CARPHA Provides Technical Support for Malaria Intervention in Turks and Caicos Islands
The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) recently concluded a successful mission from 8 - 12 July 2024 to provide critical technical support for malaria intervention in the Turks and Caicos Islands following an imported malaria case identified in May 2024. This visit underscores CARPHA's commitment to enhancing public health measures and ensuring effective response to vector-borne diseases in the region.
The CARPHA team, comprised of esteemed experts, included:
Dr. Horace Cox, Acting Director Surveillance, Disease Prevention and Control at CARPHA
Mr. Rajesh Ragoo, Senior Technical Officer, Vector-Borne Disease Surveillance, Disease Prevention, and Control
Ms. Jenna Indarsingh, CariVecNet Coordination Officer, Vector-Borne Disease Unit
The primary objectives of this intervention were multifaceted, focusing on both theoretical and practical aspects of malaria control and prevention:
Theoretical Sessions: Delivered comprehensive training on malaria epidemiology, vector biology, and bionomics to enhance the knowledge base of local health professionals.
Field Activities: Conducted extensive fieldwork investigating mosquito breeding sites to detect any potential vectors of malaria parasites and discussed effective vector control measures to mitigate the spread of malaria.
Surveillance and Response Review: Supported the review and enhancement of the existing malaria surveillance and response plan, including optimising reporting tools.
Diagnosis and Treatment Services: Evaluated access to and quality of malaria diagnosis and treatment services, incorporating quality assurance components to ensure the highest standards of care.
Action Plan Development: Assisted in the formulation of action plans aimed at resource mobilisation and community engagement activities to foster a comprehensive and sustainable malaria control strategy.
This collaborative effort between CARPHA and the Ministry of Health and Hunan Services of the Turks and Caicos Islands saw the CARPHA team working closely with the National Epidemiology and Research Unit (NERU), the National Public Health Laboratory, and the Vector Control Unit. The joint initiative aimed to strengthen local capacities and fortify the overall public health response framework against malaria.
Dr. Horace Cox, Acting Director Surveillance, Disease Prevention and Control at CARPHA, stated, "Our visit highlights the importance of regional cooperation and technical support in combating vector-borne diseases. By working closely with local health authorities, we aim to enhance their capabilities in malaria prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, ensuring better health outcomes for the community."
Dr. Nadia Astwood, Chief Medical Officer within the Turks and Caicos Islands Ministry of Health and Human Services, commented on the collaboration: "We are grateful for the support provided by CARPHA. This intervention has significantly bolstered our efforts to prevent and control malaria in our islands. The expertise and resources brought in by the CARPHA team have been invaluable in strengthening our public health framework and ensuring our community is well-protected against malaria."
The Turks and Caicos Islands Ministry of Health remains steadfast in its dedication to safeguarding the public against vector-borne diseases. Through continued collaboration with regional partners like CARPHA, the Ministry is committed to maintaining robust health systems and protecting the well-being of all residents.
Why I am running for Premier of the Turks & Caicos Islands.
Dear Editor,
Part 2/3 of Hon. Edwin A. Astwood’s PDM Convention Speech:
“I’m running so that we can keep moving towards a future where we control the economy of our Turks and Caicos Islands. A future where our children are the majority business and
homeowners, and the millionaires in our country, where every Turks and Caicos Islander is fully Empowered.”
“I’m running to ensure that our people can feel safe and secure in their homes, in our communities, and in our country. I want the TCI to have the capabilities to detect and intercept
any illegal vessel entering our waters. With all the technology that is available to us, there is no reason why those tools should not be acquired and utilized to protect our people and our
borders.”
“I am running so that our country will have a government that optimally funds our police department and other law enforcement agencies- with the much-needed manpower and
equipment that would truly allow them to tackle the violent crime crises, and that would truly allow them to stop the nightly illegal entries. I want to put in place the strongest Border
security measures in place in the history of our country. I want to make the TCI safe again…That’s why I am running.”
“I’m running to ensure that we can have a health care system that truly saves the lives of our people. A Healthcare system that is focused on disease prevention and early detection, that is
focused on healing and curing, and one that is focused on making our people well. That’s what’s at stake in this election. …….That’s why I am running.”
“I’m running to make sure that our people can afford to live in their country, not have to pack up their kids and migrate to England for a better life and better opportunities, and not being
“priced out of Paradise”…….. That’s why I am running.”
“I’m running to make sure that by 2030, percentage-wise - more of our citizens will hold a University degree and professional qualifications than any other nation in the world. I want to
help our schools hire and reward the best-trained teachers and professional lecturers, especially in Business and technology. That is why I am running for Premier.”
