volume 11 issue 48

48
by Hayden Boyce Publisher & Editor-in-Chief DECEMBER 18TH, 2015 – DECEMBER 25TH, 2015 VOLUME 11 - NO. 48 $1.00 Website: www.suntci.com Email: [email protected] Tel: (649) 339-5879 Fax: (649) 941-3281 www.facebook.com/tcisun Continued on Page 2 MORE THAN 100 WITNESSES FOR CORRUPTION CASE Photo by Todeline Defralien Beaches TCI hosted it’s team members kids Christmas Party Beaches Turks and Caicos hosted its Annual team members Christmas party on Tuesday December 15th, 2015 at Treasure Beach, Beaches Resorts. The event was hosted to give Christmas Treat to over 1,000 kids. The event saw attendance of kids all over Providenciales, where they enjoyed themselves with games, toys, and various other activities on the beach. Pictured here are the over excited kids, Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus as they meet and greet the kids. M ore than 100 persons, including former Governor Richard Tauwhare, current Attorney General Hon. Rhondalee Brathwaite-Knowles, former First Lady LisaRaye McCoy, several former and current senior civil servants, local developers, lawyers, business persons and residents, will be called as prosecution witnesses, or their statements to the Special Investigation and Prosecution Team (SIPT) relied upon, when the high- profile corruption case officially starts on January 18th, 2016. The draft witness list, which was drawn up by Special Prosecutor Helen Garlick and her lead prosecutor, Queen’s Counsel Andrew Mitchell, reads like a virtual who’s who in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The case, which was scheduled to start on December 8th, was adjourned until January by Mr. Justice Paul Harrison, after he ruled against motions brought on behalf of former Premier Michael Misick and former Deputy Premier Floyd Hall. Lead Prosecutor Andrew Mitchell informed the court that his opening statement will take approximately three weeks, after which he will start calling witnesses in the case which is expected to stretch beyond six months, with sessions of three weeks, followed by one-week breaks. The prosecution witnesses whose will be called or relied upon, include: Kingsley Been, former PS to the Governor’s Office, Ruth Blackman, former Clerk to the Executive Council and former Cabinet Secretary; Delton Jones, former senior economist and PS Finance; Terry Selver, former Collector of Customs; Karen Delancy, former PNP Cabinet Minister; Tracey Parker, Clerk of Parliament; Gordon Burton, PNP treasurer; Tatum Fisher- Clerveaux, Deputy Commissioner of Lands; Johantan Llewelyn, Crown Land Advisor; Jan Fuller of the Department for International Development; Shaaban Hoza, Chief Valuation officer; Leroy Charles Director of Survey and Mapping; Ian Astwood, former acting director of planning; Clyde Robinson, former director of planning; Marc Rawlins of the FSC; Clayton Been, former Inward Investment manager of the former TC Invest; former Governor Richard Tauwhare, Attorney General Rhondalee Brathwaite-Knowles; Shaun Malcolm, former PNP and PDM politician; Dale Piergiovanni, a developer contractor and resident of North Caicos; Irvin Coalbrooke, former PS Finance; Ian Meredith, developer of Water Cay, Christopher Meredith, managing partner of Water Cay; attorney Steve Finkelstein; Rebecca Cain and Danzella Jennings of Morris Cottingham; Marsha Cummings from the AG’s office; Athenee Harvey, PS Finance; Andrew Dedman of Water Cay, Richard Sankar, CEO of Tropical Realty; Hugh McClean, Ogail Awad, Doreen Williams, Marsha Cummings, David Green, Karen Biker, Timothy Smith, Timothy Prudhoe, Christian Papachristou, Arthur Robinson, Catherin Caldwell, Simon Kelly, Hugh O’Neil, Sigrid Lightbourne, Steven Carey and Lourdes Blanco of Beaches, Robert Hall of Provo Water Company, Dion Pratt, Simon Wood, Gary Lightbourne, Garnett Jolly, Willard Williams, Earl Ingham, Sherlock Walkin, Martin Robinson, Paul Dempsey, Henry Harvey, Elliott Harvey, Clay Arthur, Dwight Hall, Chame Williams, Royal Robinson, Keris Simms- Gardiner, Richie Been, Ethlyn Gibbs-Williams, Andrew Neutelings, Mark Durlait, Irvine Quelch, Felton Clare, Vivienne Bassett, Kenric Hall, Alphonzo Seymour, David Clare, Linley Goldman, Arhur Bassett, David Hartshorn, Olincia Missick, Crystal Robinson, Beryl Lightbourne, Lisa-Raye McCoy, Tanya Parnell, Tolani Kanchan, Gautam Tolani, Audley Williams, David Bozzer, Patricia Selver, Jai Tolani. wThe defence will also call several other witnesses. JUDGE DISMISSES MISICK’s SUBMISSIONS When the matter came before Mr. Justice Harrison last week, former premier Michael Misick, through his lawyer Ralph Thorne, QC, from Barbados, sought orders that having been extradited from Brazil on a treaty between the UK and Brazil, and being charged and tried in breach of the specialty rule under such treaty, that there be a stay of the criminal proceedings against him on the ground that its continuation is an abuse of process. He also argued that the financial evidence to be used against him should be excluded because the use of such evidence is in breach of Section8 of the Commission of Inquiry Ordinance 1998 and that he is entitled to redress under the constitution for breaches if his Constitutional rights. In his ruling, Judge Harrison noted that in respect of the treaty law, extradition is usually done by diplomatic exchanges and is a contractual agreement between states, enforceable by the relevant states.

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Page 1: VOLUME 11 ISSUE 48

by Hayden BoycePublisher & Editor-in-Chief

DECEMBER 18TH, 2015 – DECEMBER 25TH, 2015 VOLUME 11 - NO. 48 $1.00

Website: www.suntci.com Email: [email protected] Tel: (649) 339-5879 Fax: (649) 941-3281 www.facebook.com/tcisun

Continued on Page 2

MORE THAN 100 WITNESSESFOR CORRUPTION CASE

Photo by Todeline Defralien

Beaches TCI hosted it’s team members kids Christmas PartyBeaches Turks and Caicos hosted its Annual team members Christmas party on Tuesday December 15th, 2015 at Treasure Beach, Beaches Resorts. The event was hosted to give Christmas Treat to over 1,000 kids. The event saw attendance of kids all over Providenciales, where they enjoyed themselves with games, toys, and various other activities on the beach. Pictured here are the over excited kids, Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus as they meet and greet the kids.

More than 100 persons, including former Governor Richard

Tauwhare, current Attorney General Hon. Rhondalee Brathwaite-Knowles, former First Lady LisaRaye McCoy, several former and current senior civil servants, local developers, lawyers, business persons and residents, will be called as prosecution witnesses, or their statements to the Special Investigation and Prosecution Team (SIPT) relied upon, when the high-profile corruption case officially starts on January 18th, 2016. The draft witness list, which was drawn up by Special Prosecutor Helen Garlick and her lead prosecutor, Queen’s Counsel Andrew Mitchell, reads like a virtual who’s who in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The case, which was scheduled to start on December 8th, was adjourned until January by Mr. Justice Paul Harrison, after he ruled against motions brought on behalf of former Premier Michael Misick and former Deputy Premier Floyd Hall. Lead Prosecutor Andrew Mitchell informed the court that his opening statement will take approximately three weeks, after which he will start calling witnesses in the case which is expected to stretch beyond six months, with sessions of three weeks, followed by one-week breaks. The prosecution witnesses whose will be called or relied upon, include: Kingsley Been, former PS to the Governor’s Office, Ruth Blackman, former Clerk to the Executive Council and former Cabinet Secretary; Delton Jones, former senior economist and PS Finance; Terry Selver, former Collector of Customs; Karen Delancy, former PNP Cabinet Minister; Tracey Parker, Clerk of Parliament; Gordon Burton, PNP treasurer; Tatum Fisher-Clerveaux, Deputy Commissioner of Lands; Johantan Llewelyn, Crown

Land Advisor; Jan Fuller of the Department for International Development; Shaaban Hoza, Chief Valuation officer; Leroy Charles Director of Survey and Mapping; Ian Astwood, former acting director of planning; Clyde Robinson, former director of planning; Marc Rawlins of the FSC; Clayton Been, former Inward Investment manager of the former TC Invest; former Governor Richard Tauwhare, Attorney General Rhondalee B r a t h w a i t e - K n o w l e s ; Shaun Malcolm, former PNP and PDM politician; Dale Piergiovanni, a

developer contractor and resident of North Caicos; Irvin Coalbrooke, former PS Finance; Ian Meredith, developer of Water Cay, Christopher Meredith, managing partner of Water Cay; attorney Steve Finkelstein; Rebecca Cain and Danzella Jennings of Morris Cottingham; Marsha Cummings from the AG’s office; Athenee Harvey, PS Finance; Andrew Dedman of Water Cay, Richard Sankar, CEO of Tropical Realty; Hugh McClean, Ogail Awad, Doreen Williams, Marsha Cummings, David Green, Karen Biker, Timothy Smith, Timothy Prudhoe,

Christian Papachristou, Arthur Robinson, Catherin Caldwell, Simon Kelly, Hugh O’Neil, Sigrid Lightbourne, Steven Carey and Lourdes Blanco of Beaches, Robert Hall of Provo Water Company, Dion Pratt, Simon Wood, Gary Lightbourne, Garnett Jolly, Willard Williams, Earl Ingham, Sherlock Walkin, Martin Robinson, Paul Dempsey, Henry Harvey, Elliott Harvey, Clay Arthur, Dwight Hall, Chame Williams, Royal Robinson, Keris Simms-Gardiner, Richie Been, Ethlyn Gibbs-Williams, Andrew Neutelings, Mark Durlait, Irvine Quelch, Felton Clare, Vivienne Bassett, Kenric Hall, Alphonzo Seymour, David Clare, Linley Goldman, Arhur Bassett, David Hartshorn, Olincia Missick, Crystal Robinson, Beryl Lightbourne, Lisa-Raye McCoy, Tanya Parnell, Tolani Kanchan, Gautam Tolani, Audley Williams, David Bozzer, Patricia Selver, Jai Tolani. wThe defence will also call several other witnesses.

JUDGE DISMISSES MISICK’s SUBMISSIONS

When the matter came before Mr. Justice Harrison last week, former premier Michael Misick, through his lawyer Ralph Thorne, QC, from Barbados, sought orders that having been extradited from Brazil on a treaty between the UK and Brazil, and being charged and tried in breach of the specialty rule under such treaty, that there be a stay of the criminal proceedings against him on the ground that its continuation is an abuse of process. He also argued that the financial evidence to be used against him should be excluded because the use of such evidence is in breach of Section8 of the Commission of Inquiry Ordinance 1998 and that he is entitled to redress under the constitution for breaches if his Constitutional rights. In his ruling, Judge Harrison noted that in respect of the treaty law, extradition is usually done by diplomatic exchanges and is a contractual agreement between states, enforceable by the relevant states.

Page 2: VOLUME 11 ISSUE 48

LOCAL NEWSPage 2 TURKS & CAICOS SUN DECEMBER 18TH, 2015 – DECEMBER 25TH, 2015

LOCAL NEWS

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“Individuals of the said states do not, as a general rule, have any enforceable rights based on the said treaty. The practice differs in the USA as opposed to the UK,’ Judge Harrison said. “In the USA, an individual is permitted by its courts to enforce the rights under the treaty because such a treaty between states is regarded by its Constitution as the supreme law of the land, recognised by Federal law and consequently enforceable by its citizens as they choose. In the UK and most Caribbean states, it is maintained that “even if ratified by the executive, international treaties form no part of domestic law unless they have been specifically incorporated by the legislature. In order to be biding, the terms of the treaty must be enacted by the local parliament.” Judge Harrison said this point was also made clear by the Caribbean Court of Justice which stated that domestic courts could not therefore interpret and enforce the terms of a treaty that has not been incorporated into domestic law.

In relation to the motion that Misick’s rights were violated because he was charged with several offences although he was extradited under one charge, Judge Harrison noted that

the doctrine of specialty is a principle that a requesting state by try a fugitive returned by the requested state only for the offence by which he was returned. “This rule is usually recited as a term of the treaty, therefore because only states make treaties, the specialty rule protects the state and not the individual. In respect of the treaty law governing the Turks and Caicos Islands, the TCI being an overseas territory of the UK does not itself enter into treaties with foreign states. The UK Extradition Act of 1870 which covers the surrender of criminals to foreign states of

“accused or convicted within the jurisdiction of such states” in section 17, provided for the extension of the provisions of the act “in every British possession” by Order in Council. There is no statutory provision or arrangement for extradition from foreign states such as Brazil to the Turks and Caicos Islands. In 1997 and extradition treaty was brought into force between the UK and Brazil. The treaty applied as stated in article 16 “to any territory to which international relations the UK is responsible”, the judge added. The judge said that significantly, in article 12 under the rule of specialty, it reads “a person extradited shall not be proceeded against

for any offence committed prior to his surrender other than that for which he was extradited or the extradition offence disclosed by the facts of which he was extradited”. He reiterated that the treaty was never incorporated into the domestic law of the Turks and Caicos Islands and is therefore unenforceable by an individual of the TCI as to its terms. Turning to the abuse of process in which Misick sought a stay of the proceedings against him on the grounds that their continuation is an abuse of process of the court and maintained that the financial evidence should be excluded because it was obtained during the Commission of Inquiry and will make the trial unfair if admitted. Judge Harrison quoted Section 21 of the Constitution which stated that an abuse of process is described as something so unfair and wrong that the courts should not allow the prosecution to proceed. With respect to the financial evidence, he said that section 8 of the Commission of Inquiry Act said evidence given by a person before a commission shall not be admissible against him in any criminal or civil proceedings by or against him, except perjury. The judge noted:

“Witnesses who appeared

or gave evidence before the Inquiry did produce several documents. The term

“evidence given” must be interpreted within the context of the section and the entire statute. This is a provision against self-incrimination. When reference is made to “documents”, the draftsman so states. “Evidence given should not be read to include documents tendered”. The prohibition against the subsequent use of “evidence given” if referable to “oral evidence” as opposed to documents. I agree with learned counsel for the prosecution that documents produced or obtained subsequently whether under the Proceeds of Crime Ordinance or as a result of the

“evidence given” may properly be utilised as evidence in the case and will not amount to a breach of the provisions of Section 8 of the Commission of Inquiry Act.” He added “In my view, although witnesses appeared before the Inquiry, even under compulsion, whereas oral evidence given wouldn’t be inadmissible under section 8, documents which would have been created and in existence independently of the oral evidence would be properly admissible in the circumstances and would not be in breach of prohibition of section 8. Judge Harrison

also stated that Misick had adequate time to prepare for the case from the initial stage, even prior to his return to the Turks and Caicos Islands in January of 2014. “There was no illegality in respect of Michael Misick’s return to Turks and Caicos Islands and there was no unlawfulness. It was lawful and in conformity with the treaty. There was no abuse of process, nor was there any abuse of process in charging Michael Misick on multiple counts. The specialty clause in the treaty is not valid and enforceable in domestic law. The Brazil courts found that Michael Misick’s charges were of a criminal nature which undermine the claim that extradition would have been for political crimes. I find that the charges were properly laid and are not of a political nature’ Harrison continued. There was no abuse of process in this respect. He also noted that the right to appeal to the Privy Council is seen as an adequate means of redress. He referred to a Trinidad case where it was held that the use of the application for constitutional redress is a misuse if used as a substitute for judicial review and if so used for avoiding the necessity of applying in the normal way, it could be seen as frivolous and vexatious.

MORE THAN 100 WITNESSES FOR CORRUPTION CASE

Page 3: VOLUME 11 ISSUE 48

DECEMBER 18TH, 2015 – DECEMBER 25TH, 2015 TURKS & CAICOS SUN Page 3

Page 4: VOLUME 11 ISSUE 48

Page 4 TURKS & CAICOS SUN DECEMBER 18TH, 2015 – DECEMBER 25TH, 2015

Page 5: VOLUME 11 ISSUE 48

LOCAL NEWSDECEMBER 18TH, 2015 – DECEMBER 25TH, 2015 TURKS & CAICOS SUN Page 5

LOCAL NEWS

EAST BAY RESORTSOUTH CAICOS

Come join a winning team on an exciting and challenging opportunity in South Caicos.

