PUBLIC FORECAST
THIS IS THE FORECAST FOR THE BAHAMAS FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT, THURSDAY 11TH AUGUST 2016
GENERAL SITUATION: THE COMBINATION OF AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH AND SURFACE LOW PRESSURE CONTINUES TO CREATE UNSETTLED WEATHER OVER THE BAHAMAS
FOR ALL AREAS
WEATHER: PARTLY CLOUDY TO CLOUDY WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS, MILD TONIGHT WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS
ADVISORY: SMALL C RAFT CAUTION REMAINS IN EFFEC FOR THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS
WINDS: EAST TO SOUTHEAST AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS IN THE NORTHWEST AND CENTRAL BAHAMAS AND EAST TO SOUTH-SOUTHEAST AT 15 TO 20 KNOTS IN THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS
SEAS RUNNING: 2 TO 4 FEET IN THE NORTHWEST AND CENTRAL BAHAMAS AND 4 TO 6 FEET IN THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS
DAYTIME HIGH TEMPERATURE IN NASSAU 91F 33C
OVERNITE LOW TEMPERATURE IN NASSAU 77F 25C
SUNSET AT 7.47 PM AND SUNRISE AT 6.43 AM FRIDAY
MOONSET AT 1.34 AM FRIDAY AND MOONRISE AT 2.14 PM FRIDAY
LOW TIDE AT 9.28 PM AND HIGH TIDE AT 3.04 AM FRIDAY
WEATHER OUTLOOK: PARTLY SUNNY TOMORROW WITH FEWER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS, INCREASING WINDS AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OVER THE AREA
TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK: TROPICAL CYCLONE FOMATION NOT EXPECTED THROUGH THE WEEKEND
THE END
N.A/M.M=SD
Mrs Lormeka Williams, the Director of the TCI Red Cross, has been awarded a Chevening Scholarship
The Governor’s Office is pleased to announce that Mrs Lormeka Williams, the Director of the TCI Red Cross, has been awarded a prestigious Chevening Scholarship for the 2016/17 academic year to study a Masters degree in Conservation Biology at the University of Kent in the UK starting in September. The award was presented to Mrs Williams by His Excellency the Governor, Peter Beckingham, at Waterloo on 10 August.
Chevening Scholarships to study in the UK are awarded globally each year to outstanding individuals with leadership potential who are committed to contribute to the future development of their home countries, in Mrs Williams case the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Mrs Williams previously worked closely with international organisations such as Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Darwin Project and the United Kingdom Overseas Territories Conservation Forum on various conservation projects and initiatives. During her tenure as Director of the TCI Red Cross she assisted in the implementation of the Disaster Risk Reduction Programme which reaches out to vulnerable communities helping them to prepare and become more resilient and able to respond to disasters.
Commenting on the award, Mrs Williams said:
“I am so happy to have been awarded the Chevening Scholarship and to have been given the opportunity to not only further my studies but to represent my country on an international level. I am looking forward to meeting and learning from other Chevening Scholars and sharing my knowledge and experience with them.”
The Governor, Peter Beckingham, said, “It is to Lormeka’s great credit that she receives this prestigious scholarship. I’m sure that she will use her experience for the benefit of the Turks and Caicos Islands when she returns to the islands, and I hope that everyone in TCI will be proud of her achievement.”
The deadline for submitting applications for Chevening Scholarhips for 2017/18 is 8 November 2016. All eligible people are encouraged to apply. For more Information, Contact the Chevening Officer- Mr Neville Misick.
Email: Neville.misick@fco.gov.uk
Telephone: +1649 -916-2308/9
TCI and Cayman Launch New Civil Service Partnership
As a part of the Office of the Deputy Governor's vision to improve service delivery across government, Deputy Governor Anya Williams accompanied by the Director of her office Mr. Tito Lightbourne and Human Resources Director Mr. Mark Greenway visited the Cayman Islands during the week commencing August 8th, 2016 to launch a new partnership for training, professional development and performance management with the sister UK overseas territory.
