Machel Montano to receive keys to Kingston, Jamaica
Trinidadian soca star Machel Montano will be honoured with a Key to the City of Kingston on Sunday.
Montano will be honoured as Jamaica celebrates 61 years of independence on Sunday.
The event – the Independence Grand Gala, will be one of the pivotal moments of the independence celebrations.
Members of the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) gave full approval to the request from Education Minister, Olivia “Babsy” Grange, that Montano be honoured.
“Be it resolved that the Key to the City of Kingston be conferred on Mr Machel Jesus Montano, in recognition of his sterling, awesome and iconic career in music, which has positively influenced many adoring fans across the Caribbean and the world, including many Jamaicans who continue to enjoy his enduring legacy,” stated a resolution passed by the council.
It was tabled by Government councillor Susan Senior and seconded by councillor Kari Douglas, both of whom were convinced of its approval, especially those who have experienced Montano’s local performances.
“When you hear soca music, you just want to jump. Soca is sweet… together we join together in a special way for a special moment,” she said, as she hailed Montano’s courtesy and encouragement and love for music.
Meanwhile, the head of the main Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) caucus in the council, Andrew Swaby and fellow PNP councillor Audrey Smith-Facey, both admitted that they saw nothing wrong with Montano being honoured for his achievements as a soca star, but were concerned about how approvals were untimely.
“I was a soca queen, and Montana was my favourite soca person, but it is saddening to know that while we try to operate in a professional manner, which I think that they should honour, they just chuck this on us at the last minute,” she said.
Source- Loop Caribbean News
Early Morning Interception
One Hundred and Forty-Eight Illegal Migrants were intercepted at sea.
Marine Branch Officers of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force were dispatched.
today (August 04th) following reports that a suspicious vessel was seen making its way towards
Providenciales.
Acting on the information received, at around 3:14 a.m., the officers, via the Sea Protector
vessel, intercepted an illegal sloop, six point seven miles southeast of Providenciales.
The illegal migrant vessel was found carrying a total of ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY-
EIGHT (148) illegal migrants- THIRTY FEMALES (30); and ONE HUNDRED AND
EIGHTEEN (118) MALES.
The illegal migrants were handed over to the Immigration Task Force for processing.
The RTCIPF can confirm, the following statistical data for the year (August 04th):
Number of Interceptions: Twenty-Three (23)
Number of Males: Two Thousand Four Hundred and Eight (2408)
Number of Females: Six Hundred and Twenty-Two (622)
Total number of Illegal Migrants: Three Thousand and Thirty (3030)
Included in the 3030 figure are TWENTY-ONE CHILDREN.
Lizzo's future is hanging in the balance
No stranger to the subject of fat shaming, the singer - whose real name is real name, Melissa Viviane Jefferson - has been credited with changing the narrative around plus-size women, calling out sizeist behaviour and refusing to conform to industry stereotypes as she cranks out the hits in a rainbow array of skin-tight leotards and bodysuits.
She's won four Grammys, and in 2019 was named Time's Entertainer of the Year. Her 2023 Glastonbury set on the festival's main stage was met with critical acclaim. And she's been credited with single-handedly raising the profile of woodwind, making it officially cool to play the flute.
But now, with claims she is guilty of weight shaming and sexual harassment - accusations the 35-year-old singer, songwriter, rapper and flautist strongly denies - her future is hanging in the balance.
Three of Lizzo's former dancers have filed a civil lawsuit against her and her production company Big Grrrl Big Touring Inc (BGBT) - including accusations she pressured one to touch a nude performer at an Amsterdam strip club and made comments about one performer putting on weight before firing her.
Two of the dancers had won their roles on Lizzo's Emmy-winning reality show Watch Out For The Big Grrrls, which offers plus-sized dancers the chance to compete to be part of her team.
Two days after the lawsuit was publicly announced, Lizzo posted a statement on Instagram, calling the allegations against her false - and labelling them "unbelievable," "outrageous," and "sensationalised".
