With elections just days away, both the ruling PNP and the PDM have intensified their rhetoric as they attempt to woo voters with patriotic stances and economic promises. The political atmosphere is charged, with each party striving to present itself as the best choice for the future of the nation. Thirty minutes after polls close on Friday, however, a winner will be known, and that person would be tasked with taking the TCI into the next decade.
BY OLIVIA ROSE
In a move to combat escalating violence, the Turks and Caicos Islands government has announced the immediate deployment of 12 additional contracted armed officers from the UK.
This rapid response follows a meeting of the National Security Council, chaired by HE Governor Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam and Premier Hon Washington Misick, where ‘Operation Mightier’ was launched to “detect, disrupt and dismantle criminality across our islands”.
The Governor, flanked by National Security Council members including Deputy Commissioner of Police Rodney Adams, HE Deputy Governor Anya Williams, Premier Hon Charles Washington Misick, Deputy Premier Hon Jamell Robinson, and Minister of Immigration Hon Arlington Musgrove delivered a stern message to the nation.
“The National Security Council condemns strongly the violence that is afflicting our communities, we extend our sympathies to
the families and friends of all those affected by these traumatic events… Operation Might goes into effect today.”
This operation, a multi-agency collaboration involving the police, regiment, and Border Force, is bolstered by the immediate deployment of the 12 UK officers, doubling the tactical team’s size. This move comes after the deployment of 13 contracted former UK officers since October, a move that has already proved “critical” in the fight against crime.
“We are not just focused on the short term,” the Governor assured the public, emphasizing that the National Security Council is working to develop long-term solutions to address the root causes of crime.
The UK government is also providing aerial support to bolster policing and border security operations.
These combined initiatives represent a significant escalation in the fight against crime, promising a “critical strength to our arsenal” and an “upsurge in our tactical response.”
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With the additional support of up to 30 specialist armed officers from regional partners, the Turks and Caicos Islands will have a total
of 50 additional armed officers on the ground, while the police recruit 75 new officers.
The Governor closed her address
with a plea for unity and a prayer for the safety of the islands: “May God bless you and may God bless our beautiful by nature, Islands.”
Bryant R. Cox has strongly rejects allegations made against him during a heated press conference on January 28.
The dispute centres on allegations from Premier Washington Misick that Cox forced the eviction of police officers from their Five Cays Station, a charge that Cox emphatically rejected as “incorrect and a lie.”
The allegations were brought to light during a campaign rally for ED9, Rachel Taylor by the Premier “And the other guy who is running against Rachel Taylor, what has he done for Five Cays? He questions.
“For all of the wealth that he's accepting, shut down the police station, Nothing” Cox, who is running for Electoral District 9 (ED9), directly challenged Premier Washington Misik's statements about the eviction. "I have documents that shows the agreement between the government and Bryant Cox and the police choose to leave," Cox stated, explaining that the arrangement involved year-by-year leases with 60-day notice periods.
When pressed about allegations from Mr Arthur regarding tenant evictions during the COVID period, Cox challenged accusers to provide evidence. "Up to this moment, Mr. Arthur, I would love for that individual to come forward," Cox stated, addressing claims that he had evicted a family with children from one of his apartments.
While not directly denying evictions occurred, Cox noted the legal context: "There are persons
who would have owed and by law, if you owe in the contract, if you owe over three months' rent, it is an automatic eviction." However, he declined to provide specifics about any particular cases during the COVID period, stating, "I cannot elaborate on that any further."
"The evidence is going to set us all free or send me guilty," Cox declared, repeatedly calling for individuals to come forward with documentation of their claims.
The businessman and pastor highlighted his deep roots and investments in the Five Cays community. "Over the past 30 years, me and my family have
invested heavily in Five Cays, because we believe in Five Cays, because we love Five Cays, and because we believe in the people in Five Cays," Cox emphasised.
Responding to questions about his opponent Rachel Taylor, Cox criticised her record as the current representative. "The current representative for this constituency, ED 9, has not delivered on any of her promises," he said, particularly noting unfulfilled commitments regarding a proposed fish market. Cox also detailed his community contributions, including building a wall around the local cemetery and establishing a basketball court.
BY DELANA ISLES
“I don’t live in an ivory tower,” PNP’s Washington Misick declared during Thursday night’s leadership debate in response to PDM’s Edwin Astwood’s longstanding accusation of the Premier’s alleged inaction and incompetence.
“I know what is going on in this country,” Misick insisted. “He is the one who doesn’t know what is going on in this country,” he accused, as his introductory time ran out.
The night’s event got off to a heated start as the two party leaders faced off, slinging accusations back and forth about the other not knowing what they were doing or talking about, in critical areas like housing, healthcare and public well-being.
The healthcare question struck a nerve with the opposition leader, who accused the PNP government of mishandling and bankrupting the entire NHIP system, causing distress among citizens.
“We don’t follow fashion, we set trends,” Misick asserted defending his party’s management of the NHIP, stating that they have established a national health authority to properly manage the entire healthcare system which he admitted needs improvement.
“We are a caring government,”
he insisted.
“The Premier cannot help but lie to the people of the Turks and Caicos islands,” Astwood accused, stating that the Premier’s claim that the PDM does not have a healthcare plan is simply more lies and rhetoric and that the party has clearly laid out their plans in the past few months.
“The main problem with the NHIP is that this premier and his party have been running it,” the PDM leader said in response to the PNP leader’s acknowledgements of problems with the NHIP and the treatment abroad system.
Given the crime situation in the Islands, one would have expected that crime and safety would dominate the discussion. However, compared to the heated debate on healthcare between the candidates, the conversation about crime was relatively subdued.
“Let us assume you are correct that there is a crime crisis,” Misick began in response to a question about crime. He then proceeded to reiterate his party’s message from recent months like the increase
in police presence, available resources and future initiatives to address the issue.
Astwood for his part, picked up on Misick’s opening statement about there presumably being a ‘crime crisis’, stating that the Premier remains so out of touch that he still cannot admit that the Turks and Caicos Islands is actually facing a crime crisis. Both leaders went into some details about their crime plans as laid out in their manifestos.
“He hasn’t said anything to that is implementable… he is speaking in generalities,” Misick
stated, further outlining his party’s plans which include the use of technology to fight crime.
Misick once again accused the opposition leader and his party members of politicising the crime situation, to which Astwood responded that they least recognise that there is a crime problem.
When asked about the deportation of immigrants and Islanders from the United States back to the TCI, in light of President Donald Trump’s recent declarations on illegal migration, both leaders agreed on the importance of accepting their people.
“We have to accept our people.” However, they differed significantly on the issue of illegal migration in the TCI.
Astwood suggested locking down the borders and bringing back the controversial Special Immigration Customs Enforcement (SPICE) Unit, whose main purpose was to round up illegal migrants in the workforce.
He stated that this time around, they would manage SPICE properly and encourage illegal migrants to return to their home countries voluntarily. “We did it before - lock down the borders with eyes on the border and in the
The Turks and Caicos Islands stands at a crossroads, with a pivotal general election just a week away that will shape the islands' future, at least for the next five years. While the two main parties share some similarities, their differences are stark and significant as highlighted in their manifestos.
The People’s Democratic Movement (PDM), led by Hon Edwin Astwood, promises to prioritise crime reduction, create safe communities, and address the rising cost of living by providing affordable housing.
Astwood emphasised that the PDM is a party "of the people, for the people, and with the people," and that his party’s manifesto reflects the commitment to address the issues impacting the community.
On the other hand, the Progressive National Party (PNP), led by the Hon Premier Charles Washington Misick intends to focus on continuing robust economic growth, job creation, inflation reduction, and building safe and strong communities.
Misick highlighted his party’s achievements during their term, including pandemic recovery, economic growth, and infrastructure development, and asked for the public’s vote to continue this progress.
What are your thoughts?
Dream on. The world is changing, we aren't ready.
The Turks & Caicos Islands must take itself in a new direction this election in terms of how they seek to run and manage their country. This would mean demanding what is wanted, holding leaders accountable, and questioning their actions and decisions. This is woefully absent from local political discourse. It would mean that the Government and Opposition would be held accountable to the electorate. The PDM just announced that they will increase scholarship funding to $12m, compared to current PNP Government budget -2024/25of $3.8m.
This is one example where the public, PDM and PNP supporters need to hold the current and next government accountable for budgeting for this and other programmes that would benefit the youths. This needed paradigm shift requires the voters to be more specific in what they want in terms of schools, trade schools, colleges, community centres and crime fighting. Voters must insist on an ongoing process with the
issue of crime is ‘hitting home’. The TCI's economy is immediately threatened. The PDM’s agenda to “prioritize crime reduction, create safe communities, and address the rising cost of living by providing affordable housing”, is hitting some salient issues in the mind of the electorate.
The police force, government and the Governor were all “found wanting” in the face of a $400m budget and had to reallocate funds to deal with an ongoing crime wave. Where a PDM government is held to its word, they would have to ensure that after proper liaison with the public and the police, sufficient funds are budgeted to fight crime.
The process cannot continue to be "reactionary". Housing is a major issue. It does not look good that Turks & Caicos Islanders and other nationalities from the Caribbean region are “living in shacks” while other enclaves of wealth ‘reside within miles of this squalor”.
A second look needs to be taken of these programmes by the PDM because the “money is there” to fund all of this. It just needs commitment and a willingness not to be distracted.
The cost of living are short-term and long-term issues that need addressing. Their impacts lead to a shortage of money, and families that cannot properly take care of their children, which feeds into the crime wave. Should the PDM take office and address inflation, crime and housing, in the way promised, it will go a long way to turning the country around.
allocate U$100,000 to the small business development programme, MSME project at Investtci. This is real promise and where implemented will aid struggling TCI businesses.
This idea could be assisted with loan facilities in the hundreds of thousands, millions, low interest rates, etc. to small business development and startups. In light of the "wealth that surrounds" the TCIslander, initiatives like these are needed to empower and enhance the welfare of the people.
The PNP’s manifesto was an interesting read. Unfortunately, it doesn’t actually provide much in the way of details for achieving many of the points raised. It says “Introduce SMART regulations to improve the business environment”, but then it’s never mentioned again. Is ‘SMART’ an acronym for something?
Who knows. It then says ‘Promote and support Rural Development’, but then it’s never mentioned again. What does this mean? Once you start reading a bit further, then you start to realise the use of AI in the document (such as AI-generated images, and seems like some text as well), and then you realise that the whole document was cobbled together, like a last-minute high school group project. Nothing is actually discussed in any depth, and it’s all buzzwords.
government because promises are cheap and ministers' feet must be kept to the fire. When it comes to crime there is a gap between the monies that are allocated to crime and being prepared for the new kind of crime that is ongoing.
