Wayne Garland Responds to Trip Advisor Stories

Transcription

Turks & Caicos
free press
May 7-13, 2009 | www.tcfreepress.com
fp
volume 19, issue 15
Wayne Garland Responds
to Trip Advisor Stories
A recent posting on the tourism web forum, Trip Advisor, of
a couple who experienced crime
on Providenciales, sent a wave of
furry on the website that could
cause insurmountable damage
to the reputation of the Turks
and Caicos. In today’s world, the
Internet serves as a resource of
the greatest proportions. A positive or negative posting on a respected website like Trip Advisor
can make or break a resort,
restaurant or tourist destination.
The Hon. Wayne Garland
- Minister of Tourism yesterday took a proactive role by
responding to the story on Trip
Advisor that was blowing up in
the Blogsphere. The story was
posted by a couple that was assaulted on the Lower Bight Road.
Their post has prompted much
concern from other tourists and
potential tourists to the Turks
and Caicos in the very popular
travel advice forum.
Hon. Wayne Garland responded by posting a notice in
the general forum in
an effort to reassure
people that the Turks
insidepeek
4 TCI Fire and
Rescue Team
Honoured on
Firefighters’ Day
p 5
Premier Williams to Speak at
UN Conference in St. Kitts
Free Press Editorial Board
In Saint Kitts and Nevis, from the 12th to the 14th of May, 2009,
The Premier, The Hon. Galmo Williams MP, along with a team of
advisors will attend a Caribbean Regional Seminar put on by the
United Nations Special Committee on Decolonization. When the
United Nations was established in 1945, 750 million people - almost
a third of the world's population - lived in Territories that were nonself-governing, dependent on colonial Powers. Today, fewer than 2
million people live in such Territories. The Charter of the
United Nations – the UN’s governing document - established, in Chapter XI (Articles 73 and 74), the prin-
13 Business
p 5
First National Health Insurance Bill Passed
What is it and what does it mean for you?
In only the second House of
Assembly of 2009, a historic bill
was passed into law. The National
Health Insurance Bill, presented
by Hon. Royal Robinson, Minister
of Finance & Health, is the first
National Health Insurance Plan
in the Caribbean and it will have
a dramatic impact on the health
care services of the Turks and
Caicos Islands.
In presenting the plan to the
House, the Hon. Robinson said,
“Health care is a universal human right. The National Health
Insurance Plan is part of our comprehensive reform of the health
system of the Turks and Caicos
Islands. It will ensure that ‘every-
one’ who comes to live and work
on our Islands can get care at the
new world-class health facilities
that we are building in Provo and
Grand Turk. In passing this legislation, the Turks and Caicos Islands
joins our European neighbors in
ensuring that no one suffers financial hardship when they get sick or
need medical attention.”
According to Hon. Robinson,
the National Health Insurance
Plan was founded on the principles of social insurance and it is
planned to work under the following conditions:
• Like the NIB, enrollment
in the National Health
Insurance Plan will be man-
datory for all. This includes
Belongers and their families
and legal immigrants and
their families.
• The Benefits of the Plan will
cover a full range of hospital
care, doctors’ office visits,
specialist care, diagnostic services, and many others. The
Plan will allow complete access to the new Government
hospitals that will be managed by Interhealth Canada.
The Plan will also provide
treatment overseas for
emergency care that can’t be
provided on the Islands.
• The Government will
contribute a significant
amount to the Plan from the
Consolidated Fund to keep
the contribution rates of employers and employees as low as
possible. However,
p 2
17 Lifestyle
2
Free Press | May 7-13, 2009
The lionfish has been threatening the fish population and coral in the waters
around the TCI and across the Caribbean.
Marlon Hibbert, DECR’s Scientific Officer
Government Agencies Recommend Standards
on Plant and Agricultural Product Imports
I
mport health standards and
protocols were put in place
for the import of plant and
agricultural products into
the Turks & Caicos Islands.
These, among many others, were
the main points discussed at a
meeting held at the National
Environment Centre on May
1st, 2009 in order to mitigate the
risks associated with bringing
risk items into the country.
Cognizant of the tremendous impact of unrestrained
importation of plant/agricultural products into the country
resource persons from the
Department of Environment
and Coastal Resources (DECR)
and the Environmental Health
Department (EHD), informed
the public about the different
Sanitary and Phytosanitary
requirements that must be
undertaken in the exporting
country, during importation,
before clearance can be given.
According to Wrenshaw
Welcome, EHD Officer, a phytosanitary certificate is necessary,
as it is an important document
that attests to the phytosanitary status of the plant or plant
products, and as a proof that the
items have been inspected or
tested, free from plant pests of
quarantine significance.
The issue of plant and animal
import restrictions has taken
an alarming state, as currently,
invasive species pose a threat to
TCI’s flora and fauna, particularly the Caicos Pine and native
fish populations.
According to Marlon Hibbert,
DECR’s Scientific Officer, there
are about 26 invasive species
recorded in the country, two in
particular discussed lengthily at
the meeting – lionfish and nonnative scale insect. The former,
threatening the native marine
organisms, while the latter causing death to the national tree,
Pinus caribbea (Caicos Pine).
Marine experts say that due
to their explosive population
and aggressive behavior, lionfish
have the potential to become the
most disastrous marine invasion in history, by drastically
reducing the abundance of coral
reef fishes and leaving behind a
devastated ecosystem.
Lionfish have been documented along the entire United
States East Coast from Florida
through to Massachusetts, East
to Bermuda and South through-
out the Bahamas, Turks and
they consume so much plant
Caicos, Cuba and Puerto Rico.
sugar, they must pass most of
This expansion has been exit out their back ends as waste.
tremely rapid and exponential in This “honeydew” drops on the
scope, and the DECR is on alert
pines’ needles and other plants,
to make the locals aware of this
and becomes infested with
unwelcome guest to TCI waters.
a fungus called sooty mould
Meanwhile, the Caicos Pine,
— which is the black coating
which already has a 90% dead
noticed on the pines and other
population as revealed during
plants. This is the same fungus
the meeting by Turks & Caicos
that makes sapodilly and citrus
National Trust Conservation
trees turn black in the Caicos
Officer Bryan Manco, was devas- Islands, and it blocks out light
tated by a scale insect.
available to trees, resulting in
“Scale insects only move as
reduction in food productivity.
larvae; when they find a suitThis, coupled with the parasitable place on a pine needle, they ism of the scale insect, is killing
clamp down onto it and become
our national tree.”
Based on studies, the most
fused to its surface with a waxy
likely method of introduccoating. There, they suck sap
tion of the pest was on live,
from the needles. Living on a
cut pine trees imported at
diet of pure tree sap makes the
Christmas time.
little insects hyperglycemic —
First National Health Insurance Bill Passed
should not increase the Government’s
from this
budget for health care, because money that
being paid for health care in
p1 isthecurrently
being paid for
health care will
move into the NHP.
• Employees and employers
will have to contribute 2.5%
(each) of an employee’s
wages into the Plan. This
will provide full health care
coverage to the employee
AND his or her family.
Money for contributions
will be collected through the
NIB in the same way that it
is collected now and then
passed on to the National
Health Insurance Plan.
Passing of the bill has put into
affect several other key factors
in implementing the plan. First,
like NIB, this Bill establishes a
separate statutory body called
the National Health Insurance Board which will manage
the National Health Insurance Plan and the National Health
Insurance Fund. In addition, an independent Board of
Directors will oversee the NHIB.
Employers will be responsible for ensuring that all
employees are enrolled in the Plan, collecting contributions
from employees and paying full contributions into the Plan.
And all those who are eligible will receive a separate swipe
card that will entitle them to all
health care benefits.
Finally, and importantly,
all monies contributed for
National Health Insurance,
both through Government
transfers and through employer
and employee contributions,
will be ring fenced in the
National Health Insurance
Fund. Monies will be spent
only for providing health care
to the people of the TCI. The
Fund’s accounts will be managed transparently and audited
both by independent auditors
and the Chief Government
Auditor; a position which has
been strengthened under the
Williams administration.
According to Hon. Robinson,
the majority of the population was in favor of the new plan.
“I am very pleased to report that those surveys show that,
when presented with the details of the Plan, across all income, age and occupational categories, there is 77% support
for National Health Insurance, with only 2% of the popula-
tion saying that they were unsupportive. Almost 80% felt
that the contribution rates were affordable or reasonable.
According to the survey firm and our international technical
consultants, this level of broad public support is unprecedented,” Robinson said in closing.
Visit your nearest Digicel Store | www.digiceltci.com
TCI’s Bigger‚ Better Network.
4
Local
Turks & Caicos Fire and Rescue Team
Honoured on Firefighters’ Day
On Sunday, May 4th, 2009, Turks &
Caicos joined the rest of the world in
honouring the sacrifices current and past
firefighters have made to keep communities
safe. Called “International Firefighters' Day”,
members of the Turks & Caicos Fire and
Rescue Team, their families and friends,
and residents gathered at the Children’s
Park in Lower Bight, Providenciales for a
short programme, highlighted by a “sound
off ” at 12 noon.
The Sound Off was done for 30 seconds in
honour of those who have lost their lives in
serving the community. Prior to this, the flag
was set to a half-mast to pay respect to them.
The sound off also served as a reminder to
the community of the role, commitment and
sacrifices of the firefighters.
“It is a day when current and past firefighters can be thanked for their service to the
public”, said the Hon. Samuel Been, Minister
of Housing, Public Works, Public Safety and
Telecommunications.
Other speakers during the programme
were Fire Chief William C. Jennings
and Firefighter Noel Thomas who is the
Chairman of the Board of the Turks &
Caicos volunteers. Both spoke of the works
being done by the Fire and Rescue team and
the volunteers as well.
“We at the Turks & Caicos Islands Fire
& Rescue Service Team aim to provide
the Turks & Caicos Islands with excellent
community valued services in prevention,
education, professional service, and emergency response.”
Currently, the Fire & Rescue Service
Department comprises of six (6) airport
stations and one (1) domestic station. Each
station is equipped with trained, full time
fire fighters, and volunteer fire fighters.
Fire Service locations are divided into two
divisions, with Grand Turk, Salt Cay, and
South Caicos being the Southern Division.
DCFO Joseph Williams is the overall
supervisor for this division. Subsequently,
Providenciales, North Caicos, and Middle
Caicos makes up the Northern Division with
DO Adderley Selver as the overall supervisor.
“As members of the Fire & Rescue Service
Department we maintain our pledge of
ensuring that we deliver excellent community service, fast and efficient emergency
response, and in unity share the same common goal of being the best Fire & Rescue
personnel we can be!”
This was the first time the international
event was celebrated in the country and
lead organizer Johanne Karam, who is the
first female to join the Turks and Caicos
Volunteer Fire & Rescue Service, is optimistic that the occasion was a positive start
for future programmes on this special day
when sacrifices that firefighters make are
recognized and honoured.
All firefighters, volunteers included,
potentially put their safety and lives at risk
every time they attend an incident.
Helping Hands Building North Caicos High School Roof
Several weeks ago several businesses announced their commitment to restoring
the roof of the technical block at the Raymond Gardiner High School in Bottle Creek,
North Caicos, which was one of the victims of Hurricane Ike in the Turks and Caicos
Islands. Although many of the school’s buildings were damaged in the storm, this
building was affected the most severely, where the entire roof was blown away.
