China to Survey Disputed Islands
China says it plans to conduct a geographical survey of a group of islands at the center of a heated territorial dispute with Japan.
The official Xinhua news agency says the survey of the Diaoyu Islands, known as Senkaku in Japan, is part of a wider plan to map China's territorial claims.
It gave no further details, but said the mapping program aims to safeguard Beijing's “maritime rights and interests.”
China and Japan have long disputed ownership of the uninhabited islands, which are surrounded by rich fishing grounds and potential energy deposits.
Tensions increased last year after the Japanese government purchased some of the islands from their private Japanese landowner, prompting days of widespread anti-Japan protests in China.
Both countries have recently sent planes to patrol the area, intensifying fears of a possible clash between the two Asian powers. China has also sent regular patrol boats to the islands, which are administered by Japan.
Egypt Train Derailment Kills 19, Injures 107
A train carrying military recruits has derailed near the Egyptian capital, killing 19 people and injuring 107 others.
Officials say two train cars went off the tracks early Tuesday in the Badrasheen neighborhood of Giza.
The accident comes less than two weeks after a new transportation minister was named to improve the safety of the Egyptian rail system, which has a poor safety record due to a lack of maintenance and poor management.
About 50 people died in November when a train slammed into a school bus in central Egypt.
China: Factory Fire Burns Unnoticed for Hours Because of Smog
A factory fire in eastern China raged out of control unnoticed for hours Monday, after local residents were unable to distinguish the smoke from the dense smog that has filled the region.
The official Xinhua news agency says the furniture factory in Zheijiang province burned for nearly three hours before residents noticed the blaze. It took 10 hours to extinguish the flames, which destroyed a large amount of furniture.
Much of China's east coast has experienced its worst air pollution in recent memory over the past several days. In Beijing, a thick blanket of brown smog reduced visibility to just 200 meters, with the tops of many of the city's massive skyscrapers disappearing in the haze.
At its worst, official air quality readings in the capital reached nearly 40 times the World Health Organization's safe limit. Many hospitals were filled with patients complaining of heart or respiratory sicknesses.
The crisis has prompted an unprecedented amount of criticism of the government in China's state-controlled media, many of which published front-page commentaries on the issue. Government officials traditionally have downplayed the severity of the problem.
Facing increasing public outrage, China has taken steps in recent years to become more transparent about air pollution levels. It now publishes hourly updates online for more than 70 cities.
Conditions on Tuesday had improved slightly in the capital, as a cold front moved into the area. But officials warn that heavy smog will persist through Wednesday.
NEW PERMANENT SECRETARY APPOINTED AT TCIG MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
Cheryl-Ann Jones has been appointed as the new Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Education in the Turks and Caicos Island Government (TCIG) by His Excellency, Governor Ric Todd, yesterday, Mon, 14 Jan 2013.
Her appointment follows a competitive selection process which saw seven applications received. Mrs Jones was previously Deputy Permanent Secretary in the TCIG Ministry of Government Support Services (GSS).
She has worked in the TCI public sector for twenty years, having been previously worked as the country’s National AIDS Program Coordinator, Training Director. She holds a MSc in Human Resource Management and a BSc in Social Work.
Together with her Minister and other colleagues, Mrs Jones will be working to address manpower, education ordinance, potential curriculum reviews and will seek to address overcrowding in TCI schools, particularly in Providenciales.
She also wishes to look at the better use of technology in the class room, seek to building partnerships both internally and externally, and to work with the College Board to bring together its offering with the needs of the Islands.
The Ministry’s Youth Department’s National Youth Policy will shortly be submitted to Cabinet, and through the Sports Department will look at developing a program to strengthen sporting initiatives across the islands in a coherent structured way.
“This appointment of this high profile Turks and Caicos Islander to this very important position shows the huge steps being taken to build up the capacity and capability within the TCIG civil service,” said Governor Ric Todd.
“Mrs Jones performed very well as a Deputy Permanent Secretary within the Government previously, and was an excellent candidate throughout the section process. On behalf of the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands, I would like to take this opportunity to say very well done and that we look forward to you succeeding in this position which will play a vital role in the future of these Islands.”
Education Minister continues Tour of Schools
Minister of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture Hon. Akierra Missick along with officials from the Ministry of Education continued their tour of the Nation's Schools last week.
On Tuesday January 8, 2013, the Minister along with The Acting Permanent Secretary Cherylann Jones and Director of Education, Edgar Howell toured the Ianthe Pratt and Enid Capron Primary Schools. The Thursday of the same week, they visited the Clement Howell High and Oseta Jolly Primary Schools.
The purpose of these visits was among other things, to meet first hand with school principals and students; to see the physical conditions of the school and to hear from both the principals and students what they saw as some of the immediate needs of their schools. During the tour of each school, officials visited individual class rooms to meet and speak with the students.
Among the needs identified by the students were new play grounds, freshly painted class rooms, new books for the library and more play room. Most principals outlined their needs as auditoriums, repairs to fences, more lighting on the compounds and the construction of tuck shops or cafeterias where one can get 'good' food. They also saw the need to have sitting room to eat.