“I want to give at least Three Hundred more Turks and Caicos Islanders the chance to go to universities and learn the skills that our Health sector, our Education sector, our Tourism sector,
and our business sector are looking for right now. That means increasing the Budgetary allocations for scholarships from the $3M it is now ….to $12M, a $9M increase. … That is why I
am running.”
In this year 2024 and beyond, getting a scholarship for higher education or retraining cannot be an exception, or just for a select few - it must now be the rule, and it must be a budgetary imperative that every Turks and Caicos Islander should have easy access in obtaining- both the high school leavers and our working population. ……That is why I am running for Premier.
I want to promote learning through every stage of life -training, re-training, reeducating,reskilling, and requalifying. I want the Turks & Caicos Islands to be the top country in the world
with the highest concentration of PhD and Doctorate graduates.
“I’m running to ensure that our People and our country will have a Warrier as Premier, one who will fight, not only for my children but also for your children, so that they will have a better
present and a better future. Our country cannot afford to have another 4 years of such a weak, sleepy, and uncaring Premier;
That’s the choice in this election. That’s why I’m running for Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
“On issue after issue, we can’t afford to spend the next four years going backward. Turks and Caicos don’t need to re-fight the battles of the past and move backward.
We have to do things together -- not like the Premier and his PNP Ministers who only do things to benefit themselves or a particular individual. Nonetheless, we have to do things that make all
of our people richer, do them because they give all of us opportunities, do them Because they moved all of us forward together -- as one people, as one nation: Forward Together, Forward
Ever, Backward Never.
The other Party won’t offer a better vision or a new set of ideas. But ……they will be spending more money than we’ve ever seen before on buying votes, because they have failed the people
and the country- over and over again, on issue after issue, in crisis after crisis. So, the only chance is to try to buy as many votes as they possibly can.
I am a strong believer that our PDM Party is at its best when we harness the God-given talents of every individual Member; when we hear every voice; and when we come together as one
Movement, striving for the same dream, and when we are determined to win.
“That’s what we’re fighting for PDMs. That is what I am fighting for as Leader of our Great PDM Party. With your help, and our industry - let us create A bold and daring Turks & Caicos; A
competitive and viable Turks & Caicos; A forward-looking Turks & Caicos; and A forward-thinking Turks & Caicos: Where all of our people have a chance to make of their life what they
will; and have a chance for the pursuit of happiness, and a chance for the pursuit of wellness. I want to make us the envy of the Region. The best Island Nation on the Planet.
That’s why I’m running for Premier of the Turks & Caicos Islands.”Throughout the country, Our People are asking us plainly, - Do you PDMs, have a plan to fix our
Problems; to Grow the Economy, to tackle Crime, to combat Illegal Immigration, to adjust the cost of Living, to develop Affordable Housing, to direct Access to Capital, to fix our Health Care,
to expand school and training opportunities?
“The other side won’t be offering our Turks and Caicos people any real answers to these questions. The other side is incapable of offering our Turks and Caicos people a real solution to
these questions.
Time and Time again we have seen this current PNP Premier and his Ministers hide from addressing every issue facing our people. I can't say that they disappear when the going gets
tough, because to DISAPPEAR you have to first APPEAR. And “appear” they never do.
“And that is why I need your help. My PDM family, My Turks & Caicos Family, this election will be the most important in our lifetime;
It will determine either the fortunes or the misfortunes of our people for the next 100 years; It will decide whether or not our children will have a place in their own country; It will decide
whether or not Turks and Caicos Islands still belong to Turks & Caicos Islanders;
Too many of our people are still dying from cancer and lifestyle disorders, Too many of our young men are losing their lives from crime and violence, Too many of our friends are falling
behind in bills, Too many of our neighbors are losing their homes, Too many of our families are migrating out of our country, and too many of our students are not returning.
I’ve heard from too many people throughout our Islands, wondering why they haven’t been able to get one of the many jobs that are been advertised by both the government and the
private sector; wondering why they haven’t been able to get one of the many Contracts that are been advertised by both the government and the private sector; why their home is up for
sale; why their family member hasn’t yet received the necessary health care that they so desperately need; why their child cannot get a scholarship. Our people need a bold and fearless
Government that will fight for the things that are important to them.
That is what the issues are in this election, and that’s truly why the country needs me as the next Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands..
Stakeholders Donate Vehicle to TCI Police
The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force received a Polaris Ranger vehicle donation on (July 17th) courtesy of the Turks and Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association (TCHTA)
and Turks and Caicos Resorts Economic Council (TCREC).
Commissioner of Police Edvin Martin, during the handover ceremony at the Police Headquarters, Airport Road, Providenciales, expressed appreciation for the donation, which is
intended to make the TCI a better and safer place for both officers conducting their duties and civilians going about their lives.