During the course of the visit the Deputy Governor and her team had the opportunity to engage with Deputy Governor Franz Manderson and his team including Chief Operating Officer Gloria McField-Nixon on possible areas of mutual interest and how both territories could work to improve the services that their agencies provide to the general public.
Commenting on the visit Deputy Governor Manderson said; "It was a privilege and pleasure to welcome the Deputy Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands to the Cayman Islands. We are working together to improve the performance of our respective civil services so that we can deliver high quality services to our customers and look forward to great successes."
Deputy Governor Williams was pleased to visit Cayman and to formally launch such a partnership. She stated; "DG Manderson and I were appointed during the same period as both our territories have been undergoing a series of reform programs throughout the years, we both have continuously led over the years in delivering presentations in the UK and elsewhere on the successes of our reform programs.
“Following on from the voluntary severance program in the Turks and Caicos we have spent a considerable amount of time during the past few years in focusing on rebuilding the civil service by ensuring that departments were properly staffed and equipped with the resources needed to carry out their jobs, including improvements in pay and infrastructure and whilst there is still some work to be done in this area, our new vision will focus on rebranding the civil service and on improving our customer service delivery.
"This will be done by continuing to focus on staff training and professional development and by ensuring that proper performance management systems are put in place. The Cayman Islands has been of great assistance to us in the past in providing training for our social services and other staff and we look forward to a further enhanced partnership."
Evanson Walkin Plead Guilty
20 year-old Evanson Walkin plead guilty in the Supreme Court
After a two-day trial, Evanson Walkin, who was arrested and charged with two (2) counts of Carrying Imitation Firearm to cause fear and Aggravated Burglary changed his not guilty plea to guilty on all counts.
It was around 12 AM on Saturday 26th September 2015, a nine (9) year-old male child and his 25-year-old sister was walking home from a store in Five Cays Providenciales when Mr. Evanson Walkin began following them. Upon reaching home, Mr. Walkin who appeared to be under the influence of alcohol started behaving aggressively by making used of indecent language, forced himself into the home of the complainant. While inside, the complainant sister asked him to leave, but he refused to do so. Instead, he grabbed her by the arm, dragged her to the floor and place a curtain over her head.
When the 9-year-old tried to assist his sister by asking Evanson to stop, he (Evanson) took what appeared to be an orange flare gun from his waist and placed it on the right eye of the child and threaten to push him outside and kill him.
The child got frightened and started screaming as he ran outside crying and shaking with fear. Mr. Walkin followed him and began beating him. While doing so, a neighbor saw what was happening asked him to leave the little boy alone. He then pointed the flare gun at the neighbor and told her he would kill her as well.
He then fled the scene.
As a result of this, around 12 PM the next day, the accused was seen at his home in Five Cays and was arrested and later Charged.
He is remanded until sentencing on the 11th October 2016 at 9:30 am.
Sharonna Walkin of Blue Hills Pleads Guilty
39-year-old woman pleads guilty to a charge of Wasteful Employment of Police.
Sharonna Walkin of Blue Hills Providenciales who was arrested last week (Wednesday 3rd August 2016) with wasteful employment of police, plead guilty today in the Magistrate's Court.
The charge stem from a report that she made around 8am on Saturday 25th June 2016, stating that a man known to her, beat her about the body, pointed a gun at her and made threats to shoot her. After arresting and charging the man, the woman told officers that the report she made was false. She was then charged and taken before the Magistrate.
After her guilty plea, she gave the Magistrate a lengthy reason why she made such false report on the man.
Her mitigation was taken into consideration before sentencing and was fined $1500 by the 10th September 2016 or 90 days imprisonment if she fails to pay the penalty.
