News
BEACHES STAFF DONATES TO DIFFERENT CHARITIES FOR CHRISTMAS
Providenciales, 23 Dec 2014 – In its second consecutive year Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort Villages and Spa has invited all its team members to participate once again in our, “Share your Christmas” ( SYC) canned and non-perishable food drive. Celebrating the holiday season, the initiative has a host of activities centered on the spirit of giving and stewardship towards the community and the less fortunate.
Along with a number of community outreach programs and environmental clean-up initiatives; Beaches Turks and Caicos has also launched its “Share your Christmas” Food Drive from December 10th – 24th 2014 to collect food items that will be donated directly to two (2) pantries that serve the less fortunate of the Turks and Caicos: The National HIV Prevention Unit and The Turks and Caicos Social Welfare Office.
The HIV prevention unit assists directly with providing medical support services to those infected with the virus. The group also provides healthy meals daily to about 35-40 persons on the island of Providenciales who would not have the means to otherwise feed themselves. The TCI Social Welfare Office assist with providing financial support to the unemployed and under employed in the Turks and Caicos Islands. They directly impact single mothers, children, the disabled and the elderly by providing them with monetary support and where possible, food and clothing in some cases.
It is our hope that we will be able to collect enough canned goods and non-perishable items not only to assist both organizations with their continued efforts to ensure that all persons enrolled in one or more of these social programs has a healthy meal this holiday season but to also send a charge to other corporate citizens in the community to mobilize and assist in this effort! We also thank the IGA Supermarket Chain for partnering with us for a second year for their kind donation of two gift cards that will be given directly to Social Welfare and the National Aids Programs for the purchase of additional goods for the cause.
A photo challenge capturing team member donations to the “Share Your Christmas Bins” made the initiative extra fun for all of our team members that graciously participated in this years’ SYC food drive. The food bins were situated at the security gates in the back of house, at the Caribbean and Key West Villages . We thank you for being our partners as we work together in eradicating poverty and HIV/AIDS throughout the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Let’s all get involved and share a little this holiday season.
By Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicos, March 29, 2023 – On April 1st, the second round of increases on contributions at the National Insurance Board will kick in for the Turks and Caicos workforce. Announced last year, the increases were instituted to keep the NIB from running out of money by 2027 as it services a population that is living longer with contributions that had not been increased in 30 years.
As the Government’s new financial year begins, increases at NIB will mean a higher cost for doing business and a higher cost for running the Government.
The private sector is expected to pay contributions at a rate of 11 percent on your taxable income. The hike is up from last year’s 10 per cent; six percent of which is to be paid by the Employer and five percent is to be paid by the
Employee. For wages of $2000, this will mean a $200 improvement in income per month to the NIB. As for the burn on residents’ pockets, based on a minimum wage of $1200 monthly salary, that’s at least $60 dollars a month and $720 per year.
Public sector rates will move to 10.15 percent up from 9.15 per cent with the worker paying 4.575 per cent and the Government paying 5.575 per cent; that’s $54 a month and $648 a year at minimum wage.
The NIB rate as of April 1, 2023, will jump to 9 percent for self-employed individuals; For self-employed individuals at minimum wage, that is $108 dollars a month or $1296 per year.
As taxable incomes increase so will the contribution.
The increases follow a 2019 Actuarial review, undertaken every three years, which unearthed that the NIB was facing a dismal future, possible collapse. Contribution rates were growing at a rate much slower than NIB expenses, which included beneficiary payouts. On that trajectory, the NIB’s earnings would be eclipsed by its income by 2027, forcing the worker protection plan to draw down on money saved for economic shocks like Covid-19.
Unsurprisingly, this was deemed untenable, and an immediate increase was recommended.
Despite this scramble to boost earnings, the NIB has simultaneously increased payouts. Payouts for pensions, funeral grants, maternity grants and more will all attract bigger sums.
These incremental increases on contributions and payouts were all consultant recommendations, informed statements from the Board.
Bahamas News
Work of NAECOB critical in ensuring high standards in education, says Minister Hanna-Martin
“We’re the Ministry of Education and they’re our schools. We are accountable to NAECOB. They ensure that what is happening on the campuses throughout the nation meets the physical standards and the qualitative standards of education. You would have heard classroom size and teacher/student ratio. We may have challenges, and we do at the Ministry of Education but when these issues are brought to our attention we are obliged and compelled to seek resolution to ensure that the standards are met.
the criteria to offer an educational service in The Bahamas as outlined in the Education Act. She said it is mandatory that all educational institutions/provider offering/proposing to offer an educational service in the Bahamas must be registered according to the NAECOB Act and the Education Act.BIS Photos/Mark Ford
Header: Seated at the table, from left: – Lorraine Armbrister, Permanent Secretary; Minister Glenys Hanna-Martin; Dominique McCartney Russell, Acting Director; Cassia Minnis, Registration Officer; Thelma Grimes, Council Chairperson; Howard Newbold, Inspector, Council Member; Shena Williams, Council and Inspector; Dorothy Anderson, Inspector; T. Nicola McKay, Deputy Chairperson; (seated behind) Willard Barr, Council and Inspector.
1st insert: Thelma Grimes, Council Chairperson
2nd insert: Howard Newbold, Inspector and Council Member
3rd insert: The Hon. Glenys Hanna-Martin, Minister of Education and Technical and Vocational Training
4th insert: Cassia Minnis, Registration Officer
#TheBahamas, March 27, 2023 – As the 50th anniversary of our nation’s independence approaches, Bahamians everywhere are teeming with excitement and expectancy around the year-long celebrations set by The National
Independence Secretariat.
Yesterday, the Prime Minister joined H.E Leslia Miller Brice, Chair of The National Independence Secretariat to unveil the Calendar of Events for the 50th Independence celebrations.
The calendar comprises a host of events, initiatives and recommendations for celebrations throughout all 33 islands of The Bahamas.
At this jubilant occasion the PM stated, “Celebrating independence is about acknowledging the greatness around us, the greatness within us, and the greatness ahead of us.
We are Bahamians. That identity is special.”
View the newly released calendar of events here:
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