Now the commitment is being turned into actual actions as the community has come
together to carry out the renovation activities. The school’s Principal, Mrs. Janet Walkin,
had made a call to the community at large for help and in a generous spirit, many answered her call. As a result, and with much assistance from the North Caicos Yacht Club, the
roof trusses are now in place and the plywood is being installed to cover the roof.
Mrs. Janet Walkin said that she was so glad to see the roof being restored on the
building as the teachers and students had been displaced for the entire school year. The
Raymond Gardiner High School students normally do very well in technical areas du-
ring the CXC examinations and Mrs. Walkin hopes that this year will be no exception.
The repaired technical block will give little assistance to the students graduating
in July, but hopefully for the next school year this building will make all the difference. The school is expecting to have 33 students graduate this July and the damaged building has certainly been a stumbling block for them. Builders and volunteers
hope to have the school repaired by the end of May for occupancy in early June.
All these efforts would not have been possible without the kind contributions
from Dellis Cay, which has committed to donate $20,000USD, the Parrot Cay Resort,
which has committed $10,000 in addition to all administrative tasks and accounting
for this effort, Scotiabank’s donation of $5,000 and several other parties such as Lew
1 Shipping, Holton Williams, Farrington Gardiner, Do it Center, Coast Architects,
EDS, North Caicos Yacht Club, Provo Building Supplies and a number of local community volunteers.
Looking for More Helping Hands - A Call for Volunteers
If you would like to volunteer over the weekend and lend a helping hand at the school, please contact Lavern
Skippings at 941-7201 or Yolander Forbes at 946-7188. Parrot Cay will arrange transportation from Providenciales.
Free Press | May 7-13, 2009 5
Local
Update on Influenza A (H1N1)
The H1N1 flu has the whole world in a panic. What
is presumed to have started in Mexico has spread to
countries across the globe. Fortunately to date, May 6,
there have been no confirmed cases of the new strain of
influenza A (H1N1) in any CAREC member countries,
including the Turks and Caicos. CAREC, Caribbean
Epidemiology Centre, includes 21 Member Countries
by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the
World Health Organization's Regional Office for the
Americas. According to CAREC, specimens are being received from possible suspected cases across the
Caribbean. However, thus far, all tests have been negative
for the new virus.
The WHO has NOT issued any travel advisories at this
time. However, WHO considers it prudent for people
who are ill to delay international travel.
Persons experiencing influenza-like symptoms, especially following international travel, should be advised to
seek immediate medical attention.
At this time, the estimated incubation period for the
new strain of influenza A (H1N1) is 1-7 days, similar to
that for seasonal influenza.
All specimens of the new influenza virus continue to
be susceptible to oseltamivir (tamiflu) and resistant to
amantadine and rimantadine. WHO now recommends
that antivirals be used only for treatment and NOT for
prevention/prophylaxis.
It is important to remember that the pandemic phase
is indicative of global distribution of a new
strain of influenza virus and not the severity of disease.
Worldwide the common human H1N1
influenza virus affects millions of people
every year, according to WHO officials, "these annual epidemics result in about three to five million cases of severe
illness, and about 250,000 to 500,000 deaths" annually. In
industrialized countries most of these annual deaths occur in people aged 65 or older.”
In addition it is important to mention, although some
influenza strains can spread between species, the influenza virus is killed by normal cooking procedures, so there
is no risk of infection from consumption of well-cooked
pork and pork products
Wayne Garland Responds
to Trip Advisor Stories
and Caicos takes crime seriously and is
working to solve the problems. Mr. Garland
expressed sympathy for the unfortunate occurrence and in addition, wrote personally
to the couple in question.
Mr. Garland said: "We cannot write to
everyone, but there are those moments when you know
you have to step forward and take responsibility". He
said further, "I want people to know that when they
come to Turks and Caicos, I care for their safety as I do
my own family. We are working to get to the bottom of
the recent spate of misbehavior and we will. I can speak
for the Premier and my colleagues in saying that." Mr.
Garland then wrote a second note to all the commentators on the story.
Since the beginning of this year, crime has become a
serious issue in the Turks and Caicos. As the economy
slows and more people are searching for scarce resources, the potential for crime steadily increases. While the
economy of the Turks and Caicos is almost completely
dependent on the tourism industry, it is imperative to
act in a strong manner to combat both the perception
of being crime ridden and the criminals and crimes
themselves. Hon. Garland took a step in this direction
to address the issue with concerned tourists. It is a first
step on behalf of the government in the greater need to
address the crime issue at hand.
UN Photo/Evan Schneider
from
p1
Marty Natalegawa, Chairman of the Special Committee on Decolonization
Premier Williams to Speak at UN Conference in St. Kitts
ciples that continue to
Dear Trip Advisor Readers:
I am Wayne Garland, The Minister of Tourism for
The Turks and Caicos Islands. I am writing in this
public forum because it means everything to me that
you have the best experiences in my country, and
that the quality of life here is beneficial to our people.
Many of the incidences I see described here are
sad and unfortunate. Turks and Caicos has had some
growing pains of late. But I can say that our Premier,
my colleagues and I are working steadfastly to put
things right here in these islands.
I am so sorry for anyone who has been the subject
of crime here, and I promise you, I want to hear from
you, and I ask that you write to me at the address
provided below.
It means everything to me that we do everything
we can to make Turks and Caicos the very best it can
be. I welcome your suggestions and ideas, and I assure you, I will always be responsive.
Thank you very much. God bless you all and God
Bless Turks and Caicos.
Thank you
The Hon. Wayne Garland MP
guide United Nations
from decolonization
efforts,
including respect for
p1 self-determination
(self-governance and independence)
of and for all peoples.
In 1962 the General Assembly
(if you like, the parliament
of the United Nations) established the Special Committee on
Decolonization to monitor implementation of the Declaration and
to make recommendations on its
application. The success of the committee’s work is not to be doubted.
When the United Nations was
established in 1945, 750 million
people - almost a third of the world's
population - lived in Territories that
were non-self-governing, dependent on colonial Powers. Today,
fewer than 2 million people live in
such Territories. Since the creation
of the United Nations more than
80 former colonies have gained
their independence. Among them,
all eleven Trust Territories have
achieved self-determination through
independence or free association
with an independent State. There are more complex. The UN Declaration
16 Non-Self-Governing Territories
says in essence that “lack of readiremaining today.
ness” is no excuse not to provide
Given the situation in Turks and
for or prepare for independence.
Caicos arising out of the recommen- However, the British have specific
dations from the Interim Report of
legal authority to suspend, where in
Mr. Justice Sir Robin Auld, from the its judgment the territory become
recent Commission of Inquiry, The
unmanageable.
Premier has a fine line to walk. He
Sir Robins’ report speaks of a
will have to make a case for the self- “climate of fear” and said, colourfully,
determination of Turks and Caicos,
there was a culture of “systemic
whilst accepting the authority of the venality”. The former Premier, Then
British, and at the same time, recog- Hon. Michael E. Misick MP has
nizing the successes of the previous
said that the actions of the British
cabinet of which he was a member,
are not only “draconian”, but drawn
and answering any questions as to
from the select submissions of
the claims made in the Report by
the Opposition. The Opposition
Sir Robin.
points to the revelations of the
Sir Robin’s Interim Report recom- Commission of Inquiry and says
mends the suspension of the Turks
they speak for themselves.
and Caicos 2006 constitution and
The Premier, Galmo Williams,
the replacement of that constitution
must in some way speak for all
with a new document. Some have
these constituencies at the UN
argued that this will set the Turks
Conference. And he must do so
and Caicos back a decade if it is folwithout leaving an impression that
lowed. Others say the Interim Report he dismisses the Interim Report, or
demonstrates that Turks and Caicos
the British government’s decisions,
could not manage its own affairs.
whilst asserting the need to allow
As always, the technical aspects
Turks and Caicos islanders to solve
of the situation beyond opinion, is
their own problems.
6
Local
Hundreds Receive Life-saving Immunizations in the TCI
The week of April 27 to May 1st, 2009
saw the continuation of the annual
Vaccination Week in the Americas. Led
locally by the Primary Health Care
Department, a nationwide vaccination was
done under the theme “Vaccination an Act
of Love - Family Affair”.
The initiative, which was led globally by
the Pan American Health Organization
(PAHO), was designed to “promote a
culture of prevention”.
According to Ms. Farida Hussain,
Acting Primary Health Care Manager,
focus for this year was placed on immunizing whole families and health workers.
In this vein, schools were visited as well as
workplaces, including households where a
house-to-house campaign was done.
“Vaccination week in the Americas is
an unparalleled effort led by the member
countries of the Pan American Health
Organization to vaccinate their population in an effort to reduce or eradicate diseases such as Measles, Mumps,
Rubella (MMR), Hepatitis B, Whooping
Cough, Diptheria, Tetanus and Polio
(vaccine-preventable diseases).”
This is the 7th year of the project, which
was originally set up in response to a measles outbreak in Venezuela and Colombia.
Since last year, 45 countries and territories
were participating, including TCI.
Locally, hundreds received vaccinations
while more than 250 million people have
already received life-saving immunizations since it began.
Additionally, according to PAHO,
Vaccination Week in the Americas is not
just a mass vaccination programme. This
ambitious project is also intended to make
sure that immunization coverage remains
a political issue. Its other objectives include promoting equity and access to im-
45 countries
and territories
participated,
including the TCI
munization, supporting the introduction
of new and underused vaccines, strengthening epidemiological surveillance and
promoting cross-border coordination.
Another element of the programme is
raising public awareness of the importance
of vaccination. Vulnerable populations
of people living in remote areas, along
borders, or in indigenous communities are
particularly targeted.
Vaccines — which protect against
disease by inducing immunity — are
widely and routinely administered on
the common-sense principle that it is
better to keep people from falling ill than
to treat them once they are ill. Suffering,
disability, and death are avoided. In addition, contagion is reduced, strain on
health-care systems is eased, and money
is frequently saved that can be used for
other health services.
Turks and Caicos
Broadcast Live
Across America
A
s part of a major marketing campaign aimed at attracting
visitors to the TCI, Beaches Turks and Caicos hosted 23
of America’s biggest radio stations from across the country
including New York, Washington DC, Los Angeles and
Chicago to broadcast live every morning for three weeks.
The presenters took part in a series of special events to showcase the
resort, Turks and Caicos as a destination and interview hotel personnel in the process from an especially created ‘Radio Village’ outside
the recently opened Mario’s Restaurant.
Beaches’ General Manager Don Dagenais commented, “Enabling
so many radio stations to remotely broadcast at the same time was a
very big operation and the first ever at this resort, but we’re delighted
we pulled it off because it has given massive exposure to the resort and
the Turks and Caicos. The feedback we’ve been receiving praising the
resort and our team members, has been excellent.”
With temperatures decidedly chilly in their home cities, radio celebrities were treated to beautiful TCI weather, local delicacies and great
service with many vowing
to return for a vacation as
soon as possible.
