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Queen’s Baton Relay, arrives April 6 for Country-Wide Tour

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#TurksandCaicos, March 21, 2022 – The Countdown to the Queen’s Baton relay is on, we are just 20 days away from the arrival of the Baton to the Turks and Caicos Islands, ahead of the 2022 Birmingham Games set for July 28 – August 8, 2022.

The baton will arrive on April 6 via Inter Island Airways at 11:45 a.m. from Nassau in the Bahamas, before the start of the 2022 Birmingham Games, set for July 28 – August 8, in the United Kingdom. The baton is expected to travel to the Cayman Islands after leaving the Turks and Caicos Islands.

On the 28th July Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth 11 will read the Message to the Athletes that she placed in the baton before setting out on its epic journey of 72 nations and territories, lasting an incredible 294 days, covering 90,000 miles and having 7,500 Baton Bearers trusted with the once- in-a- lifetime opportunity to carry the Baton.  Coordinator of the QBR Mrs. Rita Gardiner, OBE, stated last evening on Sports Watch that she is pleased to announced that Turks and Caicos will have approximately 85 – 90 of those Baton Bearers including our sole Olympian and World Champion, Delano Williams who will run with the baton for the very first time and tell his Untold story.

The Queen’s Baton Relay is seen as a symbol of peace and unity, it’s a games tradition that celebrates, connects and excites communities and people from across the Commonwealth. The QBR is the World’s longest, most inclusive Relay, enabling millions of people from Africa, Asia, Oceania, The Americas, Europe and of course the Caribbean during the build up to the games.  During each visit, nations and territories organize events and activities hosted by the country’s Commonwealth Games Association in collaboration with the government, private sector and civic organizations.     that will showcase the countries culture, historic sites and breath-taking beaches as well as the hospitality of local people and the uniqueness of each community.

The President of the Commonwealth Games Association, and Executive Members, reveal plans, which include a star-studded welcome for the Queen’s Baton’s arrival by His Excellency, Governor Nigel Dakin, Deputy Governor, Her Excellency Hon. Anya Williams, Premier, Hon. Charles Washington Misick, Ministers of Tourism, Hon. Josephine Connolly. Minister of Sports, Hon. Rachel Taylor, along with their Directors and Heads of Departments, Hon. Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Edwin Astwood, Mr. Jarett Forbes Director of Sports and his Team from the Sports Commission, together with a contingent of accomplished Turks and Caicos athletes, members of the media, and well-wishers, for the official hand over at the Providenciales International airport before the motorcade travels to Cheshire Hall for the hosting of the Official Welcome Ceremony.

Turks and Caicos culture will be on display every step of the way, as the Baton will visit North and Middle Caicos on the 7th April returning to Provo for the QBR where all NGB’s will be represented.  On April 8, the baton will travel to South Caicos and Salt Cay climaxing in Grand Turk where a huge celebration is planned celebrating the accomplishments of young people.

The Relay will commence at 2:00 p.m. from Carnival Cruise Centre throughout the neighbourhoods of Grand Turk, since it’s International Health Week a stop will be done at the Cockburn Town Hospital for a Photo –op with staff and on to the Geriatric Facility for the Occupants to see the baton and wave their TCI flags.

The relay will conclude with the Official Ceremony at the Parade Grounds where the Commonwealth Games Association is committed to delivering an event with a specific focus on empowering and celebrating young people. We have identified Young Persons as Change Makers with an aspirational story to tell.

 

The areas for consideration are:

Equality, diversity, and Inclusion

Job creation, well-being and social value

Human Rights

The theme for this segment is “Let’s Take It On.”

This means that the QBR will inspire youths to take on challenges that matter most to them. This is more than a Queen’s Baton Relay; it is a call to action. A call to make a difference.

The CGA is committed as is Birmingham to delivering a QBR with a specific focus on Youth Empowerment and Sustainability.

 

By: Rita J. Gardiner, OBE

Coordinator, QBR

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Caribbean News

CARPHA Progresses to Eligibility for the First Disbursement of Pandemic Funding

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Following a landmark Public Signing Ceremony for the Pandemic Fund (PF) Technical Cooperation Agreement (“Reducing the Public Health Impact of Pandemics in the Caribbean through Prevention, Preparedness, and Response” [RG-T4387] Project) on December 14, 2023, in Trinidad, the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) continues to progress towards the start of implementation.

