Indonesia earthquake death toll rises to more than 345
The death toll from Sunday's devastating earthquake on the Indonesian island of Lombok has risen to 347, according to the state-run Anatara news agency. The majority of people died in Kayangan, on the north side of the island, Antara reported. Another 1,447 people were injured and 165,003 were displaced by the 6.9 magnitude quake, National Disaster Management Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho told the news agency earlier.
On Tuesday, the government estimated 20,000 people are in need of assistance, with around 80% of buildings destroyed, as aid workers struggled to reach those effected by the disaster.
"We are concerned aid trucks can't get through because of the debris, and there are also landslides happening," Husni Husni, a Jarkarta-based representative for the Red Cross, said."A lot of people are displaced, and many have migrated to the hilly and mountainous areas because of fear of a tsunami."
Meanwhile, the disaster management agency said Tuesday all of the 2,000 tourists on the Gili Islands had now been evacuated. For residents of Lombok and surrounding islands, many saw their homes destroyed, with the collapse of roofs and walls causing the majority of casualties from the quake.
Gusti Lanang Wisnuwandana, an official with the Mataram Search and Relief Office, told Antara that medical and rescue workers were struggling to deal with survivors terrified of being indoors after the quake.
Lobster Season to commence on 15th August, 2018
Fishing interests, restaurants and the general public are reminded of the opening of Lobster Season on Wednesday, August 15th 2018. The season will close on March 31st, 2019.
The Department would like to solicit the cooperation of Fishers and Purchasers in maintaining a healthy and sustainable lobster fishery, and thank everyone in advance for adhering to the guidelines below.
Restrictions relating to crawfish, as per the Fisheries Protection Ordinance, are listed below:
Crawfish size restrictions are as follows:
o When whole, a length of 3.25 inches measured from the front of the groove between the horns directly above the eyes, along the middle of the back to the rear edge of the back shell; or
o When the tail has been separated, a tail weight of 5 ounces whether processed or not;
- Fishers are not to be in the possession of any egg-bearing crawfish;
- Fishers are not to remove eggs from egg-bearing crawfish;
- Fishers are not to take or be in possession of moulting / soft-shelled crawfish or crawfish in early stages of spawning (described as appearing 'tar-spotted'); and
- Fishers are to ensure that the crawfish are landed unharmed and whole after being taken and landed at processing plants or at home, unless processed at sea as per the terms of the processing license.
The Department will continue to implement its enforcement and monitoring measures to support the recovery of the lobster fishery stock which will guide informed management decisions to ensure future sustainability of the industry.
The DECR appeals to citizens, residents and visitors in the Turks & Caicos Islands, to familiarize themselves with and to uphold the Fisheries Regulations, and urges all responsible citizens to call the DECR at 338-4170 or email environment@gov.tc to report any violations.
Mrs. Caulette Swann-Simmons Appointed as Commercial Legal Counsel
The Office of the Deputy Governor is pleased to announce the appointment of Mrs. Caulette Swann-Simmons as the new Commercial Legal Counsel within the Ministry of Health's Interhealth Canada Contract Management Unit.
Mrs. Simmons was admitted to the Turks and Caicos Islands Bar in November 2006 and holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the College of Law of England Wales in Guildford, Surrey, England; a Bachelor of Law L.L.B. (Hons.) from the University of Buckingham in Buckingham, England and an Associate of Arts Degree in Law and Criminal Justice from the College of the Bahamas in Nassau, Bahamas.
She served as the Senior Investigative Officer at the Office of the Complaints Commission from August 2016 to July 2018 and as the Legal Officer for the Turks and Caicos Islands National Insurance Board from November 2014-July 2016. Prior to this, Mrs. Swann-Simmons served as an Associate Attorney at Swann and Swann Attorneys at Law alongside her well-known local attorney father Mr. Wendell Swann.
Mrs. Swann-Simmons in expressing her excitement in taking up this new role said; "The opportunity to serve within the Public Service in the capacity of Commercial Legal Counsel to the Contract Management Unit is indeed an honor. I sought to find for myself a role within the Civil Service where I could use my professional experience to contribute in a more meaningful way to the advancement of the future development of these Turks and Caicos Islands. I view the work of the Contract Management Unit as vitally important to all persons in the Turks and Caicos Islands and I am extremely proud to become an added asset to the team to further aid in advancing the efforts of the Unit."
