Caribbean Times 66th Issue - Friday 30th December 2016

Informative, reliable, enriching! 

Friday 30th December 2016 A n t i g u a a n d B a r b u d a 

Vol.8 No.66 $2.00 

ANTIGUA WELCOMES 

100,000TH U.S. VISITOR 

Story on 

Page 2 

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2 c a r i b b e a n t i m e s . a g 

Friday 30th December 2016 

Antigua welcomes 100,000th US visitor 

This afternoon, the Antigua 

and Barbuda Tourism 

Authority will welcome 

and celebrate the arrival 

of our 100,000th stay-over 

visitor (by air) from the 

US, as the year comes to 

an end. 

This will also signify 

a landmark as well for the 

new airport terminal. 

The milestone will be 

Editor’s Note 

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and published at Woods 

Estate/Friars Hill Road. 

The Editor is Justin Peters. 

Contact: Caribbean Times, 

P.O. Box W2099, 

Woods Estate/Friars Hill 

Road, 

St. John’s, 

Antigua. 

Tel: (268) 562-8688, 

Fax: (268) 562-8685. 

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reached when American 

Airlines flight 978 out of 

JFK destined for Antigua 

and Barbuda touches down 

in Antigua at 4:13 p.m. on 

December 30th. 

Currently visitor arrivals 

from the US Market 

stand at 98444 an 18.35% 

increase over last year’s 

83183. 

By Joanna Paris 

The United Progressive Party (UPP) on 

Thursday issued a statement with regard to 

alleged disciplinary actions taken against 

two Antiguan diplomats. 

The communique featured a number of 

questions for which the party sought answers. 

The party suggested that the questions 

are in the best interest of the public and 

asked Prime Minister Browne to answer 

the following questions: 

1. Did the September 2015 

meeting with the Prime Minister, 

UAE Ambassador Casroy 

James and Odebrecht executive Luiz Eduardo 

Soares occur? And if so: 

2. Was the meeting called in response to 

the initiation of Operation Carwash in July 

2015 to investigate the links between Odebrecht 

and the Meinl Bank? 

3. Were government funds used to facilitate 

participation in this meeting and if so what 

was the cost? 

4. Were there any other participants besides 

the Prime Minister, UAE Ambassador 

Casroy James and Odebrecht Executive 

Luiz Eduardo Soares? 

5. What was the full agenda for the 

The flight will be greeted 

by Minister of Tourism, 

The Hon. Asot Michael, 

CEO of the Antigua and 

Barbuda Tourism Authority, 

Colin C. James, Tourism 

Consultant Shirlene 

Nibbs, and Director of 

Tourism for the United 

States, Kim Jack-Riley. 

The 100,000th US visitor, 

will be welcomed and 

presented with gifts by the 

Minister of Tourism and 

other tourism stakeholders. 

For the year to date, total 

stay-over visitor arrivals 

by air to Antigua and 

Barbuda have increased by 

7.42% when compared to 

the same period in 2015. 

UPP seeks answers in 

Odebrecht investigation 

meeting? 

6. What were the decisions and outcomes 

of this meeting? 

In the same release the party also asked 

for: 

1. The government’s full disclosure of 

all travel details from June 13th 2014 to the 

present day of the Prime Minister and 

UAE Ambassador Casroy James. 

2. The immediate initiation of local investigations 

into these allegations by the 

relevant authorities in cooperation with 

the Brazilian justice system (under our 

mutual legal assistance). 

The UPP cautioned that only rapid and full 

disclosure can prevent further massive and 

inevitable damage to the country’s international 

standing and the CIP. 

According to the UPP, “this is especially 

critical in light of the existing cloud 

of suspicion around the Prime Minister’s 

sudden wealth accumulation and refusal to 

make public asset and tax disclosures and 

the recent revelations of suspicious land 

transactions”. 

Prime Minister Gaston Browne indicated 

in his meet the Cabinet address earlier 

this week that the government is taking the 

matter very seriously.

Friday 30th December 2016 c a r i b b e a n t i m e s . a g 3 

Judith Browne 

Police probe 

Tyrells homicide 

Police are currently investigating 

the circumstances 

surrounding the death of 

53yrs-old Judith Browne of 

Tyrells. 

It is alleged that both the 

deceased and her husband, 

55 year-old Kensworth 

Browne, were involved in an 

altercation at their home in 

Tyrells, Thursday morning. 

The circumstances 

which led to her death are 

yet sketchy. However, he 

is currently in police custody 

assisting the police with 

their investigations into the 

matter. 

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Government reacts to 

allegations from New York court 

By Joanna Paris 

The government of Antigua 

and Barbuda has reacted 

to a report made in 

the New York Times on 

Wednesday, suggesting that 

unnamed persons, claiming 

to be linked to the government, 

were involved in corrupt 

activities. 

According to a press 

statement from the Office 

of the Prime Minister, the 

allegations related to the 

Brazilian multinational, 

Odebrecht S. A. and the energy 

company, Petrobras. 

In the media statement, 

Prime Minister, the Hon. 

Gaston Browne said, “I 

am treating the New York 

Times report quite seriously, 

particularly as it is quoting 

from an official document 

of the US District 

Court in the Eastern New 

York District in a case between 

the US government 

and Odebrecht”. 

