CTO Secretary General: Complacency puts Caribbean people at risk.
Secretary General of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) Hugh Riley has called on Caribbean states to take tsunami preparedness seriously, stating to do otherwise would put the people and regional economies at risk.
Speaking in Paris, France, during a discussion organised by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to raise awareness of the threats posed by tsunamis, Riley insisted that Caribbean countries risked paying the price for complacency.
He stressed that with the Caribbean being comprised mainly of low-lying states, and with most tourism assets and hotel investments located at or near coastal areas, the tourism sector is extremely vulnerable to the threat of tsunamis.
“Tourism is the main economic driver of the Caribbean, representing 80 percent of the region’s gross domestic product and more than one million jobs so we cannot ignore a tsunami risk,” he told fellow panellists and the wider audience, which included representatives from Grenada, Saint Lucia and St. Vincent & the Grenadines.
“Complacency puts us in real danger and we must raise the Caribbean’s voice by advocating for our members during this important global forum,” he added.
The event was held in advance of World Tsunami Awareness Day on November, 5th, 2018. The secretary general noted that the region had experienced 11 tsunamis in the past, the most recent of which occurred in 2010 and six between 1902 and 1997.
He suggested that because there has been no “recent” impact on the region, tsunamis are not considered an imminent threat therefore, they are not given sufficient attention.
He called for an increase in tsunami awareness and sensitisation of the tourism sector and the wider Caribbean community, as well as support for training by regional institutions and countries to develop preparedness and response protocols.
“The CTO recognises that tsunami preparedness is critical, which includes well-established and tested response protocols which will ultimately reduce loss of life and economic damage. We also need to enhance collaboration with countries recently and frequently impacted by tsunami hazards in order to develop best practices.”
Riley highlighted several CTO members’ tsunami readiness initiatives, including Anguilla, the first English-speaking Caribbean island to be recognised as “tsunami ready” in September 2011 and has maintained certification status. Since then the British Virgin Islands and St. Kitts and Nevis have received similar recognition, all having established emergency operating centres, national tsunami plans, public outreach and alert systems, public service information programmes and tsunami preparedness and response protocols.
The high-level panel was organised by UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) to discuss policies and practices to reduce tsunami risks in countries highly dependent on tourism revenue.
The meeting opened with a minute’s silence in memory of the 2,000 confirmed dead and 680 officially missing in the tsunami and earthquake which struck Indonesia on Sept. 28th, 2018. The double disaster left almost 70,000 people homeless and 11,000 injured in the Indonesian cities of Palu and Donggala in Central Sulawesi.
WWE's Roman Reigns gives up title due to leukaemia
WWE wrestler Roman Reigns has announced he is giving up his Universal Champion title because he has leukaemia.
The 33-year-old star revealed on Monday that he was first diagnosed with the disease in 2008 at age 22.
Reigns, real name Leati Joseph Anoa'i, said the leukaemia had returned, meaning he can no longer "be that fighting champion".
He apologised to the crowd in Providence, Rhode Island, for not being the champion his character aimed to be.
He said: "That's all lies and it's a lie because the reality is my name is Joe and I've been living with leukaemia for 11 years and unfortunately it's back."
"Because the leukaemia is back, I can't fulfil my role.
"I can't be that fighting champion and I'm going to have to relinquish the universal championship.
"I'm not going to lie, I'll take every prayer you can send my way but I'm not looking for sympathy, I'm not looking for you to feel bad for me because I have faith," he continued.
Reigns, a former professional American football player who has appeared in the last four main events at WrestleMania, reassured fans that Monday would not be his final time in a WWE ring.
He said: "I want to make one thing clear: By no means is this a retirement speech because after I'm done whupping leukaemia's ass, I'm coming back home."
Fans and other wrestlers sent messages of support using the hashtag #ThankYouRoman, which has been trending on Twitter.
Wrestling journalist Scott Fishman said: "Roman Reigns just bared his soul on his fight with leukemia to the world.
"The fact he has endured this struggle privately for so long on top of putting out stellar matches and work. Warrior. Think we can now say we are all cheering Roman."
WWE superstar Chad Gable tweeted: "Roman Reigns exemplifies everything I believe a true leader should be.
"Proud to have shared a locker room with him, and I'll be proud to share it with him again after he wins this battle."
Reigns is a four-time world champion in WWE having held the WWE World Heavyweight Championship three times and the Universal Championship once.
Since 2014, WWE has attempted to establish Reigns as their next "face of the company".
