Police warn against irresponsible use of social media
The Royal Turks & Caicos Islands Police are appealing to members of the TCI public to be more responsible while online. Social media is a great way to keep the TCI public informed of incidents in our country and thus is a powerful tool not to be abused.
is Police Public Relations Officer, Audley Astwood, said the posting of erroneous and incorrect reports on social media sites have impacted victims in a very negative way.
He did not identify any particular case but said that social media sites and the popular BlackBerry messenger platform were bombarded with various stories about the death of a woman recently.
Astwood reminded the TCI public that inaccurate and unsubstantiated information increases the pain and suffering of victims.
He is pleading for more responsible behavior and noted that no deceased persons have been found in recent days. Members of the public should always seek information from trusted news agencies only, to avoid causing unnecessary stress to those affected or who may be affected by a crime.
Turks and Caicos recognised in HM the Queen’s Birthday Honours list
Her Majesty the Queen has approved awards to the following people in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) in this year’s Birthday Honours, it was announced at 5.30pm on Friday, 14 June 2013.
· An OBE is awarded to Rhondalee Braithwaite-Knowles, Deputy Attorney General, Turks and Caicos Islands, for services to the development and reform of the public service of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
· A BEM to Shirlen Forbes, Chief Statistician, Turks and Caicos Islands, for services to the development of statistics in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
· A BEM to Mrs Angela Musgrove, Director, Youth, Ministry of Health and Education, Turks and Caicos Islands for services to youth development in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
· A BEM to Norman Watts, Chartered Civil Engineering Advisor to the Turks and Caicos Islands Government, for services to infrastructure development in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
In addition, a further honorary MBE is to be bestowed upon Desiree Downes, Chief Legislative Drafter, Turks and Caicos Islands, for services to legislative drafting in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
This Honorary award was approved by Her Majesty as part of the New Year 2012 round. All awards to non-UK citizens require the approval of that individual’s home country, in Desiree’s case Guyana, which has now been received.
“Her Majesty’s decision to recognise the hard work and efforts of these five individuals, all of whom play a significant public role in the life of the Turks and Caicos, is the highest recognition of how public servants are working together to make TCI an even better place in which to live and work.”
“I am sure that we can all come together at this special time to say a hearty congratulations and to say thank you by way of appreciation for all of their hard work on our behalf,” said His Excellency Governor Ric Todd.
Health Minister to Attend Westminster Seminar on Parliamentary Practice and Procedure
Minister of Health and Human Services Hon. Porsha Stubbs-Smith and the Clerk of the House of Assembly Mrs. Tracey Parker, will leave the TCI on June 15, 2013, to attend the 62ndWestminster Seminar on Parliamentary Practice and Procedure in the United Kingdom.
This year’s meeting will run from June 17 to 21, 2013 and will bring together recently-elected parliamentarians and mid-career clerks from Commonwealth countries for a five-day programme on the Westminster framework.
The aim of the seminar is to explore parliamentary practice and procedures in order to enhance the capacity of participating parliamentarians and clerks. Through discussion sessions, workshops and constituency visits, delegates will have the opportunity to explore a wide range of ideas and practice with UK Members, senior Westminster officials, and fellow participants.
The seminar will address the following:
· The role of Parliament in holding the Executive to account.
· The role of opposition parties and cross-party relations.
· Party discipline and transparency.
· The role of a second chamber and bicameralism.
· The relationship between Parliament and the media.
The Minister returns to TCI on June 23, 2013.
All Police Stations have been sanitized
The Royal Turks & Caicos Islands Police are confirming that a number of officers were tested for Tuberculosis recently.
Acting Superintendent Kendal Grant has confirmed that officers are still being tested as appointments are scheduled for Tuesday 18th, June 2013. All Police stations were sanitized according to advisory of Health Officials and Police officers are continually being briefed.
An inspection of Five Cays Police Station is scheduled for next week. Only one officer has tested positive for the virus and is at home recovering.
Islandcom Celebrates its 4th Anniversary with another Battle of the Bands Competition
June of 2009 marked the rebirth of Islandcom Telecommunications as Islandcom Wireless. The company revamped its entire network and upgraded its service to a robust 3G network, a first in the TCI. Since then, the company has done further upgrades; increasing its network capability to 4G speeds. During the past four years, Islandcom has brought new services and products to the country such as its portable hotspot- the mifi. Business customers can now use a mobile payment application for credit card transactions on the go. Recently the company was one of two carriers awarded an LTE frequency license by the Turks and Caicos government. “Our accomplishments thus far are only the beginning of things planned for the Turks and Caicos,” says CEO Niamh Blake. “Our plan is to always take technology to the next level. In the year to come you will see a lot more from us.”
