Digicel Introduces New Quick Pick Bundles
Wednesday 10th October 2018 – Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands: Digicel has introduced new Quick Pick Bundles that put customers in control, giving them more of what they want. More data, more talk and even more options than ever before.
Prepaid customers can choose from new bundles that offer data, talk and text in one easy package giving them increased value and more to choose from. Digicel has added three new bundles to the three-day option and two additional bundles to the 30-day option, which means something for everyone, at every price point.
Customers also have the advantage of sharing and chatting to their hearts’ content on Digicel’s recently upgraded 4G/LTE network and they can keep unused data and talk time with rollover once a new Quick Pick Bundle is activated.
For all the social media lovers, Digicel has added three Social Bundles that give customers unlimited access to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat and Whatsapp for one, three or seven days as an add on.
Calling it a “much needed revamp”, CEO of Digicel TCI, Addison Stoddard said, “We’re changing things. This is all about simplicity and putting our customers in control. Giving them more options so that they can choose what fits them best, while adding more value at the same time.”
As part of the Gimme More campaign Digicel will be hosting a Down Home Barbecue with a community building event, going a step further in giving customers more of what they want. The event will be held on Saturday 13th October 2018 at the Digicel Graceway House retail store in Providenciales from 12noon to 5pm. Digicel continues to provide the best for its customers and the best for the Turks & Caicos Islands.
NOTICE: Road Works in Grand Turk
NOTICE OF ROAD WORKS TO PALM GROVE, SOUTH AND NORTH BACK SALINA
AND OPEN CHANNEL DRAINAGE UPGRADE WORKS, GRAND TURK
Residents are asked to remove all derelict vihicles and any other valuable materials
or items which is in the road way should also be removed from the road edge to not
obstruct any activities. It is the owners responsibility to have these removed.
Residents are also asked to reduce the amount of times they thravel these routes
although right of way will be provided. This is to reduce the number of interferance
by the contractor. Residents are also asked to be cordial to surveyors who may have to
enter their property to obtain the correct boundary and implement correct markers.
The awarded contractor for this work is Island Drilling Ltd. and has confirmed working
with the general public to facilitate access throught the course of the project.
In the interest of safety, and in agreement with Turks and Caicos Government
and the relevant authorities, appropriate traffic management measures,
such as flag man and appropriate signage, will be implemented to direct and assit vehicle users
during this time. Residents are asked to drive with due care and consideration during the course
of this project as we facilitate the necsassary infrastrctural upgrades of our developing society.
Decision made on Fortis TCI Rate Increase Application
On July 11, 2018 FortisTCI Limited served on His Excellency, the Governor Dr. John Freeman a Rate Variation Application under section 34 of the Electricity Ordinance. The application requested an increase to the tariff of rates as a result of losses sustained after Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017 and increased expenditure required for rapid rebuilding and recovery efforts. The request was for the making of Regulations to increase the tariff of rates to customers by
an average of 6.8% with immediate effect. The proposed rate increase was broken down by customer class as follows:
5.5% to 5.7% increase in tariff of rates for residential customers.
7.9% increase in tariff of rates for all other customer categories.
Regarding the Rate Variation Application submitted by FortisTCI, Section 34(3) of the Electricity Ordinance states:
(3) The Governor shall, within six weeks next following the date of service of a notice under subsection (1) by a public supplier, serve a notice on the public supplier giving his decision on the request made by the public supplier under that subsection.
Decision of the Governor
After considering the application, the Governor, on August 17th, 2018 served notice on Fortis TCI Limited, in accordance with section 34(3) of the Electricity Ordinance, refusing its application for an increase of the tariff rates. The refusal was based on the following reasons:
1.There is a lack of impartial and neutral information and assessments regarding the efficiency of investments as well as benchmarking with comparators regarding the real costs of providing electricity services in the Turks and Caicos Islands, as well as the allocation of those costs to customer groups to ensure fair and equitable pricing.
2. A cost of service study and prudency assessment will need to be conducted to enable an informed and reasonable decision to be made on the request for rate variation.
Fortis Response
On the 21st of August, 2018, Fortis TCI Limited, not being satisfied by the Governor’s response, served on His Excellency the Governor a notice requesting the appointment of a person to hold
an inquiry into the reasonableness of the rate Variation Application.