Bahamas Cuts Off Cruise Line Cash Flow
This week, the Bahamas’ Minister of Tourism told reporters that they will no longer pay cruise lines to bring them passengers. Why? Because too many stay on the boat as opposed to coming ashore to spend their money.
Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar said that in the past, the Bahamian government had spent up to $12 million a year on incentives paid to the cruise lines so that they would bring passengers to the island. His government, however, no longer sees this as a good deal.
“The cruise companies are very, very profitable,” the Nassau Guardian reported D’Aguilar saying. “They make a lot of money. Why are we paying them to bring cruise passengers to our port, and then we’re finding that some of them are not coming off? So why are we giving incentives for people to come to Nassau and sit on the boat, eat their food and not spend money in our country?”
The fact that many passengers now opt to stay on board the ships which brought them isn’t news to anyone who has spent time on message boards.
There, people often complain about a multitude of issues incurred while visiting Nassau like virtual army of cab drivers and vendors one must fight past in order to get anywhere.
This troubling reputation has not escaped D’Aguilar, whose office is currently accepting bids on a project which he hopes will majorly revamp the experience for tourists.
“They should want to come here,” he lamented. “There should be something wonderful for them to do here.”
Pointing out that “God has geographically blessed The Bahamas” thanks to its being an easy voyage from Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Cape Can-averal, the Minister said that the focus must now be on making Nassau and Freeport “a wonderful place for them to visit.”
D’Aguilar hopes that the currently-under-discussion redevelopment program will do exactly that.
The goal, he said, was that upon its completion “there will be a better offering of excursions, a better offering of goods, a better offering of food and beverage options” which will leave passengers and crew wanting to come ashore.
“I’m very excited that this process has started,” he said, “and we’ll see what happens!”
Ronaldo insists he is an 'example' amid rape allegations
Cristiano Ronaldo stated Monday he is an "example" in his behaviour on and off the field amid allegations of rape made against the five-time Ballon d'Or winner in the United States.
"I know I am an example, 100 per cent, in the pitch and outside the pitch," Ronaldo told a press conference ahead of his return to Manchester United, where he spent six years as a player, with Juventus in the Champions League.
A former American model Kathryn Mayorga, 34, of Las Vegas, accused Ronaldo, in a 32-page complaint filed last month with a district court in Nevada, of raping her on June 13, 2009 just before he joined Real Madrid from United.
Ronaldo strenuously denied the allegations in a statement just over two weeks ago and has been backed by his club.
"I am always smiling, I am happy man, I'm blessed that I play in a fantastic club, I have a fantastic family, I have four kids, I am healthy," added Ronaldo.
"I have everything. So the rest, it doesn't interfere on me. I'm very, very well."
The accusation hasn't so far affected Ronaldo's form on the field for his new club, who he joined from Madrid for 112 million euros (US$128 million) in July.
Ronaldo has scored five goals in his last six Serie A appearances, but has yet to open his account in the Champions League after being sent-off just 30 minutes into his European debut against Valencia.
"I'm not going to lie in this situation," he added. "My lawyers they are confident and of course I am, too.
"The most important (thing) is I enjoy the football, I enjoy my life.
"The rest, I have people who take care of my life. Of course, the truth is always coming in the first position. So, I'm good."