Commenting on the appointment, Deputy Governor Her Excellency Anya Williams said; "Congratulations is extended to Mrs. Swann-Simmons on her appointment as the Commercial Legal Counsel within the Ministry of Health's Contract Management Unit. As the Commercial Legal Counsel within the CMU, Mrs. Swann-Simmons will be responsible for ensuring compliance with all contracts regarding the provision of Health Services in the Turks and Caicos Islands and will be responsible for providing accurate and timely legal advice pertaining to the legal implications of clinical service delivery, policies, procedures and health care laws in the TCI. This appointment which follows on from the recent appointment of Mrs. Florinda Talbot as Deputy Director within the same unit, is a part of our efforts to strengthen contract management within the Ministry of Health and to increase our oversight of the Interhealth Canada contract. We wish Mrs. Swann-Simmons much success in her new role and look forward to positive results from the CMU going forward.
CDB, UK sign agreement to add GBP30 million to infrastructure fund
TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS GOVERNMENT NOTICE: PRE–TENDER MEETING
The Turks and Caicos Islands Government would like to invite potential tenderers to a Pre-Tender Meeting for:
Design and Construction of Promenade and Craft Market
for Bottle Creek, North Caicos, TR 18/08
The meeting will be held on Thursday, 9 August, 2018 at 10:00 A.M. at the PWD Conference Room, Butterfield Square, Downtown, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands.
Additional information may be obtained from the Turks and Caicos Islands Government’s website: https://www.gov.tc/government-tenders.
SECRETARY TO THE TCIG PROCUREMENT BOARD
Tuesday, 7 August 2018
TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS GOVERNMENT TENDER NOTICE
The Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Tourism, Environment, Heritage, Maritime and Gaming invites open tenders for the following Contract:
DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF PROMENADE AND CRAFT MARKET FOR BOTTLE CREEK, NORTH CAICOS, TR 18/08
Additional information for these Contracts may be obtained from the Turks and Caicos Islands Government’s website at http://www.gov.tc/government-tenders.
Tenders are to be submitted in a sealed envelope by 9:00 A.M. on Wednesday, 12 September 2018 directly to:
The Secretary to the Procurement Board
Office of the Deputy Governor
Waterloo Plaza (upstairs Scotiabank)
Waterloo Road
Grand Turk
Turks and Caicos Islands
The Turks and Caicos Islands Government is not bound to accept any tender, and reserves the right to annul the tender process at any time prior to award of Contract.
SECRETARY TO THE PROCUREMENT BOARD
Monday, 7 August 2018
TCI Cadets Go to Barbados
The Turks and Caicos Cadets Corps are attending the Caribbean cadet camp on the island of Barbados along with cadets from Antigua, Cayman Islands, Barbados, Bvi, Dominican, st Lucia, Monserrat, Trinidad, st Vincent, Jamaica and other Caribbean countries.
The Premier Robinson, Minister of Education, Hon Karen Malcolm and HH The Speaker, Hon Dwayne Taylor were on hand to see our Cadets off to Camp in Barbados.
This Turks & Caicos T-shirt Company Is Donating All Of Its Profits to Local Education
Since 2016, the I Want To Live On An Island (IWTLOAI) company has been selling a variety of T-shirt styles both on Providenciales and via their online store. Their message is a simple one that resonates with many, but it's their cause that makes this brand a special one. For the last few years, the team behind the shirts — TCI residents Jenny Douglas and Camille Slattery — have been donating 25 percent of their profits to school tuition for elementary school-age children who otherwise wouldn't have the opportunity to attend school. And unfortunately, there are many kids who fall into this category due to space constraints at government schools and the high cost of private schools.
Today, the IWTLOAI team is upping their efforts. Now all profits from T-shirt sales will go to sponsoring local children so they have an opportunity to attend school. That's right — every single dollar will go back to the community in the name of education.
TCSPCA ANIMAL BUS HAS ARRIVED ON SOUTH CAICOS!
After a few anxious days last week of not knowing whether or not the barge was making a trip to South Caicos the TCSPCA Animal Bus finally arrived early Saturday morning and is now parked safely on the grounds of the School for Field Studies.
The bus was greeted by some school boys who are planning to bring their pets to the clinic when it opens on Thursday August 9th. The TCSPCA has been providing veterinary care on South Caicos for the past 8 years and their efforts have improved the lives of hundreds of dogs and cats that are now spayed & neutered. Also, many pet owners have become more educated on how to care for their pets by giving their dogs monthly heartworm preventative and making sure their annual vaccinations are up to date.
They also welcome Dr. Terry Eylers DVM who will be arriving from New York. Dr. Eylers is from the Peace Love Pets Veterinary Care Center located in Commack NY and she is very excited about visiting the Turks and Caicos Islands for the first time. She is also looking forward to volunteering in the Spay/Neuter clinic on an island where pet owners have no access to regular vet care.
They are looking forward to a very busy and productive week on South Caicos.