 CARPHA fulfilled the IDB’s nine conditions prior to first disbursement, achieving full eligibility on March 15, 2024, and is now eligible for the first disbursement. This milestone achievement in just 3 months after the signing speaks to the commitment of both CARPHA, the Executing Agency, and IDB, the Implementing Entity, toward the regional PF project with the objective of supporting the reduction of the public health impact of pandemics in the Caribbean by building pandemic prevention, preparedness and response (PPR) surveillance & early-warning systems (EWS), laboratory systems and workforce capacity, regionally at CARPHA and in countries.

Since the signing of the Technical Cooperation Agreement and as part of the conditions prior to first disbursement, CARPHA has achieved the following key outputs (i) the development of the PF Project Operations Manual, Multi-annual Execution Plan, Procurement Plan, Financial Plan, Procedure for CARPHA’s Financial Reporting System; (ii) vacancy announcements for two tranches of consultants with the subsequent hiring of five (Technical Coordinator, Financial Specialist, Procurement Specialist, Operations Officer and Project Operations Coordinator) and (iii) the establishment of the Project Execution Unit (PEU) and Project Execution Steering Committee (PESC). The dedicated PEU will be responsible for execution according to its planned timelines, which will be led by the Dr. Lisa Indar, the Project Director (CARPHA’s Director of Surveillance, Disease Prevention and Control Division).

 CARPHA, as the lead regional public health agency and an expression of Caribbean Cooperation in Health is mandated by its Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) to support its 26 CARPHA Member States (CMS) in bolstering national systems and coordinating regional response to public health threats. The Agency works closely with regional and international agencies and uses regional mechanisms, surveillance systems, and networks for coordinating its public health response work.

In July 2023, the PF Governing Board announced that CARPHA’s regional entity proposal, entitled ‘Reducing the Public Health Impact of Pandemics in the Caribbean through Strengthened Integrated Early Warning Surveillance, Laboratory Systems and Workforce Development’ was successfully selected for the first round of financing. It was one of only 19 proposals selected from over 300 submissions and the only regional project. The three priority areas in the proposal are: (i) Comprehensive disease surveillance and EWS, (ii) Laboratory systems and (iii) Human resources and public health and community workforce capacity.

This project is expected to begin implementation in March 2024, starting off with a blended onboarding session. A Stakeholder Meeting with countries is tentatively planned for July 2024.

CARPHA remains dedicated to working together with the IDB, CARPHA Member States and the Pandemic Fund to successfully implement the regional proposal geared toward reducing the public health impact of pandemics in the Caribbean.

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Caribbean News

Men who had Murdered Man, Marley Higgs’ cell phone face Court

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Wilkie Arthur

Freelance Court Correspondent

The prosecution intends to try two young North Caicos men, both age 21 for the offense of possession of property of a murdered man, property that was stolen and landed in their possession.

The phone belonged to Peureton ‘Marley’ Higgs, who is believed to have been an innocent gunned down at his apartment complex in the Glass Shack area in a spray of bullets on February 2 that killed another man and wounded two others, including a ten-year-old little girl.

The cell phone was described as white in colour, an iPhone, in a hard black case. 

On Monday, March 18th, JEFFVANO HANDFIELD of North Caicos pleaded not guilty to the offense, and the matter was adjourned to April 2024. He was granted bail in the matter.

A second North Caicos man was charged similarly.  

SARENO CAPELLAN aka, Kino Williams is the second individual brought before the court pertaining to the said cellphone. He appeared in court a week after JEFFVANO HANDFIELD, the date being Monday March 25th 2024.

The case for the Crown is that both men sometime in February of this year possessed the cellphone knowing or suspecting it to be stolen property.

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Caribbean News

Supreme Court Closed for Easter

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NOTICE is hereby given that the Easter Recess shall commence on Friday 29th April, 2024 and end on Friday 5th April, 2024. During the Easter Recess Judge Selochan will be available to deal only with matters that are urgent or require prompt attention.

Court Business During the Easter Recess

A person who wishes to have a matter heard during the recess must file a certificate of urgency along with an affidavit, which must set out the reasons why the matter is urgent or requires prompt attention. The matter will not be listed during the recess unless the Judge deems it fit for urgent hearing.

Opening Hours During the Easter Holiday

The Supreme Court’s last sitting day for the first term is Thursday 28th March, 2024. The Court will officially resume sittings on Monday 8th April, 2024. The Supreme Court Offices in both Grand Turk and Providenciales will continue to operate while the Court is not sitting during the recess.

The Court Office will be closed on the following public holidays:

  • Friday 29th March, 2024 (Good Friday) CLOSED
  • Monday 1st April, 2024 (Easter Monday) CLOSED

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