man, a rank he has held for 16 of the past 21 years, Forbes magazine said Monday.
The Microsoft co-founder’s fortune increased $3.2 billion since last year to $79.2 billion, the business magazine said, despite a $1.5 billion gift of Microsoft shares to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in November.
Mexican telecom tycoon Carlos Slim held onto second place thanks to his $77.1 billion, ahead of American investor Warren Buffett, with $72.7 billion.
The so-called Oracle of Omaha was the biggest gainer of the Forbes list this year, up $14.5 billion from last year riding on the rising share price of his Berkshire Hathaway.
In fourth was Amancio Ortega, founder of the Inditex fashion group that includes Zara clothing retail shops. He counts a fortune of $64.5 billion.
Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg jumped five spots to land in number 16, the first time he made it within the exclusive circle of the world’s 20 richest people.
Jack Ma, whose Alibaba online marketplace made the biggest global IPO ever last year, was ranked among the world’s 50 richest people, along with two other Chinese nationals.
The number of billionaires is growing steadily, breaking an all-time record this year, with 1,826 — up from 1,645 last year.
The rise of the dollar against the euro, along with plunging oil prices, had a significant impact on this year’s list.
Aston Martin targets female buyers
Aston Martin plans to broaden its range of cars to attract more female buyers as well as younger drivers.
New sportscars, a four-seater and a small SUV are in the pipeline as the UK company tries to reverse falling sales in the face of stiff competition from larger premium carmakers.
"The brand has to be relevant," chief executive Andy Palmer told a press conference at the Geneva Motor Show.
Aston Martin sales have fallen to about 4,000 from 7,300 in under a decade.
"Aston Martin must be less dependent on a narrow portfolio and one type of customer," Mr Palmer said.
The company's cars may be synonymous with James Bond, but the brand is a favourite among middle-aged sportscar enthusiasts.
Mr Palmer, recruited last year from Nissan to draw up a new strategy for loss-making Aston Martin, said he wants to make the company "relevant to a customer who would never before have considered buying an Aston Martin".
Mr Palmer's plans are ambitious, as he hopes to take sales of the core sportscar models back up to about 7,000. However, he said sales would be capped at this level to retain Aston Martin's exclusivity.
Aston Martin underlined its new strategy by unveiling its DBX concept car. It would be the first all-electric, four-wheel drive Aston Martin.
Mr Palmer said that when Aston's design team set to work on the new DBX they had in mind a customer who was a young lady, American - and rich. What's more, the designers dubbed this fictitious customer "Charlotte".
"She's an attractive lady, cool, in her 30s," Mr Palmer said.
It meant that the interior and ergonomics of the new car had to be slightly different than if the designers were targeting a man. "Of course, we will see a lot of guys buying the car as well. But the DBX is about reaching a new market."
The carmaker also showcased its long-awaited Vulcan, a racetrack-only car that will cost more than £1.5m. Mr Palmer said only 24 Vulcans would be made.
Israeli PM Making Case Against Iran
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to escalate his campaign against international diplomatic efforts to reach a nuclear deal with Iran during a speech before a joint meeting of Congress in Washington Tuesday.
Netanyahu, who said he is privy to emerging details of the ongoing negotiations, fears the U.S. and its other world partners will give Iran too many concessions.
Iran is sponsoring terrorism across the world -- enveloping the world with its “tentacles of terror,” Netanyahu said Monday during a speech to AIPAC, the leading American pro-Israeli lobbying group.
“Imagine what Iran would do with nuclear weapons,” he added.
Netanyahu is expected to use even harsher rhetoric on Capitol Hill.
He has said he thinks the so-called P5+1 group of global powers is planning to ease international sanctions without the ironclad safeguards needed to deny Tehran a nuclear bomb.
The U.S. administration says that is just not true, and warned that Netanyahu could unravel the negotiations if he mobilizes US lawmakers in the Republican-held Congress against it.
The White House is also wary of Netanyahu revealing any of the closed-door negotiations designed to curb Iran's nuclear drive.
State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf warned Netanyahu against revealing details of the deal shared in confidence in classified briefings with the Israelis.
"Any release of any kind of information like that would, of course, betray that trust," she said Monday.
President Barack Obama on Monday appeared to wave off any prospect the bedrock U.S. alliance with Israel might be ruined by the rancor.
"I don’t think it's permanently destructive," Obama told Reuters in an interview. "I think that it is a distraction from what should be our focus. And our focus should be, ‘How do we stop Iran from getting a nuclear weapon?’ "
Netanyahu denied his acts had harmed the traditionally close US-Israeli alliance.
"Reports of the demise of the Israeli-US relations are not only premature, they're just wrong,” he said.
Also on Monday, Netanyahu voiced frustration his speech to Congress on Tuesday has created such controversy, in Israel and the U.S.
He insisted his speech to Congress was not meant to show any disrespect toward Obama or the Oval Office, nor did he wish to make Israel part of a partisan debate.
"Israel and the United States agree that Iran shouldn't have nuclear weapons. But we disagree on the best way to prevent them from developing those weapons,” Netanyahu said.
The prime minister said his speech would simply be about his nation’s survival survival.
“I plan to speak about an Iranian regime that is threatening to destroy Israel, that's devouring country after country in the Middle East, that's exporting terror throughout the world and that is developing, as we speak, the capacity to make nuclear weapons - lots of them,” Netanyahu said Monday.
Adding to the controversy, the speech comes just two weeks ahead of a tight national election in which Netanyahu is fighting to hold onto his job.
Obama does not plan to meet with Netanyahu while he's in Washington, saying he wants to avoid any perception that he is meddling in Israel's election.
As many as 40 members of the House and more than a handful of senators are expected to skip the speech, which many have labeled a partisan political stunt.
Vice President Joe Biden, president of the Senate, also won't be there. He's on a trip to Central America and his seat on the dais will be filled by Republican Senator Orrin Hatch, president pro tempore.
Many Democrats will be in the audience, however. Senator Joe Manchin from West Virginia said he would attend “to find out more about the prime minister's point of view on this.”
Hatch, from Utah, said Monday that Congress should complement the prime minister's address with the threat of more sanctions.
“I am deeply troubled that our president's solution won't work,” Hatch said. “This administration has opted for a policy of conciliation that does nothing to curb this growing threat. And all the while, the threat to Israel grows stronger every day.”
Thousands of miles from the political storm unfolding in Washington, Secretary of State John Kerry and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif met early Tuesday after two brief negotiating sessions on Monday.
Their morning talks lasted two hours, but they were expected to resume again in the afternoon with the negotiations due to stretch into Wednesday.
Both sides said they were making progress.
Source-VOA