“I have instructed our 

Ambassador in Washington, 

DC, Sir Ronald Sanders, 

to retain legal services 

immediately in order to 

Prime Minister, the Hon., Gason Browne 

secure the cooperation 

of the US District Court 

with regard to identifying 

the unnamed persons who 

claimed to be linked to the 

government”. 

Prime Minister Browne 

revealed that his government 

was not aware of the 

court case or the allegations 

made by a witness 

in the case until his office 

was contacted by a senior 

Editor with the Trinidad 

Guardian on Wednesday. 

“My government is resolved 

to get to the bottom 

of this story since it alleges 

involvement by persons 

claiming to be intermediaries 

for, or officials of, the 

government. If these allegations 

are substantiated, 

I will act immediately and 

appropriately against any 

such persons”, the Prime 

Minister said. 

The Court document 

states: 

“… in or about mid- 

2015, Odebrecht Employee 

4 attended a meeting 

in Miami, Florida, with a 

consular official from Antigua 

and an intermediary 

to a high-level government 

official in Antigua in order 

to conceal Odebrecht’s corrupt 

activities. 

“Odebrecht Employee 4 

requested that the high-level 

official refrain from 

providing to international 

authorities various banking 

documents that would 

reveal illicit payments 

made by the Division of 

Structured Operations on 

behalf of Odebrecht, and 

agreed to pay $4 million to 

the high-level official to refrain 

from sending the documents. 

“Odebrecht Employee 3 

made three payments of 1 

million Euros on behalf of 

Odebrecht in order to secure 

the deal. The contemplated 

fourth payment was 

cont’d on pg 5


Equinox makes first call to Antigua and Barbuda 

By Renio Abbott 

Today the last to make 

an inaugural call for 2016 

in Antigua will be the Celebrity 

Equinox. 

The 1,041 foot vessel, 

originally commissioned 

on August 8th, 2009 will 

dock at the newly recommissioned 

Heritage Quay 

Pier for the first time with 

a capacity of 2,850 passengers. 

The ship is home to a 

long list of amenities such 

as the Canyon Ranch Spa- 

Club, Gastrobar, Slush, the 

Celebrity iLounge, a Michael 

Kors Boutique, and 

the Lawn Club, Sky Observation 

Lounge, The Hot 

Glass Show, and the Silk 

Harvest Restaurant. 

As is customary, officials 

of the Ministry of 

Tourism as well as the 

Cruise Association will 

greet the captain and crew 

of the magnificent luxury 

liner, welcoming them to 

the land of 365 beaches. 

cont’d from pg 4 

never made”. 

However, Prime Minister Browne 

pointed out that, far from refraining 

from providing documents to international 

authorities, the Antigua and 

Barbuda government was proactive 

in its cooperation with the Brazilian 

and other governments. 

He pointed out that in July 2016, 

the government publicly advised that 

“the Office of National Drug and 

Money Laundering Control Policy 

(ONDCP) and the Financial Services 

Regulatory Commission (FSRC) 

have frozen the accounts of a Brazilian-owned 

offshore bank that has 

been in operation since 2006”. 

Recounting events since then, the 

Prime Minister disclosed that the 

ONDCP has responded to requests 

from the Brazilian authorities to provide 

records of the Brazilian-owned 

offshore bank involving approximately 

60 accounts. 

He noted that ONDCP’s assistance 

to the Brazilian authorities continues. 

Prime Minister Browne made it 

clear that his government is determined 

to clarify the identities of the 

unnamed persons claiming to act as 

“intermediaries” for a “high level official”, 

and to take swift and appropriate 

action to safeguard the standing 

of Antigua and Barbuda in the 

international community.



A call to support employment 

for reintegrating ex-offenders 

Reducing recidivism is not the only 

priority of the correctional system; 

however, if the system is intended to 

deter further criminal activity, it is an 

important one. More than 4 out of 10 

adult offenders in Antigua and Barbuda 

return to prison within two to three 

years of their release – some more often 

when one considers those who every 

year commit a minor crime in order 

to be in prison for Christmas. This is 

not just significant for ex-offenders and 

their families but also for the communities 

in which they live. When ex-offenders 

reintegrate into the community, 

they face a number of barriers to employment. 

By providing ex-offenders with 

the support and services they need to 

find and maintain employment, the 

country can reduce recidivism even 

for those who embrace imprisonment 

for Christmas. Participation in comprehensive 

education and employment 

programming while incarcerated and a 

continued connection to education and 

employment services after release have 

been shown to reduce recidivism. 

Using strategies such as progressive 

sanctions that hold ex-offenders accountable 

but that also keep them in the 

community connected to family and 

employment, can be just as effective, if 

not more effective, than a costly renovation/expansion 

of our prisons. When 

ex-offenders are productively engaged 

in their communities, working and supporting 

their families, the community is 

safer and their families are more economically 

secure. 

A growing number of children in 

Antigua and Barbuda have a parent 

behind bars, and successful or failed 

reintegration affects both ex-offenders 

and their children. Policies to support 

employment for reintegrating ex-offenders 

support the well-being and economic 

success of both generations. 

