33-year-old charged with Dangerous Driving & Drug Possession
After a in depth investigation by the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force, two charges of possession of a controlled drug namely Cannabis and one charge of Dangerous Driving were laid against 33-year-old Winfried Michael Mundi of Blue Mountain, Providenciales.
The charges are relating to an incident, which were alleged to have taken place on Tuesday November 05, 2013 in the Blue Mountain and Industrial Park areas of Providenciales.
Mundi appeared in the Magistrate’s Court before Chief Magistrate Clifton Warner earlier today (Friday November 8, 2013) where he pleaded not guilty to all of the charges laid against him.
Bail for Mundi was set at $7,000 cash and the Magistrate’s Court to retain all of his travel documents. Monday February 3, 2014 is the date set for Mundi to appear before Chief Magistrate Warner again in the Magistrate’s Court.
SCHOOLS IN SOUTH CAICOS CLOSESD
Health Educator Imternizia McCartney told RTC News on Wednesday that the MOH is closely watching a hint of diarrhea & vomiting based on reports. As a result of that, the MOH re-issued the alert to remind the TCI that as we get into the holiday season, we must remain vigilant in washing hands, fruits and vegetables properly.
The MOH said that the alert would remain in effect until December.
Following that advice, RTC News is learning today that the Calvary Christian School, the Iris Stubbs primary School and the high school Marjorie Basden High were closed yesterday Thursday.
Deputy Director of Education, Mark Garland told our news desk earlier that 2 students fell victim to the Diarrhea & Vomiting at the Iris Stubbs Primary School in South Caicos.
The acting Director in discussion with the MOH has taken a precautionary to have all schools sanitized to avoid any other student being affected.
The acting Director in discussion with the MOH has taken precautionary measures to have all schools in South Caicos sanitized to avoid any other students being affected.
Schools remained closed today Friday and will reopen on Monday morning.
TCI celebrates Universal Children’s Day,
The Department of Social Development and Gender Affairs, in the Ministry of Environment and Home Affairs will celebrate Universal Children’s Day, also recognized as World Day of Prayer and Action for Children (WDPAC) on Wednesday 20th November 2013. Universal Children’s Day is observed as a day set aside by UNICEF, champions for children. The Department joins in celebrating this day.
The three year theme (2011-2013): “Stop violence against children” focuses on (1) child-rearing practices, (2) birth registration, and (3) child marriage issues.
The Department will be hosting activities in observance of this day. Senior Social Worker Tiffany Thomas gave us a glimpse of the department plans which includes a Children’s Fun Day around the Islands on Saturday November 16, 2013 at 4pm
On Sunday 17th November 2013 Pastors will incorporate the theme into their service & sermons at churches.
Social Workers will make Bullying presentations in the schools on Monday November 18, 2013
Genco will return to RTC on Tuesday 19th November 2013 and Tiffany Thomas, the Senior Social Worker will be a guest to discuss the theme and schedule.
Clsoing out the week on Wednesday 20th November 2013 will be a Prayer around the Islands at 6pm
Ms. Thomas said that there are serious challenges for children and as parents and neighbors we need to listen to our children and ensure that you know what’s going on in their lives.
The UN Study on Violence against Children recommendations focuses on five settings where violence occurs including: Home and family, Schools, Alternative care institutions and detention facilities, places where children work, and Communities.
TCI REMEMBRANCE SERVICE THIS SUNDAY
The Turks and Caicos Islands will commemorate Allied, Commonwealth and British personnel who fought in the two world wars of the 20th Century and in subsequent conflicts on Remembrance Day on Sunday, 10 November 2013.
His Excellency The Governor will place a wreath at the War Memorials on Grand Turk and the Deputy Governor will lay a wreath at the War Memorial on Providenciales.
The Grand Turk Remembrance Day Service will be held at St. Mary’s Pro-Cathedral, Front Street, at 9.45am. Immediately following the service all uniform groups will attend the Ecumenical Service at Baptist Church.
The Providenciales Remembrance Day Service will be held at St. Monica’s Anglican Church, Leeward Highway, Providenciales, at 3:30 pm.
Other participating organisations that will also lay wreaths at each service include: the TCI Ex-Services Legion; the Commissioner of Police; the Medical Department TCIG; the Scouts, Guides and Brownies; Soroptimists International and the Red Cross.
