ANNUAL PROCUREMENT PLAN FY 2018/2019
The Contracts and Corporate Performance Management Unit (CCPMU) within the Office of the Deputy Governor is pleased to advise of the publication of the Procurement Plan for FY 2018/2019. Section 22 of the Public Procurement Ordinance requires the publication of the Annual Procurement Plan in order to draw the market’s early attention to potential procurement opportunities which are expected to proceed during the financial year. The publication is an indication of potential procurement opportunities and may be subject to change.
A copy of the Annual Procurement Plan for FY 2018/2019 can be found on the Turks and Caicos Islands Government’s website at https://gov.tc/…/ot…/1251-annual-procurement-plan-fy-2018-19
CAPITAL PROGRAMME FY 2018/2019
The CCPMU is also pleased to advise of the launch of the Capital Programme for FY 2018/2019.
Following the passage of the budget on July 16, 2018, two (2) batches of Invitations to Tender (ITTs) were released on August 1, 2018 and August 15, 2018. The following Capital Projects were included:
ITTs which closed on August 29, 2018:
• SCHOOLS INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT PHASE 1, Tender Reference Number TR 18/07
LOT 1: H. J. Robinson High School, Grand Turk [Contract No.: PWD 18/01 C]
LOT 2: Oseta Jolly Primary School, Providenciales [Contract No.: PWD 18/02 C]
LOT 3: Turks and Caicos Islands Community College, Grand Turk [Contract No.: PWD 18/03 C]
LOT 4: Raymond Gardiner High School, North Caicos [Contract No.: PWD 18/04 C]
ITTs which will close on September 12, 2018:
• DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF PROMENADE AND CRAFT MARKET FOR BOTTLE CREEK, NORTH CAICOS, Tender Reference TR 18/08 [Contract No. PWD 18/09 C]
• REFURBISHMENT WORKS TO EMS (AMBULANCE) BASE - PROVIDENCIALES, Tender Reference Number TR 18/10 [Contract No. PWD 18/22 C]
Following the issuance of these two (2) batches of ITTs, a third batch of tenders has now been released and includes the following Capital Projects:
ITTs which will close on September 29, 2018:
1. Ministry of Education, Youth, Culture and Library Services
• SCHOOLS INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT PHASE 2, Tender Reference Number TR 18/14
Lot 1: Clement Howell High School, Providenciales [Contract No.: PWD 18/05 C]
Lot 2: Mary Robinson Primary School, Salt Cay [Contract No.: PWD 18/06 C]
2. Ministry of Health, Agriculture, Human Services and Sports
• REFURBISHMENT OF MINISTRY INFRASTRUCTURE - PARADE GROUNDS, GRAND TURK, Tender Reference Number TR 18/11 [Contract No. PWD 18/26 C]
3. Ministry of Infrastructure, Housing and Planning
• ROAD DEVELOPMENT PHASE 4, Tender Reference Number TR 18/12
Lot 1: Blue Hills [Contract No. PWD 18/20 C]
Lot 2: Five Cays [Contract No. PWD 18/46 C]
• REINSTATEMENT OF SEAWALL SALT CAY, Tender Reference Number TR 18/13 [Contract No. PWD 18/08 C]
• REINSTATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS ALL ISLANDS, Tender Reference Number TR 18/15
Lot 1: Crown Land Building [Contract No.: PWD 18/07 C]
Lot 2: Ministry of Education [Contract No.: PWD 18/16 C]
• SHELTERS AND EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER, Tender Reference Number TR 18/16
Lot 1: Community Centre, South Caicos [Contract No.: PWD 18/41C]
Lot 2: Antioch Adventist Church, Grand Turk [Contract No.: PWD 18/14 C]
Lot 3: H. J. Robinson High School, Grand Turk [Contract No.: PWD 18/43 C]
Lot 4: Club House, Salt Cay [Contract No.: PWD 18/15 C]
Lot 5: Methodist Sunday School, Salt Cay [Contract No.: PWD 18/45 C]
LOT 6: Conch Bar Community Centre, Middle Caicos [Contract No.: PWD 18/13 C]
Interested parties are encouraged to visit the Turks and Caicos Islands Government’s website at https://www.gov.tc/government-tenders to review all open tenders and for continuous updates on capital projects and are reminded to ensure that their Business Licenses, National Insurance and National Health Insurance contributions are up to date.
All interested parties are also urged to attend Pre-Tender Meetings which are scheduled to be held at 10:00 A.M. on 6 September 2018 in Providenciales at the Public Works Department, Butterfield Square, Downtown and 9:00 A.M on 7 September 2018 in Grand Turk at the Office of the Deputy Governor, Waterloo Plaza, Waterloo Road during which the requirements of the ITTs will be reviewed and the procurement process will be explained in detail.
