TURKS AND CAICOS STUDENT WINS COTA 2014 ESSAY COMPETITION
Martha Bohlale Rakuoane, a student of the Helena J. Robinson High School, Turks and Caicos Islands, won the US$1,000 first prize of the Caribbean Organization of Tax Administrators (COTA) Essay Competition 2014.
Jessica Ramnauth of Brickdam Secondary School, Guyana, was awarded US$750 for placing second, while Justin-Timothy Frater of Cornwall College, Jamaica, won the US$500 third prize.
The schools which the winners attend will also receive a laptop computer each. The prizes for the competition were jointly provided by COTA and the Caribbean Association of Banks Inc.
The competition was held from April to July 2014. Seventeen students from across the Region entered the competition. They were required to write an essay on the topic `The tax code is a road map for law-abiding citizens and businesses to pay what they legally owe, not an obstacle course to be gamed and gotten around’.
The entries were examined by an independent evaluator selected by the Executive Council of COTA. The Evaluator noted that the essays showed evidence of being well researched with good argumentation and understanding of the distinction between tax evasion and tax avoidance.
As the Community grapples with the challenges of higher demands on a dwindling public purse, it is hoped that today’s teenagers - the potential future taxpayers – will obtain an increasing understanding of their civic duty through COTA’s public education programmes. There is also the expectation that among the youths, an interest could be engendered in the field of tax administration as a career choice.
TCI Financial Service Commission offers Credit Analysis training to TCI FS Providers
The Turks and Caicos Financial Services Commission (TCIFSC) in partnership with Eastern Caribbean Institute of Banking and Financial Services will be hosting a Credit Analysis Workshop on August 20- 21st, 2014 at the Regent Palms in Providenciales.
Banks lenders, Mutual Funds Companies as well as Commission staff from relevant departments will gather for two day training sessions. The interactive sessions will seek to address pertinent issues surrounding effective credit analysis and underwriting practices for Mortgages lending and Contractor Loans.
TCIFSC Managing director, Kevin Higgins, while stressing that the Commission was dedicated to continue providing a learning platform for TCI financial services providers, said: “This workshop is designed to provide credit officers with the rudiments of the theory and practices of sound lending.”
He added: “With the rise of delinquent loans, a workshop providing tools and approaches to address the principle issues of credit risk management and project financing is timely. The FSC welcomes the expertise of the Eastern Caribbean Institute of Banking and Financial Services in this field.”
Patrick Thomas and Louis Parris from the Eastern Caribbean Institute of Banking and Financial Services will facilitate the training sessions. Both Instructors will conduct sessions related to their individual proficiency.
Patrick Thomas has a significant expertise in commercial credit and corporate risk analysis while Louis Parris has specific experience in personal loans and held a major role in setting up and working with the first “Ready Credit” Center for personal lending in the Caribbean.
The sessions will cover a variety of topics such as: personal lending and various types of mortgages, lending guidelines, qualifying a borrower, equity as well as collateral. On day two of the workshop, participants will review commercial real estate lending, risk assessment, security, insurance, debt service and monitoring in depth.
TCIFSC chairman Sir Errol Allen will address participants during the opening ceremony.

The Pine Cay Project and DEMA’s Junior Park Warden Program
The Junior Park Warden (JPW) Summer Program officially launched in 2000, with the central theme of fostering stewardship for the environment in the youth of TCI. Graciously sponsored by the Pine Cay Project, this year was no exception as a total of nineteen participants were given an opportunity to explore and discover pressing environmental issues in The Turks and Caicos Islands.
This year saw a departure from the usual two week program, and instead two, one-week programs were hosted so as to provide more youth with an opportunity to attend. The theme, “Reduce.Re-use.Recycle” uncovered the TCI’s limited natural resources which we share on our islands, and how we can consider the three ‘R’s’ in our every-day lives to ensure a cleaner, greener future for the TCI. In addition, each day introduced students to a variety of sub-themes, such as sustainable tourism, sustainable development, the DEMA’s roles and responsibilities, National Park and Fishing laws and regulations, and potential careers in Environmental Studies / Sciences and the Maritime Industry. Interested students (with strong swimming skills) even participated in a PADI Discover SCUBA Dive (DSD) course, graciously sponsored by Provo Turtle Divers!
Participants enjoyed excursions to Provo’s Landfill and Recycling facilities, a visit to Lignum Vitae Farm where they witnessed Aquaponics (a combination of conventional aquaculture and hydroponics), and snorkeled, swam, and even went sailing! Big Blue Unlimited also spoke to the participants about the effects of pollution on the underwater world.
