LeBron James not panicking after 0-3 start
Following the Los Angeles Lakers' 143-142 overtime loss to the San Antonio Spurs Monday night,
LeBron James had a message for fans: "We'll be fine." James assured reporters and Lakers fans the team will see improvement as the year goes on: "It's not tough. I know what I got myself into. It's a process. I get it. And it will be fine.
So, I didn't come here thinking we were going to be blazing storms right out of the gate.
It's a process and I understand that." This is an unusual position for James. It is the first time one of his teams have started the
season 0-3 since his second year in the league. For the Lakers, however, losing has become
commonplace since the end of the 2012-13 season.
After joining the Lakers via free agency this past offseason, James was tasked with turning
around a franchise that lost at least 50 games for four straight seasons before winning 35
last year. Some of last year’s positive signs have carried over into this season, such as
the team overcoming an eighteen point deficit against the Spurs. It has not translated to victories in the early going, however, as the Lakers go on the road
to play the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday in search of their first win of 2018. James assured Lakers fans that it is coming soon: "We're going to continue to get better. We're going to continue to get better. I like the direction
we're going in. Obviously, it's not resulting in the wins right now but it's such a long process.”
Details on the 23rd Meeting of Cabinet
His Excellency the Governor, Dr John Freeman, chaired the 24th meeting of Cabinet on Tuesday, the 23rd October 2018, at the N. J. S. Francis Building in Grand Turk.
All Ministers were present.
At this meeting:
- Cabinet advised His Excellency the Governor to approve the appointment of a new CEO of Invest TCI for a period of two years with effect from November 1st, 2018, subject to contractual terms approved by Cabinet being agreed.
- Cabinet approved the extension of the appointments of the members of the Health Practitioners Board for an additional period of six months;
- Cabinet approved, with amendments, the draft Sports Development (Fees) Regulations for 2018. Cabinet also approved a request by the family of Ms Marion Williams to use the Gustavus Lightbourne Sports Complex for a community celebration subject to the appropriate fee being charged;
- Cabinet also approved the appointment of the Energy and Utilities Commissioner as Secretary of the Water and Sewerage Board with immediate effect until March 31st, 2019;
- Cabinet approved the termination of the appointment of Mr Max Garland as the representative of the TCI Electrical Contractors Association to the Electricity Board for Electrical Practitioners Licencing and approved the appointment of Mr John Carlos Ariza as his replacement with immediate effect until March 31st, 2019;
- Cabinet noted an information paper from the Hon. Minister of Home Affairs, Transportation and Communication, the Hon. Vaden Delroy Williams, updating Cabinet on on-going work and plans to improve the physical infrastructure at Her Majesty’s Prison in Grand Turk;
- Cabinet noted the on-going work by the Public Works Department to address recommendations in the Dillon Consulting Report on Storm Water Flood Risk Management. The Ministry will present a paper on recommendations to mitigate the risk of flooding to Cabinet for approval;
- Cabinet noted the recommendation of the Procurement Board on the award of the following contract in accordance with the Public Procurement Ordinance – TR 18/16 Shelters and Emergency Operations Centre;
- Cabinet received an up-date by Premier Robinson on the work of the TCI National Disaster Recovery Task Force;
- Cabinet also advised His Excellency the Governor to approve the issuing of a public tender notice for the lease of Crown Land Parcel 60003/246 in Providenciales in accordance with Section 34 of the Crown Land Ordinance;
- Cabinet approved proposed amendments to the Physical Planning Ordinance to allow the Physical Planning Board to delegate to the Director of Planning - the authority to decide on specified types of planning applications. An amended draft Bill will be submitted to Cabinet for approval.
Further information on these matters will be provided by Ministers in due course.
EU parliament approves ban on single-use plastics
European Parliament voted overwhelmingly Wednesday for an EU-wide ban on single-use plastics such as straws, cutlery, cotton buds and balloon sticks.
The European Commission, the 28-nation EU's executive arm, proposed banning such items that it said account for 70 per cent of the waste in the oceans and beaches.
"Today we are one step closer to eliminating the most problematic single-use plastic products in Europe," the EU's environment commissioner, Kar-menu Vella, said.
The European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, voted for the ban on single-use plastic with 571 votes for, 53 against and 34 abstentions.
The legislation which supporters want to take effect by 2021 must still be approved in negotiations involving the member states, parliament and the commission.
The WWF said the vote put "the EU on track as a global leader in reducing plastic pollution and pioneering stronger circular economies."
However, it said the parliament missed an opportunity to close a legal loophole on the definition of single-use plastics, adding it allows products to be labelled re-usable when they may not be.
The manufacturers associations, PlasticsEurope said the measures are "disproportionate," adding bans discourage investment needed to develop ways to recycle plastics.
Like WWF, it said the single-use plastics definition remains "ambiguous."
The parliament said its ban across the EU targets single-use cutlery, cotton buds, straws and stirrers, which were on the commission's original list of 10 items.
MEPs added polystyrenes used to wrap fast-food and oxo-plastics, such as bags that have been touted as biodegradable but which break up into tiny particles.
The legislation calls for plastic items | where no alternatives are available to be reduced by at least 25 per cent by 2025.
Under the ban, drinks bottles and other plastics will have to be collected separately and recycled at a rate of 90 per cent by 2025.