She said she was passionate about her art, and that "with passion comes hard work and high standards," adding "Sometimes I have to make hard decisions".
In turn, Lizzo accused "people and the media" of portraying her as a "villain".
She then touched on the very reason there's been such a showbiz stir over the claims, telling her fans: "I know what it feels like to be body shamed on a daily basis and would absolutely never criticise or terminate an employee because of their weight."
For a long time in the shiny and glamourous world of showbiz, thinness and fame have been so firmly intertwined as to be virtually inseparable. Lizzo exploded that myth - bursting onto the scene and refusing to be told she needed to be a size zero in order to make it.
The accusations against her must sting particularly hard due to the fact she's previously spoken so openly about her struggles with body issues from an early age and experienced body shaming herself due to her weight.
Advocating body confidence, and being a role model to many, she gave a long-overdue boost to the visibility of plus-sized women in entertainment.
But when Beyonce skipped a reference to Lizzo in a live performance of Break My Soul (The Queens Remix) on Tuesday night, many saw it as an early snub, signalling the star's potential cancellation.
And Lizzo's product is more than just herself or her music - there's also the bandwagon of merchandise that comes with any bona fide US star. You can buy Lizzo T-shirts, trackies and hoodies - and even a Lizzo thong with Juice (the title of her 2019 hit) plastered across the front.
It seems likely that sales of the merch may now slow - at least until the lawsuit is concluded - as fans try to work out if hers is a label they want to be associated with.
Further accusations against Lizzo have followed news of the lawsuit, with Oscar-nominated filmmaker Sophia Nahli Allison posting statements on social media, supporting the claims of the three backing dancers, and calling Lizzo "arrogant, self-centred, and unkind".
Nahli Allison had been due to direct a documentary about the star, travelling with her in 2019, but said she dropped out of the project after two weeks after being treated with "such disrespect by her".
She accused Lizzo of creating "an extremely toxic and hostile working environment" - calling her "a narcissistic bully," claiming the singer has "built her brand off lies", and saying "her image and 'message' was a curated facade".
Following Lizzo's response to the accusations, the law firm representing the three former dancers says the singer has "failed her own brand and let down her fans" - adding that her words were an attempt to "minimise the trauma" she's alleged to have caused. They also say more people have been in touch with them since the women came forward.
It's not the first time Lizzo - who as a songwriter makes her living from words - has been in the firing line over perceived insensitivity to others.
Last year, a lyric from her song Grrrls generated controversy after using a derogatory term for the condition spastic cerebral palsy.
The lyric was eventually changed, with Lizzo saying at the time: "As a fat black woman in America, I've had many hurtful words used against me so I understand the power words can have (whether intentionally or in my case, unintentionally)."
The singer now finds herself on the defensive again - with many who previously felt empowered and emboldened by her body-positive messages now likely to be questioning the value of words and actions some claim are counterfeit and empty.
With her reality show commissioned for a second season, there will now also be eyes on the reaction of Amazon Studios (who produce the show along with the singer's production company Lizzo Bangers). They have previously hailed the singer as "one of the most exciting, creative, joyful artists in the industry".
When launching auditions in April, Lizzo herself said: "I've witnessed lives change through this show and I'm grateful for the opportunity to continue making space for even more Big Grrrls around the world to shine and break down barriers across this industry."
Source- Sky News
Best July in three years for car registration, SMMT says
UK car sales have grown all year, despite borrowing becoming more expensive and a cost of living crisis creating difficult financial conditions for consumers.
The number of new cars registered grew 28% in July, compared to a year earlier, in the seventh month of growth this year, according to data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
But despite the increase last month, new registrations are still below historical trends and the outlook for next year has been downgraded.
The July 2023 growth was sizeable because of the extent of contraction last year - new registrations in July 2022 were at the lowest level across the 16 years from 2006.