According to sections 6 (2) of the Criminal Law Ordinance Chapter 3.01, “ Where a person causes any wasteful employment of any police officer, knowingly making to any person a false report tending to show that an offence has been committed, or to give rise to the apprehension for the safety of any person or property, or tending to show that he has information material to any police inquiry, he or she shall be liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for six (6) months or to a fine of $2,000 or both imprisonment and fine.
BAHAMAS PUBLIC FORECAST
BAHAMAS PUBLIC FORECAST FOR TONIGHT AND TOMORROW WEDNESDAY 10TH AUGUST 2016
GENERAL SITUATION: THE SURFACE RIDGE WILL BEGIN TO GRADUALLY LIFT NORTHWARDS TONIGHT AS A SURFACE TROUGH EXTENDING ACROSS THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS TO THE SOUTH OF ANDROS CONTINUE TO SUPPORT SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WHILE THE NORTHERN PART OF A TROPICAL WAVE WILL ENTER THE VICINITY OF THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS BY TOMORROW.
SPECIAL WARNINGS: BEACHGOERS IN THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION DUE TO THE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS MAINLY ALONG THE NORTHERN AND EASTERN SHORELINES.
NORTHWEST AND CENTRAL BAHAMAS
WEATHER: VARIABLY CLOUDINESS, WARM AND HUMID WITH WIDELY SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH TOMORROW.
ADVISORY: SMALL CRAFT SHOULD BE ALERT FOR GUSTY WINDS AND HIGH SEAS IN OR NEAR HEAVY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS.
WINDS: EAST TO SOUTHEAST AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS, FALLING LIGHT AND VARIABLE AT TIMES OVER OPEN WATERS.
SEAS: 2 TO 4 FEET OVER THE OCEAN.
SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS
WEATHER: FAIR AND WARM WITH THE CHANCE OF BRIEF PASSING SHOWERS TONIGHT. PARTLY SUNNY, HOT AND A BIT BREEZY WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TOMORROW.
ADVISORY: SMALL CRAFT CAUTION REMAINS IN EFFECT.
WINDS: EASTERLY AT 15 TO 20 KNOTS OVER OPEN WATERS.
SEAS: 4 TO 6 FEET OVER THE OCEAN.
OVERNITE LOW TEMPERATURE: 79°F 26°C
DAYTIME HIGH TEMPERATURE: 93°F 34°C
SUNSET: 7:48PM
SUNRISE: 6:42AM THUR
MOONSET: 12:53AM THUR
MOONRISE: 2:14PM THUR
LOW TIDE: 8:30PM 8:37AM THUR
HIGH TIDE: 2:20AM THUR 3:04PM THUR
TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK: A BROAD AREA OF LOW PRESSURE LOCATED JUST SOUTHWEST OF MOBILE, ALABAMA, CONTINUES TO PRODUCE A LARGE AREA OF CLOUDINESS AND DISORGANIZED THUNDERSTORMS OVER MUCH OF THE NORTH-CENTRAL AND NORTHEASTERN GULF OF MEXICO AND ADJACENT LAND AREAS. LITTLE OR NO DEVELOPMENT EXPECTED DUE TO UNFAVORABLE UPPER-LEVEL WINDS AND ITS PROXIMITY TO LAND. TROPICAL CYCLONE FORMATION CHANCE THROUGH 48 HOURS IS LOW.
FORECASTER: ORSON NIXON/sc/cwr
Zika Virus Now In Bahamas
MINISTRY OF HEALTH - Security Message: Zika Virus Reported in the Bahamas
The Turks and Caicos Islands Government wishes to advise travellers that the Center for Disease Control (CDC) has added the Commonwealth of the Bahamas to its advisories regarding the Zika Virus.
The status of Zika in the Turks and Caicos Islands remains the same with five confirmed cases, two of which are suspected to be due to country transmission. The Ministry of Health, Agriculture and Human Services continues to ramp up its efforts in minimizing the spread of Zika and will continue to provide updates to the public on the status of the virus in Turks and Caicos on an ongoing basis.
