Director Outlines New Plans for Department of Mental Health and Substance Dependence
Recently appointed Director for the Department of Mental Health and Substance Dependence, Dr. Alicia Malcolm has outlined new plans and objectives for the department including a renewed focus on efforts to eliminate stigma and discrimination.
In a recent conversation Mrs. Malcolm, she noted that the Department would be doubling its efforts to educate and make the TCI more aware of the issues relating to Stigma Discrimination in the lives of people living with mental health conditions.
She noted: “Looking at the overall mental health situation in the Turks and Caicos Islands, one of my greatest concerns pertains to the stigma that plagues the lives of people with mental health conditions. Stigma is a reality for many people and is one of the biggest barriers for persons wishing to seek help”.
Dr. Malcolm stated that she was cognisant of the need to strengthen the Department’s Substance Abuse Intervention and Prevention Services, particularly among youth of the TCI. She envisions a school-based program that would provide on-going support for teens at-risk for substance abuse and ultimately lead to reduced rates of alcohol and other drugs.
Another task high on the Departments agenda, she said, was the undertaking of a National Study on the prevalence of Mental Illness and Substance Use Disorders within the country. According to Dr. Malcolm, this information will form the basis of the next Mental Health and Substance Abuse Strategic Plan and serve as a guide for program planning.
Other plans include the further Development and strengthening its relationship with the private sector, as well as various international and regional bodies, as it will take a united effort to improve the lives of persons struggling with Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders in the TCI.
For more information on the DMHSD call: 649-946-2801 Ext 50504 in Grand Turk or Providenciales 82500.
HM PRISON SERVICE ANNOUNCES PRISON WEEK 2013
Her Majesty’s Prison Service, Ministry of Environment and Home Affairs announces ‘Prison Week 2013’ to take place between October 13 and 19, 2013.
The Week of activities will highlight the work of the prison in the TCI community and will feature several activities beginning with a church service on Sunday October 13, 2013. On Tuesday October 15 at 12:00 there will be a prison Farm display at Cee’s Car Park on Grand Turk.
The Prison will open its gates to visitors for an exhibition of works by both staff and prisoners on Wednesday 16th October and on Saturday 19th October at 12:00 it will be sports day featuring HM Prison Vs Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force at the on the parade ground.
During the week the prison will be embarking on several projects in the town as well as a community clean up.
Ministry Responds to Stabbing Incident at Clement Howell High School
The Ministry of Education, Youth, Sport and Culture is working with the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force to address an incident that occurred at the Clement Howell High School on Tuesday afternoon, October 1, 2013.
The Ministry has been notified that four (4) students from the school were involved in an altercation which resulted in the stabbing of one student. The incident occurred at the end of the school day.
According to the reports, a male student of Form 5 was stabbed by another student while waiting in the vicinity of the school's auditorium for the school bus to arrive. Some members of the academic staff who allegedly observed the exchange accompanied the injured student to the Blue Hills Clinic for medical attention. He was later transferred to the Cheshire Hall Medical Centre.
The Ministry has been advised that the stab wound is not life threatening and the student is responding well to the treatment and care he is receiving.
As a result of the incident, the school's Critical Incident Management Plan has been activated and measures are being taken to contain the situation.
The Ministry takes these occurrences very seriously and will not tolerate behaviors that put the student population and the academic and ancillary staff at risk. All efforts will be made to cooperate with the Police to ensure that Law and Order is maintained and that those students, whose aim is to disrupt the sense of security on and around the school campus will be held fully accountable.
The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force is also continuing its own investigation into the matter.
Grand Turk Airport Closure
It is with much regret that the Management and Board of Directors of the Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority apologise to the traveling public in and out of Grand Turk for the disruptions to flight operations due to the continual failures of the Aerodrome Fire Services, believed to be caused by acts of sabotage/vandalism to vital equipment.
The matter is under investigation.
Management has taken all reasonable efforts and actions to mitigate as much as possible further disruption to flight operations at Grand Turk Aerodromes.
It must be reiterated that the Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority has not and shall not compromise on safety.
The Board and Management sincerely apologies for any inconvenience caused.
PDM Deputy Leader Responds to Minister of Finance
I am happy to learn that the Premier and Minister of Finance have finally addressed concerns I raised in April of this year in regards to the potential for a conflict of interest when the moratorium was placed on new gaming licenses. However, I am skeptical as to why this change in Portfolio is now being made. Why has it taken the Government some six months to arrive at a conclusion that I raised back in April?