Latest SMMT data showed more orders were able to be fulfilled and production increased as supply chain woes that plagued the pandemic years have unwound, the SMMT said.
It led to 143,921 new vehicles being registered, the highest number since July 2020 when pent-up demand from the first few months of lockdown was unleashed.
Economic research firm, Pantheon Macro, noted the figure was below the 168,000 average July sales from 2015 to 2019.
New car sales to individuals "remain in the doldrums", Pantheon's senior UK economist said.
Company registrations, rather than individual purchases, drove the July growth.
Uptake by large fleets increased 62% to 80,961 units and business registrations rose 28.7% to 2,915 new vehicles.
Tough economic conditions, such as the rate of inflation and high-interest rates, have led to a 0.7% downgrade in the number of expected vehicle registrations for 2024.
For the remainder of the year, however, Pantheon said car sales will recover "only gradually", and will be around 10% to 15% below pre-COVID norms.
At the same time, the proportion of electric car sales grew. The SMMT said one battery electric car was registered every 60 seconds as deliveries rose 87.9% and electrified vehicles accounted for more than a third (35.4%) of the market.
Electric growth needs to accelerate, the SMMT said, if environmental targets are to be met.
The government had set a target of 2030 by which new petrol and diesel cars will be banned from sale.
"While the growth in electric vehicles hitting UK roads is significant, it must move even faster if it is to outpace the rest of the market and enable the UK to meet ambitious but necessary environmental targets," the SMMT said.
It did note that a record high of 3,056 new public chargers were installed for electric vehicles.
Source- Sky News
Simone Biles makes winning return in US Classic after two-year break
Four-time Olympic champion Simone Biles has made a triumphant return to gymnastics after a two-year break.
The 26-year-old American thrilled the Chicago crowd with a stunning display to win the US Classic in her first event since the Tokyo Olympics.
Biles announced in 2021 she was taking a break to work on her mental health.
"Everyone that was cheering - made posters, all of that in the crowd - it just made my heart melt that they still believe in me," Biles said.
"It means the world because, after everything that transpired in Tokyo, I worked on myself a lot.
"I still do therapy weekly and it has just been so exciting to come out here and have the confidence I had before.
Biles was given a rapturous reception at the Now Arena in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, and won with an all-around score of 59.100 points.
"Everything has fallen into place. I feel really good about where I am now mentally and physically," she said.
"I still think there are some things to work on in my routine but, for the first meet back, I would say it went pretty well. I'm very shocked and surprised. I'm very happy now that it is out of the way."
She began on the uneven bars, where her score of 14.000 points was the third-best overall before claiming the meet's top score on the balance beam with 14.800.
Biles drew cheers during and after every tumbling run on the floor exercise, her flips and landings bringing roars that were rewarded with a top score of 14.900 points.
She finished on the vault, soaring high to notch another leading mark of 15.400.
Leanne Wong, 19, finished second, five points off the pace on 54.100, with 17-year-old Joscelyn Roberson third on 54.050.
It was Biles' first competition since pulling out of five of her six finals at the delayed Tokyo Games in 2021.
She later explained she had been suffering from the 'twisties' - a mental block where gymnasts can lose their sense of space in the air.
Biles has yet to indicate whether she will aim to make next year's Olympics in Paris.
She has qualified for the US national championships, which start on 24 August and is hoping to compete for a world title in Antwerp in October.
"I always kind of knew [I'd return] as soon as everything happened in Tokyo," she said. "This time I'm doing it for me.
"I worked a lot on myself and I believe in myself a little bit more. It's just coming back out here and starting those first steps again."
Source- BBC
Razzlekhan and husband guilty of $4.5bn Bitcoin launder
A husband and wife cyber-crime team have pleaded guilty to trying to launder $4.5bn (£3.5bn) of Bitcoin that he had stolen in a hack in 2016.
