Black Immigrant Daily News

Jamaica is 60! This calls for huge celebrations and Lynk, Jamaica’s revolutionary digital wallet platform is proud to be part of the festivities, playing their role in introducing Jamaicans to a cash-free experience and celebrating how far we have come in the evolution of our nation and its currency.

Emancipation Day kickstarted the nation’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations, starting with an Independence Float and Street Parade.

The Lynk execs were proud to be a sponsor of the activities this year, which started with a viewing deck at the parade that hosted some of Jamaica’s dignitaries.

As a sponsor of this year’s festivities, Lynk celebrates the past 60 years and the vision for a brighter, more modern, forward-thinking and inclusive future for our island nation.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness (2nd R) with Lynk execs (L-R) Chief Growth Officer Denise Williams, CEO Vernon James, and Brand and Communications Manager Kemoi Burke. (Photos: Contributed)

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Black Immigrant Daily News

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Angostura rum exports grew by 29 per cent in the first half of the 2022 fiscal year. –

Angostura has announced a 21 per cent increase in after-tax profit for the first half of the fiscal period ending June 30.

In its consolidated financial statements released on Wednesday, Angostura said its profit was $67.6 million, up by $12 million, compared to the same period in the last fiscal period.

Angostura earned $261.4 million locally as trade with bars, hotels and restaurants recovered in the second quarter. Internationally, revenue grew by 29 per cent, from $137.8 million to $178 million.

“This performance was achieved despite sustained pandemic-induced changes in buying patterns, global supply constraints and geopolitical shocks which have resulted in challenges with logistics, shipping and widespread inflationary pressures,” said chairman Terrence Bharath.

“In spite of market volatility, growing inflation and external shocks which will continue for the foreseeable future, the group has a positive outlook for the rest of FY 2022. We are confident that our performance will continue along this current trajectory with the support of our stakeholders and the ongoing dedication of our employees,” Bharath said.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

The Turks & Caicos Islands Golf Association (TCIGA) along with the Caribbean Golf Association (CGA) were thrilled to announce that the 65th Annual Caribbean Amateur Golf Championship (CAGC) will be held in Providenciales, August 1 to 5 at the Royal Turks & Caicos Golf Club.

Nine Caribbean-member countries have committed to sending their ten-best amateur players to vie for the coveted Hoerman Cup – Men’s Division and George Teale Trophy – Ladies’ Division, in a highly competitive three-round medal play event.

Teams from the Bahamas, Barbados, Cayman Islands, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos Islands and USVI, will be competing this year.

The objective of the golf associations is to promote golf throughout their respective countries and, through the sport – to teach the principles of honesty, hard work and responsibility to young people taking up the game.

Through the years many junior golfers have risen through the junior ranks, some gaining college scholarships, and a select few – like Stephen Ames now residing in TCI – having very long and lucrative professional careers.

The past two years have seen a massive resurgence in the popularity of golf, and the organisers are very proud that the TCIGA will host the major Caribbean event of the year.

“We look forward to this event being a springboard for the fundraising and promotion of golf within the Turks & Caicos Islands for an enhanced junior development program,” stated TCIGA President Fraser Dods.

The headline sponsor of the CAGC is the recently opened Ritz-Carlton, which has generously provided luxe accommodation for the visiting players.

The five-star Ritz-Carlton on Grace Bay offers multiple dining options and other resort amenities including two pools, a spa, a fitness centre and non-motorised water sports.

The Royal Turks & Caicos Golf Club has kindly cleared the golf schedule for this event to take place, allowing for a wave of gratitude from the promoters of the event.

On behalf of the Royal Turks & Caicos Golf Club, Provo Golf Club, Director of Golf Dave Douglas further expressed gratitude.

He stated “the Royal Turks & Caicos Golf Club would like to congratulate the Turks & Caicos Islands Golf Association, President Fraser Dods and his committee for their effort and vision required to host this 65th Championship. We are delighted to be their host venue for the third time over the last 23 years”.