To note, with the approval of the budget, the Capital Development Fund has a total budget of $36,625,698 for Capital Projects for FY 18/19.
Teachers’ Strike in Guyana is Over
eachers in Guyana are back on the job today, after conciliatory talks between their union and the Education Ministry resulted in an agreement to end strike action that had been triggered by government’s refusal to meet their pay increase demands.
Officials from the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) yesterday signed a Terms of Resumption, which will see the two sides going to binding arbitration. The deal brought an end to three days of industrial action at the beginning of the new school year.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, GTU’s President Mark Lyte said some teachers could be expected back in the classroom from as early as today, while all of them will return to work on Monday.
Twenty-four hours after the full resumption of duties by teachers, the GTU and the Ministry will meet to determine the Terms of Reference (ToRs) for the arbitration panel as guidance to the Memorandum of Understanding between the two sides.
The Terms of Resumption also state that there will be no victimization on either side, there will be no loss of pay or seniority, and that the status quo will prevail.
The GTU had proposed a 40 per cent increase in salary for 2016, 45 per cent in 2017, 50 per cent in 2018, 50 per cent in 2019 and 50 per cent in 2020 be granted to all categories of teachers/educators for the years 2016 through 2020.
But the Education Ministry’s counter-proposal had made available GYD$700 million (US$3.3 million) to facilitate an increase in salaries for all teachers based on the current salary scale and the previously proposed GYD$200 million (US$952,190) for debunching for 2018.
Unlike conciliation, where the parties in a dispute are brought together with an independent third-party (facilitator) to settle the matter through negotiations, arbitration involves an independent third-party hearing the evidence brought by both sides and making a final decision.
Serena Williams into US Open final with emphatic win over Anastasija Sevastova
Serena Williams has another shot at winning her first Grand Slam title since giving birth after defeating Anastasija Sevastova in 66 minutes in their US Open semi-final.
Williams, beaten by Angelique Kerber in the Wimbledon final in July, won 6-3 6-0 against Latvian 19th seed Sevastova.
The 36-year-old American will play Japan's Naomi Osaka in Saturday's final after the 20th seed beat Madison Keys.
Victory will equal Margaret Court's record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles.
"It is really incredible. A year ago I was literally fighting for my life at the hospital after having the baby," said Williams, who missed last year's US Open because of the birth of her child, Olympia.
"Every day I step out on this court I am so grateful to have an opportunity to play this sport.
"So no matter what happens in any match, I already feel like I have already won."
Geoffrey Owens: 'Job-shamed' Cosby Show star lands TV role
Geoffrey Owens, the Cosby Show star who was "job shamed" after being spotted working in a grocery, has taken Tyler Perry up on his offer of a TV role.
Perry's spokeswoman said Owens will appear in 10 episodes of his drama The Haves and the Have Nots, which is broadcast on the Oprah Winfrey Network.
The show follows three families based in Savannah, Georgia - two are wealthy and powerful and one is poor.
Owens played Elvin Tibideaux in The Cosby Show, which aired from 1985-92.
Writer and director Perry based The Haves and the Have Nots on his 2011 play of the same name.
He offered Owens a role after photos of the actor working as a cashier at Trader Joe's were mocked online.
A customer's snapshots of Owens bagging groceries in New Jersey were published by the Daily Mail and Fox News, leading to accusations of "job-shaming".
Actors and celebrities rushed to defend the actor, which Owens told ABC was "really overwhelming, in a good way".
Owens - who has also worked on TV shows It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and That's So Raven - said he had worked at Trader Joe's in Clifton, New Jersey, for 15 months.
North Korean 'spy' charged over NHS cyber attack
US prosecutors have charged a North Korean man alleged to have been involved in creating the malicious software used to cripple the UK’s National Health Service.
The 2017 incident left NHS staff reverting to pen and paper after being locked out of computer systems.
Park Jin Hyok is said to be linked to the Lazarus Group.
The hacking collective is also blamed for the hack on Sony Pictures in 2014.
The US Department of Justice alleged the North Korean-backed cyber group had caused major damage.
"The scale and scope of the cyber-crimes alleged by the complaint is staggering and offensive to all who respect the rule of law and the cyber norms accepted by responsible nations,” said the Assistant Attorney General for National Security, John Demers.
“The complaint alleges that the North Korean government, through a state-sponsored group; robbed a central bank and citizens of other nations; retaliated against free speech in order to chill it half a world away; and created disruptive malware that indiscriminately affected victims in more than 150 other countries, causing hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars’ worth of damage.”
