The Veranda Turks & Caicos To Close For Renovations
The Veranda, recently acquired by Sandals Resorts International (SRI), parent company of Beaches Resorts, Grand Pineapple Beach Resorts and flagship, Sandals Resorts, will close for renovations starting Monday, January 7 through at least the month of March and bookings will no longer be accepted.
According to SRI Chairman, Gordon “Butch” Stewart, the decision to close during the important winter season and possibly beyond was not made lightly, but weak forward Veranda bookings coupled with an imperative to bring the resort in line with SRI’s exacting brand standard, herald the abrupt closure.
“This property has wonderful bones and will make a great resort, however, there are significant changes to be done to improve guest amenities which must be addressed before The Veranda may transition to become part of Beaches Turks and Caicos as we’d originally planned,” said Stewart. “Closing is always a difficult decision, but the timing is right. With very little business on the books, we have the opportunity to get it right quickly.”
Stewart said a thorough assessment of The Veranda will be made following the holidays, at which time SRI will re-evaluate and share plans with everyone in the Turks & Caicos. “We have a responsibility to our guests, our team members and the people of Turks & Caicos to do the right thing with everyone’s future in mind. When this new resort is unveiled, everyone will be proud to share this really potent asset to the tourism industry in the Turks & Caicos.”
Crime & Incident Report for December 2012
The Royal Turks & Caicos Police are investigating an Abstracting Electricity incident, which was reported at 11:33AM on Thursday December 20, 2012. An employee of Fortis reported that he suspected that electricity was being stolen on a property located in the Blue Hills area.
Officers met with the complainant in Blue Hills where it was determined that a meter box had been tampered with. The resident of the property stated that he agreed to give electricity to another male residing in a shed on the property. This was confirmed by investigation and confirmation from the second subject. The electricity was then turned off by Fortis TCI. Beat & Patrol officers are carrying out further investigations into this incident.
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The Royal Turks & Caicos Police is also investigating a Burglary, which was reported on Thursday December 20th, 2012 at 9:03PM. A resident of Blue Hills reported that his home had been broken into.
The complainant told officers that he secured his home on Thursday December 20th, 2012 earlier that same day and upon his return at 8:20PM, discovered that the apartment had been broken into. Missing are numerous electronic items. The Criminal Investigation Department is carrying out further investigations into this incident.
Police are appealing to the public who may have any information about this burglary 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.
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At 7:30AM on Thursday December 20, 2012 at Wheeland, Providenciales in the area of North West Point main road a team of officers from multiple units executed a search warrant for drugs on a residence. Upon approach two male subjects and one female subject were observed dleeing from the scene. On making checks in the house a quantity of Cannabis and lashes were found. Also another quantity of Cannabis was located in the area surrounding the residence.
At 12:10PM on Thursday December 20th, 2012 at Blue Hills, a team of officers executed a search warrant for drugs at a residence. Officers found over 2700 grams of Cannabis which was spit into several packages. Officers conducted a search of an adjacent apartment and found three more packages containing approximately 530 grams of Cannabis. The male subject stated that the drugs found belonged to him. The Cannabis was seized and the subject was arrested and formally charged.
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The Royal Turks & Caicos Police is also investigating a Burglary, which was reported on Thursday December 20th, 2012 at 10:30AM. A male resident of Over Back reported that his home has been broken into.
The complainant told officers that he secured his home on Wednesday December 19th, 2012 at 4:30M and upon his return at 7:00PM, discovered that his home had been broken into. Missing are a flat screen TV and a DVD player. The Criminal Investigation Department is carrying out further investigations into this incident.
Police are appealing to the public who may have any information about this burglary 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.
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Three officers of The Royal Turks and Caicos Police on Wednesday December 19, 2012 were making checks behind a Plaza located on Airport Road, when officers found a quantity of Cannabis which weighing 650 grams. The 650 grams of Cannabis was seized and the investigation is continuing
Hugo Chavez allies 'rule out new election'
Venezuela will not call fresh elections if President Hugo Chavez is unable to be sworn in for a fourth term in January, the head of Congress said.