A significant number of prisoners 

return to small communities with high 

rates of poverty, crime, unemployment, 

as well as minimal economic opportunity 

and supports such as housing. 

Ex-offenders face significant barriers. 

- Well known barriers to obtaining education, 

vocational training, gainful 

employment, housing, substance abuse 

treatment and mental health services— 

confront ex-offenders after their release. 

These barriers and others present 

challenges that contribute to recidivism. 

Very often, ex-offenders lack the 

level of education or job skills, including 

“soft skills” like punctuality and 

communication that are essential for 

gaining and maintaining employment. 

Drug addiction and other health problems 

can also pose substantial barriers 

to securing and maintaining a job- and 

can lead to recidivism. 

In an increasingly competitive labor 

force, all individuals need marketable 

skills in order to secure a job and to 

maintain employment. Policymakers 

must promote education and training 

for incarcerated individuals so that 

when they are released from prison, 

they enter the workforce with the training 

and skills necessary for employment 

and self-sufficiency. It is important 

that training includes credentials 

such as a high school diploma or CXC 

subjects and soft-skill development, 

such as effective communication skills 

and the appreciation of professional 

norms, which will assist ex-offenders 

in finding and maintaining work. Some 

strategies that can be used to enhance 

workforce preparation during incarceration 

include: 

Education, particularly higher education 

has proven to significantly reduce 

recidivism rates. The Ministry 

of National Security can partner with 

our Colleges and the Universities to 

provide higher education to inmates as 

well as to create a pipeline to college 

for inmates who are released. 

The Government can commit increased 

resources to coordinated employment 

services (education, job and 

soft skills training, and transitional 

employment) before and after release 

from prison or jail 

Macedonia Development and Support 

Services coordinates initiatives 

that begin while an offender is in prison 

and continue after release, including 

intensive diagnostic assessments and 

expanded educational, vocational and 

job-coaching programs. 

Research shows the importance of 

education and training for reducing 

recidivism, and marketable skills are 

essential to employment prospects for 

ex-offenders. 

In addition to job-specific skills, 

more general workforce preparation is 

essential to employment. This preparation 

focuses on “soft skills” such as 

communication, conflict resolution, 

and professional norms. 

The organization has set in place a 

three-to-four-week training program 

for the hard-to-employ, such as former 

prisoners, and it includes structured 

training on personal responsibility, attitude, 

communication skills and workplace 

norms. Participants build an understanding 

of the work environment 

cont’d on pg 7


Final election results soon; Haiti leader 

appeals for peaceful end to 2016 

PORT-AU-PRINCE, 

Haiti — The final results of 

Haiti’s disputed presidential 

elections will be known 

tomorrow, according to 

the Provisional Electoral 

Council (CEP). 

Executive Director of 

the Provisional Electoral 

Council Uder Antoine says 

the process of verification 

of the results, ordered 

by the electoral court last 

week after three candidates 

challenged the November 

20 results that saw Jovenel 

Moise winning outright 

with more than 55 per cent 

of the vote, is on track. 

He said the process has 

been transparent and is being 

carried out in the presence 

of the parties. 

Meantime, Prime Minister 

Enex Jean-Charles 

has appealed to Haitians 

to unite for the good of the 

country in the run up to the 

end of year celebrations. 

“The heart of this country, 

despite everything, is 

still pulsating at the rhythm 

of goodwill and determination 

to transcend the divisions 

and differences that 

can potentially engulf us,” 

he said in a message ahead 

of the celebrations. 

“At the end of the year, 

I make a vibrant appeal 

for a truce. Let us bury the 

hatchet ladies and gentlemen, 

and smoke the calumet 

of peace, while having 

the courage to enter 

into constructive dialogue, 

even just for this period of 

grace.” 

“I am aware that these 

celebrations will not be 

quite happy. The post-electoral 

political difficulties 

have not helped the government 

to create the conditions 

to deal with this 

serious economic crisis, 

which are affecting the 

most vulnerable state of the 

population,” he added. 

Despite the difficulties, 

Jean-Charles maintained 

that: “We have thought of 

ad hoc measures to alleviate 

the suffering of the social 

strata most affected by 

this rapidly deteriorating of 

terms of exchanges, while 

considering that the priority 

of the day is to save 

the elections as the only 

means of renewal of political 

staff.” 

“The lack of consensus 

and dialogue between 

members of the political 

class has long invalidated 

the many positive initiatives 

that could have led 

the country beyond the 

borders of ‘backwardness,’ 

instability and anarchy,” he 

added. 

Indicating that the 

Christmas season should 

be a time of reconciliation, 

forgiveness and redemption, 

he called for peace 

and unity. 

“On behalf of all members 

of the Government 

and on behalf of all my colleagues 

at the Primature, 

I wish you happy end-ofyear 

celebrations and to approach 

the new year 2017 

in peace, calm and in this 

spirit of patriotic union and 

hope for the well-being of 

the common homeland,” he 

said. (Caribbean360) 

cont’d from pg 6 

and the strong work ethic necessary 

for obtaining and maintaining employment. 

