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Sandals Foundation & TCI Reef Fund Partner for Reef Conservation

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Turks and Caicos, March 28, 2017 – Providenciales – The Sandals Foundation has partnered with local environmental advocacy group, the Turks & Caicos Reef Fund (TCRF) to install several new permanent Mooring Buoys at the Princess Alexandra National Park along the Grace Bay Beach in Providenciales, Turks & Caicos (TCI) and the foundation has given a two year commitment to ensure maintenance of the project.

The Sandals Foundation which is the philanthropic arm of the Beaches Resorts in the TCI is investing over USD $10,000 to fund the installation of six new permanent Mooring Buoys for the public to use for dive and snorkel recreational watercrafts. Through the partnership the Sandals Foundation will cover the cost of materials such as rock pins, sand anchors, all hardware, lines, buoys and installation as well as two years of maintenance.

Heidi Clarke, Director of Programme for the Sandals Foundation said that the charitable organization is committed to helping preserve and protect the biodiversity of the marine environment in the Turks & Caicos.  “We recognize the beauty and value of our Coral Reef Systems and Sea Grass Beds in the Turks & Caicos and the Caribbean,” she said. “They not only attract visitors to this region, but most importantly they provide habitats for sea life including juvenile fish which impacts fish populations and in turn the livelihoods of thousands of Caribbean Nationals that depend on the fishing industry.”

reef 1Clarke explained that the Sandals Foundation chose to work with the Turks and Caicos Reef Fund because of their stellar track record and their extensive knowledge and experience in the TCI with installing mooring buoys. “We are proud to partner with an organization like the Turks and Caicos Reef Fund who recognizes the value of our precious marine environment and has been working for years to preserve it,” Clarke said.

Over the past five years TCRF has installed over 100 permanent mooring buoys throughout Turks and Caicos in locations marine traffic are the heaviest, in an effort to prevent boats from putting down anchors which can disturb sea beds and destroy coral reefs.

Don Stark, Chairman of the TCRF said that addition of six moorings in the National Marine Parks will further eliminate the need for anchoring which can be very destructive to the coral reefs.  “ When we started this effort our goal was to provide enough permanent moorings so that no dive boat or snorkel boat or even yachts would ever have to drop anchor on any of the reefs around the Turks & Caicos.” Said Stark, “ We are getting close to that goal and with the support of the Sandals Foundation, we are one step closer to achieving the goal.”

With its turquoise waters, Turks & Caicos is home of the third-largest barrier reef in the world. And with more than a million travelers venturing to the island each year to explore the wonders of the marine world, the Sandals Foundation and the Turks & Caicos Reef Fund are committed to protecting its underwater paradise and the rehabilitation, enhancement and maintenance of the moorings will only reap benefit for the island’s delicate eco-system while protecting for future use.   “We look forward to working with the TCRF on future projects as we continue to play our part in protecting our environment,” Clarke concluded.

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Bahamas News

RBDF Operation Strengthens Maritime Security Amidst Regional Turmoil

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Defence Headquarters, 17 MAR. ’24: A joint operation between the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) and the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) led to the apprehension of 50 Haitian migrants approximately 5 nautical miles west of Bell Island on Saturday, March 16th.

The operation was initiated following the initial sighting of a sailing vessel, believed to be of Haitian origin, 8 miles southwest of Staniel Cay in the Exumas. RBDF swiftly deployed air and surface assets stationed at Matthew Town Inagua, supported by Police officials in Staniel Cay who verified the sighting. The migrants were intercepted by RBDF personnel stationed at the Land and Sea Park, Wardrick Wells Exuma, and subsequently handed over to the safe boat crew. They are currently under apprehension pending further investigation, with the imminent arrival of HMBS Rolly Gray.

