Private sector continues to fight against VAT in Turks & Caicos
The Turks and Caicos Independent Business Council (TCIBC) are stepping up their efforts to halt attempts by the United Kingdom to impose a value added tax (VAT) regime in their overseas territory.
A release from the private sector organisation announced that it has started “Phase 2” in their “battle against VAT” as the country prepares for elections next Friday (November 9).
In the statement the TCIB -- a group of influential Turks and Caicos business leaders – maintained that VAT would have a detrimental effect on the islands’ economy and local businesses and they accused Governor Ric Todd of acting in a “high handed, arrogant colonial-style” for not consulting business stakeholders on the move.
The TCIB have now instructed their London-based lobbyists and public relations consultants, Media House International to step up their lobbying efforts against the new tax at the seat of the UK government in Westminster, in the UK media, and the global offshore press.
According to the TCIB, a recent anti-VAT petition garnered over 3000 signatures, estimated at over half of the country’s electorate, who are demanding that the government delay its implementation of VAT until a full analysis is done on the impact it will have on the Islands’ economy.
The private sector body maintained that the rule of the London-imposed interim government currently in power will come to an end with the November 9 elections and therefore they argued the new tax should be a decision made by the newly elected government.
So far they have gained support from the leaders of both parties who have been unified in their public opposition to the introduction of VAT.
The TCIB stressed that they do not object to increases in taxation for the country, however they accused the interim government of hastily introducing an extremely complex tax that is expensive to implement, expensive to collect and places additional resource and cost burdens on the business community
Reinstatement Of Public Servants’ 10% Pay Cut
His Excellency Governor Ric Todd has announced that the Turks and Caicos Islands Government (TCIG) can reinstate the 10% pay cut made previously from public servants’ salaries it was announced today, Fri, 2 Nov 2012.
The Governor explained that the Interim Administration has carefully examined the affordability of reinstating the pay cut and believes that this would now be affordable from 1 Feb 2013.
The restoration has been an intention of the Governor’s Office for some time and, indeed, new Deputy Governor Anya Williams, again raised this topic with UK ministers when in London in the first week of her appointment in October.
In the circumstances the Governor has concluded that the newly elected Government would have to agree to this proposal in accordance with two conditions:
1. That any reinstatement takes into account the conclusions and recommendations of the TCIG Pay and Grading review
2. That the incoming elected Government following the ballot on Fri, 9 Nov 2012 is satisfied that the reinstatement continues to be affordable alongside its other expenditure priorities.
“I have always expressed my support and admiration for the dedicated and professional public servants of the Turks and Caicos Islands,” said Governor Ric Todd. “When the pay cut was announced it was made clear that we would work to restore it at the earliest possible opportunity.
“I am delighted, therefore, to be able to make this announcement. I have often repeated our commitment to doing so at the earliest opportunity. Taking into account the significant economic and political progress made in the Turks and Caicos particularly over the past year, and the healthy indications of the Quarter 2 financial data published on 29 Oct, we closely examined the affordability of this measure and proposed it to UK Ministers. This has now been agreed to subject to the agreement of the new House of Assembly who need to consider its affordability alongside the other spending priorities of the new government.”
Subsequent to the Governors statement RTC News spoke with the Governors press Officer after the story was released today.
Anya Williams, Deputy Governor, added, “It is our intention to examine all pay and grading issues in order to more properly recognise the vital role of our public servants in the TCI. This is an important first step to seeing pay rates restored as part of our continuing programme to make the public service even better. It is only right and proper that our civil and public servants, teachers, health professionals, uniformed services and emergency responders are properly remunerated for their achievements.”
This 10% deduction was previously made as part of measures taken to reduce Turks and Ciacos islands Government expenditure following the financial collapse of the previous administration in 2010.
Claudin Ulyess charged for Possession of Unlicensed Firearm
A 29 year old male plead guilty in the Supreme Court to Possession of Unlicensed Firearm and Possession of Ammunition.