CDB & UWI sign historic MoU
October 22, 2018, BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – Formalising their longstanding relationship, which spans several decades, the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and The University of the West Indies (The UWI), signed a historic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Friday, October 19. The MoU supports a stronger partnership between the Bank and the University on programmes and projects, and is focused on promoting institutional strengthening and evidence-based decision making for economic and social policy issues relevant to the Caribbean region. Speaking at the signing ceremony at the Bank’s headquarters in Barbados, CDB President, Dr. Wm. Warren Smith, hailed the agreement as a vital step, which will allow for deeper collaboration and cooperation on critical issues facing the region. “With the signing of this MoU, we are cementing almost 50 years of collaboration and cooperation, broadening the strategic focus of our collaboration, and creating new pathways for deepening our relationship. CDB is energised by the opportunities it presents for knowledge-sharing, research and innovation, and is pleased to partner with The UWI in this enterprise. We look forward to strengthening our decades-long partnership and to taking our collaboration to even higher levels for the benefit of our Region,” he said. Vice-Chancellor of The UWI, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles described the CDB as a valued partner in advancing the development of the region, which is the primary mandate of the University. He said, “It is undeniable that this region is currently faced with fundamental issues of inequality, economic growth, technological advancements, democracy and social justice. At this moment the Caribbean region demands sustainable, regional solutions, birthed out of partnerships such as this one. In the conceptualisation and implementation of its current strategic plan, deemed The Triple A Strategy, The UWI’s mandate focuses on Revitalising Caribbean Development. The MoU signed today re-emphasises our commitment and dedication to advancing the well-being of our Caribbean people.” The MoU covers shared priorities such as promoting youth development and community inclusion through sport, improving implementation capacity and developing joint training and educational programmes. CDB and The UWI have ongoing partnerships that support the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, including projects in areas such as climate adaptation and mitigation, gender equality, and education and training. In 2013, the Bank approved a USD13 million project to support the expansion and rehabilitation of The UWI’s Open Campus locations in Saint Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. It also invested in the development of UWItv and in 2018, approved funding to enhance The UWI’s new Faculty of Sport. The MoU is also significant as The UWI celebrates its milestone 70th anniversary. Given its position as a global university rooted in the Caribbean with established centres in North America, Asia, and Africa, The UWI is intent on fostering Caribbean-focused partnerships like this one with the CDB as it seeks to maintain its leadership role in supporting the development of competitive Caribbean economies.
Turks & Caicos Islands Tourist Board Wins Ultimate Partner Award
The Turks & Caicos Islands Tourist Board has once more solidified itself as the foremost tourism authority in the destination, having recently received the honor of being awarded Island Destination's 2019 Ultimate Partner.
The Turks & Caicos Islands Tourist Board is acknowledged within the international travel and tourism sector as the country's official destination marketing agency. The Tourist Board's promotional efforts are continuously recognized as evidenced by the 2018 World Travel Award nomination for Caribbean's Leading Tourist Board.
This newest accomplishment, was achieved as a result of the development of key industry alliances and the comprehensive marketing strategy employed by the Turks & Caicos Islands Tourist Board to market and position the destination in luxury markets.
Island Destinations is recognized as a world leader in luxury vacation travel. The company is a preferred supplier to the renowned Virtuoso, Signature, Affluent Traveler and Travel Leaders Networks.
Laurie Palumbo, Chief Operating Officer at Island Destinations said, "We're thrilled this year to present our Ultimate Partner Award to the Turks and Caicos Tourist Board! This destination partner continuously goes above and beyond for Island Destinations with their support in educating advisors and engaging in marketing opportunities to drive business. With their help, in June 2018 we brought our entire team to the island to experience the destination in depth and enhance their expertise on the luxury hotels and villas."
The Ultimate Partner award winner was declared on October 11th, 2018 at the ID Travel Group Travelers Collection brochure launch event at the St. Regis Hotel in New York. The award, presented by Maurice Bonham-Carter, owner of Island Destinations was collected by Pamela Ewing, Regional Marketing Manager of the Turks and Caicos Islands Tourist Board.
Ramon Andrews, Director of Tourism stated, "The Turks & Caicos Islands Tourist Board team is elated to be awarded Island Destination's 2019 Ultimate Partner and be recognized for our persistence in fulfilling our mandate. We are proud of our efforts to market the Turks and Caicos Islands as the premier luxury Caribbean destination. This could only be achieved with the assistance of our industry partners. This endorsement, by our valued partner Island Destinations, further emboldens our commitment to excellence."
Turks and Caicos Islands Government’s Capital Projects: Public Procurement Procedure
PUBLIC NOTICE
TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS GOVERNMENT’S CAPITAL PROJECTS - PUBLIC
PROCUREMENT PROCEDURE
The procurement process for capital projects of the Turks and Caicos
Islands Government is managed by the Turks and Caicos Islands
Procurement Board as per the requirements of the Public Procurement
Ordinance of 2014 (PPO).
The Procurement Board is established according to the provisions of the
Public Procurement Ordinance [PPO 23] and consist of:
“(a) a Chairperson, appointed by the Governor in Council to hold
office at the pleasure of the Governor;
(b) six officers drawn from across government appointed by the Deputy
Governor to hold office at the pleasure of the Deputy Governor;
(c) the Permanent Secretary, Finance; and
(d) the Director of Contracts.
(4) The Auditor General and Chief Internal Auditor (or their nominees)
shall be invited to attend meetings of the Board.
(10) An appointed member of the Board may not remain a member of the
Board for no more than six years.”
The members of the Procurement Board are as follows:
* Chairperson of the Board / Director, Office of the Governor: Mr.