East Bay Resort in South Caicos, the newest luxury resort development in the Caribbean, is currently searching for experienced candidates who would be interested in the

following available job opportunities:

•Restaurant wait staff for 3 meal restaurant, banquet service and pool and beach. Able to work on your feet all day, good math skills and fine dining experience is an asset.

•Cooks, previous experience required.•Kitchen Stewards: responsibilities include cleaning, transport, storing and maintaining all kitchen cookware and restaurant service items. Clean floors, windows, walls, ceilings and equipment associated with Food and Beverage operation or as directed by a supervisor.

•Housekeeping Associates: previous housekeeping experience a must.•Laundry Attendants: Previous laundry experience an asset.•Housemen and Bellmen: Must be able to work on your feet and capable of carrying items of up to 50 lbs.

•Front Desk and Reservations Agents: Able to effectively communicate with guests and assist with Guest Services. Candidates must poses computer skills and PMS experience.

•Night Auditor: Previous experience a must. The night auditor is responsible for reconciling and closing out daily hotel financial activities and responsible for clearly communicating the night’s activities to the morning shift. The auditor also has the responsibility of delivering reports, bank deposits, cash and credit card receipts to the proper department for processing This person is the hotel representative at night and will also be responsible for front desk activity, customer service and maintenance duties.

•Mechanic: Candidates must have knowledge of boat engines, diesel engines and outboard engines.

•Certified Ship’s Captain: Knowledge of vessels 40 ft. and larger. Knowledge of Hovercraft operations would be an asset but not required. Once hired you must relocate to South Caicos.

Please direct your CV to [email protected]

Hon. Amanda Misick defends building height increase

In a strong defence of Government’s plan to increase the building height in the Turks and Caicos Islands from seven to 12 storeys, Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Planning Hon. Amanda Misick said she realises that for the country

“to be competitive, we have to be very attractive and very functional”. Leading off debate on the Physical Planning (Amendment Bill) 2015 in the House of Assembly on Wednesday, December 16th, Hon Misick said: “We have to allow some level of flexibility in design, especially in height density and scale, more with the end-user in mind. As we pursue the many paths in that endeavor, we must ensure that the result is a community that is livable and attractive and is creating a sustainable and economic future for us. Keeping in mind also that as a part of being livable, we should protect important public views regardless of the economic implications for individual building projects. And, as a part of being attractive, our buildings should explicitly shape our skyline as a work of art, again regardless of the economic implications for individual building projects. All these considerations come under the remit of Building height management and are to be proficiently managed by the Planning department.” Hon. Misick said that over the last few years tourist numbers have increased steadily per annum, resulting in increased economic growth, adding that various financial institutions have confidently supported these many developments. “In recent times TCIG has received multiple development proposals for new projects in Providenciales,” she said. “Most of these development proposals are seeking for a relaxation and variation on the building and planning regulations, especially in the areas of building height, minimum setback distances, number of minimum parking spaces and density. TCIG through the planning process seeks to improve the welfare of our people and their communities by creating places that are more convenient, equitable, healthful, efficient, and attractive for both present and future generations.” The Cheshire Hall MP stated that the last change to the height in the Development Manual before the amendment in 2014, which was done in accordance with the aforementioned section, was on the 25th August 2004, which was over ten years ago. She said the change in the regulations in 2004 was in building storey increase from five (5) storeys or sixty (60’) feet to seven (7) storeys up to a maximum of ninety (90’) ft. provided that no habitable floors were allowed above seventy-five (75’) ft. In order to qualify for the construction of seven floors, the entire acreage of the plot must not be less than ten acres. If the acre requirement could not be met then the building could not exceed five (5) floors or sixty (60’) ft. Seven Stars resort was the first seven story development

completed under the 2004 change to the regulations, Hon. Misick said, adding that there was a change in the regulations just two years prior on the 9th of April 2002 amendment to the Development Manual, permitting five (5) storeys when the previous maximum was four (4), again with corresponding increases in height. She said The Palms was the first five (5) storey development that was completed under the 2002 changes to the mentioned regulation, and prior to the 2002 change there was yet another alteration, in 1997, to the building height in the Development Manual, allowing for four (4) storey developments. The previous maximum number of storeys was three (3), with Point Grace being the first four story development constructed under the 1997 amendments, she said. “All amendments to policy and Regulations (Building height and density) were done under the provisions of Section 28(1) and 37. Until this last decade the Planning Regulations have responded and evolved with the needs of the country, allowing for increases in building height every two (2) to five (5) years. It has, however, been almost a decade since there has been an increase in the allowable height of buildings,” Hon. Misick told the House.On 24th September 2014, almost a decade after the most recent amendment, Cabinet approved the increment of the maximum height of the buildings on the Island of Providenciales to twelve (12) storeys up to a maximum height of one hundred-fifty (150) feet on a minimum five (5) acres. Cabinet, realizing that an increasing height also affects the density, beach profile, ancillary facilities, privacy, life safety etc., further recommended that The Department of Planning address these concerns and recommended amending the relevant sections in the TCI Development Manual to reduce the impact of the increase in building height to ensure safety and sustainable development in the TCI. The Minister said that the rapid economic changes, complex population growth, combined with increased globalization, have resulted in an increasingly complex and sophisticated social and economic environment within the islands. “For instance,” she said, “the rapid growth of our tourism industry in Providenciales led to an increase in the general economic welfare of the island, including land value and social costs. There are two major obstacles to the solution of these problems: the absence of a spatial development strategy, and the lack of local area development plans as a basis for decision-making and development management. Given the aforesaid, the Government recognizes that if our country is to continue to positively develop its potential we must institute development planning that is effective and takes into consideration all the concerns of the relevant sectors. The overall physical planning objective as far as the National Development Plan (NDP) is concerned, is to provide policy

guidance towards envisioned spatial growth of the country in a manner that is efficient and sustainable. It is an objective that has to address the fundamental condition that our islands face. This objective requires

a set of strategies that would provide direction to the overall development of the country, where the geographically fragmented islands are economically integrated.”

by Hayden BoycePublisher & Editor-in-Chief

Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Planning Hon. Amanda Misick

Page 6: VOLUME 11 ISSUE 48

LOCAL NEWSPage 6 TURKS & CAICOS SUN DECEMBER 18TH, 2015 – DECEMBER 25TH, 2015

LOCAL NEWS

BUTTERFIELD GOLD GROUP OF COMPANIES POSITIONS AVAILABLEThe Kiwanis Club of Providenciales

wish to thank our sponsors/Donors and the Community for making our annual Christmas tree lighting a success

Merry Christmas and a Happy New YearFrom Kiwanis Club

of Providenciales

One (1) IT TechnIcIan

The successful applicant will be responsible for the deployment, configuration and maintenance of all the computer hardware and software utilized throughout the organization.

RespOnsIbIlITIes:•Design, install, configure and administer domain controllers, file servers, mail servers workstations, network devices and web-page hosting/maintenance

•Set up and administer security groups, user accounts, group policies and security restrictions; Maintain network connectivity, telephone equipment, and other network appliances.

•Install and configure surveillance equipment and surveillance management software Maintain Point-Of-Sale (POS) operating on Microsoft SQL platform, and attached paraphernalia, including scales and hand held

•Provide support, analyze data, run macros/scripts for P.O.S using SQL platform RequIRemenTs:

•B.Sc., Computer Information Systems•Minimum of 3-4 years experience carrying out responsibilities listed •Experience with Active Directory and Microsoft Server 2003/2008, Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft XP/Vista

•A detailed understanding of TCP/IP is essential•Excellent written and oral communication skills; highly self-motivated, able to work without supervision with keen attention to detail

•Proven analytical, troubleshooting and problem-solving skills

RequIRemenTs fOR all applIcanTs:Hardworking team player with excellent people skills.Willingness to work, weekends and holidays as required.In addition to the performance of the essential functions employees may able required to perform supportive functions, with the percentage of time performing each function to be solely determined by the supervisor.

One (1) GaRdeneR

Looking for an experienced gardener to plant and maintain the owner’s grounds. Salary: $250.00 per weekTwO (2) labOuReRs Applicant must be physical, able-bodied individuals capable of lifting heavy loads.

Wages: starting from $6.50 per hour

TwO (2) dOmesTIc wORkeRs

All aspects of cleaning & other domestic duties including preparing meals for the Owner Applicant must be of excellent character and work ethics. Be able to work independently Applicant must be willing to work flexible hours

One (1) supeRvIsOR

Duties includes -Assist in supervision of inventory received -Verification of quality, condition -Set up and maintain product rotation -Assist in computer data entry -Inventory related matters -Assist in Supervision of staff within department

Job involves substantial manual labour related work.Individual must posse’s minimum of 5 (five) CXC subjects or equivalent, have at least 8 (eight) previous years experience in quality control and be able to work with little supervision. Salary: commensurate with experience starting from $2,000.00 per month

Island pRIde fuel One (1) labOuReR General cleaning & Relief Gas Attendant

Submit applications to by December 23, 2015 to: Butterfield Gold Ltd., Human Resource Department Town Center Mall

Providenciales Tel: 649-946-4211

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dIGIcel TcI TuRks & caIcOs TOuRIsT bOaRd GRaceway maInTenance Team

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sms secuRITy TuRks & caIcOs fIRe depT.

The ROyal TuRks & caIcOs pOlIce fORce The ROyal TuRks & caIcOs pOlIce cOmbO band

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clemenT hOwell hIGh chOIR

and all ThOse whO aTTended ThIs yeaR’s chRIsTmas TRee lIGhTInG

CDB approves Loan and Grant to cover economic and transportation programmes in TCI

Following the acceptance of the Country Strategy Paper developed by Caribbean Development Bank, the Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands has moved quickly to work with the Bank to improve its economy and access technical assistance for transportation. Both a macroeconomic policy based loan and a transportation sector grant were approved by the Board of Directors of the Caribbean Development Bank on December 10th, 2015. TCI will access a loan in support of its focus on improving economic resilience, implementing structural reform and boosting growth. The funds are also a fillip to a process that aims to lead to better public-private sector dialogue and shifts in approach to financial management. TCI’s recent reform programme, initiated in 2009, has led to expanded fiscal space. The country is building on this to improve the effectiveness and sustainability of its development agenda. “The pursuit of sound fiscal policy, a judicious debt strategy and the building of fiscal buffers are important for

building economic resilience. The fiscal space that will be available needs to be utilized in sustainable ways to achieve desired development impacts. In that regard, GOTCI will need to improve both its capacity and framework for project implementation. CDB is pleased to support TCI as they continue to manage the economy, particularly the debt and diversification strategies,” said Dr Justin Ram, CDB’s Director of economics. To advance TCI’s capacity for project implementation a grant of US$199,650 will finance the development of a Master Plan for Transportation Sector. The funds are from resources provided by the European Investment Bank (EIB) to CDB under the EIB Grant Facility for Climate Action Support. The formulation of the Master Plan will include a climate risk and vulnerability assessment, and when completed, will identify the environmental, social, gender and economic transport infrastructure priorities for TCI. It will synthesise goals for international and national transport of TCI, and will define a realistic plan for implementation.

Director of Projects, CDB, Daniel Best, said that the Master Plan will provide TCI with comprehensive information about prioritised investments in all transport sub-sectors. “This will further enable the provision of infrastructure to unlock the potential of the private sector, and community participation, as well as contribute to climate resilient growth, protection of livelihoods and natural resources.” The project will be implemented in two phases. Phase 1 will include a critical situation analysis of TCI’s transport sector, assessment of climate risk and vulnerability and consultations with stakeholders. Phase two will include the preparation of the Master Plan, as well as the development of a web-based online tool that will show connections and dependencies between proposed projects in the Master Plan. This tool is expected to be made available to all Government of TCI employees, and will enable informed decision making with full awareness of potential impacts on other projects. Projects identified by the Master Plan will aim to

enhance the islands’ adaptive capacity and resilience to climate change, through appropriate construction, operation and maintenance, and by enhancing risk management of disasters as well as effects of climate change. The Caribbean Development Bank is a regional financial institution established 1970 for the purpose of contributing to the harmonious economic growth and development of member countries. The Bank’s founding president was noted economist and Nobel Laureate, Sir Arthur Lewis. There are nineteen regional borrowing member countries – including

Guyana and Suriname and three regional non-borrowing member countries – Mexico, Venezuela and Colombia. Members outside of the Region are Canada, China, Germany, Italy, and the UK. As of December 31, 2014, CDB had total assets of USD2.61 billion (this includes USD1.38 billion of ordinary Capital resources and USD1.23 billion of Special Funds Resources). CDB has an “Aa1” with stable outlook rating with Moody’s Rating Agency, and an “AA/A-1+” with stable outlook rating with Standard and Poor’s Rating Agency. In 2014 the Bank approved loans and grants of USD269.5 million.

The Honourable Washington Misick, Minister of Finance of Turks and Caicos Islands; Dr. the Honourable Rufus Ewing, Premier of TCI and Dr Justin Ram, Director of Economics at the CDB following the press briefing on the Country Strategy Paper developed by the CDB for Turks and Caicos held November 5 at the Office of the Premier in Providenciales.

Page 7: VOLUME 11 ISSUE 48

LOCAL NEWSDECEMBER 18TH, 2015 – DECEMBER 25TH, 2015 TURKS & CAICOS SUN Page 7

LOCAL NEWS

The Shore Club is now accepting applications/résumé for the following position. Only highly self-driven & motivated, personable and professional individuals, whom have the desire to serve others, need apply:

senIOR pROJecT manaGeR •Oversee the construction project from start to finish•Assist in preparation of Project Specific Safety Pre-Planning •Assist in preparation of Project Specific Quality Assurance/Quality Control Plan with Commercial Asset Coordinator

•Responsible for the management of all site operations and contractor coordination

•Established QA/QC systems.•Established Site Health and Safety policy.•Close out procedures including testing, commissioning, final inspections and hand over.

•Required to chair and record weekly contractor meetings.•Involved in the review and approval of contractor method statements, submittals, RFI’s and shop drawings.

•Required to regularly monitor and report on construction progress against the approved schedule.

•Ensure that construction activities move according to pre-determined schedule. Devise the project work plans and make revisions as and when need arises. Communicate effectively with the contractors responsible for completing various phases of the project.

•Co-ordinate the efforts of all parties involved in the project, which include the architects, consultants, contractors, sub-contractors and laborers.

•Monitor the progress of the construction activities on a regular basis and hold regular status meetings with all the sub-teams.