It was reported that on Friday 17 August 2012 Tactical Unit officers of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police conducted a search on a grey Toyota Corolla car owned by a Claudin Ulyess. During the search a 9mm pistol with 6 rounds of 380mm ammunition was found.
Claudin Ulyess was charged also for Possession of Unlicensed Firearm with intent to cause fear to which was withdrawn.
After hearing the facts Judge Hayles accepted the plea and Ulyess was sentenced to 5years imprisonment.
According to Sergeant Andy Harry of the Criminal Investigation Division, “I hope this sends a strong message to any individual who may be in possession of an illegal firearm or ammunition to turn it in to the authorities.”
He continued: “We will continue to urge members of the public who may know or have any information relating to anyone with firearm(s) to report it to the authorities. If you have a firearm in your possession and are afraid to bring it in, you can call us and tell us where it is and we will pick it up.”
Publication Of Notices Issued by Commission for Politicians.
The Integrity Commission has compiled and published register of government contracts and interests declared by political candidates.
In accordance with Section 49(1)(f) of the Constitution which came into force on 15 October 2012, a person may be disqualified from being appointed as a member of the House of Assembly if they are a party to any contract with the Government and has not disclosed in a notice to the Integrity Commission the nature of such contract and his or her interest in it.
In the run up to the elections which take place on 9 November 2012, The Integrity Commission has a number of legislative responsibilities concerning the publication of information and making this readily available to the public of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Candidates have therefore been submitting notices to the Commission and were required to do so by no later than 25 October 2012, the date for close of nominations. Thereafter, the Commission is required under Section 49(3) of the Constitution to publish any notice delivered to it for the purpose of informing the electorate before the date of the election.
The Commission has therefore compiled this information on a register which is now available and accessible on the Commissions page of the government website: www.gov.tc. This has been utilised on a temporary basis until such time as the Commissions website is fully operational. In addition, the Commission will make further arrangements for the register to be more widely available and will also have the register open for public inspection at its offices situated in Waterloo Plaza, Waterloo Road, Grand Turk.
Eugene Otuonye QC, Director of the Integrity Commission stated that “it is extremely important that this information is publicly available to the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands. In doing so, the Commission is fulfilling its primary responsibility under the Constitution which is to promote integrity, honesty and good faith in public life in the islands”.
Publication Of Notices Issued by Commission for Politicians.
The Integrity Commission has compiled and published register of government contracts and interests declared by political candidates.
In accordance with Section 49(1)(f) of the Constitution which came into force on 15 October 2012, a person may be disqualified from being appointed as a member of the House of Assembly if they are a party to any contract with the Government and has not disclosed in a notice to the Integrity Commission the nature of such contract and his or her interest in it.
In the run up to the elections which take place on 9 November 2012, The Integrity Commission has a number of legislative responsibilities concerning the publication of information and making this readily available to the public of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Candidates have therefore been submitting notices to the Commission and were required to do so by no later than 25 October 2012, the date for close of nominations. Thereafter, the Commission is required under Section 49(3) of the Constitution to publish any notice delivered to it for the purpose of informing the electorate before the date of the election.
The Commission has therefore compiled this information on a register which is now available and accessible on the Commissions page of the government website: www.gov.tc. This has been utilised on a temporary basis until such time as the Commissions website is fully operational. In addition, the Commission will make further arrangements for the register to be more widely available and will also have the register open for public inspection at its offices situated in Waterloo Plaza, Waterloo Road, Grand Turk.
Eugene Otuonye QC, Director of the Integrity Commission stated that “it is extremely important that this information is publicly available to the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands. In doing so, the Commission is fulfilling its primary responsibility under the Constitution which is to promote integrity, honesty and good faith in public life in the islands”.
Integrity Commission Issues Guidance Note on Loans
The Integrity Commission is issuing further guidance to the political parties ahead of General elections. Under Section 82 of the Political Activities Ordinance 2012 (the Ordinance), the Governor, in consultation with the Integrity Commission has issued a Guidance Note to all Political Parties and Candidates to clarify the circumstances in which a loan or other transaction may be regarded as being on commercial terms.
