Oil prices see further declines
Global oil prices have fallen again amid worries about slow global growth and reports that key oil producers want to maintain current output levels.
Brent crude fell to a near four-year low of $87.74 a barrel earlier, before recovering some ground to $88.46.
US light crude oil was down $0.93 at $84.76, close to a two-year low.
Weak economic growth will cut demand for oil. In addition, Reuters reported that Saudi Arabia had indicated it could cope with lower prices.
The gloomy growth outlook weighed on stock markets at the start of trading on Monday, although shares then recovered and the UK's FTSE 100 index was 0.4% higher at 6,366.24. In New York, the Dow Jones opened 13 points higher at 16,556.75.
Last week, the International Monetary Fund shaved its forecast for global growth for this year from 3.4% to 3.3%.
It said overall global growth would be held back by weakness in Japan, Latin America and Europe, with any recovery in the advanced economies "weak and uneven".
Share values have been falling recently, with some analysts arguing they are catching up with economic reality.
Several times this year the UK's FTSE 100 index came close to topping its all time high of 6,930.2, last reached at the end of December 1999. However, since the start of September the FTSE 100 index has lost 10%.
Alastair McCaig, market analyst at City watchers IG, said: "Just over a month ago expectations that the FTSE could break above the 7,000 level were the norm, with the index trading less than 100 points away.
UN Chief Slams Israel Over E. Jerusalem Settlements
U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon is chastising Israel for allowing settlements to advance in east Jerusalem and calling on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for leadership to reach a peace agreement with the Palestinians.
Secretary-General Ban was in Jerusalem for talks with the Israeli leader. Their meeting came a day after countries from around the globe pledged $5.4 billion to help rebuild the war-torn Gaza Strip. Large portions of the Palestinian enclave were devastated during the 50-day war between Hamas militants and Israel in July and August.
The U.N. leader said he welcomed Israeli easing of restrictions in Gaza as part of a cease-fire agreement. But Ban said he is "very concerned" about Israel's announcement of plans for the construction of 2,500 homes in east Jerusalem, which Palestinians want as a capital of a future state.
The U.N. chief said the settlements are "in clear violation of international law" and urged Netanyahu to reverse its decision.
The Israeli leader called on Ban to prevent the Palestinians from taking unilateral measures at the United Nations that he said would "undermine" the chances of reaching a peace deal in bilateral negotiations.
ADDRESS TO THE NATION ON 1ST NATIONAL HERITAGE HOLIDAY
My fellow Turks and Caicos Islanders, I give God all the praise and glory. It is with tremendous pride that I as Premier and Minister of Tourism, Culture and Heritage extend congratulations to all residents of the Turks and Caicos Islands on this historic day, as we together recognize and celebrate the first National Heritage Day.
Today, history will truly be made as all persons of us and among us, will join together in a grand celebration of unity as we demonstrate how proud we are as a people and as a country. This October 2014 celebrates not only this historic 1st National Heritage Day, but observes the historic 1st National Heritage Month during which we celebrate our music, our dances, our cuisine, our folklore, our traditional maritime heritage and our historic industries of salt, seafood, sisal and cotton.
As you are already aware, festivals have commenced throughout our islands to commemorate those aspects of our culture that are unique to specific island settlements. From Grand Turk to Salt Cay, to South Caicos our people have embraced this revival of our culture with open arms, and I wish to congratulate the people of Grand Turk and Salt Cay on the past weekend and the people of South Caicos this weekend for the tremendous spirit and pride with which our heritage was displayed.
The passion and enthusiasm of these festivals have not only kindled a similar spirit of national pride in our youth who travelled to these islands to participate in these various activities, but have also warmed the hearts of my generation and our parents as well. I was particularly encouraged after watching performances by the primary school children of Salt Cay, the Iris Stubbs Primary Rip Saw Band in South Caicos and The Blue Hills Breezy Beach House Dancers, that our culture is still very much alive here in our islands. I along with my Government will commit to ensuring that the level of participation by our young children continues to grow, and in so doing ensure not only the preservation of our heritage for our own enjoyment but also enable the evolution of larger and more dynamic cultural festivals that will attract many a visitor to our shores.
