Alec Sanguinetti steps down at CHTA
The Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association announced that Alec Sanguinetti is retiring as Director General after 19 years in executive positions with the organization and 52 years as one of the tourism industry’s top airline and hotel executives.
Richard Doumeng, president of CHTA, said that a search committee is being formed to find a replacement for Sanguinetti who will step down as of January 31st, 2013 following Caribbean Travel Marketplace.
“October 1st, 2012 marked 52 years for me in the travel and tourism industry and the last 19 years with CHTA have been among the most enjoyable,” said Sanguinetti.
“I have had the opportunity in working with CHTA to be involved with the Caribbean hotel and tourism industry which is a far more encompassing and broader playing field than working with any single entity such as an airline or destination,” he said.
He added “I had the opportunity to meet and work with wonderful and dedicated individuals from whom I have learned such a great deal.”
Sanguinetti was only the second chief executive for CHTA in the association’s 50-year history.
He originally joined CHTA as deputy director general in 1993 working closely with John Bell, the association’s first chief executive.
He was named director general and chief executive in 2003.
US Presidential Race Back at Full Speed After Superstorm
U.S. President Barack Obama is back to campaigning for reelection after spending most of the week heading Washington's response to Superstorm Sandy.
The incumbent Democrat was in Wisconsin, Nevada and Colorado Thursday — three so-called “battleground states” that could determine whether he or Republican Mitt Romney wins next Tuesday's presidential election.
Mr. Romney was in Virginia, another crucial state in the November 6 election.
Both men criticized each other's plans for improving the sluggish U.S. economy. Mr. Romney told supporters in Roanoke that middle income Americans have been “squeezed” financially during Mr. Obama's first term in office.
“The median income in America has dropped by $4,300 over the last four years. So now, you're earning 43 hundred dollars a year less than you were four years ago. And gasoline prices, they've gone up $2,000 per family. And health insurance costs, they've gone up $2,500 a family.”
Mr. Obama told supporters in Green Bay, Wisconsin, that Mr. Romney touts economic policies favoring the wealthy — policies he says failed in the past.
“Now in the closing weeks of this campaign, Governor Romney has been using all his talents as a salesman to dress up these very same policies that failed our country so badly, the very same policies that we have been cleaning up after for the past four years. And he is offering them up as change.”
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg endorsed Mr. Obama for a second term Thursday. The mayor, a former Republican turned independent, cited the president's efforts to fight pollution from cars and factories. Many scientists say carbon emissions contribute to global warming and possibly more powerful storms like Sandy.
President Obama says he is honored to have the mayor's endorsement. The president says although they do not agree on every issue, they both back improvements in education, immigration reform, and fighting climate change.
Bloomberg is mayor of the United States' largest city and is a major endorsement. New York was devastated by this week's storm.
With less than a week before Election Day, polls show the race is tied.
Ukraine’s Tymoshenko Refuses to End Hunger Strike
Ukraine's jailed former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko is refusing to end a hunger strike she began this week to protest alleged widespread vote irregularities in Sunday's parliamentary polls, which have been described by U. S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as “a step backward” for the nation's democracy.
Ms. Tymoshenko — in custody at a hospital in northeastern Ukraine — called election tallies favoring the ruling party of political arch-foe President Viktor Yanukovych “a total falsification.” Her refusal to eat was relayed by opposition party leaders outside the hospital in Kharkiv, and amplified in an interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.
With 99 percent of the vote counted Thursday, Ukrainian media reports show the president's ruling party ahead with just over 30 percent of the vote. Ms.Tymoshenko's United Opposition Fatherland party was running second with 25.4 percent.
Sunday's elections spawned a firestorm of protests from international observers who found widespread campaign irregularities, including evidence the ruling party used state funds to finance campaign activities. Monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe also accused the ruling party of restricting the free low of campaign information.
The 51-year-old Ms. Tymoshenko was not allowed to vote Sunday. She was charged last year with abuse of the office of prime minister for her approval of a 2009 natural gas imports deal with Russia. She was found guilty and is serving a seven-year prison term that has drawn protests from a host of Western governments and human rights organizations.
