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Premier Hon. Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson Accepts Chairmanship of the OCTA While Her Government Flip-Flopped With Supporting One of Its Key Initiatives.

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Turks and Caicos, February 28, 2017 – According to a TCIG Press Release on February 23, 2017, Premier, Hon. Sharlene CartwrightRobinson, attended the 15th European Union Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTA) Forum in Oranjestad, Aruba. While at the forum, Premier Hon. Cartwright-Robinson accepted the role of Chair of OCTA and signed “…the Programming Documents commissioning the official start of the EDF 11 Program”.   Commenting on the forum, Premier Hon. Cartwright-Robinson stated that “The Turks and Caicos has continued to benefit over the years from funding through the EDF program”.

Surprisingly, although the Premier Hon. Cartwright-Robinson accepted the Chairmanship of the OCTA and kicked off the EDF 11 Program, she didn’t inform the forum’s attendees that less than a week before, her government withdrew its support for the EDF 11 program.

On February 17, the Cartwright-Robinson Government sent out a public notice canceling the tender for the “Consultancy for the Turks and Caicos Islands Government’s EDF 11 Education Sector Reform Strategy, Tender Reference Number TR 16/77”.   Having a Consultant working on the deliverables is a key requirement of the EDF 11 program, and the country would become ineligible for the grant if it doesn’t have one.   Realizing that she would have had the distinction of being the first Chair of the OCTA whose Government didn’t support its programs, Premier Hon. Cartwright-Robinson’s government on February 24th, rushed out a slightly amended version of the original EDF 11 Tender document, and in doing so, canceled its own cancelation of the EDF 11 Tender document.

Since 2012, under the previous PNP Government, the Turks and Caicos Islands was the recipient of two EDF grants – EDF 9 and EDF 10 (which focused on Strengthening and Improving the Business Sector) – with a total funding of €13.7m (US$14.5m).   The EDF 11 program which includes additional funding of €14.6m (US$15.5m), was to have focused on reforming and strengthening the education sector, and the previous PNP government had already advanced it to the programming and financing stage.

In highlighting the country’s stellar performance regarding the EDF programs, Deputy Governor, Anya Williams, who also attended the forum, stated:  “The Turks and Caicos has made great strides in its EU program work over the years since being reinstated into the program in 2012. Within a relatively short period of time we have not only seen the completion and closure of the EDF 9 Program, but also the full implementation of EDF 10…”

“The Turks and Caicos is also only one of five territories that have already advanced our EDF 11 program to the programming and financing stage; in the words of the EU Commission, making us a star amongst the EU Overseas Territories.   This is quite commendable…”

Leader of the Opposition, and former Minister of Finance in the previous PNP Government, Hon. C. Washington Misick, commenting on the EDF programs, stated that “The EDF programs have benefitted the country tremendously, and I am proud that the previous PNP Government’s accomplishments in rolling them out have been recognized by the Deputy Governor.   I was surprised and disappointed when I learned that the current Government had withdrawn its support for the EDF 11 program.   Thankfully, even if just to save face with the Premier becoming the new Chair of the OCTA, they have reversed that position and now support it.   Assuming that the Government doesn’t change its position again on the EDF 11 program, and I strongly encourage Madam Premier not to do so, the country should again benefit from the great strides made by the previous PNP Government.”

Press Release: PNP

Bahamas News

Husband Murder Plot foiled in The Bahamas; Wife and two others arrested 

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Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer

 

#TheBahamas, August 5, 2023 – An American woman has been arrested in The Bahamas, accused of conspiring with two men, one of them alleged to be her lover, to murder her estranged husband.

The woman, 36 year old Lindsay Shiver and the two men, 28-year-old Terrance Bethel, the alleged lover and 29 year old Faron Newbold, were taken into custody last week following police investigation of a reported burglary at Grabbers Bar and Grill restaurant on Great Guana Cay.

The police looked into their cell phones and found WhatsApp messages detailing the assassination plot to kill her husband.

The couple, who built a life in South Georgia have three children and are home owners on the island in the Abacos.

