Shocking baggage rates by InterCaribbean
A new baggage policy at InterCaribbean Airways is drawing criticism as residents say there was no warning of the charges which now tax second and third bags automatically, even for domestic travel.
Lots of questions flying across the counter at the domestic curb side check in at the Provo International on Monday when politicians and others of the traveling public were apprised of the new fees. There was no traditional warning about the changes… the information, well it was tweeted and posted to Facebook by InterCaribbean.
RTC can confirm that no radio was received or TV announcements; paid or otherwise… no media release and no direct email to customers that we spoke to about the new move by the indigenous airline company.
As for what the new baggage policy is… well if you are traveling within the TCI or within Jamaica; your first checked bag is free, your second checked bag up to 50lbs or 62 inches draws an automatic $25 charge; if the bag goes over the specifications there is more money to pay, $20. The third bag is charged $50 and overage on weight of your baggage will also cost you. When it comes to the international flights you will pay as much as $100 for a third bag; $75 for that second bag – these, again are automatic.
BAGGAGE POLICY AS TWEETED BY ICA:
BAG ALLOWANCE - Effective December 7, 2014
DOMESTIC FLIGHTS
Turks & Caicos + Jamaica
Free Bag Allowance - 1 Bag up to 50lbs plus 1 carry-on bag of no more
than 10lbs
Bag Over 50 lbs up to 70lbs - an excess charge of $20
2nd checked Bag - $25
3rd checked Bag - $50
Any bag over 62 inches or 157 CM will incur oversize charge of $20.
INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS
Turks & Caicos to Haiti / Dominican Republic / Jamaica / Bahamas
Free Bag Allowance - 1 Bag up to 44lbs plus 1 carry-on bag of no more
than 10lbs
Over 44 lbs and up to 70lbs - an excess charge of $50
2nd checked Bag - $75
3rd checked Bag - $100
Any bag over 62 inches or 157 CM will incur oversize charge of $50.
INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS
To and from Puerto Rico to Dominican Republic or Turks & Caicos
(and through all other checked flights to/from Puerto Rico)
Free Bag Allowance - 1 Bag up to 50lbs plus 1 carry-on bag of no more
than 10lbs
Over 50 lbs and up to 70lbs - an excess charge of $50
2nd checked Bag - $75
3rd checked Bag - $100
Any bag over 62 inches or 157 CM will incur oversize charge of $50
Source: MM TV
Theft of TCIG’s Stray Dog Traps
The Department of Agriculture is again appealing to members of the public to immediately cease and desist from the practice of theft and deliberate destruction of the equipment used to humanely trap the stray dogs.
The Ministry of Environment and Human Affairs is disappointed that this behavior has not abated. The recent thefts and destruction of traps have temporarily halted the progress of the trapping programme on Providenciales. The most recent thefts are of the new traps, bought to replace those that were stolen.
The trapping programme is designed to reduce the number of stray and feral dogs on the Islands thereby reducing the risk to life and property as a result of accidents or public health issues resulting from disease or bites.
Chief Veterinarian, Dr. Mark Butler noted; “This type of vandalism is unacceptable. The Department uses these traps to affect the stray dog population. Without these traps we cannot remove these dogs from our communities.
“Such practice, if continued, will curtail the gains we have made to reduce the stray dog population in Providenciales, as well as the financial applications associated with purchasing replacement traps. ”
The Ministry advises members of the public that engaging in the theft of government property constitutes a crime. Perpetrators of all such acts, if caught, will be charged and put before the courts.
The Department urges all persons to report these acts of theft and those who are responsible to the Department of Agriculture and or the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force.
The Department also takes this opportunity to remind residents to become responsible animal owners by ensuring that their dogs are spay or neutered, licensed and kept on their property.
Brent oil price falls below $59 a barrel
The price of Brent crude oil has fallen below $59 a barrel for the first time since May 2009.
After dropping below $60, the Brent price then fell to $58.50 a barrel, before recovering slightly to $59.01.
Oil prices have now nearly halved since June as a result of waning demand and increased supplies.
The latest fall was triggered by news of a fall in industrial activity in China, the world's second largest consumer of oil.
The price of US crude fell by $1.86 to $54.05 a barrel.
The drop came as members of oil cartel Opec reiterated that they would not try to shore up plunging oil prices by reducing production.
"We need to watch the market closely, but it will settle eventually," Qatar's oil minister, Mohammed al-Sada, said.
Russian energy minister Alexander Novak had the same message.