Heather Morgan and Ilya Lichtenstein were arrested last year in New York after police traced their riches back to the crypto heist.
While evading police, Morgan masqueraded as a rapper and tech entrepreneur.
As part of a plea deal, Lichtenstein admitted he was behind the hack.
The couple both pleaded guilty to money laundering, but Morgan pleaded guilty to an additional count of conspiracy to defraud the United States.
In spite of attempting to cover up her crimes, Morgan published dozens of expletive-filled music videos and rap songs filmed in locations around New York, under the name Razzlekhan.
In her lyrics, she called herself a "bad-ass money maker" and "the crocodile of Wall Street".
In articles published in Forbes, Morgan also claimed to be a successful tech businesswoman, calling herself an "economist, serial entrepreneur, software investor, and rapper".
But while developing her rapping and tech persona, she and her computer programmer husband were attempting to cash out their fortune stolen from the crypto firm Bitfinex.
The couple now face prison sentences with Lichtenstein in line for a possible maximum of 20 years in prison and Morgan a possible 10.
At the time of their arrest in February 2022, the stash of 119,000 Bitcoins was worth about $4.5bn - making it the US Department of Justice's largest single financial seizure in its history.
When the hack was carried out, the Bitcoins were worth about $71m.
Court documents showed in detail how the couple cashed out millions of dollars of Bitfinex Bitcoins into traditional money using sophisticated techniques to try to stay under the radar.
Records show the couple:
- Split up the Bitcoin into tiny amounts and transferred it to thousands of different crypto wallets with fake identities
- Mixed their stolen funds with other criminal cryptocurrencies on the darknet marketplace Alphabay
- Purchased gold coins
- Set up shell companies to make the Bitcoin funds look legitimate
The successful police operation is the latest case to utilize tools able to analyze transactions on Bitcoin's public blockchain ledger.
One of the couple's key mistakes was shopping with Walmart supermarket vouchers paid for with the stolen funds.
"Police were able to link the Walmart gift cards back to some of the proceeds of the Bitfinex hack, which then opened up further investigation," said Jonathan Levin, founder of cryptocurrency investigators Chainalysis which was involved in the investigation.
"Buying gift cards and moving between different exchanges and different cryptocurrencies never actually created this sort of break in provenance that the couple intended," he said.
When police raided the couple's Manhattan apartment, they found hollowed-out books created to conceal mobile phones.
They also discovered dozens of burner handsets, several USB sticks, and $40,000 in cash.
Police successfully decrypted a spreadsheet meticulously detailing the couple's intricate methods for laundering the stash, allowing them to recover nearly the full amount.
In court documents, prosecutors say they uncovered communication records that indicate Morgan and Lichtenstein were planning to flee the US for Russia - his country of birth.
If successful, they would have probably lived a billionaire lifestyle, safe from arrest by the US.
When the hack happened, Bitfinex customers took an enforced "haircut", losing 36% of their assets held by the crypto exchange. By 2019, the company had reimbursed the victims, so now the Hong Kong-based firm and some customers who exchanged their losses for shares are in line for a windfall once the recovered Bitcoins are returned.
Source- BBC
Ocean heat record broken, with grim implications for the planet
The oceans have hit their hottest-ever recorded temperature as they soak up warmth from climate change, with dire implications for our planet's health.
The average daily global sea surface temperature beat a 2016 record this week, according to the EU's climate change service Copernicus.
It reached 20.96C (69.73F) - far above the average for this time of year.
Oceans are a vital climate regulator. They soak up heat, produce half of Earth's oxygen and drive weather patterns.
Warmer waters have less ability to absorb carbon dioxide, meaning more of that planet-warming gas will stay in the atmosphere. And it can also accelerate the melting of glaciers that flow into the ocean, leading to more sea level rise.
Hotter oceans and heatwaves disturb marine species like fish and whales as they move in search of cooler waters, upsetting the food chain. Experts warn that fish stocks could be affected.
