Government to issue bond to raise funds to pay former LIAT workers
Prime Minister Gaston Browne says Antigua and Barbuda will be issuing a bond to cover the estimated EC$16.7 million (One EC dollar=US$0.37 cents) in severance payments to former employees of the bankrupt LIAT 1974 limited.
“Our government is determined to address the concerns of former LIAT 1974 Ltd. workers, especially the more than 400 employees who were stationed in Antigua,” Browne said as he delivered the EC$1.43 billion national budget to Parliament on Thursday.
He said as a a demonstration of this commitment, the government will make good on its promise to cover its share of the severance owed to these workers, based on Antigua and Barbuda’s 32 percent shareholding, in LIAT 1974 Ltd.
“We will issue a bond for the EC$16.7 million which represents 32 percent of the severance liability to the 400 hundred employees,” Prime Minister Browne said, adding this will be a 10-year instrument on which payments will begin this month and continue annually until the EC$16.7 million principal plus interest is fully extinguished.
“Our intervention will provide much-needed relief and demonstrates our dedication to fairness and justice, representing meaningful action on behalf of the affected workers,” Browne told legislators.
The Antigua and Barbuda Workers Union (ABWU) has been calling on the government, which had been a major shareholder in the airline, to negotiate an amicable settlement, but the government has accused the union of not wanting to negotiate in good faith.
The government had originally offered a 50 percent compassion payment in cash and bonds to the former employees that Browne said amounts to EC$110 million. The ABWU had said in the past that it would continue to seek the 100 percent severance payment to the former airline employees. The union has not yet responded to Browne’s parliamentary statement on Thursday.
Apart from Antigua and Barbuda, the other shareholders of the airline that went into bankruptcy in January this year were Barbados, Dominica, and St Vincent and the Grenadines. Most of these islands have reached an agreement with their former LIAT workers on severance payments.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Browne told Parliament that the government has invested over EC$33 million in acquiring three aircraft following its decision to enter into a joint venture partnership with Air Peace Caribbean Limited to form LIAT 2020 Limited.
Browne said that the government entered into a 30-70 joint venture partnership with Air Peace Caribbean Limited.
“Demonstrating our commitment to regional air connectivity and creating an enabling environment for economic growth and development; we invested over EC$33 million to acquire three aircraft, which were part of the LIAT 1974 Limited fleet, from the Caribbean Development Bank,” Browne told legislators.
He said the airline, which replaced the bankrupt LIAT 1974 Limited, currently serves eight Caribbean territories, namely St. Lucia; Barbados; Dominica, St. Kitts-Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Guyana, Grenada, and Antigua and Barbuda.
He told legislators that new routes will be added in the short term, including flights to the northern Caribbean starting with Tortola.
Earlier this year, Prime Minister Browne said LIAT 2020 airline was being formed in partnership with Air Peace, a private Nigerian airline founded in 2013 that would be putting in close to US$65 million, while the government is investing US$20 million.
Source-ABC
West Ham United striker Michail Antonio stable following a car crash
Reggae Boyz and West Ham United striker Michail Antonio is said to be in stable condition following a car crash here on Saturday.
The 34-year-old had to be airlifted to a hospital in Central London after his Ferrari was involved in a serious accident in Epping.
West Ham United released a statement confirming that Antonio was under “close supervision” at a hospital.
“At this difficult time, we kindly ask everyone to respect Michail and his family's privacy.
“The club will make no further comment this evening, but will issue a further update in due course,” the release said.
Essex County Fire and Rescue Service said it attended the scene of the accident in Epping on Saturday afternoon and released a man trapped in his car.
Antonio joined West Ham from Nottingham Forest in 2015 and has since scored 68 goals in 268 league appearances for the club.
Following the news, the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) quickly moved to wish Antonio a speedy recovery.
JFF president Michael Ricketts and Reggae Boyz head coach Steve McClaren both offered words of encouragement to Antonio.
“On behalf of the entire group of players, support staff and technical staff, I would like to wish Michail a speedy recovery. Our thoughts and prayers are with him at this time,” McClaren said.
“On behalf of the entire Jamaica Football Federation family, I would like to wish Michail a safe and speedy recovery. At this point let us keep him in our prayers as he recovers,” Ricketts added.
Source-CMC
Caribbean countries deny participation in Trump deportation plans
The Grenada government denies claims that the island will be one of the jurisdictions that the incoming Donald Trump Administration has identified to send deportation flights for its promised mass deportation program.