News outlets throughout the US have reported on the scandalous story, including that a nasty court battle over the couple’s reported, $5 Million dollar fortune and three children was underway.  Shiver, an entrepreneur is a former beauty Alabama queen, her husband a former football player was an insurance executive.

According to US media, the husband, Robert, recently filed for divorce from Shivers after a decade of marriage upon discovering she had an alleged extra-martial affair with Bethel whom she met in The Bahamas.

While the husband claims infidelity on the part of his wife, the wife claims he was abusive.

The suspects Shiver, Bethel and Newbold appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Roberto Reckley on Friday July 28th.  Their next court date is set for October 5th.

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Bahamas News

Alarming Sexual Assault cases raising fears in The Bahamas

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Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer

#TheBahamas, August 5, 2023 – The Bahamas is now facing an unfortunate reality as sexual assault has become and is a growing issue since 2023.  Women and girls are said to be living in fear for their safety from these perpetrators.

The Royal Bahamas Police force has reported on instances of assault in press releases found on their Facebook page.

One report spoke of a 50 year old they were searching for after he burglarized a home and sexually assaulted an elderly woman, 82 years old.  She was reported to be asleep when he woke and assaulted her.

This took place on Tuesday July 11th, 2023 at the home in the Centreville area of Nassau.

There is another incident that took place on July 17th, 2023 which the police are seeking in catching the suspect as they investigate.  It involves a man believed to the perpetrator in for an armed robbery and sexual assault.

According to preliminary data, he approached the victim, a female, with a firearm, robbed her and sexually assaulted her.  He proceeded to enter the house and robbed a male and escaped.  This happened in the Cowpen Road area; also in Nassau.

The assaults continue to grow in number as the police reported that they were investigating two other incidents that took place on July 24th.

The first had to do with a female, 30 years old who reported she was driving on West on Marshall Road when two men approached her after she slowed down near Faith Avenue.  One of the males with a firearm, forced her from her vehicle and took her to nearby bushes where they sexually assaulted her after which they escaped.

The second incident involved à 32 year old woman who was sexually assaulted by a male known to her.  It is reported that she was walking in the Fleming Street area when she accepted transportation from the suspect, who drove her to a dirt road off Gladstone Road where he presented a firearm and proceeded to rape her.

Furthermore, another assault, this time involving a 9 year old girl, was reported.  As revealed by preliminary information, the victim was playing with friends outside where she lives on Saturday July 29th, 2023 when the suspect, a 42 year old male of Summerset Estate, driving a white Nissan Skyline, arrived and gestured to her to enter the car.

She entered the car after which he took her to an unknown location, threatened her and sexually assaulted her.  She was later found somewhere in Spikenard Road; this also happened in Nassau.

Fortunately, he was caught and arrested for abduction and sexual assault on Sunday July 30th by officers affiliated with the Drug Enforcement Unit.

There are other reports of sexual assault throughout The Bahamas as well as rape and attempted rape during the earlier parts of the year, dating back to as early as February.

 

CAPTION: Women Leaders, including Ann Marie Davis, wife of the Prime Minister filled the gallery of The Bahamas Senate this week as members of the upper chamber debated the Protection Against Violence Bill 2023.  The debate came just as the country experiences a spike in sexual assaults against women and girls.  Photo by Patrick Hanna, BIS.

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Bahamas News

Premier Misick received a courtesy call from the Bahamas Leader of the Opposition

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#TurksandCaicos, August 5, 2023 – On August 3rd, 2023, Premier Misick met with the Leader of the Opposition of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, the Honorable Michael Pintard. The discussion was highly productive, and they delved into matters of mutual concern between their neighboring nations. Hon. Pintard was accompanied by other opposition members, including Senator the Honorable Darren Handfield and Mr. Joshua Sears.

 

Group photo caption:

From Left to Right: Mr. Joshua Sears, Senator Hon. Darren Hendfield, Premier Hon. Charles Washington Misick, Bahamas Leader of the Bahamas Hon. Michael Pintard and Deputy Premier Hon. Erwin J. Saunders.

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