Even with marketable skills, 

people who are released from prison 

often need information and guidance to 

navigate the job market. To serve the 

needs of businesses and ex-offenders 

and their families, policymakers must 

promote effective placement services 

for reintegrating ex-offenders by expanding 

the government’s partnerships 

with employers, expanding incentives 

for employers who hire ex-offenders 

and improving the range of placements. 

To prove effective, job training for 

ex-offenders must align with industries 

in which jobs are available and employers 

are willing to hire individuals 

with criminal records. 

Macedonia Community Development 

and Support Services, as an 

empowerment agency is prepared to 

hire individuals with criminal records 

directly and specifically in its Repurposing 

of Used Tires Project for six (6) 

months up to one (1) year, and all being 

well, to duly furnish them with bona 

fide reference/recommendation letters 

that full employment may be secured 

in the area of gifting, qualification and 

or choice. 

Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed 

in this Op-ed are those of the 

author and do not necessarily reflect 

the views of Caribbean Times.



Caribbean nationals among 

immigrants nabbed in US this year 

The ambassador has been 

missing for three days but a 

woman at the embassy said 

he was supposed to be on a 

vacation in Rio de Janeiro. 

Greece’s ambassador to 

Brazil has been missing for 

three days, Rio de Janeiro 

state police said on Thursday. 

WASHINGTON DC, United States 

— Caribbean nationals were among a 

large number of immigrants nabbed in 

2016, as the United States Immigration 

and Customs Enforcement (ICE) 

sought to protect America “from the 

cross-border crime and illegal immigration 

that threaten national security 

and public safety.” 

In its Year-in-Review report, the 

agency said that its mission was accomplished 

by the people of ICE “working 

together and by adhering to our values 

of integrity, courage and excellence.” 

ICE offered a “snapshot” of its 

Homeland Security Investigations 

(HSI), Enforcement and Removal Operations 

(ERO) and Management and 

Administration’s “daily work” in the 

report. 

In March, during a five-week operation 

dubbed “Project Shadowfire,” 

ICE said 1,133 immigrants, including 

Caribbean nationals, were arrested. 

According to the agency, the sweep 

included more than 900 transnational 

criminal gang members and others associated 

with transnational criminal activity, 

such as drug trafficking, human 

smuggling and sex trafficking, murder 

and racketeering. 

Nationals from 13 countries in Central 

America, Asia, Europe and the 

Caribbean were reportedly arrested 

in “Project Shadowfire,” which was a 

“surge operation” conducted under Operation 

Community Shield. 

ICE said that 1,001 were charged 

with criminal offenses, and 132 were 

arrested administratively for immigration 

violations. 

An unidentified Belizean was 

among 331 individuals subsequently 

arrested during a month-long operation 

in June that targeted criminal immigrants 

and other immigration violators 

in six Midwestern states, ICE said. 

The operation was aimed at arresting 

and removing convicted criminal 

immigrants from the US, and arrests 

were made in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, 

Kentucky, Kansas and Missouri. 

Ambassador Kyriakos 

Amiridis was last seen Monday 

night in a poor northern 

suburb in the metropolitan 

area of Rio de Janeiro, the 

police said. 

The police did not provide 

details on who reported 

the ambassador missing or 

what he may have been doing 

in the area where he was 

last seen. 

A woman at the Greek 

Embassy in Brasilia said she 

could not confirm the ambassador 

was missing, only 

that he was on vacation in 

Rio and expected to return to 

Brasilia on Jan. 9. 

The woman spoke on 

In July, two more Belizean nationals 

were among 100 immigrants arrested 

in the Los Angeles-area. 

The following month, officers from 

ICE and ERO arrested 58 persons 

during an operation spanning the New 

York metropolitan area, targeting criminal 

immigrants and “other enforcement 

priorities.” 

ERO officers apprehended immigrants 

with criminal convictions, in 

addition to others who fell under the 

agency’s enforcement priorities, during 

the five-day enforcement action. 

According to ICE, those arrested 

had criminal histories with past convictions 

for rape, kidnapping, robbery, 

burglary and other serious criminal offences. 

The foreign nationals arrested 

during the operation included citizens 

of 17 countries, including Jamaica; 

Trinidad and Tobago; Dominican 

Republic; Belize; St Vincent and the 

Grenadines; Guyana; Mexico; Philippines; 

Indonesia; Guatemala; Ecuador; 

El Salvador; Lebanon; Colombia; Israel; 

Romania, and the United Kingdom. 

“As we move confidently into 2017, 

ICE will continue to strive for excellence 

in all our efforts,” the report noted. 

(Caribbean360) 

Rio police say Greek ambassador to Brazil missing 

condition of anonymity as 

she said she was not allowed 

to talk about the case with 

the press. 

Brazil’s Foreign Ministry 

did not immediately reply to 

Reuters requests for comment. 

In Athens, Greece’s 

Foreign Ministry had no 

comment.


Rihanna’s Anti among critics’ top 

albums of 2016 

LONDON, England 

– Barbadian superstar Rihanna 

has done just about 

everything possible in and 

out of the world of music 

this year – from receiving 

a lifetime achievement 

award at the MTV Video 

Music Awards in August, 

to playing a prominent role 

in Prince Harry’s itinerary 

during his recent visit to 

the island. 