Mr Chavez is recovering from a respiratory infection suffered after his fourth cancer surgery in Cuba.
The constitutions states that elections must be held within 30 days if the president is absent on 10 January.
Opposition leaders say postponing the swearing-in ceremony would be unconstitutional.
But congressional leader Diosdado Cabello said the inauguration ceremony would be delayed in the case of Mr Chavez's absence.
"The date of 10 January does not determine the president-elect's absolute absence," Mr Cabello told reporters.
"Since [President] Chavez might not be here on 10 January, [the opposition] hopes the National Assembly will call elections. That's not going to happen. Commandante Hugo Chavez will continue to be our president."
The Venezuelan leader is said to be in stable condition following a respiratory infection suffered after he underwent major cancer surgery last Tuesday.
Communications Minister Ernesto Villegas said the infection had been controlled, but that Mr Chavez had been told to rest.
The president, who has been in power since 1999, won another six-year term in October's presidential election.
Mr Chavez has said Venezuelans should vote for Vice-President Nicolas Maduro in fresh elections, should his health fail.
Lara Cancer Treatment Centre slapped with a $20m lawsuit
The Brian Lara Cancer Treatment Centre (BLCTC) in Trinidad has been slapped with a $20 million lawsuit on the eve of the second anniversary of Ricardo "Smokey" McKenzie's death from a suspected deadly overdose of radiation to his brain.
To support their claim of gross medical negligence, lawyers for McKenzie's family intend to prove that Medcorp Limited and the Cancer Centre of the Caribbean Limited, the operators of BLCTC, tried to cover up and conceal the fact that sensitive radiation machines were miscalibrated — exposing patients to a deadly dose instead of treatment.
The attorneys also intend to prove that the medical facility was aware that its equipment, a linear accelerator, needed recalibrating and took no steps to correct the error although the effects could have resulted in fatal injuries.
The medical facility has not accepted any blame for McKenzie's death and disputes any negligence on its part, according to court documents. However, the company donated US$10,000 towards McKenzie's foreign medical expenses one month before his death.
McKenzie, 55, the former co-owner of the internationally recognised St James bar — Smokey and Bunty Sports Bar — died on December 21, 2010, at the Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami, Florida, USA.
Among the witnesses to be called to support the claims in the lawsuit is Dr Roberto Heros, a professor of neurosurgery, co-chairman and programme director of the Department of Neurological Surgery at the University of Miami.
In his medical report, which forms part of the bundle of documents filed in court, Heros stated that McKenzie's diagnosis "is the worst case of radiation necrosis I have ever encountered". The doctor said that it was "clear that the necrosis was due to radiation therapy" McKenzie had in Trinidad and noted there was "no question that the deceased's (McKenzie) radiation necrosis led to his death".
On July 6 last year Health Minister Dr Fuad Khan and then Chief Medical Officer Anton Cumberbatch confirmed that 223 cancer patients were administered overdoses of radiation during treatment over the period of a year at the BLCTC in Port of Spain.
They said the patients were exposed to higher levels of radiation during treatment for cancer at the centre over the period because a radiation treatment machine at the centre was miscalibrated. This disclosure confirmed an exclusive Sunday Express investigation last August which uncovered a then-active investigation into the cancer treatment scare at the centre.
At Tuesday's sitting of the Senate, Khan said a number of patients who were exposed to radiation overdoses at the BLCTC may have to go abroad for further treatment.
He said eight of the surviving patients were found to have complications and three or four of them may have to seek foreign treatment.
--WUC
Severe penalties for any one involved in the importation of "Black Mosquito Coil"
The Jamaica Customs Department is reporting that over the past two months it has made five major seizures of Black Mosquito Coils at various sea ports and business premises in the Corporate Area.