It is therefore with great excitement that I look forward to the Sisal and Cotton festival in Middle and North Caicos this coming weekend and the Maritime Festival here in Providenciales on the final weekend. I invite you all to enjoy these as well and at the close of this month we, as Turks and Caicos Islanders, will have had a tremendous amount to be proud of, and for this I thank all who would have participated and contributed in one way or the other.
Today as we embrace our nation, our brothers and our sisters and the richness of our heritage, so too must we continue to embrace all citizens and ethnicities residing amongst us. As we acknowledge the presence of the many cultures which today make up the Turks and Caicos Islands, we welcome all with the caring compassion for which we are known. Americans, Canadians, Europeans, Jamaicans, Haitians, Dominicans and the many other nations within our islands, today I say to you all however, though you will celebrate your origins, I encourage you to join with us to celebrate the present, as this is your home. Join with us in our ways, and uphold our heritage, as the future is ours together.
So to all I say, today is our day! Today is our day! Today is the day when we shall put aside our differences, political, social, ethnic or racial to come together as one and on one accord as we celebrate all things Turks and Caicos.
Today is a proud day, today is a great day and the only day that will be greater in the history of these islands, will be that day when we celebrate together as a people and as an independent nation. We recognize and hail this historic day as yet another step along that great road to nationhood. However, let us first remember that we as a people must always embrace who we are, and our origins, no matter how humble, as these alone can determine where we are going. For if we are to reach that triumphant day of self-determination, then we must begin to embrace ourselves and to love ourselves, to love each other and to love everything that the Turks and Caicos Islands has to offer. It means that we must renew our kinship and once again strengthen family values by being our brother’s keeper, raising respectful children and caring genuinely for our elderly, as these core values will restore a sense of community. Let us take greater pride in our surroundings, as by these actions and with a true spirit of patriotism, we will demonstrate daily that we are Turks and Caicos Islanders, and we are proud of these beautiful by nature islands that we call home.
I am charging us all this day, to begin this journey with pride, let us wave our flags, join our hearts and join our hands, and as we salute the toil and sweat of our fore-fathers and our generations of long ago, let us shout with joy, in one accord and as one people, “we are proud to be Turks and Caicos Islanders.”
I congratulate you my fellow people and I celebrate you. May God bless us all and may He bless these beautiful by Nature Turks and Caicos Islands, now and always.
Prison officers focus on health
HER MAJESTY’S PRISON in Barbados the HM Dodds held its annual health and wellness day today.
About 400 prisons officer are currently employed at the institution and coordinator of the event Sophia Sandiford said that their interest this year was overwhelming.
Sandiford said that the job of a prison officer was arguably one of the most stressful and these types of events were essential.
“Health is very important. The job in itself is a very stressful job so we want to provide an avenue so persons can have their various tests done. They may not be able to get off work on time to get such stuff done so it is very important that we bring it to the staff, make it more accessible for them to participate in these activities,” she said.
Prison week began on Sunday with a church service and will culminate on Friday with a Sports Day at the penal institution. Source-SDB Media
MOH steps up efforts on ChikV & Dengue
The Ministry of Health told RTC News that they are continuing efforts to prevent the further spread of dengue and chikungunya, through public education and enhanced vector control activities throughout the TCI.
Ms. Higgs added that it is important to protect yourself and your family; she added the team at the MOH is advising the public to take the following precautions:
*Use air conditioning or window/door screens
*Use mosquito repellents on exposed skin
*Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants
*Properly dispose of any old tires since they can breed thousands of mosquitoes
*Clear roof gutters of debris
*Clean pet water/food dishes regularly
*Monitor and empty children’s toys left out in the yard which may accumulate water
*Repair leaky outdoor faucets
*Canoes and boats should be turned over or covered
*Avoid water collecting on pool covers
*Empty water collected in tarps around the yard or on piles of wood
*Plug tree holes
*Cover water drums
*Flower pots/vases, bottles, barrels, buckets, open cesspits, tanks, overturned garbage can lids can collect water and thus breed mosquitoes.