LINE POSITIONSHVAC\MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN POOL & BEACH SUPERVISOR HOUSEKEEPING SUPERVISOR FOOD & BEVERAGE ADMINISTRATOR ENGINEERING ADMINISTRATOR BARTENDER COOKS GROUNDSMEN LABOURER HOUSEMAN ROOM ATTENDANTS LAUNDRY ATTENDANTS POOL & BEACH ATTENDANTS

For the above line staff positions, resort experience is an asset but not a requirement. Applicants must have a willing, positive and personable attitude as well as be willing to work holidays and weekends. They should also enjoy serving people and be willing to learn. Turks & Caicos Islands citizens only need to apply to the Assistant Human Resources Manager at The Sands Resort located on Grace Bay

Some people don’t care if locals benefit from development, says Premier

Premier Hon. Dr. Rufus Ewing has criticised certain residents and stakeholders in this country who he says don’t care if Turks and Caicos Islanders benefit from development. The Premier made this observation while speaking in the House of Assembly on Wednesday December 16th, during debate on an amendment to increase the building height in Turks and Caicos Islands from seven to 12 storeys. He said, “Development in Turks and Caicos Islands is something that successive governments had to make sometimes tough and unpopular decisions in order to move the development of a country to successive levels, from one level to the next. I can recall that the development in the Caicos Islands particularly in Providenciales started with the development of Club Med, and if it was not for the vision and determination of the Hon. JAGS McCartney, and sometimes it seems that he may have lost his vision, in seeing the need for that major resort in Providenciales that resulted in his mind...it goes to show that at that time in Providenciales as a little boy, I could’ve been very quiet contented until who the hell are these people trying to come to my little island to develop.” He added: “Mr. Speaker that development was a God-send to Providenciales, those islands and the remainder of the Turks and Caicos Islands. At every stage of the development since that time with increases in building heights, increases in density, they all came with the various oppositions from persons whose only vision was to see the Turks and Caicos Islands remain the way they met it and the way Columbus meet it when he came. They did not care about whether or not the people of these islands, Turks and Caicos Islanders have anything to benefit from these developments. What you also found is that successive developments and developers who came to the Island, each one of them or different groups of them at different periods of time had to protect their best interest. It is on their best interest to protect their own investments and I don’t blame them for it because competition sometimes can be challenging for those individuals, and so from time we move from one storey to the two-storey, to three-storey, and then you’re moving from three-

storey up to five storey you found that those persons who when time come to build five storey those persons who were up to three storeys felt threatened and felt like their investment would undermined.” The Premier said people in the Turks and Caicos Islands need to learn to adjust and adapt to change. “We cannot stay the same and we will not remain the same as a country, as a nation as it relates to development. I will not be naive to think that in the Turks and Caicos Islands that building height will remain at seven storeys for the next 50 years or 100 years. What is noteworthy is that they’re individuals who would like to see all of different components of development, come in to play, persons would like to see the many airlifts from North America, they would like to see the many airlifts from South America, they would like to see many airlifts from Europe and when the people come where are they going to stay? The room inventory in this country has not increased significantly at all over the last 10 years. I think the Seven Stars development is the large major development which increased a number of rooms. Shore Club just finished, but again, those are condominiums. Those are rooms that are built and bought by individual investors and those are their rooms. These are not the rooms for our guests who want to come to this country, who we want to get from Europe and South America and the likes,” the Premier added. The Premier, who was once Minister of Tourism, said the Turks and Caicos Islands has to be able to develop hotels and traditional hotel rooms and still remain a high-end luxury tourist destination and still have European Plan (EP) style hotel rooms. He noted that this country right now finds it very difficult to host major conferences, adding that as Minister of Health, he has a health conference next year and is finding the biggest challenge trying to find accommodation for groups of more than 100 individuals, simply because there’s no guarantee that you can block out a group of 100 rooms or 150 rooms in any one hotel. “Beaches Resort is the only place where you can do it and not everyone can really want to be all inclusive and include the all of the all inclusive price because when that happens than we don’t get to trickledown effect of those monies into the economy, because it stays in the all

inclusive resort, so the EP style hotel rooms are indeed those kinds of rooms that will allow more persons when they come to this country to also not only have the services to services the hotel and persons who engage in small businesses or would like to service that hotel but also those persons who are guests in those hotels will find it necessary to go out into the community and support small businesses in the local community and help trickledown effect into the community,” the Premier added. He said, “But as it stands, the condominium style, or Condotels, all-in-one, have served this country well for that period, and we don’t deny that,

but the model has to change. It has to evolve. The condominium owners themselves know that because right now they’re being threatened by the VRBOs (Vacation Rental By Owners) and all the likes and the villa resorts that are being developed and the villa accommodations that are being developed, so they know that. So what I would encourage them to do is to they themselves invest in hotel development and get on board with the programme. We need to move to the next level of development in this country and in moving to the next level of this country will only come with us making tough decisions as it relates to things like building height, density setbacks.”

Premier Hon. Dr. Rufus Ewing

Banking Hours during the Christmas Holiday

The Bankers Association wishes to advise that All Banks will be observing the following business hours during the Christmas period.

Thursday, December 24 9:00 am - 1:00 pm Friday, December 25 Closed Monday, December 28 Closed Tuesday, December 29 9:00 am - 3:00 pm Wednesday, December 30 9:00 am - 3:00 pm Thursday, December 31 9:00 am - 1:00 pm Friday, January 1 Closed Monday, January 4 Resume normal hours

A Very Merry Christmas and A Happy and

Prosperous New Years to All!

By Todeline Defralien

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LOCAL NEWSPage 8 TURKS & CAICOS SUN DECEMBER 18TH, 2015 – DECEMBER 25TH, 2015

LOCAL NEWS

Turks and Caicos SunSuite#5, Airport Plaza

ProvidencialesTurks and Caicos Islands

Tel: (649) 339-5879Fax: (649) 941-3281

Email: [email protected]

Read us online at www.suntci.com

Publisher & Editor-in-Chief: Hayden Boyce

Senior Editor: Vivian Tyson

Office Manager: Dominique Rigby

Graphic designerInformation Technology

and Production Manager: Kelano Howell

Todeline DefralienReporter

The Turks and Caicos SUN is a subsidiary

of The SUN Media Group Ltd.

We are committed to excellence in journalism, educating and informing our readers, serving and satisfying our advertisers and assisting in the

overall development of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

AMBERGRIS CAY SERVICES LTD. (IN RECEIVERSHIP)SHORT TERM EMPLOYMENT POSITION

Ambergris Cay Services Ltd. (In Receivership) is seeking to fill a temporary post on Ambergris Cay for the period 14th December 2015 to 8th January 2016. The available

position is for a PROFESSIONAL LEAD CHEF.

JOB SUMMARY:Responsible for managing all facets of the day-to-day operation of the Restaurant Facility on Ambergris Cay, providing exemplary food and beverage service to visitors to the Cay over the Christmas and New Year period. This very demanding job requires high skill levels, with full responsibility for the planning, coordination, organization and monitoring of all Restaurant activities, as well as the hands-on preparation of a wide range of high quality and creative dishes for a discerning clientele.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:1.Hands on planning, preparation and presentation of all meals for guests on Ambergris Cay.2.Delivery of outstanding food services to a professional standard.3.Excellent hands-on knowledge of a wide variety of local and international cuisines.4.Be well versed in wines, with ability to make recommendations to assist guests.5.Responsible for the direct supervision and coordination of all activities of the Kitchen employees.6.Manage the start-up and stocking of the restaurant, and subsequent closure of facilities at end of term.7.Must be able to work irregular hours, to include nights, weekends, and holidays.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND QUALIFICATIONS:1.20 years relevant experience, including 10 years as Lead Chef, operating in a high quality and high pressure environment, providing fine-dining in an international environment.2.Excellent verbal and written communication skills and a pleasant, professional demeanor.3.Must have a polished and professional appearance.4.Passionate about fine dining and the ability to express this in the most creative manner. 5.A resourceful personality.6.Excellent references are essential7.Must work and reside on Ambergris Cay for the indicated period.

Salary: Commensurate with experience.

Closing date for applications: Friday, 18th December, 2015.

Applications must be in writing addressed to: Ambergris Cay Services Ltd. (In Receivership)

Unit 51, Salt Mills Plaza, Grace Bay, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands,

E-mail: [email protected] Tel: (649)-941-3777 ; Fax: (649)-941-3778.

Landscape laborer required

A maintenance company on Providenciales is seeking to recruit a landscape laborer to join our team. The successful candidate must have the following experience and skill set;

Min 3 years experience in landscape maintenance

Responsible for weeding, pruning, trimming all plants on property

Must have good knowledge of gardening techniques and ability to apply pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers properly

Responsible for the upkeep and general maintenance of properties

Ability to maintain and repair irrigation systems

Willingness to perform laborious tasks

Self motivated and industrious applicants need only apply

Ability to follow directions and accomplish everyday jobs promptly

$7.00 per hour

Please forward all applications via email to [email protected]

New managing director for FSC The Governor, Peter Beckingham, announced on 11 December that he was pleased to accept the recommendation of the Financial Services Commission Board that Mr Niguel Streete is appointed as the next Managing Director of the Financial Services Commission. Speaking at the FSC’s annual general meeting the Governor said: “I am delighted to announce the appointment of Niguel Streete as the next Managing Director of the Financial Services Commission. I have spoken to Niguel on several occasions, and he brings a wealth of experience to this important and challenging position. He is evidently relishing the prospect of taking up this senior position, and he should bring some interesting and valuable new perspectives to the position. I am also pleased that the Board have specifically charged Mr Streete with fostering talent

for the FSC’s senior leadership within the organisation. ” The Governor also acknowledged that the current Managing Director, Kevin Higgins, and his team had managed to implement some important changes to the FSC’s role, and he noted that they had emerged generally positively from a thorough review by the IMF this year. “The FSC is an important part of the structure of governance in Turks and Caicos, and it is to their credit that the IMF gave overall a positive account of their findings here. The financial services plays a small, but important, role in the life of TCI, and I am still hopeful that the Government and industry, especially through the formation of the new Invest TCI body, will together find ways of developing the sector.” Speaking on the announcement of his appointment Niguel Street

said: “I am delighted and honoured to be invited by the Board to take up this important role in Turks and Caicos Islands. I am confident that, with my experience in the Eastern Caribbean, I can bring new ideas and methodologies to the FSC, as well as contribute to nurturing home grown talent within the organisation.” Mr Streete takes up his appointment, which is initially for an eighteen month

period, during February 2016. His current appointment is Deputy Executive Director of the Grenada Authority for the Regulation of Financial Institutions (GARFIN). He is also Chairman of the National Steering Committee on Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes, and Chairman of the Regional Steering Committee for the establishment of a Single Currency Market in the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union. Mr Streete has over 20 years experience in financial sector development, supervision and regulation. He has worked as the head of the Anguilla FSC, and held several senior positions in the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank. He holds an MSc with distinction in international economics, banking and finance from the Cardiff Business School, University of Wales, and a BSc Accounting from the University of the West Indies.

Niguel Streete

New Deputy Chief Valuation Officer The Lands Division under the Attorney General’s Chambers wishes to advise the general public of the recruitment of Mrs. Michele Grey as Deputy Chief Valuation Officer within the Valuation Department. Michele Grey, who was elected a professional member of the RICS in 2008, is a Chartered Valuation Surveyor with a wealth

of experience in property valuation and property tax assessment. She also has an MBA in International Business, a BSc (Hons) in Estate Management and a Diploma in Land Economy and Valuation Surveying. Prior to joining the valuation team, she worked at the National Land Agency (NLA) Jamaica where she assisted with the management of a property

portfolio numbering over 180,000 parcels of land. She has led numerous valuation projects for road expansion and portfolio valuations and was integral in the ongoing property revaluation exercise. She served as co-chair of the NLA’s Welfare Committee and was a member of the Procurement Committee. She has been on the executive council of the

Association of Land Economy and Valuation Surveyors (ALEVS) for the last three years as chair of the Event Planning and Fund Raising Committee and treasurer of the Association. She coordinated several training courses, some in collaboration with RICS, geared towards continuing professional development for Valuers and the wider surveying profession.

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DECEMBER 18TH, 2015 – DECEMBER 25TH, 2015 TURKS & CAICOS SUN Page 9

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LOCAL NEWSPage 10 TURKS & CAICOS SUN DECEMBER 18TH, 2015 – DECEMBER 25TH, 2015

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Rules:Monthly, one client will get a chance to win a smart watchAt the end of the promotion, one client will get a chance to win the grand prize of $2,500All clients who are approved for a loan over the promotion period will be eligible to win the monthly and grand prizeEmployees of RBC Royal Bank and its advertising agencies are not eligible to enter*Special conditions apply. Subject to normal lending criteria. The cost of borrowing will be made available upon applicationPromotion ends December 31st, 2015

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VAT opposition was probably a bad thing, says Finance Minister

Minister of Finance Hon. Washington Misick is beginning to regret his decision to side with opponents of the British-piloted Value Added Tax proposal. The minister was making his contribution to the Building Height validation Bill 2015 in the House of Assembly this past week. He hinted that those who opposed the VAT did so because of personal interest and not that of the in the country. He said that the staunch opposition against VAT by some business operators was merely to protect their accounts from government probe. “To be honest with you, with due respect, and I say this publicly, I am still not sure that the decision we made as it relates to Value Added Tax was the right one, because of the overwhelming force. I think we, at that particular point, allowed the messenger, who was the wrong messenger, perhaps at that time in our history, to influence us together with the persons who want to keep their books closed. That is not

going to happen to me again, I am going to make sure,” he asserted. In the meantime, Minister Misick also expressed his disappointment with the opposition for what he said was their insatiable appetite to always rely on foreign investors to determine the future of the Turks and Caicos. “I listened to the debate today and I am very disappointed because we seemed to put our entire focus on external investors. This country belongs to us and we have to change our mindset, put ourselves as entrepreneurs and the developers of our own country. Foreign direct investment works both ways. And while we welcome it, we shouldn’t have this idea and concept in our heads that some white knight riding on a white horse is going to come and save us. We are here to save ourselves,” he emphasised. He added: “We can do this. This is not about someone else coming here and do this for us. We have longed passed that historical horizon that has been in Third World countries, when we sit around and wait for someone to come here and tell us what to do, and we follow what they say to do. I one hundred percent oppose that notion. And that’s why we are in a lot of problems now.” The minister said that he was taken aback that some persons were opposed to the 12-storey construction after the overwhelming support during the consultation phase. “I have gone up and down, to and fro to this country, and I stood in the Gus Lightbourne building before a crowd

of people, which was overwhelmingly a complete mixture of expatriates and investors, developers and local business people, and local consumers and workers. And the word that I heard resoundingly was, ‘yes, this (12-storey construction) is what we want. We want the situation where we have flexibility to decide what it is we are going to do in the future’. This is what I have heard,” he said. He said also that the opposition was in full support of a 28-storey proposal under the former Interim Government, and was somewhat dumbfounded as to the about face. “The other point I want to make is, we must be very honest. And I am going to say this because my colleagues on the other side know; some of them went out of their way to show support for the 28-storey building project that was put forward. I think we should be grateful,” he said. However, Leader of the Opposition Hon. Sharlene Cartwright Robinson challenged the minister to furnish the names of opposition members who supported the change, demanding that he substantiated his statement. “If the member is going to make a wide, sweeping statement like that, he must substantiate it,” she demanded. Minister Missick said that overwhelming support was shown for the amendment to the density of construction in the Providenciales arising from at a meeting at the Gustarvus Lightbourne Complex, where persons were asked to fill out a

questionnaire. “Even Planning recommended 10-storeys,” he said. “It is a fact that the Governor said that there was a petition, and the overwhelming decision of that petition pointed to an increase in height in Providenciales. And the governor said, at the end of the day, he would leave it up to the next government. “I did not say they (opposition) signed anything. I did not mention the word ‘signature’. I said ‘support’. That is the way I remember it. And at the end of the day there was a general view in the community that an increase in the height (of building construction) was acceptable and there was the talk about a compromise. So I am not fabricating anything. I am speaking from what I remembered it to be, and none can deny the fact that at the end of the day, whether it went to the Consultative Forum or not, the governor said he would leave that decision to the next elected government. That is the truth,” he said. When asked by Speaker of the House Hon. Robert Hall, to withdraw the statement based on lack of substance, the minister said: “It is said that the truth hurts, but if what was said injuries anybody in here and they can put their hand and their heart and said that they did not provide any support for 28, or 15 or 10 (storey building), then Mr. Speaker, I am happy to withdraw. But I would leave that up between them and their God. That’s all I have to say on that,” Misick said.

By Vivian TysonSenior Sun Editor

Hon. Washington Misick

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LOCAL NEWS

Home grown talent gets promoted to Corporate

Manager of St Kitts Mr. Alonzo Higgs, a native son of the Turks & Caicos Islands, first joined the staff of First Caribbean Bank in 2008 and where he served for a year before departing for the United Kingdom where he pursued his studies at the University of Buckingham and completed his degree in Economics and Business Law with honors. On his return, he rejoined the staff of the First Caribbean Bank as a Manager Trainee in September 2012. During his tenure here at First Caribbean International Bank as a Management Trainee, Mr. Higgs has garnered a plethora of experiences from serving in the following areas: Retail Banking Customer Service Officer, Retail Banking Loan Officer, Acting Small Business Officer and in his current post in Corporate & Wholesale Banking where he works primarily as a Corporate Credit Officer. His consistent effort, perseverance and excellent service record has singled him out as one destined to rise to incredible heights. Mr. Higgs have been promoted as the new Corporate Manager for CIBC First Caribbean International Bank, St . Kitts. We have no doubt that the standards and characteristics of leadership that got him thus far will serve to propel him further in his future. Mr. Alonzo K. Higgs, we applaud your efforts …Well done. The management and staff of First Caribbean Bank would like to express our appreciation of his service and take this opportunity to congratulate him on his promotion and urge him to continue to serve our International organization in the exemplary manner in which he has done in the preceding years, and wish him continued success in all his future endeavors.