Miss Universe 2013 is Miss Venezuela
Miss Venezuela Gabriela Isler has been crowned this year's Miss Universe.
Judges, including rock star Steven Tyler from Aerosmith, picked the winner from a total of 86 contestants at the show, watched by millions of viewers around the world.
Last year's winner Olivia Culpo of the United States placed a diamond crown on the head of Isler, who wore a silver rhine-stone studded evening dress.
The 25 year old model and television presenter told reporters that she was shocked, but blessed and happy to represent her country.
The big night began with 87 contestants looking for the title, but quickly only 16 were chosen to move forward: Costa Rica, Ukraine, China, Ecuador, the United Kingdom, Indonesia, Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Spain, the United States, Nicaragua, Switzerland, India, Brazil and the Philippines.
Best national costume went to Miss Nicaragua, Nastassja Bolívar, who is known as the 2011 winner of Univision’s “Nuestra Belleza Latina” beauty contest.
Only Spain, the Philippines, the United Kingdom, India, Brazil, the United States, Ukraine, Ecuador, Venezuela and the Dominican Republic made it to the top 10.
From there only Ecuador, Brazil, Spain, Venezuela and the Philippines remained in the running for the crown.
Steven Tyler asked the top five contestants questions which ranged from "What would happen to the world if we could no longer use the Internet?" to the one posed to Miss Venezuela: "What is your biggest fear and how do you plan to overcome it?”
The evening’s soon-to-be winner responded: "We should overcome all our fears and this in turn would make us stronger. As soon as we overcome our fears, we can face any challenge."
The night came to close with Brazil as the fourth runner-up, Philippines taking third runner-up, Ecuador as second runner-up, and Spain being named first runner-up.
With that, Gabriela Isler won Venezuela’s seventh Miss Universe crown and the first since Stefanía Fernández took the title in 2009.
The contest, whose slogan is "confidently beautiful," was first held in 1952 in Palm Beach in the United States. It still requires the women not to be married or pregnant.
Andrew Holness is still JLP Leader in Jamaica
Andrew Holness has retained the leadership of the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) after defeating Audley Shaw.
It was just announced moments ago at the special delegates conference summoned to choose the leader of the JLP at the National Arena in Kingston.
Holness’ victory comes after a bitter campaign with Shaw during which accusations and counter claims were thrown by the two camps of supporters.
Both Holness and Shaw are now expected to address the large assembly of delegates.
Trinidad and Tobago has highest cancer mortality rate in the Caribbean
Trinidad and Tobago is among three countries with the highest cancer mortality rates in the Americas, according to a new report released by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Regional Office for the Americas of the World Health Organization (WHO).
The report released earlier this week at the 5th International Cancer Control Congress in Peru, showed that while deaths from cancer were decreasing in some countries of the Americas for certain kinds of cancers, deaths from other cancers were on the rise.
Overall, cancer is holding steady as the second-leading cause of death in the Americas, claiming an estimated 1.3 million lives each year, according to Cancer in the report titled “Americas: Country Profiles, 2013”.
The PAHO/WHO report shows that Latin America and the Caribbean account for approximately 50 per cent of cancer deaths in the Americas, although they account for 63 per cent of the hemisphere’s population.
The highest cancer mortality rates in the region are found in Trinidad and Tobago, Cuba and Argentina, based on data provided to PAHO/WHO by its member countries. Mexico, Nicaragua and El Salvador have the lowest cancer mortality rates. Cancer deaths overall are declining in nine countries namely, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Mexico, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Venezuela and the United States.
Cancer mortality rates vary for men and women as well as across countries. In Latin American and Caribbean men, the majority of cancer deaths are due to prostate cancer, followed by lung, stomach and colorectal cancers; and in women, breast cancer, followed by stomach, lung, cervical and colorectal cancers.
“The large number of deaths from breast and cervical cancer in Latin America and the Caribbean is very disconcerting, since cervical cancer is largely preventable, and breast cancer can be detected early and treated successfully,’’ said Silvana Luciani, PAHO/WHO advisor on cancer prevention and control.
“This points to the need to improve screening and treatment, especially for women in rural and remote areas, where access to health services is especially limited,” she added.
The report notes that while breast cancer is the leading cancer cause of death for women in the Americas in most of the region’s countries, prostate cancer is the leading cancer cause of death for men.