Other sponsors include Grace Bay Car Rentals, Graceway IGA, Island Printing, The Wine Cellar, Beaches Turks & Caicos, Misick & Stanbrook, Seven Stars Resort & Spa, Stanbrook Prudhoe, Carlisle Supplies, Miller Simons O’Sullivan, Grant Thornton, BCQS, Grace Bay Resorts, Hartling Group, H20 Resort, Hugh G O’Neill & Company, Lady Grace, Meridian Trust, Regency-Christies, The Agency, and Turks & Caicos Sotheby’s International Realty. Restaurant sponsors include Pepper Town Caf?, SharkBite Bar & Grille, and Somewhere Caf? & Lounge.

With planning well underway and TCIGA team try-outs now complete we look forward to hosting this event for the third time. We are very thankful for all our generous sponsors within the TCI community who always come together to show their support in time of need.

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Black Immigrant Daily News

Real News: Word has now emerged that the St. John’s Magistrates’ Court will return to its High and Temple Streets location by December of this year, 2022.

A source tells REAL News that an engineer and architect met on Tuesday, July 26, with Chief Magistrate Joanne Walsh to get her input on the design and refurbishment of the court.

Reportedly, the Magistrate had little to say and only acknowledged the time for completion.

For years, the High Street Court – which once housed the Registry of Births and Deaths – has been riddled with issues, including a leaking roof, cracked and raised floor tiles and an infestation of mold inside.

These and other challenges prompted the sitting Administration to relocate the court to the Knuckle Block premises that were intended to be a Community Centre for the residents of Grays-Green.

The relocation had been expected to last only a year; however, four years later, repairs are only now being undertaken at the court’s original location.

A source says that only a part of the roof has been completed, while much more work remains to be done on the formerly condemned building.

Concerns are being raised that the structure, even after repair, will still present issues that will require further work and more money.

A suggestion had been made that the court be temporarily moved to the very spacious John E. St. Luce Finance Centre on Factory Road, while a new location is sourced for the construction of a Justice Complex to house all the lower courts.

However, this suggestion, the source says, was not given any consideration.

Another recommendation was that the revenues generated by the court –through fines and forfeitures among other measures – could be put toward the construction of a permanent home. These funds, at present, are deposited into the Government’s coffers and used for other purposes.

According to the source, if this proposal had been given serious attention, the Justice Complex could have been completed already or would be near completion now.

But, the source says, the authorities seem to have no interest in the lower courts where all criminal cases are generated.

In late June, the Cabinet announced that renovations were being completed to pave the way for the Magistrates Court to return to its usual premises.

At the time, Senator Richard Lewis said he was not as convinced as others were that the court would be returned to its High Street location in as short a time as the Cabinet Notes made out.

In fact, he said that he would believe it when he sees it, and dismissed the announcement as an election ploy.

Lewis has been at the forefront of the agitation for the court to be moved and the community centre handed over to Grays-Green residents.

The centre was a gift from the People’s Republic of China at the request of former Prime Minister Dr. Winston Baldwin Spencer, who served as parliamentary representative for the area.

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Hollis Valdez and Shereen Bailey-Valdez

AUTOPSIES on the bodies of the couple murdered in Las Cuevas last week were not done on Wednesday because the covid19 tests results were not returned in time.

Before autopsies are done, all bodies must be tested for covid19.

Newsday was told that the results for several bodies were not received on time on Wednesday to facilitate any autopsies.

The results were returned late Wednesday afternoon and autopsies will resume on Thursday .

Newsday was told relatives of some people killed over the weekend were upset by this delay, but eventually understood and will return later for the autopsy reports, as they have already identified the bodies of their loved ones.

Among those to be autopsied are Hollis Valdez and his wife Shereen Bailey-Valdez. The decomposing body of their killer, Franklin Abel Clement, has not been brought to the Forensic Science Centre as yet.

Valdez and his wife were found on the bedroom floor of their Rincon Road, Las Cuevas home on July 29. The lifeguards had recently rekindled their relationship after close to two months apart.

Clement, Bailey-Valdez’s part-time lover, killed the two and went into the forest at Rincon Village, where he is suspected to have died by suicide. His body was found three days later.

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