This notice by Fortis TCI Limited, is in accordance with section 34(4) of the Electricity Ordinance, which states; “Where a public supplier on whom a notice under subsection (3) has been served is not satisfied with the decision given by the Governor in that notice he may, within the twenty-one days next following the date of service of that notice, by a further notice in writing served on the Governor, request the Governor to appoint a person to hold an inquiry into the reasonableness of the proposals made by the public supplier as specified in the notice under
subsection (1) served by the supplier on the Governor.”
The procedures regarding electricity rate applications and the legal obligations of the Governor, are clearly set out in section 34 of the Electricity Ordinance. The Governor, having regard to these established procedures, responded to Fortis TCI request on the 25th of September, 2018, agreeing to appoint an independent expert to hold an inquiry into the reasonableness of the Rate Variation Application.
The details regarding the appointment of the independent expert inclusive of the date, time and venue for the holding of an inquiry will be published in the Gazette and announced using the various media outlets. The procedures will be guided by the Commission of Inquiries Ordinance and is designed to ensure the person appointed to hold the inquiry, has the same powers to summon witnesses to give evidence or produce documents, to take evidence on oath and to administer oaths or require the making of declarations.
Heart Institute of the Caribbean names new COO and Executive Vice President
(KINGSTON, Jamaica, Wednesday, October 10, 2018) - The Heart Institute of the Caribbean’s Board of Directors have announced today, with immediate effect, the official appointment of Sergio González López as Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President of the Heart Institute of the Caribbean and HIC Heart Hospital.
“We are at a critical moment with the completion of our new HIC Heart Hospital and we need to execute on our strategies to convert the perception that Jamaica cannot offer world-class healthcare. Our facilities and doctors are the best in the world, and we need to take advantage of market opportunities with the growing medical tourism industry. We are very fortunate to have Mr. González López join our team at this exciting time, as he has a proven track record in successful execution within the healthcare industry,” said Chairman and CEO Prof. Ernest Madu.
Mr. González López, who originates from Spain, has over 10 years of experience in healthcare management, and was the former Country and General Manager at Hospiten Jamaica Ltd in Montego Bay. Mr. González López led the team in the preparation, supervision, opening and operations of Hospiten. He has a background in law, banking and real estate.
“I am very honoured to lead the HIC team into a new frontier,” said Mr. González López - “I am especially looking forward to working alongside both the private and public sector to bring further awareness to the importance of the treatment of cardiovascular diseases while offering qualitative emergency services to the Jamaican and Caribbean population.”
Category 4 Michael barreling towards Florida
NEWS ITEM ON HURRICANE MICHAEL ISSUED BY THE BAHAMAS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY FORECAST OFFICE
DATE: 12PM WEDNESDAY 10TH OCTOBER 2018.
...CORE OF EXTREMELY DANGEROUS HURRICANE MICHAEL CLOSING IN ON THE COAST OF THE
FLORIDA PANHANDLE...LIFE-THREATENING STORM SURGE...HURRICANE FORCE WINDS...AND
HEAVY RAINFALL IMMINENT...
AT 11:00AM EDT, THE EYE OF HURRICANE MICHAEL WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 29.4°NORTH AND
LONGITUDE 86.0° WEST OR ABOUT 145 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF PANAMA CITY FLORIDA OR 65
MILES WEST-SOUTHWEST OF APALACHICOLA FLORIDA.
MICHAEL IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHEAST NEAR 14 MPH. A TURN TOWARD THE NORTH IS
EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON OR TONIGHT. A MOTION TOWARD THE NORTHEAST AT A FASTER
FORWARD SPEED IS FORECAST ON THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT. ON THE FORECAST TRACK,
THE CORE OF MICHAEL IS EXPECTED TO MOVE ASHORE ALONG THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE THIS
AFTERNOON, MOVE NORTHEASTWARD ACROSS THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES TONIGHT AND
THURSDAY, AND THEN MOVE OFF THE MID-ATLANTIC COAST AWAY FROM THE UNITED STATES ON
FRIDAY.
DATA FROM AN AIR FORCE RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT INDICATE
THAT MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 145 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. MICHAEL IS AN
EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CATEGORY 4 HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE WIND SCALE.
SOME STRENGTHENING IS POSSIBLE BEFORE LANDFALL. AFTER LANDFALL, MICHAEL IS FORECAST
TO BECOME A POST-TROPICAL CYCLONE ON FRIDAY AND STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST AS THE
SYSTEM MOVES OVER THE WESTERN ATLANTIC.
