THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS RECORD GROWTH IN AIR AND CRUISE ARRIVALS IN FIRST FOUR MONTHS OF 2024
The Turks and Caicos Islands have recorded a growth in air and cruise arrivals in the first four months of 2024.
From January to April, the Turks and Caicos Islands saw 271,326* air arrivals, an increase of 10.46 percent over 2023 which saw 245,637 arrivals in the corresponding period.
The majority of air arrivals were from the United States which saw 215, 247 air passengers, with 26, 275 passengers from Canada, and 5,031 passengers from the UK and Europe.
Air Arrivals for January to April 2024. *These numbers are preliminary
The cruise sector also saw a slight increase in passengers in the first four months of 2024 with 371,857 passengers recorded in comparison to 2023 figures of 371, 392 for the same period.
April saw 29 calls to port, the highest number for the year so far, boosted in part by four Royal Caribbean sailings to the Grand Turk Cruise following their suspension of the Haiti route due to unrest there.
Cruise numbers from January to April 2024. *These numbers are preliminary
Reflecting on the air and cruise performance for the year so far, Minister of Tourism, the Honourable Josephine Connolly said she is proud that the Turks and Caicos Islands continue to be a destination of choice for holiday seekers.
“The data shows that our air arrival numbers are projected to remain high through August which indicates that our tourism sector will remain buoyant all year. This is great news for the people of Turks and Caicos as we are working assiduously, through Experience Turks and Caicos to ensure that everyone benefits from the tourism industry,” she said.
Experience Turks and Caicos, the Destination Marketing and Management Organisation of the Turks and Caicos Islands, through its Community Connect Meetings, has been rolling out its plans to diversify the destination’s offerings, enhance the visitor experience and partner with stakeholders to ensure the success of the tourism sectors is enjoyed by everyone across all the islands.
The meetings have taken place so far in North and Middle Caicos.
FortisTCI to install first solar project on South Caicos at Salterra Resort and Spa
FortisTCI to install first solar project on South Caicos at Salterra Resort and Spa
FortisTCI has signed a contract with Salterra, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, to lease its roof space for the installation of a 422-kW dc, grid-tied solar energy system. The agreement marks the Company’s first solar energy project in South Caicos and the largest rooftop system under its Utility-owned Renewable Energy (UORE) program.
The property will open in early 2025 with sustainability and environmental stewardship as core tenets of its operation. FortisTCI will own and install the solar energy system across four buildings at the property. Once commissioned, the system will produce approximately 677 MWh of renewable energy annually for the island's electricity grid and avoid approximately 484.3 metric tons of carbon emissions yearly.
Michael Tibbetts, Chief Executive Officer of JEM Worldwide, the developer and operator of Salterra Resort & Spa, stated: "Our vision for Salterra has expanded since we first acquired East Bay Resort three years ago. Salterra will have 100 guest rooms with a majority of suites, six food and beverage outlets and a full-service luxury spa. Construction is on track, and we are already taking reservations on marriott.com.” He continued: “One of our highest priorities at Salterra is environmental stewardship. Our goal is to not only sustain, but also improve the environment of South Caicos. FortisTCI is a key sustainability partner for our efforts. I must say that when we first evaluated investing in South Caicos, we looked at the power infrastructure on the island. Reliable power is, of course, important for the successful operation of our resort. It was very attractive to us knowing that FortisTCI was the energy provider."
Commenting on the contract signing, FortisTCI President and CEO Ruth Forbes, stated: "We are delighted to welcome Salterra as our 19th UORE partner, and even more thrilled that Salterra embraces sustainability practices, which align with our Company's values. We have worked over the years to prepare for the changing energy landscape and be integral to this change. Our investments in rooftop solar installations, a soon-to-be-commissioned 1.2 MW solar plus battery microgrid on North Caicos to meet 30% of the twin island’s energy demand, and an upcoming 190 kW dc microgrid to power 91% of Salt Cay’s energy needs, are part of our efforts to integrate more sustainable energy. The Company is pleased to work with the Salterra team, and we look forward to even greater collaboration as the project gets underway."