TCI is still a territory of Britain and despite whoever becomes Premier, they have to cow to Massa. It’s how it is. Sometimes it’s easier to talk in opposition about the changes you would make and berate the Premier for siding with the Brits, but the thing is when you get into government, only then do you realise that it’s like walking on eggshells. We are not Trump, nor will we ever be. So let’s stop looking at this as pro-local vs proBritish, if Astwood wins he would also have to toe the line.
Crime is certainly the number one issue in the TCI. With the tragic killing of the deputy Sheriff from Cook County, Chicago, in the heart of Grace Bay, the tourism capital, the
The governing PNP government is challenged to the hilt because on taking the reins of government from Former Premier, Sharlene Cartwright Robinson, they met “Money in the Bank”. What they did with it is another issue.
Economic growth is not an issue. What is the issue, ‘what have you done for me lately’? Look at eGovernment: With current MP EJ Saunders, an expert in information technology, on their ticket, there was enough time for them to implement eGovernment.
With Saunders cashiered, and eGovernment not implemented, this is a major failing on their part. Their modes and methods of governance are issues. How do they explain giving grants of millions to an international corporate conglomerate when local businesses and scholarship funding are lacking?
They boast of a $1.7bn economy but the people can see very little of that money spent on them. They boast of progress but there is scholarship funding moving from 11 fully paid to eight, no serious funding for small businesses which provides little incentive to keep them in office.
There’s talk of ‘Heritage Turks and Caicos Islanders’, but again, what does this mean? The PNP is fielding several candidates who were not born in the Turks and Caicos. Is a Turks Islander from the Bahamas some sort of second-class Turks Islander now? This doesn’t even seem constitutional, so maybe that’s something the Governor could look into as I thought the new constitutional changes were just finalised, and there wasn’t anything about ‘heritage Turks and Caicos Islanders’ passed.
It's also interesting that despite the big government hack (which again, the government has said very little about), there’s zero in their manifesto about increasing cyber security.
Finally, there’s the same talk about eGovernment, which was a big thing for them last election. There doesn’t seem to have been any real progress over the last
BY DELANA ISLES
Since the pivotal year of 2020, the Turks and Caicos Islands’ real estate market has more than doubled compared to the preCOVID period of 2017 to 2020, during which it averaged $282m in total sales volume. This contrasts sharply with the period from 2021 to 2024, when it achieved an astounding $710m, marking a 151% increase.
This is according to Joe Zahm, President of TCI Sotheby International Realty in the agency’s 2024 market review report.
Further to this, the average price point during the same four-year period increased dramatically from circa $824,000 to $1,442,000, a growth of 75%. Zahm said this
progression in dollar volume and average price illuminates the Turks and Caicos Islands’ position as a true luxury destination where quality luxury property and worldly luxury buyers have found a happy place.
Also of interest, he noted that over the past four years, led by new developments such as South Bank, The Strand, Beach Enclave North Shore Phase 2, Rock House, The Villas at Blue Mountain and The Summit – along with select significant sales - Single Family Homes (SFH) have excelled, averaging $360m in volume versus an average of $178m for condominiums, which ultimately accounted for 67% of residential sales.
The average price in the two
sectors follows suit, with SFH's average price of $2,592,000 trumping condominium averages of $1,357,000.
However, the report noted that while single family homes have ruled the day in the past four years, next-generation condominium projects are now ruling the roost.
“With $363m in pending (under contract) transactions, the preconstruction condominiums - led by The Point by Grace Bay Resorts, ARC Sky Villas at South Bank, Andaz Turks & Caicos by Hyatt, The St. Regis Residences and The Loren at Turtle Coveaccount for $240m of the $363m in residential sales (66%).
This, Zahm pointed out, is a complete reversal in market penetration. “This next-
impact on illegal migration in the TCI.
skies,” he said.
Misick countered that illegal migration is a decades-old problem that has plagued both PDM and PNP governments, claiming that the former has made no progress in tackling the issue. He pointed to improvements in radar operations, border force measures, and international and regional partnerships that his government has implemented, noting that these efforts have had a significant
The issue of constitutional reform drew some common ground between the two - who along with both their prior party leaders (Rufus Ewing and Sharlene CartwrightRobinson) had put in significant legwork to get the territory where it is currently.
Misick asserted that the country cannot move toward
four years, but I guess the next five years is when it all comes together. Or, it’ll be back on the manifesto in 2030.
It’s easy to talk the talk, but can they walk the walk? The PNP has had four years to prove themselves and they have done a lot, but they have also failed, especially when it came to crime, but honestly, the PDM is not big on what they can do either. So the big question is do we go with what we know, that is the PNP growing the economy, but failing in some other areas or do we go with the PDM, who can say anything under God’s blue sky to impress voters.
self-determination without the constitutional changes that were recently made. “Nineteen seats; nothing has changed in terms of numbers; it is only that they are all elected,” he stated.
While Astwood agreed with a fully elected house, he reiterated that his party wanted to give each island its own representative.
He also accused the premier and his party of pulling out of constitutional talks between 2016 and 2021 while Misick was the opposition leader, pointing to the difference between the two leaders and their willingness to meet at the table in the interest of the people and the country.
This assertion was, however, swiftly rebutted by Misick, who reminded the PDM leader that his party had never backed away from the table, accusing him of baldly lying to the Turks and Caicos Islands’ public.
In 2018, the PNP opposition had indicated its intention to re-engage the government in constitutional talks in early 2019, following the selection of new leadership of the party as Misick was at the time intending to step away from frontline politics.
Keep following our online edition for more news coming out of this historic leadership debate, as the two major parties vie for power in what is anticipated to be a pivotal election come February 7, 2025.
generation condominium boom can be readily seen from air, sea and road, whereas the major villa developments were more discreetly tucked away.”
He stated that with other significant projects in the pipeline, purchasers will have the best selection of inventory to choose from in the Caribbean.
Significant sales over $10m have shown steady growth, while the $20m-plus market has expanded significantly since its first milestone sale on Parrot Cay in 2016, the report outlines.
The luxury threshold continues to rise, with $30m-plus transactions now occurring annually since 2023, establishing a new benchmark in the ultra-luxury segment. It noted that this pattern demonstrates the market's sustained strength and evolution in the high-end property sector.
The president estimated that with “existing and indevelopment significant estates now proliferating, it won’t be long until we see $50m-plus sales in our
market, with $100m likely within the decade”.
“As we look toward 2025, the growth and success of the luxury real estate market are poised to continue securing the Turks and Caicos as a top destination for investors and homeowners alike,” Zahm stated.
Four-Year Growth: Since COVID, the residential market has shown remarkable growth, with a 151% increase in dollar volume and a 75% rise in average price, underscoring its long-term sustainability.
Shifting Trends in Pending Sales: Pending sales now reflect a significant shift from single-family homes to condos, with condos rising from 33% to 66%, driven by the next generation of highdemand developments.
Luxury Market Leadership: The sustained rise in average sales price over the past four years, firmly establishes Turks and Caicos as a premier destination for luxury.
BY OLIVIA ROSE
In a rousing launch event on Friday, January 24, 2025, Premier Charles Washington Misick and the Progressive National Party (PNP) revealed their comprehensive manifesto for the upcoming elections, titled “The Citizen’s Contract 2.0”.
The ambitious plan outlines a transformative agenda for the Turks and Caicos Islands, focusing on key areas such as economic diversification, education and workforce development, technological innovation, public service enhancement, and sustainable infrastructure.
The PNP’s manifesto lays out a clear roadmap for the future, with a strong emphasis on creating a “service-dominant economy” that prioritises peoplecentred development and better employment opportunities.
Central to this vision is empowering the workforce through targeted education and training in technology and creative industries, fostering a skilled and adaptable labour pool ready to meet the demands of the modern economy.
The party also aims to introduce “SMART regulations” to cultivate a more conducive business environment, streamlining processes, and attracting investment. This commitment to efficiency extends to the public sector, with plans to invest in systems upgrades, process
improvements, and automation to boost productivity and service delivery.
Innovation and technology are positioned as cornerstones of the PNP’s strategy. The manifesto pledges to leverage these tools to enhance the business environment further and improve public services, promising a more responsive and digitally-enabled government.
Recognising the need for a diversified and resilient economy, the PNP intends to support private sector-led growth through continued investment in infrastructure development.
This includes upgrading critical utilities such as telecommunications to enhance connectivity and productivity across the islands.
The manifesto also outlines plans to support rural development and establish “AGRO Parks” to boost domestic food production, promoting sustainability and selfsufficiency.
Additional pledges include providing grants to communitybased businesses, supporting youth entrepreneurs with specialised financing and business incubators, and promoting diverse funding models for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).
The PNP also underscores its commitment to environmental protection and sustainability.
The manifesto includes plans to acquire a new patrol boat and increase manpower and training to enhance marine safety and protect the livelihoods of watersports operators and fishers.
The party’s vision extends to social development, with a focus on empowering youth, creating safe communities, and supporting the most vulnerable.
The manifesto reiterates the PNP’s commitment to affordable housing, improved healthcare, and accessible education.
Speaking at the launch event held on Friday January 24, 2025 at the K& T’s conference room in Providenciales, Premier Misick and Deputy Premier Jamell Robinson delivered impassioned speeches at the manifesto launch, emphasising the PNP’s track record and vision for the future.
Premier Misick declared, “My fellow Islanders, the number one priority of the Progressive National Party is the well-being of the people... today, we are pleased to present our 2025 manifesto, the citizens contract 2.0.”
He highlighted the PNP’s achievements in navigating the challenges of the COVID-19
pandemic, revitalising the economy, and implementing impactful social programmes.
He said: “Let me take you back to January 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic was raging and the economy was in free fall.
“The travel ban had crippled our tourism industry, you had a tactless and incompetent PDM government.
“You were facing hardship because the PDM government did not see you as priority. They are now saying you’re a priority, it’s rather late, because when you needed help, they turned away from you, and your lives and welfare did not matter, so you placed your trust in the Progressive National Party and gave us the mandate to put you first, put you at the centre of development, turn the economy around and rebuild the country.”
He underscored that since then, his Government has worked “every day to deliver on the promises made” in the citizen’s contract.
“We have not solved every problem, but we’ve delivered a successful pandemic recovery, a fast-growing and much bigger and stronger economy, booming investor confidence with foreign direct investment at various stages of completion valued at $4bn, an upgrade from stable to positive by an international rating agency, Standard and Poor signalling confidence in the country’s economy.
“Record visitor arrivals, support of over $3,500 to each status holder
and BOTC, plus, more recently, because of living allowance of an additional $1,000, $15m of legacy debt and penalties forgiven for small businesses.
“$5m from total support for MSMEs through generous grants and technical support, we increase the minimum wage by 20% we provided a first grade and pay review in 10 years, with every public servant receiving a minimum of 10% increase in their salary”, he stressed.