North Korea routinely denies being involved in hack attacks attributed to them.
Mr Park is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit computer fraud and abuse, and wire fraud.
Prosecutors said Mr Park was believed to be in North Korea.
"North Korea won't be handing over this guy any time soon," said Martyn Williams, a North Korea observer and journalist.
"So it likely won't mean much on that level, but it is a symbolic step for the US government to take.
"It helps put meat on the bones of the numerous reports that said North Korea was responsible and is a relatively rare move for the US government."
Deutsche Bank's top investor is selling out
One of Deutsche Bank's top investors is selling out at an awkward time for Germany's biggest lender.
Chinese conglomerate HNA Group plans to offload its entire stake in the bank, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. The source said the exit could take up to 18 months.
The holder of nearly 8% of the voting rights in Deutsche Bank (DB), HNA has in recent months sought to sell off many of its overseas investments.
The Wall Street Journal, which was first to report the planned sale of the investment in Deutsche Bank, said that HNA was under pressure from the Chinese government to return to its core airline business.
Representatives from HNA and Deutsche Bank declined to comment.
News of the exit comes as Deutsche Bank is trying to persuade investors that CEO Christian Sewing can turnaround the bank after three years of losses by returning to its roots as a lender to German and European companies and households.
The bank's shares slid 1.7% on Friday. Rival Commerzbank (CRZBF) closed down 1.4% while Germany's DAX index was little changed.
Tesla shares sink after key executives exit
Tesla shares have fallen sharply after two senior executives abruptly left the electric car firm headed by Elon Musk.
The chief accounting officer has left less than a month after joining, while its HR officer is also reported to have resigned a year after joining.
The resignations came just hours after the firm's controversial chief executive Mr Musk smoked marijuana live on the web during a podcast with comedian Joe Rogan.
Shares fell over 10% in early US trade.
Accounting officer Dave Morton's resignation was announced in an official filing with US regulator the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Meanwhile, its chief people officer Gaby Toledano had decided not to return to the firm after a period of absence, according to newswire Bloomberg.
Mr Morton, who joined Tesla on 6 August, resigned on 4 September.
He said his decision to quit was due to the higher-than-expected "level of public attention placed on the company, as well as the pace within the company."
"I want to be clear that I believe strongly in Tesla, its mission, and its future prospects, and I have no disagreements with Tesla's leadership or its financial reporting," he added.
The fallout comes as the firm is under renewed scrutiny due to the erratic behaviour of Mr Musk.
In July he shocked investors by announcing on Twitter that he had funding secured to take his car firm Tesla private. He later said the firm would stay public.
He also tweeted that he might suffer from bipolar disorder but then said "maybe not medically".
In August he told the New York Times that he worked "120-hour weeks" and took sedatives.
His brother Kimbal Musk told the newspaper that the reason Mr Musk "seems to attract drama" is because he is "so transparent, so open, in a way that can come back to bite him".
Since Mr Musk announced his plan to delist Tesla, its share price has dropped by 20%.
Some analysts have urged the firm to appoint another senior leader.
James Albertine, an analyst at Consumer Edge, said it had previously called for a co-chief executive or chief operating officer to help balance the leadership structure.
"We think this is further evidence that the time is now for management and the board to address these issues," he added.
Syria war: Russia rejects Turkey's calls for Idlib truce
Russian President Vladimir Putin has rejected Turkey's calls for a truce to prevent a "bloodbath" in north Syria.
At a trilateral meeting with Iran and Turkey, Mr Putin said Russia would continue its fight against "terrorists" in Idlib province.
Idlib is the Syrian opposition's last major stronghold, with almost three million residents.
Syrian military forces, backed by Russia and Iran, are poised to launch a major offensive there soon.
The three-way meeting in Tehran had been seen by many as a final chance to prevent a large-scale battle in Idlib.
Syria has been in a civil war since 2011, after a peaceful uprising against President Bashar al-Assad turned into a conflict that has killed more than 350,000 people.
MULTIPLE SYSTEMS IN THE ATLANTIC
September 7th 2018 – The Bahamas Department of Meteorology has been issuing advisories for multiple systems in the Atlantic. Residents are encouraged to pay close attention to the Atlantic and are encouraged to continue with preparations as we move further into the peak of the season.
ACCORDING TO BAHAMAS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY FORECAST OFFICE SECTION,…FLORENCE WEAKENS A LITTLE MORE BUT STILL EXPECTED TO RESTRENGTHEN OVER THE WEEKEND.