Hurricane Leslie expected to Strengthen
NEWS ITEM ON HURRICANE LESLIE ISSUED BY THE BAHAMAS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY FORECAST OFFICE
AT 12PM WEDNESDAY 10TH OCTOBER 2018
…LESLIE EXPECTED TO STRENGTHEN TODAY...
AT 11AM EDT,THE CENTER OF LESLIE WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 27.8°NORTH AND LONGITUDE 42.3° WEST
OR ABOUT 1130 MILES SOUTHWEST OF THE AZORES.
LESLIE IS MOVING TOWARD THE SOUTH-SOUTHEAST NEAR 7 MILES PER HOURS.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 75 MILES PER HOUR WITH HIGHER GUSTS.
Solving Provo's Growing Traffic Problem
Traffic in TCI, specifically Providenciales, is becoming increasingly chaotic.
With the influx of vehicles into the country, there are more drivers on our roadways, leading to traffic congestion that was never before seen in our islands. With this has also come an increase in vehicular accidents.
RTC sat down with Deputy Director of Road Traffic, Wilbur Caley and Sgt. Damien Mitchell, Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force Head of Traffic, to get insights and updates on the state of traffic in the TCI.
Unauthorised illegal taxis, colloquially known as jitneys, have been pointed out by many locals for making our roadways hazardous.
According to Caley, the Road Safety department has sent in a number of recommendations to Cabinet that will put in place two new categories of public service providers: one, a community cab and the other, a minibus service.
These two new categories will allow Turks and Caicos citizens to enter the transportation business and to serve local communities, specifically.
The community cabs will replicate a taxi service while the minibuses will have set routes across the island.
Caley said that Minister of Home Affairs, Transportation and Communication, the Hon. Vaden Delroy Williams, is on board with the recommendations and they are now awaiting the approval of the submission by Cabinet.
Sgt. Damien Mitchell is looking forward to the implementation of legitimate community transport as he has become frustrated with the illegal jitney business.
Caley said that with this new legislation, traffic officials hope to eliminate the need for illegal transport in the TCI. He said that there have already been serious expressions of interest from those hoping to enter the field of community transport but he said that there is a criteria for obtaining such a license.
These include having TCI citizenship and having a business license. Additionally, only a particular class of vehicle can qualify for this license. Applicants must have a clean police record and they must also pass the Tides Certificate Course with the Tourist Board.
Following the extensive works that have been done to improve roadways on Millenium Highway in Providenciales, Caley and Mitchell said that the round-a-about at Suzie Turn is another place of interest.
According to Sgt. Mitchell, there were plans to put stop lights at both Suzie Turn and Cherokee Road but following last year’s hurricanes, those funds were diverted to more immediate needs.
Nonetheless, said Caley, Suzie Turn remains a problematic area on our roadways. He said that the Road Traffic department is looking at long-lasting stop lights that run partially on solar energy to be placed at Suzie Turn.
South Dock Road is a notoriously dangerous road way in Providenciales and Caley said that there are serious ongoing efforts to mitigate the frequency of accidents and mishaps on that road.
He said there there will soon be a meeting between various stakeholders including the Royal Turks and Caicos Police Force, Road Safety, the Department of Public Works, the Ports Authority as well as the owners of heavy equipment that use South Dock Road to transport loads.
Caley said that heavy equipment operators will no longer be able to overload their vehicles with materials to the point that the material drops along the roadway. Their vehciles will be inspected before they leave the port to ensure that they have not overloaded.
Caley also promises improved road signage along South Dock Road.
Sgt. Mitchell said that police enforcement is key to ensure that motorists obey traffic signage. He also urged motorists in the TCI to be responsible while using our roads.
According to Caley, last year, over 13,000 vehicles were licensed countrywide. That number is expected to climb by at least 1,000 by the end of 2018.
According to information from the Customs Department, on average, 150 to 180 vehicles are imported into the TCI per month.
Source: Allie Capron (RTC News)
DDME Director says Earthquakes and Tsunamis are a major threat to TCI
Dr. Virginia Clerveaux, Director of the Department of Disaster Management and Emergencies, wants the public and authorities to take seriously the threat of an earthquake or tsunami striking the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Her remarks come in light of recent and alarming seismic activity throughout the region and the rest of the world.