The item, which is being imported under the name "mosquito medicine" is not approved for use by the Jamaican population and is banned by the Pesticide Control Authority.
The public is being warned by the Customs Department to discontinue using this harmful product and not to import it.
Penalties being levied against importers so far include severe fines associated with false declaration, un-manifested goods, excess goods and breach of import permits.
The Customs Department has warned that any attempt to rationalize the import of Black Mosquito Coils will not be tolerated.
Copahue volcano eruption puts Argentina and Chile on alert
The authorities in Argentina and Chile have issued an alert over increased activity at the Copahue volcano, which has begun spewing smoke and gas.
Many residents have already left the area as a precaution.
An orange volcano alert, the second highest, has been issued in both countries.
The 3,000m (10,000ft) volcano is in Argentina's south-western Neuquen province, which borders the Biobio region of Chile.
Ash has been raining down on the nearby villages of Copahue, Caviahue and Zapala.
Residents who have stayed behind have been told to monitor the situation and be prepared to evacuate.
Planes flying over the southern Andes have also been warned.
Hundreds of flights were cancelled last year due to the eruption of Puyehue volcano, in Chile.
Moody's downgrades Barbados rating - Barbados Finance Minister responds
Moody's Investors Service on Thursday downgraded Barbados' credit rating to Ba1, into junk territory, citing the Caribbean country's lukewarm economy and rising government debt levels.
The rating also carries a negative outlook, with the agency saying that the country's economic prospects remain weak.
"Moody's believes that the country's growth prospects remain very limited due to its deteriorating competitiveness and declining productivity coupled with heavy dependence on tourism, particularly from the United Kingdom and the United States," Moody's said in a statement.
(REUTERS)
Meantime.....
In a press release issued following the downgrade, Finance Minister Christopher Sinckler says the most recent ratings downgrade by Moody’s Investors Service comes as no surprise to the Ministry of Finance or in the Government, as a whole.”
He explained that it was generally expected that since Standard and Poor’s had made their adjustment to the country’s credit rating some months ago, it was altogether likely that Moody’s would align their rating accordingly.
“Naturally, the continued weak global economic recovery, particularly among our largest trading partners in the USA, UK and most of CARICOM, has worked to compound the negativity of an already difficult economic situation, which heavily undermined Barbados' prospects for a speedy recovery in growth. And, in spite of what we have heard, and will continue to hear, the knock-on effects of this environment on our fiscal and economic situation remain clear and unmistakable” the Finance Minister pointed out.
He said: “While we reflect on Moody’s overall ratings opinion on Barbados, we can generally deduce the following from their advice:
1. The worst of the economy and fiscal deterioration is behind Barbados
2. Barbados' prospects for short term high growth levels will remain challenged because of the weaknesses in our major trading partner economies
3. These challenges are likely to affect our capacity for faster fiscal consolidation, notwithstanding the fact that efforts to strengthen our fiscal position have been successful thus far
4. Government must stay the course on its fiscal consolidation programme, strengthening it wherever possible, rather abandoning it.
5. To attempt to introduce counter-cyclical fiscal measures (tax eases) to stimulate domestically driven growth will reverse the gains made so far by the country to turn around the situation and make matters much worse fiscally and economically
6. Our foreign reserves levels remain adequate to satisfy our current and immediate future needs.”
To this extent, Minister Sinckler called on Barbadians to “continue to stay the course on our fiscal consolidation programme, seek to improve our levels of productivity, and move ahead hastily with our programme for restructuring the Barbados economy.”
(BGIS)
Somali troops 'free' 22 hostages held by pirates
Twenty-two hostages seized by pirates nearly three years ago have been freed, the authorities in Somalia's semi-autonomous region of Puntland say.
They said their maritime force began the operation to free the hostages - and their ship - nearly two weeks ago.
The hostages are showing signs of having suffered physical torture and illness, their statement said.
Successful pirate attacks off the coast of Somalia have decreased in the last two years.