Beaches team members
wowed their special guests
with on-air massage demonstrations, freshly –made
dishes and of course, live
mixing of cocktails
Beaches also joined
forces with Provo’s leading tour companies and
organizations including
Ralph Higgs from the TCI Tourist Board and
Provo Golf Club, Big Blue,
John Smith from the Airport Authority talk
The Conch Farm and
TCI and travel routes with listeners from
many more to lay on an
Syracuse, New York
unforgettable ‘Team TCI’
experience.
“This was a fantastic opportunity for us to bring in some of the largest stations from across the Globe and give them some of the worldfamous Beaches Turks and Caicos hospitality,” said Dagenais.
Beaches radio remotes were part of an ongoing promotional
campaign aimed at driving visitors to Beaches Turks and Caicos. The
campaign will see almost 1000 journalists, radio celebrities and travel
agents visiting the resort in the build up to grand opening in the
middle of May.
Tracy-Ann Marr, Photoshop Manager on air with KALZ FM from Fresno, California
Stacy-Anne Wharton, Sales Manager with The Wolf FM from Springfield, Missouri
Local
TCIFA 4th Annual Soccer
Scramble and Grand Raffle
By: Kazz Forbes
After a year off as a result of 2008's Tropical Storm
Hanna, Hurricane Ike and the World Cup participation,
the TCIFA Annual Soccer Scramble was back on. The
2009 four-person net scramble was held at the Provo Golf
and Country Club on the 3rd of May 2009, where the
TCIFA (Turks and Caicos Islands Football Association),
along with premier jeweler Jai's, hosted the successful
money raising event.
Challenging for the title Scramble Champion overall were
twenty-three teams. The teams teed-off at 1:30PM, with the
first team returning at 5pm, after several dynamic hours of
daylight play. 17 prizes were awarded in total and the winning team consisted of Mike Adamo, Mike Bookalam, Jamal
Misick, and Bob Elingson-Lewis, with a net of 54.87.
The 2009 Youth Development Programme of the Turks
and Caicos Islands Football Association was awarded
$9,250.00 as a result of the proceeds from the 18-hole golf
tournament and raffle. Mrs. Sonia Bien-Aime, TCIFA
General Secretary commented, “the event was a huge
success! We are very grateful and appreciative to the Provo
Golf and Country Club and all of our sponsors for partnering with us for this event and I hope that they carry on
to support us”.
With a Jai's diamond watch valued at $1,000.00 being the
first prize of the TCIFA grand raffle, it was won by Jasmin
Coles, who generously put the watch back into the pot
to be auctioned off. $750.00 cash as second prize went to
Charlie from Kishco; third prize, two tickets to attend the
3rd annual Le Reve Gala Ball (valued at $500.00) going to
John Gill; and fourth prize, a one-night stay at The Grace
Bay Club and three-course meal for two at Anacaona (The
Grace Bay Club) which went to Mike O’Brian.
Additional prizes included a Digicel Blackberry phone,
being won by Syed Hassam and the Misick and Stanbrook
law firm, with the firm putting the phone back in the pot
James Slattery with Eddy Trowbridge 18th Hole Winner
James Slattery, Vice President of the TCIFA with Ewart Chanttell clostest to the pin winner
to auction off and eventually being won by Ms. Candace
Hanchell, President of the Women’s Football League. Sandy
McLilland and Joy Greenwood each won a dinner for two
at O’Soleil; and Richard Homily won a heavy-duty hiking/
backpack donated by Phil Shearer.
The TCIFA Fourth Annual Scramble and grand raffle
was made a success from the aid of the following businesses in the Providenciales community; Jai's, The Provo
Golf Club, PPC, The Regent Grand, Digicel, Courtney
Robinson, David Douglas/Ataberya, Salt Mills Café,
Gansevoort/Wymara Resort, Grace Bay Club, The
Somerset, Phil Shearer, Hemmingway’s, Ocean Club East,
Audley Williams/Wine & Spirits, Villa Renaissance and
Hugh O'Neil & Co.
James Slattery with Ms Paula Garland, TCIFA Executive
Committee member
LIME Thinking
Outside the Store
LIME spent their May Day
proving that a bit of creativity
can go a long way towards reaching one’s customers. This May
Day, LIME took their marketing efforts to the public staging
a promotion, which benefited
their customers and members
of the community, as much as it
benefited LIME.
On May 1, 2009, the company
hosted “A celebration of nations”, where vendors sold food
products from various countries
around the world. Countries
represented included: Trinidad
& Tobago, Guyana, Dominican
Republic, China, Jamaica, USA,
Bahamas and our own Turks &
Caicos Islands.
While customers got a chance
to savor various dishes, they
also had the opportunity to take
advantage of special offers from
LIME. Customers who referred
a friend or family members, paid
their bill on time or signed up for
a new service were eligible to win
promotional benefits, such as a
BlackBerry Storm, which was
also being launched on May Day
to the Turks and Caicos.
Country Manager, Drexwell
Seymour noted, “This activity
drew customers from a cross
section of the community, which
came in and actively participated
in signing up and taking full
advantage of all that was on offer.
It was a tremendous success.”
Althea Been, HOD Sales &
Services – Retail & Residential,
who organized the event, noted
“Customers will come if the
opportunity is provided to take
up the great deals that are on
offer from LIME. We were very
pleased with the number of customers that came in to not only
browse, but purchase.”
LIME also raffled a BlackBerry
Storm during the activities and
the lucky customer was Loren
Boyce. Boyce was entered in
the contest when he came into
the LIME showroom to pay his
bill and walked away as one
of the first owners of the new
Blackberry Storm in the TCI.
It was a festive and successful
May Day at LIME. Customers
were pleased as they walked away
with their food and their items
purchased at LIME. It proved
that today, companies who think
outside the box, can please their
customers and in doing so, protect their business future.
Loren Boyce accepting his new BlackBerry Storm from HOD Althea Been
"A Celebration of Nations" hosted dishes from 8 different countries from
around the world.
8
Regional
Overall Decline in HIV in the Dominican Population
A
ccording to JAIDS, Journal of Acquired
Immune Deficiency Syndromes, the last decade has seen a sharp drop in HIV infections
in the Dominican Republic, resulting largely
from reductions in risky sexual behavior.
The good news may be part of a broader downward
trend in HIV prevalence in the Caribbean.
Based on a review of the latest information on HIVAIDS and related sexual behavior in the Dominican
Republic, the researchers report an overall decline in
HIV prevalence since the mid- to late 1990s. Among
women seen at prenatal clinics, the infection rate
decreased from two percent in 1995 to one percent in
2006, and even further in the past two years. An even
greater decrease was noted among young people aged
15 to 24: from two percent to 0.5 percent.
Reductions in HIV were noted in other key populations as well, including female sex workers and men
seen at sexually transmitted disease clinics. There was
also a decrease in the high rate of HIV infection among
impoverished residents of former "sugarcane plantations" (bateyes), who are largely Haitian migrants.
The reduction in HIV appears to be a result of
changes in sexual behavior, including increased use
of condoms—especially among female sex workers.
Surveys suggested that up to 85 percent of men altered
their sexual behavior because of concerns about
AIDS, especially in reducing their number of partners.
Similar reductions in risky sexual behaviors have been
reported in African and Asian countries with declining HIV rates.
Downward trends in HIV prevalence have also been
reported from elsewhere in the Caribbean—including
neighboring Haiti. In the early 1980s, Haiti and the
Dominican Republic became the first countries in
Latin American and the Caribbean to report cases of
AIDS. At the time, some predicted that HIV transmission in the Caribbean would "explode out of control."
However, over the past two decades, a number of
government and other programs have been launched
to control HIV in the Dominican Republic and other
Caribbean countries.
The new paper suggests that the Dominican
Republic is, like Haiti, a "Caribbean success story," having slowed the spread of HIV disease largely through
increased condom use and other changes in sexual
behavior such as partner reduction. "However, the risk
of complacency is real, and it is imperative to continue
implementing assertive prevention efforts," according
to lead author Dr. Halperin, Harvard University School
of Public Health, and colleagues. They call for more
research to measure how pervasive the "bisexual" epidemic is, and to develop more effective ways of detecting and preventing the spread of HIV among MSM.
M
illions of Mexican
citizens are breathing a sigh of relief
behind their masks,
after hearing the news that
things should start to return to
normal by the end of the week.
Thousands of businesses and
schools were closed due to an
alarming outbreak of the H1N1
influenza virus.
As the country moves toward
normalcy following the health
scare spawned by the outbreak,
high schools and universities
are slated to reopen Thursday,
with elementary school children
returning to classes next week.
President Felipe Calderon says
that while the situation has
stabilized, he cautioned that the
virus is still present in the population and that people should
take precautionary measures to
prevent its spread.
Mexico has been the epicenter of the outbreak, which has
had an impact on its economy.
Mexican Finance Minister
Agustin Carstens says the
outbreak has cost the economy
at least $2.2 billion. Business
leaders estimate that Mexico
City alone lost up to $60 million
per day during the past week
as many venues were closed.
Mexico's government also has
objected to measures taken by
HIV/AIDS in Dominican Republic
Population
People living with HIV/AIDS
Women (aged 15+) with HIV/AIDS
Children with HIV/AIDS
Adult HIV prevalence (%)
AIDS deaths,
nd = No data
2008
2007
2007
2007
2007
2007
9,890,000
62,000
30,000
2,700
1.1
4,100
Source: Population Reference Bureau & UNAIDS
Mexico Recovering from the Flu
other countries to protect their
citizens from the flu outbreak.
Many countries advised their
citizens to avoid non-essential
travel to Mexico, while airlines
canceled flights and cruise ships
bypassed Mexican ports.
China quarantined about
70 Mexican citizens, fearing
they were infected. For its part,
Mexico sent a plane to pick up
its nationals who wanted to
leave China. The government
in Beijing also took reciprocal
action. President Calderon says
China's public health tactics
are discriminatory, because
none of the quarantined
Mexicans exhibited any
symptoms of the infection.
About 25 Canadian university
students were quarantined for
a week in northeastern China,
and two U.S. citizens also are in
isolation at a hotel in a suburb
of Beijing. China says its strict
measures are in the interest
of public health, but the precautions are seen by some as
heavy-handed and controversial.
Hong Kong's chief executive
has apologized for the ongoing,
week-long quarantine of hundreds of people at a local hotel
where an infected Mexican guest
had stayed.
Health officials in Texas have
confirmed the first death of a
U.S. resident with the H1N1
influenza virus. They say the
victim was a woman who died
earlier this week. Several days
ago, a boy from Mexico died
in a Texas hospital in what
was the first such death in the
United States. The World Health
Organization says nearly 1,500
cases of the infection have been
confirmed worldwide, including
more than two dozen deaths.
Regional
It Takes A 'Hero' To Bring A Slice Of Haitian Life To The Screen
When independent filmmaker Uscla
"Johnny" Desarmes wanted to tell his
story about a slice of life through the
eyes of a Haitian-American family, he
called upon some heavyweight talent
with deep Haitian roots to bring his story
to the big screen. International actor
Jimmy Jean-Louis of NBC's "Heroes"
and Haitian music icon/activist Carole
Demesmin lead the ensemble cast of Life
Outside Of Pearl (103 minutes/English
with Creole subtitles).