To mark their 4th year as Islandcom Wireless, Islandcom will once again host its annual benefit concert- the Battle of the Bands Competition. The competition is composed of numerous local bands vying for prizes and the title of Best Band in the Turks and Caicos. This year’s event will take place Saturday, June 22nd at the Turtle Cove Marina. Gates will open at 6pm and the show will start 7pm SHARP. A fantastic assortment of talented bands will participate in this year’s event. On the list of bands slated to perform are Band Boys, Kew Band Links, Sea Breeze, Island Boys, Outcast, and Island Vibes. The bands will compete for prizes such as first place $4,000.00, second place $2,000.00, and third place prize $1,000.00. Along with cash prizes, the winners will also receive phone service from Islandcom, phone prizes from sponsors Blackberry, and gift certificates from sponsors The Wine Cellar. There will be delights for the crowd as Islandcom raffles off phones and other prizes. This year there will be a special guest performance from new artist TESS.
This year Islandcom has chosen the Providenciales Children’s Home and the TCI Heart Foundation as its benefactors. Event entry is free however there will be concert t-shirts, beads, masks, promotional items, drink tickets, and a raffle to raise money for the charities.
Islandcom has chosen Mardi Gras as the theme for this year’s event. We anticipate it to be as colourful and exciting as a New Orleans Mardi Gras while adding our own local twist and flavour! The décor will feature masks and beads as well as a remake of Bourbon Street along with the local food, music, and a Junaknoo performance. Hosts for this year’s event are David Bowen and Deandrea Hamilton.
The winning bands will be selected by votes from the crowd and a panel of judges. Come cheer on your favorite band at Islandcom’s Battle of the Bands Party Gras. Islandcom will also provide a live stream of the event on their website and Facebook page. This is an event you do not want to miss!
Miley Cyrus' Parents Divorcing After 19 Years
Billy Ray Cyrus and Tish Cyrus are heading to splitville, two years after he filed for divorce from his wife but then changed his mind.
This time around, it's Miley Cyrus' mother who filed divorce papers in L.A. Superior Court, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason of the separation.
"This is a personal matter and we are working to find a resolution that is in the best interest of our family," the couple, who has been married for 19 years, says in a statement. "We ask that you respect our privacy at this time."
According to the document obtained by TMZ, Tish is asking for full physical and legal custody of their minor child, 13-year-old Noah Cyrus, with visitation to Billy Ray. She is also asking for spousal support and wants the country singer to cover her attorney's fees. Their date of separation is listed as "to be determined."
Billy Ray and Tish tied the knot in 1993. They have three children together, Miley, Braison and Noah, and are parents to Tish's kids from a previous marriage, Trace and Brandi, whom Billy Ray adopted. He also has a son, Christopher, from a previous relationship.
Billy Ray previously filed for divorce from Tish in October 2010 in Tennessee. Attempting "to put my family back together," he withdrew his petition in March 2011. Tish said of their reconciliation at the time, "Our family weathered a huge storm and I feel we are stronger than we have ever been."
Source-Ace.Show
Rupert Murdoch files for divorce from Wendi Deng
News Corp boss Rupert Murdoch has filed for divorce from Wendi Deng because their marriage has "irretrievably broken down", his spokesman says.
The divorce papers were filed at the New York State Supreme Court.
The couple, married in 1999 aboard a private yacht in New York, have two daughters together, Grace and Chloe.
In 2011, Ms Deng famously leapt to her husband's defence to slap a protester who threw a pie at him as British MPs quizzed him over phone-hacking.
Mr Murdoch, 82, met his Chinese-born third wife in 1997 at a cocktail party in Hong Kong. They were married two years later, weeks after his second divorce.
Ms Deng, 44, is 38 years younger than the Australian-born media mogul, who is said by Forbes to be worth $9.4bn (£6bn).
Ms Deng, 44, is 38 years younger than the Australian-born media mogul, who is said by Forbes to be worth $9.4bn (£6bn).
"I can confirm for the record that Rupert filed in New York State Supreme Court this morning for divorce," Murdoch spokesman Steven Rubenstein told AFP news agency on Thursday.
The BBC's Robert Peston says the couple had a pre-nuptial agreement and have held shares in trust for their children.
So our business editor believes the divorce is not likely to lessen the magnate's grip on his media empire.
Mr Murdoch, now a US citizen, reportedly paid $1.7bn in his divorce settlement from his last wife.
Ms Deng, said to be the daughter of a factory director, was born in 1968 and grew up in the eastern Chinese city of Xuzhou before leaving for the US at 19 to study.
She worked in a Chinese restaurant in California before going on to graduate from Yale University in 1996.
Ms Deng was later employed by Star TV, News Corp's Asian satellite-television operation in Hong Kong, where she met Mr Murdoch during one of his visits.
The divorce filing comes two days before News Corp is to be split into two companies, one for its entertainment assets and the other for its publishing business. Mr Murdoch is to be chairman of both firms.
His global media portfolio includes the Wall Street Journal, television channels such as Fox News and Sky, and the 20th Century Fox movie studio.
Two years ago, his UK newspaper division became embroiled in a phone-hacking scandal, which led Mr Murdoch to close one of the titles, the News of the World.
In July 2011, Ms Deng jumped from her seat during a UK parliamentary hearing to slap a prankster who tried to shove a shaving-cream pie into Mr Murdoch's face.
Source-BBC
Reggae Sumfest in the black
Despite operating in a struggling economy for most of its 20 years, promoters of Reggae Sumfest say the annual event consistently returns a profit.