James Astwood
* Director of Planning: Mr. Dainer Lightbourne
* Project Economist: Ms. Salace Richardson
* Financial Manager: Mrs. Kimberley Simmons-Lewis
* Director, Office of the Deputy Governor: Mr. Tito Lightbourne
* Attorney General's Chambers Representative: Mrs. Khalila
Astwood-Tatem
* Attorney General's Chambers Second Representative: Ms. Yaa McCartney
or Mrs. Motheba Linton
* Permanent Secretary, Finance
* Director of Contracts
PPO 24 (1) states:
“The functions of the Procurement Board are to:
(a) award contracts;
(b) approve invitation to tender documents;
(c) approve procurement procedures;
(d) approve the choice of a procurement procedure;
(e) approve solicitation documents before issue;
(f) approve the findings of evaluation panels;
(g) endorse decisions of departmental tender boards; and
(h) approve contract documentation and any amendment to an awarded
contract.”
It is the responsibility of the Director of Contracts and the
Chairperson of the Procurement Board to “ensure that in carrying out
its functions the Procurement Board follows the procedures prescribed”
by the PPO [PPO 24 (3)].
In addition, there are several steps involved in the processing of
tenders. For ease of reference and public awareness, see the itemized
steps listed below from submission of tenders to contract award
notification:
* Tenders are publicly opened immediately following the closing of an
Invitation to Tender at the scheduled meeting of the Procurement Board
[PPO 23 (13); PPO 41 (2)].
* All members of the Procurement Board are required to declare if
there are any Conflicts of Interest (perceived or actual) with any of
the Invitations to Tender which are scheduled to be opened. If a
conflict of interest is identified, then the member will_ _be recused.
* Following the tender opening, all tenders are handed over to the
Chairperson of the Evaluation Panel, as established by_ _the PPO [PPO
45].
* Evaluation Panels are formed according to the general composition as
outlined in_ _the PPO [PPO 45]:
“an evaluation panel in respect of a capital project or a
public/private partnership project must consist of:
(a) the Director of Contracts or a person appointed by the Director, who
shall preside at meetings of the panel;
(b) the Permanent Secretary for the department that has responsibility
for the project;
(c) a representative from the Ministry of Finance appointed by the
Permanent Secretary, Finance; and
(d) not less than two other member appointed by the Board.”
* The inclusion of additional members “_appointed by the Board_”
is dependent on the nature of the project. The basis for the selection
of persons across government is to ensure that there is an appropriate
balance of technical and other pertinent skills relevant to the project
included on the Evaluation Panel.
* All members of the evaluation panel are required to declare if there
are any Conflicts of Interest (perceived or actual) with any of the
Tenderers who submitted tenders for the project. If a conflict of
interest is identified, then the member will_ _be recused and a
replacement will be sought for inclusion on the panel.
* Each tender is evaluated based on the criteria which was included in
the published Invitation to Tender. No changes can be made to the
Evaluation Criteria once the Invitation to Tender is closed [PPO 45
(4)]. The general sequence_ _for the evaluation is as follows:
* Completed and signed Certificate of Non-Collusion: “An evaluation
panel must not consider a tender unless it includes a completed
Certificate of Non-Collusion signed by or on behalf of the tenderer”
[PPO 49 (1)]. If the certificate of non-collusion is not submitted or is
not completed and/or signed, the tender is not considered any further.
* Meeting Pre-Qualification Criteria: a tender must satisfy all the
pre-qualification requirements to move to the next stage.
* Achieving the minimum technical or quality score based on the
weightings and minimum score required as stated in the published
Invitation to Tender. The minimum score required must be achieved so
that the tender can move to the next stage i.e. the price evaluation
stage.
* Evaluation of Price
* Each member of the Evaluation Panel will score a tender and those
scores are moderated with a moderated final score being submitted to the
Chairperson of the Evaluation Panel.
* The Chairperson of the Evaluation Panel prepares an Evaluation
Report and circulates to all members of the Evaluation Panel for review
and agreement. If necessary, the evaluation report is amended based on
any feedback received from members of the Evaluation Panel and
recirculated to the panel.
* The final Evaluation Report, inclusive of a summary of the review
and the recommendation of the Evaluation Panel, is submitted to the
Procurement Board for agreement that the process was followed according
to the provisions of the PPO.
* The Secretary to the Procurement Board then prepares a Contract
Award Notification, which is submitted to the Deputy Governor for onward
submission to the Cabinet.