Life Outside Of Pearl tells the story of
a lower middle-class Haitian-American
family and their struggles to assimilate
while trying to maintain their ethnic
identity and culture. Written, directed
and produced by independent filmmaker
Desarmes, Life Outside Of Pearl, was
a five-year labor of love for the young
filmmaker. He honored his homeland by
using the country's nickname "Pearl" in
the movie's title. Because of the island's
beauty, Haiti has been called "The Pearl of
the Caribbean."
Desarmes opens his film with "… a
moment of respect for those who have
fought and died for the freedom of our
homeland." When Johnny Desarmes
reminds you that Haiti was the first black
republic that fought for freedom and won,
he says it with conviction and a sense of
pride. "I feel Haitians have a big history
to live up to," he says, "but right now, my
people are fighting for food." For Haitians
and Haitian-Americans, the breakthrough
film is a good piece of cinema they can call
their own; and for Americans, especially
African Americans, the movie provides a
short history lesson, sparking enough curiosity about Haiti to want to know more.
Desarmes's production company,
Telescopic Films, plans the DVD release
of Life Outside Of Pearl in conjunction with the philanthropic campaign,
"500,000 United We Stand." The goal is to
raise $500,000 for the country of Haiti.
Proceeds from the sale of Life Outside Of
Pearl will be donated to 10 states in Haiti.
Monies received will help build roads, repair schools and hospitals as well as assist
in providing clean drinking water since
natural disasters have left Haiti financially
and economically crippled.
On May 18 - Haitian Flag Day - limited
edition copies of Life Outside Of Pearl will
be available on DVD for $11.99 at independent retailers in limited cities across
the US - i.e. New York, Chicago, Boston,
Miami, Orlando, Atlanta, and Essex and
Union counties in Newark, NJ. Also, the
DVD will be available online at MySpace.
com/500000UNITEDWESTAND and
www.UnitedWayStore.com.
Shot entirely in 35mm, it took five years
and more than half-a-million dollars for
Desarmes to bring Life Outside Of Pearl
to the big screen. He is the first Haitian
filmmaker to tackle a full-length film of
this magnitude with an all-Haitian cast,
including headliners Demesmin and JeanLouis. The film was shot entirely in New
Jersey, where there is a heavy concentration of Haitians.
In 2007, audiences first saw Life Outside
Of Pearl at red-carpet movie premieres
held in Newark, New Jersey, Atlanta and
Miami. Making the film festival circuit,
Life Outside Of Pearl was chosen as an
official selection in the 2009 Pan African
Film Festival in Los Angeles.
Desarmes, 34, was born and raised
in Haiti. His parents divorced, and his
father remarried and settled in the
United States after years of working
for the Haitian government. For years,
Haiti was under the corrupt dictatorship
of Dr. Francois Duvalier and then his
successor and son, Jean-Claude "Baby
Doc" Duvalier, which left the country in
shambles. In 1972, Haitian "boat people"
began fleeing to Florida. Eventually, the
Duvaliers were booted out of the country.
Given the political climate and unrest of
Haiti, Desarmes's father knew he had to
provide a better life for his sons. And so,
Because of the
island's beauty,
Haiti has been
called "The
Pearl of the
Caribbean."
he uprooted his children from Haiti to
Orange, New Jersey.
For Desarmes, the move to the United
States was a shock - the language, the
culture, the people, even the weather - was
vastly different from home in Haiti. Still,
he managed to adapt and assimilate, learning English in six months, in addition to
his fluency in Creole, French (the official
language of Haiti) and Spanish.
Desarmes was heading to college to
pursue a career in computer science
when he decided to spend his college
savings on film workshops. He was
hooked. In 1998, Desarmes moved to
Los Angeles and formed his production company, Telescope Films. His
other credits include the short, Trance
and writing credits for the independent
film, "Haitian Nights," starring former
Miss USA Kenya Moore and Emmy-
and Tony-nominated Obba Babatundé.
Production on his newest project, Baton,
will begin in the coming months.
Desarmes joins a long list of those in
the entertainment industry who are raising monies and awareness for the plight of
people in Haiti. These folks include actor
Jimmy Jean-Louis, Oscar-nominated actor
Danny Glover, producer and Grammyaward-winning artist Wyclef Jean and Paul
Simon as well as model Petra Nemcova.
Cayman Islands Tourism Heading for the Half-pipe
W
hile some Caribbean tourism destinations are
struggling to stimulate their tourist based economies, feeling the pinch of the US economic crisis,
others are thinking outside the box to attract
new tourists. One such island chain is the Cayman Islands,
which is looking to attract the younger set of tourists, the
skateboarding kind.
In a traditionally slow holiday time, the Cayman Islands
have launched a substantial summer campaign to attract
family visitors. The Cayman Island Tourist Board calls it
“Cayman Summer Splash in the Cayman Islands” and it is offering a large selection of benefits and activities for children
and teens. One unique new item on offer is Skate Cayman,
where a local skate park is offering a summer long skateboarding camp for kids.
Located at Black Pearl, the world's second largest skate
park, Skate Cayman will allow campers to take advantage of
the 60,000+ square feet of concrete bowls, half and quarter
pipes as well as rails. Coaches will provide expert instruction
and some of the best skaters in the game, such as professional skateboarder and snowboarder Shaun White, who has
won gold medals at the Olympics and in the Summer and
Winter X Games, will be dropping in throughout the summer to keep things fresh.
While Cayman survived for decades on the sand and sun,
they are now setting an example in the region, displaying
flexiablity and showing how important it is for Caribbean
holiday destinations to create “unique selling propositions”
beyond offering beautiful beaches and clear turquoise waters.
10
H
ave you ever stopped
to notice that there
are a number of
churches in almost
every society? The
role of the church is not simply
to heighten the awareness of the
Christian religion, but also to
bring the family and community
together. This can be done by
praise and worship or by positive
fellowship and activities.
The Church of God of
Prophecy in Kew offers exactly
this sort of opportunity in their
community. For example, they
are planning to host the graduating class from the local high
school. While their church
serves the needs of their community, they are lacking in pews.
The church currently accommodates the small congregation on
plastic chairs.
Head of the Youth Committee,
Andre Gibson, spoke on behalf of
the Kew branch of the Prophecy
Church. He explained that the
Church of God of Prophecy in
Kew North Caicos is looking forward to hosting the graduating
class of 2009 from the Raymond
Gardiner High School and that
they are in desperate need for
proper seating. The graduation
ceremony will be for the 33 students expected to graduate, but
hosting them and their families
appears to be a challenge.
The Church decided instead
of just asking for donations to
purchase new pews, they would
organize a fun day and welcome
all in the community to come
together, share, play, laugh and
raise money for the new pews.
The event was a success and Mr.
Gibson was grateful to all who
came out to support their efforts.
According to Mr. Gibson, “A
number of letters went out to
ask for financial assistance and
our friends at Dellis Cay committed to lend a helping hand
and for that we are truly grateful”.
The Church fun day offered free
snack items to the children and
other food items were available
for sale. There were a number of
games that the children enjoyed
and they had the opportunity to
hop on the bouncing castle for a
minimal fee.
Lavern Skippings, PR and
Marketing Manager for Dellis
Cay, Turks and Caicos Islands
said that “there are always persons in our community that need
our help. Seeing that there are
an increasing number of organizations in need, we will pay
special attention to the non profit
organizations in our community
in the hope that they are able to
pass our good will on to others.”
Although the church pews will
be mainly used at the graduation, the institution of the church
offers a wide variety of good
that passes on to all that come
through their doors.
The North Caicos Church
of God of Prophecy stands as
one of the oldest churches in
the community with 83 years
of service to the Kew community. They have played host to
a countless number of special
services, funerals and they also
serve as a hurricane shelter. This
church hopes to continue their
good works and with new pews
they can offer a higher level of
comfort to all.
North Caicos Church of God of Prophecy
A Community Kids Fun Day was
organized to raise money for new pews
for the Kew branch of the Prophecy Church
Lavern Skippings, Dellis
Cay, and Head of the
Youth Committee, Andre
Gibson and his wife
We Thank You!
The fp would like to share our thanks to these companies who went above and
beyond to support our community. Especially in these tough economic times, it is this
kind of effort we feel makes the Turks and Caicos Islands a very special place.
Each week we will be featuring companies who reach out to help in our community and make our islands
a better place. We commend you and thank you for your commitment.
Digicel Brings Music to the Hearts of Children
"Music is a magical gift we
must nourish and cultivate in
our children, especially now as
scientific evidence proves that
an education in the arts makes
better math and science students,
enhances spatial intelligence in
newborns, and let's not forget
that the arts are a compelling solution to teen violence, certainly
not the cause of it!" - Michael
Greene, Recording Academy
President and CEO at the 42nd
Annual Grammy Awards.
Thanks to a donation by
Digicel, students at the B.E.S.T.
Institute will have the chance to
experience this musical magic
first hand.
Ms. Marilyn Cooper, Sales
Manager for Digicel, recently
visited music classes at B.E.S.T.
Institute in Blue Hills. The
purpose of her visit was to present the Music Department with
a “wish list” of music resource
materials from Digicel.
Handbell/deskbell sets, recorders/instructional books, a lap
harp, curriculum books with
CD’s and related teaching materials were included in the donation. In a show of appreciation,
the children of K1 and Grade 1
shared their handbell selections
of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
and Love Somebody.
Ms. Cooper with her sister,
Ms. Monica Skeete playing guitar,
sang several selections for the
classes including songs from
Barbados and Jamaican Farewell.
The children played along on the
bells and joined in a dance. It
was an enjoyable morning of
music for all.
Music has been scientifically
proven to offer so many advantages for children. Music enhances intelligence, coordination,
emotional expression, creativity,
and socialization skills. This donation to the school from Digicel
will not only give the children
the opportunity to experience
music, but also offers them many
other benefits for their future
school career.
The B.E.S.T.
Institute would
like to share
many thanks
to Digicel for
their generous
donation.
Children’s lives
have been
enriched through
your generosity.
Ms Cooper – our
deepest thanks to
you for believing
in our program –
we will miss you!!
12
fp
Business Can Learn
from Penguins
How to: Build a
Savings Habit
German Consulate
to Move
BUSINESS
Business
Business Can Learn from Penguins
Pastor Handfield gave an inspirational speech on how to
succeed in business.
W
hen LIME asked Pastor Bradley
Handfield to give a talk to their agents
about good strategies for survival in
tough economic times, he found his
divine inspiration in a most unconventional place. While watching the movie Happy Feet,
Pastor Handfield was intrigued by the survival methods of the penguins. “Penguins are a great example
of survival. Primarily because they cuddle together
for warmth to survive the long cold winters. Business
people can learn a valuable lesson from these penguins,”
said Pastor Handfield.
At a recent LIME agents appreciate luncheon, Pastor
Handfield gave an inspirational talk titled, “Partner
up for survival in tough economic times.” Some might
consider his approach to the local business owners
somewhat out of the ordinary, but that seems to be just
the message required in these uncertain times.
The Pastor explained that in winter, penguin females
lay their eggs and leave them with their male partners
and head off for warmer climates. The males stand all
winter with the egg on top of their feet to protect them
and keep them warm. To survive, the male penguins
huddle together to share warmth and by doing this as
a group, they are able to survive the cold winters with
their eggs in tact.