Some predatory animals including sharks can become aggressive as they get confused in hotter temperatures.
"The water feels like a bath when you jump in," says Dr. Kathryn Lesneski, who is monitoring a marine heatwave in the Gulf of Mexico for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. "There is widespread coral bleaching at shallow reefs in Florida and many corals have already died."
"We are putting oceans under more stress than we have done at any point in history," says Dr Matt Frost, from the Plymouth Marine Lab in the UK, referring to the fact pollution and overfishing also change the oceans.
Scientists are worried about the timing of this broken record.
Dr. Samantha Burgess, from the Copernicus Climate Change Service, says March should be when the oceans globally are warmest, not August.
"The fact that we've seen the record now makes me nervous about how much warmer the ocean may get between now and next March," she says.
"It is sobering to see this change happening so quickly," says Prof Mike Burrows, who is monitoring impacts on Scottish sea shores with the Scottish Association for Marine Science.
Scientists are investigating why the oceans are so hot right now but say that climate change is making the seas warmer as they absorb most of the heating from greenhouse gas emissions.
"The more we burn fossil fuels, the more excess heat will be taken out by the oceans, which means the longer it will take to stabilize them and get them back to where they were," explains Dr Burgess.
The new average temperature record beats one set in 2016 when the naturally occurring climate fluctuation El Niño was in full swing and at its most powerful.
El Niño happens when warm water rises to the surface off the west coast of South America, pushing up global temperatures.
Another El Niño has now started but scientists say it is still weak - meaning ocean temperatures are expected to rise further above average in the coming months.
The broken temperature record follows a series of marine heatwaves this year including in the UK, the North Atlantic, the Mediterranean, and the Gulf of Mexico.
"The marine heatwaves that we're seeing are happening in unusual locations where we haven't expected them," says Prof Burgess.
In June, temperatures in UK waters were 3C to 5C higher than average, according to the Met Office and the European Space Agency.
In Florida, sea surface temperatures hit 38.44C (101F) last week - comparable to a hot tub.
Normally temperatures should be between 23C and 31C, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Marine heatwaves doubled in frequency between 1982 and 2016, and have become more intense and longer since the 1980s, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
While air temperatures have seen some dramatic increases in recent years, the oceans take longer to heat up, even though they have absorbed 90% of the Earth's warming from greenhouse gas emissions.
But there are signs now that ocean temperatures may be catching up. One theory is a lot of the heat has been stored in ocean depths, which is now coming to the surface, possibly linked to El Niño, says Dr Karina von Schuckmann at Mercator Ocean International.
While scientists have known that the sea surface would continue to warm up because of greenhouse gas emissions, they are still investigating exactly why temperatures have surged so far above previous years.
Source- BBC
CXC unable to say how Math paper leak affected pass rate
The Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) said it’s too early to say whether the pass rate for the 2023 Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Mathematics exam dropped as a result of its decision not to mark Paper Two after it was leaked online.
Dr Nicole Manning, CXC’s director of operations, told reporters this morning that the marking process is ongoing and a full analysis will be available when results are released on August 24.
“The marking and grading process for CXC is an objective process managed each year in relation to the submission of the work done by a candidate. Whether there will be an improvement or not that’s really something that will be determined after the process is completed,” she said.
CXC was forced to adjust its marking scheme after papers for the May exam were stolen from an examination center in Jamaica.
CXC is using a “modified approach” to grade the Mathematics exam.
The marking scheme was developed in 2020 to combat challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic.
It requires all candidates to take at least one common paper. In-school candidates will submit the School-Based Assessments (SBAS) while private candidates will attempt Paper Three (Alternative to SBA).
In a video yesterday, CXC’s Senior Manager for Examinations Development and Production, Alton McPherson, explained Paper One will account for 60 percent of Marks while the remaining 40 percent comes from the SBA/Paper Three.
Students will be marked in the categories of Knowledge, Comprehension, and Reasoning.