"If we cut, the importer countries will increase their production and this will mean a loss of our niche market," he said.
The comments came a couple of days after the world energy watchdog, the International Energy Agency, cut its oil demand forecast for 2015.
Meanwhile, credit ratings agency Standard & Poor's lowered its oil price assumptions to $70 a barrel for Brent in 2015 and $75 a barrel in 2016.
It blamed "relatively unconstrained supply and weaker demand" for the downgraded forecast.
Apple defeats $1bn court case alleging anti-competition
Apple has been found not guilty of engaging in anti-competitive behaviour by a jury in California.
The long-running suit focused on Apple's 2006 update to its iTunes software which meant only iPods could play music purchased from the store.
Consumers alleged this violated US antitrust laws, and sued for $350m (£222m) in damages.
The trial had featured emails sent by Apple founder Steve Jobs before his death in 2012.
The class action suit represented as many as 8 million iPod customers and 500 resellers, and could have cost Apple as much as $1bn, as anti-competition damage rewards are automatically tripled under US law.
Lawyers representing consumers and electronics retailers argued that Apple used its iTunes software to force buyers to use iPods instead of rival devices between 2006 and 2009. (The software was updated in 2009 to remove the restrictions.)
The lawyers argued this shut out other devices artificially inflated the price of iPods and used the emails from Mr Jobs to buttress this argument.
In one, sent in 2003, Mr Jobs worried about competition from Musicmatch, a software company, opening its own music store.
"We need to make sure that when Music Match launches their download music store they cannot use iPod," he wrote.
"Is this going to be an issue?"
However, the jurors sided with Apple, who argued the upgrade to its iTunes 7.0 software substantially improved the user experience, and thus was not subject to anti-competitive violations.
Earlier this year, Apple announced it would cease manufacturing iPods, one of the signature products that led Apple's revival under Mr Jobs.
Source-BBC
N. Korea Calls on UN to Focus on US Rights Abuses
North Korea has requested the U.N. Security Council not probe alleged human rights violations by Pyongyang, but instead investigate what it called "brutal" and "medieval" abuses by the U.S.
In a letter late Monday, North Korean U.N. Ambassador Ja Song Nam said rights accusations against the North are "fabricated" and "not at all relevant" to regional or international peace and security.
On the contrary, he said "CIA torture crimes" need to be addressed urgently by the Security Council in order to prevent what he called a "destabilizing impact" on international peace.
Ja was referring to a U.S. Senate report released last week that detailed brutal interrogation methods used by the CIA in the days after the September 11, 2001 attacks on the U.S.
Pyongyang, which is considered one of the world's worst human rights abusers, has jumped on the report to argue that the U.S. is not qualified to make judgments about other countries' rights situations.
The Security Council on Monday voted to place the North Korean human rights situation on its agenda. Official say the issue will likely be discussed next Monday or Tuesday.
A General Assembly committee last month recommended the Security Council refer Pyongyang to the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity.
GOVERNOR ANNOUNCES REVIEW OF THE FINANCIAL SERVICES COMMISSION
HE The Governor, Peter Beckingham, announced at the Financial Service Commission (FSC) AGM on Friday 12 December that he has finalised arrangements for a review of the body to be undertaken in January 2015.
The review will explore the Financial Services Commission’s value for money in delivering effective regulation, meeting international standards, and securing for TCI the competitive advantage derived from being a well-regulated jurisdiction. It will focus on the direction given to the organisation by the Board and the senior management of the FSC, the number and experience of staff employed, especially compared to other Caribbean Overseas Territories, the structure of the FSC including the companies' registry function, fees charged to the financial services sector, an assessment of the FSC reserve position/provisions, external relations with financial services organisations in TCI and relations with regional or global financial compliance bodies.
“A good financial regulator is key to the growth and sound operation of the financial services industry in any jurisdiction, and we have commissioned this review to ensure the Turks and Caicos Islands FSC is as well-equipped as possible to deliver its objectives,” commented the Governor. “These types of reviews are commonplace throughout the world, and this exercise is part of our ongoing commitment to ensure the effective operation of the bodies charged with upholding good governance in the TCI.
“There has been background noise from within the financial services sector of criticism and carping about the FSC,” the Governor added. “The aim of this review, which has been agreed with its Chair Sir Erroll Allen and will be shared with his Board, is to provide a brief but incisive analysis of how the Commission is performing, and possible areas to consider strengthening.”