The winning strategy here for a business is, to take
a lesson from penguins. When the environment gets
tough, a business must do two things to survive. First,
you must protect your customers.
“In winter, like in recessionary times, resources are
scarce,” said Pastor Handfield, “your customers are like
your eggs and in these times of scarce resources one
must protect his customers.” A simple rule for every
business is that customers are your key to success,
without them, your business can not survive. Like the
penguin colony who has no future without their eggs,
your business also has no future without it customers. “To survive, you must protect your customers,”
Lewis Astwood receives an award from LIME Country Manager, Drexwell Seymour
explained Pastor Handfield.
Second, you must build partnerships which are mutually beneficial. Like the male penguins, who huddle
together to share warmth in winter, a good business
strategy is to create strategic partnerships with other
businesses. “Developing good partnerships can create
opportunities as well as savings, which can be good for
your business as well as your customers,” Handfield
said. “If you look out for your “eggs” they will grow
and benefit you in the long run.”
LIME hosted the luncheon for its agents in
Providenciales, North and South Caicos. It was an opportunity for LIME to share its thanks to the over 85
agents that operate small businesses selling LIME services on those islands. LIME CEO, Drexwell Seymour
thanked the agents for their support and being the face
of LIME across the TCI.
Many individuals across the TCI make selling LIME
services their business. With over 150 agents across the
whole Turks and Caicos, LIME contributes a large part
to the sustainability for these small business owners.
LIME recognized some of the largest sellers of their
services in each area.
In selling their services through agents, LIME is offering an opportunity to so many individuals across the
TCI to build their own businesses based on the success
of LIME. Pastor Hanfield used his penguin example
to encourage them to work together, along with LIME,
to stay strong, help each other and in so doing protect
their future business for everyone.
16
Business
How to: Build a Savings Habit
W
e all know that saving money
is a good thing. It can help you
get through lean times, allow
you to build up funds to pay
cash for major purchases and maybe even
let you quit working and retire one day.
But saying it and doing it are two different
things. Here are a few tips that will get you
on the right track and leave you with that
warm, fuzzy feeling of knowing you have
cash of your own when you need it.
Don't start a savings account. Instead
start two. Split up the money that you set
aside. Try putting one-third in the first account and two-thirds in the second. If you
get tempted at any time to dip in for some
little thing you can't live without hold the
line at the amount in the first account
and leave the second one alone. Once the
second one starts to grow you may find
that you don't want to touch it. The feeling
of having a large and growing nest egg
can feel better than having the bauble you
might spend it on.
Find some new money. Always be
looking for a chance to increase that
regular contribution (you have set up
automatic contributions right?). Did you
just pay off a credit card? Increase your
automatic monthly contribution by a percentage of the payment you were making.
If you just received a raise put a portion
of it into your savings accounts every
month. This can work for lump sums as
well. Just received a tax refund, a cash gift
or sold some unwanted goods. Add the
proceeds to your savings accounts and
watch them swell!
Become a collector. People collect
everything from teacups to matchbooks
and Depression Glass. Try collecting cash!
Think of yourself as a collector and make
money your favorite collectable. This is
a matter of changing your state of mind
towards money. Stop thinking of it as
something to just spend; money is a tool
that should work for you.
Find a money making hobby. Is there
a way to take something you like to do
in your pastime and make a small extra
income? Can you teach people how to do
what you do for a hobby? Check with your
local community college and see if you
can teach an evening course in your area
of expertise. Then direct all or a portion of
the proceeds into your savings accounts.
Know why you're saving. If you don't
have a good reason to save you will
never succeed but if you have a powerful,
compelling motivation you can't fail. As
often as possible take the time to focus on
your "why". Think about your purpose for
saving money. Think about the feeling you
will have when you succeed. Write it down
and read it as often as possible.
Experience shows that as your savings
grows you will be less likely to waste it
impulsively. Success breeds success. As
your savings begins to grow a surprising
and pleasant thing happens. You begin
to believe in your ability to build up real
wealth and that belief can be empowering.
The small steps you take today can make
for much better tomorrow.
German Consulate to
move to new premises
The German consulate announced this week
that it will be moving to a new location on 1
June. Currently located in the Queens Landing
commercial complex in Grace Bay, the consulate
will be moving to Turtle House, just behind the
Courtyard Plaza, central Providenciales. German
nationals and Schengen Visa applicants wishing
to obtain further information can call Honorary
Consul, Titus de Boer at 231-2110 or e-mail
german.consul.tci@gmail.com. Currently there
are 47 German nationals registered with the
consulate. Anyone wishing to register (in case
of emergencies) is encouraged to do so at the
above address. There will be an official ceremony
for the opening of the new consulate, to be announced shortly.
fp
Tremm Jocale
for Jewlery
LIFESTYLE
TCI Supermodel Winner
Worth Your Weight
18
Lifestyle
New Business in
Town; Tremm Jocale
By: Kazz Forbes
Emphasizing on supplying fashion and costume accessories and jewelry that is eye
catching, exotic, edgy, trendy, distinctive, sophisticated, stylish and guaranteed to get
ladies the fashionista status that most yearn for, young entrepreneur Ms. Tremmaine
Swann introduces her boutique, Tremm Jocale. The origination of Tremm Jocale are two
words combined to create an extraordinary name representing everything that is chic
and stylish; Tremm is short for Tremmaine, while Jocale is latin for jewelry.
“Tremm Jocale caters to every type of woman- the sophisticated lady; the career
woman; the trendy fashionista and the hip teenager, so there is an item for every woman
and for every occasion – formal, casual or semi-formal. In supplying a range of items
from extremely affordable to the very high end, prices vary and are easy on any pocket
and can be purchased by
the high school trendsetter, the working mom
and corporate executives.
Tremm Jocale has an
extensive inventory and
offers one stop shopping
for fashion and costume
accessories and jewelry;
which means women
don’t have to travel all
over the island when
looking to purchase accessories. Think fashion
jewelry and accessories
and think Tremm Jocale,”
says Ms. Swann.
Not only is Ms. Swann original in her jewelry items, she is also taking an original approach to her business. Instead of asking her customers to come to her, Ms. Swann has
decided to bring her shop to them. She is offering private showings to those interested
in her exotic jewelry. With a variety of pieces that make bold fashion statements, anyone
wishing to purchase items of Tremm Jocale can contact Tremmaine by placing a call to
(649)-241-5777 or emailing tremmjocale@gmail.com for personal one on one service.
Tremm Jocale accessories and jewelry can also be found at the Saltmills Market outside
Iguanas Restaurant’s patio, the second Saturday of every month from 9am- 1pm. The
next showing at the Saltmills Market is this Saturday May 9th, 2009.
Davia Chambers First TCI Supermodel
T
he Williams Auditorium was packed to capacity on Friday night, where 17 year old Davia
Chambers walked away with the title of TCI First
Supermodel. “I’m so happy,” said the Trinidad
and Tobago born, Turks and Caicos raised Davia,
“modeling has been a dream of mine since I was a little
girl, and tonight – I am TCI’s first Supermodel Winner.”
“Becoming a high fashion and runway model, doing
shows for designers such as Christian Soriano, Marc
Jacobs and John Galliano is my dream career, which
I hope will eventually become a reality, since I have a
passion for modeling,” added the Five Cays resident.
The TCI Supermodel Contest and Fashion
Extravaganza saw a catwalk and stage competition
of 10 beautiful young ladies vying for the title of TCI
Supermodel 2009/10, along with the debut of local aspiring fashion designers; all with the hope of launching a
career not only in the TCI, but further a-field.
“Doing editorials for and gracing the covers of
magazines such as Times of the Islands, Destinations,
Seventeen, Vogue, Cosmopolitan - as I work in the
fashion capitals of the world: Paris, Milan, London and
New York is my greatest desire. Wherever the rewards
from this competition and modeling takes me, I will go
and give 200%.”
As the winner of the first annual TCI Supermodel
Contest, Davia will get an opportunity of a lifetime, a
Digicel TCI ad campaign which will be shot on the
breathtakingly beautiful island of Ambergris Cay this
coming Saturday, May 9th. She will be featured in an
editorial spread in the Summer 2009 issue of Times
of the Islands and receive a profile page in their sister
publication, Destination: Turks and Caicos Islands
2010 edition.
In addition to that, Ms. Chambers will be given a
TCI Bank Ltd Savings Account with $1,500.00 cash, a
Digicel Blackberry cellular phone with twelve months of
monthly $50.00 top-ups, a professional model’s portfolio
folder, along with an excursion to New York City – to
meet with the agency interested in jump-starting her career, Q Model Management and do a photo-shoot with a
noted New York fashion photographer.
In addition, Davia won a gift certificate valued at
$300.00 from the Regent Palms Boutique for the ‘Best
Runway Walk’ and for Best Body in the Swimsuit
Competition, she received a gift certificate from Caicos
Caffee. Two other prizes went out on the night: Fashion
L to R: Cortrina Cooper, Sheldene Pubien, Kitchandra Penn,
Thea Lowe, Easher Parker, Courtney Robinson, Davia Chambers,
Kadrica Hamilton, Kandi Selver, Jessica Hall and Melissa Johnson
Forward – which was awarded to Jessica Hall, who
won a three-days, two-night stay at the ultra-exclusive
Parrot Cay Resort. Ms. Thea Lowe won the RTC Viewers
Choice award for the online polling that that station put
on – winning a gift certificate from Spa Sanay Ltd.
Prior to show time, all contestants and models that
went through the 8 weeks training process for the show
had an opportunity to meet three top New York agency
representatives ‘Q’ Model Management, MC2 Model
Management and Next Model Management. “These
high fashion agencies jumped at the chance of coming
to the Turks and Caicos not only to judge the show, but
hopefully to scout for a new face to represent in the
mega business of beauty and fashion,” said Courtney
Robinson, the show’s Executive Producer.
And this they did, Q Model Management’s Women’s
Director -Tahlani Knight was taken away by the serenity, humility, confidence and uniqueness of Davia, that
she is arranging to meet with her in New York in June.
Jason Valenta, International Scout for Next also loved
Davia, Sheldene Pubien, Kitchandra Penn and Cortrina
Cooper too; but was overly impressed by eleven year old
guest model old Britteny Bien-Amie, who captured his
attention even before knowing she was going to grace
the catwalk. “Britteny is stunning, simply stunning,” said
Valenta, “from her poise and grace, up to her freckled
high check bones, she is a strikingly beautiful young girl,
and we have to represent her; its Brittney for me!”
Guest model Shenika Stubbs was spotted by MC2’s
Davia Chambers, TCI Supermodel 2009
Andrew Casto. “Shenique has an intriguing uniqueness
to her, and she is such a lovely young woman, such
elegance – I can’t wait to see her again in New York,”
said Castro.
The spotlight was not only on the models, but also
the two fashion designers that featured seven looks
from their summer 2009 collection. Rose Garland and
Raynelis Howell showed garments that were heard being
described as “simply gorgeous” and “fresh”. “This bodes
well for the Turks and Caicos, as now we have a platform
where young designers and models can showcase their
talent, and the word can get out that there are people
in the TCI with the creative capacity to be apart of the
fashion and beauty industry,” noted Mr. Robinson.