When questioned today about the fairness of using the SBA and Paper Three since they were done under different conditions, McPherson dismissed the concerns saying “Any bias existing between the two papers will not necessarily affect a candidate’s grade as each candidate is graded on the scores or paper actually done during the administration of the test”.
Manning said moving forward, CXC has new quality assurance standards for the storage of papers to prevent leaks.
She added CXC is pushing for electronic assessment to be adopted by CXC member countries.
Manning urged persons, who may want to leak papers, to think about the effects disruptions have on the candidates.
Meanwhile, CXC said students, who need to have their results issued early to complete their university application, could apply online for their transcripts.
Source- Caribbean Loop News
Invest Turks and Caicos boosts economy with MSME Program
Written By: Ruthea Robinson
Ms. Robinson is currently participating in the TCI National Internship and Apprenticeship Program, which is being conducted by Career Services under the Ministry of Education. She is a student journalist, podcaster, and documentarian studying at Leeds Trinity University, Leeds, United Kingdom.
Lead: Kacy Higgs became one of the first awardees of Invest TCI's MSME program and now her products can be found on shelves in IGA
The entrepreneurial spirit has long existed in the Turks and Caicos Islands, from the straw markets to boat tours. Carrying on that spirit, Kacy Higgs managed to revitalize an outdated industry with the support of Invest Turks and Caicos' MSME program.
Caicos Traditions, the brand, started with Kacy Higgs leaving her corporate job to tend crops in her backyard. She initially gave away the produce to friends and family or sell it at pop-up markets. Now her products are sold alongside international brands in IGA.
Higgs modernized the traditional way of farming by adding her own "Caicos touch" to every level of the business, from purchasing seeds from neighboring countries and experimenting with local seeds to producing her signature corn flour and grits to integrating modern machinery and packaging.
Farming in Turks and Caicos Islands today has proven to be quite the challenge compared to modern consumption practices that rely heavily on importing food; back then, staple foods like corn, beans, cassava, and pumpkins were readily accessible in these islands.
Climate change, lack of affordable irrigation systems, sparse rainfall, and increasing frequency of hurricanes are all factors that have discouraged many local farmers. Higgs experienced this firsthand after Hurricane Fiona destroyed her bean supply in 2022.
Outside of the challenges she's faced, Higgs shared that she has had many opportunities granted over the years, kicking off with Invest TC's approval of her courageous business plan. Caicos Traditions was among the first businesses accepted into the Micro Small and Medium Enterprise program.
The MSME Program serves as a collaboration between Invest Turks and Caicos and the government in the form of financial assistance. The program provides small businesses with financial support, technical assistance, and duty concessions.
Caicos Traditions was awarded a $25,000 package, including a $10,000 cash grant, $10,000 duties concessions, and $5,000 digital/marketing assistance.
When speaking about the impact of the cash grants, Vice President of Small and Medium Enterprise Development at Invest Turks and Caicos, Alexa Cooper, directly referenced Invest Turks and Caicos' past use of the term 'free money,' saying: "It's not a loan -- it is more like free money but not really -- you have certain obligations that you need to meet within the program."
These obligations include being monitored for the five years that the business is a part of the program and complying with rigorous checks and inspections, all while meeting agreed-upon milestones.
Kacy Higgs admitted that she needed help understanding how to take advantage of the award initially. However, the team behind the MSME program was understanding and lenient enough to accommodate her.
She said: "I had a choice, start with the little that I have and hit the road running or wait for more, and I'm happy that I started with their push,"
Kacy Higgs hopes to refresh the way we think about produce in the TCI by showcasing the vitality of the agriculture industry in North Caicos.
Her collaboration with the MSME program contributed to the growth and development of the program, making it more widely accessible to other local businesses.
She encourages local entrepreneurs to chase their dreams, saying: “There is no stupid dream. If you look around Turks and Caicos, there are so many niche markets that are waiting to be tapped into.”