If you are sick with chikungunya or dengue, avoiding mosquito bites will help prevent further spread of the virus.
To treat large bodies of stagnant water on or around your property call the Environmental Health Department at 649-338-2801.
Caicos Express expands fleet
The inaugural flight for the Caicos Express 1900 Beechcraft, will take flight today Monday Oct 5th, 2014.
Managing Director, Richard Arthur spoke with RTC News earlier while final preparations were made.
Mr. Arthur added that originally, Caicos Express started as a small charter company, filling the void with the Aztec 5 seater, before transitioning to the 9 seater Cesnor, which covers the family islands based on the demands of the traveling public.
While many view the carriers growth will mean a hike in rates, not so says the Managing Director; there will be a slight increase, nothing outrageous and which will still see us as the lowest carrier in the TCI.
He says plans are in the works to taken on additional routes, providing alternatives for the traveling public, which will be shared with the public at a later date.
Arthur trold our newsroom that October is a very important month in the company’s history as his team prepares to take the next step in making traveling easier, hassle free & affordable for the TCI travelers, as the 19 seater takes flight to the nations capital with more room in less transit time.
The company is operating with a fleet of 5 planes that covers charters into Nassau, the Dominican Republic and other destinations in the region but will continue to offer more flights between Grand Turk, Salt Cay & Providenciales.
INTERNATIONAL MIGRATORY BIRD DAY, 11 OCTOBER 2014
The Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) will be celebrating a number of activities and competitions in celebration of International Migratory Bird Day, which takes place on Saturday, 11 October 2014.
International Migratory Bird Day 2014 shares the many ways in which birds matter to the earth and its ecosystems.
The TCI Department of Environment and Maritime Affairs (DEMA) is marking the day which is the only international education program that highlights and celebrates the migration of nearly 350 species of migratory birds between nesting habitats in North America and non-breeding grounds in Latin America, Mexico, and the Caribbean.
This year’s International Migratory Bird Day’s theme is ‘Why Birds Matter’. This aims to demonstrate the diversity of birds around the world, the amazing migrations that some take, and the phenomenal range of behaviors, plumages, and songs that they exhibit.
To celebrate their importance DEMA will be hosting the following activities:
Guided bird walk/field trip to the wetlands (11 Oct, 2014; Assembly at 6:30 AM at the Bight Park). Limited binoculars will be loaned out, on a first come first serve basis. (Pre-registration is required)
Free Movie Screening: Titled: Winged Migration (10 Oct, 2014 at 2:00 PM, at the National Environment Centre). (Reservations are required)
Migratory Bird Photography Contest Primary, High School and Adults (Submission deadline: 31 Oct. 2014).
Any individuals or organisations, such as schools parties, can obtain more information, register, reserve a place, or find out how to enter the photography competition by contacting DEMA’s Environment Outreach Coordinator, Amy Avenant, on Tel: 338 4176 or Avenant.amy@gmail.com
TURKS AND CAICOS MINISTRY OF HEALTH EBOLA ADVICE
The Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) Ministry of Health and Human Services (MOHHS) told RTC News that they are continuing with their stringent efforts to evaluate and manage any case of the Ebola virus, in the unlikely event a case occurs in the Territory, it announced today, Monday, 6 October 2014.
“We are aware that the single case of Ebola diagnosed in the USA is of concern there, and also the Caribbean Region,” said Charlene Higgs, Health Educator with the TCI MOHHS. “However, our health professionals have been preparing to respond since the outbreak began.
She added that “The TCI MOHHS efforts are ongoing, and includes stakeholder meetings which are being planned across the islands to help adequately prepare for the potential threat of Ebola. The team at the MOHHS are following the updates on the local, regional and international circuit as to the status of the disease & will share with the general public as the situation develops.