* The Cabinet considers the Contract Award Notification submitted. The
purpose of the Contract Award Notification is to inform the Cabinet of
the process followed according to the provisions of the PPO. It includes
a summary of the evaluation exercise and the recommendation by the
Procurement Board.
* The Cabinet Secretariat returns an Action Point, advising of the
Cabinet’s decision in reference to the Contract Award Notification.
Tracy Chapman sues Nicki Minaj
Tracy Chapman has sued Nicki Minaj for copyright infringement
The suit concerns “Sorry,” Nicki’s unreleased track with Nas that interpolates Chapman’s “Baby Can I Hold You.” In the suit, Chapman claims that Nicki’s song “incorporates the lyrics and vocal melody of [“Baby Can I Hold You”], its most recognizable and memorable parts.” And that Nicki used “these parts of [“Baby Can I Hold You”] without first seeking the authorization to do so.” In addition, the suit states that Champan’s track’s “lyrics and vocal melody comprise approximately half of [“Sorry”], and are easily recognizable and identifiable as Chapman’s.”
Chapman is suing Nicki for damages and an order to prevent Nicki and her team from releasing “Sorry.”
In a statement to Rolling Stone, Chapman’s attorney Lee Phillips said, “Tracy Chapman very much protect her rights and she has a right to deny a license when requested. There’s no question that this is infringement. If you ask what Nicki Minaj’s defense going to be, we have no idea.” Pitchfork has contacted representatives for Tracy Chapman and Nicki Minaj.
Shortly before the release of her new album Queen, Nicki Minaj publicly asked Tracy Chapman to clear a sample. Nicki later tweeted “Sis said no,” possibly referring to Chapman denying clearance. (Nicki has since deleted the tweet.) According to TMZ and the lawsuit, Nicki’s team “made multiple requests” in June to license “Baby Can I Hold You” and were consistently denied.
On August 11, Funkmaster Flex premiered Nicki’s “Sorry,” which has since been removed, although leaks and rips are available to hear.
Mighty Shadow dead at 77
The calypso fraternity has been thrown into mourning following the death of veteran Winston “Mighty Shadow” Bailey early this morning.
Bailey, who celebrated his 77th birthday on October 2, died at hospital this morning after ailing for some time and suffering a stroke on Sunday.
Bailey, who was to be conferred with an honorary doctorate by the University of the West Indies later this year, won Road March titles in 1974 for Bassman and 2001 for Stranger as well as the Calypso Monarch title in 2000 with "What's Wrong With Me" and "Scratch Meh Back." He also won the International Soca Monarch title with "Stranger" in 2001.
Bailey was also awarded the Silver Hummingbird Medal in 2003 for his contribution to culture.
He is remember by his family and fans worldwide.
Murder investigation underway after an American Tourist is found dead in Providenciales
Authorities have launched a murder investigation after the death of a Long Island attorney who was visiting the Turks and Caicos islands.
Police say 61-year-old Marie Kuhnla of Wantagh was found in bushes near the Club Med Resort in the Leeward area on Tuesday, Oct. 16th.
Her trip was coming to a close when Kuhnla went to her room at 6PM on Oct. 15th.
Police discovered her body in waist-high brush near a sports field at the resort around 7AM the next morning.
The discovery came after she had been reported missing the previous day. She had been traveling with two other women, all of them attorneys at Suffolk County Legal Aid.
The victim's son Rick Kuhnla Jr. released a statement that read in part, "While I understand the focus of this story is on the circumstances surrounding my mother's death, I would like to take a moment to focus on her life. She was a loving, caring, compassionate woman who I was lucky to have for a mom. If she saw someone who needed help, she would help them."
He added that Marie Kuhnla went back to school later in life, earned her law degree, and spent over 15 years as a public defender.
"She may be gone but the impact she had on the world and inspiration she provided most certainly is not. Please note I do not have any comment on the events or circumstances surrounding her death," Rick Kuhnla Jr. said in the statement.
The family of Ms. Kuhnla are being supported by officers from the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force.
Acting Commissioner of Police, Trevor Botting said, “Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Marie at this time. This is an active investigation into the death of Marie and I would ask that anyone with any information to please contact the investigators from the Serious Crime Unit or you can call in confidence at Crimestoppers on 1-800-8477.
I would also ask that the circumstances of the death of Ms. Kuhnla are not subject to speculation, but any information is passed to my officers.”
Police have yet to reveal how Kuhnla died and whether there are any suspects in the case.