“The Office of the Prime Minister advises that the Government of Grenada has not discussed the deportation of migrants to Grenada. Furthermore, no proposal has been presented regarding this matter,” according to a statement issued by the Dickon Mitchell administration.
“This clarification comes amidst concerns raised surrounding an NBC news article claiming that the incoming Trump Administration plans to deport some migrants to some countries other than they own,” the statement added.
On Thursday, the Bahamas government issued a brief statement stating that it had turned down “a proposal from the Trump transition team in the United States for The Bahamas to accept deportation flights of migrants from other countries”.
Source-CMC
3-DAY PUBLIC WEATHER FORECAST
A notice from the Ministry of Public Safety and Utilities
The Ministry of Public Safety and Utilities is pleased to inform the public that water service has been successfully restored to various sections of Grand Turk following critical repairs at the RO Plant on Saturday of last week.
Residents are kindly advised that, while water service is now available, some may experience low water pressure as the system undergoes a gradual process of full pressurization. This is a necessary step to ensure the network is stabilized and operating at optimal capacity.
Hon. Knowles, Minister of Public Safety and Utilities, expressed gratitude to the community, stating, “We understand the inconvenience caused during this period and thank the residents of Grand Turk for their patience and cooperation. Our team has worked diligently to restore service, and we remain committed to improving the reliability and efficiency of our water infrastructure.”
The Ministry encourages residents to report any persistent issues by contacting the office directly and assures the public that updates will continue to be shared as needed.
Ukraine and Russia launch overnight drone attacks amid missile strike tensions
Ukraine's air force said that at least 73 Russian attack drones entered the country's airspace on Saturday into Sunday morning, after a week in which both sides made battlefield history with new advanced weapons systems.
Ukraine's air force said it downed 50 of the 73 Russian drones that crossed into the country. Another 19 drones were lost in flight, while four more were still flying in Ukrainian airspace as of just after 7 a.m. local time.
Russia's Defense Ministry reported downing 36 Ukrainian drones overnight Saturday and early Sunday.
Source-ABC
US condemns rabbi's murder in the UAE
U.S. National Security Council spokesperson Sean Savett released a statement Sunday condemning the murder of Rabbi Zvi Kogan, who had been missing in the United Arab Emirates since Nov. 21.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office confirmed on Sunday that Kogan's body was located by authorities.
Kogan, 28, was an Israeli-Moldovan national and managed a kosher grocery store in Dubai.
"We condemn in the strongest terms the murder of Rabbi Zvi Kogan in the UAE and our prayers are with his family, the Chabad-Lubavitch community, the broader Jewish community, and all who are mourning his loss," Savett said.
"This was a horrific crime against all those who stand for peace, tolerance, and coexistence," Savett added.
The U.S. is working with Israeli and UAE authorities, according to the statement.
Three people have been arrested for the murder in the UAE, according to the country's Interior Ministry, which has stated an investigation is ongoing.
Source-ABC
PUBLIC FORECAST FOR THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS
Bird flu found in sample of California raw milk
After bird flu was detected in a retail sample of raw milk produced and packaged by Raw Farm, LLC, the California Department of Public Health warned consumers on Sunday to avoid consuming any from the same lot.
At the state's request, the Fresno County-based company also issued a voluntary recall of the affected product: cream top, whole raw milk from lot No. 20241109 with a "best by" date of Nov. 27.
Anyone in possession of the product can pursue a refund from the location where it was originally purchased.
Retailers have also been notified to take affected products off of their shelves.
The CDPH has also emphasized that pasteurized milk remains safe to drink.
Source-ABC
Here is the latest scores for NFL, NBA & MLS
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Boston 107, Minnesota 105
Indiana 115, Washington 103
LA Clippers 125, Philadelphia 99
Miami 123, Dallas 118 (OT)
Cleveland 122, Toronto 108
Brooklyn 108, Sacramento 103
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Toronto 3, Utah 2
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Dallas 34, Washington 26
Detroit 24, Indianapolis 6
Kansas City 30, Carolina 27
Final Miami 34 New England 15
Minnesota 30, Chicago 27 (OT)
Tampa Bay 30, NY Giants 7
Tennessee 32, Houston 27
Denver 29, Las Vegas 19
Final Green Bay 38 San Francisco 10
Seattle 16, Arizona 6
Philadelphia 37, LA Rams 20
TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Wisconsin 81, Pittsburgh 75
Georgia 66, St. John's 63
Kennesaw St. 79, Rutgers 77
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
Orlando City 1, Atlanta 0
LA Galaxy 6, Minnesota 2