Another headache for St Lucia PM as Customs officers start two-day sick-out
Saint Lucian Customs and Excise officers have begun a two-day sickout in protest over government’s plans to merge a number of government departments into the proposed St Lucia Border Management Authority, according to sources.
The planned sickout is scheduled to take place Thursday and Friday this week.
“This is said to be the first wave of action,” one source said.
Customs officers fear that a number of them will lose their jobs if the statutory body is established, despite government’s assurances they will not.
“Any solution that requires people to be sent home is not something my government will consider. I know of no proposal that suggested anybody would have to go home,” Chastanet said at a press briefing last month.
He was referring to allegations suggesting that officers employed with the Customs and Excise Department would be asked to resign and re-apply for positions in the new entity called the St Lucia Border Management Authority.
These allegations seem to have frightened officers to the point where they sought advice from their bargaining agent, the Civil Service Association (CSA), which met with them recently to hear their grievances.
CSA’s general secretary Claude Paul reminded that while the prime minister spoke of no job losses in the four entities to be merged to form the St Lucia Border Management Authority, namely Customs and Excise, Immigration Department, Marine Police and the Quarantine Department, it was basically the same language he seems to have spoken with regards to Radio St Lucia, which no longer broadcasts on a commercial basis, the Tourist Board, which has morphed into the St Lucia Tourism Association, and other entities.
Paul spoke of an air of uncertainty amongst workers whenever the prime minister speaks of either closing down or transforming their work places.
Chastanet envisaged that not only will those persons working in the four entities to be merged into the St Lucia Border Management Authority not lose their jobs, but that the Customs and Excise Department, which will be taking over the role of persons in the Immigration Department, will be an upgraded version of its current self when the transformation is done.
“There is nothing envisioned that anybody is being dislocated or sent anywhere else. Customs would be upgraded not downgraded. We don’t see anybody being sent home,” Chastanet reiterated.
It is envisioned that police officers attached to the Immigration Department will go back to being police officers, Customs and Excise officers will absorb the Immigration Department and that of Quarantine while the Marine Police will remain as it.
“Police officers will no longer be performing the function of immigration. So police officers will go back to their substantive posts on the beat. We are excited about that because we would like to see more policemen on the road. I would have like to see that already but given the lack of software systems we have not been able to do that,” Chastanet had said.
Despite his assurances, the CSA does not trust his words.
“Notwithstanding a meeting held with the prime minister and a subsequent letter from the permanent secretary/director of finance, we have not been convinced that the government is acting in good faith,” the CSA said in a press release, adding that the following must be noted:
1. The information provided from the Cabinet Conclusion 247 0f 2018 specifically refers to the establishment of the St Lucia Border Management Authority as a Statutory Board. In the absence of an amendment to that Cabinet Conclusion to say otherwise, we believe that the intention of government remains unchanged.
2. There have been contradictory statements made by the prime minister and other senior officials that add confusion in the minds of our members, who remain steadfast in their view that the position as stated in the Cabinet Conclusion is NOT appropriate for revenue collection and law enforcement purposes.
3. We have taken note that there are no similar structures operating in any part of the region and those other reform initiatives involving Customs have been strongly resisted in places like Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados.
“Therefore the CSA and the members of the Customs and Excise Branch have stated their intention to remain resolute and will be considering all available legal options to defend its position against this ill conceived initiative,” the CSA concluded.
US Open 2018: Serena Williams says she has a long way to go to win Flushing Meadows title
Serena Williams says she still has a "really long way to go" to win a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam singles title at the US Open.
Williams plays Anastasija Sevastova in the semi-finals on Thursday and is the only major winner left in the draw.
A seventh US Open title would see the American equal Margaret Court's Grand Slam haul but Williams has lost her last two semi-finals in New York.
Williams, 36, also lost to Angelique Kerber in this year's Wimbledon final.
"I'd been a couple of steps away at the last Grand Slam, so I'm definitely not ahead of myself," Williams said.
"I still know that no matter whether I'm in the semi-finals or the finals, I have a really long way to go to win."
