News
TCI: Mario Rigby ONE DAY away from Caicos Challenge start
#TurksandCaicos, April 29, 2021 – The Caicos Challenge is Mario Rigby’s fifth eco-exploit and it begins on Friday April 30. The world’s only known, ‘Eco explorer’ will swim, run, hike, climb and kayak across the main islands of the Turks and Caicos in a challenge expected to take him between 5 and 6 days.
It will not be easy, especially when he crosses 40km in a kayak in the open ocean between Grand Turk and South Caicos.
In a press conference on Monday, held at Grace Bay Club, Rigby expressed his thanks and unraveled a dynamic plan in the Caicos Challenge.
It will not only be a brutal physical escapade captured on film by TCI’s Li Welch; it will be a promotional pitch to the adventure community of the world about the possibilities in Turks and Caicos. It will also be a practice for a larger Caribbean-wide crossing, a fulfillment of a childhood dream for Mario Rigby and a fundraiser to support an Eco Explorer’s club bearing his name to be managed by the Turks and Caicos Reef Fund and the Edward Gartland Youth Center.
Residents are welcomed to get involved when Mario Rigby arrives in Providenciales on May 4. Rigby, who hails from Blue Hills and is a 2002 TCI National athletics team member will run 5k from Blue Haven to Turks Kebab, his mother’s restaurant in Grace Bay.
Organisers are asking participants to arrive at Blue Haven by 5:30 am; Covid 19 protocols will be enforced.
Who’s on Board
The Turks and Caicos Tourist Board is proud to partner with eco-explorer and son of the soil Mario Rigby on his upcoming expedition called The Caicos Challenge.
The Caicos Challenge is a grueling expedition over 5-6 days that will cover eight of Turks & Caicos’ main islands. The entire challenge will be done solo by Mario using only human-powered propulsion which includes; swimming, biking, kayaking, running and hiking. This will be an athletic feat that has never been recorded before making Mario the first to ever do so.
As a native of the islands, Mario wants to showcase the beauty, diversity and landscape of Turks and Caicos. He will take his global audience on a journey of sustainability & social impact as he traverses the eight islands. While taking on this extraordinary challenge Mario is committed to giving back to his community and sharing the stories of the people, places and possibilities along his journey.
The Caicos Challenge was officially launched with a press conference on Monday April 26th at Grace Bay Club which was attended by dignitaries, partners and well-wishers. During the event, Director of Tourism Pamela Ewing pledged the support of the Turks & Caicos Tourist Board and expressed how the partnership will assist with promoting our sister islands as well as eco and adventure tourism in the destination.
To find out more information on The Caicos Challenge and to track Mario’s expedition through our sister islands visit http://www.mariorigby.com/caicoschallenge.html
Photo Credits: Grace Bay Club
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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