Now, the 28-year-old 

singer, model and actress 

has chalked-up another 

success with her latest album, 

Anti, securing a place 

on the international music 

critics’ favourite album of 

the year list. 

The results of the “poll 

of polls” were compiled by 

the BBC from 25 Album of 

the Year polls, published 

by the most influential 

magazines, newspapers 

and blogs in music – from 

specialist publications like 

Billboard and Q Magazine 

to more mainstream outlets, 

such as Cosmopolitan 

and Digital Spy. 

The records were assigned 

points based on 

their position in each list – 

with the number one album 

getting 20 points, the number 

two album receiving 19 

points, and so on. 

There was reportedly 

huge diversity in the critics’ 

picks, with 145 albums 

cited across the 25 polls 

surveyed. 

Rihanna’s Anti placed 

twelfth overall in the face 

of fierce competition in the 

music industry from artistes 

past and present. 

The “Work” girl – who 

recently took her annual 


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Call Caribbean Times at (268) 562 8688 

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Reach us now with that breaking news! 

Christmas break back home 

in Barbados – was narrowly 

edged out of 11th place 

by the late Leonard Cohen’s 

You Want it Darker. 

Both took a backseat to David 

Bowie’s second-placed 

Blackstar, which was released 

two days before his 

death in January. 

Head and shoulders 

above the rest was Beyonce’s 

politically charged 

visual album Lemonade, 

which tackles themes of 

black empowerment and 

female identity, and was 

described by Rolling Stone 

as “larger than life yet still 

heartbreakingly intimate.” 

Beyonce’s sister Solange 

also proved to be a 

force to be reckoned with. 

A Seat at the Table, her 

soulful portrayal of the 

struggles faced by black 

women, placed fifth, beating 

Kanye West’s Life of 

Pablo into sixth place. 

Third place went to 

Frank Ocean’s Blonde, 

with Chance The Rapper’s 

Colouring Book placing 

fourth. 

Rounding off the top 

10 were A Tribe Called 

Quest’s We Got It From 

Here; Radiohead’s A Moon 

Shaped Pool; Angel Olsen’ 

My Woman, and Mitski’s 

Puberty 2. 

The 25 “best of” lists 

appeared in: The Atlantic, 

The AV Club, Billboard 

magazine, Consequence 

of Sound, Cosmopolitan, 

Digital Spy, Entertainment 

Weekly, The Guardian, The 

i Newspaper, Mojo, NME, 

NPR, Paste, Pitchfork, Q 

Magazine, Rolling Stone, 

Salon, Spin, Stereogum, 

The Times, Time Magazine, 

Time Out London, 

Time Out New York, Uncut 

and Vice. (Caribbean360)



Health City Cayman Islands 

completes 500 orthopedic surgeries 

GRAND CAYMAN, Cayman Islands 

– Health City Cayman Islands 

has completed 500 successful orthopedic 

surgeries two and a half years after 

it opened its doors. 

“We are proud to have achieved this 

milestone in such a short period and 

look forward to embracing new technologies 

which have completely changed 

the way surgeries are performed,” said 

Dr. Alwin Almeida, Health City’s Chief 

Orthopedic Surgeon and Joint Replacement 

Specialist. 

Health City’s Department of Orthopedics 

provides both surgical and 

non-surgical orthopedic treatments, including 

joint replacements and reconstruction, 

deformity corrections and 

arthroscopic surgeries of the knee and 

shoulder which are minimally invasive. 

Health City also employs the latest advancements 

in medical technology, 

such as computer-navigated robotic-assisted 

surgery. 

Dr. Almeida, who is a member of 

the American Orthopedic Association, 

brings 10 years of experience to his 

role at Health City. He has performed 

more than 4,000 orthopedic surgeries 

and specializes in joint replacements, 

sports medicine and arthroscopic surgeries. 

“Health City is fast becoming the 

Caribbean’s first choice for tertiary level 

care in orthopedics, due in large part 

to the level of expertise of our dedicated 

staff,” said Dr. Almeida. 

The hospital regularly sees patients 

from beyond the Cayman Islands – 

they arrive from the Caribbean, Latin 

America and North America. Doctors 

in many Caribbean countries are referring 

patients to Health City’s specialists, 

and some governments are looking 

to replicate the Health City model in 

their own countries. 

As Dr. Almeida and his team celebrate 

their 500th surgery, they remember 

many of the orthopedic procedures 

they performed were routine, but they 

have seen some more challenging cases 

come their way, too. 

He recalls a revision hip replacement 

for a patient who had excessive 

bone growth in the muscles surrounding 

his hip, and two polytraumas – 

consisting of multiple bone fractures 

across the body – in patients who were 

involved in severe car accidents. 

All three patients required complicated 

surgeries, but all have recovered 

well. 

“We also had a 90-year-old lady 

with pneumonia and atrial fibrillation, 

who suffered a hip fracture,” Dr. Almeida 

said. “It was a very high risk surgery 

given her age and comorbidities.” 

The patient, who was transported to 

Health City via air ambulance, was the 

second orthopedic trauma case to come 

from Turks and Caicos. 

“Traditionally, the Caribbean is 

known to airlift these patients to the 

U.S. or Colombia, but we are now getting 

these cases to Cayman, which is a 

major shift in practice,” said Dr. Almeida. 