Williams is also aiming for a first Grand Slam title since giving birth to her daughter last year.
The semi-final, which starts at starts 0:00 BST on Friday, is Sevastova's first in a Grand Slam semi-final and comes after her win over defending champion Sloane Stephens in the quarter-finals.
Sevastova retired from the sport in 2013 because of recurring injuries and spent two years studying leisure management before returning in 2015.
"It was an amazing journey, this three, four years," the world number 18 said. "After I stop, at some point I will look at it and I will be proud of myself, for sure.
"I hope I will enjoy it, playing semi-finals. It's not every day you play semi-finals of a Grand Slam."
Burt Reynolds: Hollywood star dies, 82
Burt Reynolds, the wisecracking 1970s movie heartthrob and Oscar nominee, has died at the age of 82.
According to Us Weekly, he passed away in a Florida hospital of a heart attack, attended by his family.
The moustachioed actor had undergone heart bypass surgery in 2010. Reynolds is survived by his son, Quinton.
He shot to fame in 1972's Deliverance, and also starred in Smokey and the Bandit, Boogie Nights and The Cannonball Run.
British Airways probes customer data theft
British Airways says it is investigating "as a matter of urgency" the theft of customer data from its website and mobile app.
The airline said personal and financial details of customers making bookings had been compromised.
BA said the breach took place between 22:58 BST on 21 August and 21:45 BST on 5 September.
However, the stolen data did not include travel or passport details, it added.
"The breach has been resolved and our website is working normally," BA said in a statement
"We have notified the police and relevant authorities. We are deeply sorry for the disruption that this criminal activity has caused. We take the protection of our customers' data very seriously."
This is not the first customer relations problem to affect the airline in recent times.
In July, BA apologised after IT issues caused dozens of flights in and out of Heathrow Airport to be cancelled.
A number of short-haul flights were cancelled after an incident involving a "supplier IT system".
The month before, more than 2,000 BA passengers had their tickets cancelledbecause the prices were too cheap.
BA apologised for the error on flights to Tel Aviv and Dubai, but customers said they were angry their tickets were not being honoured.
And in May 2017, serious problems with British Airways' IT systems led to thousands of passengers having their plans disrupted, after all flights from Heathrow and Gatwick were cancelled.
Bitcoin bloodbath -- cryptocurrency plunges 20% in two days
Bitcoin investors are getting their digital butts kicked lately. Hard. Bitcoin prices have plunged more than 20% in the past two days.
Ethereum, Litecoin, Ripple and other cryptocurrencies have suffered similarly large drops. The reason for the latest pullback? A Business Insider report that investment banking giant Goldman Sachs (GS) may be dropping plans to launch a crypto trading desk.
Goldman Sachs told CNNMoney though that it hadn't made a firm decision about bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies just yet.
"In response to client interest in various digital products, we are exploring how best to serve them in the space. At this point, we have not reached a conclusion on the scope of our digital asset offering," Goldman Sachs said in a statement.
But if Goldman Sachs is pulling back, that is not good news.
Naeem Aslam, chief market analyst with ThinkMarkets UK who is bullish on bitcoin, said in an email that "there is no doubt that the bitcoin price is supported by this hype that institutional banks are going to get involved."
Stories first surfaced about a possible Goldman Sachs push into bitcoin (XBT) and other cryptocurrencies last December, shortly after the two big futures trading companies -- the CBOE(CBOE) and CME (CME) -- set up exchanges for bitcoin contracts.
Goldman Sachs confirmed in May that it was thinking of using its own money to start trading bitcoin, according to the New York Times.
Bitcoin prices, which were hovering near a record high of about $20,000 in December, have lost more than two-thirds of their value since then and currently trading at around $6,400.
Hussein Sayed, chief market strategist at currency brokerage FXTM said in a report Thursday that it's possible prices could fall below $5,000.
So it might make sense for Goldman Sachs to take a more cautious approach to this extremely volatile market. Most of the news about bitcoin has been negative lately.
India court legalises gay sex in landmark ruling
In a historic decision, India's Supreme Court has ruled that gay sex is no longer a criminal offence.
