News
Gov’t Commits to Funds in Row over Health Snacks at Hospitals
Dana Malcolm
Staff writer
#TurksandCaicos, September 14, 2023 – A breakdown in communication between InterHealth Canada and the TCI Government worked to the detriment of patients recently as the two agencies squabble over who should pay for snacks and the result is a stipend package for a select group.
The Government never received a copy of the controversial letter notifying of the suspension of food for the 61 dialysis patients, according to Shaun Malcolm, Minister of Health and Human Services speaking during a press event on September 05.
Significant public discourse was sparked after the letter was shared in the public domain, indicating that InterHealth Canada would suspend the provision of meals as the Government had refused to pay for them. 
It’s unclear why the TCIG allowed the issue to balloon to the point where patients were directly affected but Malcolm says he found out about the suspension through the media.
InterHealth Canada explained their decision in the letter.
“Earlier this Summer TCIG advised InterHealth Canada that the costs associated with the provision of dietary supplements to dialysis patients, are not clinical costs and should not be included in our invoices to TCIG until TCIG approved a formal Proposal including relevant and detailed information on the costs involved. With regret, we have to tell you that we have received a letter from the TCI advising that after reviewing the Project Agreement and the Proposal, they have reached the decision to reject our request.”
It was signed by Denise Braitwaite Tennant, CEO of the TCI Hospital.
“Without seeking the proper approval from the Turks and Caicos Government, InterHealth Canada has historically charged TCIG for meals provided to the dialysis patients,” was Malcolm’s defense in the press conference.
He did not address accusations by the Hospital that TCIG had refused to pay for the meals.
The Turks and Caicos Islands Government has now committed to continue providing the cash for dialysis patients to get a meal after their treatment and insists they have always been the ones covering this cost.
“The Government is working to ensure that meals are provided to patients and I can assure you that it remains the intention to continue paying for the meals as necessary,” Malcolm said.
They’re also committing to providing a stipend for dialysis patients until the issue is sorted.
#TurksandCaicos, September 24, 2023 – Head missing and body found floating in Grace Bay waters on July 13, more than two months later and finally DNA tests confirm what many in who knew the man, had already guessed; that the body was that of Ryan Ronald Musgrove, 38. 
Police on Friday informed the test confirmed the identity on Thursday.
“The body of a man found floating in the sea on July 13th, 2023, has been identified as 38-yearold Ryan Ronald Musgrove. Mr. Musgrove of Blue Hills, Providenciales, was positively identified yesterday, following the results of a Deoxyribonucleic acid (D.N.A) test. Based on police reports, officers of the Royal Turks and Caicos Island Police Force responded to calls of a body floating in the water within the Grace Bay district.
Officers from the Marine Branch and Scenes of Crime Unit arrived at the scene and retrieved the body from the water. Following the discovery an investigation was initiated to determine the circumstances and identity of the male victim.”
The horrible death of Musgrove is classified as unexplained by Police, who also say it is being considered both a criminal and non-criminal matter.
Wilkie Arthur
Freelance Court Reporter
#TurksandCaicos, September 24, 2023 – The corruption case against Senior Police Inspector ALVIRTO SMITH and two others, namely: PAUL ANGENORD and WESLEY CAMPBELL is still underway in the Providenciales Magistrate’s Court before Her Honour Mrs. Oreika Selver-Gardiner.
The men were jointly charged with conspiracy to commit corruption, aiding and abetting corruption and a number of
corruption charges dating back to an Integrity Commission investigation in 2020/2021.
The conspiracy trial that the learned Resident Magistrate has to consider and reach a decision on,(when the case arrives at it’s final date) are allegations that sometime on or around May 4, 2021, Smith and Angenord, who is a police mechanic ‘did act in a corrupt manner with one Christopher Hall in regards to a rifle firearm that Christopher Hall failed to declare.’
Wesley Campbell is also named in the alleged financial conspiracy deal or illegal agreement.
Christopher Hall, an accomplice in these proceedings went to a lawyer and then to Integrity Commission and got immunity for the firearm if he provided evidence against the others in the sordid case.
There were alleged cash and wire transfer payments to facilitate the alleged offenses.
This case has been partly-heard for months since arraignment in 2021, but there have been held, some consistent day by day proceedings over the past four weeks.
Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#UnitedKingdom, September 24, 2023 – For the first time since 2021, the Bank of England has decided to ‘hold steady’ on interest rates rather than increase them.
The decision comes following an unexpected fall in inflation in the European country. 
It means UK consumers’ interest rate remains at 5.25 percent. According to the BOE reports tabled on September 21st, only 5 of the nine members of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted to keep the rate steady.
The Bank expects the inflation rate, currently at 6.7 percent, to reach the two percent target by mid-2025 and food inflation is going down.
But at the same time, the UK’s Gross Domestic Product GDP declined in July and growth is expected to stay weak, plus, unemployment is on the rise in the country.
“The Labour Force Survey unemployment rate rose to 4.3 percent in the three months to July, higher than expected in the August Report,” the bank explained.
The US also recently held steady on its interest rates after a significant period of increase.
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