Earlier this week the United States renewed charges that the Tymoshenko conviction was politically motivated and called on the government of Viktor Yanukovych to put an end to what it said was the selective prosecution of political opponents.
Syrian Opposition Says Rebels Kill 28 Soldiers
The Syrian opposition says rebel forces have killed 28 government soldiers during attacks on three army checkpoints as the violence in Syria escalates.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed that the attacks occurred Thursday in the northern province of Idlib, near the Turkish border. It said five rebels were killed in the skirmishes.
There was no comment from the Syrian government.
In neighboring Turkey, a car full of explosives blew up in the port town of Iskenderun near the Syrian border. Four people were killed. It was not immediately clear if the blast was linked to the Kurdish militants or the Syrian conflict.
Turkey is home to more than 100,000 Syrian refugees and opposition leaders who live in camps along the border.
The Syrian conflict is entering its 20th month and has caused the deaths of an estimated 36,000 people. Hundreds of people were killed in the past week as the government has stepped up airstrikes against rebel-controlled areas.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Wednesday addressed concerns that Islamic extremists who have fought alongside the rebels are radicalizing the opposition.
She said Washington hopes that Syrian opposition talks next week in Doha will produce a new rebel leadership that represents those fighting and dying in the country. She said the Syrian National Council, composed mainly of exiles, can no longer be viewed as the leader of the opposition, but it can still play a role.
Supervisor of Elections Warns Candidates Against 'Treating'.
With just under two weeks to go until the election on November 9th the Supervisor of Elections, Mr. Dudley Lewis has written to candidates to remind them that under the Elections Ordinance they are not allowed to offer inducements to electors to influence their voting intentions.
"I have been satisfied that campaigning up to the present time has been overwhelmingly fair and free. By issuing this announcement I wish to ensure any tendency to cut corners and disregard election law is avoided during the intensive final days of campaigning.
I have also written to the leaders of the political parties and the independent candidates to remind them of their obligation to continue to ensure their campaigns remain within the law," explained Lewis.
During political rallies, meetings or general campaigning candidates, political parties or anyone associated with them are not permitted to provide food, drink, gifts of any kind or cash as these could interpreted as an attempt to corruptly influence a voter in the way they may cast their vote at the election.
This behavior is known as 'treating' and is illegal. It has been illegal for many years, although in past elections some people chose to ignore it. Such behavior is no longer being ignored. The person offering this kind of inducement is committing a serious criminal offence and so is any member of the public who accepts a gift or cash.
The Supervisor will follow up all reports received where this behavior is illegal and will not hesitate to collaborate with the Police to initiate criminal investigations. He also invites members of the public to inform him if they are aware of any incident involving inducements to voters. Mr. Lewis also points out that inexpensive tee shirts, caps and advertising materials provided by political parties and candidates are not regarded as treating.
A fair election, untainted by any hint of corrupt practices, is in the best interests of the citizens of the TCI.
The Supervisor of Elections can be contacted by telephone 946-2558 and email at dllewis@gov.tc
Dolphin Cove Development Proposal
A proposal from the operators of the Dolphin Cove brand to open a 'dolphinarium' on Providenciales is raising some eyebrows.
Governor’s spokesperson Neil Smith said the Governor's Office has received a number of media enquiries about the Dolphin Cove development proposal and in a press release to RTC News, said in addition to the operator’s proposal, the company has also registered interest in a future similar facility on Grand Turk.
Smith said the application was made in an open and transparent manner through the Inward Investment Unit of TCIG and has been the subject of discussion within TCIG.
“The application was granted a business license in order for it to be fairly considered under the existing planning processes. It is important to make clear that the granting of a business license is not a licence to commence operations. The go ahead for building and operating the facility would only come once the planning processes have been finished, and final planning permission had been granted, Mr. Smith explained.
He said the Fisheries Protection (Amendment) Regulations that was Gazetted on 25 October, permits the importation and keeping of marine mammals for the purposes of display, exhibition or performance for those companies that have completed the application processes and gained all the required permissions to develop and operate their facilities.