AT 5:00 AM EDT, THE CENTER OF HURRICANE FLORENCE WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 25.1°NORTH AND LONGITUDE 50.7° WEST OR ABOUT 925 MILES EAST-NORTHEAST OF THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS OR 1590 MILES EAST-SOUTHEAST OF BERMUDA.
FLORENCE IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST AT 7 MPH. A TURN TOWARD THE WEST NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED BY THE END OF THE WEEKEND.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE DECREASED TO NEAR 65 MILES PER HOUR (MPH) WITH HIGHER GUSTS. FLORENCE IS FORECAST TO RESTRENGHTEN AND BECOME A HURRICANE AGAIN OVER THE WEEKEND.
At present current projections from the Bahamas of Meteorology take this system further north where it should not pose a threat to the Turks and Caicos Islands.
(1) AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE ABOUT 500 MILES WEST OF THE CABO VERDE ISLANDS HAS A 90% CHANCE OF CYCLONE DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE NEXT DAY OR TWO.
(2) A TROPICAL WAVE ACCOMPANYING A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM NEAR THE WEST AFRICAN COAST HAS A 90% CHANCE OF CYCLONE DEVELOPMENT LATER TODAY OR OVER THE WEEKEND.
The Department of Disaster Management and Emergencies (DDME) will continue to monitor the systems and provide updates accordingly. Now is a good time to review family emergency plans to ensure that you have the necessities.
You can also visit the DDME’s webpage at www.gov.tc/ddme.com or like us on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/TCI.ddme.com.
Disclaimer: The Department of Disaster Management and Emergencies (DDME) is not an official Meteorological Office. The Information disseminated by the Department is gathered from the Bahamas Department of Meteorology. This information is to be used as a guide by anyone who has interest in local weather conditions. By no means can the DDME or the Turks and Caicos Islands Government be held accountable by anyone who uses this information appropriately for legal evidence or in justification of any decision which may result in the loss of finances, property or life.
SOURCE - DDME
10 YEARS POST HURRICANE HANNAH AND IKE AND 1-YEAR POST POST IRMA AND MARIA
September 7th, an unforgettable date in the history of the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI). Notwithstanding, there was no loss of life, Hurricanes Ike in 2008 and Irma in 2017 brought the chain of islands together to recover from nationwide devastation.
Declared ‘Disaster Areas,’ both the islands of Grand Turk and South Caicos were ravaged by Category 4 Hurricane Ike on September 7th, 2008. Ike was responsible for extensive damages to approximately 85% of physical infrastructure, with an estimated cost of USD6.3 million for reconstruction.
Still in recovery mode from the extensive devastation caused by Hurricane Irma last year, it is opportune that the people of the TCI reflect on the importance of being prepared, especially as we are currently in the peak of this Atlantic Hurricane Season. The TCI experienced the passage of two major hurricanes within a span of two weeks in 2017; Irma Category 5 (7th September) and Maria Category 3 (21st September). In addition to structural damages to critical infrastructure such as schools, hospital facilities and utilities, the emotional impact borne by our people highlights the need to become more resilient to disaster impacts.
As a nation, we remain committed to building capacity and resilience in communities across the chain of islands. Disaster Risk Reduction best practices have been reinforced in our Faith – Based, Community – Based and Non-Governmental Organizations. In fact, disaster resilience awareness continues to secure its spot on our school circulars. With climate change, gender and psychosocial centered approaches also being incorporated on the agenda of key stakeholders, the TCI is sure to maintain a solid state of preparedness.
The principles of Public Private Partnerships are also embedded in the TCI’s approach to building resilience. The TCI now serves as a sustainable model for response and early recovery within the Caribbean Region due to the existing relationships between the government and critical private sector agencies. Our experiences have also contributed to the forging of new relationships with the business community, as continuity of operations is also vital to our resilience.
Fulfilling the mandate as the national coordinating, promoting and monitoring body for Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM) in the TCI, the Department of Disaster Management and Emergencies (DDME) can boast on improvements made as a result of the lessons learnt post impact. In addition, to building technical capacity within the Department, the National Disaster Management Plan and other key sectoral plans have either been reviewed or drafted, approximately 150 residents throughout the TCI were trained in Damage and Needs Assessments, Shelter Management and Community Emergency Response Teams operations during the months of August and September, 2018, an official Shelter List was published for all islands and public education campaigns were executed at the start of this year’s Atlantic Hurricane Season.
As we reflect on the past storms and look towards the future let us remember that the Turks and Caicos story of how we were able to rebound so quickly from such devastation is now a model for the world, and it was more than just cleaning up or reconstruction…it was our spirit! We were determined not to be out for the count. Let us all continue to play our part in building resilience in the Turks and Caicos Islands