Johnny Gourzong of Summerfest Productions, organisers of the show, told the Jamaica Observer last week that strong attendances over the last decade have earned them money on their investment.
"We are not losing money, we are definitely keeping our head above water," said Gourzong. "We turned the corner some years ago and hopefully we'll continue to be in the black."
Gourzong did not give figures, but credits the strong performance of International and Dancehall nights for Sumfest's financial viability. Both showcase high-profile pop and local acts which attract hordes of young fans.
Since 1998, Summerfest Productions have courted top artistes like Boyz II Men, Joe, Wyclef Jean, Destiny's Child, Usher, Chris Brown and R Kelly. Each drew outstanding crowds to the banner International Night.
A fragile economy and weak Jamaican currency have made it tough for even high-profile events to survive. In 2010, the economic crunch forced promoters of the Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival and Calabash International Literary Festival to seek financial assistance from government.
Gourzong says Summerfest Productions have considered alternative ways to earn revenue, including licensing Sumfest footage to leading North American cable channels. However, discussions with those companies fell flat.
"There have been a number of talks with companies whose names I won't disclose, but to tell the truth they don't pay a lot of money," he said. "We also have to be careful the product does not get into the wrong hands."
Reggae Sumfest was first held in 1993 at Catherine Hall in Montego Bay. It replaced Reggae Sunsplash as the tourist city's lone major music festival until the emergence of the Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival three years later.
This year, the US$2 million festival takes place from July 21-27, with its main events again at Catherine Hall. The beach party, its traditional pipe-opener, will be held at Aquasol Beach Park in Montego Bay, Jamaica.
Source-JA.Observer
Steven Spielberg predicts 'meltdown' of film industry
Directors Steven Spielberg and George Lucas are warning that the film industry is in danger of "meltdown".
They say it will become increasingly difficult for them to get smaller films into theatres because Hollywood is relying on big budget releases.
In a speech reported by the Hollywood Reporter, Spielberg said Lincoln was nearly made for TV network HBO because of struggles getting it in cinemas.
"The pathway to get into theatres is getting smaller and smaller," he said.
"You're gonna have to pay $25 (£16) for the next Iron Man, you're probably only going to have to pay $7 (£4.50) to see Lincoln."
George Lucas added that he could see a model similar to theatre pricing, where fewer films were released, they stayed longer in the cinema (up to a year) and ticket prices increased depending on the film.
In an interview with Newsbeat, the president of the Film Distributors' Association, which represents the UK distribution arms of Hollywood studios, Lord David Puttnam, agreed that change was needed.
He said: "Every film has its own marketing challenge and to try to pretend that one size fits all, in any aspect of marketing, be it the poster, be it the media buy and be it the window, is flying in the face of reality."
Lord Puttnam says the film industry should "not place artificial barriers between a film and its audience" and said some of the current methods were "not sustainable".
He added: "The film industry shouldn't have rules which by their very nature disadvantage individual product in individual movies.
"I just want every film to be judged on its merits.
"The whole point is to optimize the revenue of that particular movie and to somehow allow film X to suffer because films Y and Z have got a particular window just doesn't make a lot of sense.
"Our job is to satisfy the customers. I think a perfectly legitimate requirement is that they can see the film that they want to see and where they want to see it."
Source-BBC Newsbeat
Queen's portrait defaced with spray paint in Westminster Abbey
A portrait of the Queen in Westminster Abbey has been defaced with spray paint, an abbey spokesman has said.
A 41-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage after being detained by security guards at the abbey, Scotland Yard said.
Campaign group Fathers 4 Justice said it thought a member was responsible but the protest was not official.
The oil on canvas by Ralph Heimans went on display in Chapter House in May and depicts the Queen in state dress.
It was completed last year for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations.
The incident comes nine days after the monarch and other members of the royal family attended a service at the abbey marking the 60th anniversary of her Coronation.
A spokesman for the abbey said: "In an incident at lunchtime today, a visitor to the abbey sprayed paint on the Ralph Heimans portrait of the Queen presently on display in the Chapter House.Until work can be done to remedy the damage it will, very regrettably, not be possible to have the painting on public view."
Buckingham Palace said it would not making any comment on the incident.
The Metropolitan Police said officers were called to the abbey at about 12:30 BST and the arrested man is in custody at central London police station.
In a statement, Fathers 4 Justice said: "This was not an official Fathers for Justice protest but it was carried out by one of our members.
"It's Father's Day on Sunday - it's a very emotional time and this protest was a desperate plea for help." The group has run a high-profile campaign for more than a decade for improved rights for men who say they have been denied access to their children.
In 2004 and 2005 members were involved in several high-profile protests, including hurling packages of flour at the then Prime Minister Tony Blair in the Commons and climbing buildings including Buckingham Palace and the Foreign Office dressed as superheroes.
The picture was painted by London-based Australian-born artist Heimans after a sitting with the Queen at Buckingham Palace in March last year.
The work entitled The Coronation Theatre, Westminster Abbey: A Portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II measures 9ft by 11ft and depicts the Queen in the Sacrarium - the area near the altar - of Westminster Abbey.