“Although travel to the affected region is not restricted, the MOHHS strongly discourages non-essential travel to Ebola affected areas in West Africa at this time because of the extent of the current virus outbreak. The MOHHS further advises that anyone returning to the TCI from such areas may be subjected to Ebola screening and possible isolation for 21 days as a part of TCI’s enhanced surveillance of this virus”.
The MOHHS is continuing to take the lead in ensuring the public health and safety of the TCI citizens and visitors through:
* Enhanced surveillance and laboratory testing capacity to facilitate early detection of cases
* Developing and or disseminating guidance and tools for health facilities to conduct public health investigations
* Providing recommendations for healthcare infection control and other measures and to ensure health care workers take precautions to use meticulous infection control at all times to prevent disease spread.
* Providing guidance for Customs and Immigration officers about detecting, transporting and reporting ill travellers to the MOHHS
* Disseminating up-to-date information to the general public, international travellers, and public health stakeholders and partners
In addition, the MOHHS would like to advise all persons with a history of recent travel to affected countries to be aware of the signs and symptoms of EVD and to report to a healthcare provider as soon as possible if signs and symptoms of EVD develop within three weeks of having traveled. The MOHHS also encourages the general public to take the following precautions:
* Practice good personal hygiene at all times
* Be aware of the risk factors of Ebola (travel to affected countries, contact with bodily fluids of affected persons)
* Be aware of the signs and symptoms of Ebola
* Seek medical attention early
RTC will have more on this story as it develops locally.
FortisTCI Receives Final Results from Renewable Energy Interconnection Study
A leading commercial and industrial engineering solutions company, Leidos Engineering, LLC (Leidos), recently completed a Renewable Energy Infusion Study for FortisTCI (FTCI), the energy provider in the Turks and Caicos Islands. FortisTCI President & CEO Eddinton Powell said, “We are now one step closer to understanding how and at what level we can integrate renewable energy into our electricity grid. We know that in the future renewable energy will play a role in the energy mix of the Turks and Caicos Islands. It is important that these studies precede any implementation so that we can make the best decisions for our customers, for the Country and the Company. No new forms of generation should reduce the safety and reliability of service, or increase the cost”
The study, commissioned in early 2014, was undertaken to determine the total capacity of intermittent renewable energy that FortisTCI can safely integrate into the electricity grid without compromising system stability.
The final report, completed in August 2014, focused on (non-base load) photovoltaic (PV), often referred to as solar, and wind distributed generation (DG) installations on Grand Turk and Providenciales. The study was limited to these two locations, as a result of the small size of the electricity systems on the other islands. The assessment included both utility scale as well as small capacity (for example, 3 kW) systems.
In the report, Leidos has made a number of recommendations. They include:
· Setting the upper limit of renewable DG, to a maximum of 4.15 MW in Providenciales and 0.34 MW in Grand Turk.
· Setting infusion of renewables on each distribution feeder to no more than the feeder minimum load to avoid system voltage issues.
· Prohibit DG on Grace Bay feeder five because of its impact on operating voltages, unless there are additional system upgrades or improvements.
These are just some of the recommendations made in the report. In addition, Leidos recommends, setting all consumer DG interfaced with the current grid, at existing individual demand (electricity consumption) or less.
The study went on to reveal that it is possible to achieve higher DG penetration, but only with significant investment and upgrades. The report read, “additional analysis is recommended to confirm technically and economically: 1) Altering the generation dispatch and (or) increasing the spinning reserve to provide more margin for system contingencies with DG. 2) Add substation and (or) line regulation to provide more voltage control of the T&D system and take advantage of the available capacity.” Additionally, according to Leidos all DG installations should follow already established international interconnection standards set by professional associations such as, The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Suggested standards include; IEEE 1547, IEEE 929 and UL1741.
FortisTCI is now working to position itself to accept customer-owned solar energy on the electricity grid by the middle of 2015. In order to achieve this goal, it will require FortisTCI and the Turks and Caicos Islands Government to work together to set proper interconnection and metering standards.