The tour continued on Friday January 11 when the Minister and her team visited schools on Grand Turk. Minister for Government Support Services (GSS) Hon. George Lightbourne and GSS’ Head of Secretariat Miss Kathy Watkin, joined the team on their visit to the H. J. Robinson High School.
Both Ministers pledged their commitment to address the needs of the school in “a structured way to ensure the most urgent needs are met as priority”. The officials expressed dismay at the physical condition of some of the schools visited and at the level of wall markings and litter on the compounds.
Students were charged to pay more attention to and to take more pride in their surroundings. The Officials also called on the students to form groups that will work with the prefects and other school officials to take care of their surroundings as well as to report instances when students were damaging or destroying school property.
The tour of schools will continue next on North, Middle, South Caicos and Salt Cay. These visits have been organised to allow both the Education and GSS Ministries to make adequate budget preparations for the coming fiscal year.
More petty robberies attacks the police in the TCI
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The Royal Turks & Caicos Islands Police are investigating a Burglary, which was reported on Friday January 11th, 2013 at 4:30PM.
A female of Blue Hills told officers that she secured her home on Friday January 11th, 2013 at 8AM and returned at 4PM to discover that her home was broken into. Missing was a case of beer and her wedding band. Investigations are ongoing into this matter.
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The Royal Turks & Caicos Islands Police are also investigating a Theft incident, which was reported on Friday January 11th, 2013 at 2:10PM. A hotel guest at a resort on Grace Bay told officers that he left his black and silver Breitling wrist watch on a table in a general area of the resort and when he returned, he discovered that his wrist watch was missing. Investigations are ongoing into this matter.
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The Royal Turks & Caicos Islands Police are also investigating an attempted Burglary, which was reported on Thursday January 10th, 2013 at 10:31AM.
A female of Cheshire Hall told officers that she was in her bedroom when she heard a noise coming from her window. She then noticed two male subjects taking the screen out of her window, at which point she shouted and the subjects ran off. Responding officers later arrested two males in connection with this report. Investigations are ongoing into this matter.
***
The Royal Turks & Caicos Islands Police are also investigating a Burglary, which was reported on Thursday January 10th, 2013 at 7:38PM.
A female of Long Bay told officers that she secured her home on Friday January 11th, 2013 at 4:30AM and returned at 7:53AM to discover that her home was broken into. At present nothing appears to be missing. Investigations are ongoing into this matter.
***
The Royal Turks & Caicos Islands Police are also investigating a Burglary, which was reported on Thursday January 10th, 2013 at 8:13PM.
A male of Long Bay told officers that he secured his home on Thursday January 10th, 2013 at 11:30AM and returned at 8:10PM to discover that his home was broken into. At present nothing appears to be missing. Investigations are ongoing into this matter.
***
The Royal Turks & Caicos Islands Police are also investigating a Burglary, which was reported on Thursday January 10th, 2013 at 9:25PM.
A male told officers that he secured his hotel room on Thursday January 10th, 2013 at 4PM and returned at 8PM to discover that his hotel room was broken into. Missing is a safe containing a quantity of cash. Investigations are ongoing into this matter.
***
The Royal Turks & Caicos Islands Police are also investigating a Robbery, which was reported on Friday January 11th, 2013 at 2:08AM. A male of Five Cays was rushed to Cheshire Hall Medical Centre and is now recovering from non-life threatening injuries. He told officers that he was stabbed just outside his home after a male subject wielding a knife demanded money from him. The male subject was reported to be wearing a green sleeveless t-shirt and a red short pants. Investigations are ongoing into this matter.
***
The Royal Turks & Caicos Islands Police are also investigating a Burglary, which was reported on Wednesday January 09th, 2013 at 7:21PM.
A male of Blue Hills told officers that he secured his home on Wednesday January 09th, 2013 at 8AM and returned at 6:45PM to discover that his home was broken into. Missing is a quantity of cash. Investigations are ongoing into this matter.
***
The Royal Turks & Caicos Islands Police are also investigating a Burglary, which was reported on Wednesday January 09th, 2013 at 11:09PM.
A male of Grace Bay told officers that he secured his home on Wednesday January 09th, 2013 at 6PM and returned at 11PM to discover that his home was broken into. Missing are two IPads. Investigations are ongoing into this matter.
***
Police are appealing to the public who may have any information about these incidents to call the Police on 911 or Crime Stoppers anonymously on 1-800-8477. Tips can also be submitted anonymously in English, French or Spanish on either www.crimestoppers.tc or on Facebook as a fan of Crime Stoppers Turks & Caicos. Crime Stoppers tips are received in the USA.
Premier Ewing on Official Tour of Turks and Caicos Islands
Premier Hon Rufus Ewing commenced his official tour of the Turks and Caicos Islands Monday January 14, 2013, the first since being elected on November 8, 2012. The tour began on Grand Turk and will end on Salt Cay on Monday January 21, 2013.
