GOVERNOR REMEMBERS THE CRIMES AGINST MARY PRINCE - AND DESCRIBES MODERN DAY SLAVERY ACROSS THE GLOBE
The Governor Peter Beckingham described the account by a slave on Grand Turk, Mary Prince, as one of the most significant events involving Turks and Caicos, in his address at the Emancipation day service at St. Thomas Church, Grand Turk on Monday 1 August.
The Governor stated: “Mary Prince’s description of her shocking treatment on Grand Turk for nearly ten years as a salt worker, had a major impact on attempts to ban slavery in the UK, Europe and the United States. Her account repays rereading for its moving impact and descriptions of what was one of the worse crimes committed against human beings.
“But sadly, despite the end of slavery from Africa to the Americas, the world still permits an horrendous amount of “Modern Day Slavery” across numerous countries and continents” the Governor continued. “There are estimates that there are still as many as 45M people affected by one sort of slavery or another, ranging from the sea industry, where thousands of workers are impelled to work in dreadful conditions, especially in Asia, to the sex exploitation industry, common in hundreds of countries, and awful practice of forced begging, especially among children, which I have certainly witnessed firsthand.
“Regrettably, the UK is still not immune from some of these practices” , the Governor said “and our new Prime Minister Theresa May announced this weekend a new campaign to dry and drive out modern day slavery from Britain, where there are estimates of over 10,000 people affected. These are people working in brothels, on construction sites, nail bars, cannabis farms and in agriculture.
The Governor concluded: “TCI has of course a far smaller population, but I hope that anyone who has any concerns about modern day slavery here will alert the Human Rights Commission or the Police Force. It would be an injustice to Mary Prince to allow her memory to be scarred by the continuation of practices outlawed over 200 years ago.”
The Governor ended by reading a passage from Mary Prince’s book, which he said he had first read in Bermuda earlier this year: of her slave master she says: “nothing could touch his hard heart – neither sighs, nor tears, nor prayers, nor streaming blood: he was deaf to our cries, and careless of our sufferings.”
VICTORY FOR TCIG IN JUDICIAL REVIEW
Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands, Thursday July 28, 2016
Victory was recorded for the Turks and Caicos Islands Government this week, when Chief Justice Margaret Ramsey-Hale awarded a favourable judgment in the Supreme Court in respect to a judicial review that was initially filed by the plaintiffs, developers of the Venetian and the Tuscany resorts, back in 2015.
Her Ladyship Chief Justice Ramsey-Hale noted in her judgement that the question of whether or not the Governor in Cabinet could lawfully amend regulations or policy was not a matter for the judiciary to decide but that the intent of a review was to ensure that due process was followed and that the Government had duly considered the possible environmental impacts that such amendments could have and that the evidence before her demonstrated that it had.
The nearly year-long dispute arose amidst the announcement by Cabinet that it had made amendments to the planning policy to increase the permissible height of apartments, condominiums and hotel buildings and increasing the density of the number of bedrooms per acre and based on the type of development in certain areas on Providenciales.
The arguments put forth by the developers of the sister properties located in Leeward Providenciales were that their properties would be adversely affected by the Government's amendments to the policy and they further accused the Government of not holding widespread stakeholder consultations prior to making the decision to increase the permissible height and density of tourism related development.
However, the Government was and remains satisfied that consultation was in fact widespread and that interested persons were given ample opportunities and means to communicate and engage with the Government on the proposed amendments via stakeholder meetings, email, letters as well as through public town hall meetings.
The Premier, Hon. Dr. Rufus W. Ewing on receiving the judgement remarked, "while this is a victorious day for the Government and indeed the people of these islands, who have waited long enough and are deserving of the many opportunities that development brings, I must also register my displeasure with the amount of resources that have had to be utilized to defend the Government's position.
"I would like to register my government's gratitude to the technical support teams in the planning department and the Ministry of Infrastructure, Housing and Planning, and the Attorney General's Chambers and outside counsel Helen Mountfield QC for their diligence and dedication in this matter."
NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL CONSIDERS CCTV AND RADAR PROTECTION
The Governor, Premier, Police Commissioner, Minister for Border Control and Attorney General held their fifth meeting of the National Security Council on Tuesday 26 July. They agreed to recommend to Cabinet an RFP as soon as possible for the first phase of closed circuit television cameras in Providenciales and Grand Turk. They noted the value of systems in other jurisdictions, and proposed that a steering group be formed as soon as possible, chaired by the Director of the Premier's Office, to take forward proposals, including considering possible private sector collaboration. They noted that it would be necessary for the AG to consider the need for some data protection legislation.
Members of the Council also discussed the radar detection centre, and the need to collaborate with the RTCI Police Force, especially after the acquisition of new high-speed vessels, and possibly drones, for the protection of TCI's borders. The Council agreed to recommend to Cabinet that, to ensure as effective a detection unit as possible, members of the existing team should be transferred to become members of the Police staff under the direction of the Commissioner once the appropriate administrative steps have been taken.
The Council will invite members of the wider NSC Advisory Group to a meeting soon in Providenciales.
36-year-old Sherrington McIntosh Sentenced to 8years Imprisonment
On today’s date (Friday 29th July 2016) in the Supreme Court of Providenciales, 36-year-old Sherrington McIntosh of Five Cays who was found guilty on Monday 20th June 2016 for False Imprisonment, Burglary and Common Assault was sentenced to 8years imprisonment.
It was on Thursday 3rd December 2015 at 4am the complainant contacted station and reported that McIntosh was trying to burglarize her home. When police arrived at the scene located in Kew Town Providenciales, McIntosh who had already gained entrance into the house, slapped the complainant and held her and her 10 months old daughter hostage while making threats to burn the house with a gas tank and matches in his possession. After several hours of negotiation with officers, he agreed to come out of the house and freed the victims.
He was immediately arrested and later charged with the offences mentioned.
Mr. McIntosh was sentenced to two (2) years Imprisonment for Common Assault, five (5) years for Burglary and eight (8) years for False Imprisonment. They will run concurrently.
Prior to committing the offences above, he was bound over to keep the peace for two (2) years for a previous Assault Occasioning Actual Bodily Harm offence. Due to him breaching that order he was fined $1,000.
Usain Bolt named in Rio 2016 Jamaica squad after injury scare
Usain Bolt will defend both his Olympic 100m and 200m titles and the 4x100m relay title after being named in the Jamaica team for Rio 2016.
There had been worries over his participation after he injured a hamstring at the national trials.
The six-time Olympic champion - who is the 100m and 200m world record holder - is part of a 63-strong Jamaica team.
Bolt, 29, was one of four athletes to be given a medical exemption to make the squad.
He has yet to prove his fitness but confirmed on Friday he would compete at the Anniversary Games in London on 22 July.
Bolt sustained his injury - a grade-one tear - during the first round of the 100m in Kingston and withdrew after winning his semi-final.
Italian mafia boss Bernardo Provenzano, 83, dies in jail
Italian mafia boss Bernardo Provenzano has died in jail, aged 83.
Provenzano, dubbed "The Tractor" for his ruthless trait of mowing people down, was arrested and jailed in 2006 after spending 43 years on the run.
He was said to have taken over command of the Sicilian Mafia after the 1993 arrest of ex-boss Salvatore "Toto" Riina.
Provenzano was serving a life term for several murders, including the killing of two judges in 1992.
He was suffering from bladder cancer and serious cognitive impairment and had spent the last two years in a hospital ward, Italian media report.
His illnesses had forced the suspension of ongoing negotiations with the state over unresolved crimes.
David Cameron prepares to hand over to Theresa May
David Cameron will leave Downing Street for the final time as PM later, with Theresa May waiting to replace him.
Mr Cameron will face his last Prime Minister's Questions in the Commons, before heading to Buckingham Palace to tender his resignation to the Queen.