Deputy Premier Robinson echoed these sentiments, stating, “Today, as we unveil our citizens contract 2.0, we remind you that this is not a time to rest. We cannot backslide or gamble on inexperience or incompetence... The stakes are too high.
“The future of our islands demands a team with a proven track record and an unwavering commitment to service.”
The PNP’s “Citizens Contract 2.0” manifesto offers a bold and detailed vision for the Turks and Caicos Islands.
With its focus on economic diversification, social inclusion, technological advancement, and sustainable development, the party aims to lead the islands toward a future of prosperity, opportunity, and progress.
As the election campaign unfolds, voters will have the opportunity to assess the PNP’s ambitious plans and decide whether to entrust them with the continued leadership of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
BY DELANA ISLES
The People’s Democratic Partry’s (PDM) manifesto outlines five priority areas, each reflecting the dreams and aspirations of the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands, Party Leader, Hon Edwin Astwood shared with his supporters last week during the launch of the document, vaunted as the party’s roadmap to victory.
“Together we will embark on this noble journey. Crime and violence: we will fortify our law enforcement and secure our borders, implement community policies, initiate an initiative to restore hope, safety and the tranquillity that you deserve” Astwood said in his address at the party’s Downtown Providenciales headquarters on Friday, January 24.
The party has outlined its top priorities in its manifesto: crime and illegal migration; cost of living and economic growth; affordable housing; health care; and youth empowerment, education and sport.
In its 51-page manifesto, the PDM listed women, elderly care, special needs, tourism development, cruise industry, agriculture, fisheries, transforming connectivity renewable energy, culture & heritage, as well as selfgovernance, as critical areas they will focus on to ensure a successful and functioning economy should they be elected.
One two of the main issues plaguing the territory in recent months and years - ‘crime and security’ and ‘the high cost of living’ - the manifesto went into detail, outlining the party’s plan to tackle these issues head-on.
Some of their key strategies include increased manpower,
resources, training and support for law enforcement; prioritising the recruitment and training of additional police officers; improving the benefits packages of officers to attract and retain talent within the police force; and equipping law enforcement with a diverse fleet such as armoured and off-road vehicles, high-speed pursuit boats, and surveillance vehicles.
They have also touted the establishment of an integrated forensic intelligence unit, mobile forensics unit, DNA databases, and a forensic cold case unit. Further to this, the implementation of education and crime prevention programmes, along with ones tailored to youth empowerment and community policing initiatives.
How they will address the socio-economic factors of crime is also outlined in the document, examining the correlation between poverty and crime, and implementing programmes designed to address issues such as unemployment and lack of opportunities.
They have also suggested enhancing the Island’s CCTV operations with infrastructural upgrades with around-the-clock monitoring of suspicious areas. Further to that improving the 911 services with a modern system, utilising artificial intelligence (AI).
Victim support, counselling, and legal and financial assistance are also outlined in the PDM’s plan to fight and combat criminality in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
“The rising cost of living in the TCI has caused significant financial strain on families. The PDM aims to address this issue through a
comprehensive strategy focused on sustainable solutions to ensure affordability and accessibility for all,” the manifesto promises. Some of the strategic measures to reduce the cost of living, as outlined in the document, are: lowering the cost of food and goods (this to be achieved through import duties reductions, renegotiations of trade agreements, and subsidised food and fuel, among others).
Supporting local businesses through increased access to capital and programmes. Supporting the
vulnerable populations through strengthened social services, better childcare and food assistance programmes. Providing better access to healthcare, such as making it affordable, and reducing cost of prescription medications among others.
The party also lists improving public sector employment initiatives and opportunities as another plan to alleviate the high cost of living in the territory.
They have also proposed implementing consumer protection
laws: encouraging fairness in the marketplace; price regulation; fair trading practices and putting consumer rights legislation in place.
The full manifesto can be viewed on the People’s Democratic Movement’s (PDM) Facebook page, allowing voters, residents and visitors the opportunity to read for themselves the detailed plans and initiatives the party has laid for the next five years, should they prevail at the February 7, 2025 polls.
No man is an island. Somebody helped you to be in the position you are in. However, sometimes, we are ungrateful towards the people who help us along the way. In fact, we not only forget them, but we also talk so badly about the people who helped us. I want to encourage you today, do not bite off the hand that feeds you. Of course, there are exceptions. If that hand has taken advantage of you, then it is ok to bite off that hand.
One of my philosophies in life is to support the people who support me and my family. I support my clients’ businesses because my clients are the ones who put bread
BY DREXWELL SEYMOUR
Drexwell Seymour is a certified public accountant and is the managing partner for HLB TCI. His favourite hobby, however, is writing. He has a personal website, www.drexwellseymour. com, where all of his writings are posted. He also has a YouTube channel where you can find inspirational videos. Drexwell has a BA in Accounting and an MBA in Finance.
on my table. I wouldn’t feel right supporting my clients’ competitors even if their prices were less expensive. I think many of us should consider adopting that same philosophy.
I remember when I was shopping at a particular establishment, the employee encouraged me to shop at the competition saying it was
cheaper there. Now imagine if more employees do that and the customers go elsewhere, how do the employees expect their employer to make money so that they can cover expenditures such as payroll? The thing is, if an employee is aware that the prices of the competition are lower than their workplace, they should
bring that to the attention of their employer so that their employer can react appropriately.
Employees play an integral part of an organisation. While it is true that an employee can be replaced, there are some employees that are indispensable, and employers should do their best to retain these employees rather than biting off the employees’ hands.
BITE THE HAND OFF IF YOU ARE BEING TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF
Sometimes, you must bite off the hands of those individuals and companies that feed you. Some people are being taken advantage of. Some people are being paid below minimum wage. The working environment for some
individuals is very toxic. Some people are being abused by the hand that feeds them. Some people are being misused and controlled by the hand that feeds them. If you find yourself in the above situations, then bite that hand off.
Too many times, we find ourselves being very selfish. We do not consider or appreciate the hand that feeds us. Many times, we tend to forget or simply take people and organisations for granted. Be very careful when you bite off the hand that feeds you, especially if it is unjustified. Others are watching and listening and may not give you an opportunity because they will think you will do the same thing to them.
If you read self-help books, they would tell you that it is critical to have confidence. The argument is that confidence is essential because it empowers individuals to take initiative, overcome fears, and persist through challenges, ultimately leading to personal growth and success. It fosters a positive mindset, enhances decision-making, and encourages resilience in the face of setbacks. On the other hand, excessive self-confidence leads to arrogance, poor decision-making, and often blind dependence on personal abilities that may ultimately fail in times of crisis. In short, placing your confidence in the wrong place can lead to a distortion of reality and calamitous consequences. Confidence in God, however, provides us with a firm foundation rooted in His wisdom, strength, and unchanging promises, ensuring true security and guidance beyond our limitations. In Hebrews 10:1925 we are encouraged to have confidence in what Jesus has done for us.
Look at the text - Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our
E. LEWIS
Kenyatta Lewis is the pastor of Harvest Bible Chapel, a growing church committed to taking followers of Jesus deeper and going further in their faith. Besides loving, serving, and helping people he has watched the extended Director’s cut of the Lord of the Rings trilogy multiple times.
hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
The passage in Hebrews 10 begins with a remarkable truth: “Since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh” (Hebrews 10:1920). In the Old Testament, access to God’s presence was restricted. Only the high priest could enter the Most Holy Place once a year to make atonement for the sins of the people. But Jesus’ sacrifice changed everything. His blood opened a new and living way,
granting all believers direct access to God.
This gift is a profound reality for the Christian life. No longer do we need intermediaries or rituals to approach God. Through Christ, we can enter His presence with confidence, not based on our merit, but on His grace. This truth should shape our daily lives, encouraging us to pray, worship, and seek God’s guidance continually.
Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we can approach God in prayer with boldness, knowing that He hears us. Hebrews 4:16 reinforces this truth: “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Prayer is an open line of communication with the Creator of the universe, who invites us to bring our requests, burdens, and praises before Him.
Since we have this confidence, we must cultivate a lifestyle of prayer. This means setting
aside intentional time to pray daily, seeking God’s wisdom in our decisions, and bringing our concerns to Him instead of relying solely on our own strength. When we face trials, rather than panicking or turning to worldly solutions, we should immediately turn to God, trusting that He will answer in His perfect wisdom and timing.
Hebrews 10 also calls us to worship with assurance. When we gather for corporate worship or spend time in personal devotion, we are responding to God’s love. The phrase “let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith” (v. 22) emphasizes that our worship should come from sincerity and trust in God’s promises.
Worship is not about mere emotions or external acts; it is about recognizing and responding to the greatness of God. It involves praising Him through songs, expressing gratitude in prayer, and living a life that honors Him. Worship shifts our focus from our
struggles to God’s sovereignty. When we recognize who God is—holy, loving, and powerful— our worries fade in light of His greatness. Let worship be a daily habit, not just a Sunday experience, as we live in continual gratitude for what Christ has done.
Hebrews 10:23 urges us to “hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” This means we can trust God’s promises and guidance even when life is uncertain. Many times, we hesitate to take steps of faith because we fear failure or the unknown, but when we remember that God is faithful, we can move forward with courage.
Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” The more we lean on God and His Word, the more we develop a clear sense of His will for our lives. Rather than making decisions based purely on logic, emotion, or worldly advice, we should first seek His guidance through prayer, Scripture, and godly counsel.
True confidence is not found in self-reliance but in a deep and abiding trust in our faithful God.
In the Turks and Caicos Islands, conversations are buzzing— around the bars, churches, domino games, and social media feeds—as the nation approaches February 7, 2025, Election Day.
With the extended number of At-Large candidates, this election will shape the future of the country, making it one of the most consequential moments in recent history.
What’s important to keep in mind is, voting is not only a right but also a responsibility that carries immense power to influence change.
Engaging in democracy does not begin and end at the ballot box. Social media platforms, town hall meetings, and political rallies offer opportunities to connect with candidates who seek to lead the Turks and Caicos Islands.
These spaces are vital for evaluating leadership, understanding policies, and demanding accountability. Politicians must address the
BY ED FORBES A concerned citizen of Grand Turk
pressing needs of the people through innovative solutions, not recycled promises. Citizens deserve leaders who prioritize fairness, equity, and sustainable progress for all.
Economic growth is evident, yet many working-class Turks Islanders continue to struggle.
Small business owners face systemic challenges, including limited resources and bureaucratic roadblocks.
Despite a booming economy and stimulus packages, many residents in TCI are still feeling the pinch, be it at the fuel pumps or the sticker prices at the grocery stores. Perhaps, it’s how capitalism have shaped us, always wanting more and more. One must honestly ask themselves are you better off now than four years ago?