Ideally, students who graduate from the program will be advocates for the environment and will go on to become environmental leaders in the community, working with DEMA and other agencies to foster environmental sustainability in TCI. After participating in the JPW program, it is hoped that the participants will develop and display environmental stewardship and leadership.
SHADOW MINISTER CRIES SHAME OF GOVERNMENT
PDM DEPUTY LEADER AND FIVES CAYS MP BRINGS CRITICAL HOUSE MOTION
PRIVATE MEMBER’S MOTION NO. /2014
Moved By Hon Representative for Five Cays
Seconded By Hon Leader of the Opposition
WHEREAS there are a number of young persons born to foreign nationals who have been resident in these Islands all of their lives;
AND WHEREAS the Turks and Caicos Government has invested in their education at primary and secondary level which many have completed;
AND WHEREAS these young persons do not have any form of legal TCI status;
AND WHEREAS many are finding it difficult to obtain employment due to the fact that they are unable to obtain a work permit or permanent resident certificate;
AND WHEREAS this is an urgent matter that we had hoped by now would have been discussed and debated in the new Immigration Bill and FURTHER that we are not certain that it is included in the Bill;
AND WHEREAS many of these young people regard TCI as their home and will like to be fully assimilated;
BE IT RESOLVED that this Honorable House advise and recommend to the Government that a special category and special conditions be established and be required to be met in a policy and law to address these young people as a matter of urgency.
Iraq’s Prime Minister Agrees to Renounce Power
Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has agreed to renounce power, telling the Iraqi people he will give up his post to his replacement, moderate Shi'ite Haider al-Abadi.
Appearing on state television late Thursday flanked by Abadi and other Shi'ite politicians, Maliki said he was withdrawing his candidacy in favor of Abadi in order to "ease the movement of the political process and the formation of the new government."
Maliki had faced enormous pressure at home and abroad to step aside, dropping his bid for a third term as prime minister of Iraq and ending a legal challenge to Abadi’s nomination by Iraqi President Fouad Massoum, which took place on Monday.
The White House praised the development, saying Maliki's backing of nominee Abadi marks "another major step forward in uniting the country." National Security Adviser Susan Rice noted statements of global support for Abadi, a member of Maliki’s Shi’ite Islamist Dawa party.
Maliki had been struggling for weeks to stay on as prime minister amid an attempt by opponents to push him out. They have accused him of monopolizing power and pursuing a narrowly pro-Shi'ite agenda that has alienated Iraq's Sunni and Kurdish minorities.
The Maliki resignation comes just three days after he took to the airwaves to announce he would not accept the Abadi nomination. Maliki and his backers argued that he was entitled to the nomination for a third term by law because his political bloc is the largest in parliament.
Western governments and Iran, along with Iraq's Sunni and Kurdish parliamentary factions, have for days urged Maliki to resign.
Source-VOA
Luis Suarez ban upheld, but he's allowed to train
Luis Suarez's four-month ban for biting an opponent has been upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas).
But the Uruguay striker, 27, can now train and play in friendly matches, with new club Barcelona confirming: "He will join the first team's training session, scheduled for Friday.
"The public presentation of Suarez as a new Barcelona player will be held on Monday at the Camp Nou."
It is not known if he will play in Monday's game with Mexico's Club Leon.
A full explanation of the Cas ruling, which still prevents him from playing "organised" matches but now allows him to take part in all "football-related activities", will be published at a later date.
Coca-Cola buys 16.7% stake in Monster Beverage
US drinks giant Coca-Cola has bought a 16.7% stake in Monster Beverage in a cash deal, as it looks for growth away from fizzy drinks.
In the $2.15bn (£1.3bn) deal, Coca-Cola will transfer its worldwide energy business to Monster.
In exchange, Monster will transfer its non-energy business, which includes Peace Tea and Hansen's Natural Sodas, to Coca-Cola.
The deal gives Monster access to Coca-Cola's global distribution system.
For Coca-Cola, the partnership will give it the opportunity to increase its market share in the fast-growing energy drinks market.
In a statement, Muhtar Kent, chairman at Coca-Cola said: "The Coca-Cola Company continues to identify innovative approaches to partnerships that enable us to stay at the forefront of consumer trends in the beverage industry."
Mr Kent added that "investment in Monster is a capital efficient way to bolster our participation in the fast-growing and attractive global energy drinks category".
Also in the same statement, Monster chairman Rodney C. Sacks said the deal gives the company "enhanced access to the Coca-Cola Company's distribution system, the most powerful and extensive system in the world. At the same time, we become The Coca-Cola Company's exclusive energy play".
The deal is subject to regulatory approvals, and both companies hope the transaction will close by early next year.
