Two shark sanctuaries established in the C'bean
Two new shark sanctuaries have now been established in the Cayman Islands and St Maarten to protect endangered marine predators.
During a three day shark conservation meeting in St Maarten, the Cayman Islands and St Marteen declared their territorial waters covering some 119,631 square kilometres closed to all commercial shark fishing.
According to St Maarten's Minister of Tourism Irania Arrindell, the newly declared shark sanctuary will help to ensure that local shark populations "exist for future generations and continue to benefit St Maarten's marine ecosystem and ecotourism."
With these two new protected areas, in place, there are now 14 shark sanctuaries worldwide.
Elsewhere in the Caribbean regional shark and sting ray sanctuaries have been created in The Bahamas, British Virgin Islands, Honduras, Saba and Bonaire.
PDM LEADER ANNOUNCES CONVENTION AND NAMING OF ALL ISLAND CANDIDATES
The PDM will be holding its Annual Convention June 24th and June 25th, 2016 under the theme "VICTORY IS A MUST".
The Convention which is the highest decision making body of the PDM Party will meet to conduct Party business which will include a review of its platform and the general work and administration of the Party.
The PDM Party has been meeting in Convention since 1975 and the Party last year celebrated its 40th Year in its place of birth, the nation's capital. This year the Convention convene in Providenciales.
As the Party gets in gear for its Convention, it is currently completing its selection process for its candidate. Party Leader, Hon Sharlene Cartwright Robinson has stated that, "We are proud to have been a part of such a transparent process which involved people throughout.
Whilst many would have ideas for how we can improve the process going forward, we have introduced many firsts. We have for the first time met with all applicants individually in a Meet The Applicants series of meetings. We then met with each applicant collectively to inform them of the process agreed by the NGC. In the approved process, we have also for the first time conducted an official "Meet the Branch" Tour for all All Island applicants which will conclude this week. The Party, has already stated on many occasions publicly, that it will conduct surveys within the various constituencies.
As Leader I am pleased with the process which we feel is transparent and people centered. The Candidates Committee will meet to agree recommendations to be presented to the NGC.
The Party has agreed that all five All Island Candidates will be presented at this year's Convention and this announcement will take place during the Opening Night of Convention. The second day will see Party business conducted. We look forward to this important time together."
GSAT SEES HIGHER PASSES IN 2016
The Deputy Premier, and Minister of Education, Youth, Sport and Library Service, the Hon. Akierra Missick, yesterday announce that a total of 417 students representing the ten (10) public primary schools and eleven (11) private primary schools in the Turks and Caicos Islands, wrote the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) on May 25 and 26, 2016.
The test consists of five papers: English Language Paper 1, English Language Paper 2, Mathematics, Science and the General Paper.
Students must obtain an overall average of 50% fifty percent from a total of five hundred and twenty five (525) marks:
English Language Paper 1 - 140 marks
English Language Paper 2 - 60 marks
Mathematics - 125 marks
Science - 100 marks
General Paper - 100 marks.
The 2016 results indicate that a total of three hundred and thirteen (313) or 75.1% of the students obtained fifty percent or higher. This is a rise in the pass rate from 2015 which was 72.1.
Hon Akierra Missick stated; "It is a clear indication that our primary school age students are continuously raising the bar in their academic achievements; but with a near 3% percent increase in a 12 month period, also indicates we have the best educators in the region, if not the world. I am very pleased with these results, and note that more work will be done by the Department of Education and our school administrators, to ensure each year we have such stellar increases in passes at GSAT."
The Minister gave the nation the top 10 students in the HOA.
TCI Weather Forecast
TCI: PARTLY SUNNY AND HOT WITH A FEW SHOWERS OR ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE BECOMING FAIR AND WARM AT NIGHT WITH THE SLIGHT CHANCE OF ISOLATED SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS
WINDS: SOUTHEAST TO SOUTH AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS BUT FALLING LIGHT AND VARIABLE AT TIMES.
SEAS: 2 TO 4 FEET OVER THE OCEAN.
HIGH TEMPERATURE: 90°F 32°C LOW TEMPERATURE: 74°F 24°C
Flow Counts Down – 50 Days to Rio 2016 Olympic Games
The magic will begin 50 days from now, and Flow Sports – the Home of Sports in the Caribbean – is all set to deliver the most comprehensive coverage of the Olympic Games the people of the region have ever seen.
As the ‘official Broadcast Partner of Rio 2016 Olympic Games,’ Flow PRO told RTC Sports that they are the only provider to offer a high definition, multi-channel, multi-platform Olympic experience to the more than 7 million people across the 15 Caribbean markets.
Beginning on August 5th, sports fans can catch the live Olympic programming on Flow that, on average, will run from 8:00am to 8:00pm ET until the Games wrap up on August 21st.
“We are excited that today marks just 50 days until the magic of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games begins,” said John Reid, CEO of Cable and Wireless. “As the official telecom partner to the Caribbean Association of National Olympics Committees (CANOC), we will deliver the highest-quality HD broadcast of the Games across multiple platforms, enabling our customers to view the games not only on TV but on their mobile devices, so they can catch the magic of the games whenever and wherever they want.”