Commissioner Martin said, “This handover represents the close working affiliations between the Force and our stakeholders and a continuous desire to make the community safer. Thank you for
your support and trust. This vehicle will enhance our crime-fighting efforts, secure the neighbourhood, and increase police visibility.”
TCHTA President James McAnally, Chief Executive Officer Stacy Cox, Secretary Nello Lambert, TCREC, and TCHTA member Ken Patterson were in attendance.
.
Shortly after the presentation, Mr. McAnally said, "We are proud to support our local police department by donating a Polaris Ranger. At TCHTA, we believe in fostering strong community
partnerships, and this contribution underscores our commitment to enhancing safety and security in our community. We look forward to seeing this vehicle's positive impact in assisting our law
enforcement officers in their critical work."
Deputy Commissioner Rodney Adams, Superintendent (Community Policing and Division B) Dwight Gardiner, Assistant Superintendent Kemron Lowhar, and acting Insp. Kevin Clarke was
also present.
PUBLIC FORECAST FOR THE TURKS AND CAICOS
Tesla EV sales aren't rising in the U.S.
New electric vehicle registrations rose 9.6% in May, mostly due to sales promotions and good lease deals. However, not everyone is having fun. Tesla’s new vehicle registrations fell for the fourth consecutive month, according to data from S&P Global Mobility.
EVs from 31 brands were able to capture 7.5% of the U.S. light vehicle market. That’s up from 6.8% at the same time last year. In total, May EV registration totaled 104,916 vehicles. In fact, EV registrations actually outpaced the broader light-vehicle market, which was down 0.7% to just under 1.4 million vehicles. Not too shabby. From Automotive News:
“In terms of pure sales performance, EVs are making progress, but underneath the sales are huge incentives,” [Tom] Libby [associate director of industry analysis at S&P] said. “They are not sustainable, and they are causing losses on the part of automakers.”
Still, not everyone is having fun. Tesla may still be the EV sales leader by a long way, but the margin is shrinking.
Tesla, still the EV sales leader by a wide margin, saw its May registrations fall 15 percent to 48,587 vehicles, S&P Global Mobility said. Tesla’s share of the EV segment dropped to 46 percent from 60 percent a year earlier.
Among the strongest performers, Kia’s registrations rose 146 percent, Rivian’s numbers grew 87 percent, Hyundai increased 40 percent, and Nissan was up 87 percent year over year, the data showed.
Registration data serves as a proxy to automaker delivery numbers because Tesla doesn’t break out its U.S. sales and some other automakers don’t report EV sales by model. But the figures lag by several weeks.
Incentives seem to be a big reason for the uptick in electric vehicle sales.
Automakers in May poured on sales incentives, including subsidized financing and lease deals, with some models getting more than $15,000 in discounts, according to data from Motor Intelligence.
May incentives on the Kia EV6, a compact crossover, reached $16,812, Motor Intelligence said. Kia’s EV9 midsize crossover had $18,078 per vehicle, and the Cadillac Lyriq reached $17,732, the data showed.
Tesla’s Model Y had relatively modest incentives of $5,570 in May, Motor Intelligence said. Rivian Automotive, which hasn’t been profitable since launching in late 2021, offered incentives of $4,060 on its R1T pickup.
In all these examples, discounts rose significantly from a year earlier. The Lyriq’s May 2023 incentives were $761 per vehicle, Motor Intelligence said. The Model Y had $1,195.
One industry analyst feels electric vehicle sales may soon reach their ceiling.
EV makers have little choice but to offer attractive deals, cut production or stay mostly on the sidelines, as Toyota has done by focusing on hybrids over EVs, said Karl Brauer, executive analyst at iSeeCars.
Brauer predicted last year that EV market share would reach around 7 percent and then stall, based on a study of U.S. consumer preferences by iSeeCars.
Source-Quartz
Chip stocks drop on fears US to toughen China rules
Technology stocks around the world have slumped on fears about the global computer chip industry.
The sell-off came after a report that the Biden administration could be set to further tighten restrictions on exports of semiconductor equipment to China.
Comments by former US President Donald Trump that Taiwan, the biggest producer of chips, should pay for its own defence added to the concerns.
In the US, the tech-heavy Nasdaq index closed 2.7% lower on Wednesday, while chip stocks have also tumbled in Europe and Asia.
"Regardless of the outcome of the elections... I think we will see the US increase some of the restrictions" said Bob O'Donnell, chief analyst at TECHnalysis Research.
"How far they will take it, though, is the big question."
In Asia, chip making giant TSMC lost 2.4% on Thursday, while semiconductor equipment maker Tokyo Electron was down by around 8.8%.