We have been waiting anxiously for the report from the Consultant, whom the Government was to bring in to perform a review of the industry. Up until this point the Consultant's arrival is still pending. Therefore, I agree with the Minister of Finance when he stated that "It's not a game. It is serious business". I can only hope that the actions of the newly appointed Minister for the
Lottery & Gaming, the Hon. Premier, echo this statement.
Hon Sean R. Astwood
Tourist Board Host Successful Northeast Sales Blitz
The Turks and Caicos Tourist Board, accompanied by resort property representatives, embarked on a 3-month training and sales blitz throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast and Midwest markets of the United States.
During the 3-month initiative, Tourist Board representatives trained 250 reservations agents from Delta, and United Continental through MLT Vacations, as well as agents from Travel Impressions and CheapCaribbean, on selling the destination. In addition, the Board conducted a series of product launches and sales calls with over 400 travel agents in Dallas, Chicago, Atlanta, Charlotte and in the Northeast.
The sales blitz was organized by Regional Marketing Manager for the Tourist Board, Mrs. Pamela Ewing, who directed Team TCI to the many meetings they were scheduled to attend. These meetings gave the agents an opportunity to meet with the resort property representatives and allowed them to discuss any concerns or suggestions for the betterment of the tourism industry.
“The events have been very successful; we have received excellent reviews from our industry partners who have participated with or attended the various activities,” raved Mrs. Ewing. “We believe that these promotions are vital to ensure that our brand is in front of the public, so that we will garner much needed business throughout the year.”
The Tourist Board extends its gratitude to their hotel partners including, Regent Grand, Villa Renaissance, Ocean Club Resorts, The Sands at Grace Bay, Regent Palms, Gansevoort, Ports of Call Resort, Club Med, Point Grace, Windsong, The Tuscany and the Venetian, The Alexandria, Beach House and Blue Haven Resorts for their collaborative support and participation in these significant promotional events.
The Tourist Board carries out similar exercises throughout the year involving its regional offices. These activities will culminate in a series of familiarization trip in the Turks and Caicos. In the month of October alone, the Tourist Board will host three groups consisting of media publications, tour operators and travel agents from the United Kingdom, United States and Italy, respectively and in December a destination wedding focused familiarization trip from Canada.
West Indies 'A' close opening day on 283-6 against India 'A' in second four-day game
Opening batsman Kraigg Brathwaite and Assad Fudadin scored half centuries to lead West Indies ‘A’ to 283 for six at stumps on today’s opening day of the second four-day match against hosts India ‘A’ at Shimoga.
Brathwaite top scored with 82 from 202 balls, while Fudadin scored 63 from 107 balls to push the Caribbean side to a decent score at the end of the day.
The pair added 117 runs for the fourth wicket to push West Indies ‘A’ from a shaky 98 for three to 215 for four.
Left-arm spinner Bhargav Bhatt broke the partnership by having Fudadin leg before wicket.
He ended the day as the top bowler with three for 76.
Kieran Powell 33, Leon Johnson 36 not out, and Jamaican Chadwick Walton 30 supported well.
Nikita Miller of Jamaica is the other not out batsman.
He is yet to get off the mark after facing nine balls.
West Indies ‘A’ are seeking to wrap up the three-match series after winning the opening match by 162 runs in Mysore to take a 1-0 lead.
Rafael Nadal through to last eight at China Open
Rafael Nadal took another step towards regaining the number one ranking with a hard-fought win over Philipp Kohlschreiber at the China Open.
The 27-year-old Spaniard won 6-4 7-6 (7-3) to set up a quarter-final against Italy's Fabio Fognini in Beijing.
Nadal will replace Novak Djokovic as number one if he reaches the final, or the Serb fails to win the title.
In the women's draw, third seed Agnieszka Radwanska, fourth seed Li Na and ninth seed Petra Kvitova all won.
Nadal beat Kohlschreiber on his way to victory at the US Open last month but was taken to four sets in New York, and the German tested him once again at China's National Tennis Centre.
After getting the better of five breaks of serve to edge the first set in 58 minutes, Nadal fought off three break points in the second before taking control of the tie-break.
"Today the serve, in my opinion, helped in the important moments," said Nadal. "But it's true that his level of tennis I think was just brilliant tonight.