The report found that obesity, another important cancer risk factor, is highest in English-speaking Caribbean countries, notably Bahamas, Belize, St. Kitts and Nevis and Trinidad and Tobago.
The report is based on recent data compiled by PAHO/WHO about cancer mortality, risk factors, and cancer policies and services in the countries of North, South and Central America and the Caribbean.
For each country, data are presented for leading cancer types (ranked by mortality); trends in cancer deaths from 2000 to 2010; main cancer risk factors (tobacco, alcohol, diet, physical inactivity, obesity); key socio-demographic factors; and health sector plans, policies and services for cancer.
“The idea is to provide key information that can help countries monitor progress in cancer control and assess areas of need, “said Luciani, adding “this report contributes significantly to the evidence base for cancer policymaking and health care.”
The report is part of PAHO/WHO’s efforts to support member countries as they address the growing epidemic of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
Source-Caribbean Media Corporation
Gonsalves ‘absolutely fed up’ of LIAT’s constant woes
St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves says he is ‘absolutely fed up” at the constant industrial action plaguing the regional airline, LIAT.
Gonsalves, who is the chairman of the shareholder governments of the financially troubled airline, told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) that he was “fed up” with the “self inflicted wounds” on the Antigua-based airline.
LIAT pilots walked off their jobs on Monday and their union, the Leeward Islands Airline Pilots Association (LIALPA) blamed “misguided and ill-informed decisions” taken by the airline’s management for the action.
The union claimed that they were forced into an emergency meeting to discuss the management’s decision resulting in the widespread disruption to the airline’s daily schedule.
The union and airline representatives met on Wednesday to discuss the matter and while the talks are are expected to continue on Thursday Gonsalves told CMC that “these self inflicted wounds between management and the pilots just have to stop.
“Maybe everybody simply needs to take a breather and read the Psalms or Proverbs,” he said, adding that the airline, whose major shareholder governments are Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica and St, Vincent and the Grenadines can ill afford these problems particularly as shareholder governments continue to seek invest to invest in the airline.
“The amount of money that we are putting in this airline, the shareholders, and more people are getting interested. I just talked to the President of the Regional Council of Martinique and he’s interested in getting on board as an equity partner in LIAT, but this kinda foolishness must stop.”
Source- Caribbean Media Corporation
First female DDP appointed in Dominica
Former chief magistrate Evelina Baptiste became the first female to assume the position of director of public prosecutions (DPP) in Dominica as of November 1.
Baptiste replaced former DPP Gene Pestaina who retired earlier this year and Guyanese attorney Kurt De Freitas.
De Freitas, who was expected to take up the position in October, withdrew his earlier acceptance as a result of his concern over negative remarks made about him in the local media and via internet blogs.
Legal Affairs Minister Ian Douglas told Dominica Vibes on Friday, November 8, that the appointment of a new chief magistrate could soon be announced.
Meanwhile, he confirmed that Grenadian attorney, Arley Gill was also been appointed as a magistrate in Dominica.
Gill took up the position on 1st November 2013.
His appointment as a sitting magistrate in Dominica was delayed in July this year, following an objection by a radio talk show host now political leader of the United Workers Party Lennox Linton.
France's credit rating cut by S&P to AA
Standard and Poor's (S&P) has cut France's credit rating to AA from AA+.
The moves comes almost two years after the country lost its top-rated AAA status.
S&P said it downgraded France because high unemployment in the country was making it hard for the government to make important reforms which would boost growth,
The French government responded by saying that its debt rating was one of the safest in the eurozone.
S&P said it expected government debt to hit 86% of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2015 and unemployment to remain above 10% until 2016.
The country's Finance Minister, Pierre Moscovici, said S&P had made "critical and inexact judgements".
He said in a statement: "During the last 18 months the government has implemented major reforms aimed at improving the French economic situation, restoring its public finances, and its competitiveness."
In theory, a lower credit rating makes borrowing more expensive.
The return for investors buying French debt indeed did rise after the announcement.
The yield on French government 10-year bonds rose more than 20 basis points to 2.389% from 2.158%.
S&P said in its statement: "We believe the French government's reforms to taxation, as well as to product, services and labour markets, will not substantially raise France's medium-term growth prospects and that ongoing high unemployment is weakening support for further significant fiscal and structural policy measures."
The French Prime Minister, Jean-Marc Ayrault, said France's ratings remained among the best in the world and that the agency did not take into account all the reforms made by the government.