If yes, vote your conscience-
Although we may think the same, as a writer, I’m in a different lane and not beholden to politics and should avoid being bias. However, if the answer is no, this inequity underscores the need for policies that addresses the lived realities of ordinary citizens.
Elections provide an opportunity to reflect on leadership and performance. Manifestos and past actions must be closely analysed to determine whether promises have been fulfilled.
The success of any administration lies in its ability to advance the collective welfare of the population while fostering long-term progress. This includes effectively addressing pressing issues such as crime, unemployment, healthcare,
education, and public safety— areas that impact the everyday lives of citizens.
A robust democracy requires active participation beyond the act of voting. Political engagement ensures that leaders remain accountable, policies remain relevant, and communities feel empowered.
True progress emerges when citizens and governments work together toward shared goals, grounded in mutual respect and understanding.
The structural challenges within the political system cannot be ignored. Electing the same leaders or party who have failed to meet the needs of the people or new candidates who failed to articulate their vision is not a solution.
The pursuit of meaningful change demands bold leadership capabilities. This includes addressing longstanding or basic needs and creating pathways to success for all Turks Islanders.
A political system that serves only a select few undermines the principles of democracy and hinders national development.
As citizens, the responsibility is ours to hold leaders accountable and ensure they deliver on their promises. Participation in this election goes beyond party loyalty; it requires evaluating which candidates possess the vision and determination to propel the Turks and Caicos Islands forward.
Democracy thrives when citizens actively participate! Democracy thrives when citizens challenge outdated practices, and demand better governance. This election marks a pivotal moment, not just for the next five years but for generations to come. The legacy of our choices will define the trajectory of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
On February 7, 2025, make your vote count. Your voice matters, and it has the power to inspire the change this nation needs.
A survival guide for the easily offended
Oh yah, political correctness— the fine art of never offending anyone, anywhere, at any time. What started as a noble effort to promote kindness has now evolved into a bizarre game of linguistic gymnastics where even the most harmless phrases can send people into a spiral of ragetweeting.
To help you navigate this absurd world, here are eight real and ridiculous examples of political correctness gone off the rails—and the so-called “reasons” behind them.
“Short” is offensive—call them “vertically challenged.”
Because we wouldn’t want to damage the self-esteem of someone who has to climb onto a kitchen counter just to reach the peanut butter. I personally prefer being called “Short King”, so please only address me as such.
“Bald” is discriminatory—it’s “follicularly independent.”
Because apparently, calling a
BY DAVIDSON LOUIS
Rachel Wolchin once said: “If we were meant to stay in one place, we’d have had roots instead of feet.” On this quest to self-discovery, TC Islander Davidson Louis vowed to travel, write, paint, laugh and forgive. Subsequently, he hopes to find himself and or, leave behind a few pieces of himself. Contact him at hello. octopen@tcinews.tc
man bald is worse than actually being bald.
Saying “Merry Christmas” might traumatise someone.
Solution? The ultra-safe, nondenominational “Happy holiday that may or may not involve a fat bearded man and presents.”
Clapping is aggressive—use “jazz hands” instead.
At some universities, traditional clapping has been banned because it’s “triggering.”
Nothing says respect like a room full of people silently wiggling their fingers at you like deranged
mimes.
“Mankind” is sexist—use “personkind” (or just stop referring to humans at all).
Justin Trudeau once corrected a woman for using “mankind” instead of “peoplekind.” Because nothing says progress like making up words.
Pets are no longer “owned”— they are “animal companions”.
Because your dog is actually an independent, tax-paying citizen who totally wasn’t licking his own butt five minutes ago.
“Master Bedroom” has been
rebranded—too problematic.
Some real estate companies now call it the “primary suite,” because clearly, that word was the only thing holding society back.
“Parents” are now “grown-up caregivers.”
Because the term “mom and dad” assumes a traditional family structure, which is apparently as offensive as a nuclear meltdown.
But that’s not all. I could not leave you off without a list of my favourites. I can’t be bothered looking for the deeper reasoning, so this is all you will get.
Homeless – Outdoor urban dwellers
Prostitute – Sex worker / Sex care provider
Bisexual prostitute – Equal opportunity prostitute Poor – Economically marginalised Immigrant – Newcomer
Illegal immigrant – Irregular immigrant / undocumented
worker
Terrorist – Freedom fighter / rebel / protester / insurgent Fat – Metabolic overachiever
Housewife – Domestic engineer Unemployed – Economically inactive
Preferential treatment –Affirmative action
Racist – Someone who disagrees with the far-left
At this rate, by 2030, we’ll all be communicating exclusively through interpretive dance to avoid offending someone. The truth is, common sense has left the chat.
So, next time you’re about to say something, stop, think, and ask yourself: “Will this be featured in an angry Twitter thread?” If the answer is yes, congratulations—you’ve just had a normal conversation.
Share if you care. Instagram @Daviid.l2
Twenty-five-year-old Henrico Morris, also known as ‘Trippy’ and ‘Rico’ has been sent to prison for seven years following a botched robbery in 2023.
The would-be robber appeared
in court last Wednesday, January 22, for his sentencing following a short trial in the Grand Turk Supreme Court. He faced a charge of possession of an imitation
firearm with intent to cause a serious offence.
Evidence presented to the court indicated that on January 21, 2023, Trippy entered a drinking establishment located
at Saunders Pond in the nation’s capital, sometime around 2:30 am, demanding cash and waving his fake weapon around. As a consequence of his criminal actions, a patron in the establishment suffered injuries to his right leg.
Trippy was arrested on January 30, 2023, following investigations and subsequently charged.
BY OLIVIA ROSE
The political landscape of the Turks and Caicos Islands was set ablaze as both the Progressive National Party (PNP) and the People's Democratic Movement (PDM) unveiled their manifestos on the same day, January 24, 2025.
The coincidental timing ignited a fiery exchange between the party leaders, with accusations of plagiarism flying from both sides.
At the PNP launch, the party's leader, Hon Washington Misick, addressed the controversy headon, dismissing the PDM's claims of plagiarism with a rhetorical flourish: "The guys over there on the side claim that we have plagiarised them, their manifesto. Well, how can you plagiarise something that don't even exist? Right?"
Misick emphasised that the PNP's manifesto had been in development for months and was not a “copycat” document.
Leader of the PDM, Hon Edwin Astwood responded to the allegations at his party's manifesto launch shortly after, stating, "We do not engage in that kind of espionage and plagiarism, trying to take away from them, because if we had taken away from them, surely we would have failed the people of the country."
Astwood asserted that his party's manifesto had been prepared months ago and offered proof in the form of computer timestamps. He further accused the PNP of rushing their manifesto release to beat the PDM's timeline.
Beyond the political drama, the manifestos themselves outlined the parties' priorities and plans for the Turks and Caicos Islands.
The PDM's manifesto, as presented by Astwood, focuses on crime reduction, safe communities, and affordable housing to address the rising cost of living.
Astwood emphasised that the PDM is a party "of the people, for the people, and with the people."
Meanwhile, Premier Misick pledged to continue the PNP’s focus on economic growth, job creation, inflation reduction, and community safety if re-elected.
Misick touted his party's achievements during their term, including pandemic recovery, economic growth, and infrastructure development.
As the election season heats up, the accusations and counteraccusations surrounding the
manifesto launches have injected an added layer of drama into the political landscape of the islands. Voters will now have to weigh
the parties' platforms alongside the claims and counterclaims of plagiarism as they decide who will lead the territory forward.
Straughn Swann, 30, of Robinson Street, Five Cays, Providenciales, was charged on January 24
Straughn Swann, a 30-year-old resident of Robinson Street, Five Cays, Providenciales, has been formally charged with the murder of Pastor Elva Annabelle Talbot.
The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force (RTCIPF) announced the charges on January 24th, following guidance from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Swann appeared before a Magistrate on January 28th and was remanded to His Majesty’s Prison. He awaits a sufficiency hearing scheduled for March 7th, 2025, according to a statement from the police force.
Although a motive for the homicide has not been disclosed to the public, the official charge against Swann alleges that on
January 15th, 2025, he murdered Ms Talbot in Providenciales, violating Section 3 of the Offenses Against the Person Ordinance Chapter 3.08.
The tragic incident occurred at Ms Talbot's home.
The news of Pastor Talbot's murder sent shockwaves throughout the TCI, including the Five Cays community, where she
was a respected and cherished spiritual leader.
Elva Talbot, who served as senior pastor of the New Life Global Harvest Apostolic Int'l Center, was a pillar of the Five Cays community according to her loved ones and her untimely death has left a void that will be deeply felt by all who knew her. (Olivia Rose)
BY SHANICE LIGHTBOURNE
In a landmark development for democracy in the Turks and Caicos Islands, election officials conducted a comprehensive public demonstration of the new DS200 electronic voting machine.
This demonstration was held on January 29, at the Gustavus Lightbourne Sports Complex, marking a significant shift from traditional paper-based voting as the territory prepares for its February 7th, 2025 General Elections.
"As we stand on the cusp of an important and defining moment in our country's history," Training and Education Manager, Tamara Hylton told the gathered crowd that "the Department of Elections is proud that on February 7, 2025, the Turks and Caicos Islands, for the first time in its history, will experience a new way of voting."
The centrepiece of the modernisation effort is the DS200 electronic tabulating machine, accompanied by electronic poll books (e-poll books).
Training Manager, Clara Gardiner detailed the significant changes voters can expect: "The voting process remains basically the same," Gardiner explained, but highlighted key differences: "Instead of marking an X, the voter is required to shade in the oval
shape that is next to their symbol."
She also noted a crucial change to the ballot structure: "In previous elections, we've used two ballot papers. This ballot paper has both the electoral district on the short side and the All-Island District candidates on the longer side."
Will Wesley, an Election Systems and Software (ES&S) representative, addressed concerns about the system's accuracy and
security. "Before we can sell these machines in the United States," Wesley explained, "we actually have to run one million ballots through the machine without error."
"None of them are connected to the internet. They're all standalones," Wesley stated during the demonstration. The security measures he described included the "zero tape" that prints before
The Turks and Caicos Islands Human Rights Commission (TCIHRC) announced this week, the commencement of a comprehensive training initiative on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in all government primary schools across the Turks and Caicos Islands.
According to information from the Education and Outreach Officer, Vernal Lightbourn, “this significant educational programme will begin this fiscal quarter in Providenciales and expand to high schools and to other islands in the following quarters”.
The CRC is a vital international treaty that outlines the fundamental rights of children, including their rights to education, protection, and
participation in society. As part of our commitment to ensuring that every child understands their rights and responsibilities, this training will engage students in meaningful discussions and activities centred on the principles of the CRC.