FortisTCI Names pioneers of the TCI electricity utility industry

FortisTCI recognizes five former electricity utility industry professionals, honouring them with the FortisTCI Pioneer Award. This will be an annual award meant to recognize a broad cross section of individuals that have contributed to the electricity industry in the Turks and Caicos Islands. This year’s honourees are Mr. Claridge Wilson, Mr. Ernie Jackson, Mr. Wayne Douglas, and the late Mr. Eric Seymour (represented by his wife Mrs. Gladys Seymour) and the late Mr. Ken Lighbourne (represented by his son Brian Lightbourne). In an industry that is now rapidly changing and evolving through the technological age, the FortisTCI Pioneer Award is an acknowledgment to those that set the foundation and significantly contributed to the growth and development of the Country’s electricity industry. FortisTCI President and CEO Eddinton Powell said, “The Turks and Caicos Islands can boast of having one of the best electricity services available in the region. We recognize that to get where we are today it took great knowledge, tremendous vision, and great workmanship by notable industry professionals. We honour these individuals who have blazed the path as Pioneers, and the torch of service

and excellence has been passed on to a new generation.” The Company has plans in 2016, to create a wall of honour to publicly display the names of ‘Electricity Industry Pioneers’ at its headquarters in Providenciales. The late Eric Seymour is a former Power House Supervisor, Chief Engineer, Electrical Superintendent and Electricity Commissioner that served the Turks and Caicos Islands from 1969 to 2003. He gained his initial training and experience as a Merchant Marine with American Coast Lines where he worked his way from a junior engineer in 1953 to Chief Engineer in 1969. He eventually joined the TCI civil service and served as Chief Engineer and Electrical Superintendent. During this time, he oversaw the erection and distribution of electricity to many areas of the Turks and Caicos Islands that had not had electricity previously. In 1992, he took up early retirement from the civil service and took the opportunity to serve his country as Electricity Commissioner, a post he held until he retired completely from active duty in 2003. The late Mr. Ken Lightbourne began his service with Provo Power Company (PPC) as an operator in 1989. A former line superintendent he was known as one of the first to take

safety seriously. He also had a passion for developing employees who worked in Transmission & Distribution and took pride in helping them grow professionally. When he passed away in 2002, he was serving as the Company’s Superintendent of Distribution. Mr. Claridge Wilson served with Provo Power Company as the electrical plant superintendent,

having been employed by the Company from 1992 until 2005. A well respected professional in the industry, he played a major role in the installation of Caterpillar engines at the Provo plant. He was also responsible for day-to-day plant maintenance throughout the Caicos Islands. Mr. Ernie Jackson, an electrical engineer by trade, joined PPC in May 1998 as Chief Engineer. He led developments and upgrades on the T&D Systems throughout the Caicos Islands. One of his many major projects was the conversion of overhead lines in Grace Bay to underground. He was promoted to FortisTCI Vice President of Production and Engineering in September of 2007 and served in this capacity until his departure. Mr. Wayne Douglas joined PPC in November 1998 as Plant Mechanical Superintendent and is known as a friend to all. On the job he believed in teamwork, family, and community, possessing a knack for keeping people motivated. His professional skills were fabrication and mechanical engineering. He had since served as a consultant of Special Projects with FortisTCI. His role was instrumental in the logistics and commissioning of the new Wartsila Engines.

CEO Mr Eddinton Powell Addresses 2015 Pioneer

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LOCAL NEWS

We’regiving away

a total of

USD$5,000(2 prizes ofUSD$2,500)

Health Ministry urges public to use caution to avoid mosquito bites While Chikungunya and Dengue are still sporadically occurring in our community, Zika virus, also a mosquito-borne disease which was first identified in Chile in February of last year, has since spread to Brazil, Columbia and the Caribbean. Earlier in November 2015, the Caribbean Public Health Agency confirmed five cases of the Zika virus in a territory of the Caribbean Community. No cases of Zika have been detected in the TCI. The disease is transmitted by the bite of an infected Aedes aegypti mosquito, which bite mostly during the daytime. The same mosquito is also responsible for Dengue and Chikungunya. The most common symptoms of Zika virus are mild and are:

fever, rash, joint pain and red eyes (conjunctivitis).Other symptoms include muscle pain, headache, pain behind the eyes, and vomiting. Severe disease requiring hospitalization is uncommon. There is no vaccine or specific treatment for Zika.If you suspect you have Zika, please see your health care provider! To relieve fever and pain associated with the virus, it is recommended that persons drink lots of fluids and take pain relievers such as paracetamol. Aspirin, Advil, Ibuprofen and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) should be avoided. In order to protect yourself from mosquito bites use insect repellents on exposed skin, when weather permits, wear long-sleeved

shirts and long pants and use air conditioning or window/door screens to keep mosquitoes outside. If you are not able to protect yourself from mosquitoes in your home, sleep under a mosquito bed net. It is even more critical for women who are pregnant to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes. A link between mothers who had Zika virus in pregnancy and an increased incidence of microcephaly in infants born to them is currently being investigated. Microcephaly is a condition where the size of an infant's head is smaller than normal, because of slowed or incomplete brain development. The Environmental Health Department has enhanced its vector control activities to reduce mosquito breeding sites in addition to stepping

up fogging. Members of the public are urged to eliminate breeding sites for mosquitoes by keeping your surroundings clean. Cover or turn over containers. Tightly cover drums and rain barrels as well as boats and wading pools. Get rid of or cover old tires. Properly dispose of all garbage and refuse. Clean rain gutters and make sure they are flowing properly. Inspect your home and yard weekly. Call the Environmental Health Department at 649-338-2143 or 649-338-2145 to treat large bodies of stagnant water on or around your property. The MOHAHS will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates.

Elections department updates on voter registration The supervisor of Elections Lister Dudley Lewis has stated that registration of voters for the 2016/17 electors register concluded on November 30, 2015. For this registration process and to assist with increasing the number of persons on the 2016/17 electors register the government exempted fees for documents that supported the issue of status cards. The fee exemption commenced september 1st and ended november 30th. Mr. Lewis stated; “There has

been a drastic increase in the number of applications received to compare with previous years. However, I was disappointed with the number of persons who applied to be added to the register and were not eligible because they were not in possession of Turks and Caicos Islander or Belonger status or submitted required documents to the Ministry of Border Control to support their applications.” “Voter registration in the Turks and Caicos Islands is a continuous process and the elections office in Grand Turk

and Providenciales also District Commissioner’s offices will continue to accept registration applications. However, all applications received after November 30th will be retained for the 2017/18 electors register.” Persons will be added to the 2016/17 register if they fall within the following additional categories provided for qualifying date: a. Persons who after November 30 but on or before the date of election, attains the age of 18, the qualifying date is the date he or she attains the

age of 18. b. Persons who, after November 30 but on or before the relevant date is granted status of Turks and Caicos Islander in accordance with the constitution the relevant date is the date the person is granted TCI status provided the granting of the status is not less than 30 days before the date of elections. The following is registration application statistical information from September 1st to November 30th 2015.

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LOCAL NEWSDECEMBER 18TH, 2015 – DECEMBER 25TH, 2015 TURKS & CAICOS SUN Page 13

LOCAL NEWS

Professional Maintenance coMPany seeking the following skilled technician

RefRIGeRaTIOn maInTenance TechnIcIan

Maintain the day-to-day operations and to assume responsibility for maintaining the physical assets of the properties under the direction of

Premier Contracting Services Ltd.

Duties and Skill set required•Inspect, repair, modify and install HVAC equipment including refrigeration, A/C, compressors, receivers, expansion valves, condensers and evaporators

•Conduct preventative maintenance and inspection of refrigeration units and Air-conditioning systems, make necessary adjustments or repairs

•Repair or replace defective electrical or mechanical controls•Operate a variety of tools including welding torches, pressure gauges, electrical testing equipment, and vacuum pumps.

•Repair and rebuild semi hermetic reciprocating compressors.•Perform skilled electrical or maintenance work, installation and alteration of HVAC equipment, components, timers, wiring systems, diagnostic and troubleshooting

•Maintain records concerning time, labor and materials, maintain log of tasks performed

•Lift heavy objects •Communicate in English effectively both orally and writing

Education and Experience•Certificate and 5 years documentable HVAC journeyman level operation, maintenance and repair experience in the HVAC refrigeration trade

•Valid driver’s license

Please submit applications via email at [email protected]

Yellow Pages wishes to advise that our offices will be closed from December 25, 2015 to January 3, 2016.

We will resume normal working hours on Monday January 4, 2016.

Kevin Higgins happy returning to The Bahamas

Kevin Higgins, outgoing Managing Director of the Financial Services Commission, said that while he enjoyed his time in the Turks and Caicos Islands, his native The Bahamas is a better place to be. Governor Peter Beckingham had told the FSC’s annual general meeting that he would not renew Higgins’ contract when it expired at the end of January, and would install Grenadian Niguel Streete, as head of the service. While he hinted that he would have liked to stay one for a little while longer, Higgins said that he was happy to go. “My contract expires at the end of January, and so, if at the end of January they wanted me to stay on, they would have to renew it for another three to five years or what the case maybe. But it is a statutory

appointment, so the Governor is the one who makes it,” Higgins explained. He said that The Bahamas is a wonderful country, and so, he did not have to be in the Turks and Caicos Islands, adding that he was not one of those who came to the TCI in search of a better life, but rather, his expertise was badly needed here. “I am from The Bahamas. The Bahamas is a wonderful country, so I don’t have to be in Turks and Caicos. I am quite happy to be in The Bahamas. I enjoyed my time in the Turks and Caicos. I am very proud of my achievements, but I have a wonderful country, so I could go home – I have a home there, a family. I am not one of those persons who came here because life was better here. I didn’t apply for the job. They called me and said we need help. They asked me to come, I didn’t apply, and if they said they don’t need me anymore, I am happy to go home,” Higgins said. In the meantime, Higgins questioned the wisdom behind his

contract not being renewed, when two international reports gave him high marks for his stewardship of regulating the local financial sector. “We have two good reports. We had a report done by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London that said we were excellent, and we had the IMF (International Monetary Fund) report that said we were very good as well. So, I think people are surprised to see me go, but you have to ask the Governor. He is the one who makes the appointment,” Higgins added. The outgoing head of the FSC said before coming to the Turks and Caicos Islands he worked in the prime minister’s office in The Bahamas, and prior to that, served in the Central Bank of The Bahamas for 15 years in addition to conducting numerous trainings across the region on behalf of the IMF. “I did training all over the Caribbean for the IMF. I did training for the Central Bank of Suriname and Bank of Jamaica, I wrote two books on

financial services and economics,” he said. Higgins is confident that his expertise would soon be called upon by some entity which needs help with their financial system.

“I go home to relax and wait for the phone to ring until somebody needs help again,” he Higgins said.

By Vivian TysonSenior Sun Editor

Kevin Higgins

Temporary Suspension of Services at US Consular Agency in Providenciales U.S. citizens living in and travelling to the Turks and Caicos Islands have been advised that the U.S. Consular Agency in Providenciales will be temporarily suspending office hours and appointments for passport and Consular Report of Birth Abroad applications until further notice. A statement from the US Embassy in Nassau, The Bahamas, stated: " We hope to have services resume soon, but there may be a delay of 2-3 months before we can

begin appointments again. However, we will have a consular officer in Providenciales on Saturday, January 9 from 9AM-1PM offering passport services at the agency and we will offer monthly passport services in Providenciales until we resume normal operations." The statement remind U.S. citizens residing in the Turks and Caicos Islands that if they are renewing an adult passport, they can utilize the mail-in program.

Adult citizens renewing their passport can mail a passport application (DS-82) along with a 2-inch by 2-inch photo, and one money order or bank draft made out to U.S. Embassy for $110 and one money order to FedEx for $58.72. "We regret that we cannot accept applications for passports for minor citizens or first time adult passport applications by mail. During the suspension in operations, those applicants must make an

appointment and appear in person at the U.S. Embassy in Nassau," the release said. For any emergencies involving U.S. citizens, please contact the U.S. Embassy in Nassau, The Bahamas by telephone: 242-322-1181. For additional inquiries, you can e-mail us at [email protected] or [email protected] or visit our website: http://nassau.usembassy.gov.

Page 14: VOLUME 11 ISSUE 48

Page 14 TURKS & CAICOS SUN DECEMBER 18TH, 2015 – DECEMBER 25TH, 2015

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Page 16: VOLUME 11 ISSUE 48

Page 16 TURKS & CAICOS SUN DECEMBER 18TH, 2015 – DECEMBER 25TH, 2015

Page 17: VOLUME 11 ISSUE 48

DECEMBER 18TH, 2015 – DECEMBER 25TH, 2015 TURKS & CAICOS SUN Page 17

The Turks and Caicos Islands Community College invites proposals from interested individuals, firms or companies for a Consultancy Undertaking to review salaries and allowances of its entire staff.

INTRODUCTION

In 1994, the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College (TCICC) was established by Ordinance 25 (1994), with a vision to provide quality education for all sectors of the Turks and Caicos Islands community. Having been in existence for over two decades, the institution continues in its thrust to equip individuals with the knowledge, skills and dispositions that would enable them to access existing and emerging opportunities, prudently exercise their civil responsibilities, enhance their social and cultural lives and become productive citizens. The mission, therefore, encompasses, inter alia, post secondary and continuing education for the school leaving and adult population; it facilitates the promotion of personal and professional development, and the economic growth and development of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

TCICC has two campuses, one each located on Grand Turk and Providenciales. The College offers a myriad of programmes, inter alia: Short/Interest courses; one semester courses; Upgrade courses; Full time programmes of two to three semesters culminating in Certificates, Advanced, Certificates, Associate and Bachelors Degrees.

Similar to other institutions in the region, and critical to the effective delivery of programme offerings, the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College relies upon the local and overseas recruitment of highly qualified and experienced faculty and staff.

Recently, the Turks and Caicos Islands Government conducted a Public Service Salary Review, inclusive of education professionals. Whilst a number of education personnel were reclassified and benefitted from varying degrees of salary increases, the review did not include statutory bodies; therefore, faculty and staff at the TCICC did not benefit from the review, and hence, salaries are purportedly lagging behind those of professionals in similar work-related fields.

Notwithstanding that, the TCICC continues in its mission to fulfil its objective of strengthening organizational development, through the strengthening and promotion of employee recruitment and retention strategies. In this context then, the salary review is critical and is intended to bring a level of equity to salaries and other benefits for its entire staff. With this in mind, the TCICC seeks to engage a consultant/consultants to review and propose a revised salary structure for all categories of staff, and explore the feasibility of linking remuneration to job performance.

TERMS OF REFERENCE

The successful cOnsulTanT/s wIll be RequIRed TO:

•Undertake a detailed briefing with the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College Board of Governors to lead and guide the salary review process on behalf of the institution;

•Review existing documentation as it relates to salary scales, job descriptions and contractual documents to get a full understanding of the scope of the consultancy;

•Conduct interviews with several comparator organizations to confirm the salaries, allowances and benefits offered;

•Assess the existing remuneration structure of the TCICC vis-à-vis comparator institutions and identify if, and

TURKS AND CAISOC ISLANDS COMMUNITY COLLEGErequest for ProPosals to conduct salary review of the turks and caicos islands

coMMunity college salaries and allowances

where, gaps exist; •Consider any necessary revision to the salary structure and propose any necessary adjustments for the various categories of administrative and professional staff;

•Explore the feasibility of introducing performance-related pay structure;

•Present to the Board of Governors a draft report of the findings, and recommendations;

•At an agreed time and venue, submit to the Board of Governors and other relevant stakeholders, a final report that reflects the suggestions/recommendations/amendments emanating from the draft report.