FortisTCI is the country's single largest investor in renewable energy. The Company launched its Utility-owned Renewable Energy Program and Customer-owned Renewable Energy Program in 2015, paving the way for customers to participate in the transition to a more sustainable energy future. Since then, 2.6 megawatts of solar energy have been installed across partner properties. The latest sustainability projects underscore the Company’s mission to diversify the energy mix by the Resilient National Energy Transition Strategy (R-NETS), which targets 33% renewable energy integration by the year 2040. This strategy was developed and agreed with the Turks and Caicos Islands Government in 2019.
NATIONAL SECURITY SECRETARIAT PROVIDES KEY INFORMATION
The Turks and Caicos Islands have clear laws prohibiting the possession of firearms and or ammunition without a licence and strict penalties in order to serve and protect the community.
Our Firearms Ordinance, which was amended in 2022, states that:
No person (other than a licensed gunsmith in the course of his trade) shall have in his possession, discharge or use any firearm or ammunition unless he is the holder of a firearm licence with respect to such firearm, or in case of ammunition, he is the holder of a licence for a firearm which takes that ammunition.
Firearm and/or ammunition offences carry a mandatory minimum custodial sentence of twelve years plus a fine. Where a court finds there are exceptional circumstances, the sentencing judge has discretion, under the law, to impose a custodial sentence and a fair and just fine in each case rather than impose the mandatory minimum.
The Chief Justice is advancing sentencing guidelines regarding the application of exceptional circumstances. Wider work is also ongoing with criminal justice partners to review the efficiency and effectiveness of case progression, in driving justice outcomes.
It is the traveller’s responsibility to ensure their baggage is free of firearms and/or ammunition. Permission from an airline carrier does not constitute permission to bring firearms or ammunition into the Turks and Caicos Islands. Travellers are also
strongly advised to search their luggage before they travel to the Turks and Caicos Islands to ensure they do not bring in forbidden items inadvertently. Such offences will result in arrest.
The Turks and Caicos Islands is a British Overseas Territory with a common law legal system and reserves the right to enforce its laws. All persons, including visitors, must follow the lawful process.
The Turks and Caicos Islands welcomes all visitors but reminds travellers that persons in the Turks and Caicos Islands do not have a constitutional right to carry firearms. Equally,the importation of firearms, ammunition (including stray bullets), and other weapons is strictly forbidden, unless licence to do so has been issued by the Commissioner of Police.
Chinese EV called the Seagull poses a big threat to the US auto industry
Auction house Christie's attempts to sell art and other high-value items worth an estimated $840m (£670m) are being hampered by a cyber attack.
A tiny, low-priced electric car called the Seagull has American automakers and politicians trembling.
The car, launched last year by Chinese automaker BYD, sells for around $12,000 in China, but drives well and is put together with craftsmanship that rivals U.S. electric vehicles that cost three times as much. A shorter-range version costs under $10,000.
Tariffs on imported Chinese vehicles will keep the Seagull out of America for now, and it likely would sell for more than 12 grand if imported.
But the rapid emergence of low-priced EVs from China could shake up the global auto industry in ways not seen since Japanese makers arrived during the oil crises of the 1970s. BYD, which stands for “Build Your Dreams,” could be a nightmare for the U.S. auto industry.
“Any car company that’s not paying attention to them as a competitor is going to be lost when they hit their market,” said Sam Fiorani, a vice president at AutoForecast Solutions near Philadelphia. “BYD’s entry into the U.S. market isn’t an if. It's a when.”
U.S. politicians and manufacturers already see Chinese EVs as a serious threat. The Biden administration on Tuesday is expected to announce 100% tariffs on electric vehicles imported from China, saying they pose a threat to U.S. jobs and national security.
The Alliance for American Manufacturing says in a paper that government subsidized Chinese EVs “could end up being an extinction-level event for the U.S. auto sector.”
Earlier this year, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said Chinese EVs are so good that without trade barriers, “they will pretty much demolish most other car companies in the world.”
Outside of China, EVs are often pricey, aimed at higher-income buyers. But Chinese brands offer affordable options for the masses — just as many governments are encouraging a shift away from gasoline vehicles to fight climate change.
Inside a huge garage near Detroit, a company called Caresoft Global tore apart a Seagull that its China office purchased and shipped to the U.S.