Health City patients have the advantage 

of a team consisting of two senior 

orthopedic specialists involved in their 

overall care at the hospital. Dr. Almeida 

commended Dr. Niranjan Nagaraja, 

Health City’s Senior Orthopedic Surgeon, 

for contributing to the successful 

outcomes since joining the hospital in 

the past year. 

“Dr. Nagaraja is a very skilled 

sports medicine surgeon who is responsible 

for starting the hip arthroscopy 

program at Health City,” he said, 

noting that they collaborate and work 

as a team, especially in the treatment of 

challenging and difficult cases. 

Founded by renowned heart surgeon 

Dr. Devi Prasad Shetty, the hospital 

has quickly established itself as a 

premier medical facility in the Caribbean, 

offering a patient-first approach to 

healthcare as well as a comprehensive 

list of medical services and surgical 

procedures. (Caribbean360)


Thursday’s Sudoku Solution 

S U D O K U 

CROSSWORD 

Across 

1. Monastery head 

6. Bang shut 

10. Created 

14. Young insect 

15. Tibetan priest 

16. Tibet’s locale 

17. Zodiac sign 

18. Superintendents 

20. Clairvoyants 

21. Chinese “bear” 

22. Ingested 

23. Society girl 

25. Bell sound 

27. Baby carriages 

32. Golfer ____ Woods 

36. Metallic rock 

37. Heroic narrative 

38. Conditional release 

39. Perjurer 

41. Sub finder 

43. Calm 

44. Finally (2 wds.) 

46. Mirth 

48. Actress Sandra ____ 

49. Send money 

50. Apologetic 

52. Comic ____ Carvey 

54. Shooter’s group (abbr.) 

55. Stop ____ dime (2 wds.) 

58. Game of chance 

61. Scrapbook 

65. Felt sorry about 

67. Gaggle members 

68. Vicinity 

69. In addition 

70. Door sign 

71. Puzzled 

72. Collections 

73. Fixed gaze 

Down 

1. Woe is me! 

2. Expose 

3. French cheese 

4. Exert excessively 

5. Cap ornaments 

6. Spill 

7. Fluid rock 

8. Changes for the better 

9. ____ Gras (Shrove Tuesday) 

10. Actress ____ West 

11. Out of port 

12. Grime 

13. Leisure 

19. Christmas visitor 

24. Explosion 

26. Female 

27. ____ energy 

28. Corny 

29. Royal domain 

30. Id’s partner 

31. Scope 

33. Cheese type 

34. Actress ____ DeGeneres 

35. Leased again 

38. Groom 

40. Invasion 

42. Mont Blanc, e.g. 

45. Like old bread 

47. Infuriates 

50. Baby’s toy 

51. Skill 

53. Short messages 

55. Voiced 

56. Infamous emperor 

57. Mellows 

59. ____ the waters 

60. Lyric verses 

62. Greek consonant 

63. Client 

64. Simple 

66. Snitch



HOROSCOPE 

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 

19). Follow your opportunities, 

not your passion. Yes, 

the two will converge at some 

point — not yet. Your opportunities 

will take you somewhere; 

your passion will leave 

you alone in a room. 

CANCER (June 22-July 22). 

Don’t assume that all are as 

moral as you. Guard your 

place in a deal. Get your name 

on record and everything 

down on paper. You can be a 

nice person and still stand up 

for yourself. 

Today’s weather forecast 

Antigua and Barbuda 

Mostly sunny skies. 

High - 81ºF 

Low - 73ºF 

Wind: East South East 14 mph 

Sunrise 6.35 am; Sunset 5.44 pm 

Thursday’s Crossword Solution 

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 

18). If you don’t exactly love 

the plan your friends are coming 

up with, make your own. 

You want to add to the good 

times, but you won’t be able to 

unless your heart is in it. 

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). 

You are used to seeing a certain 

person as very powerful. 

You may be surprised by how 

vulnerable this person really 

is. Lead with your natural 

empathy and you’ll get to the 

truth of the matter. 

ARIES (March 21-April 19). 

In a way, you’re selling something 

— an idea, product or 

your vision of the future. Your 

ideal “customer” will already 

be a little interested in what 

you’re presenting before you 

even get there. 

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). 

The forefathers of the structures 

of society are often taken 

for granted by those too young 

or ignorant to understand the 

personal sacrifices made by 

those who have come before. 

Contrastingly, you’re aware. 

Point it out. 

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). 

Recipe for the day: Reach 

your hand out and say hello. 

It’s the start of something 

beautiful. Next, mention what 

you want. Keep moving until 

you find the one who can help 

you. 

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You 

have a lot to give, but will they 

really appreciate it if they get 

it all at once? What about if 

you built a sense of scarcity 

around what you’re offering? 

Use human nature to your advantage. 

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). 

Your energetic investments 

will pay off nicely. As for your 

financial ones, consider putting 

your energy there first. 

Money usually represents past 

energy expenditures, which 

can be a little too removed to 

fully feel. 

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). 

You’ll influence others, but 

more importantly, you’ll comply 

with self-directions. To 

follow your own instructions 

is no small deal; in fact it’s 

the magic ticket and the key to 

getting what you want. 