ANTICIPATED OUTCOME

The development of a salary scale that is consistent with other comparator organizations in the Turks and Caicos Islands market; one that reflects equity; is consistent with corresponding local labour market and prevailing levels of pay for similar services, similar contract conditions and similar positions in other statutory bodies in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

DURATION OF THE CONSULTANCY AND DUTY STATIONING

The consultancy is expected to be completed within six (6) weeks from the date of signing the contract. The successful consultant/s shall not be required to be present in the Turks and Caicos Islands, but may work in his/her/their own office with coordinated visits to the TCI as necessary.

REPORTING LINE

The work of the consultant will be supervised by the Board of Governors of the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College or its designate, and as such, the confirmation of the acceptance of the final report, authorization of payment disbursements, and evaluation of work performance will be undertaken by that entity.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Proposals are to include the following:

Individual’s/Firm’s/Company’s Profile

Consultant’s/Consultants’ CV/s

Years of experience undertaking similar assignments

Methodology to be used for the consultancy

Work Time Plan

Reporting

Cost

Expressions of interest are to be sent to:

The President, Turks and Caicos Islands Community College, Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands or by email to [email protected] on or before 18th January 2016.

Page 18: VOLUME 11 ISSUE 48

LOCAL NEWSPage 18 TURKS & CAICOS SUN DECEMBER 18TH, 2015 – DECEMBER 25TH, 2015

LOCAL NEWS

Government must consult with the public if decisions that they make, such as the building code change, affects a group of people, this according to Attorney General Hon. Rhondalee Brathwaite-Knowles, who was giving her contribution to the Building Height validation Bill 2015 in the House of Assembly this past week.The Building Height validation Bill 2015, sought to give the Rufus Ewing administration the legislative power to increase the height of construction in the TCI. But according to the attorney general, it is the obligation of government to undertake consultation relating to setting heights if there is any expressed obligation in this bill.

“What that provision says is that irrespective of the decisions that are taken, that government should do so in

consideration of the views of the people who are affected by those decisions, and it also says that in respect of where there is an obligation in the law (government should consult), so there is a writing obligation. “Say, for example, in the Physical Planning Ordinance, where there is a written obligation for consultation in the processes set out there in the development plan, there is a written obligation for consultation. So, where is that obligation for consultation, then you have to follow that consultation,” she said. The attorney general said, however that, it is not in every case that there is an obligation for consultation. She said that such legislation applies to supplementary laws. “So, for example, there is case law that says that for subsidiary legislations, where if it does not have significant impact on the group that is affected by it, there is no obligation

for consultation in terms of subsidiary legislation. But where it would have a significant on any group, then there is, at common law, an obligation for consultation.

“So, for example, under a regulation, a government was setting something sort of routine or mundane that is being set by regulation, and there is an overarching ordinance that gives you power, there may, in some cases, not be a need for consultation, because it is so straight forward or mundane or whatever it is. “But if the decision is such that it would have significant impact on a group of persons or a sector or something like that, then at common law, there is an obligation to consult. In the recent decision there is no determination that there was an obligation for consultation,” she said. She added: “What the determination was that, because the government did in fact undertake consultation, that if you decide that you

are going to consult then you have to do it properly. And that is also at common law, a fundamental principle. So there isn’t, as it said, an obligation for consultation, if you start it, you have to do it properly. So, it is a matter for the legislature to determine what powers they want to give to the executive, and then the executive decides within its policy mandate, how it wants to exercise those powers.”

EXECUTIVE DIRECTORWe are looking for a highly self motivated professional who possesses a keen interest in

hostility with the ability to effectively manage a well established Luxurious Five Star Golf Resort on an Island.

The successful candidate will be responsible for the following:

Minimum 8 years of Hotel Management of an out Island Resort(s), including managing start-up and growth.

Effective running of the day-to-day operation of the hotel while ensuring that all cost effective measures are enforced.

Maintain a positive and professional work attitude towards all employees and Guest.

Attending to the needs of all internal and external guest with a drive to meet and exceed expectations as well as providing top quality services to all guest while achievements the

goals of the company.

Salary is negotiable

Fax: (649)941-8388

Application Deadline December 30th, 2015

YACHT AND VILLA SERVICES MANAGER with all of the following attributes:•Yacht Captain (minimum 50 ton Ocean Passage Certified) with extensive experience of cruising throughout the Bahamas, TCI waters and Florida

•Technical knowledge & operational experience of Radio/Navigational aids (GPS, Radar etc.)

•Yacht systems maintenance and repair including all electrical systems, Y anmar Diesel, Watermakers, Water & Waste systems and Aircon units

•Dive experience, Underwater maintenance, Divemaster minimum, leading Dive excursions

•Rental/Charter/Concierge management experience•HouseNilla Maintenance: HV AC systems, Swimming Pool, Plumbing and Electrical

•To be able to attend to all on-call duties especially in emergency situations•Accounting experience: Preparation of Budgets, conversant with P&L accounts Balance sheets etc.

•Computer Literate - Windows? or later Windows Office suite•Hard working with proven leadership capabilities and the willingness to work long hours including weekends and holidays

•Salary commensurate with experience and qualifications

Interested parties should send a cover letter and resume to Office Manager-via Fax: 941- 4533 or Email: in/[email protected]

H.A.B. MANAGEMENT LTD. CLEANER Responsibilities:

The successful applicant will be responsible for the general cleaning of communal areas, sweeping and mopping of floors, cleaning of windows

and removal of trash. The applicant will also be responsible for any other duties assigned in regards to general cleaning.

Requirements: The successful applicant must be able to work with little to no

supervision, capable of performing manual labour outside on a daily basis, should be physically fit, hard working and reliable.

Wages: $6.25 per hour

Interested applicants should contact Veronica Rigby via email by January 4, 2016 at [email protected] or by fax 649-946-5191. Suitable applicants will be contacted by email or telephone to

schedule an interview.

Government must consult properly on building codeBy Vivian Tyson

Senior Sun Editor

Hon. Rhondalee Bathwaite-Knowles

TCI’s GDP

forecast to

grow

The Strategic Policy and Planning Department (SPPD) is pleased to release the 2014 National Accounts Statistics report and announces that the economy of the Turks and Caicos Islands is forecasted to experience moderate growth over the next few years. The real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is projected at approximately $616 million for 2015, representing a forecasted growth of 5.94% when compared to the $582.3 million in 2014. Future projections show that economic growth is expected to be strengthened by 4.4 percent in 2016, 4.3 percent in 2017 and 5.3 percent in 2018. “This projected growth will be driven mainly by strong performance in the tourism sector and projected private sector investments worth more than

$400 million dollars” stated Acting Director of SPPD, Mr. Shirlen Forbes. The overall growth forecast is underpinned by further growth in stay over tourism and real estate with spillovers into the wholesale and retail sectors. However, these projections for the islands are hinged on the government of the Turks and Caicos Islands continuing its focus on short-run macroeconomic management which will complement its long-run development policy initiatives. This stable macro-economic environment should involve maintaining fiscal surpluses and the government continuing to exercise the fiscal prudence which it has exercised over the last few years. It also involves maintaining low levels of internal and external debt and low rates of inflation

which is currently estimated at around 2.3 percent. The Hotel and Restaurants sector is expected to grow at an average of 5 percent over the next three years and will contribute significantly to the estimated growth in the overall GDP. The construction sector is forecasted to decline slightly by 3.5 percent in 2015 but should experience continuous growth going forward over the next three years. This sector will be propelled by foreign direct investment in large-scale tourism related projects as well as revitalization of stalled projects and other new private and public sector projects. Acting Director Mr. Shirlen Forbes further reminds the public that these are forecasted growth and “one must always be mindful that there are a number of

downside risk such as global health concerns, geopolitical tensions, adverse weather conditions and unavailability of external financing for private sectors projects which can hamper the TCI achieving projected growth targets.” SPPD wishes to thank the business community, public corporations, government agencies, and everyone, who has contributed, in one way or another, for the cooperation received in the provision of the necessary data. The department wishes to advise the businesses community with outstanding questionnaires to be submitted, to please submit the questionnaires, as they remain integral to the updating of the estimates. The Department also thanks the public for their patience as we try to make the necessary data available.

Page 19: VOLUME 11 ISSUE 48

DECEMBER 18TH, 2015 – DECEMBER 25TH, 2015 TURKS & CAICOS SUN Page 19

The Sands is now accepting applications/resume for the following positions. Only highly self-driven & motivated, personable and

professional individuals, whom have the desire to serve others, need apply:

POOL & BEACH SUPERVISOR RespOnsIbIlITIes:

•Oversees and maintain complete safety in and around pool and beach areas

•Follows operating standards in accordance to TCI laws and hotel procedures on job duties and life-safety

•Maintains proper levels of service and equipment furniture and maintenance

•Assist in the conducting of guest activities in the pool areas•Monitor entire cleaning operations for the cleanliness, health and sanitation of the pools and surrounding area

•Assist in every way possible to assure proper customer service is being upheld.

•Enforces pool and beach sanitation and safety rules and requirements

•Supervises pool and beach areas for safety and customer service

•Monitors and upholds guest areas (No Solicitation policy is enforced and facilities for registered hotel guests only)

•Trains new employees on proper protocol and customer service•Ensures all furniture setting are inline, organized and set to hotel resort standards

•Complete all tasks for the day and oversee all duties/projects in a timely fashion

•Ensure safety precautions are followed in pool area and identify possible safety hazards and reports to management

•Monitor supplies and reports all damaged furniture to management

•Perform all other duties as assigned by the Property Manager

RequIRemenTs:•High School Diploma •Must have prior pool/beach supervisory experience•Prior experience at a luxury property or hotel•Life-safety training and certification CPR, AED, First Aid, Water Safety required

•Being an excellent swimmer is required period certification may be required

•Working with Pool Chemicals is required•Working during inclement weather •Hands on knowledge of non-motorized sports equipment set-up and handling is required

•Cleaning and skimming pools is required•Must be able to stand and work outdoors for an extended period of time

•Weekend and flexible shifts are a must•Must have excellent written and oral communication•Must have outstanding customer service and leadership skills•Must be reliable and professional•Must be proficient with computers, including Excel, Word and Outlook.

•Must be able to lift 40 lbs.•Must be able to multitask and follow direction.•Must be detailed oriented.

hOusekeepInG supeRvIsORRespOnsIbIlITIes:

•Ensures maximum compliance and efficiency in the performance of Housekeeping staff in guest rooms and surrounding areas

•Carries out the policies and procedures of Housekeeping Departments Standard Operating

•Offers assistance to guests and owners, initiates corrective action on complaints of cleanliness and service to guest rooms

•Assists in and conducts monthly Housekeeping Inventories as required

•Conducts routine guest room and common area inspections.

Provides inspections scores and retrains for success•Assists in and conducts staff scheduling and annual performance evaluations

•Maintains inventory and stock controls •Ensure delivery of service excellence to all guests by monitoring staff performance and provides hands-on training and development

•Evaluates and updates Executive Housekeeper on staff performance. Makes recommendations for appropriate action in the areas of disciplinary and commendation

•Maintains quality controls and assurance •Assists in overseeing Laundry Department as required in service, quality, inventory, inspection, scheduling and overall performance

RequIRemenTs:•High school diploma•Must have supervised a minimum of 25 employees•Most work tasks are performed indoors and outdoors. Temperature is moderate and controlled by hotel environmental systems

•Must be able to stand and exert well-paced mobility for up to 3 hours in length

•Must be able to lift up to 40 lbs. on a regular and continuing basis

•Must be able to push and pull carts and equipment weighing up to 200 lbs. on a regular and continuing basis

•Must be able to exert well-paced ability in limited space•Must be able to bend, stoop, squat and stretch to fulfill cleaning tasks

•Must have minimum of 3 years supervisory experience in the Hotel/Resort and/or Hospitality Industry

•Must be able to speak, read, write and understand the primary language (s) used in the workplace

•Must be able to read and write to facilitate the communication process

•Requires excellent communication and grammar skills, both orally and written to communicate well to guests and owners

•Must possess basic math and computational ability•Must have basic computer skills in Hotel PMS, Word, Excel and Outlook

•Must work weekends and holidays

MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN

RespOnsIbIlITIes•To skillfully and professionally perform all scheduled maintenance related jobs.

•Account for time spent on individual works and actively seek further tasks when assigned tasks are completed.

•To advise the Engineering Administrator when parts or supplies need to be reordered.

•Perform weekly and monthly physical counts of all inventory stock and tooling and requirements.

•Other duties as deemed necessary by the Engineering Administrator

RequIRemenTs•Must meet minimum professional qualification/certification in Plumbing/ Electrical/ Mechanical and A/C related trades

•Must have minimum of two years hands-on experience working on minor electrical, painting, plumbing and A/C

•Must speak, read, write and understand the primary language (English) used in the workplace.

•Must work weekends and holidays

LINE POSITIONS

FRONT OFFICE AGENT HOUSEKEEPING ROOM ATTENDANT HOUSEMAN LABOURER LAUNDRY ATTENDANT POOL & BEACH ATTENDANT GROUNDSMEN

For the above line staff positions, resort experience is an asset but not a requirement. Applicants must have a willing, positive and personable attitude as well as be willing to work holidays and weekends. They should also enjoy serving people and be willing to learn. Turks & Caicos Islands citizens only need to apply to the Assistant Human Resources Manager at The Sands Resort located on Grace Bay Road, Providenciales or e-mail: [email protected]. Deadline is December 30, 2015.

Page 20: VOLUME 11 ISSUE 48

Page 20 TURKS & CAICOS SUN DECEMBER 18TH, 2015 – DECEMBER 25TH, 2015

AMBERGRIS CAY SERVICES LTD. (IN RECEIVERSHIP)

SHORT TERM EMPLOYMENT POSITION

Ambergris Cay Services Ltd. (In Receivership) is seeking to fill two temporary post on Ambergris Cay for the period 14th December 2015 to 8th January 2016.

The available positions are for SPECIAL EVENTS SOUS CHEF.

JOB SUMMARY:Responsible for assisting in the management of all facets of the day-to-day operation of the Restaurant Facility on Ambergris Cay, providing exemplary food and beverage service to visitors to the Cay over the Christmas and New Year period. This very demanding job requires high skill levels, assisting in planning, coordination, organization and monitoring of all Restaurant activities, as well as hands-on preparation of a wide range of high quality and creative dishes for a discerning clientele.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:1.Assist in planning, preparation and presentation of all meals for guests on Ambergris Cay.2.Delivery of outstanding food services to a professional standard.3.Excellent hands-on knowledge of a wide variety of local and international cuisines.4.Assist in the direct supervision and coordination of all kitchen activities.5.Assist in all other duties as required by the Lead Chef.6.Must be able to work irregular hours, to include nights, weekends, and holidays.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND QUALIFICATIONS:1.10 years relevant experience, including 5 years as Sous / Events Chef, operating in a high quality and high pressure environment, providing fine- dining in an international environment.2.International experience of working on special event arrangements;3.Excellent communication skills and a pleasant, professional demeanor.4.A resourceful personality.5.Must work and reside on Ambergris Cay for the indicated period.6.Excellent references are essential

Salary: Commensurate with experience.

Closing date for applications: Friday, 18th December, 2015.

Applications must be in writing addressed to: Ambergris Cay Services Ltd. (In Receivership)

Unit 51, Salt Mills Plaza, Grace Bay, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands,

E-mail: [email protected] Tel: (649)-941-3777 ; Fax: (649)-941-3778.

FOR SALE BY OWNER

NAVAGATION LTD. STEVE BEEN IS SELLING PRIME 10ACRES WITH 525 BEACH FRONTAGE, NORTH WEST POINT, PROVIDENCIALES.

TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS:60000/307. LAND IS NEXT TO THE FUTURE GOLF COURSE, LAND IS

EASILY ACCESSIBLE, LAND IS READY TO BE DEVELOPED AND PERFECT FOR HOTEL DEVELOPMENT. OWNER HAS FREEHOLD TITLE AND ALL

RECIEPTS OF PAYMENT AND SURVEY, OWNER IS A NATIVE OF THIS SOIL AND HAS NO COMMITTMENTS.

