British Women Gets Death Sentence for Drug Smuggling in Bali
An Indonesian court has sentenced a British woman to death for attempting to smuggle drugs into the resort island of Bali.
Fifty-six-year-old Lindsay Sandiford cried when she heard the sentence Tuesday, but did not comment as she was escorted back to jail.
Although Indonesia has notoriously strict drug laws, the sentence was harsher than expected. Prosecutors had recommended only 15 years in prison.
A panel of judges at the Denpasar District Court said there was no reason to lighten Sandiford's sentence, saying she had damaged the image of Bali as a tourist destination.
Sandiford was arrested in May at Bali's international airport with 4.8 kilograms of cocaine in the lining of her suitcase. She says a criminal gang threatened to hurt her children if she did not transport the drugs, which had a street value of $2.5 million.
Her lawyer says she will appeal the verdict.
Two other British citizens have received lighter sentences for their role in the case. A fourth is expected to be sentenced at the end of the month.
Australia's Lowy Institute for International Policy says Indonesia has 114 prisoners on death row, although no executions have taken place since 2008.
Condemned criminals there face death by firing squad. But death sentences are sometimes commuted to lengthy prison sentences.
Bermudian Arrested In NJ For Drug Offences
A Bermudian man was arrested in New Jersey in connection with a drug related matter.
The Bermuda Police Service released limited information, saying only that they are “aware of an arrest of a Bermudian National in New Jersey on a drug related matter and are liaising with the relevant authorities accordingly.”
Update 5.43pm: People arrested – and not charged – are generally not named in local media, however American websites indicate that a 45-year-old male was arrested yesterday [Feb 20].
His nationality is not identified however his name and photo are posted, and he is known to be Bermudian. He is listed as “in custody,” and his bond amount is listed at $300,000.00
Jamaica overcome few hiccups to record four-wicket win
Jamaica overcame a few hiccups to coast to a comfortable four-wicket win over Trinidad and Tobago in the Regional Super50 Championship here yesterday Chasing an inadequate 153 for victory, Jamaica recovered from a position of one run for two wickets in the second over, to reach their target off 45.2 overs and win their second round match at Sabina Park.
The win was Jamaica’s second of the competition after beating Barbados in the opening round a fortnight ago.
Andre McCarthy top-scored with 45 from 65 balls while captain Tamar Lambert, voted Man-of-the-Match, chipped in with an important 34 and all-rounder David Bernard Jr, 28.
Seamer Raymon Reifer finished with two for 25.
Earlier, CCC were dismissed for 152 off 48 overs after winning the toss and batting.
Raymon Reifer got 32, captain Kyle Corbin scored 24 and Nicholas Alexis, 20.
Out-of-favour West Indies left-arm spinner claimed three for 27 while fast bowler Andrew Richardson (2-22), leg-spinner Odean Brown (2-27) and off-spinner Tamar Lambert (2-39) were the other wicket-takers.
CCC slipped to 15 for two in the seventh over after seamer Andrew Richardson removed both openers cheaply.
Veteran left-hander Floyd Reifer, who hit the top score of 32, and captain Kyle Corbin, who struck 24, then repaired the innings with a 55-run third-wicket stand before CCC lost their last seven wickets for 87 runs.
Jamaica were floundering after eight balls of the innings in their reply before two critical partnerships put them over the line.
McCarthy, who hit four fours and two sixes, and opener Simon Jackson (21) put on 56 for the third wicket while Lambert and Bernard added a further 47 runs for the fifth wicket, to put Jamaica in sight of victory.
CCC innings
C. Walton c Lambert b Richardson 6
S. Thomas c wkp. Baugh b Richardson 6
K. Corbin stp. Baugh b Miller 24
F. Reifer lbw b Brown 32
R. Reifer c Miller b Brown 15
N. Alexis c Bonner b Lambert 20
N. Parris c Bonner b Miller 11
A. Dewar c McCarthy b Miller 9
K. McClean lbw b Miller 5
D. Davis not out 14
R. Austin run-out 5
Extras: (lb-2, w-8) 10
Total: (all out, 48 overs) 157
Fall of wickets: 1-12, 2-15, 3-70, 4-78, 5-111, 6-114, 7-129, 8-134, 9-148.
Bowling: Richardson 7-1-22-2, Cotterell 4-0-11-0, Bernard 5-0-18-0, Miller 10-3-27-3, Brown 10-2-27-2, Lambert 10-0-39-2, McCarthy 2-0-11-0.