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). 

Like a computer programmer, 

it’s on you to fix a bug in 

your life. Don’t procrastinate! 

Procrastination leads to guilt, 

which leads to more procrastination. 

It’s exhausting. Now is 

the moment. Fix it. Go. 

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22- 

Dec. 21). You’re better today 

than you were yesterday. If 

you can continue to say this 

every day, the improvement 

you are wishing for will come 

together early next year.


RSVA Early Childhood Development Center & Nursery 

are now enrolling babies from 3 months old to children five 

years old at the facility in Upper Gambles. For further information 

contact Erika Santana or Sherry- Ann at 562-8838. 

The Medical Benefits Scheme wishes to advise all its’ beneficiaries 

that the Browne’s Avenue Pharmacy is now open to 

serve you. Enjoy quick service including pick-up & drop off 

services and spacious parking. Opening hours are MON – FRI 

8 AM- 3 PM. Special extend hours on 12th – 23rd of December 

& 3rd -13th JANUARY 2017: 7AM – 4 PM. Have a 

healthy and happy holiday from the Medical Benefits Scheme. 

VACANCY REGISTERED AT OSEC 

Local organization is seeking a suitably qualified person to 

fill the position of: 

** Research & Communications Officer ** 

Qualifications & Skills Required: 

▪ B.Sc. Degree (Actuarial Science; Public Administration; 

Marketing; or Computing) 

▪ Knowledge of arithmetic, statistics, algebra and their 

applications 

▪ Knowledge of at least two database user interface and 

query software packages, inclusive of Microsoft Access 

and/or Structured Query Language (SQL) 

▪ Excellent report-writing skills 

▪ Knowledgeable of SPSS and Microsoft Excel 

▪ Critical thinking and problem solving skills 

▪ Meticulous nature 

▪ Ability to work independently. 

If you are currently registered at OSEC and interested in this 

listed vacancy, kindly contact OSEC. If you are NOT registered 

with OSEC you may call the centre for more information 

on registration requirements. Our centre is located on 

Old Parham Road in the Ryan’s Building, next to Antigua 

Motors. OSEC telephone numbers are 562-8533/34/35. 

Kindly note that the DEADLINE FOR ALL APPLICA- 

TIONS is December 30, 2016 

VACANCIES AT OSEC 

1) SECURITY OFFICER - Police Record Required 

2) CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES 

A Minimum of 3 CXC’s (including English) 

Bi-lingual (Spanish) a plus 

Proficient personal computer skills 

Strong written and oral communication skills. 

2-3 years experience in a similar role 

3) CLERICAL ASSISTANT/RECEPTIONIST 

3 CXC (including Math & English) 

At least 1 year experience in similar role 

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CALL THE ONE 

STOP EMPLOYMENT CENTRE AT 562-8533/4/5. DEAD- 

LINE FOR ALL APPLICATIONS: Friday 30th December, 2016 

The General Public is hereby advised that the Antigua Port Authority 

(Deep Water Harbour) will open every Saturday from 

8:00 am to 1:00 pm through to December 31, 2016 to facilitate 

regular business activities. Please be guided accordingly. 

The Antigua State College invites the public to participate 

in CARD 2017 – Conference for Academic Research and 

Development. A community outreach programme of the 

college, CARD’s mission is to present research on issues of 

national and regional significance with the aim of promoting 

societal change. CARD 2017 is slated for March 2017. The 

location will be announced at a later date. The organizers are 

working to prepare an attractive open environment for the 

sharing of knowledge and experience in an array of subject 

areas. Papers may be theoretical, archival or experimental in 

nature. We are asking those who are interested in presenting 

at the conference to submit an abstract of their research 

paper along with a resume or one page bio of themselves to 

the following e-mail, asc.cardconference@gmail.com. The 

contact person is Dr. Patricia Benn. The organizers invite 

the submission of papers by January 30th. For more information, 

contact: Antigua State College: 462-1434. Email: 

asc.cardconference@gmail.com 

Advertise with 

Caribbean Times! 

Contact us at Tel: 562-8688 

Email: accounts@ 

caribbeantimes.ag 


Think you have a good news story; did you witness 

anything that is news-worthy; did you take that 

valuable picture; things happening in your community 

but there is no outlet or voice for you? You can 

earn just by telling your story. 

Call Caribbean Times at (268) 562 8688 

Email: editor@caribbeantimes.ag 

Or news@caribbeantimes.ag 

Reach us now with that breaking news!



Getting ready for the Big 5-0 

Antigua Sailing Week is celebrating 

its 50th edition from April 29 – May 

5, 2017 and a bumper turn out of exciting 

boats is anticipated. There are 

still four months before the start of the 

historic celebrations, and already 75 

yachts from 20 different countries have 

entered and will be gracing Antigua’s 

world class race tracks. Shoreside will 

be a non-stop party atmosphere featuring 

beach parties, live music, the Lay 

Day Beach Party featuring the Nonsuch 

Bay RS Elite Challenge, and the fabled 

Antigua Sailing Week Final Awards 

Ceremony and After Party. 