Educating children about their rights empowers them to advocate for themselves and fosters a culture of respect, equality, and inclusion. The training sessions will cover key topics such as the rights to education, freedom of expression, protection from harm, and access to basic needs. By equipping young minds with this knowledge, we are taking a crucial step toward building a society that prioritises the wellbeing and dignity of every child.
The TCIHRC looks
forward to the successful implementation of this initiative and encourages the support of parents, educators, and the wider community in fostering an environment where children's rights are understood and upheld. Together, we can create a brighter future for the children of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
For further details on the training programme, please contact the TCI Human Rights Commission at 649-941-5343, email: tcihumanrightscommission@ hrc.tc, or visit our website at www.humanrightscommission. tc. For all other private schools who wish to have this training done, please contact our office, and we will be happy to facilitate.
voting begins. "Prior to any ballots being cast on the machine, when people can show up on election morning, they'll actually open the machine up... and the machine will automatically print a zero report showing that there are no ballots tabulated at the time of poll opening," Wesley explained. He added that poll workers "look inside the ballot box to verify that there are no ballots in the ballot box before voting begins."
As for power concerns, Wesley noted, "The machine actually has a battery in it that will give you about six hours of ballot reading. So if you lose power as long as that battery is fully charged and they will be on Election Day, if you've got six hours to figure it out, you know, bring out a generator or get the power back on."
The Department of Elections has undertaken extensive preparation through multiple channels. Two rounds of training sessions have been completed with 428 total attendees, while seven public demonstrations have been conducted since January. Staff have received comprehensive training on both e-poll books and tabulating machines.
"The e-poll book syncs with other poll books," Gardiner explained, highlighting a new security feature. "If someone attempts to vote at another location, they will have a live update as to whether or not that person has voted already."
Governor Dileeni DanielSelvaratnam expressed strong confidence in the new system while acknowledging public concerns. "I know that there is always concern with change," she said, "but it is a machine that has been rolled out
across other overseas territories like BVI and Anguilla. I've had experience of it myself in Anguilla when there was a by-election. It is very straightforward. All ages find it very straightforward and easy."
Supervisor of Elections, Lister Lewis emphasised the impact on election night reporting: "The polls will be closed at 7 pm., and you will know the winner by 7:30 pm. It will not be like in previous elections where you had to wait for hours for election results."
On Election Day, voters must present an acceptable form of identification, which can include a TCI status card, passport, driver's license, NIB card, or NHIB card. The traditional practice of marking the left index finger with indelible ink remains mandatory. Voters will receive a single ballot paper containing both district and AllIsland candidates, which they will insert face-down into the tabulating machine to maintain secrecy.
The system features sophisticated error prevention capabilities, immediately notifying voters of over votes (selecting too many candidates) and detecting insufficiently marked ovals. Voters have the option to return and correct their ballots if errors are detected, with a provision for one replacement ballot if needed.
The introduction of electronic voting represents what Supervisor Lewis called "a historical occasion," modernising the electoral process while maintaining transparency and security. The Department of Elections will continue public demonstrations and training sessions leading up to the February 7th election to ensure voters are comfortable with the new system.
BY OLIVIA ROSE
In a fiery rebuke of the current administration, People's Democratic Movement Leader Edwin Astwood declared a stark contrast in leadership styles, promising a dramatic shift towards accountability, honesty, and a people-centric approach.
During a passionate address at the launch of the People's Democratic Movement's (PDM) manifesto, Hon Edwin Astwood positioned himself as a beacon of change, contrasting his leadership style with the current administration.
He emphasised accountability, transparency, and a people-centred leadership style as the cornerstones of his philosophy.
When asked by the Turks and Caicos Weekly News, “What distinguishes your leadership approach from the Progressive National Party (PNP), and if elected, how will that translate into
better governance?”
Astwood said: "The leadership between myself and the current Premier is like night and day". "I'm all about being accountable, honest, and forthright. I'm all about being for the people."
Astwood's commitment to the people was a recurring theme throughout his speech.
He pledged to prioritise the needs of the citizens and actively engage with the community. "People are our bosses," he stated. "It's not about me, it's about you. We will listen, and we will come to you."
He criticised the current government's lack of communication and promised a more transparent and responsive administration. "There will be no more silence from government," he vowed. "We will make time for communities."
Astwood's manifesto outlined a vision for a brighter future for the Turks and Caicos Islands, with a focus on empowering citizens,
Dear Editor, I have lived here for 40 years now, so please understand that I love this place, have bought land and built a home. I am not some know-it-all tourist. Perhaps you might take the following seriously.
I have just re-read the PNP’s 2021 Citizens Contract, an extremely impressive document which promised to bring the TCI and its people into the 21st century, with prosperity for all. What I would love to see in the next issue of this paper, is a reprint of that Contract, with the addition of what this government has accomplished with respect to each point. That would give the voters (of which I am not one…..) a good idea of how realistic your promises were in 2021, and how well you delivered on them. And then they could make an informed vote.
While I am here, I’d like to mention that I was reading an interview with Gilley (Galmo Williams) in a 2007 issue of this paper, when he briefly entered politics. He said he was going to pave every road in Long Bay Hills. Not sure why he said that, as there
creating opportunities, and protecting national identity. He promised to lead with transparency, accountability, and compassion, and pledged that his team is "ready to govern from day one."
"Together, we will rise," Astwood proclaimed. "Together, we will reclaim our promise. Together, we will secure a brighter future for all."
Astwood's bold vision and impassioned rhetoric have resonated with many voters,
who are looking for a change in leadership.
However, his critics argue that his promises are unrealistic and that he lacks the experience to
were almost no voters in that oldest planned subdivision. Today there are many many voters in LBH. And the only paved roads were paid for by the residents of LBH and the shipyard back in 2009 and later. In fact, I do not believe any government has spent a penny on paving in LBH. Roadside brush was cleared along parts of the main road, in 2024. And that’s it. Government might also drive the road that connects Governor’s Rd, beside Coco Bistro, and Leeward Hwy, east of the last roundabout. That stretch of road is the only way to get from Grace Bay, east of Seven Stars, up to Leeward Hwy, quickly, if traffic or an accident is blocking the road from the last roundabout down to Seven Stars. That connector road is usually impossible to drive. Paving that road would be a blessing and might actually be a life-saver one day.
Enough griping. I hope you will read this, and I hope you will act, should you be elected or re-elected. Have a good and useful day.
govern effectively. Only time will tell whether Astwood can deliver on his promises and usher in a
Dear Editor,
There’s a clear choice staring us in the face. On one side, the People’s National Party (PNP) is laying a roadmap for better jobs. They are working towards more substantial infrastructure and improved services. On the other, the People’s Democratic Movement (PDM) is busy stirring up drama, pointing fingers, and dividing us into camps. The difference in political parties is that they are worlds apart. Voters crave solutions. They want stable pay checks and the chance to leave something better for their children. They want safe streets and schools that produce bright minds. They want to see roads without potholes and health clinics that work. PNP is pledging to address these needs. They’re listening to everyday concerns and shaping policies around them. That’s what serious leaders do.
Meanwhile, the PDM is campaigning on fear. Their speeches are full of warnings about what the PNP might do if elected but light on details of their plans. PDM is sowing doubt about timetested proposals and spreading half-truths about the PNP. Ask PDM leaders how they plan to fix the problems we see, and you’ll only hear vague catchphrases or weak attempts to dodge the question. That’s not leadership. It’s political incompetence.
The PNP has concrete and realistic proposals for TCI. They’re calling for fresh infrastructure, especially in areas that feel forgotten. The PNP wants to elevate small businesses so more people can afford a decent life. The PNP are pushing for clean energy solutions that could create jobs while saving the environment. That’s not an empty promise. It’s a
BY AUDLEY ASTWOOD
practical vision.
The PDM has spent more time attacking the PNP’s vision than presenting its own. Whenever someone challenges them, their response is predictable. They lash out with petty jabs. They accuse critics of bias or label them a PNP. You can almost see them rolling
their eyes whenever someone mentions real issues. They’re too busy shouting to solve anything.
This election is not about who can sling mud better. It’s about survival for many families. It’s about whether a party values unity enough to focus on real policy. The PNP has shown it wants to unify people around common goals. On the other hand, the PDM’s game plan seems designed to divide us as a people. It’s a strategy built on suspicion, not inspiration.
We need to move forward as one community. When a party dismisses big chunks of the population or reduces everything to “us versus them,” nobody wins. Our economy suffers, our kids get short-changed, and our national morale dips. We need a government that respects each voter and strives to make life better for everyone.
The PNP speaks to that
aspiration, while the PDM keeps scoring cheap political points. That’s a shame because these times demand real solutions. We can’t afford to let political stunts overshadow substance. We must decide if we want leaders who create a shared path forward or fearmongers who tear us apart. Take a hard look at the differences. The PNP party wants to rally us around a real plan. The PDM party is fuelling endless bickering. The choice for the Turks and Caicos Islands people couldn’t be clearer. Let’s stand by the party with vision, not the one with division. Our future depends on it. We have a strong, stable, strategic leader in Charles Washington Misick. Let’s ensure he returns as our Premier by voting for PNP straight down the line.
Yours Audley Astwood
Dear Editor,
Plus ca change, plus c’est la meme chose. This phrase is attributed to the French writer Alphonse Karr and translates to ‘the more things change, the more they stay the same’. Functionally, even when there appears to be significant changes happening, the underlying core aspects or patterns often remain the same.
As a precursor to this writing I revisited a few pieces of writings from the 2008 era and I am reminded of the resurfacing of many of the negative attributes of that era which are now very present in the current government; some of which are: self- dealing by senior officials of government – elected and un-elected; uncontrolled illegal immigration, extreme weakness in general good governance, particularly in procurement, policing, healthcare, recruitment and training, among others.
In this malaise of stagnation, deficiency and discord, why are we being encouraged to ‘keep it where you got it’? Is this progress?
Should we ‘keep it where you got it’ while civil servants are underpaid and struggling to make ends meet? Our government spent an exorbitant amount on consultancy services for a civil service compensation study and the end result is that civil servants in general are still underpaid and poorly resourced. Native born civil servants are quickly retired upon reaching age 60 while our human resources department concurrently import retirees from
abroad to fill the vacated positions. Additionally our young college and university graduates are left idle and dejected in their job search and ultimately resort to migrating to oppressive environments. Is this a sound approach to capacity building? The headlines of December 2023 announced an historic public servants net pay increase of a minimum of 10%!
How does that compare with the raises which the parliamentarians voted for themselves? Was it not about 33%? As opposed to farming out the study of the compensation study do we not have sufficiently qualified professionals within the civil service with the capacity to render a sufficiently objective study? I would think that we do!