The review will be conducted by Mr Steve Johnson, who is an independent consultant and a former UK Treasury official who has spent more than twenty years working with the financial services industry and regulators. Mr Johnson was Secretary to the Independent Review of British offshore financial services centres ( “The Foot Review”) and has continued to work with the sector in the UK and in Caribbean Overseas Territories since publication of the Review in 2009.
141 Dead in Taliban Attack on Pakistan School
The siege of a school in Pakistan by Taliban militants has ended, leaving at least 141 people dead, most of them students.
Islamist militants wearing military uniforms and strapped with explosives attacked the military-run facility in the northwestern city of Peshawar. An army spokesman said security forces killed six of the attackers.
Military officials told reporters 132 of the dead were students about 12 to 16 years old. Nine school staff members are believed to have been killed as well.
An army spokesman said security forces killed six of the attackers. Police officials said the attack ended around 6.30 p.m. (1330 GMT), according to the French news agency AFP.
A provincial official said more than 120 others were wounded in the assault. VOA Dewaa Radio reporter Hameedullah Khan said more than 100 of the wounded are children.
The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was an act of retaliation for Pakistan's offensive targeting militants in the country's northwestern tribal region, near the Afghan border.
Pakistan's President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif condemned the attacks.
Sharif, who arrived in Peshawar Tuesday, said the "government will not be deterred by this barbaric act" and vowed to continue military operations against the militants. He also declared a three-day national mourning period.
Source-VOA
Trinidad judge released on TT$5,000 bail
The vice president of the Industrial Court, Ramchand Lutchmedial, will re-appear in court on January 12 next year after he was released on TT$5,000 after pleading not guilty to a charge of failing to submit a specimen of breath for a breathalyser test last Friday.
Lutchmedial, who was represented by a team of lawyers, including his daughter, Jay-anti Lutchmedial, otherwise stood silent in the Tunapuna Magistrates’ Third Court when he appeared before Magistrate Braman-and Dubey on Monday.
Police allege that the judge was stopped last Friday night in Chaguanas, in Central Trinidad during a routine police exercise, but failed to provide a specimen of breath when he was asked to do so.
One of his attorneys, Ya-seen Ali noted that his client had a “well published” job in the legal fraternity as an Industrial Court judge and had been a long standing member of the bar as he had been practising for the past 36 years.
Ali also noted that because of this, his client had no previous matters before the courts nor convictions, and therefore he asked that the judge be granted bail and be “allowed to leave on his own cognisance”.
Ali also noted that Lutchmedial’s driver’s permit had been taken away from him on Friday night by officers at the scene, an act which is contrary to regulations. However, he did submit that it had been returned to his client earlier that evening.
The attorney also asked for disclosure and for a “speedy trial date”.
Thunder dims the Suns lights
Russell Westbrook totaled 28 points, eight assists and eight rebounds as the Oklahoma City Thunder threading the sixth straight victory, 112-88 on Sunday to crush the Suns in Phoenix.
Kevin Durant added 23 points and eight rebounds to the cause of Thunder.
Westbrook spun eight straight games in which he has accumulated at least 20 points, five rebounds and five assists, since recovering from a broken hand. For the intermediate, added 24 points, five balls stuck to the boards and six assists.
He stood very close to provide a "triple double" for the ninth time in his career.
Oklahoma City, who began the season with a record of 3-12, the medium was placed eighth game of the Western Conference. The Thunder, who has recovered Westbrook and Durant, injured during the start of the campaign, has won eight of its last nine games and has a 11-13 record.
Gerald Green led Phoenix with 15 points. The Suns have lost five games in a row to fall to a 12-13 road record.
Source-AP
Kobe Bryant Of LA Lakers surpasses Michael Jordan
Kobe Bryant has passed Michael Jordan to sit third on the National Basketball Association's all-time scoring list.
Bryant, 36, achieved the feat as he helped his Los Angeles Lakers side to victory at the Minnesota Timberwolves.
"It's a huge honour. It's been such a long journey," said Bryant, who passed Jordan's mark with a pair of free throws in the second quarter.
Bryant now trails only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38,387) and Karl Malone (36,928) in career points.
"It's gone by really fast - it feels great to be at this point," Bryant added.
Bryant scored 26 points in Sunday's match and took his points tally to 32,310 in his 1,269th game compared to Jordan's 32,292 in 1,072 appearances.
"I try to learn so much from him [Jordan] in particular," said Bryant. "He's been such a huge part of my success and career in giving me advice. The relationship has meant everything to me."