On September 23rd, the Dominican Republic experienced a 5.2 magnitude earthquake, bringing the country to a total of 7 minor to moderate earthquakes in a 10-day time span.
On September 28th, a strong earthquake was felt off the coast of the Leeward Islands. Dominica and Martinique were among those affected.
Internationally, a monster 7.5 earthquake struck the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, causing a tsunami that has left 844 people dead as of today, October 3rd, 2018. The death toll expected to climb.
Most recently, a 5.9 magnitude earthquake hit Port de Paix, Haiti at 8:11p.m. on Saturday, October, 6th, 2018. Reports reaching RTC indicate that the extending tremors were felt as far away as the Southern Bahamas and residents in various locations throughout the Turks of Caicos Islands have reported feeling tremors following the earthquake.
Dr. Clerveaux urged the country to remember that hurricanes are not the only natural threat to our islands. We are also extremely vulnerable to earthquakes and tsunamis.
Though the Turks and Caicos is not on or near the fault line of a tectonic plate, the country can feel tremors from earthquakes that occur in nearby locations.
These islands are at great risk of tsunamis which often occur in the immediate aftermath of an earthquake, giving those in its path very little time to prepare.
Dr. Clerveaux hopes that TCI can soon invest in the installation of an emergency warning system across the TCI to warn the public of such threats. This system may include sirens that will ring out to warn those around of impending danger.
The director also hopes that the country can soon complete the mapping of the ocean floor. This will allow experts to determine which areas will receive the highest or lowest waves in the event of a tsuanmi, and thus, determine which points are safest for refuge.
In the event of a tsunami, Dr. Clerveaux says to get to high ground as quickly as possible.
Source: Allie Capron (RTC News)
Saving Our Boys Panel Discussion – “Stop The Gun Violence"
Overview
Violence is an ever growing problem. It continues to affect the lives of our young people, destroys the family circle and breaks down the moral fabric of our society. This crippling disease has quickly made its way throughout our neighboring Caribbean country and has now taken up residence in our beautiful by nature Turks and Caicos Islands. We must face the reality that there is just no escaping this threat. Realizing that our young men are at risk and the time is now to address this issue, the Minister of Education Ministry of Education, Department of Youth Affairs will be hosting a panel discussion to facilitate our young men, under the theme “Stop the Gun Violence Let’s Talk Solutions!!” Boys in our communities are challenged today in ways they have not been before. The Youth Department is putting an end to gun violence by cultivating a village that will provide tools and resources that will gain our youth access to a brighter future. The Panel Discussion will be conducted from 6pm Gustavus Lightbourne Sports Complex.
Objectives for Discussion:
1. To involve (young men) in community awareness activities regarding violence against one another
2. To consider (young men’s) point of view and to make them responsible for a process of culturally sensitive change, oriented towards a zero tolerance of violence
3. To raise awareness of the laws in place that address violence
4. To repair the vision and future of the young men of the Turks and Caicos Islands
The topics for this workshop will focus on:
1. Youth, violence and the society (Overview of youth, violence, the relationship between violence and the impact on family/home/ individual & society)
2. Conflict solving (discussion on the different approaches to solving conflicts, the benefits to be derived from conflict solving, management, and total transformation)
3. Changing Course: Preventing Youths from Joining Gangs (the role of family, counselors, religious institutions, community, government)
4. Violence prevention, coping and de-stressing strategies and how to be a leader at home and in the community.
Panel Discussion schedule:
Providenciales (September 14, 2018, Gustavas Lightbourne Sports Complex, 6pm)
Contact: Mr. Nixon Dickenson at 338-5101 or email: Ndickenson@gov.tc
ACT NOW! HIV Week of Testing
HIV testing is still the gateway to HIV prevention, treatment, care and other support services. People’s knowledge of their HIV status through HIV testing services is crucial to the success of our HIV response.
As we work towards meeting the 90-90-90 Global targets of all people with HIV being diagnosed and know their status, 90% of people with HIV linked to care and receiving Antiretroviral therapy (ART) and 90% of those on ART to have a suppressed viral load by 2020, alongside ending AIDS by 2030 we hereby inform the general public of our week of Mobile Testing.
Grand Turk- September 10th and 11th
Providenciales - September 10th -11th
North and Middle Caicos - 13th September
South Caicos - 14th September
Time to act know your status
For more information, contact the Health Promotion and Advocacy Unit on 338-2772 Grand Turk or 338-4942 Providenciales