Source- ABC
Christie's £670m art auctions hit by cyber attack
Lots ranging from a Vincent van Gogh painting, valued at $35m, to rare wine are going under the hammer in its spring auctions.
Would-be buyers are unable to view them on its website because it has been taken offline.
The sale of a collection of rare watches - including some owned by Formula 1 star, Michael Schumacher - has been delayed.
Christie's told the BBC it had been targeted in a "technology security incident."
But it said bids could still be placed over the phone and in person, as normal.
"Christie’s has in place well-established protocols and practices, which are regularly tested, to manage such incidents," it said in a statement.
It has also set up an alternative website where basic information about the items due to be sold can be seen.
The outage began last week, but the historic auction house was still able to hold a charity auction for watches on Friday in Geneva, which was itself postponed from its original 2023 date.
The Only Watch auction raised 28m Swiss Francs (£26.4m) to accelerate research into Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Christie's New York auctions will begin on Tuesday with the sale of works owned by art collector Rosa de la Cruz, to be followed by art collections spanning the 20th and 21st centuries.
The 20th-century art collection, itself valued at $500m, includes art by Pablo Picasso, Georgia O'Keefe and Andy Warhol.
And while people cannot use its website, they will still be able to bid online using its Christie's Live service.
Source-BBC
Russian assault opens new front, diverting Ukraine forces as western aid trickles in
Russian troops were locked in intense battles with Ukrainian soldiers around the embattled town of Vovchansk in northeast Ukraine on Monday, pushing ahead with a ground offensive that opened a new front and put more pressure on overstretched Ukrainian forces.
Moscow’s renewed northeast offensive, launched late last week, was the most significant border incursion since the full-scale invasion began. In just two days, Moscow has captured from 38 to 47 square miles. If Ukraine isn’t able to halt Moscow’s advance, it could create conditions for a possible attack on Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city.
The Kremlin’s forces are seeking to divert and distract Ukrainian troops across the 620-mile front line until the next batch of new military aid for Kyiv from the U.S. and European partners arrives on the battlefield in the coming weeks and months, Ukrainian commanders and analysts said. Small batches of U.S. military aid have started to trickle into the front line in the form of much-needed artillery. But it will take at least two months before incoming supplies will meet Kyiv’s needs to hold the line.
Source- ABC
Airbnb offering up a stay at Prince’s Purple Rain house
Prince fans now have a chance to stay in the house featured in his iconic movie Purple Rain.
In connection with the film’s 40th anniversary, Paisley Park and the Prince Estate have teamed up with Airbnb to offer up the home for a once-in-a-lifetime experience as part of Airbnb’s Icons program. It marks the first time the Minneapolis residence, which Prince purchased in 2015, has been open to the public.
The stay will be hosted by Prince's Revolution band members Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman. The guest who books it will get a private tour of the house, which is filled with personal items that belonged to Prince, although he never lived in the property. They’ll also sleep in the same bedroom Prince’s Purple Rain character The Kid slept in, and get to enjoy some rare and special Prince tracks.
“Forty years ago, Prince revolutionized culture with the release of Purple Rain. This year, we continue to honor his enduring legacy and masterpiece with a series of events inspired by Purple Rain," says L Londell McMillan, Prince's former manager and lawyer. “Whether you're a local or a visitor, join us in Minnesota this year for an exclusive opportunity to delve into the genius behind the music.”
More information can be found at Airbnb.com. Reservations open in August.
Source- ABC
LAC economies to grow more than two per cent in 2024
The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) has revised slightly upwards, the growth projection for the economies for Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) countries in 2024.
According to the new estimates, ECLAC forecasts that the region will grow by 2.1 per cent on average this year, with South America growing by 1.6 per cent, Central America and Mexico by 2.7 per cent, and the Caribbean, excluding Guyana, by 2.8 per cent.
It said that the region’s expected expansion in 2024 continues on the path of low economic growth observed in recent years, and the major challenge is how to move towards higher, more dynamic and inclusive growth.
The UN Commission says the region is facing a complex international scenario, characterized by growth in economic activity and global trade that is below their historical averages, along with interest rates that remain high in developed countries, resulting in greater financing costs for emerging countries, including those in the region.
It notes in the domestic arena, the downward trend in inflation has created space for various countries’ central banks to reduce their policy interest rates, generating expectations for a potentially favorable impact on economic activity.