The detailed guidance note also sets out what constitutes a permissible lender and how records of loans or other credit facilities should be recorded and reported to the Integrity Commission by parties and candidates. The guidance note is now available and accessible on the Commissions page of the government website: www.gov.tc. This has been utilised on a temporary basis until such time as the Commissions website is fully operational.
Eugene Otuonye QC, Director of the Integrity Commission stated that “ The Commission has worked closely with the Governor in compiling this guidance note, which provides clarification to the parties and candidates as to the circumstances in which they must record and report loans and other credit facilities to the Commission”.
Provision of this and other guidance notes is part of the Integrity Commissions commitment to assisting and providing guidance on a number of matters covered under the Ordinance.
Obama, Romney tied in polls before election
US President Barack Obama and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney remain essentially tied in national polls just two days from the election on Tuesday.
According to the latest NBC/Wall Street Journal poll released Sunday, Obama leads Romney with 48 percent to 47 percent in support from likely voters. In the same poll released two weeks ago, the two candidates were deadlocked at 47 percent each.
The NBC/WSJ poll was conducted November 1-3 of 1,475 likely voters, including 443 cellphone-only respondents, and has a margin of error of plus-minus 2.55 percentage points.
The results were essentially the same with the latest Washington Post-ABC News tracking poll released on the same day. The Washington Post/ABC News poll showed the two candidates deadlocked at 48 percent among likely voters, and for the first time this year, the two were tied among independents, with 46 percent apiece. Before this poll, Romney had been consistently ahead with these potentially critical voters. The new results were gathered from interviews conducted from October 30 to November 2, among a random sample of 1,809 likely voters, and have an error margin of plus or minus three percentage points.
Consistent with the two polls, a Politico/George Washington University battleground tracking poll also put the two in a dead heat, with Obama and Romney each gaining 48 percent support. The poll was taken from October 29 to November 1, and interviewed 1,000 likely voters, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
Obama and Romney are focusing their energy and resources in a handful of swing states with just two days to go before Americans go to voting stations to elect the country's next president.
China on orange alert for blizzards
China on Sunday continued to warn against blizzards, hiking the alert to the second-highest level on snowstorms that are expected to hit northern regions over the next few days.
On Sunday and Monday, heavy snow will hit central and eastern parts of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, northern and western parts of Hebei Province, and most parts of Beijing, with some regions seeing snowstorms reaching 30 mm, the National Meteorological Center (NMC) said.
The center at 6 a.m. issued an orange alert following a blue alert on Saturday, the weakest on China's four-tier color-coded warning system for blizzards.
Meanwhile, rain, sleet and snow are forecast to fall in most parts of north China, regions along the Yellow and Huaihe rivers, and some parts of northeast China from Sunday to Tuesday.
The center also issued a blue alert on a cold snap in east China, which is expected to bring gales and drop temperatures by 6 to 8 degree Celsius in Inner Mongolia's east and most eastern costal areas over the coming two days.
Economists predict rebound, but warn of risks
Economists quizzed for a new survey have cautioned against external and policy risks that may ruin a widely expected pick-up in China's growth in the last quarter of 2012.
Forecasts for the economy's fourth-quarter growth made recently by 40 economists from domestic and foreign financial institutions averaged 7.7 percent, according to survey results released by Securities Market Weekly.
Growth in the world's second-largest economy declined to 7.4 percent in the third quarter, as exports dropped sharply on weak external market and the government tightened its policies to cap the runaway property market.
Nevertheless, the economists' projected figure would send the economy's full-year growth rate for 2012 to 7.7 percent, exceeding the government target of 7.5 percent.
Respondents to the survey also predicted the fourth quarter would see higher growth rates for fixed-asset investment, retail sales and exports, the three key growth drivers.