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND INTRESTED PERSONS SHOULD CONTACT:

TEL: (649) 241-6013 EMAIL: [email protected]: (649 242-9897 EMAIL: [email protected]

TEL: (649) 241-4900 EMAIL: [email protected]

ASKING PRICE $10,000,000.00

AMBERGRIS CAY SERVICES LTD. (IN RECEIVERSHIP)

SHORT TERM EMPLOYMENT POSITION

Ambergris Cay Services Ltd. (In Receivership) is seeking to fill two temporary posts on Ambergris Cay for the period 14th December 2015 to 8th January 2016.

The available positions are for RESTAURANT HOST/MAITRE’D.

JOB SUMMARY:Work alongside with the Lead Chef and Sous Chef to organize and direct the activities of all the Food and Beverage department of the restaurant facility on Ambergris Cay to ensure an exceptional level of customer service and satisfaction. Providing exemplary food and beverage service to visitors to the Cay over the Christmas and New Year period. This very demanding job requires high skill levels, assisting in monitoring of all Restaurant front house activities.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:1.Supervising of the waiting staff, welcoming guests and assigning them to tables, taking reservations, and ensuring that guests are satisfied.2.Assist in presentation of all meals to guests using the restaurant facility on Ambergris Cay.3.Delivery of outstanding services to a professional standard.4.Excellent knowledge of a wide variety of local and international cuisines.5.Assist in all other duties as required by the Lead Chef & or Sous Chef.6.Must be able to work irregular hours, to include nights, weekends, and holidays.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND QUALIFICATIONS:1.10 years relevant experience operating in a high quality environment, providing a fine-dining experience in an international environment.2.International experience of working on special event arrangements;3.Excellent communication skills and a pleasant, professional demeanor.4.A resourceful personality.5.Must work and reside on Ambergris Cay for the indicated period.6.Excellent references are essential

Salary: Commensurate with experience.

Closing date for applications: Friday, 18th December, 2015.

Applications must be in writing addressed to: Ambergris Cay Services Ltd. (In Receivership)

Unit 51, Salt Mills Plaza, Grace Bay, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands,

E-mail: [email protected] Tel: (649)-941-3777; Fax: (649)-941-3778.

HAB MANAGEMENT LTD. HAB Management Ltd is seeking applicants for the following positions:

RESERVATION ATTENDANT Job descriPtion

The successful candidates will be required to welcome and serve guests in a courteous, efficient and friendly manner, both face-to-face and on the phone. The candidates will also be required to take reservations via the telephone, email and walk-in requests. Candidates will also be responsible for promoting the resort at all times. RequIRemenTs

Candidates should have seven years or more experience as a Reservation Attendant. Candidates should also have an extensive knowledge of Visual One Property Management System. Candidates must be proficient in Microsoft Office. Candidates will be required to check guests in and out; perform certain accounting procedures, such as preparing bills for guests, performing audit duties, balancing work and preparing paperwork for the following day; present a friendly, outgoing, energetic and guest service demeanor. Candidates will also be required to work cohesively with co-workers as part of a team. Must be able to speak, read and write in English and understand verbal and written instructions. Salary is $14,400 per annum. HOUSEKEEPERS Job DescriptionCandidates will be required to clean guest rooms as assigned, ensuring the hotel’s established standards of cleanliness. RequIRemenTs

Candidates should have six years or more experience as a Housekeeper. Candidates must have knowledge of proper cleaning techniques. Maintain positive guest relations at all times. Candidates will also be required to work cohesively with co-workers as part of a team. Must be able to speak, read and write in English and understand verbal and written instructions. Good presentation and a pleasant, friendly personality required. Salary is $14,300.00 per annum.

LAUNDRY ATTENDANT JOb descRIpTIOn Process soiled linen and distribute clean linen in accordance with standard operating procedures in a safe, accident-free manner, as assigned by management. RequIRemenTs

Candidate should have seven years or more experience as a Laundry Attendant. Candidate will be required to receive and sort soiled linen; process sorted linen utilizing the washers, dryers and ironers ensuring finished product meets the quality standards of the resort. Notify supervisor of malfunctioning equipment, supplies needed, damaged linens, to ensure laundry operation is running at maximum efficiency level. Maintain assigned work area in a clean and safe condition. Must be able to speak, read and write in English and understand verbal and written instructions. Must be well presented and physically fit. The candidate will also be required to work cohesively with co-workers as part of a team. Salary is $14,300.00 per annum.

secuRITy OffIceRs JOb descRIpTIOn

The successful candidates will be responsible for the safeguarding of the owners property, hotel property, assets, guests, visitors and employees. The Security Officers will also be responsible for insuring a safe environment; patrolling; documenting; reporting; and following-up on safety and security hazards or infractions.RequIRemenTs

Candidates should have eight years or more experience as a Security Officer. Candidates will be required to work flexible hours. Record problems encountered in the area during the course of duty. Check effectiveness and safety and availability of security and safety equipments. Respond immediately to emergency or crisis situations. Candidates will be required to maintain positive guest relations at all times. The candidates will also be required to work cohesively with co-workers as part of a team. Must be able to speak, read and write in English and understand verbal and written instructions. Good presentation and a pleasant, friendly personality required. Salary is $14,400.00 per annum.

Interested applicants should contact Veronica Rigby via email by January 4, 2016 at [email protected] or by fax 649-946-5191. Only persons selected for an interview will be contacted by

email or telephone to schedule an interview.

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DECEMBER 18TH, 2015 – DECEMBER 25TH, 2015 TURKS & CAICOS SUN Page 21

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Page 22 TURKS & CAICOS SUN DECEMBER 18TH, 2015 – DECEMBER 25TH, 2015O

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DECEMBER 18TH, 2015 – DECEMBER 25TH, 2015 TURKS & CAICOS SUN Page 23grocery departm

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LOCAL NEWS

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LOCAL NEWSDECEMBER 18TH, 2015 – DECEMBER 25TH, 2015 TURKS & CAICOS SUN Page 25

LOCAL NEWS

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LOCAL NEWSPage 26 TURKS & CAICOS SUN DECEMBER 18TH, 2015 – DECEMBER 25TH, 2015

LOCAL NEWS

Highlights of the 2nd Annual Senior

Citizens Dinner Dance The 2nd Annual Senior Citizen Dinner Dance was a successful one again this year. Senior citizens all across Providenciales got the chance to enjoy themselves, with a night filled with fun, happiness and smiles. Held at the Occasions Ball Room at Turks and Caicos Airport Hotel on Saturday December 5th, 2015 the event attracted a crowd of over 31 senior citizens. The event was hosted by Mrs. Melanie Smith under the theme “Making The Golden Years Golden”. Introductory & Welcoming remarks were made by Mrs. Melanie Smith, Greetings & Introduction of special guest was done by Mrs. Marion Williams, special guest was Mr. Wesley Missick, expression of appreciation by Calsada Johnson, presentation of Eldest Senior and the night was closed with seniors dance. Mrs. Melanie Smith said,

“This event was held in honour of the senior citizens across the community of Providenciales. It’s an annual event that is held in December of every year. We haven’t kept it annually but we are trying to do that. The first one we hosted was in 2013 and we skipped a

year and had it again this year.” She added: “The event is formed just to basically give back to them for the contribution that they have made to the Turks and Caicos Islands throughout the years and it’s just a way of saying thank you to them for the involvement and it’s more of a gratitude of attitude to them. They’re still a part of us, and so I just wanted to give back to them in a very special way and something that is meaningful. It is not an organization; it is something that I do, I am a community activist and there are a few programs that I normally have slated throughout the years. This one is probably my fourth one for the years and I’ve just decided that I wanted to do something for the senior citizens.” Senior citizen Mrs. Marion Williams said, “I’ve attended the event every year that it is held and I appreciate it. It was very good, it’s encouraging those of us here in the Turks and Caicos especially in Providenciales. Let us support it and bring our country back and take away what the devil has stolen from us.” The following are photo highlights of the event.

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LOCAL NEWSDECEMBER 18TH, 2015 – DECEMBER 25TH, 2015 TURKS & CAICOS SUN Page 27

LOCAL NEWS

Principal Anniona Jones delivering the opening addresses Santa (centre), Elf Sensible (left) and Elf Silly in their sleigh

Kindergarten and Pre-Primary perform a dance in their reindeer costumes

Grade 3 perform and Indian song and dance

Grade 2 student perform a Filipino song and dance

The Audience could not get enough of the Kindergarten class, who represented England Kindergarten all decked out in their representation of England

Grade 6 students perform a Jamaican dance

Grade 3 students perform a German song

Allan Hutchinson, Co-owner of the Precious Treasures International School, delivering the vote of thanks

Grade 4 teacher, Valerie Chutcon-Warren, closes off the event with prayer for the meal

‘Elf Silly’ (right), played by Kenyah Davis; Santa, played by Alvin Parker III and Elf Sensible, played by Calvin James, perform in their main character roles

Grade 4 students perform a Georgian song

Precious Treasures International School

stages Christmas Programme

The Precious Treasures International School staged its Annual Christmas Programme on Saturday, December 5, on the school’s compound, located in Discovery Bay, Providenciales. The students, representing the many cultures that attend the institution, gave excellent performances, evoking strong responses from the crowd, which comprised mostly parents and guardians. The following are photo highlights of the event.

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LOCAL NEWSPage 28 TURKS & CAICOS SUN DECEMBER 18TH, 2015 – DECEMBER 25TH, 2015

LOCAL NEWS

honouring our pioneers

Fortistci recognizes electricity

utility industry

trailblazers of the turks

& caicos islands.

Mr. Ernie Jackson Mr. Claridge Wilson Mr. Wayne Douglas

Honouring Mr. Ken Lightbourne (Accepted by his son, Mr. Brian Lightbourne)

Honouring Mr. Eric Seymour (Accepted by his wife, Mrs. Gladys Seymour)

www.fortistci.com | 649-946-4313 | P.O. Box 132 1030 Leeward HWY, Providenciales, TCI

The late Eric Seymour is a former Power House Supervisor, Chief Engineer, Electrical Superintendent and Electricity Commissioner that served the Turks and Caicos Islands from 1969 to 2003. He gained his initial training and experience as a Merchant Marine with American Coast Lines. He eventually joined the TCI civil service and served as Chief Engineer and Electrical Superintendent. During this time, he oversaw the erection and distribution of electricity to many areas of the Turks and Caicos Islands that had not had electricity previously. In 1992, he took up early retirement from the Civil Service and took the opportunity to serve his country as Electricity Commissioner, a post he held until he retired completely from active duty in 2003.

The late Mr. Ken Lightbourne began his service with Provo Power Company (PPC) as an operator in 1989. A former line superintendent he was known as one of the

first to take safety seriously. He also had a passion for developing employees who worked in Transmission & Distribution and took pride in helping them grow

professionally. When he passed away in 2002, he was serving as the Company’s Superintendent of Distribution.

Mr. Claridge Wilson served with Provo Power Company as the electrical plant superintendent, having been employed by the Company from 1992 until 2005. A well respected professional in the industry, he played a major role in the installation of Caterpillar engines at the Provo plant. He was also responsible for day-to-day plant maintenance throughout the Caicos Islands.

Mr. Ernie Jackson, an electrical engineer by trade, joined PPC in May 1998 as Chief Engineer. He led developments and upgrades on the T&D Systems

throughout the Caicos Islands. One of his many major projects was the conversion of overhead lines in Grace Bay to underground. He was promoted to

FortisTCI Vice President of Production and Engineering in September of 2007 and served in this capacity until his departure.

Mr. Wayne Douglas joined PPC in November 1998 as Plant Mechanical Superintendent and is known as everyone’s friend. On the job he believed in teamwork, family, and community, possessing a knack for keeping people motivated. His professional skills were fabrication and mechanical engineering. He had since served as a consultant of Special Projects with FortisTCI. His role was instrumental in the logistics and commissioning of the new Wartsila Engines.

John Phillips has no problem with tall buildings Governor’s Appointed member Hon. John Phillips says he has no problem with tall buildings in the Turks and Caicos Islands, as longs they are properly designed. In his contribution to the Physical Planning (Amendment Bill) 2015 in the House of Assembly on Wednesday, December 16th , Phillips said, “We understand the wish to increase the height. I don’t have a big problem with that. I do worry slightly because high buildings can look like boxes and we don’t seem to address architecture at all. One of the highest buildings I know of in the region t is Atlantis (on Paradise Island, The Bahamas). I’ve been there (and) I don’t much care for the place, but at its maximum height it's 33 storeys and it doesn’t look that bad when you see if from a distance, or from a plane or from a boat. It is, architecturally, not that bad.” Phillips added: “I hate to see

a situation where we turn the island here into a series of still boxes and we end up looking like a housing project or something. I think architecture is very important and the higher the building gets, the more emphasis has to be placed on how it’s going to look, how does it looks from the distance, how do we look because that high building is the first thing that people see." He added: We are talking about density in terms of rooms per acre for hotel development, the biggest effect we have is on the beach and we must not lose sight of the fact that there are hotels behind the hotels on the beach and there is one specific example in Providenciales where a very large hotel is not on the beach, but they..rope off an area of the beach and put furniture outside. We need to start calculating how many people use the beach and whether the hotel is on the beach or whether it's two rows back doesn’t really matter; we have

to look at crowding and one of the top items that’s in the KPMG report, one of the top benefits that the exit tourist mentioned, is the beauty of uncrowed beaches. I would just remind you that no beach, no tourism, no controls on it, no beach.”Phillips said he has a number of concerns about the Physical Planning (Amendment Bill) 2015. "I’m quite surprised that we don’t have a valid and existing development manual, given that such a document guides the principle industry and has a dramatic effect on our economy. I would very much help that any amendment agreed to, which allows things to be rather flexible in absence of a development plan, seems to take away any incentive to have a development plan and I fear that we may just prefer having a development plan because we won’t need it,” Phillips said.

Governor’s Appointed member Hon. John Phillips

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LOCAL NEWS

Parrot Cay makes Conde Nast Traveller’s best private island list For many with the money, finding an exclusive destination to enjoy life’s luxuries in guaranteed privacy is the ultimate travel experience. Condé Nast Traveller has scoured the globe in search of superlative private island accommodation and has curated a selection of their top picks in their January 2016 edition. Lone Caribbean representative on the list is Parrot Cay, a luxurious private island resort in Turks and Caicos that attracts the rich and famous with its crystal-clear waters, whitewashed villas and laid-back Caribbean atmosphere, without the A-list guests having to worry about prying eyes or paparazzi. Celebrity guests who have been lured to the idyllic spot include actor/director Ben Affleck, who wed Jennifer Garner there in 2005, and Eva Longoria, who honeymooned there with her then-husband Tony Parker in 2008.

Chart-topper Justin Bieber rang in 2015 with Hailey Baldwin on Parrot Cay, and this month, newlyweds Sofía Vergara and Joe Manganiello chose the island getaway for their intimate honeymoon. Miranda Hart vacationed there in 2013, and claimed that the island’s sunsets were the best she had ever seen. Supermodel and actress Cara Delevingne is an ardent devotee who favours the secluded Cay for its white sand beaches, crystal-clear waters, and laid-back Caribbean atmosphere, as well as the choice of amenities. “As soon as the boat pulls up to the pier, I jump out, plant my feet in the sand and sprint into the bluest sea,” Delevingne told Conde Nast. “It’s the sheer sense of calm, the peace, that sets this apart from other islands in the Caribbean – being able to run along the beach to the beat of Pharrell on my headphones and

not see anyone for miles, just run and run with nothing but wildlife and lush island greenness. “That’s not to say there isn’t plenty to do. We windsurf, we play tennis, we walk around the island and kayak down the river. We go out deep-sea fishing and I reel in a huge barracuda,” she enthused. The resort boasts a beach-side swimming pool, two Balinese inspired villas, and a two-story yoga pavilion among other luxury features.

Parrot Cay is in good company among other Conde Nast picks including: Ariara, Philippines; Pulau Joyo, Indonesia; L’Ilot, Mauritius; Zaya Nurai Island, Abu Dhabi; Isleta el Espino, Nicaragua; Private Island Retreat, Greece; The Brando, French Polynesia; Inn at Cuckolds Lighthouse, Maine; and Dolphin Island, Fiji. The pick of the private islands are featured in the January 2016 issue of Conde Nast Traveller.