ECLAC said in 2024, global markets will be marked by various risk factors.
Growing geopolitical tensions are leading the world towards a sharp realignment of value chains. In addition, there is a risk that increases in commodity prices could delay the reduction of policy interest rates by the main central banks, with negative effects on global economic growth.
Moreover, if interest rates remained high for more time, they could further increase the vulnerabilities linked to the debt burden that affect numerous emerging and developing economies, as well as the vulnerability of the financial sector in developed countries.
ECLAC had indicated previously that the low growth foreseen in 2024 is not just a circumstantial problem, but rather reflects a decline in the trend growth rate of regional gross domestic product (GDP).
It said the region is experiencing a development crisis characterized by three mutually reinforcing traps: a trap of low growth, a trap of high inequality and low social mobility, and a trap of low institutional capacity and ineffective governance. These traps constrain and limit the attainment of the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda and, therefore, the attainment of inclusive social development.
To invigorate growth, ECLAC has been insisting that the region must increase its productivity and boost investment in physical and human capital.
"To that end, the region must invest both more, and better. This involves adopting new technologies, promoting cluster initiatives and best business practices, fostering deep improvements in the process of capital accumulation, and taking suitable advantage of economies’ social and environmental capital,” ECLAC said.
ECLAC has also identified a portfolio of at least 15 driving or dynamizing sectors for more sustainable and inclusive growth.
It said the region needs to invest in diverse areas that are critical for increasing productivity, infrastructure, telecommunications, digitalization, research and development, significant improvements in health programs, and an adaptation of education systems to respond to the changes that digitalization and automation entail for labor markets.
Source-CMC
Shaw up for WSL Player-of-the-Season honour
Manchester City’s prolific Reggae Girl forward Khadija “Bunny” Shaw is in line for her first-ever Women’s Super League Player-of-the-Season honour after being nominated for the award.
The 27-year-old is joined by City goalkeeper Khiara Keating, the pair having played pivotal roles in putting the club top of the league on 52 points, three clear of defending champions who have a game in hand.
Shaw has netted a league-leading 21 goals in 18 WSL games this season, having scored 22 goals in 25 appearances in all competitions.
Her season ended prematurely late last month, however, when she sustained a broken foot against West Ham and was forced off at half-time, after scoring twice.
She subsequently underwent surgery.
“Gutted to know I suffered a broken foot in the game against West Ham but grateful the surgery went well. The greatest stories are those who defy all odds,” she posted on social networking service, Instagram, following surgery.
Shaw, City’s Player-of-the-Season last year, has enjoyed another stunning campaign with three hat-tricks among her achievements.
She put three past Tottenham in a 7-0 hammering last November, followed up with another in a 4-1 crushing of Everton the following month before completing a third in a 5-1 win over Liverpool.
Shaw became City’s all-time leading goal-scorer this season she scored her 18th goal to overtake Georgia Stanway’s previous mark of 68.
Source-CMC
EU to sign MOU with CDEMA
The European Union will on Wednesday sign a new Memorandum of Understanding on Integrated Disaster Risk Management with several organizations including the Barbados-based Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA).
The MOU will also be signed with the Coordination Centre for the Prevention of Disasters in Central America and Dominican Republic (CEPREDENAC), the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR), and the General Secretariat of the Andean Community (SGCAN), as well as Chile, Cuba, and Mexico.
It is intended to reinforce disaster risk management cooperation and strengthen the existing disaster risk management capacities as well as promote the exchange of knowledge through the sharing of information and training opportunities.
The European Union’s Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarcic, will arrive here for the signing and according to the EU, the signature of the MoU “will be combined with the first High-Level Dialogue on the perspectives and objectives to be established between the two regions within the framework of the Memorandum”.
Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley will address the ceremony which will also be attended by dignitaries from Latin America and the Caribbean.
A technical workshop among the MoU actors will be held within the margins of the high-level event to provide an opportunity to discuss lines of cooperation within and among sub-regions, the broader LAC region, and between the EU and Latin America and the Caribbean Region.
“The parallel events will also provide an opportunity to review advances and contributions to the Regional Action Plan for the Implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction in the Americas and Caribbean 2015-2030,” the EU added.
Source-CMC