"I won because I played a great match. If not, I would not be here with a victory.
"He [Kohlschreiber] played great. I didn't serve bad, but his return was amazing.
"When you have a player in front of you that has decided to play completely aggressive, and the balls are going with the right directions, it's very difficult to stop."
Fognini thrashed Lleyton Hewitt 6-0 6-2 to reach the last eight, while eighth seed John Isner of the US beat Argentina's Roberto Bautista Agut 6-2 6-7 (3-7) 6-4.
Top seed Djokovic will play his third-round match against Spain's Fernando Verdasco on Thursday.
Radwanska took one hour and 15 minutes to beat 18-year-old American Madison Keys 6-3 6-2, while Li impressed in front of her home crowd with a 7-5 6-4 win over Wimbledon finalist Sabine Lisicki.
Li will face Petra Kvitova in the quarter-finals after the Czech beat Italian Sara Errani 6-4 6-7 (7-3) 6-3. It was Kvitova's 23rd three-set win of the year.
Germany's Andrea Petkovic, the world number 43, followed up her opening win against top seed Victoria Azarenka with a 4-6 6-4 6-1 victory over former US and French Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova.
"This is the first tournament that I've been able to really keep up my intensity and keep up my focus. I think I played two good matches," said Petkovic, who has been beset by injuries in recent years.
"For me, just personally, it's really important to see that I can still beat the players on the top level, two past Grand Slam champions."
Chelsea striker out injured for three weeks
Chelsea striker Fernando Torres will be out of action for three weeks after injuring his knee in the Champions League win at Steaua Bucharest.
The 29-year-old was substituted 11 minutes into Tuesday's match, with scans showing he suffered medial ligament damage to his left knee.
Torres was already ruled out of Sunday's game at Norwich after he was sent off at Tottenham.
He will also miss Spain's World Cup qualifiers against Belarus and Georgia.
After the international break, Chelsea host Cardiff on 19 October before travelling to Germany to face Schalke in the Champions League on 22 October.
The Football Association confirmed on Tuesday that Torres would face no extra punishment after his tussle with Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen at White Hart Lane, a decision Spurs manager Andre Villas-Boas called "a disgrace".
Speaking about Torres's enforced absence, Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho said: "It's a pity for the guy because he's in a very good moment."
Torres scored 65 goals in 102 Premier League appearances for Liverpool but struggled after joining Chelsea for a British record fee of £50m in January 2011, scoring six league goals in the remainder of the 2011-12 season.
The Spaniard netted 23 times in all competitions last term but has yet to score in the current Premier League campaign.
His only two goals to date have come in the Uefa Super League and Capital One Cup.
Former Liverpool and England midfielder Jamie Redknapp believes the striker demonstrated at the weekend that he could yet recapture his Anfield form.
Fernando Torres: FA decision a disgrace - Andre Villas-Boas
The decision not to ban Fernando Torres for scratching Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen's face is "a disgrace", says Spurs boss Andre Villas-Boas.
The Football Association cannot take action as one of the match officials said he saw the incident between Chelsea striker Torres and Vertonghen, although "not in its entirety".
"The decision is a disgrace," said Villas-Boas.
The Portuguese also described the FA's lack of action as "almost farcical".
Torres tripped Vertonghen in the 50th minute of Saturday's 1-1 draw at White Hart Lane before the pair immediately squared up to each other.
The Spain striker, who was booked for the original foul, was sent off with 10 minutes remaining after receiving a second yellow card for an aerial challenge on the Belgium defender.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho called Vertonghen "a disgrace" for the role he played in his forward's dismissal.
Mourinho said on Tuesday: "The FA defends the interest and the culture of English football. It's not to protect cheats and people that simulate.
"To protect English football is to protect people who play the game with emotion, intensity."
Villas-Boas, who worked as a scout for Mourinho before embarking on his own managerial career which included an eight-month spell in charge of Chelsea during the 2011-12 season, said his complaint was with the FA rather than his former colleagues.
"It looks incredible," he added.
"How can you see the images, pretty clear, and come out without punishment, on something (which) overtakes all professional behaviour?
"Obviously, it is almost a farcical decision.
"It doesn't matter to me which player or club is involved.
"Neither do I want to put into question Fernando's integrity, neither their manager's, in trying to defend what is our position."
Former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel compared the incident to Liverpool striker Luis Suarez's bite on Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic which attracted a 10-game ban.