The ruling overturns a 2013 judgement that upheld a colonial-era law, known as section 377, under which gay sex is categorised as an "unnatural offence".
The court has now ruled discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is a fundamental violation of rights.
Campaigners outside the court cheered and some broke down in tears as the ruling was handed down.
Although public opinion in India's biggest cities has been in favour of scrapping the law, there remains strong opposition among religious groups and in conservative rural communities.
But this ruling, from the top court, is the final say in the matter and represents a huge victory for India's LGBT community.
One activist outside the court told the BBC: "I hadn't come out to my parents until now. But today, I guess I have."
Thursday's decision was delivered by a five-judge bench headed by India's outgoing chief justice Dipak Misra and was unanimous.
Reading out the judgement, he said: "Criminalising carnal intercourse is irrational, arbitrary and manifestly unconstitutional."
Another judge, Indu Malhotra, said she believed "history owes an apology" to LGBT people for ostracising them.
Justice DY Chandrachud said the state had no right to control the private lives of LGBT community members and that the denial of the right to sexual orientation was the same as denying the right to privacy.
The ruling effectively allows gay sex among consenting adults in private.
TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 5, 2018: THERE ARE TWO ADDITIONAL AREAS OF CONCERN AT THIS TIME.
(1) A BROAD AREA OF LOW PRESSURE CENTERED A COUPLE HUNDRED MILES SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF THE CABO VERDE ISLANDS IS BEING MONITORED. THIS SYSTEM HAS A 90 PERCENT CHANCE FOR TROPICAL CYCLONE DEVELOPMENT OVER THE NEXT 5 DAYS.
(2) A TROPICAL WAVE IS FORECAST TO MOVE OFF THE WEST COAST OF AFRICA IN A FEW DAYS. SOME DEVELOPMENT OF THE SYSTEM IS POSSIBLE OVER THE WEEKEND WHILE THE WAVE MOVES WESTWARD OVER THE FAR EASTERN TROPICAL ATLANTIC OCEAN. THIS SYSTEM HAS A 20 PERCENT CHANCE FOR TROPICAL CYCLONE DEVELOPMENT OVER THE NEXT 5 DAYS.
THIS IS A NEWS ITEM ON TROPICAL STORM FLORENCE WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER, 05, 2018
FLORENCE FLOURISHING IN THE FACE OF
SOUTHWESTERLY SHEAR...
LOCATION: NEAR LATITUDE 22.0°NORTH AND LONGITUDE 45.7° WEST OR ABOUT 1160 MILES EAST-NORTHEAST OF THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS.
PRESENT MOVEMENT: HURRICANE FLORENCE IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 13 MILES PER HOUR.
AT 11AM DST, THE CENTER OF HURRICANE FLORENCE WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 22.0°NORTH AND LONGITUDE 45.7° WEST OR ABOUT 1160 MILES EAST-NORTHEAST OF THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS.
FLORENCE IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 13 MILES PER HOUR AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH TONIGHT. A TURN TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST WITH A DECREASE IN FORWARD SPEED IS FORECAST ON THURSDAY, FOLLOWED BY A TURN BACK TOWARD THE NORTHWEST EARLY NEXT WEEK.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 125 MILES PER HOUR WITH HIGHER GUSTS. FLORENCE IS A CATEGORY 3 HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE WIND SCALE. SOME WEAKENING IS POSSIBLE DURING THE NEXT FEW DAYS, BUT FLORENCE IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN A STRONG HURRICANE THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK.
TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS
Florence is several hundred miles away from the TCI. Forecasters have indicated that the system is currently projected to continue on a north west path through tonight with a turn back to the west- northwest with a decrease in forward speed forecast for Thursday, with a turn back towards the northwest early next week. Florence is a category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane wind scale. Some weakening is possible during next few days, but Florence is expected to remain a strong hurricane through early next week. As this information is based on current projections, Florence poses no threat to the Turks and Caicos Islands at this time, residents should continue to monitor Florence. The Department of Disaster Management and Emergencies (DDME) will continue to monitor and provide information of any changes.