JAMAICA innings
J. Blackwood c F Reifer b McClean 0
S. Jackson c wkp. Walton b R Reifer 21
N. Bonner lbw b Davis 0
A. McCarthy lbw b Austin 45
T. Lambert c Davis b R Reifer 34
D. Bernard Jr Corbin b Dewar 28
C. Baugh not out 18
N. Miller not out 1
Extras: (lb-1, w-10) 11
Total: (6 wkts, 45.2 overs) 158
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-1, 3-57, 4-77, 5-124, 6-157.
Bowling: McClean 9-1-38-1, Davis 7-1-35-1, Austin 10-1-21-1, R Reifer 8-0-25-2, Dewar 9.2-0-27-1, Parris 2-0-11-0.
Points: Jamaica 4, CCC 0.
Digicel & IslandCom moves ahead with LTE
The TCI Telecommunications Commission has awarded the two available licences on the 700 MegaHertz spectrum to Digicel and Islandcom.
The Commission says that due to its technical characteristics, the 700 MegaHertz spectrum is ideally suited for the deployment of mobile broadband services providing people in this country with services unparalleled in much of the Caribbean. Here’s Phadrian Astwood with more on this.
What does this mean for the consumer? Well, the TCI will be one of the first countries in the Caribbean to benefit from 4G LTE-based mobile broadband services. A key objective of the Commission's licence award has been to achieve the fastest possible deployment of the latest generation of mobile broadband technology throughout the Turks and Caicos Islands. In return for its licence, Digicel has agreed to improve on minimum deployment requirements so that at least 75% of the population will have access to 4G LTE services within 18 months and 98% within 30 months. In addition, Digicel has committed to providing several additional public benefits, including free 4G LTE-based Internet connectivity to all public/Government primary and secondary schools and community colleges. On top of this, a subsidized 4G LTE device and data bundle will be on hand for students and teachers and there will be one Digital Classroom with equipment and training for every public school - and one per each campus of the community college. With this latest generation of broadband services, consumers and businesses will have access to significantly higher data transmission speeds - compared to currently deployed mobile wireless technologies. There will be a more consistent quality of service and a far richer mobile multimedia experience. These blocks are considered as "prime" spectrum because 4G LTE mobile devices are currently available on the market which can deploy them. This is Phadrian Astwood for RTC News.
The Commission's Prime 700 MHz Spectrum Assignment completes a comprehensive public consultation process that started in 2011 and was the first time the Commission has conducted a comparative selection process to assign spectrum. There was excess demand for the available prime 700 MHz spectrum blocks under consideration.
Ten Percent Returns for Civil Servants
The Government has confirmed that Public Servants and members of the Police Force will get the reinstatement of the 10 per cent salary in their pay packets at the end of the month. It takes effect on February 1st and will be paid to those eligible public officers and police officers whose salaries were cut in 2010 as part of the Interim Government’ cost cutting exercise. The 10 per cent reinstatement is expected to add around $4.5 million to the annual wage bill. Here’s ----- with more.
The reinstatement is the first phase of a comprehensive review of government salaries and a commitment by TCIG to implement the recommendations of the 2012/2013 Pay and Grading Review. The intention is to make the pay structure of public servants more equitable, reflect the major differences in responsibility and skill levels, promote fairness and provide a structured and transparent salary system. Starting with the 10 per cent reinstatement, it is the intention of government to implement the new pay and grading structure in the 2014/2015 financial year or sooner, pending the country’s financial situation at the end of the second quarter of this year. Beneficiaries include officers who are appointed on a T-scale, TNF-scale or Police Scale.
Officers who were transferred into government from a statutory body will also benefit from the 10 per cent reinstatement if there is evidence that they were subject to the 10 per cent cut. Allowances will also be reinstated to the levels prior to the reduction.Newly appointed officers, officers appointed with a salary outside of the current scales and those whose jobs were recently upgraded and filled such as Heads of Secretariat, Personal Assistants and those employed to the Tax and Radar Units are not eligible for the 10 percent reinstatement.
The Honorable Anya Williams, Deputy Governor and Head of the Public Service, said today the Pay and Grading Review was critical in bringing about much needed change in the civil service.The new structure would not only address many of the anomalies that currently existed in Government, but seek to adequately compensate staff for their work and assist in attracting more qualified persons to the civil service going forward.This coupled with a new Public Service Ordinance and innovative training and mentoring programs would help to revolutionize the civil service and will help to make the civil service a model employer of choice.
RFA Wave Ruler stops in the TCI
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The Royal Naval support ship RFA WAVE KNIGHT will arrive in Grand Turk on the 27 February for a 4 day visit during her deployment to the region on Atlantic Patrol Tasking North.
During the WAVE KNIGHT’s visit the Commanding Officer will host a working lunch with the Governor, Premier and members of the Disaster Management Team. Plans are also afoot for students on Grand Turk to visit the giant ship. There is a year round British commitment for her five Caribbean Overseas Territories, wider regional Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief and Counter Narcotics Operations.