In response to the ongoing instability in Haiti, Commodore Raymond King has announced the implementation of a strategic blockade in the southern Bahamas. This initiative includes the deployment of six surface vessels, one aircraft, and 120 highly skilled RBDF personnel. Patrol operations will be concentrated in critical areas such as the northern coast of Haiti, the Old Bahama Channel, and the Windward Passage, with the aim of deterring unauthorized entry attempts and preserving maritime security in the region.

The effectiveness of these decisive measures is evident, with recent apprehensions totaling 247 individuals by the RBDF. Commodore Raymond E. King emphasizes the commitment to bolstering maritime security through collaborative efforts with regional partners and local law enforcement agencies.

The Royal Bahamas Defence Force remains committed to safeguarding the nation’s borders and territorial integrity, working collaboratively with regional partners.

(For further information please contact the RBDF Public Relations Department or visit our website: www.rbdf.gov.bs, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and view our Youtube channel)

-rbdf-

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Caribbean News

Wildfire Guyana, STAY ALERT

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Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer 

A wildfire in Guyana claimed the life of a 93 year old man on Tuesday March 12th and Guyanese people are now being urged to take precautions against these unpredictable phenomena.

The Guyana Fire Service reported that the fire seemingly started on an open farmland near the Parakies Village Community (the main road) located in the North West District, where the victim, Alexander Josephine, resided. 

Josephine was caught in the fire while working on his farm. Reports say he left home early at around 9 am to tend to his farm and later at about 1 pm, his family unfortunately received news he was injured during the fire and sadly died from his injuries.

Emergency officials arrived at the scene to find him lifeless and covered in burns. He was pronounced deceased after being transported to the Kumaka District Hospital.

A post-mortem examination will be performed on the deceased and an investigation into the causes of the fire is being conducted. 

The fire service, in providing tips to Guyanese on how to defend against forest fires, advised that they dig trenches around their homes to direct the fires elsewhere, specifically chosen areas where it can be burned out. And, people are told to not burn garbage or grass outdoors as this is a recipe for wildfires. 

They also recommend that people stay alert and  have evacuation plans in place in case they fall victim to these fires at home.

Additionally, the fire service informs that wildfires are common during the dry season and that they have been fighting wildfires and large grass fires over the past two months.

Wildfires have become a major issue globally.last year, 2023, Maui Hawaii suffered what was dubbed, one of the worst wildfires in the US since 1871. Many people lost their lives; loved ones, family and friends, and many were displaced as their homes were destroyed. 

The World Resources Institute in an August 2023 article says recent data reveals that wildfires are becoming more widespread, worsened by climate change, “burning nearly twice as much tree cover today as they did 20 years ago.”

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Caribbean News

GOV’T LOOKING TO EXPAND JAMAICAEYE

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KINGSTON, March 7 (JIS):

The National Security Ministry is looking to expand the national closed-circuit television (CCTV) surveillance programme ‘JamaicaEye’.

Portfolio Minister, Hon. Dr. Horace Chang, made the disclosure at the Standing Finance Committee meeting at Gordon House on Thursday (March 7).

JamaicaEye falls under Plan Secure Jamaica, which is geared towards creating a safe, secure, cohesive and just society, thereby providing an environment for increased and sustained growth and prosperity.

“JamaicaEye… we are expanding, but it has some challenges with the private sector. The security issue is that most of our connection, especially in the residential areas, are what we call the variable internet protocol (IP), and it is difficult to connect variable IP to the central system,” he pointed out.

Dr. Chang said that while it a cheaper system to use “and companies have used that in all the residential communities, it is posing as a challenge”.

“We are having discussion to see how we can overcome that, and the technical teams involved are looking at how we can… get that part of the programme going. In the meantime, we are expanding across the country, and we also ensure that the legal side of it is clear to the residents,” he indicated.

Jamaicans interested in connecting to JamaicaEye can register online at https://jamaicaeye.gov.jm/.

To participate, persons should have camera systems that are outside the home or business and face a public space; that can be connected to the Internet; have an IP-based system, preferably, although persons with older cameras will not be excluded; and have a resolution of two megapixels or higher.

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