As the countdown continues and the excitement builds, Flow will roll out a series of Olympics consumer promotions. In fact, Flow has already launched a regional “text-to-win” competition, giving customers from across the region the chance to win the “Ultimate Rio 2016 Olympic Games Tour.” Six lucky winners will be recipients of the Gold Tour Package, which includes tickets for two to the men’s and women's 100 metre finals among other Olympic events plus guided tours of Rio de Janeiro.
KNIGHTS LEADS THE POLICE IN THE PABA
An undermanned Police badgers fell on the edge of the sword of the Knights last Saturday in Game 2 of the PABA finals.
The Knights trounced the police badgers 101-77 in a blowout game. Peterson SYLVAIN scored 24 points took 2 Rebounds while Saundro Germain contributed 16 points & 5 Rebounds.
Also contributing was Kijana Doughty added 11 points, 12 Rebounds and had 3 steals while Dwaine Simmons chipped in 19 points and 6 Rebounds for the Police.
On the other side of the floor Melvin Elsie led the way for the Knights with 35 points, 4 assists & 5 steals. Mike Cumberland added 6 points, 12 Rebs plus 5 assists, Harry Cooper dished out 21 points and 7 Rebounds, Andujar Gardiner netted 16 points with 4 Rebounds and Mark Handfield added the icing on the cake with 10 points & 9 Rebounds for the Knights.
It's a win or go home situation for the Police badgers or the knights can call checkmate as they have removed the Police’s pawns off the board and could win the PABA l 2016 trophy.
Games will continue this Friday night at the Gus Lightbourne center.
Body of a two-year-old boy Attacked by an Alligator Recovered
Florida rescuers have recovered the body of a two-year-old boy attacked by an alligator on the edge of a manmade lake at a Disney resort hotel, authorities said Wednesday.
His body was completely intact... The body has now been turned over to the Orange County medical office for an autopsy," Sheriff Jerry Demings told reporters.
The boy was dragged underwater late Tuesday by the gator, despite his father's desperate attempts to save him.
Iran Sues US Over Frozen Assets
Iran has filed a lawsuit with the International Court of Justice to recover $2 billion worth of assets frozen in the United States.
Iran's President Hassan Rouhani made the announcement in remarks Wednesday on state television. The tribunal also confirmed that the suit was filed, on Tuesday.
The U.S. Supreme Court announced in April that the frozen funds would be used to compensate the victims and families of victims of the 1983 bombing of a U.S. Marine barracks in Lebanon, and other attacks that have been linked to Iran.
Iran has denied any role in the attacks and rejected the court ruling, calling it theft.
Iran's claim says the U.S. legal proceedings violate a 1955 "treaty of amity" between the two countries that covers economic relations and consular rights. It has called on the United States to make full reparations to Tehran for violating its "legal obligations."
More than 1,000 Americans have joined a suit blaming Iran for providing material support to Hezbollah, the Shi'ite Islamic military group behind the Beirut bombing and the bombing of Saudi Arabia's Khobar Towers in 1996.
White House to Commit $220 Million to Supporting Ukraine
The White House plans to commit $220 million to Ukraine in support of economic, political, and energy reforms, Vice President Biden said in a meeting with Ukraine's Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman Wednesday.
"The Vice President expressed strong support for the prime minister's ambitious reform efforts and commended him for the bold reform steps his Cabinet has already taken in its initial two months in office," the White House said in a statement.
The Vice President also expressed deep concern about the rise of separatists in Eastern Ukraine, supported by Russia, urging Ukraine to fully implement the Minsk agreements, a cease-fire accord designed to end fighting between Ukraine’s government and the country’s pro-Russian rebels in the east.
Biden also assured Groysman that sanctions against Russia would not be lifted until it fully implemented the accord.
Since Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine, the U.S. and EU have imposed several rounds of asset freezes, travel bans and other penalties on Russia.
President Obama Set to Visit Orlando Following Mass Shooting
Following the worst mass shooting in American history and the deadliest attack in the United States since 9/11, President Obama and Vice President Biden travelled earlier to Orlando today to meet with the families of victims and first responders in the Orlando community.
Forty-nine people were murdered in Sunday’s early morning massacre and the President will offer his solace to those victims’ families. He also thinks it crucial to meet with survivors.
At Wednesday’s White House briefing, Josh Earnest said that “the profound sense of survivors’ guilt that some people are expressing is painful just to read and I think it is important for the President of the United States, on behalf of the country, to show his support for these families and for these individuals.”
Earnest spoke about the emotional toll of these events on the President, who has frequently traveled to the affected areas following catastrophes and attacks. “It would be impossible for him to not be personally affected by these kinds of conversations and these kinds of interactions," he said. "I think the President in the past has indicated that he draws on his faith as he considers fulfilling these kinds of responsibilities."
Obama is expected to meet with Republican Florida Governor Rick Scott, a supporter of GOP presumptive nominee Donald Trump. Scott has complained in recent days that the President has not directly called him, even as he has reportedly received calls from presumptive Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump and former President George W. Bush.