Healthy Living
Feelin’ Fine Challenge Kicks off with a Bang!
Feelin’ Fine in 09’ is the goal
of more than 150 dedicated
individuals who showed up this
past Saturday to the kick off of this
health and weight loss challenge.
The event began at 6.30am with a
2 and ½ mile run/walk downtown
starting and ending at the Gus
Lighboune Sports Complex.
Juditch Robinson, one of the
organizers, cheered the troops
on into the home stretch around
7:30am. After what was for some
already a challenge, the contestants
headed into the gymnasium for
their weigh-in, measuring and
fitness tests.
Each team of contestants was
measured, tested for strength and
agility as well as given preparation
and planning for the six week
challenge to come. Although it was
an early morning, the contestants
were in high spirits hoping this
would be just the thing they need
to help them reach their goals of
getting healthy.
The idea behind the challenge
is to offer helpful hints, training
and support to anyone in the
community who is looking for
inspiration to get healthy today.
The challenge will go on for the
next six weeks. Contestants can
participate in free workouts offered
and sponsored by the Graceway
Sports Complex on the weekends.
In addition 4 to 5 personal trainers
have donated their time to be
available for train and help support
those participating in the challenge.
For many, they do not lack the will,
Over 150 people came out to participate in the challenge.
but the tools to get their lives on the
right track. This competition is set
up to provide anyone who is willing,
the way to make it happen.
The “fp”, will be providing weekly
health tips and recipes to help all
those who are participating in the
challenge, as well as anyone for is
looking for help to get fit this year.
Read here each week, our Healthy
Living tips, recipes and articles to
help find the facts and solutions to
loosing weight and gaining strength.
Here’s to Feelin’ Fine in 09’!
Judith Robinson cheered on the contestants as they came to the home stretch.
Team Blue participating in the challenge to help each other in their goals of
getting fit.
Support Your
Weight Loss Efforts
by Drinking Tea
When it comes to lowering your weight, there’s no
magic formula. It really comes down to expending more
calories than you take in through exercise and a healthy
diet. Even though there are no quick fixes for losing those
excess pounds, there are simple ways to put the odds of
losing weight more in your favor. Keep in mind that small
changes in lifestyle habits can add up to significant weight
loss over time. One way to give yourself an advantage is to
use tea to help lower your weight. Here’s why this option
works for some people.
You’re probably already familiar with the many studies
that show the health benefits of green tea and, to a lesser
extent black tea. One such benefit is a subtle metabolism
boosting effect thought to be related to the catechins present in the tea. Most studies show regular intake of green tea
can burn anywhere from eighty to one-hundred and thirty
additional calories per day. Over time, the addition of
green tea to the diet could result in significant weight loss.
Each contestant was weighed,
measured and fitness tested to
compare results at the end of six
week challenge.
Another tea that’s been shown to be beneficial for
controlling weight is oolong tea. This tea comes from
the same Camellia sinensis plant as black and green
tea, but it’s allowed to ferment more than green tea and
less than black tea, resulting in the presence of a higher
concentration of polymerized polyphenols than seen
in green or black tea. These polymerized polyphenols
seem to stimulate fat metabolism. Oolong tea has also
been shown to slightly increase metabolic rate in studies which may be beneficial in helping to lower weight
when combined with a healthy diet and exercise.
When making the decision to use tea for controlling
weight, it’s important to keep in mind that it’s not a
substitute for exercise and a healthy diet. The key is to
use it as an adjunct to a healthy lifestyle. For it to have
an effect, you’ll need to use tea consistently rather than
drinking an occasional cup here and a cup there. To see
results over time, around five or six cups a day would
be needed as a substitute for your regular beverages.
When you use tea in place of a high sugar drink, you’re
automatically reducing calories which is helpful for
controlling weight.
20
Healthy Living
Worth Your Weight
What incentives
would it take to
get you to lose a
few pounds?
By Bev Bennett
CTW FEATURES
ow much would it take for you to
lose weight? Would you get serious if you were paid $300? How
about if you were given a luxurious massage after every 5-pound drop in weight?
With two-thirds of adult American
H
overweight or obese and facing greater
risk for chronic illness, including heart
disease and diabetes, health experts are
looking at incentive programs to get you
to trim down.
Researchers are conducting experiments in which volunteers are compensated for slimming down. Your company
may offer you a cash reward for losing
weight; your township may dangle a “carrot” for whittling your waistline.
These programs are having some success, says Jim White, spokesperson for
the American Dietetic Association.
“You can use an incentive to jump
start your diet,” says White, of Jim White
Fitness Studios, Virginia Beach, VA.
You don’t have to be in a workplace
or community setting to try weight-loss
incentives. You can motivate yourself
wherever you are. However, you may
have to fine-tune your strategy to be
successful.
For example, a bet may seem like the
push you need to lose weight, but it has
a downside if you’re part of a group, and
one participant is perceived to be winning, according to Kevin G. Volpp, MD,
Ph.D. at the University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia.
“If you’re having a contest at work and
only one person gets the money, the rest
aren’t motivated,” says Dr. Volpp, director of the university’s Leonard Davis
Institute of Health Economics Center for
Health Incentives (www.med.upenn.edu/
ldichi).
Rather than compete with several
people, partner with one other person,
Madelyn Fernstrom, Ph.D. said in an
e-mail.
Set a reasonable goal of no more than
20 pounds, writes Fernstrom, director
of the University of Pittsburgh Medical
Center Weight Management Center.
If, instead of betting, you’re designing
your own incentive plan, give yourself
bonuses along the way.
Fernstrom recommends a reward with
each milestone, such as a pedicure after 5
pounds, a new sweater at 10 pounds.
“It’s too long a wait to get to 20 [pounds
lost]. Small perks really help,” she writes.
Don’t drop your rewards program
once you’ve reached your desired weight.
“Keep setting new goals. Even just not
gaining is a great goal. Every month you
stay even and don’t gain, give yourself an
incentive,” Fernstrom writes. © CTW Features
A cash bonus works for weight
loss, with a caveat, as seen in an
experiment from researchers at
the University of Pennsylvania.
A group of overweight adults
went on a 16-week diet. Some
dieters received cash rewards
during the program, others did
not. (The incentive group had two
different forms of compensation.
Some dieters received an average
of $378.49; others, $272.80.).
Those dieters who got money
lost considerably more weight,
according to Dr. Kevin G. Volpp,
MD, Ph.D.
Unfortunately, the successful
dieters regained some of their
weight, according to Dr. Volpp,
whose results were recently
published in the Journal of the
American Medical Association.
"Keeping weight off is a big challenge, says Dr. Volpp.
A longer incentive program
might improve dieters' chances of
changing their eating habits, according to Dr. Volpp. © CTW Features
Cheers to Drinking Less Sweet
A new study finds that women who drink to
impress might want to rethink their tactics
By Mirielle Cailles
CTW FEATURES
W
hen it comes to impressing a potential love
interest, college women may have it wrong.
According to a new survey, college males
aren’t looking for a woman to match them drink for
drink, despite females’ belief that they do.
The survey of 3,616 college students at Loyola
Marymount University, Los Angeles, and the
University of Washington, Seattle, found that 71
percent of women are overestimating the amount of
drinks males prefer them to drink by an average of
one and a half drinks.
“Although traditionally, men drink more than
women, research has shown that women have
steadily been drinking more and more over the last
several decades,” says the study’s lead author, Joseph
LaBrie, PhD, associate professor of psychology at
Loyola Marymount University. “Our research suggests women believe men find excessive drinking
sexually attractive and appealing, but it appears this
is a giant misperception.”
The students, ages 18 to 25, were asked questions
about drinking habits. The women answered several
questions: how many drinks they thought a typical
college man would like his female friends to drink
at an event, the maximum number of drinks they
thought men would like their female friends to drink
and how many drinks they thought a woman would
have to consume for a guy to consider being friends
with her, dating her or consider her sexually attractive. The men were asked their actual preferences.
Looking at different subgroups, researchers found
that 26 percent of women thought men would be
friends with a woman who drank five or more drinks,
while 16 percent thought men would be sexually
attracted to a woman who drank that much. Both
estimates were double what males reported.
“There is a great, and risky, disconnect here between the sexes,” says LaBrie. “While not all women
may be drinking simply to get a guy’s attention, this
may help explain why more women are drinking at
dangerous levels. We believe universities and other
public health organizations could use this information to help curb binge drinking among young
© CTW Features
women.”
Baby
A child’s desire for sweets
could directly impact growth
By Mirielle Cailles
CTW FEATURES
Does your kid have a sweet tooth? Well, it may be
natural. According to new research from the University
of Washington and the Monell Center, a child’s love for
sweets is actually biological and related to their growth
rate. The study also found that a preference for sweets
declines during adolescence.
“The relationship between sweet preference and growth
makes intuitive sense because when growth is rapid, caloric demands increase. Children are programmed to like
sweet taste because it fills a biological need by pushing
them towards energy sources,” says Danielle Reed, Ph.D, a
Monell geneticist and one of the study authors.
The study evaluated sweet preference and biological measures of growth and physical maturation in 143
children between the ages of 11 and 15. Children were
classified into high and low preference groups, and children in the low preference group also had lower levels of
a biomarker associated with bone growth in children and
adolescents. Other biological factors associated with adolescence, such as sex-hormone levels, were not associated
with sweet preference. © CTW Features
Features
The Education Minute
Children and Alcohol: Providing the Right Path
By Gale Royal-Morris
Childhood is a time of experimentation. Unfortunately, some
of the things our children will
uncover are not ones that we that
we feel good about.
According to the National
Center on Addiction and
Substance Abuse at Columbia
University,
• 83 percent of adults who drink
had their first drink of alcohol
before age 21.
• Individuals who begin drinking before the age of 15 are four
times more likely to become
alcohol dependent than those
who begin drinking at age 21.
• The prevalence of lifetime alcohol abuse is greatest for those
who begin drinking at age 14.
These statistics are not ones in
which we care for our children to
fall privy. In our quest to discover
the best method to use as we
discourage our children from
abusing alcohol, there are many
theories to consider.
In an article by Kate Foster
titled “Expert: give alcohol to
children as young as five”, Jack
Law, chief executive of Alcohol
Focus Scotland, states that we
need to accept that many young
people do experiment with
alcohol and many parents do
allow their children to taste it. It
is his position that when we allow
our children to experiment with
alcohol at home that this practice
would cut binge drinking among
youngsters by taking the mystery
out of alcohol.
I am sure that we can see the
logic here. When we prohibit
our children to do certain things,
those things seem all the more
appealing. This is why I suggest
that in our fight to prevent our
children from drinking irre-
sponsibly, talk to them about the
effects that alcohol will have on
their bodies instead of demanding
and ordering that they stay away
from it. When they understand
some of the effects abusing alcohol can have on their bodies, they
may chose not to begin a drinking
habit and if they do as adults, they
may be a bit more responsible.