The legislation calls for reducing waste from tobacco products, especially cigarette filters containing plastic, by 50 per cent by 2025 and 80 per cent by 2030.
When thrown on a road, cigarette butts can take up to 12 years to disintegrate, the parliament said.
It calls for member states to ensure that tobacco firms cover the costs of waste collection for those products.
The bill calls on member countries to ensure that at least 50 per cent of lost or abandoned fishing gear containing plastic is collected annually.
It calls for recylcing at least 15 per cent of fishing gear — which accounts for 27 per cent of the litter on Europe's beaches — by 2025.
Producers of fishing gear containing plastic will also need to assume the cost of collecting litter and help meet the recycling target.
Frederique Ries, member of the liberal ALDE party, said the bill he steered through parliament is "the most ambitious legislation against single-use plastics."
He added "it is up to us now to stay the course in the upcoming negotiations with the EU member states, which could start next month.”
He said the legislation is needed to protect the environment and cut damage from plastics that will rise to an estimated 22 billion euros by 2030.
[Source: Jamaica Observer]
T&T struck by fifth earthquake in 7 days
An earthquake with a magnitude of 4.8 rocked sections of Trinidad and Tobago yesterday morning, Thursday, October 25th, 2018.
The Seismic Research Centre at the University of the West Indies, St Augustine campus, said this is the fifth earthquake to hit the twin island republic within the past seven days.
The Seismic Research Centre said the quake which occurred at 11:57 am (local time), was located at Latitude 10.62North and Longitude 62.03West, with a depth of 6.2 miles.
It was felt 35 miles west of Port of Spain, 47 miles northwest of San Fernando and 52 miles west of Arima.
There are no reports of damages or injuries.
The TC Aquatics Club will compete in the 2018 Mako Aquatics Club Fall Invitational
The TC Aquatics Club will compete in the 2018 Mako Aquatics Club Fall Invitational scheduled to be held at the Betty Kelly Kenning Aquatics Center in Nassau, Bahamas on the 26th and 27th of October.
Mateo Gardiner, age 11, will swim in the 50, 100 and 200 meter breaststroke, the 50, 100 and 200 meter freestyle and the 50 meter fly races.
Tajhari Williams, age 10, will swim in the 100 meter backstroke, 100 meter fly, the 50, 100, 200 and 400 meter freestyle and the 200 meter individual medley.
Chelsea Walkin, age 10, will swim in the 50 meter freestyle and the 50 meter backstroke.
Lenin Hamilton Jr., age 9, will swim in the 50, 100 and 200 meter freestyle, the 50 meter backstroke, breaststroke and fly and the 200 meter individual medley.
Jamari Parker, age 9, will swim in the 50, 100 and 200 meter breaststroke, the 50 and 100 meter freestyle, the 50 meter backstroke and the 50 meter fly.
Adrian Lightbourne, age 9, will swim in the 50 and 100 meter freestyle and the 50, 100, and 200 meter breaststroke.
Carlos Miguel Mariano, age 8, will swim in the 50 meter fly, the 50 meter backstroke and the 50, 100 and 200 meter freestyle.
Gil Alexandre C. Geralde, age 8, will swim in the 50 meter backstroke, 50 meter breaststroke and 50 meter freestyle races.
Lenika Hamilton, age 7, will swim in the 50, 100 and 200 meter freestyle, the 50 meter backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly and the 200 meter individual medley.
And Leniah Hamilton, age 4, will swim in the 50 meter backstroke and 50 meter freestyle.
Mail bombs: Robert De Niro and Joe Biden latest targets
A suspect package similar to those sent to CNN and senior Democrats has been sent to a New York restaurant owned by the actor Robert De Niro.
The device arrived at the Tribeca Grill in Manhattan early on Thursday local time, US media said, citing police.
Former Vice-President Joe Biden has also reportedly received packages.
If linked to previous similar incidents, this would be the ninth DemocratIC party-affiliated indivudual to receive a suspect package this week.
De Niro - the star of films Raging Bull and Meet the Parents - is a vocal Trump opponent, and once called him "a national disaster".
When the Oscar-winner attacked him at the Tony Awards in June, the president responded by calling De Niro a "very low IQ individual."
The New York Police Department said the restaurant building - which also houses his production company Tribeca Films - was empty at the time the suspicious device arrived.
The series of bomb alerts began on Monday, when explosive devices were sent to locations in New York, Washington DC and Florida.
The first was found near the home of billionaire businessman George Soros, a major Democratic Party donor.
Other devices were sent to the following individuals:
--Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and ex-President, Bill Clinton
--Former President Barack Obama
--Former Vice-President Joe Biden
--Former CIA Director John Brennan, care of CNN
--Former Attorney General Eric Holder
--AND California Democratic Congresswoman Maxine Waters
NOTICE: Daylights Saving Time begins Sunday, November 4th, 2018
The Turks and Caicos Islands Government wishes to advise the general public that Daylight Savings Time will end on Sunday, November 4th, 2018 at 2:00 a.m.
This will result in a one-hour (behind/backward) time change at 2:00 am on Sunday, November 4th 2018.
At that time, Eastern Standard Time will commence and will continue until 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, March 10th, 2019.
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!”