During the tour of the islands, Premier Ewing will visit key developments, government sites and departments and host several community meetings.
The first of six planned Town Hall meetings will take place this evening at the Dillon Church Hall, Grand Turk at 6:30pm. On Tuesday January 15, the Town Hall meeting will take place at 7:00pm at the Gustavos Lightbourne Sports Centre, Providenciales.
On Wednesday, January 16, the Premier will visit South Caicos and convene a Town Hall meeting at 7pm at the Regatta Village. The next day, Thursday January 16, Premier Ewing will visit and tour Middle Caicos and host a Town Hall meeting at the Conch Bar Community Centre at 4 pm.
On Friday January 18, and Monday January 21, respectively the Premier will travel to North Caicos and Salt Cay. A Town Hall meeting will be held at the Kew Community Centre, North Caicos at 3pm and on Monday at 11:30am on Salt Cay.
TCIG Promotes Job Estimation Training for Small Contractors
The Ministries of Government Support Services and Border Control and Labour are partnering with the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) in a bold initiative to promote national skill development among contractors within the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Under the programme, small and petty contractors will be trained in the use of a computerised job estimation tool (CJET) developed by the CDB through its Caribbean Technological Consultancy Services (CTCS) Network. A project coordinator has already been named and an ‘ad hoc’ committee established to advance plans for the workshop. Training is set to start in February 2013.
The CDB's Caribbean CTCS Network has experience in working with Petty, Small and Medium Contractors in the Bank’s Borrowing Member Countries (BMC’s). They have consistently highlighted areas of weaknesses among this group, specifically with respect to their inability to accurately and reliability prepare job estimates ensuring that they are able to manipulate and present their bids; in particular the bill of quantities, in a manner to ensure competitive advantage.
TCIG’s support of the training comes against the need to level the playing field for small contractors who bid for work against larger and more structured business entities which have the capability to employ or hire the services of consultant engineers, quantity surveyors and accountants.
CJET will consequently give Petty, Small and Medium Contractors a better competitive advantage through the use of the simple but effective tool developed by the CTCS. It allows the small contractor to always know his finite cost as he progresses through preparation of each line item in the bill of quantities.
The tool also puts the contractors in position to determine and manipulate the quality of his bid, see the impact of given bid ratio/bid rate on the overall line cost and to anticipate the projected earnings in excess of each line cost. This capability, therefore, allows the contractor to intentionally bid high or low on given line item, while maintaining the option to spread any projected line losses over other items. To date, the CTCS Network has successfully trained over 300 petty, small and medium contractors in ten of Bank’s BMCs.
The Deputy Governor along with the ministers of GSS and BCL have pledged their commitment and support to this event.
More information on the workshop will be communicated in due course and will be posted on the websites at www.labour.tc or www.gov.tc.
Mexico violence 'kills 38 in three days'
A wave of violence in Mexico has left nearly 40 people dead in three days, authorities say.
At least 16 bodies were found in the Toluca region on Monday and another 22 in Mexico City over the weekend.
Police said organised crime is thought to be involved in the Toluca killings.
Recently inaugurated President Enrique Pena Nieto has said that reducing violence in Mexico is one of his government's top priorities.
He has recently enacted a law to trace and help thousands of victims caught up in drug violence and other crimes.
The bill sets up a compensation fund and establishes a national registry to record what happened to victims.
Notes left
Authorities have said the high death toll in Mexico City was "unusual" for the capital, but ruled out the involvement of organised crime.
On average, there are fewer than two violent deaths a day in the city.
In Toluca, however, many of the bodies had been dismembered and showed signs of torture.
Next to some of them, police found notes reportedly left by drug gangs.
President Pena Nieto has promised to reduce violence levels in the country.
His predecessor, Felipe Calderon, launched a war on the powerful drug gangs in December 2006.
Critics say the deployment of the army to fight the cartels has led to an escalation in violence, affecting mostly innocent victims.
Several drug lords have been arrested or killed. But an estimated 70,000 people have died in drug-related violence in the past six years.
BVI enhances tourism product through heritage site project
The Government of the British Virgin Islands has thrusted its support behind a project to stabilise one of the Territory’s most significant heritage sites: the St. Philip’s Anglican Church also known as the Church of the Freed Africans.
This as the Virgin Islands reaffirm its commitment to conserve and promote the island's natural and historical heritage as attractions for visitors and residents alike,
Premier and Minister for Tourism Dr. the Honourable D. Orlando Smith, OBE says part of Government’s tourism strategy is to preserve and restore historical sites on all islands and promote their importance and significance to the Territory.”
The Government through the Premier’s Office has donated $15,000 towards the stabilisation project, which was recently started through efforts by Mrs. Xandra Adamson, member of the local Millennium History Committee and Mr. Jon Osman, resident architect with a keen interest in heritage sites.
The funds donated by Government will cover the rebuilding of the church’s altar; re-enforcement of the church’s support beams; refurbishment of the church’s window cills and the clearing of vegetation in the adjacent cemetery.
Source-BVI-news