A section of the hotel on the private luxury island of Parrot Cay

Beaches Turks and Caicos hosted “Beat The Flu Event” Beaches Turks and Caicos hosts its Annual “Beat the Flu Event” where over 1000 staff members got vaccination shots. This initiative took place at Beaches Turks and Caicos grounds at Chit Chat Café on Tuesday December 8th 2015 under the theme “Safeguard Yourself, Your Friends, Your Family”.Public Health Nurse as part of the Ministry of Health Department Savita Ramkellowan told The SUN, “We are issuing flu vaccine to everyone who would like to have it. So far we have given 64 persons have received their flu vaccine and we are here about an hour.” When asked what was the purpose of the event being done at Beaches Turks and Caicos she added: “Because the people who work here full time they would not be able to come to the clinic, because many clinics open from 8:00am to 4:30pm so the initiative is that we come out to meet them here, it’s an annual thing so we always do it on a yearly basis.” The Nurses visited the Palms (December 7th, 2015) and is looking forward to visiting the different hotels

in Providenciales. “The flu vaccine, the Government normally brings it in every year with a lot of money being spent on it and so we promote the vaccine because it helps to prevent you, not prevent you from having the flu as such but to prevent the severity of the flu. So it’s being given from age six months to what every age,” she said.Ramkellowan encourages everyone to feel free to come at all Government clinics and have their flu vaccine. Flu vaccination can keep you from getting sick from flu. Protecting yourself from flu also protects the people around you who are more vulnerable to serious flu illness. Flu

vaccination can help protect people who are at greater risk of getting seriously ill from flu, like older adults, people with chronic health conditions and young children (especially infants younger than 6 months old who are too young to get vaccinated). Flu vaccination also may make your illness milder if you do get sick and Flu vaccination can reduce the risk of more serious flu outcomes, like hospitalizations. A recent study showed that flu vaccine reduced children’s risk of flu-related pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admission by 74% during flu seasons from 2010-2012. One study showed that flu vaccination

was associated with a 71% reduction in flu-related hospitalizations among adults of all ages and a 77% reduction among adults 50 years of age and older during the 2011-2012 flu season. Flu vaccination is an important preventive tool for people with chronic health conditions. Vaccination was associated with lower rates of some cardiac events among people with heart disease, especially among those who had had a cardiac event in the past year. Flu vaccination also has been shown to be associated with reduced hospitalizations among people with diabetes (79%) and chronic lung disease (52%). Vaccination helps protect women during pregnancy and their babies for up to 6 months after they are born. One study showed that giving flu vaccine to pregnant women was 92% effective in preventing hospitalization of infants for flu. Other studies have shown that vaccination can reduce the risk of flu-related hospitalizations in older adults. A study that looked at flu vaccine effectiveness over the course of three flu seasons estimated that flu vaccination lowered the risk of hospitalizations by 61% in people 50 years of age and older.

. Public Health Nurse Savita Ramkellowan Vaccinate Beaches staff.

By Todeline Defralien

Christmas came early for over 3’000 youngsters in Providenciales this holiday season, all thanks to a unique partnership between Beaches Resort’s charity arm, the Sandals Foundation and Hasbro, Inc., one of the world’s leading toy manufacturers. Thousands of local children were given the opportunity to not only party with Sandals Foundation Volunteers and the Jolly Old St. Nick but they also received gifts and toys at several Drives hold across the island. “Our partnership with Hasbro, Inc have allowed us to expanded our annual toy drive to not only include students of our sponsored schools but also several children in the Providenciales community,” said, Elanor Krzanowski, Public Relations Manager and organizer of the annual toy drive commented, “This year we were able to bring an early Christmas to over three thousand local kids,

which is one thousand more than we did last year, our goal is to keep expanding to bring holiday cheers to as many kids as possible.” Each year the Sandals Foundation initiates an international Holiday Toy Drive, encouraging the support of travel and industry partners, team members and the public to donate a toy to a needy child. This time around, the Sandals Foundation launched the Holiday Triple “Play” campaign in partnership with Hasbro Inc., one of the world’s leading toy manufacturers and valued partner for Beaches Resorts, with any donation of $10 being matched by Sandals Resorts International and Hasbro also donating a toy – growing the gifting three-fold. Sandals Foundation Director of Programmes, Heidi Clarke, excitedly commented on the events saying, “Christmas is a time of neighborly love, we should all

be there for those who are in need. Delivering these annual Christmas treats is the Sandals Foundation’s way of being there, especially for the children.” “The kids here look forward to the Christmas Treat each year. We like to give them toys and educational material as this is oftentimes the only gift they get for Christmas.” Last year, the Sandals Foundation team brought Christmas joy to over Two Thousand children at two government schools and the local orphanage. This year the foundation expanded the toy drive to include more local children, including students of neighboring school Ianthe Pratt Primary as well as children of the Bight Community. Other Christmas treats and celebrations included, The Bight Community Christmas Party, The Beaches Team Member’s Kids Christmas, and the annual Christmas

drive at the local orphanage as well as the Senior Citizen Christmas Luncheon Extravaganza. “Our team members and guests have really got involved this year. Knowing that the treat and gifts are going to the local communities means a lot because our employees come from these communities and they know how much these treats mean to a many families.” Krzanowski said. “It’s a wonderful feeling to be able to bring smiles to the faces of so many children this holiday season, the toys and treats are sure to warm the hearts of many this holiday season.” In addition to the Turks & Caicos toy drive, the Sandals Foundation plans to reach a quota of 10,000 new toys to be delivered to children across the Caribbean bettering the lives of less fortunate communities where the Beaches and Sandals Resorts operates.

Sandals Foundation Brings Christmas Joy to Over 3’000 Turks & Caicos Youngsters

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FUN & GAMES

Page 30 AUGUST 25TH - SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2012 TURKS & CAICOS SUN

LOCAL NEWS

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LOCAL NEWSDECEMBER 18TH, 2015 – DECEMBER 25TH, 2015 TURKS & CAICOS SUN Page 31

LOCAL NEWS

SHORT TERM EMPLOYMENT POSITION

Ambergris Cay Services Ltd. (In Receivership) is seeking to fill a temporary post on Ambergris Cay for the period 14th December 2015 to 8th January 2016. The available position is for a PASTRY CHEF.

JOB SUMMARY:Responsible for assisting in the management of the day-to-day pastry operation of the Restaurant Facility on Ambergris Cay, providing exemplary food and beverage service to visitors to the Cay over the Christmas and New Year period. Performing additional responsibilities, although not detailed, as requested by the Lead Chef and/or Sous Chef

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:1.Assisting the Lead Chef and Sous Chef with all back house operations;2.Assist in planning, preparation and presentation of meals for guests on Ambergris Cay.3.Preparing and cooking necessary food items as advised by the Lead Chef or Sous Chef4.Cleaning and maintaining kitchen work stations5.Keeping all necessary stocks organized 6.Delivery of outstanding food services to a professional standard.7.Excellent hands-on knowledge of a wide variety of local and international cuisines.8.Must be able to work irregular hours, to include nights, weekends, and holidays.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND QUALIFICATIONS:1.5 years relevant experience operating in a high quality international environment.2.International experience of preparing food for special events.3.Excellent communication skills and a pleasant, professional demeanor.4.A resourceful personality.5.Must work and reside on Ambergris Cay for the indicated period.6.Excellent references are essential

Salary: Commensurate with experience.

Closing date for applications: Friday, 18th December, 2015.

Applications must be in writing addressed to: Ambergris Cay Services Ltd. (In Receivership)

Unit 51, Salt Mills Plaza, Grace Bay, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands,

E-mail: [email protected] Tel: (649)-941-3777 ; Fax: (649)-941-3778

AMBERGRIS CAY SERVICES LTD. (IN RECEIVERSHIP)

2nd Annual “Corporate Charity Challenge” - a fabulous success!

On Sunday 6th December Provo Golf Club hosted the 2nd Annual “Corporate Charity Challenge”. Building on the momentum from the massively successful inaugural event in 2014, the Corporate Charity Challenge has developed into a full-blown movement to enhance the Tourism Industry in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The main goal of the weekend was to raise money to further support the Culinary Arts Program at the T&C Community College which trains young students for future careers in the food and beverage industry. Two other local charities were also set to benefit from the weekend’s golf. When Casablanca Casino came on board as the headline sponsors this year, they pledged a significant sum for the Under 10 Dolphin Football Team. And it has become a tradition that 10% of the money raised goes to the charity of the Champion team’s choice. The festivities began on Friday 4th December with a glittering Opening Cocktail Party at Fairways Bar & Grill. Samuel Forbes, the Principal of the T&C Community College described how last year’s fundraising has made such an impact on their Culinary ArtsProgram and he wished everyone a fun and successful competition. Benneth

Williams, representing the Under 10 Dolphin Football Team, thanked everyone for their involvementand explained how the funds raised would make such a difference to the sporting lives of his young team. A glorious Sunday morning saw 18 teams (72 players) come together to compete to be the champion golf team of the TCI Business Community in 2015. The format for the event was a 4 person net scramble with some surprising (and frankly bonkers) rules. Holes 4, 9 and 13 had two cups and you could play to whichever hole you felt would improve your score then replace the flag in either cup. Once on the 5th green, your first putt could be a “free kick” with one golfer as the designated kicker. On the 18th hole, one golfer could be the designated thrower with a chance to throw the ball on to the green once the drive had been selected. Once on the green there was a free putt for one golfer as long as he wore the Jacket. By this stage the elders of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews were probably revolving in their graves - but the Provo golfers were having a ball! The 15th hole was more of an obstacle course than a golf course. The players had to fly their tee shot over an enormous JCB back hoe which had been inadvertently parked by the

Course Superintendent,Tim Mack, in front of the green.

At the end of 18 holes there was a three-way tie for the lead. The resulting play-off saw each member of the Carlisle Supplies, HAB and Waterloo teams competing in a nearestthe pin shoot out from the Ladies tee on the 10th hole to the flag on the 18th green. Not a single ball stayed on the green but Pierre Magnier’s ball was deemed closest to the hole and Carlisle Supplies were declared the outright winners.

In a Masters-style presentation ceremony, the magnificent Champions’ Jackets were handed over by last year’s winners to this year’s champions: Pierre Magnier, Carol Brown, Graham Shaw and Paul Murray. In second place was the Waterloo team (Cristian Rebolledo, Ingo Reckhorn, Justin Simpson and Fraser Dods) and in third place was the HAB team (Paul Slattery, Craig James, Dave Gillett and Tim Mack). Each team received as their trophy a beautiful ceramic plate made by Brenda Ludington of Paradise Arts and very quaffable prizes which were donated by

“The Wine Cellar”. The “Most Honest” team prize was awarded to the Casablanca Casino team for coming in last although Tina Boroff did win the prize for longest putt on #10. Many other individual prizes, kindly donated by local businesses, were also awarded for Closest to the Pin, Longest Drive and Longest Putt on several holes. Just when you thought all the fund-raising was done, Dave Douglas announced the highlight of the evening’s entertainment - himself! Apparently, during the cocktail party on Friday, Dave had said, “ Give me enough money for charity and I’ll let you shave my head.” Several generous individuals immediately each pledged $1000, then Gilley, grinning from ear to ear, passed a hat around the room and more donations came flooding in. Craig brought a chair to the centre of the floor, placed a towel around Dave’s shoulders and produced the hair clippers. Dessa Douglas, giggling all the way, ploughed the first shaven track through her dad’s hair. People were jostling each other, begging to be

given a share of the shaving action. By the time the golfing barbers were done and Baldy Dave took the microphone to thank all the sponsors and players, an incredible $8,700 had been collected just to witness the hairdressing session.

This was a weekend of Provo philanthropy at its finest - fun golf and camaraderie with a dash of quirkiness and a huge dollop of community spirit. A total of $25,000 was raised for the Culinary Arts Program at the T&C Community College, $7000 for the Under 10 Dolphin Football Team and $3000 for the Champions’ Choice cause, Provo Children’s Home.

A HUGE thank you to all the sponsors and players, the lovely ladies and young man from the Community College who served the food and wine so graciously, to Dave and his team at Provo Golf Club, Ron Larkin and his team at Fairways - this was a splendid weekend! We very much look forward to the 3rd Annual Corporate Charity Challenge in 2016 - see you there!

TOURNAMENT COMMITTEE MEMBERS:

Gilley Williams, Paul Slattery, Craig James, Sean Wilson

2015 Tournament Sponsors:Casablanca Casino, HAB Group,

Gilley’s Enterprises, Herzog Construction, Scotia Bank, Coxco

Construction, Miller Simons O’Sullivan, Turks & Caicos Water

Company, Dickenson Insurance, Seven Stars, Hartling Group/ Hemingways/

Opus, Carlisle Supplies, Beaches Resort, RBC/ Coast Architects,

Waterloo Investments, M&S Trust Company, LIME, PWC & Sotheby’s

By Lesley Stevenson

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LOCAL NEWSPage 32 TURKS & CAICOS SUN DECEMBER 18TH, 2015 – DECEMBER 25TH, 2015

LOCAL NEWS

TAYLOR’S VARIETY STORE

SEEKS4 DOMESTIC WORKERSMust work on holidays and

weekendsSalary $6.25 per hour

1 SALES CLERKSalary $6.50 per hour

4 LABOURERSSalary $6.25 per hour

1 Sales ManagerSalary $15.00 per hour

1 Security GuardSalary $8.00 per hourContact 649-232-1199

COCO PALMS BAR

Five Cays, ProvidencialesSeeks

1 WaitressSalary $200 per week

5 days per weekContact 432-8509

BANK TELLERS

needed for local bank in Turks and Caicos Island. Ages 18 – 35 years old. Must have minimum of

3 BGCSE (or equivalent) with Maths/English.

Interested persons may view vacancy online at www.topcareers1.com

or email resume to [email protected]

SPARKLE CLEANING SERVICES

Needed Urgently:Eight (8) Cleaners/Car washers

Duties: Washing and detailing automobilesWages: On a commission basis

Qualification:Honest, hardworking, highly motivated,

Friendly, must be able to work under minimum supervision and flexible hours, Ability to safely operate motor vehicle.

Experience is essential.Closing date for application is

23rd December 2015Sparkle Cleaning ServicesSuite 5, Southside Plaza,

Five Cays Road, ProvidencialesTel: (649)241-0237

Email: [email protected]

MANAGER AQUACULTURE OPERATIONSBachelor’s degree in Biology, Marine Biology or related field required.

Must have a minimum of ten (10} years husbandry experience in a marine environment and Industry experience in Broodstock

incubation/larval production/hatchery & nursery protocol, as well as complete knowledge & familiarity with pumping, filtration and

sterilizing systems. The Manager of Aquaculture Operations manages and is responsible for both skilled and unskilled employees (10) and

answers directly to the TWI Board of Directors.

Compensation commensurate with experience.

Submit resume to: SAUNDERS & CO/Attention Caicos Conch Farm. Town Centre Building *Box 257* Providenciales*

Turks and Caicos Islands

ATTENTION: TWI Board of Directors prefer Belongers

CARIBBEAN CRUISIN SEEKSA highly motivated and dedicated person is required to fill the above role.

The candidate will be expected to run a busy sales office while keeping accurate records of all transactions and sales.

A major part of the candidate’s responsibilities will be to keep all company books and accounts up to date and be able to produce accurate and timely sales figures and Charter accounts.

To be considered for this position the candidate must have a minimum of:

Bachelor Degree in Commerce, Management & Accounting.

Ten years experience in a similar environment.

At least five years extensive usage/experience of accounting software such as QuickBooks, Microsoft applications/Software, POS system & troubleshooting (and the ability to prove this)

Capable of meeting budgetary targets and deadlines and produce accurate and timely reports to support.

High level of understanding of the Tourism and Business graphic in the geographical area.

Position requires applicant to be extremely flexible and self motivated. This job is based in the tourism industry and therefore the applicant must be willing to work unsociable hours, weekends and holidays.

Ability to speak and write second language is a plus.