One can reasonably conclude that the decision to farm out the task is reflective of a lack of confidence of the leadership in their own abilities and by extension that of the rank and file civil servants; this approach is misguided and results in large part to the unacceptable outcomes in expectations of good governance. One would think that a 14 to 1 victory would manifest itself in an abundance of confidence but unfortunately not so! So why ‘keep it where you got it’? A change has got to come!
Should we ‘keep it where you got it’ while our public health systems are suffocating under the burden of service delivery to non-citizens? A prior PNP administration negotiated and authorised the construction of two
undersized hospitals that were burdened with fraud, waste and abuse. We continue to pay the exorbitant costs of these facilities and receive extremely poor health outcomes. Yet we have not audited the performance of the service provider and held them accountable for noncompliance of the contract terms. Could it be that so many officials were contaminated in the ‘deal’ that the preference is to not examine and report on the deficiencies? We are forced to endure this deficiency while the current administration has deployed some of the primary culprits in the ‘hospital deal’ to act as campaign surrogates. These same culprits continue drag on our national purse with the cost of the ongoing SIPT trials which now has a tab in excess of one hundred and twenty million ($120,000,000) and counting! We cannot allow our memories to be so short that we repeat the errors of the past.
Should we ‘keep it where you got it’ while our family and friends in need of medical care are airlifted to foreign medical facilities in makeshift ‘air-ambulances’ only to be returned in body bags. The fraud waste and abuse at the onset of the hospitals construction continues to manifest itself in subpar service and decisions that are injurious to our general health and wellbeing.
Should we ‘keep it where you got it’ while our children are forced to attend privately owned elementary and high schools at great costs to their parents because the publicly
operated schools are over-crowded with non-citizens? This deficiency in public education has far reaching and debilitating financial impact on the individual families and the wider economy. In practical terms the families that benefit from the free public education are relieved of the financial cost related thereto and are thus able to redirect the funds that would otherwise be spent on tuition and fees to savings and or investments. While on the other hand the TCI citizen parents exhaust their income in the payment of tuition and fees for a benefit that should be free and thus are left penniless and unable to develop any savings and or investment funds. One must ask how then will TCI citizens advance themselves economically in the absence of savings and investment.
The reports abound widely of the inability of our citizens to raise capital for business ventures.
The failures of our government to provide sufficient, adequately resourced public education facilities contributes directly to financial ills of our citizens.
Financial ills so debilitating and entrenched that a $1,500 ‘stimi’ on the eve of an election could not possibly repair the damage done. Financial ills so debilitating that it has created a glaring disparity in the financial health of our citizens when compared to other groups. The apparent growth and development are not being realised by our citizens nor is it inuring to our benefit!
Certainly one would assume that a government which benefited from a landslide victory would have used that mandate to develop the administrative and policy structures to empower the voters who so gladly granted that mandate.
It is most unfortunate that in the absence of effective public oversight and monitoring of government activities our only avenue for redress of governmental failures are at the ballot box. This government has failed to deliver good governance for our citizens. They have failed to expand our stake in the economy. The have failed to protect our rights. Our place in our society is being eroded daily as a result of the failures of government to secure our citizenship rights. Can we risk the continuation of the deficiencies of this failure? The risk is TOO HIGH. The current governing party must be removed from office! They have failed miserably with a 14-1 majority over the last four years. It is unimaginable as to how miserably that they will fail with a five year term!
If we wish to hold on to the thread of influence that we now have we must VOTE THEM OUT!
The writer Alpha Gibbs of Lorimers, Middle Caicos is a founding member of TCForum an NGO which advocates for good governance in Turks and Caicos. Mr. Gibbs is available at TCForum2001@gmail.com
By Alpha Gibbs
BY OLIVIA ROSE
Following the dramatic SpaceX incident that showered debris across the Turks and Caicos Islands on January 16, a recovery operation is now in full swing.
The Turks and Caicos Islands Government (TCIG), in collaboration with UK and US authorities, is leading the effort to collect and secure the fallen space debris.
In a public advisory issued on January 24, 2025, the TCIG reassured residents and visitors that “there are no reported injuries and limited damage reported to property.”
However, the government emphasised the importance of
public cooperation in locating and reporting any remaining debris.
A team from the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) is on the ground, working alongside SpaceX representatives to orchestrate the recovery.
The public is urged to report any sightings of potential space debris to nationalsecurity@gov.tc, with the subject line “Space X Debris”, the government stated.
The TCIG has issued clear guidelines for the public reporting debris:
Members of the public are urged to report all sightings of potential space debris, by sending details to
nationalsecurity@gov.tc with the subject title Space X Debris.
EMAIL TO INCLUDE:
• Location of the debris - island and coordinates
• Time the debris was sighted
• A photograph of the debris alongside another object for scale; without touching the debris
• As a measure of precaution wear gloves or hand covering if moving debris. Should direct contact be made with debris, wash your hands.
These guidelines also apply to any maritime observations of debris.
The public was reminded that
space debris remains the property of the spacecraft owner and that the SpaceX incident is an active investigation led by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), in liaison with the UK and TCI.
Despite these warnings, some residents who gathered debris following the mega rocket’s explosion are selling bits and pieces of the wreckage on bidding sites such as eBay for hundreds of dollars.
The Weekly News reached out to the Government for its position on these unauthorised sales, but no response was received up to press time.
While initial reports suggest no hazardous materials were on board the SpaceX rocket, the TCIG is taking precautions to address any potential environmental impact. UK partners are liaising with TCI environmental and maritime departments to monitor the situation.
The Turks and Caicos Islands government stressed: “The safety of the residents and visitors to the TCI remains our highest priority.”
As the recovery operation continues, the government said it is committed to keeping the public informed and ensuring the safe and responsible handling of the SpaceX debris.
The Environmental Health Department in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) conducted a technical mission from January 20 to 24, aimed at strengthening food safety systems and public health in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
The mission also included assessments of agricultural practices, with a focus on antemortem and post-mortem inspections to ensure food safety from production to consumption.
Before the in-country mission, PAHO agreed to work with the Environmental Health Department on a stepwise approach to review and identify
gaps and opportunities for improvement in the current Food and Drug Ordinance of the Turks and Caicos Islands, a media statement from the government said this week.
This collaboration set the foundation for the mission’s objectives, ensuring a targeted assessment of the regulatory framework and its implementation.
The mission included a series of meetings with key stakeholders involved in food safety, including the agriculture department, the national public health laboratory, the customs department, and the Grand Turk Cruise Centre.
Consultants Dr Andre Luis De Sousa Dos Santos and Katherine
Helena Oliveira Matos travelled across the TCI - South Caicos, Grand Turk, and Providenciales - to assess the full scope of the food industry and identify areas for improvement. The discussions provided valuable insight into the challenges and opportunities within the local food safety system.
According to the ministry, Dr Dos Santos is an Advisor on Food Safety and Surveillance at the Pan American for Foot-and-Mouth Disease Center and Veterinary Public Health (PANAFTOSA/ SPV) of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Dr Matos attached to the World
Health Organisation (WHO) is a food safety expert with more than 14 years of experience in the food and beverage sector and with solid experience in developing partnerships with national and international organizations (PAHO, FDA, among others).
Both consultants brought a wealth of experience in the area of food safety having provided their expertise to many other countries.
The visit culminated in a highlevel meeting with executive members of the Ministry of Health and Human Services to review the feasibility of PAHO’s recommendations, assess capacity-building efforts for
Environmental Health Officers (EHOs), establish food safety standards, and address gaps in the food quality and safety system. The discussions focused on practical strategies to enhance the country’s ability to meet international food safety and public health standards.
The final report, which will include action plans for updating the Food and Drug Ordinance and guiding its subsequent implementation, will be submitted to the Ministry of Health. This is expected to be a crucial step toward modernising food safety regulations and strengthening the overall public health framework in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Four hundred and twenty-six Bahamian citizens were under final orders of removal as of November 2024, according to a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) report.
The Bahamians, who were not detained up to that point, are part of a broader list of over 1.4 million people from various countries facing deportation.
The Trump administration has intensified immigration enforcement, increasing daily arrests and expanding deportation efforts. This includes the use of military planes for removal flights and threats of diplomatic repercussions for countries refusing to accept deportees.
In December 2024, The Bahamas rejected a proposal from the Trump administration to accept third-country migrants deported from the US, emphasizing that the country would only accept its own citizens.
Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell noted yesterday that the deportation process involving Bahamian citizens is not new for The Bahamas.
“We accept any Bahamian citizen removed from any country back to The Bahamas,” he said. “We have a long experience with this. While some people are in
The implementation of deportation orders can be delayed due to factors such as logistical challenges, verification of citizenship, and the issuance of travel documents. (Tribune242)
a panic because of this flurry of recent publicity and activity, thus far, it seems routine and within the law as far as The Bahamas is concerned. We have no reason to think that any of our international partners would violate international norms on repatriation. We will deal with any request in the usual manner.”
As spiralling violence in Haiti puts healthcare out of reach for most, Haitian mothers are seeking care at hospitals in neighbouring Dominican Republic despite government policies there scaling up deportations.
The two countries share the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, but are divided by a heavily secured border, long-standing tensions and an immense wealth gap.
Children born to Haitian parents in the Dominican Republic do not receive citizenship.
“I had my child here,” Cineas Lionne told Reuters from a hospital in the eastern city of Punta Cana. “I don’t think I would receive good care in Haiti because of the situation with the government –there is no government.”
The UN found in October that less than a quarter of hospitals were operating around Haitian capital Port-au-Prince, while those elsewhere struggle to cope with flows of refugees fleeing gang attacks.
Local doctors said many Haitian women are afraid to attend prenatal checkups and tend to arrive late at night or when they are about to give birth, due to the risk of deportation
That assessment came before a spike in violence in late 2024, that saw gangs shoot and kill journalists gathered at Haiti’s largest public hospital for a government press conference meant to announce a long-awaited reopening. Those plans have been put on hold.
The violence has forced the capital’s airport and ports to repeatedly shut down, prompting hospitals to warn of a lack of supplies such as blood and oxygen.
Aid group Doctors Without Borders temporarily halted services last year due to threats.
On Monday, a French civil security helicopter, deployed to assist Dominican authorities in the search for a missing aircraft, located the wreckage approximately 3 kilometers west of La Plaine.
The aircraft has been missing since Sunday.
The wreckage was found in a
steep, difficult-to-access area on the mountainside. Unfortunately, there were no signs of life near the crash site.
Dominican rescue operations commanders are currently coordinating with French teams on the ground to assess the situation and plan the next steps.
“The doctors here have treated me well,” said Beatrice Agustin, who gave birth in a maternity hospital in the Dominican capital.
“In Haiti there are many gangsters. You can’t give birth there, but also if you are here without papers,” giving birth in the Dominican Republic is complicated, she said.