If it appears Florence may pose an immediate threat to the TCI, advisories will be issued in keeping with those of the Bahamas Department of Meteorology Forecast Office Section.
PUBLIC FORECAST FOR THE BAHAMAS AND THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS FOR 5TH SEPTEMBER 2018.
GENERAL SITUATION: A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE EXTENDING ACROSS THE AREA WILL MAINTAIN A GENTLE TO MODERATE EASTERLY FLOW ACROSS THE ISLANDS.
SPECIAL WARNINGS: BEACHGOERS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT DUE TO THE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS ALONG EAST COAST BEACHES.
AREA: ALL AREAS
WEATHER: PARTLY SUNNY AND HOT WITH BRIEF PASSING ISOLATED SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS TODAY TURNING FAIR AND WARM TONIGHT WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS.
WINDS: EASTERLY AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS.
SEAS: 2 TO 4 FEET OVER THE OCEAN
HIGH TEMPERATURE 91°F 33°C
HEAT INDEX 103°F 40°C
LOW TEMPERATURE TONIGHT 77°F 25°C
SUNRISE: 6:52AM SUNSET: 7:23PM
MOONSET: 4:12PM MOONRISE: 3:21AM THU
LOW TIDE: 9:11AM & 10:11PM
HIGH TIDE: 3:41PM & 4:04AM THU
EXTENDED FORECAST FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS: A SURFACE TROUGH COMBINED WITH UPPER LEVEL TROUGHING ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND NORTHWEST BAHAMAS IS EXPECTED TO GENERATE CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY ACROSS THOSE AREAS THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. WHILE SEA SWELLS FROM HURRICANE FLORENCE IS EXPECTED TO AFFECT THE EASTERN SHORES OF THE ISLANDS BY FRIDAY.
Beach access controversy continues in the Cayman Islands
newly formed Public Lands Commission in the Cayman Islands has begun rolling out beach access signs across Grand Cayman as part of efforts to address issues concerning beach access. This includes owners of oceanfront homes continuing to deter the public from using beaches in front of their property.
Local activist groups are nevertheless still trying to get the issue addressed in court, especially because increasing coastal development is making it harder for residents to enjoy the Cayman Islands’ beautiful beaches.
The government has repeatedly promised to address the issues of access, but many activists still believe the issue is not being tackled and owners continue to chase away local people attempting to get to the beach, because what belongs to landowners and what is public remains confusing.
A group of concerned citizens who have been pressing government for more than 15 years to register beach access points are still battling to get the case heard in court, even though they say it is within the remit of the attorney general to get the easements and rights of way registered.
After a long battle, the group has secured some legal aid funding, though not enough to cover the cost of bringing the case, which they say is a public interest case and should therefore be paid for by the public purse.
While the land commission has begun rolling out the signs, the message is not always getting through.
During the last sitting of Finance Committee, members voted to set aside $10 million to buy land, which will include beachfront properties and beach access pathways for public use. Juliana O’Connor-Connolly, the minister responsible for lands, said she was anxious to see public beach property in all of the districts to ensure all residents are able to enjoy the beach.
According to guidelines published by the Department of Tourism for condo and hotel owners, the public has a right to use any part of any beach in the Cayman Islands for recreation, even above the mean high-water mark.
“Such a public right is one of a group of rights which members of the public enjoy, even over private land, in the Cayman Islands. It is a right which the law presumes to have existed for many years and which members of the public have acquired under the Prescription Law,” the DoT stated in an appendix to its accommodation inspection guide.
The public has no right to use owners’ beach furniture but they cannot be prevented from using the beach or passing to and fro along the beach, even where the beach they use is on private land.
The emergence of another sign on Seven Mile Beach on Grand Cayman caused a recent stir on Facebook as local residents pointed out that the beaches are not private.
In February this year, government published a report about beach accesses all around the islands and discovered a catalogue of problems, such as a lack of signs to indicate the public rights of way, and gated and blocked pathways.