Only persons meet the minimum requirements for qualifications and experience as stated above will be contacted.

OFFICE MANAGER

CONTACT 946-5406

PROVO GOLF CLUBProvo Golf Club is seeking a suitably qualified individual to fill the following opening. Only candidates who meet the minimum

requirements will be considered.

GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENT

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES•Plan and schedule maintenance processes and procedures.•Instruct, train and direct staff in golf course maintenance. •Oversees fertilizer, chemical and pesticide applications.•Run irrigation systems, including daily setup and maintenance. •Proven organizational skills to maintain accurate records of all processes.

•Responsible for the safe operation, storage and effective use of all equipment.

•Responsible for the proper use, storage and preservation of all associated materials, supplies and assigned equipment.

REQUIREMENTS•Must have a Bachelor’s degree or Associate degree in Agronomy or Horticulture plus a minimum of six years experience on a golf course with three years experience as an Assistant Golf Superintendent.

•Must have at least a Class C Membership with the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA).

•Must have advance knowledge of agronomy and turf grass management practices.

•Require extensive knowledge of golf course maintenance.•Requires knowledge of landscape construction and materials.•Ability to analyze data and prepare reports.•Strong computer skills using Microsoft Word and Excel•Must have a thorough understanding of the game of golf.

Salary for this position commensurate with experience, training and qualification. Interested applicants should contact Veronica Rigby via email by January 4, 2016 at [email protected] or by fax 649-946-5191. Only persons selected for an interview will be contacted by email or telephone to schedule an interview.

WANTED

Rosemary Jolly Is looking for a

CARETAKER

must be able to work on weekends.

Salary: $6.25 per hour.Contact 247-8177

NEEDEDDOMESTIC WORKER

To work five days per week

From 8am – 4pmDuties: General cleaning

in houseSalary $6.00 per hour

Contact 346-6622

RTL Management Ltd.

Position: Training Officer

JOb RespOnsIbIlITIes:•Advisory services associated with financial operations and staff

training;•Assistance with point of sale system programming and implementation;•Technical assistance with financial system improvements and training;

•Business development – attracting and engaging new clients;•Structuring systems and reporting for the financial management of

hospitality businesses;•Work hours to include evenings, weekends, and holidays; and

•“On call” to assist with client requests.

qualIfIcaTIOns RequIRed:•Experience in training and teaching hospitality functions at college

level;•Experience in development of point of sale technology and

programming;•15+ years in hospitality management services experience;

•Experience in budgeting, cost control, and inventory controls;•Experience in managing businesses with 10+ staff;

•College level certification in hospitality services.

This position is immediately available. Salary for this position will be based on qualifications and experience. All applicants will be reviewed;

however only qualified candidates will be contacted for an interview.

Applicants should apply in writing or email by January 8th 2016 to:RTL Management Ltd.

PO Box 137, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos IslandsEmail: [email protected] Fax: 649-941-7498

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TCISun Christmas SpecialChristmas SpecialChristmas Special

Global United Fellowship’s (GUF) Provincial Bishop for the Turks and Caicos Islands and Pastor of Abundant Life Ministries International Church, Bishop Dr. C.A. Williams III, reads the story of the Birth of Jesus Christ, at the church’s Night of Corals held on Sunday, December 13. In addition to reading of the story, the night was encapsulated by performances by the children of the church, who wowed their audience in dance, poetry and song. The children also received gifts.

READING OF THE CHRISTMAS STORYPhoto by Vivian Tyson

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CHRISTMAS SPECIALThe Real Meaning Of Christmas It’s that time of year again. December has come and with it all the joys of Christmas. But what is the real meaning of Christmas? Is it the gifts under the tree, the lights in the windows, the cards in the mail, turkey dinners with family and friends, snow in the yard, stockings hanging in the living room, and shouts of “Merry Christmas” to those who pass us in the streets? Is this really Christmas? For many people, Christmas is a time of sorrow. They don’t have the EXTRA MONEY to buy presents for their children, family, and friends. Many are saddened at Christmastime when they think of their loved ones who will not be able to come home for various reasons. Turkey dinners may be only a wish and not a reality for some. Yet, Christmas can be a season of great joy. It is a time of God showing His great love for us. It can be a time of healing and renewed strength. You see, Christmas is when we celebrate the birth of the Christ child. God sent His Son, Jesus, into the world to be born. His birth brought great joy to the world. Shepherds, wise men, and angels all shared in the excitement of knowing about this great event.

They knew this was no ordinary baby. The prophets had told of His coming hundreds of years before. The star stopped over Bethlehem just to mark the way for those who were looking for this special child.Luke 2: 4-19 says: “So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You

will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” Why did He come? Why did God send His son to this sometimes cruel and hard world? He sent Jesus to us so that one day, He would grow up to become a very important part of history. His story (history) is one of truth, love, and hope. It brought salvation to all of us. Without Jesus, we would all die in our sins. Jesus was born so one day the price could be paid for the things we have done that are wrong. The Bible

says that all have sinned. We are all born with a sin nature. We do things that do not please God. Through the sins of Adam and Eve, we have all inherited that sin nature. We need to have that removed. The only way is through Jesus. Jesus came so He could die on the cross for ALL of our sins. If we believe that Jesus died for our sins, we can ask Him to come into our hearts and forgive us. Then, we are clean and made whole. We can know that heaven is a place where we can go to when this life is over. “But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong.” I John 1:9 We can truly be happy at Christmas! No matter what may be happening, we can know that we are His children. We then become sons and daughters of God. Heaven will be our home one day. Look at Christmas in a new way this year. This is the year to invite Jesus into your heart. You will then have a “Merry Christmas.” The joy and peace you will receive will last all year as you look to God for all your needs to be met. Jesus Is The Reason For The Season! Rejoice!

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HappyHolidays

from your friends at Heritage

Our office will be closed on December 24 & 25.Normal office hours will resume on December 28.

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®Registered trademark of The Bank of Nova Scotia, used under licence.

Discover what’s possible

Happy Holidays!We wish you and your family a joyous holiday season.

May your New Year be filled with happiness and prosperity.

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CHRISTMAS SPECIAL

The Christmas Story Long ago, about 2000 years, when King Herod ruled Judea (now part of Israel), God sent the angel Gabriel to a young women who lived in the northern town of Nazareth. The girl’s name was Mary and she was engaged to marry Joseph.

The angel Gabriel said to Mary: ‘Peace be with you! God has blessed you and is pleased with you.’ Mary was very surprised by this and wondered what the angel meant. The angel said to her ‘Don’t be afraid, God has been very kind to you. You will become pregnant by the Holy Spirit and give birth to a baby boy and you will call him Jesus. He will be God’s own Son and his kingdom will never end.’ Mary was very afraid but she trusted God. ‘Let it happen as God chooses.’ She replied to the angel. Gabriel also told Mary that her cousin, Elizabeth who everyone thought was too old to have children, would have a baby boy whom God had chosen to prepare the way for Jesus. Mary said goodbye to her family and friends and went to visit her cousin Elizabeth and her husband Zechariah. Elizabeth was very happy to see Mary. She knew that Mary had been chosen by God to be the mother of his Son. An angel had already told Zechariah that Elizabeth’s baby would prepare people to welcome Jesus. He was to be called John. Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then returned home to Nazareth. Joseph was worried when he found out that Mary was expecting a baby before their marriage had taken place. He wondered if he should put off the wedding altogether. Then an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and said: ‘Don’t be afraid to have Mary as your wife.’ The angel explained that Mary had been chosen by God to be the mother of his Son and told Joseph that

the baby would be named Jesus which means ‘Saviour’ because he would save people. When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel had told him to do and took Mary as his wife. At this time, the land where Mary and Joseph lived was part of the Roman Empire. The Roman Emperor Augustus wanted to have a list of all the people in the empire, to make sure they paid their taxes. He ordered everyone to return to the town where their families originally came from, and enter their names in a register (or census) there. Mary and Joseph travelled a long way (about 70 miles) from Nazareth to Bethlehem, because that is where Joseph’s family came from. Most people walked but some lucky people had a donkey to help carry the goods needed for the journey. Joseph and Mary travelled very slowly because Mary’s baby was due to be born soon.

When they reached Bethlehem they had problems finding somewhere to stay. So many people had come to register their names in the census, that every house was full and every bed was taken in all of the guest rooms. The only place to stay that they could find was with the animals. People often kept animals in the house, especially at night, and used them like ‘central heating’! People normally slept on a raised/upper level with the animals below to give them extra warmth. So in the place where the animals slept, Mary gave birth to Jesus, the Son of God. In those days it was the custom to wrap newborn babies tightly in a long cloth called ‘swaddling clothes’. Jesus’ bed was the manger that the animals ate their hay from. In the hills and fields outside Bethlehem, shepherds looked after their sheep through the long night. As the new day began, suddenly an angel appeared before them and the

glory of God shone around them. The shepherds were very, very scared, but the angel said, ‘Don’t be afraid. I have good news for you and everyone. Today in Bethlehem a Saviour has been born for you. You will find the baby lying in a manger.’.

Then many more angels appeared, lighting up the sky. The shepherds heard them praising God singing: ‘Glory to God in highest, and peace to everyone on earth.’ When the angels had gone the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem to see what has happened.’ So the shepherds went to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph. The baby Jesus was lying in a manger as they had been told. When they saw him, they told everyone what the angel had said and everyone who heard the story were astonished. Then the shepherds returned to their sheep, praising God for sending his Son to be their Saviour. When Jesus was born, a brand new bright star appeared in sky. Some Wise Men in faraway countries saw the star and guessed what it meant. They were very clever men that studied the stars and had read in very old writings that a new star would appear when a great king was born. They set out to find the new king and bring him gifts. The Wise Men followed the star towards the country of Judea and when they got to the capital called Jerusalem they began to ask people: ‘Where is the child who is born to be king of the Jews?’ Herod, the king of Judea, heard this and it made him very angry to think that someone might be going to take his place as king. Herod sent for the Wise Men to come to him. He told them to go on following the star until they had found the baby king. He said: ‘When you have found him, let me know where he is, so that I can go and worship him.’ But Herod did not tell

them that he really had an evil plan in mind to kill the new king.

The Wise Men followed the star towards Bethlehem (where it said that the king would be born in the old writings). It seemed to stop and shine directly down upon the place where Jesus was. The Wise Men entered the house where they now lived and found Jesus with Mary, they bowed down and worshipped him. The Wise Men spread the the gifts they had brought before Jesus. The gifts were gold, frankincense and myrrh. The Wise Men were warned in a dream, by God, not to go back to Herod. So they returned home to their countries in the East by a different way.When the Wise Men had gone, an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream. ‘Get up,’ the angel said, ‘take Jesus and Mary and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for Jesus to kill him.’ So Joseph got up, took Jesus and Mary during the night they left for Egypt, where he stayed until Herod died. When Herod realized that he had been tricked by the Wise Men, he was furious and he gave orders to kill all the boys aged two or younger in Bethlehem and the surrounding area. This was to try and kill the new King, as his plan to find the location of the new king from the Wise Men had failed. After Herod had died, Joseph had another dream in which an angel appeared to him. The angel said, ‘Get up, take Jesus and Mary and go back to Israel, for those who were trying kill Jesus are dead.’ So Joseph got up, took Jesus and Mary and they went back to Israel. But when he heard that Herod’s son was now king of Judea, he was afraid to go there. So instead they went to Galilee, and lived in their old town of Nazareth.

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CHRISTMAS SPECIAL

DRONE

GO PRO

Iphone 6s Macbook-pro

ps4

samsung Galaxy s6 edge

Smart Balance Wheel

SMART TV

Smart Watch Xbox_One

Top 10 Christmas

gifts for Adults

1. IPhone 6s2. Samsung Galaxy s6 edge3. Smart Balance Wheel4. Smart Watch5. SMART TV

6. Xbox One7. ps48. Macbook-pro9. Drone 10. GO PRO

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CHRISTMAS SPECIAL

Frozen Set

Disney Star Wars Figurine Collectible PlaysetKURIO TABLET

LEGO Dimensions Starter Pack - PlayStation 4 Spiderman WEB-WARRIORS Guitar Hero Live for Xbox One

LEGO Dimensions Starter Pack - PlayStation 4 Mega Bloks Minions Supervillain Jet

Ultimate Disney Princess Collection Lego Friends Heartlake Airport

Top 10 Christmas gifts for Kids1. Disney Star Wars Figurine Collectible Playset2. Disney Frozen Complete Story Set3. LEGO Dimensions Starter Pack - PlayStation 44. Kurio Tablet5. LEGO Minecraft6. Mega Bloks Minions Supervillain Jet7. Guitar Hero Live for Xbox One8. Lego Friends Heartlake Airport9. Ultimate Disney Princess Collection10. Spiderman WEB-WARRIORS

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CHRISTMAS SPECIAL

Don’t stress over your single status this season. Instead, embrace your

freedom with these 9 tips. The holidays seem to amplify the cons of single life. If you were feeling empowered and independent before the holiday season rolled in, a few too many smiling pairs might be causing your exterior to crack a bit. Well, don’t worry, you’re not alone. According to the New York Post, a study by Match.com showed that the biggest worry among singles was not having a partner for the holiday season. A whopping 48-percent of those surveyed proclaimed their worst fear was that they would be without a significant other to share in the festivities. It’s amazing to have someone, but if you don’t, we’re also advocating that you embrace your single status this holiday season. It’s time to focus on other aspects of your life and stop stressing over when you’ll find that perfect person. Here’s how. 1. Plan thoughtful gifts. This year, put your intelligence to good use and wow the people in your life with meaningful gifts. Make your best

friend a CD of all the ridiculous songs you two have belted out on karaoke night, or get your writing-obsessed niece a journal that you personalized yourself. Give gifts with depth. The people closest to you will be so thankful, and you’ll be more fulfilled. 2. Focus on your family. When’s the last time you called your Texas-dwelling little sister or your aunt who lives in Canada? Now would be the perfect time to catch up. They’ll be ecstatic to hear from you, and you’ll be surprised by how much you’ve missed. 3. Mingle with other singles. Just because you’re technically solo, doesn’t mean you can’t have tons of fun this season. Hit some holiday parties. Trust us, there will be plenty of people just like you. When you spot that hottie by the punch bowl, you’ll be glad you can shoot him a come-hither smile. Single? That just means you have options. Why It’s Better To Be Single During The Holidays

4. Meet your friends for coffee (and don’t talk about relationships!). Make weekly trips to your local coffee shop with your closest friends. Gab about everything from your crazy co-workers to that sexy guy you’ve been eyeing at the gym. Relationship talk is off-limits. Try it—it’s completely freeing. 5. Do something you wouldn’t normally do. Join a pottery class. Read that John Grisham book you’ve been meaning to open for about a year. Make over your bedroom. You have time to do something just because you want to. So, do it! 6. Laugh. With your friends. By yourself, at something on TV. With strangers, after you almost trip on that ice patch. Just for no reason. Laugh. You’ll feel better. 7. Get in shape. You know how you’ve been convincing yourself for six months that next month will be when you reinstate your gym membership? Well, it’s finally next month. Exercise

is the ultimate way to release stress, and the only way to get washboard abs. Getting Through Ho-Ho Holiday Heartbreak 8. Give love to get it back.

“When you really want love in your life, the best thing you can do is give it away,” YourTango Expert and relationship coach Debi Berndt advises. “Send love and good intentions to those you pass in the street, even those annoying couples who seem to be everywhere in front of you. When you start to discover that there is so much love inside of you, you begin to shift the energy of what you attract.” 5 Tips To Manage The Holidays When You’re Single 9. Have a holiday movie marathon. Alone. So, your ex hated watching A Christmas Story over and over with you while you recited the lines? No one will be groaning about that this year. Pull on your bathrobe, climb under the covers and grab a cup of cocoa. Enjoy!

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CHRISTMAS SPECIAL

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CHRISTMAS SPECIAL COMICS CARTOONSPage 31

TURKS AND CAICOS SUN DECEMBER 22ND - DECEMBER 29TH, 2012

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Published by SUN MEDIA GROUP, Turks and Caicos Islands | Tel:649 339 5879 | Fax: 649 941 3281