This is due to the increased use of private security guards on ships and better co-ordination between naval patrols in the area, the BBC's Mary Harper says.
It is rare for Somali forces to move on pirates in this way, our correspondent says.
The Panama-flagged MV Iceberg One was seized off the Yemeni coast in 2009, and was being held near Gara'ad village on the coast in Mudug region when Puntland's maritime troops surrounded it on 10 December.
In their statement, the Puntland authorities said their troops fought the pirates for two weeks before safely rescuing all 22 hostages on board the ship.
They also killed a number of pirates after intercepting one of their small boats delivering weapons and other supplies to the captured ship.
"After two years and 9 months in captivity, the hostages have suffered signs of physical torture and illness," the statement said. "[They] are now receiving nutrition and medical care."
Gangnam Style hits one billion views on YouTube
Gangnam Style has become the first video to clock up more than one billion views on YouTube.
The South Korean Dance track was posted online in July, propelling pop star Psy to worldwide fame.
It has inspired hundreds of parody clips, from members of the British army, Thai navy and Minecraft gamers, among others.
YouTube's owner, Google, said the video had been watched seven million to 10 million times a day on average.
It overtook the previous record holder - Justin Bieber's music video Baby - on 24 November.
"Psy's success is a great testament to the universal appeal of catchy music - and er, great equine dance moves," wrote Kevin Allocca, YouTube trends manager, on the service's blog.
One industry watcher said the fact so many people continued to post their own versions of Gangnam Style had played a huge part in the clip's success.
"I've seen a statistic which reckons the one song will have generated something like $8m [£5m] by the end of the year from money that comes directly from YouTube through advertising plus download sales, its uses in adverts and TV programmes," Chris Cooke, business editor of the CMU music news site, told the BBC.
"It shows that YouTube - which is a free-to-use as a promotional platform for the music labels - can lead to substantial income.
"Should every artist be trying to think of a funny video that will go viral and be mimicked? I don't know whether it's a template that can be copied, but it certainly shows how quickly an eye-catching clip can spread thanks to social networks and YouTube."
Sir Martin Sorrell - chief executive of advertising giant WPP - paid tribute to the achievement by making a link between Psy and one of the west's most influential economists.
"Another great example of Theodore Levitt's 'globalisation' and the power of K-pop," he told the BBC.
Scott Mills, the BBC Radio 1 DJ who championed the song on his show, said he was amazed by the phenomenon that the song had become.
"The thing that interests you in the video is the fact that you don't understand the lyrics.
"The first time I saw it was on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in America and I just thought it was a bit of fun, but I didn't expect it to be as big as it was.
"Psy came into my Radio 1 show and The Guinness World Records presented him with a plaque for the most 'liked' YouTube video of all time and the amazing thing is he is just a guy, he hasn't tried to do any of this."
D C Han, a South Korean hair stylist who worked in Gangnam before starting a business in London, added that he was proud to see the song become such a massive hit.
"I was amazed" he told the BBC.
"K-Pop is getting stronger and stronger, everywhere in Asia they are listening to it - China, Hong Kong, Taiwan. Maybe even in Japan but they might not admit it."
--BBC
Beres strikes reggae Gold at 57
Beres Hammond has never been one of reggae’s most recognizable artists internationally but, in the singer’s native Jamaica, he enjoys an iconic status just a few notches below that of Bob Marley. A specialist in intimate love songs often told from the viewpoint of the blue-collar, "common" man, Hammond has been described as his country’s Marvin Gaye, and also its Springsteen.
At age 57, the crooner has just released one of the best albums of a four-decade-long career. Issued in November by VP Records, One Love, One Life is a double-disc set that breaks down between romantic (One Love) and more socially conscious fare (One Life). Produced mainly by Hammond himself and recorded at the singer’s Kingston studio, Harmony House, the LP spans not just lover’s rock – Hammond has been called the "king" of the romantic reggae sub-genre – but also dancehall, ska and gospel.