He told the Daily Telegraph: "As I leave today, I hope that people will see a stronger country. It has been a privilege to serve the country I love."
The contest began when Mr Cameron, who has been prime minister since 2010, announced he would step down after losing the EU referendum in June.
Mr Cameron told the Telegraph: "I came into Downing Street to confront our problems as a country and lead people through difficult decisions so that together we could reach better times.
"As I leave today, I hope that people will see a stronger country, a thriving economy, and more chances to get on in life."
At midday Mr Cameron, who has said he plans to continue as MP for Witney in Oxfordshire, will face Prime Minister's Questions for the 182nd and final time as PM - his 319th in total as Tory leader.
Later, after the PM has tendered his resignation to the Queen, Mrs May will have her own visit to Buckingham Palace, when she will accept the monarch's offer to form a new government.
She will return to No 10 as the country's second female prime minister, following in the footsteps of Margaret Thatcher.
Mrs May is expected to briefly address the nation before getting down to the work of putting together her government - with key appointments set to be announced as early as this evening.
International News 13th July, 2016
St Lucia opposition warns gov’t against victimising supporters
CASTRIES, St Lucia — The main opposition St Lucia Labour Party (SLP) yesterday said it would take very seriously, its role in the new parliament and called on the Allen Chastanet government to ensure that people who voted in favour of the party in the last general election are not victimised.
Opposition Leader Philip J Pierre, speaking at his first news conference since the SLP lost the June 6 general elections to the United Workers Party (UWP), told reporters that the party is “fully cognizant of the weight of the responsibility which we now carry and we have no intention of failing in our duty to the people of our country”.
But he said the party intends to protect its supporters against any form of victimisation by the new government.
“These equal sons and daughters of St Lucia require that we protect their interest and safeguard them against victimisation and other hardships that the government may try to inflict on them because of their political affiliation, or because they reside in constituencies represented by SLP parliamentarians,” said Pierre who was flanked by other SLP officials.
A notable absentee was former prime minister, Dr Kenny Anthony, who was reported to be out of the country.
Pierre told reporters that St Lucia is already feeling the impact of the decision by Britain to leave the European Union saying it is beginning to have a negative effect on the island’s economic outlook.
Source: CMC
All students to sit technical subject in June 2017 exam
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Come June 2017, all high school students will be required to sit a technical or vocational subject in their exit examinations.
Those subjects will be done in conjunction with four others, including mathematics and English language.
Chief Education Officer in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Dr Grace McLean, made the disclosure at the graduation ceremony for Career Advancement Programme (CAP) students at the Institute of International Recognised Qualifications (IIRQ) in Kingston.
She noted that the objective is to prepare high school leavers for the world of work. She noted that industry is seeking more skilled workers in areas such as information and communication technology (ICT), including animation, gaming, and web design, among others.
“The Government believes that education harnesses the creative and intellectual prowess of the Jamaican people and is the way forward in getting the nation to compete effectively in a modern, globalised economy,” she said.
Nearly 190 learners graduated during the ceremony held at the Mona Visitors’ Lodge, St Andrew, on July 7.
They were equipped with skills in areas such as construction, engineering, food preparation, culinary arts, and business and will be certified by the London-based City and Guilds.
Dr McLean commended the graduates and urged them to remain focused and be agents of change wherever they go.
Source: JIS
India Dalit couple hacked to death over miniscule debt
A man from India's Dalit community has been beheaded and his wife hacked to death after a row over a 15 rupees (22 cents; 16 pence) debt in Uttar Pradesh state. Police said the couple were murdered by an upper caste grocer on Thursday when they told him they needed time to pay for biscuits they had bought from him. The grocer has been arrested. Dalits, formerly known as untouchables, form the lowest rung of India's caste hierarchy. Police told the Press Trust of India news agency the incident took place in Mainpuri district early on Thursday as the couple were on their way to work. They were stopped by Ashok Mishra, the owner of a village grocery, who demanded that the couple pay the money for three packets of biscuits that they had bought for their three children a few days ago, reports say.