Etsy accused of 'destroying' sellers by withholding money
Online marketplace Etsy has come under fire from sellers for putting 75% of their takings on hold for 45 days.
Hundreds of small businesses recently got an email from Etsy notifying them it was actioning its "reserve system".
Ceramics seller Rachel Collyer said Etsy was holding £899 of her money, which means she cannot afford to buy materials to keep producing.
Etsy said payment reserves were used to "keep the marketplace safe" and cover any potential refunds.
Ms. Collyer has been selling ceramics on Etsy since 2021. She said she was given only a few hours notice before her money was put on reserve.
"This is ruining my business - I can't afford to buy any clay or glazes. We might have to move house because I can't pay any bills," she said.
Etsy's payment policy states the reasons for putting money on hold include a sudden increase in sales, a shop having only made its first sale recently, the shop committing a "policy violation" or "other risk factors".
Some sellers told the BBC that two reserve periods were imposed on them consecutively.
Dan sells made-to-order wood furniture on the site and told the BBC he had no idea why his money was being held.
"Etsy is holding around £7,000 of my money, leaving us to use credit cards and family loans to try and keep our business running and keep food on the table," said the 44-year-old from Buckinghamshire.
His partner Sam said: "There is no ability to have the reserve lifted within the 90 days, you must see out the full period. It's destroyed my business."
Joanna, who ran a bespoke underwear shop on Etsy, told the BBC she too could see no reason for her funds being withheld, and so suddenly.
"I have been selling [on Etsy] for four years," she said. "I woke up to a communication... stating that my account has been put on a 90-day period of reserve whereby they will hold 75% of my sales.
"We have no cases against us, we have performed no malpractice in any way," she said, adding that her account was not restored to normal even after following the site's guidance on lifting the reserve.
The 62-year-old said she would have made £5,000 this month and cannot take out a loan while she waits for the money.
"I canceled all my on-reserve orders and put my shop on vacation. I won't trade with them. I can't afford to," she said.
And almost as suddenly as the reserve was implemented, it was lifted. She received no explanation for either decision.
Sellers on Etsy had their payments delayed earlier in the year following the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB).
Etsy used SVB to issue money to some of those that sell goods on the site.
But Etsy said only a small proportion of sellers had their pay-outs delayed as a result of the collapse.
The BBC spoke to more than 20 sellers who had similar complaints. One, a disabled seller for whom Etsy is her only source of income, said the company stated it was taking "no complaints" on the issue. Etsy told her it "isn't able to give... [a] specific reason" for withholding thousands of pounds of her takings.
Many sellers wished to remain anonymous for fear of having their shops taken off the platform. The BBC has seen complaints about the reserve system from the US and various countries in the EU.
"If you challenge them or speak out, or don't accept their terms and conditions, your account becomes disabled," one independent UK seller told us.
Etsy disputes this and says that it wouldn't retaliate against a seller for voicing their opinion. It says it takes seller feedback very seriously.
Hundreds of affected Etsy sellers are planning a "strike", or boycott and are organizing various online groups.
An Etsy spokesperson said that the vast majority of sellers receive their funds when they make a sale. They added that the reserve system was used by many online sellers.
However, Amazon's level of reserve is much lower, at around 3% for established sellers until any disputes are resolved.
The Small Business Commissioner, Liz Barclay, said Etsy's "level of reserve is new to us".
She added that while she had no remit across complaints made against non-UK companies, "there have been more complaints recently" made against the US-based firm.
Ms. Barclay said the commission was receiving reports of "many small firms owed several thousands of pounds", which was "heartbreaking at a time when people are struggling with the rising cost of living on top of huge increases in costs of business bills and materials".
"My big worry is that for hundreds of thousands of businesses, this is their only source of income. Anecdotally, we hear that many sellers are women or minority groups and they need this money to pay the bills," Ms Barclay said.
Source- BBC