In spite of the upbeat sentiment, they warned that the deteriorating external environment, inadequate domestic policy support and worsening financial status of local governments and enterprises are the three major risks for the economy.
The economists were generally cautious toward recent easing policies introduced in economies such as the European Union and the United States, as effects of previous easing have fallen short of expectations.
Instead of boosting jobs, monetary easing will continue to hike their fiscal stress, while putting pressure on China's exports, according to Zhu Haibin from J.P. Morgan China, one of the 40 economists surveyed by Securities Market Weekly.
Meanwhile, the economists ruled out the possibility of interest rate cuts in the fourth quarter, and predicted a 50/50 chance of cuts in the amount that banks are required to put in reserves.
Authorities have been slow in relaxing monetary policies for fears that a similar stimuli like the 4-trillion-yuan (635 billion U.S. dollars) package in the 2008 crisis would lead to a rebound in inflation and the property market.
The central bank has so far twice slashed benchmark interest rates and the reserve ratio for banks this year in a bid to shore up growth.
The economists also forecast a stronger yuan as a result of global easing measures, estimating that the yuan's value against the U.S. dollar will strengthen to 6.28 by the end of 2012.
Moreover, full-year growth of the consumer price index, the main gauge of inflation, was projected at 2.7 percent, far lower than the government target of 4 percent for 2012, the survey showed.
Chinese amateur, 14, qualifies for Masters
Guan Tianlang is an eighth-grader from China who barely weighs 125 pounds and doesn't hit the golf ball far enough to reach some par 4s. The next stop for the 14-year-old prodigy will be the Masters, where he will tee it up with Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Bubba Watson at Augusta National.
Guan completed a wire-to-wire victory Sunday in the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, making a 5-foot par putt on the final hole at Amata Spring Country Club for a one-shot win that earned him an invitation to the Masters.
"I'm really excited about it," Guan said after closing with a 1-under 71. "I will be training maybe a little bit harder and got some more power for that because I'm still growing right now. So it will be great fun."
He is believed to be the youngest male to play in a major championship. Andy Zhang of China, who trained at a golf academy in Florida, was 14 years, 6 months when he qualified for the U.S. Open last summer at The Olympic Club. Guan would be about a month younger.
Just two years ago, Woods was playing in the HSBC Champions pro-am at Sheshan International in Shanghai when Guan was in a group of juniors who played with him on the par-3 17th hole. Woods was amazed that day, not only at the polished swing of a 12-year-old, but the poise Guan showed at performing on such a stage - more than a thousand people in the gallery, an audience that included Woods, a 14-time major champion.
Even with a spot in the Masters on the line, Guan didn't flinch.
Pan Cheng-tsung of Taiwan, the second-ranked amateur in Asia, made par on the 18th hole for a 65 that left him one shot behind. Guan, the youngest player at the Asia-Pacific Amateur, hits the ball only about 250 yards off the tee, and even a 3-wood for his second shot left him short of the green. Guan had made bogey twice on the 18th during the tournament.
"I think about it a little bit at the last hole, but I'm trying not to get it in my mind," Guan said, referring to the Masters invitation. "So just want to focus on my game. I got a little bit nervous on the last putt because that's the winning putt. But I just do my own routine and everything is good."
He rolled in the final stroke with a belly putter, which he began using in June because he feels more stable over the putts.
Guan's choice of putter is sure to draw more attention to the debate over the club, which is anchored to the body. The U.S. Golf Association and the Royal & Ancient Golf Club are close to announcing a decision on whether to ban such a putting stroke.
For now, it's another amazing feat for the eighth-grader at Zhi Xin Middle School in Guangzhou.
Guan started playing when he was 4, going to the golf course with his parents. He goes to California for about three months during the year, staying with relatives in Los Angeles and San Diego to train. He first got attention last year at the Junior World Golf Championships in San Diego when he won his age division (11-12) by 11 shots.
He was invited to play in the China Open in April, making him the youngest competitor in a European Tour-sanctioned event.