News
Police Report Traffic Death in Provo over the weekend
By Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicos, November 28, 2022 – The Turks and Caicos islands has recorded another traffic fatality this year. In a short update police indicated that they had received calls around 10 a.m. Saturday, November 26th that a car had crashed near the Wine Cellar along Leeward Highway. First responders rushed the male victim to Cheshire Hall but he passed away within half an hour.
The circumstances surrounding the crash are unclear but the police maintained they are investigating and implored the public to call in with any information regarding the accident.
During the holiday season as parties increase, families celebrate and alcohol is poured, accidents and road fatalities tend to increase. This is thanks to increased road traffic, more individuals driving inebriated and a variety of reasons The US Centres for Disease Control describes it as a global issue and one that is easily preventable.
Road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death for children and young adults aged 5-29 years. In the Caribbean 30 percent of road traffic accidents happen to young people and 90 percent of those are young men. The increasing amounts of deaths in the Caribbean prompted Project Yellow Light, an initiative between the Caribbean Development Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank to increase awareness surrounding road fatalities back in 2015 around the same time the Pan American Health Organization called for stricter road traffic legislation
in the Caribbean.
In order to decrease the risk of serious injury or death there are several things drivers can do this Christmas season.
- Do not drive while drunk or while under the influence of drugs . Not only is it a criminal offense in the Turks and Caicos it is one of the leading causes of traffic accidents. When attending parties, have a designated driver. Do not allow your friends to drive while inebriated. It is safer to have an uncomfortable night sleeping in your car than to attempt driving while under the influence.
- Do not use your phone while driving and avoid other distractions. The CDC says ‘sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for at least five seconds. At 55 miles per hour, that is like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed.’ Driving is unpredictable and requires your full attention
- Don’t be afraid to wait out the storm. If driving in heavy rain or even snow depending on your location is becoming increasingly difficult don’t be afraid to pull over and wait until conditions are better, arriving late beats not arriving at all.
- Purchase and use the correct car seats for your children, learn how to buckle them in properly. Though we often assume car seats are for babies children should use booster seats from birth until the vehicle seat belt fits properly, typically when they have reached 4 feet 9 inches in height usually between 8 to 12 years old
- Always remember to put on your seat belt and buckle in your children. In the rush of Christmas shopping, visiting family etc. people may forget simple things.
Practicing these and other tips will make your Christmas road trips that much safer. Happy holidays! In addition if you or someone you know received a DUI charge or needs assistance with drug or alcohol use, contact the Department of Mental Health and Substance Dependence on 649-338-3613 in Grand Turk or 649-338-4737 in Providenciales.
#TurksandCaicos, September 29, 2023 – The Integrity Commission advises that the Register of Interests for Members of the Turks and Caicos Islands House of Assembly, as at 31st December 2022 has been completed.
Members of the House of Assembly are required by the Turks and Caicos Islands Constitution, Section 103(2), and the Integrity Commission Ordinance (the Ordinance), as amended, Section 52(1), to file with the Commission, Statements of Registrable Interests. The Commission would, therefore, like to inform members of the public that, it
has compiled the information contained in these Statements of Registrable Interests and has produced The Register of Interests 2022 for the Members of the House of Assembly, as at 31st December 2022.
The Register of Interests 2022 is now available for public inspection at the following locations:
- House of Assembly in Grand Turk
- Office of the Premier – Grand Turk and Providenciales
- Office of the Integrity Commission – Grand Turk and Providenciales (during the hours of 8:30am to 4:30pm from Mondays to Thursdays and 8:00am to 4:00pm on Fridays.)
- Office of the District Commissioner – Middle Caicos, North Caicos, Salt Cay and South Caicos.
The Register can be viewed at these locations during normal working hours or at a time that is convenient for the respective offices.
For further information or any assistance please contact the Integrity Commission:
By telephone at: 946-1941(Grand Turk Office) or 941-7847 (Providenciales Office) By e-mail at: secretary@integritycommission.tc or info@integritycommission.tc
Rashaed Esson
Staff Writer
#TheBahamas, September 29, 2023 – With moves to deepen ties, governments of The Bahamas and Qatar have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to solidify agreements in principle surrounding the development of aviation and other related services.
This is according to Chester Cooper, The Bahamas Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investment and Aviation in a Facebook post.
This comes after The Bahamas Government in a press release on September 24th, revealed that Cooper, was set to meet with the head of Qatar Airways to have talks regarding “multiple mutually beneficial aviation opportunities for both countries.”
The release also said the deputy prime minister and the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investment and Aviation are working on “forging strategic partnerships with several Middle Eastern countries to strengthen ties to The Bahamas and the Caribbean,” and this new signing is indicative of such efforts.
Following the September 25th signing, on September 27th, Kenneth Romer, Deputy Director General of Tourism for The Bahamas informed via Facebook some details of the agreement saying, “we have now established a framework for cooperation and formed strategic partnerships with Qatar Airways, Qatar’s Transport, Aviation and Investment Agencies and The Qatar Aeronautical Academy, that will benefit our country.”
Regarding further efforts for the improvement of The Bahamas, Cooper announced on Facebook again on Tuesday September 26th that both countries are working to make Nassau a passenger hub for Latin America and the Caribbean adding that talks are being held for Grand Bahama as a cargo hub.
Additionally, as the press release informed, Cooper is preparing for an on ground visit of Bahamasair domestic operations by Qatar Airways Technical team sometime in October.
Rashaed Esson
Staff Writer
#Guyana, September 29, 2023 – Guyana is making moves to become the primary food production center for the Caribbean, going ahead with plans to develop a USD$14 million regional food hub.
In fact, as reported by the Observer, the facility has already been identified on the country’s Soesdyke /Linden Highway.
Guyana seems to really want this to become a reality and Zulfikar Mustapha, Agriculture Minister, expressed this,
highlighting what Guyana has over its Caribbean sister Islands.
“We want Guyana to be the food hub, the primary production hub of the Caribbean so that we could supply the Caribbean. What we have, our colleagues in the Caribbean don’t have. We have arable flat land and abundant fresh water,” he said, adding that with the multi-million dollar US investment, the country can, “modernise the infrastructure, and start ramping up the productions.”
Also, the Agriculture Minister pointed out that the project is geared to make for a more competitive local Agriculture industry as well as developing high-yielding varieties, pest-resistant and climate-resilient varieties.
Additionally, in the facility’s development, Guyana, Mustapha said, will work with Belize.
In fact, with more on Belize’s involvement, Dr. Ashni Singh, Finance Minister, informed that the Government is in talks with the Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley about sourcing inputs from northern Brazil and transporting them through Guyana to Barbados and vice versa.
Singh also reportedly revealed that the project will help develop the growing logistics industry in Guyana.
Considering regional food import cost, with this development, Guyana is the leading Caribbean Community country pushing ahead with plans to reduce the multi-billion dollar regional food import bill by 25 per cent by 2025, the Observer says.
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