That came after Nvidia closed 6.6% lower in New York on Wednesday, while AMD lost more than 10%. In Europe, shares in ASML, which makes chip making machines, tumbled by almost 11%.
The falls came after Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday that the US government is preparing to impose its tightest curbs yet on semiconductor making equipment to China if firms like ASML and Tokyo Electron continue to give the country access to their advanced chip technology.
The US Commerce Department, ASML, and Tokyo Electron declined to comment when contacted by BBC News.The Biden administration has previously taken steps to restrict China's access to advanced chip technology.
In October, it restricted exports to China of advanced semiconductors used in artificial intelligence (AI) technology.
The remarks on Taiwan by Mr Trump also hinted at possible disruption of global chip supplies.Taiwan produces most of the world's advanced chips.
“Investors always react to any remarks from the US but despite these comments, the long term business trend for the semiconductor industry is clearly going up,” said Marco Mezger, Executive Vice President of memory chip technology company Neumonda.
BBC
Nadal continues Olympic preparations with win against Norrie
Rafael Nadal's preparations for the Olympics continued with an impressive straight-set win over Britain's Cameron Norrie in the second round of the Swedish Open.
Nadal, 38, overcame the fifth seed in Bastad 6-4 6-4 to set up a quarter-final with Argentine Mariono Navone.
The Spaniard decided to miss Wimbledon to focus on the Olympics in Paris this summer - where he will play singles and doubles with Carlos Alcaraz.
Nadal, who is set to play in the doubles semi-final with Casper Ruud on Saturday, broke Norrie once in the first set to claim the lead.
After receiving medical treatment on his arm because of a heavy fall at the start of the second set, Nadal was broken by an improving Norrie.
But Nadal, who was trailing 4-1, then reeled off five games in a row to book his spot in the last eight with his best performance of the season.
"Great feelings, it's been a while without playing on the Tour since Roland Garros and I had a chance to compete against a great player like Cameron," said Nadal.
"It's part of the journey today. I haven't been competing very often so matches like today help and holding the pressure on the opponent for the whole game is something I need to improve on because I haven't played enough."
Source- BBC
Joe Biden held "tense" call with group of House Democrats over concerns he can't win
On Saturday, roughly an hour before the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, President Joe Biden was in the midst of a heated call with moderate House Democrats.
The Zoom call, according to multiple sources, did not go well for the president.
The call was between the New Democrat Coalition, which includes a mix of nearly 100 moderate and some progressive-adjacent members, and President Biden, and focused mostly on members' concerns about Biden's ability to win the election.
One House Democrat on the call told ABC News that Biden was not prepared for questions, that he gave "rambling responses" without answering questions and that he downplayed their concerns.
Members were largely dismayed with Biden's presentation and lack of a strategy or preparation for anticipated questions, according to sources.
The call turned personal during what was described as a "tense" exchange with Colorado Democrat Rep. Jason Crow, per multiple sources.
Crow questioned Biden's mental fitness and if his age is a "national security risk." The president was "defensive" in his responses, sources say.
Source-ABC
Secret Service spotted shooter on roof 20 minutes before gunfire erupted
Law enforcement officials investigating the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump told lawmakers Wednesday in an unclassified briefing that 20 minutes passed between the time U.S. Secret Service snipers first spotted Thomas Matthew Crooks on the roof and the time shots were fired, according to several law enforcement officials and lawmakers briefed on the matter.
According to this source, briefers said the snipers spotted him on the roof at 5:52 p.m. The shooting happened at 6:12 p.m., 20 minutes later.
The briefing was conducted by the FBI director, his deputy director and the head of the United States Secret Service.
In addition, briefers told lawmakers Crooks was identified as a person of interest a full 62 minutes before the shooting took place.
Source-ABC
President Joe Biden has tested positive for COVID-19: White House
President Joe Biden has tested positive for COVID-19 and is experiencing mild symptoms, according to the White House.
Unidos US CEO Janet Murguía had also announced the diagnosis from the podium where the president was set to speak at a conference in Las Vegas on Wednesday.
Biden, 81, tested positive for COVID-19 earlier Wednesday, following his first event in Las Vegas, according to the White House.
"He is vaccinated and boosted and he is experiencing mild symptoms," the White House said in a statement. "He will be returning to Delaware where he will self-isolate and will continue to carry out all of his duties fully during that time."
Meanwhile, the President is seriously considering proposing major changes to the Supreme Court in the coming weeks, including proposals for legislation to establish term limits for justices and an enforceable ethics code, according to a source briefed on the plans.
The president is also seriously considering calling for a constitutional amendment to eliminate broad immunity for presidents and other constitutional officeholders, according to the source.
The plans would need approval from Congress and a constitutional amendment would need to pass even more hurdles.
Source-ABC