In lending clarity to the enquiry, Mr. Smith said quote:-
“Let me make clear that the government has received an application to develop a tourist facility on Providenciales;
* We are considering it, using the same processes and procedures that we used for all other applications for development;
* The granting of the business license and the gazetting of the Fisheries Protection (Amendment) Regulations, allows the application to be considered fully by the Planning Department;
* No license to operate has been granted;
* The application will now be considered by the TCIG Planning Department, who will make their recommendations to the responsible Minister in due course.” END QUOTE.
Man arrested and charged for a series of serious offences.
A sufficiency hearing date has been set for a 31 year old male who appeared in the Providenciales magistrate’s Court yesterday (Wednesday 31st October) afternoon on gun related charges.
The young man was arrested in Providenciales on Tuesday 30 October 2012 and charged for Unlawful Possession of Ammunition, Possession of Firearm with intent to endanger life, two counts of discharging a firearm, Attempted Murder, Possession of Ammunition with the intent to enable endangerment of life and Wounding with intent.
According to a Police, a 20 year old man received minor injuries to his upper right arm after a gunman opened fire on a vehicle in which he was a passenger on Friday 19 October 2012 near the Miniature Golf Club.
Inspector Grantley Williams said these charges are very serious. “It shows that a person’s life was in immediate danger and luckily it did not result in a fatality,” he said.
“We continue to urge members of the public who know of anyone who may have illegal firearm or ammunition in their possession to report this to the authorities,” Williams added.
The man was taken to court yesterday afternoon. He is scheduled to appear in the Supreme Court for a sufficiency hearing on 7th December 2012.
Tourism Environmental Awareness Month
The Turks and Caicos Islands Tourist Board is once again making plans to host its annual Tourism Environmental Awareness Month (TEAM).
The Tourist Board will officially launch TEAM this coming Monday, November 5th, 2012 at 11:00am at the Board’s Providenciales office.
During the launch, they will present their TEAM’s calendar of events and schedules for the month.
RTC News will have a further release, outlining the initiative in a subsequent newscast.
Ukraine’s Tymoshenko Refuses to End Hunger Strike
Ukraine's jailed former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko is refusing to end a hunger strike she began this week to protest alleged widespread vote irregularities in Sunday's parliamentary polls, which have been described by U. S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as “a step backward” for the nation's democracy.
Ms. Tymoshenko — in custody at a hospital in northeastern Ukraine — called election tallies favoring the ruling party of political arch-foe President Viktor Yanukovych “a total falsification.” Her refusal to eat was relayed by opposition party leaders outside the hospital in Kharkiv, and amplified in an interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.
With 99 percent of the vote counted Thursday, Ukrainian media reports show the president's ruling party ahead with just over 30 percent of the vote. Ms.Tymoshenko's United Opposition Fatherland party was running second with 25.4 percent.
Sunday's elections spawned a firestorm of protests from international observers who found widespread campaign irregularities, including evidence the ruling party used state funds to finance campaign activities. Monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe also accused the ruling party of restricting the free low of campaign information.
The 51-year-old Ms. Tymoshenko was not allowed to vote Sunday. She was charged last year with abuse of the office of prime minister for her approval of a 2009 natural gas imports deal with Russia. She was found guilty and is serving a seven-year prison term that has drawn protests from a host of Western governments and human rights organizations.
Earlier this week the United States renewed charges that the Tymoshenko conviction was politically motivated and called on the government of Viktor Yanukovych to put an end to what it said was the selective prosecution of political opponents.
Phelps says he may be back in 2016 as a golfer
Michael Phelps says the only chance he'll be competing again at the 2016 Olympics is if he finds a way to succeed in golf.
Phelps joked Tuesday during a visit to Rio de Janeiro that even though his mom, Debbie Phelps, wants him to be swimming for medals again in 2016, he'll only make it to the games if "somehow" he becomes "an amazing golfer." That, he added, was "very unlikely" to happen "over the next three years."
He said, "I have already told her I will not be competing, so do not get her hopes up."
Golf will be returning to the Olympics in Rio after an absence of more than 100 years.
During his promotional trip, Phelps visited a pacified shantytown and gave swimming lessons to local kids at a public training centre.