UN experts have warned in recent years that pregnant and postpartum Haitian women seeking medical care in the Dominican Republic have faced intimidation, detention and deportation, citing raids on public hospitals and arrests during check-ups.
The UN experts have called on neighboring nations to stop deporting Haitians back home, where over 5 million people are going hungry and over 1 million are internally displaced as armed gangs continue to gain territory. Many families are sharing homes or living in makeshift camps.
The Dominican Republic has pledged to deport up to 10,000
people a week as it deals with the brunt of the migration of Haitians fleeing conflict at home. It deported over 200,000 Haitians last year and nearly 15,000 in first two weeks of 2025.
Dominican politicians have accused Haitian migrants of fuelling insecurity and said their country is already giving too much.
“Our infrastructure does not have the capacity to receive that number of people,” Senator and former health minister Daniel Rivera told Reuters, saying the priority was expanding healthcare for Dominicans.
Local doctors said many Haitian women are afraid to attend prenatal checkups and tend to arrive late at night or when they are about to give birth, due to the risk of deportation.
National health service director Martin Ortiz noted that migration officials are not permitted to enter to make arrests inside hospitals.
“Our mission is to provide care,” he said. “The same care is given equally.” (Reuters)
Acting Parliamentary Registration Commissioner Arthur Taylor said the department will ramp up preparations for the next general election next month and rejected claims that his institution was unprepared for the recent local government elections.
“Everybody now is at the point where they are ready to be going,” he said, adding that teams will be mobilised and sent to islands to verify voters.
He discussed his department’s general election plans with The Tribune and responded to criticism about last week’s elections.
Some Family Islands faced significant polling delays and ballot errors.
Even on Tuesday, in Grand Bahama, Deputy Chief Councillor Charlene Reid expressed disappointment over the postponement of the swearingin ceremony for newly elected councillors on that island.
She said in a statement that the delay is yet another blemish on the local government election, which was held on January 23 in the Family Islands.
“The new act clearly states
Acting Parliamentary Registration Commissioner
Arthur Taylor speaks with Tribune Chief Reporter Leandra Rolle at his office on January 28, 2025
a timeline of two weeks for installation, yet this timeline has been disregarded,” she claimed.
Mr Taylor insisted that only three polling divisions –– in Bimini, Harbour Island, and North Eleuthera — encountered problems, which he primarily attributed to bad weather.
“In Bimini, there was a case where the weather deteriorated so badly that the box couldn’t
The adjustment will apply across all salary grades and will also be calculated into any incremental increases due in 2025
Public servants in St Vincent and the Grenadines will receive a 2.5 per cent salary increase effective January 30, 2025, the third consecutive year of wage increases for government employees.
The new increase follows previous raises of 2.5 per cent in 2023 and 2 per cent in 2024, bringing the total increase over three years to 7 per cent.
The adjustment will apply across all salary grades and will also be calculated into any incremental increases due in 2025.
Budget Analyst Anson Latchman from the Ministry of Finance provided an example of how the
increases have impacted wages.
According to Latchman, a Grade F public servant who would have started at $48,108 with a maximum of $62,436 in 2023 will now start at $50,292 with a maximum of $65,268 in 2025.
This latest increase comes in addition to the ongoing supplementary income program for healthcare workers, where Nurses, Nursing Assistants, and Nursing Aides receive an extra 5 percent on their salaries.
This supplementary payment program has been extended beyond its initial six-month proposal.
(Loop News)
go out, and it delayed the flights for a period of time. That ended up pushing the voting back a few hours,” he said, adding that Harbour Island also faced delays due to weather conditions.
He said ferries could not operate that morning and transport ballot boxes due to heavy fog.
He admitted ballot errors in polling divisions nine and ten in Governor’s Harbour, Eleuthera,
while adding that the department prints ballots locally, and officials only discovered some names were missing after they arrived on the island.
He said when alerted to the issue, he immediately arranged for the ballots to be reprinted. He said sending them to Governor’s Harbour from New Providence caused delays, leading to a late start.
“That was something that we should have caught,” he said. “We should have looked at it. We should have done our due diligence, but we were able to correct that almost immediately.”
He highlighted other administrative issues, such as concerns with supplies like dipping ink and challenges with presiding officers, but said these were not serious enough to close polling divisions.
He criticised those who commented negatively about the process in public.
He said he only learned about some concerns from the press, which he found disappointing since the department’s command centre was open on the election day.
“I’m disappointed that persons were using that to attack us that we weren’t ready, we weren’t prepared, we weren’t into this and that because my staff worked extra hard to do it properly, and we were planning this for almost three months ago,” he said.
He said out of over 100 voting polls, only three experienced major glitches that affected voting times, but there were no significant issues otherwise.
He said he is still waiting on writs from some islands to officially announce the results.
“The boxes got there on time,” he said. “Votes were cast, votes were counted, the results were given in, and we ain’t get all of them yet, but we got enough to be able to come to some conclusion. What’s the problem?”
He highlighted his track record.
“We know now we can’t deal with waiting the morning of the election to send a box out even a mile away,” he said. “The Harbour Island matter hopefully won’t happen, because if we pack early enough, we can get those boxes sent out two days in advance.”
(Tribune242)
British Virgin Islands Premier Natalio Wheatley says the territory will have a long-awaited National Tourism Policy by the end of June.
He made the statement during a recent press conference where the premier addressed developments in the territory’s tourism sector following the recent National Tourism Summit.
Wheatley revealed that consultations for the policy are underway and will involve stakeholders across all major islands.
“We’ve had some conversations about the challenges of overcrowding,” Dr Wheatley explained. “This year I want to pull all stakeholders together so we can put forward some solutions to make sure that we properly distribute the tourists.”
He said the policy would guide the BVI in tackling challenges and seizing opportunities in the dynamic global tourism market.
The National Tourism Summit, held earlier this month at the reopened Peter Island Resort, brought together 200 tourism stakeholders. The summit laid the groundwork for the policy and accompanying National Tourism Plan.
Discussions focused on
innovation, sustainability, and improving visitor experiences to strengthen the BVI’s tourism brand.
“The summit served as a launch pad for the formulation of the National Tourism Policy and also the National Tourism Plan,” Wheatley.
He also highlighted recordbreaking achievements in tourism over the past year, with visitor arrivals surpassing one million for the first time since 2016. Cruise ship visitors reached 768,293—a 6.8 per cent increase compared to 2023—while overnight visitors rose by 16.7 per cent to 305,876. Day-tripper arrivals also set a
record at 17,970, reflecting a 35.1 per cent increase from the previous year.
“This is a testament to the resilience of our tourism sector,” he stated.
The premier added that despite the positive figures, the government is addressing critical areas for improvement.
Among the priorities for 2025 are enhanced transportation, cultural tourism, and the prevention of overcrowding at popular sites.
The Premier also stressed the importance of strengthening the territory’s cultural offerings to enhance visitor experiences.
Net migration could fuel a rise in the UK population to 72.5 million by 2032, figures suggest.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has projected a population growth of 7.3% between 2022 and 2032, compared with an increase of 6.1% over the previous 10 years.
The number is almost entirely based on the net migration - the difference between those entering and leaving the country - of an estimated 4.9 million people over the 10-year period.
Downing Street said it wanted to bring down the “staggeringly high” levels of migration, but ruled out an “arbitrary” cap.
The number of births and deaths is expected to be roughly equal, while it is projected there will be an additional 1.7 million pensioners by 2032.
BETWEEN MID-2022 AND MID-2032, THE ONS PROJECTIONS SUGGEST:
6.79 million people will be born
6.81 million people will die
9.91 million people will immigrate long-term to the UK · 4.98 million people will emigrate long-term from the UK
The ONS’s figures assume that, from 2028, net migration will average 340,000 extra people to the UK per year - up from previous projections of 315,000 - which is lower than current levels.
Net migration into the UK hit a record 906,000 in the year to June 2023, and then fell to 728,000 in the year to June 2024.
The ONS projects that it will continue to decline until 2028, but after that will remain at 340,000 per year as a long term average.
The ONS also stressed the
figures were projections - not predictions or forecasts - and warned that real numbers could be higher or lower..
The Home Office said the figures were based on historic net migration numbers over a decade and that “staggeringly high” levels of migration had been seen in recent years.
It had committed to reducing those numbers “substantially”, it said, and would be setting out a “comprehensive plan” to “restore order to our broken immigration system”.
The prime minister’s official spokesman also promised a plan to reduce migration, adding that Sir Keir Starmer had previously pointed out that a “supposed cap” in place before “didn’t have any meaningful impact on reducing immigration”.
“So he doesn’t think that setting an arbitrary cap, as previous governments have done, is the best way forward in terms of significantly reducing migration.”
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said the projection was “shocking and unacceptable”, and must be “stopped from materialising.”
“We need a binding legal cap on visas issued each year which is very, very substantially lower than this in order to get the numbers down and under control.”
England is expected to see the biggest population increase among the UK nations, with a projected rise of 7.8% compared with 5.9% for Wales, 4.4% for Scotland and 2.1% for Northern Ireland.
The natural change in population - number of births and deaths - is projected to be “around zero”.
This is because deaths are
projected to rise due to a large number of people born in the postWorld War Two period reaching older ages, the ONS says.
The projections also highlight an increasingly ageing population, and suggest there could be fewer children due to lower fertility rates.
By the middle of 2029, the number of deaths is projected to overtake births, meaning net migration will be the only source of population growth.
This suggests that if there were no immigration nor a huge increase in babies being born, the population would be shrinking.
Economic growth would almost inevitably slow and there would be real questions about who would care for increasing numbers of elderly people.
The statistics are used in planning including fiscal projections and across public services such as education, health, and pensions.
If incorporated by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), the new projections should improve “economic and fiscal outlook, and reduce borrowing by around £5 billion”, according to the Resolution Foundation. (BBC)
The aviation world is struggling to understand how a deadly midair collision between a passenger plane and military helicopter was able to happen in what one expert described as “the most controlled bit of airspace in the world”.
A US Army Black Hawk helicopter with a crew of three collided with an American Airlines jet carrying 64 people seconds before the passenger aircraft was due to land at Washington National airport.
Both aircraft were sent careering into the icy Potomac River on Wednesday night.
Airspace over the US capital sees hundreds of civilian and military flights every day, including helicopters tasked with carrying high-ranking officials and politicians between sensitive locations.
But UK-based aviation expert John Strickland said the amount of commercial air traffic in the area cannot fully explain why the deadly collision was able to happen.
As well as Washington National close to the city centre, he notes, there is the international gateway, Washington Dulles, and also Baltimore Airport a little further away.
Authorities are still trying to put together the pieces
“There has to be management of traffic flows to keep separation. It’s much like we have in London where you have to manage traffic flows between Heathrow, Stansted, Gatwick and London City.