RFA WAVE KNIGHT is a 31,500 tonne Fleet Tanker which has the ability to refuel other naval vessels at sea from its three beam rigs and one stern rig as well as carrying dry stores. She is particularly suited to disaster relief as she can make her own drinking water and electricity. WAVE KNIGHT has loaded Humanitarian and Disaster Relief and stores to support relief operations in the region. The Commanding Officer, said his Ship’s Company and were looking forward to the visit and to making and remaking relationships whilst being able to liaise with Disaster Management authorities regarding Wave Knight’s capabilities.
Attorney General Huw Shepheard made no reference in his statement
The Attorney General Huw Shepheard made no reference in a statement today to last week’s call by the Premier, the Honorable Doctor Rufus Ewing, for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to recall him, the Governor His Excellency Ric Todd, and the Chief Financial Officer Hugh McGarel-Groves.
He did respond, however, to criticism of him in some local media outlets over the weekend on the bailing of Michael Misick. He told the public that hisinitial statement dismissing reports of the release of Michael Misick from custody in Brazil had been truthful to the best of his belief.
It was based on credible information that had been received from the authorities in Brazil. It turned out that they were mistaken and therefore he had been misinformed - accordingly he corrected his statement. He wanted to take the opportunity in today’s statement to repeat that the extradition request had been made properly and in accordance with normal law and procedure. The TCIG had met its obligations under the Extradition Treaty to serve the papers on the proper authorities in Brazil within the set time limit. Due process would now be followed that complied with the Treaty and with Brazilian law.
CDB Workshops
Closing date for the Caribbean Development Bank’s sponsored skills training workshops offered by the Ministries of Government Support Services and Border Control and Labor has been extended to Friday March 22nd.
Both Ministries are urging small, petty and medium contractors and vendors to participate in a series of workshops and seminars aimed at improving their management, job estimation skills and understanding of the new procurement ordinances. The workshops, which start on February 25, 2013 will run until March 1, 2013 and are designed to prepare the smaller entrepreneur to better compete in the highly competitive marketplace.
The program is being sponsored by the TCIG in collaboration with the CDB’s Technological Consultancy Services in a series of workshops aimed at petty, small and medium contractors and vendors. The Computerized Job Estimation Tool (CJET) Workshop will run from February 25 to March 1.
The Management Techniques Workshop will run between February 26 and March 1. A One day Procurement Seminar is also scheduled for the morning of February 25. The Management Techniques Workshop will include key business modeling concepts and will prepare participants to use internationally accepted management techniques, tools and concepts including computerized cash flow management. Both workshops will attract a registration fee of $75 each.
Prospective participants may pick up application forms at theLocal District Commissioner’s Office (North Caicos 946-7108, Middle Caicos 946-6100, South Caicos 946-3211 & Salt Cay 946-6985)
· Ministry of Border Control & Labor (Grand Turk, 946-2801) or
Employment Services (Providenciales, 946-2801)
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·
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Court Reporting Course
Journalists and Broadcasters across the TCI have just completed a four day course on Court Reporting delivered by a leading journalist from the Thompson Reuters Foundation.
The course was financed by the Foreign and Commonwealth office, facilitated by the Foundation, and conducted by Royston Martin. It was designed to encourage journalists to write and report with more confidence on the range of issues surrounding court reporting. This was done through a mixture of expert briefings, discussions, practical writing and visual exercises.
The course aimed at ways to help build a solid knowledge base and explore ways of producing fair, balanced and compelling coverage. RTC’s Arnisiqua Wilson said she found the course to be very timely. Young and aspiring journalists as well as mature and seasoned media figures had gained a clearer understanding of how the judiciary and the media collaborated in the complex arena of courts.
Mr. Martin is a journalist, documentary filmmaker and academic. In his career he has covered many major trials and legal proceedings, including those at the International Criminal Court in The Hague,C and the O.J. Simpson trial in Los Angeles. He expressed his thanks to all the participants and made special mention of the three student journalists from RTC who attended every session over the four day period.
Nomination Day in the TCI
More news today on the by-election scheduled for 22nd March in the Cheshire Hall and Richmond Hill Constituency, Providenciales. Potential Candidates for this Bi-Election must register their names and party symbols with the Returning Officer on or before Friday March 1st. Candidates should obtain nomination packs, read them and complete the required nomination form and satisfy themselves that they meet the nomination requirements. The nomination of potential candidates will take place at the Gustavous Lightbourne Sporting Facility between the hours of 10am until 1pm and then 2pm until 4pm. Nomination forms should be submitted to the Returning Officer together with a Treasury deposit receipt of $500.00. Copies of the Nomination Pack can be collected from the Election Office in Grand Turk and Providenciales.