Some effects of abusing alcohol
include:
• distorted vision, hearing, and
coordination
• impaired judgment, which can
lead to accidents, drowning,
plus other risky behaviors such
as unsafe sex and drug use
• cirrhosis and cancer of the liver
• heart and central nervous system damage
• memory loss
• an increased risk of impotence
No matter the subject, I believe
in creating a home environment
that encourages children to ask
questions and learn. As I always
emphasize, creating an atmosphere for honest communication with children when they are
young prepares them for conversations with us when they mature
and have more serious topics to
discuss.
Talk to your children about
their options when they are out
with friends. Be sure that your
son or daughter has an alternative means of transportation
(i.e. money for the bus, a cab or
numbers to a responsible adult
or friend) to and from events to
allow them to leave if a situation arises in which they feel
uncomfortable.
Perhaps set up a no questions
asked policy so that your child
will not feel afraid to call you in a
situation where everyone including him or her, has been drinking.
Let your children know how
you feel about them experimenting with alcohol at a young age.
Further, express your concerns
PHILIPPINES
Tagumpay ni Pacquiao, dapat
maging inspirasyon ng bawat
Pilipino tungo sa tagumpay – PGMA
Dapat maging ispirasyon ng bawa’t Pilipino upang sa
tuwina ay sikaping matamo ang tagumpay ang kahangahangang panalo ni Manny Pacquiao laban kay Ricky Hatton
ng Bretanya.
Ito ang binigyang diin ng Pangulong Gloria MacapagalArroyo nang batiin niya kagabi si Manny matapos pabagsakin si Hatton sa ikalawang round ng labanan nila sa MGM
Grand Garden Arena sa Las Vegas, Nevada Sabado ng gabi
(Linggo ng umaga sa Pilipinas).
Buong bansang nagdiriwang ang nanood sa laban ni
Pacquiao na lalong nagpatunay ng pambihirang husay ng
Pambansang Kamao.
Sinabi ng Pangulo sa 350 kinatawan ng 17,000 Pilipino sa
Syria na ang tagumpay ni Manny ay dapat magsilbing ispirasyon ng mga Pilipino upang maging matatag at puspusan
ang pagsisikap nang makamit ang mga mithiin.
“Patuloy na nagsanay si Manny Pacquiao at pag-aralan
nang taglay ang disiplinang kailangan para matamo ang
tagumpay na sang-ayon sa mga dalubhasa sa daigdig ng
boksing kaya siya naging pinkamahusay na boksingero,”
sabi pa ng Pangulo.
Ang tagumpay ni Pacquiao bilang kampeon ng pandaig-
dig na boksingt ay halimbawang dapat tularan nang lahat,
lalo na ng ating mga kaba-taang Pilipino sa Pilipinas at sa
lahat ng panig ng daigdig.
“Tulad nang itinuro sa atin ni Manny Pacquiao, ang
disiplina, tatag ng kalooban, pagbubuhos ng kakayahan at
karangalan bilang Pilipino ay mahalaga sa ating tagumpay,”
sabi pa ng Pangulo.
Samantala, tinatayang $20M dolyares ang maiuuwi ni
Pacquiao sa pagkapanalo niya sa laban kay Hatton, ayon
mismo sa coach nitong si Freddie Roach.
Kasama na rito ang bayad kay Manny sa pay per view sa
United States.
Marami na ang nag-aabang sa ngayon kung sino ang
susunod na makakalaban ni Manny. Si Mayweather Jr. daw
sana kaso may laban pa ito kay Marquez sa July 18.
Sa mismong telecast ng laban ni Pacquiao at Hatton sa
Pilipinas, nagmistulang Semana Santa ang kapaligiran.
Ang luwag ng mga kalye dahil halos walang nagbibiyaheng mga sasakyan.
Wala ring mga pasaherong nag-aabang sa gilid ng mga
kalye.
Wala ring naitalang krimen ayon sa pulisya.
for their health and well being.
We do not want them to feel that
we will punish them severely if
they find themselves in a situation where they have not used
their best judgment. Their safety
is what we want to protect. In
giving them a way out, we are not
be approving of their behavior,
instead we are opening a path
for constructive communication
about being irresponsible and
responsible at the same time. We
must express our disappointment
while holding on to the hope that
in treating them as mature young
adults, that in the future, they will
behave accordingly.
I
nowhere to be found.
A team, of what one might
call underwater detectives,
recently solved the over 260
year mystery while using their
special underwater equipment
found the lost HMS Victory.
Artwork by John Batchelor. Photo courtesy of Odyssey Marine Exploration, Inc. © 2009
n 1744, one of the greatest
ships of her time, the HMS
Victory vanished. Some
suspected it sank, some
thought it may have run
aground, all they knew for sure,
was that it disappeared and was
Artwork of HMS Victory, a first-rate Royal Navy warship wrecked in the English
Channel, 1744. (Artwork by John Batchelor.
They were able to determine
that the ship sank during a
storm in 1744 with all hands on
board and was the last Royal
Navy warship to be lost at sea
with a complete complement
of bronze cannons. Two of the
greatest admirals in English
history, Sir John Norris and Sir
John Balchin, called her their
flagship. Research indicates that
the HMS Victory sank with a
substantial amount of gold and
silver pieces aboard.
“Finding this shipwreck
has solved one of the greatest
shipwreck mysteries in history.
Having discovered it in deep
water, far from where history
says it was lost, has served to free
Admiral Balchin and his officers
from the accusation of having
let the ship run aground on the
Casquets due to faulty navigation,” commented Greg Stemm,
Odyssey’s Chief Executive Officer.
Odyssey discovered the site
nearly 100 km from where the
ship was historically believed
to have been wrecked on a
reef near the Channel Islands.
Odyssey has already recovered
two bronze cannons to confirm
the identity of the shipwreck.
The cannons recovered include
a 12-pounder featuring the royal
arms of George II and a 4 ton,
42-pounder bearing the crest of
George I. The huge 42-pounder
recovered is the only known
example of a gun of this type and
Odyssey's 8-ton Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) ZEUS
Photo courtesy of Odyssey Marine Exploration, Inc. © 2008
The Mystery of the
World's Mightiest Ship Solved
Photo courtesy of Odyssey Marine Exploration, Inc. © 2008
22
Bronze cannon on the shipwreck site of HMS Victory bearing the royal crest of
King George I (1714-1727).
size currently in existence on
dry land. The only other artifacts
recovered to date were two small
brick fragments.
Sir Robert Balchin, descendant of Admiral Sir John Balchin,
stated, “This is the most astonishing news; for generations my
family has wondered about the
fate of Sir John and the Victory.
Now that the wreck has been
found, I and my family hope
that as many of the artifacts on it
as possible will be raised to the
Frothy Orange Mochaccino
Shake Your Mom
Up with this
Mother's Day
Recipe
By Stella Zedman
Thick and creamy, scented with orange and flavoured
with dark chocolate – this Frothy Orange Mochaccino is a
decadent treat for your favourite mom. But if you’re really
nice, she might even share.
Ingredients
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup (50 mL) light brown sugar
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1-1/2 tsp (7 mL) finely grated orange zest
• 2 cups (500 mL) hot double strength coffee or espresso
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) half and half (10%) cream, hot
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) whipping cream
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) orange juice or orange liqueur
• additional grated orange zest for garnish
Cooking Instructions
1.In a blender, combine the chocolate chips, brown
sugar, cocoa powder and orange zest. Blend until
finely chopped.
2.Pour in the hot coffee and blend until the mixture is
smooth and the chocolate is melted. Add the half and
half and continue blending until the mixture is very
frothy. Pour into 4 heated cups.
3.In a small bowl with an electric mixer, beat together
the whipping cream and orange juice or liqueur until
stiff. Add a spoonful of topping onto each serving and
sprinkle with a bit of additional orange zest.
surface; our fear is that erosion,
or trawler fishing will destroy
what is there within a very few
years. It would be wonderful to
see these historic artifacts on
permanent display in a museum
where they will give a unique
insight into naval warfare in the
mid 18th century.”
Additional information about
Odyssey’s discovery and work
to date on Balchin’s Victory is
available at www.shipwreck.net/
hmsvictoryfaqs.php.
Calling All Turks and
Caicos Future Reporters!
The fp wants to hear from you.
Have you ever thought of being a reporter,
or maybe you just have an idea or message
you want to share. The fp has created a space
just for you to tell your stories. Each week we
will feature stories for kids, written by kids, just
like you.
So put your pencil to paper and tell us
your stories. Include your name, age, school
and photo (if you wish) in an email to kids@
tcfreepress.com or drop them by the “fp” office
at the Market Place.
Weekly Horoscopes for May 7-13, 2009
Aries March 21-April 19
You have a lot of worries this week, but remember it is pointless to
worry about things you can't change. If you just go with the flow this
week and accept things at face value, everything will work out to your
advantage. If you are worried about something you can fix or change,
do something about it. If you can't change the problem then stop worrying about it, then you should have a stress free week.
Taurus April 20-May 20
This week, be sure to listen to your gut instinct. You will have strong
gut feelings about several things this week, don't over think them. If
you listen to your gut instinct this week decision making will be easy.
Over thinking these decisions will make you choose the wrong path.
Believe in yourself to make the right decisions without over thinking
and the right choices will come easy.
Gemini May 21-June 21
This is not a good week with relationships for you. If you are single
try to avoid dates this week. If you are in a relationship, be aware
there is sure to be some conflict this week. As long as your relationship is strong and full of love, you will easily make it through this.
Remember if your relationship can't withstand this test it wasn't
meant to be.
JANRIC
CLASSIC
SUDOKU
Fill in the blank cells using numbers 1 to 9. Each number can
appear only once in each row, column and 3x3 block. Use logic
and process of elimination to solve the puzzle. The difficulty level
ranges from Bronze (easiest) to Silver to Gold (hardest).
Rating: Gold
Cancer June 22-July 22
You might feel as if you have been drifting in the wind. Even though it
sometimes seems that there is no purpose, things will reveal themselves in time. When you feel like you are drifting many directions
just think about your actions. Make sure you make choices that will
not only help you now, but will also benefit you in ten years from
now.
Leo July 23-August 22
You might start this week out feeling lonely, but by the end of this
week you will realize how many friends and supporters that you really
do have. If you need support don't be afraid to ask for it. If you really
need them your friends will always be there for you. If you are feeling to lonely this week go somewhere where you can meet new and
interesting people.
Virgo August 23-September 22
This is the perfect week to take a break. Everyone will be able to do
fine without you for a couple days, so feel free to take a short vacation.
Just be sure to keep your trip short, because after a few days everyone
will really miss you and everything you do. Don't ever forget that you
are very valuable, and everyone around you appreciates everything
you do.
Libra September 23-October 22
You always take care of everyone around you. You can rest assured
that even though they don't always show it, everyone appreciates
everything you do. This week will give you a chance to relax, and take
care of yourself. Just remember that you take care of everyone around
you because you love them. Don't get frustrated, you are great at what
you do.
Scorpio October 23 - November 21
You have been putting off renovations that need to happen. Whether
these renovations are on your house or on yourself don't put them off
any longer. When you neglect something it gets harder to fix. Pick one
day this week and take care of everything that you need to get done.
You will feel much better after you have taken care of these things.