Monster shares surged 22% in after-hours trading on the news, while Coca-Cola shares rose 1.2%.
Coca-Cola is the world's largest beverage company, with more than 500 brands to its name, including Diet Coke, Fanta and Minute Maid.
Source-BBC
Magistrate Insists Vybz Kartel Conspiracy Trial to Start October 29
A magistrate today insisted that the conspiracy trial of popular entertainers Vybz Kartel and Gaza Slim will start on October 29, after failed efforts to do so this week.
Kartel, whose real name is Adidja Palmer and Gaza Slim, whose given name is Vanessa Saddler, are charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice.
Andre Henry, alias 'Pim Pim’ is also charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice.
The trial was initially scheduled to start on Monday in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate’s Court but could not because of the late serving of documents and unsettled legal representation for Henry.
Today when the case came before Resident Magistrate Simone Wolfe-Reece a new mention date of August 29 was set.
She insisted that the trial will start in the week of October 29.
The magistrate has given Henry until that time to settle his legal representation.
This after Peter Champagnie, withdrew as his lawyer.
Meanwhile, both Henry and Saddler had their bail extended, while Kartel, who is serving a life sentence for the murder of Clive 'Lizard' Williams, was further remanded.
It is alleged that Kartel and Gaza Slim were part of a plot to undermine the police’s investigation into Williams’ death.
Gaza Slim allegedly turned up at the police station to report that the deceased Clive 'Lizard' Williams had robbed her, in a move to side-track the police who were investigating his murder at the time.
Source-Jamaica Gleaner
Warrant issued for former Haiti president Aristide accused of corruption
An investigating judge has issued an arrest warrant for former president Jean Bertrand Aristide after he failed to comply with a summons to appear at the magistrate’s office.
Aristide was due to appear before Judge Lamarre Belizaire to answer charges relating to acts of corruption, money laundering, misappropriation of public funds, criminal conspiracy, among other accusations.
Aristide and several of his former colleagues have been accused of embezzling hundreds of millions of dollars from the State through his organisation, Aristide for Democracy Foundation and other organisations.
“The judge was at his office waiting for Mr. Aristide to appear, he never saw him, while other allies of the former President have been commenting about the content of the warrant on the air, which means, they are in possession of the document,” an official at the Judicial palace told the Port au Prince based Haitian Caribbean News Network (HCNN).
Aristide, a former Roman Catholic priest, and his colleagues including Mirlande Liberus, Yvon Neptune, Jean Nesty Lucien and Gustave Faubert, have also been banned from leaving the country.
Judge Belizaire has refused to comment on the case for “legal and ethical reasons”.
According to Associated Press (AP), Supporters of Aristide clashed with U.N. peacekeepers yesterday as the popular former leader faced possible arrest for not providing court-ordered testimony in a criminal investigation.
About 150 Haitians had erected barricades of stones and burning tires outside Aristide’s home in Port-au-Prince to prevent any attempt to arrest him, keeping traffic at bay along the busy street largely without incident much of the day.
But some demonstrators pelted an SUV carrying U.N. personnel with stones, forcing the occupants to flee into a nearby home. They were subsequently rescued by peacekeeping troops, who then cleared the protesters and their barricades using tear gas and armored vehicles.
The source of the tension was a summons issued by investigating magistrate Lamarre Belizaire for testimony from Aristide, whose ouster in February 2004 amid a violent rebellion triggered the deployment of a U.N. peacekeeping force that has been in the country ever since.
Belizaire issued the summons ordering Aristide to appear in court Wednesday. A copy of the order obtained by The Associated Press says the case involves allegations of laundering drug money but does not provide details.
Aristide lawyer Mario Joseph said the former president never received the summons at his home, where he has largely lived a secluded life behind high walls since he returned in March 2011 from exile in South Africa. The lawyer showed up at the court at the appointed time after hearing media reports about the hearing and brought a letter explaining why the summons should not be considered properly served.
The judge himself did not show up at the hearing and he could not be reached for comment. Under Haitian law, the judge could issue an order requiring police to take Aristide into custody for questioning, but it was not known whether he did so.
Joseph said he had been unable to reach the judge to clarify the situation. The lawyer said the summons was not properly served on the former president and thus he could not be legally taken into custody as a result.
Aristide remains a polarizing figure in Haiti. He is popular among a large segment of the population and his supporters allege that the criminal investigation is part of a campaign to keep the party that he founded, Fanmi Lavalas, from trying to build support ahead of legislative elections expected by the end of the year.
“The judge is a political judge,” Joseph said. “He is an opponent of Fanmi Lavalas. All this is an act to block Fanmi Lavalas from taking part in the election.”
Source-CMC