Antigua Sailing Week is a truly international 

regatta, in no small part because 

the racing takes place in one of 

the world’s finest locations with trade 

winds, legendary Antigua surf and 

stunning vistas – there is no other race 

venue that has all of these fine ingredients 

and in recent years the organisers 

have stepped up race management significantly 

with exciting courses and top 

class race officials. 

Of the early entries, the largest is Sir 

Peter Harrison’s British 115-foot ketch, 

Sojana, a previous Lord Nelson Trophy 

winner who will also be back to defend 

the record in the Peters & May Round 

Antigua Race – and they’re looking for 

competition to challenge the record. 

The Peters & May Round Antigua 

Race is open to all boats including 

those not participating in the full week 

of racing. 

Frits Bus’s Melges 24, Team Island 

Water World from St. Maarten, is currently 

the smallest yacht on the entry 

list with Frits looking to build a Melges 

24 class. 

Shoreside the party schedule is phenomenal 

for both sailors and spectators 

alike. 

All of the action will be located in 

and around Nelson’s Dockyard and the 

adjoining Falmouth Harbour. Sailors 

will be within walking distance of every 

party, every night. 

That said there are some new events 

coming for spectators around the island, 

more to come on that in the New 

Year. There will be daily prize givings 

at which skippers and crews from all 

over the world meet for a post-race debate 

over a cold one in the Beer Garden 

at Antigua Yacht Club. The now 

legendary ‘Reggae in the Park’, is the 

Big Party Night in Nelson’s Dockyard 

with live music from local artists and 

the main international act, yet to be 

announced! Following the Big Party 

Night is the Lay Day Beach Party, featuring 

the invitational Nonsuch Bay RS 

Elite Challenge.


T&T Olympian Ato Boldon named Sports 

Illustrated’s Best Television Analyst of 2016 

FLORIDA, United States — The 

successes of retired Trinidad and Tobago 

track star Ato Boldon have continued 

off the track. Boldon, a four-time Olympic 

medallist and T&T’s most decorated 

track athlete of all time, has been named 

as one of the best television analysts of 

the year by Sports Illustrated. 

The 42-year-old former sprinter, who 

celebrates his birthday on Friday, and 

NBC’s Roddy Gaines were named joint 

best television analysts of the year by 

Sports Illustrated when it announced its 

best and worst media awards for 2016. 

Boldon was awarded because of his 

insightful and educational commentary 

during the 2016 Olympics held in Brazil. 

According to Sports Illustrated, 

“Boldon educates track viewers through 

his preparation, and when you listen to 

him, you realize how rare it is to have 

a sports TV analyst make you a smarter 

viewer. 

“The high point for me was when 

Boldon tipped Japan for a medal in the 

4×100-metre men’s relay prior to that 

Olympic race.” 

“This is a sleeper team,” Boldon had 

said. 

“They ran an Asian-record 37.68 in 

their heat, beating Jamaica, and they pass 

the baton better than anyone else in this 

field…Some teams practice for a month 

or a week. Japan has been practicing for 

Ato Boldon was awarded because of his 

insightful and educational commentary 

during the 2016 Olympics held in Brazil. 

the entire year.” 

The Japan team finished second in a 

new Asian-record time of 37.60 seconds, 

just 0.33 behind Usain Bolt and his Jamaican 

teammates. (Caribbean360) 

Christmas cheer for Cummins family 

Flow and Marketing Machine team up to bring Christmas cheer to the Cummins family.



Bravo to have hamstring 

surgery; out of Big Bash League 

MELBOURNE, Australia 

- West Indies allrounder 

Dwayne Bravo will need 

surgery to repair damage 

to his left hamstring, meaning 

he will play no further 

part in the Melbourne Renegades’ 

Big Bash League 

(BBL) campaign. 

He was stretchered off 

during the Renegades’ 

match against the Perth 

Scorchers on Thursday 

night, and subsequent scans 

revealed the injury would 

sideline him for an extended 

period. 

“I’ll now have surgery 

and the rehabilitation to get 

me fit and playing at my 

best again,” Bravo said, according 

to the BBL site. 

Bravo was stationed on 

the off-side boundary, and 

picked up the injury when 

he ran across and lowered 

himself to field a ball. 

He clutched at his hamstring 

as soon as he went 

down, and had to be taken 

off on a MediCab. 

Visit us online at: 

Dwayne Bravo’s BBL 2016-17 campaign is at an end. 

This is Bravo’s fourth 

season with the Renegades. 

No replacement has been 

named as yet. 

The injury puts Bravo in 

doubt for the Pakistan Super 

League, where he was 

retained by Lahore Qalandars. 

That T20 tournament 

begins from February 9. 

Aaron Finch, said Bravo’s 

exit would have a big impact 

on his team: “It’s a 

huge blow, he’s one of 

the best allrounders in the 

world. 

“It’s an unbelievably 

damaging blow for us, but 

also for him because we 

know how much he loves 

coming out here.” 

The Renegades’ captain, The Adelaide Strikers 

also suffered an injury 

blow, with fast bowler 

Kane Richardson ruled out 

for up to a month with a 

back injury. 

Left-arm spinner Tom 

Andrews was called into 

the Strikers’ squad in his 

place. (ESPNcricinfo) 

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Caribbean Times 66th Issue - Friday 30th December 2016

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