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Bahamian Ministers Campbell and Ferreira Join MP Adrian Gibson to Assess the Impact of Abandoned Barge

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IMG_2891#Bahamas, October 28, 2017 – Long Island – No spilled oil or environmental damage was caused by the abandoned barge, left broken up at Gray’s Bay in Long Island, as was reported by numerous concerned residents, voicing their opinions on social media.

On the morning of October 25th, a Government delegation left Nassau and arrived at Deadman’s Cay Airport, shortly after 10 A.M., with an assessment party of eight persons to visit the abandoned barge site, which included Minister of Transport and Local Government, the Hon. Frankie Campbell, and Minister of the Environment and Housing, the Hon. Romauld Ferreira, as well as Long Island M.P.,  Adrian Gibson.

IMG_2930The treacherous trek to the site took the group about two hours to make, both getting there to the barge, as well as leaving the barge site to get back to the main road, and proved to be a true test of physical fitness for everyone.   They arrived to document the real damage inflicted on the area, and calculate a cost for the Clean Up of the cargo contents, spilled from inside of the damaged barge and assess the mitigation of any environmental threats caused by spoils and debris.

The group was accompanied by the Defence Force, the Royal Bahamas Police Force, Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) Clinic Nurses, as well as Local Government officials, whom all proceeded in the assigned vehicles, straight to the beach site.

IMG_2941The man-made and weather- beaten path to the vessel’s final resting place was naturally enclosed and environmentally coveted by hilly rough terrain, and sharp, black honeycombed rock, intimately inclined on a hill-shaped beachfront.    In addition to being complimented by fossilized coral reefs, which were exposed to millions of years of climate change, Gray’s Bay seemed to be an appropriate place for a dying battered barge to find a peaceful place to expire its course, and created a natural protection to the minimizing the spread of the ship’s hazardous contents and containing it safely.

Although the Long Island Administrator arranged transportation into Clarence Town, where a fly over could have been conducted, followed by a trip by boat to the site, ocean swells permitting, the assessment group felt collectively it was more fitting to physically walk to the site, suitably attired, to get a more hands-on and accurate assessment of how impenetrable these accidents are to impacting the vulnerability of the environment.

The Staniel Cay, Exuma assessment part of the trip was cancelled, due to the fact that the owner of that barge moved his damaged vehicle on Tuesday, October 24th.

By: Gena Gibbs (BIS)

Photo caption:

Long Island Barge Spill Assessment on October 25, 2017 proved to show that no oil spill or environmental damage was causing a threat to Long Island residents as was reported on social media by some residents.  Pictured are Ministers Campbell and Ferreira, and MP Gibson on the barge site.

(BIS Photos/Carlyle Sands)

 

 

 

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RTCIPF Observes World Down Syndrome Day

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On March 21st, 2024, the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force joined the international, regional and local communities in observing World Down Syndrome Day. 

Officers showed their support by wearing brightly coloured and mismatched socks to raise awareness. 

The head of the Safeguarding and Public Protection Unit, Assistant Superintendent of Police Grantley Williams, Training Manager Mrs Odessa Forbes and Media Relations Officer Denyse Renne visited the SNAP Centre and interacted with the students.

In a message to the TCI community, the RTCIPF noted that stereotypes perpetuate stigma and hinder inclusion, preventing individuals from reaching their full potential. 

Instead, the RTCIPF calls for individuals to foster an environment of acceptance and support where everyone is valued for who they are. 

By breaking down barriers and challenging misconceptions, we can create a more inclusive society where individuals with Down Syndrome are empowered to live fulfilling lives and contribute meaningfully to their communities and, by extension, the TCI. 

As law enforcement officers, we must protect and serve all members of society, regardless of their abilities. 

Let’s work together to ensure that individuals with Down Syndrome are treated with dignity and respect and that their rights are upheld.

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CARICOM speaks out on Climate Change, looking to May meeting to amplify call for Climate Funding

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March 3, 2024

 

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) remains on the frontlines of global climate crisis, an issue the Region has been aggressively advocating on for the past thirty years. Despite the many commitments and promises of international partners, the window of opportunity to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels is rapidly closing.

Heads of Government are concerned that while COP 28 was widely regarded as a historic event, with the completion of the first global stocktake (GST), on progress in achievement of the Paris Agreement goals, the outcomes of GST show that emissions of greenhouse gases continue to rise and the nationally determined contributions (NDCs) of Parties will not keep global temperatures below the 1.5 degree goal enshrined in the Paris Agreement.

Heads of Government also expressed concern to be heading to COP 29 where a New Finance Goal will be articulated to replace the 100bn goal, which has not yet been met, even as developing countries require trillions to deal with the escalating impacts of climate change. Developed country parties have not provided enough finance at scale, technology and capacity building support required to help developing countries tackle their pressing needs to build their resilience, especially in adapting to the adverse and increasingly catastrophic impacts of climate change. The clear absence of definitive timelines for action and quantitative commitments for scaling up of investments, and particularly adaptation finance emerging out of COP 28, cause great concern to our Region.

The Conference noted that Small Island Developing States (SIDS), recognized as the most vulnerable group of countries and a special case for sustainable development, have been facing strong push back against the recognition of their special circumstances especially in the context of climate finance. There is limited international support for special allocations for SIDS within financing arrangements and available climate finance from international and private sources is limited, expensive and too onerous to access.

In light of the preceding, Heads of Government called for CARICOM to take a strategic, unified and coordinated approach to ensure that the Region remains influential in the climate and development arena through engagements with key partners and advocacy groups.

They called for renewed focus by the Region to advocate for inclusion of forests, nature-based solutions and blue carbon into market mechanisms with the aim of articulating clear regional positions and strategies.

Heads of Government reiterated the call for improved readiness programmes, simplified approval procedures, a change to the criteria for determining access to low-cost finance, and for the adoption of programmatic approaches to address the bottlenecks in accessing finance.

The Region reiterates its support for the Bridgetown Initiative’s call to expand capital adequacy of international financial institutions.

Heads recognized that the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States, scheduled to be held in Antigua and Barbuda, 27 – 30 May 2024, will be an inflection point for many of these discussions to be articulated. As such, the Region remains committed to participating in the Conference at the highest level.

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South Caicos Development Plans shared with Washington-Misick led Administration

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On Monday, 12 February 2024, the Premier led a delegation to tour the island of South Caicos to view the ongoing public and private sector projects, involving the remodelling and rebranding of the airport terminals, historical districts, and the East Bay Hotel.

The tour of the various developments reinforced the Government’s commitment to collaborating with stakeholders to boost the island’s activity and economy.

Photos courtesy of the TCI Office of the Premier

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