The Ministry of Health, Agriculture and Human Services continues to advise residents especially those who are pregnant on travel to Zika confirmed destinations especially the frequently visited islands of the neighboring Caribbean countries, parts of Miami and now the Bahamas. Should travel be necessary residents are advised to take extra precaution to minimize exposure to mosquitoes and mosquito bites.
Residents returning from these Zika affected destinations are being asked to visit their health care provider should they experience any symptoms suggestive of Zika virus infections which can include fever, rash, joint pains, red eyes, headaches and muscle pains, however most infected persons will not experience symptoms.
The Ministry of Health, Agriculture and Human Services can be contacted for additional information.
UK top for online drug sales in Europe
UK-based drug dealers earn more money online than any of their European rivals, research suggests. In January, British dealers made $2.2m (£1.7m) in web sales, with a 16% share of the global online drugs market. However, US dealers had a 36% share of the online market and took home $5m (£3.8m). Commissioned by the Netherlands government, research company Rand Europe trawled the eight largest drug marketplaces on the dark web. These online shopping sites can be accessed only using a specialised web browser, and do not show up in mainstream search engine results. Rand Europe found the number of drug deals taking place on the dark web had tripled since 2013, when police in the US closed Silk Road - one of the first online drugs marketplaces.
US election: Anger over Donald Trump gun rights remarks
Republican Donald Trump has sparked anger by appearing to suggest his supporters could stop his rival Hillary Clinton by exercising their gun rights. He said that Mrs Clinton would put liberal justices on the Supreme Court if she wins the presidency in November, threatening gun ownership rights. Speaking at a rally in North Carolina, Mr Trump hinted that gun rights advocates could stop her taking power. That sparked an online backlash, many accusing him of inciting violence. He replied that he was only urging gun rights supporters to vote in large numbers. But House Speaker Paul Ryan, the highest-ranked elected Republican, called it an inappropriate joke. The remarks that sparked the firestorm were made at a rally in Wilmington, yesterday afternoon. The Republican presidential nominee said of his Democratic opponent: "Hillary wants to abolish, essentially abolish the Second Amendment. By the way, and if she gets to pick her judges, nothing you can do, folks. "But the Second Amendment people, maybe there is, I don't know."
Wendy's sales hit by cheaper US grocery prices
Burger chain Wendy's has reported lower-than-expected sales as more consumers decided to eat at home. Sales at stores open for at least 15 months rose by 0.4%. Analysts had expected 1.9% growth.
Lower food prices helped Wendy's cut costs, but cheaper groceries were also encouraging more people to cook. Profits for the second quarter fell $13.7m to $26.5m (£20.3m) compared with the same period last year.
Total sales at Wendy's restaurants fell 22% to $382.7m. Todd Penegor, the chain's chief executive, said: "The most notable driver behind the sales slowdown appears to be the continued gap between cost of eating at home and cost of dining out, which is now at its widest point since the recession."
The slide in sales at Wendy's reflects broader problems in the fast food industry, which is increasingly regarded by consumers as unhealthy. McDonald's, Dunkin' Donuts and Starbucks have all posted lower sales in recent quarters.
'Fast casual' competition
New competitors in the fast food market and consumers' growing desire for healthier options have also caused problems for many in the industry. When people do eat out they are increasing turning to "fast casual" chains that offer a more upmarket experience.
Stephen Dutton, consumer foodservice analyst at Euromonitor, said: "Consumers have a little more disposable income and they are willing to trade up for more premium option, which has driven a demand for new players like Shake Shack and Chipotle."
Newer operators such as Shake Shack and bakery chain Panera are offering what many customers regard as a better choice, despite their higher prices. Shake Shack reports earning after markets close on Wednesday.
Fast food restaurants are also feeling pressure from increases in the minimum wage which have been introduced in several US cities. A growing number of chains are trying out new menu items and discounts in a bid to attract customers.