Sagittarius November 22-December 21
You will get a big surprise this week. Don't worry this is a surprise
that you have been looking forward to for a long time. Enjoy yourself
you deserve this. Remember that you can easily have fun in everything you do. All you have to do is look for the positive side of things.
Capricorn December 22-January 19
You are always the center of attention, and you love it but this week
some of the focus will be on someone else. Share the attention with
someone else and you will be surprised how good it feels. You just
might find yourself stepping out of the spotlight more often.
Aquarius January 20-February 18
You have outgrown a relationship that you are in. By staying tied
to this relationship you are only holding yourself back, and hurting
other people. You need to move on, and take things in a different
direction. Remember that just because a relationship changes doesn't
mean it has to end.
Pisces February 19-March 20
Work will present a unique opportunity for you this week. If you are
prepared for a change this could be the opportunity of a lifetime.
Be open to whatever comes your way. Just be sure to through think
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Solution on page 27
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Four Mothers,
Four Stories
By Glenn A. Hascall
One will sit in a nursing home and look out the window imagining
times long past when she would stand guardian over children long
since grown. She may lament the passing time, but she still hold out
hope that one of her children now busy with lives that are far too busy
for a visit might yet find time.
Another sits at a desk paying close attention to the clock. As a single
mom she would love to be home with her children, but there are bills
to pay and she’s all her children have - so she works and occasionally feel guilty because time is passing too fast and there is too much
demanding her attention. Some nights she weeps when she’s confronting real life.
She sits at home holding out hope that her daughter will come
home. Normally a compliant child, the girl has decided that mom
doesn’t really know everything, so she is trying to make her own rules
and she’s failing miserably, but the girl isn’t ready to admit failure. The
mother waits cries and sometimes prays.
The door is the only thing that separates her from her new son. She
and her husband have tried for years to have a child, now word has
come that their soon to be adopted son has been born. She’s nervous
as she tentatively opens the door and hears the robust cry of the one
she’s named Daniel. A young woman vacillates between tears and
smiles as she passes the boy she carried to his new families. It’s a day
two mothers will never forget.
Four stories - each different than the last and none seem remotely connected to the other except for the fact that they each
involve mothers.
The truth is, there are no true postcard mothers. Each will have
moments of pain, triumph and bad hair days. They may not be perfect
and you may be privy to certain flaws they are adept at hiding from
most. Yet in the recollection of motherhood there are those moments
when you recall certain memories with great fondness. There may
also be moments when you can’t feel happy with the memory, but
each memory allows you to gain a clear picture of who your mother
was and the mother you could become by taking the best of what you
know and avoiding the worst you have experienced.
Each mother started out a scared woman who wondered how they
could possibly manage the care of a child. After all, none of us came
with an instruction manual.
So, for Mother’s Day, take all the human qualities of your mother
and apply a liberal application of forgiveness - then celebrate the specific moments that make you proud of your mother. She’d love to hear
from you and would be tickled to see you. Maybe it’s been too long.
15 Ways to Thrill Your Mother on Mother's Day Without Spending a Fortune
Written by Candice Pardue
Wondering how you can be a blessing to your mother this Mother's Day? Think about it
- she labored when you were a child to make sure you had every need met. She pampered
you as a baby, taught you as a toddler, comforted you as a teen and helped encourage you as
you grew into an adult.
Now, you'd like to show her your appreciation, but maybe you're all out of fresh ideas.
Here's a list of 15 thoughtful ways to thrill your mother this Mother's Day without spending
a fortune...
1. Send a Hallmark e-card to your mother's email scheduled to be delivered on Mother's
Day, which is May 8, by the way. Most e-cards are free, so this can be in addition to your
Mother's gift! Go to: http://www.hallmark.com/
2. Create a scrapbook of old photos specially taylored for your mother to bring back sweet
memories. Scrapbooks can be created fairly inexpensively. Creative Memories is a great
place to start for ideas: http://www.creativememories.com/
3. Find out where your mother and father first met or had their first date, and buy a gift
certificate (if possible). This will depend on whether or not the special place is nearby.
What mother wouldn't like a little romance to celebrate her motherhood? After all, she
deserves it!
4. If you have children, get each of them to create a special handmade card for your mother
(their grandmother), letting her know how much she means to you and them.
5. Take your mother to have lunch at her favorite restaurant.
6. Create a web page (if you or a friend have the skill), and dedicate it to your mother.
Include some family photos, history, some fun memories, etc. Send your mother the
link to view her page by email on Mother's Day as a special surprise.
7. Have a surprise cookout and invite some family and friends over for lunch.
8. Cook a special meal for your mother and you alone - this can be a great time to catch up
on life and get good advice.
9. Buy your mother some really nice flowers or plants and help her plant them in her yard.
Roses are beautiful and bloom every year.
10.If your mother's not going to be home on Mother's Day, clean her house while she's away.
If she's home, you can stop by and pick up her car for a good cleaning (inside and out).
11.Buy a gift related to your mother's favorite hobby. For example, if your mother loves to
sew, buy her some accessories that you know she'll need while sewing, or some material
for a new dress. If she loves to cook, buy her a new pot or pan.
12.Take your mom for a beach picnic. Some of our best times growing up were days at the
beach.
13.If your mother is not well or not able to go out anywhere (bedstricken or not bale to
leave home), plan to spend the entire day with her if possible. Take her flowers and a
card, maybe some baked goods to show her you care. Spend time just talking with her.
This is the best gift of all in many cases.
14.Look around your mother's home to see if there are needs. Perhaps your mother's windows need new curtains. You can buy new curtains to match her rooms and help her
hang the curtains. Check her bathrooms to see if the shower curtains or rugs need to be
replaced. Every woman loves to decorate!
15.Last, but not least, treat your mother to some homemade goodies made by you and/or
your kids. Bake her some cookies, brownies, muffins - whatever she likes. Make a nice
basket with a Mother's Day card. Add a special touch to the goodies by including her
initials on every item.
These ideas will hopefully get your wheels turning this Mother's Day to help you find a
great gift for that special lady you call "Mother".
The 'fp' wishes all mothers, Happy Mothers Day!
26
Jobs
Spotlight on Tourism:
Human
Resources
Manager
Don’t Let Your Mouth
Ruin Your Interview
By Angela Baca
Your mouth can be your worst enemy during a
job interview, especially when you must talk for an
hour or more with complete strangers. The interview does not have to intimidate you, and your
nerves don’t have to cost you the job.
In “100+ Winning Answers to the Toughest
Interview Questions,” Casey
Hawley provides the following
advice:
“Today’s employers are looking for lifelong learners who can
change as they change, grow as
they grow.”
You are the person responsible
for making sure you communicate effectively. Your goal is to be
clear and professional. One way
to keep the positive communication flowing is to keep Hawley’s
statement in mind. This article
prompts you to improve your
communication before attending
another interview.
don’t want to create bad impressions on potential
employers by delivering negative comments about
working in another organization. Your mouth will
get you in trouble, especially if you are nervous.
Instead of focusing on why this organization is so
much better than previous organizations, focus on
what unique contributions you can make in the
new organization.
When you concentrate on describing how you would help an
organization through individual
and team efforts, the employer
might appreciate your understanding of 21st century job skills.
Also, your enthusiasm still communicates to the employer you
really want to work there.
You
are the
Bungee
cord
of the
future!
How Can Your Mouth
Convey Your Flexibility?
If employers are looking for adaptable employees,
you have to find ways to get your mouth to convey
your flexibility. You are the Bungee cord of the
future! You don’t want to communicate how you’ve
failed to change in other organizations.
How can you communicate that you are an
adaptable employee to an organization that will face
rapid changes in a dynamic business environment?
There are certain key phrases in the current business environment. For example, talk about how you
learn well from others, how you contribute to teams
and organizations, and how you can think critically
and solve problems. Talk about how you appreciate
diversity and how you work well with teams to help
the organization meet its objectives. By concentrating on describing the types of characteristics you
have that employers need, your language conveys
your flexibility.
Avoid Negative Discussion of
Previous Organizations
This is a classic mistake of job candidates! You
Don’t Get Caught Up
in Long Responses
When you are trying to answer
a question, there is another way
for your mouth to get you in
trouble. If you provide windy
responses to interview questions,
you will annoy your interviewer.
Everything you say after the “too
long” mark occurs will be lost on your interviewer.
Practice short responses to potential interview
questions. When you get nervous, it is better to be
concise than to ramble on to cover your nervousness. On the flip side, if you can tell by your interviewer’s body language that you haven’t provided
enough detail, you can add a few sentences to
your response. Just about every interviewer is going to expect you to be nervous. Responding well
under pressure may land you the job over other
candidates.
The job interview is a means to an end. You have
to communicate effectively to convince the employer you are the best fit for the position. Remember,
your mouth will constantly get you in trouble when
you let your nerves take control.
If you have practiced (or at least reflected on)
what you will say to interview questions, you will be
more prepared to cover nervousness. The Internet
is also a good tool for finding potential interview
questions. Good luck at making your mouth work
in your favor at your next job interview!
Monique McClean-Vaughn
With the largest private workforce in the Turks and
Caicos and challenged with recruiting a further 500 for the
new Italian Village expansion, it fair to say that the human
resources department at Beaches Resort Villages and Spa isn’t
like any other.
Monique McClean-Vaughn joined the team at the beginning of 2007 as Assistant Human Resources Manager and
arrived well qualified with a degree in Management from
the University of the West Indies Cave Hill as well as being a
certified safety inspector and certified training in negotiation
and mediation. It was no surprise that she was soon promoted
to Human Resources Manager.
Belonger Monique,
whose family hail from
Fac t B ox
Grand Turk, comments,
Name
Monique McClean-Vaughn
“Human Resources is a
Hometown St Michael, Barbados
dynamic discipline that
pulls on all of ones skills
Position
Human Resources Manager
in order to get the job
Years
at
BTC
2
accomplished. One of the
most challenging aspects
of my job is to create an open environment for our team
members whilst remaining unbiased and objective.”
The daily routine for Monique and her team is as a varied
as it gets and can involve anything from payroll to permits,
from discipline to interviewing, all of which comes with
a high amount of responsibility. “If a Human Resources
deadline isn’t met it can impact on someone’s life, for example,
if someone isn’t hired for a job they desperately want or someone doesn’t receive payment when they badly need the money,”
she explained.
Recently, Monique oversaw the Beaches Graduate Trainee
Program which saw over 50 high school leavers and members of Clement Howell High put through their paces on the
resort. “Our graduate trainee scheme gives young islanders
the chance to see the various career opportunities available on
a resort such as this and the hospitality industry as a whole”,
she added.
However, it’s not plain sailing for the participating graduates who are required to submit an official resume, dress appropriately and sit through a real life interview process as well
as undertaking rigorous training to prepare them for later life.
Given the nature of Monique’s role at Beaches, she treats
each and every issue with the same utmost importance and
following the simple motto of “Right first time” and strives to
learn new techniques and trends.
Monique says, “In HR, no two days are the same so you arrive at the office in the morning not knowing what challenges
await. It can be very diverse and so you need to think on your
feet at all time but I wouldn’t swap it for the world!”
Jobs
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at $35
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estate ads and more
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JANRIC CLASSIC SUDOKU
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Wayne Garland Responds to Trip Advisor Stories

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