“So DC is not different in that sense to London or New York… it’s not totally unusual.”
However, there is a lot of restricted air space above the District of Columbia, home to the White House and US Capitol, just across the Potomac River from National Airport.
Experts agreed the intersection of civilian air traffic with regular military flights does make DC’s airspace more complex.
Aviation consultant Philip Butterworth-Hayes said the incident occurred at the “nexus of different aviation systems”, including civilian and military systems, as well as procedures specific to the airport.
“You are at the border of three or four aviation systems here - and it’s at those borders where most accidents tend to happen,” he added.
Mr Butterworth-Hayes continued: “This is the most controlled bit of airspace in the world. You have both US government and civilian systems - Ronald Reagan airport is even owned by the government, it’s one
of the very, very few like that.
“This really is the most secureand should be the safest - airspace in the world, given the number of security and civilian safety organisations working in that area.”
The last fatal crash involving a commercial plane in the US was in February 2009. Officials and experts alike have stressed that this type of incident is incredibly rare due to tight safety restrictions on all types of flights.
Experts agreed that both aircraft would have been in direct contact with civil air traffic control.
Footage obtained from an air traffic control source by CBS News, the BBC’s US news partner,
showed the two aircraft which appear to have been involved in the crash clearly visible on radar systems accessible to controllers.
Audio sourced by BBC News appears to confirm the helicopter was in contact with air traffic control on the ground at the airport.
The helicopter was asked if it had the passenger plane “in sight” and to “pass behind” it. In the audio that follows, controllers appear to realise there has been a collision and can be heard directing other planes in the air to neighbouring airports.
Mr Butterworth-Hayes said an in-air collision like this requires a number of things going wrong.
He said that in order to fly in civilian airspace, the military helicopter would have needed to be fitted with a transponder alerting surrounding aircraft to its position.
That means both aircraft should have been able to see each other, he says, plus there would have been instructions from air traffic control and an aircraft protection safety device that operate separately from each other.
“On this occasion, you have these two different systems and both should have been able to keep these aircraft separate.”
US President Donald Trump has ordered the construction of a migrant detention facility in Guantanamo Bay which he said would hold as many as 30,000 people.
He said the facility at the US Navy base in Cuba, which would be separate from its highsecurity military prison, would house “the worst criminal illegal aliens threatening the American people”.
Guantanamo Bay has long been used to house immigrants, a practice that has been criticised by some human rights groups.
Later on Wednesday, Trump’s “border tsar” Tom Homan said the existing facility there would be expanded and run by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
He said the migrants could be transported there directly after being intercepted at sea by the US Coast Guard, and that the “highest” detention standards would be applied.
It is unclear how much the facility will cost or when it would be completed.
Cuba’s government swiftly condemned the plan, accusing the US of torture and illegal detention on “occupied” land.
Trump’s announcement came as he signed the so-called Laken Riley Act into law, which requires undocumented immigrants who are arrested for theft or violent
crimes to be held in jail pending trial.
The bill, named after a Georgia nursing student who was murdered last year by a Venezuelan migrant, was approved by Congress last week, an early legislative win for the administration.
At a signing ceremony in the East Room of the White House, Trump said the new Guantanamo executive order would instruct the departments of defence and homeland security to “begin preparing” the 30,000-bed facility.
“Some of them are so bad we don’t even trust the countries to hold them, because we don’t want them coming back,” he said of migrants. “So we’re going to send
them to Guantanamo... it’s a tough place to get out.”
According to Trump, the facility will double the US capacity to hold undocumented migrants.
The US has already been using a facility in Guantanamo - known as the Guantanamo Migrant Operations Center (GMOC)for decades and through various administrations, both Republican and Democrat.
In a 2024 report, the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) accused the government of secretly holding migrants there in “inhumane” conditions indefinitely after detaining them at sea.
The GMOC has principally housed migrants picked up at sea
and was recently the subject of a Freedom of Information request by the American Civil Liberties Union for the disclosure of records about the site.
The Biden Administration responded that it “is not a detention facility and none of the migrants there are detained”.
The Trump administration, however, says the planned expanded facility is very much intended as a detention centre.
It will reportedly ask Congress to fund the expansion of the existing detention facility as part of a spending bill Republicans are working to assemble.
When asked by reporters at the White House, Homeland Security
Secretary Kristi Noem said only that the money would be allotted through “reconciliation and appropriations”.
The military prison on Guantanamo has, for decades, held detainees taken into US custody after the 9/11 attacks on the US in 2001.
At its peak it held hundreds of prisoners, and several Democratic presidents including Barack Obama have vowed to close it. There are 15 prisoners currently being held there.
News of the facility’s expansion was met with swift condemnation by the Cuban government, which has long considered Guantanamo Bay to be “occupied” and has denounced the existence of a US naval base on the island ever since Fidel Castro swept to power in 1959.
“In act act of brutality, the new government of the US has announced it will incarcerate, at the naval base at Guantanamo, located in illegally occupied Cuban territory, thousands of forcibly expulsed migrants, who will be located near known prisons of torture and illegal detention,” Cuban President Miguel DíazCanel wrote on X.
The Cuban Foreign Minister, Bruno Rodriguez, said the announcement showed “contempt for the human condition and international law”. (BBC)
In the shadow of a vast crucifix, labourers and construction workers in the Mexican border city of Ciudad Juarez are building a small city of their own. A tent city.
On the old fairgrounds, beneath an altar constructed for a mass by Pope Francis in 2016, the Mexican government is preparing for thousands of deportees they expect to arrive from the United States in the coming weeks.
Juarez is one of eight border locations along the 3,000-kilometre-long (1,900 miles) border where Mexico is getting ready for the anticipated influx.
Men in boots and baseball caps climb on top of a vast metal structure to drape over thick white tarpaulin, erecting a rudimentary shelter to temporarily house men and women exactly like themselves.
Casual labourers, domestic workers, kitchen staff and farm hands are all likely to be among those sent south soon, once what President Donald Trump calls “the largest deportation in American
history” gets under way.
As well as protection from the elements, the deportees will receive food, medical care, and assistance in obtaining Mexican identity documents, under a deporteesupport programme which President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration calls “Mexico Embraces You”.
“Mexico will do everything necessary to care for its compatriots and will allocate whatever is necessary to receive those who are repatriated,” said the Mexican Interior Minister, Rosa Icela Rodriguez, on the day of Trump’s inauguration.
For her part, President Sheinbaum has stressed her government will first attend to the humanitarian needs of those returning, saying they will qualify for her government’s social programmes and pensions, and will immediately be eligible to work.
She urged Mexicans to “remain calm and keep a cool head” about relations with President Trump and his administration more broadly –
from deportations to the threat of tariffs.
“With Mexico, I think we are going very well,” said President Trump in a video address to the World Economic Forum in Davos this week. The two neighbours may yet find a workable solution on immigration which is acceptable to both – President Sheinbaum has said the key is dialogue and keeping
the channels of communication open.
Undoubtedly, though, she recognises the potential stress President Trump’s declaration of an emergency at the US border could place on Mexico.
An estimated 5 million undocumented Mexicans currently live in the United States and the prospect of a mass return could
quickly saturate and overwhelm border cities like Juarez and Tijuana.
It’s an issue which worries Jose Maria Garcia Lara, the director of the Juventud 2000 migrant shelter in Tijuana. As he shows me around the facility, which is already nearing its capacity, he says there are very few places he can fit more families.
“If we have to, we can maybe put some people in the kitchen or the library,” he says.
There comes a point, though, where there simply isn’t any space left – and donations of food, medical supplies, blankets and hygiene products will be stretched too thin.
“We’re being hit on two fronts. Firstly, the arrival of Mexicans and other migrants who are fleeing violence,” says Mr Garcia.
“But also, we’ll have the mass deportations. We don’t know how many people will come across the border needing our help. Together, these two things could create a huge problem.” (BBC)
IS INVITING APPLICATIONS FOR THE FOLLOWING: APPLICATION DEADLINE: MONDAY 24TH FEBRUARY 2025
Applications not accompanied by all required supporting documents, and applications received after the deadline may not be processed. This is a contract position. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.
The Financial Intelligence Agency of the Turks and Caicos Islands (FIA-TCI) is a key competent authority within the Turks and Caicos Islands Anti-Money Laundering, Counter Financing of Terrorism and Counter Proliferation Financing (AML/CFT/ CPF) regime. Its main functions are to receive, analyse, and disseminate financial intelligence to aid in the identification, investigation and prosecution of persons involved in money laundering, terrorist and proliferation financing, and associated predicate crimes.
LOCATION: Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands.
SALARY: USD54,670.00 – 57,438.00 per annum (subject to qualifications and experience).
JOB SUMMARY:
The post holder will be responsible for effective and efficient office administrative functions of the FIA, the Board of Directors and maintenance of the Agency’s finances. The Business Operations Manager (BOM) will conduct his/her duties with high professional standards, integrity, and confidentiality. Honesty, transparency and integrity are key attributes of the BOM’s character. The BOM will conduct his/ her functions in accordance with TCI laws, FIA policies and guidelines. The BOM may be required to carry out other duties as may be required within the scope of the administrative functions of the FIA.
REQUIREMENTS AND QUALIFICATIONS:
• Undergraduate degree in accounting, finance or related field with at least 5 years’ experience in office administration.
• Prior experience as a senior administrative or business operations manager is a plus.
• Experience in the preparation, recording, presentation and explanation of budget, payroll, expense and accounting reports, including monthly and quarterly accounts; profit and loss, balance sheet, accounts payable and receivables, cash flow, reconciliation and variance reports. Ensuring that these are done in accordance with IFRS accounting standards and the TCIG prescribed reporting formats.
• Efficient preparation of papers and minutes for the Board of Directors, and logistical preparations for board meetings.
• Office management; includes reception and recording of visitor movements, timely notification to relevant persons of maintenance issues, ensuring adequate office supplies and inventories are procured, maintained and recorded.
• Supervision of administrative/secretarial or clerical staff.
• Proficiency in the use of QuickBooks.
• Proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office Suite - Word, Excel, Power Point, and Outlook.
• Valid TCI driver’s license.
TO APPLY PLEASE COMPLY AND SUBMIT:
1. Application cover letter stating how you meet the job and qualification requirements for the post;
2. Copy of updated Curriculum Vitae including your contact details;
3. Two recent reference letters with a date (no older than 6 months); one of which must be from a person who can speak to your competencies and professional capacity for the job;
4. Copies of relevant qualifications for the job;
5. Copy of passport Bio page; and
6. A Police certificate of character no older than 6 months.
Applications along with copies of your CV and supporting documents are to be submitted electronically to hr@fia.tc by the deadline. Only applicants with the legal, unrestricted right to work in the Turks and Caicos Islands need apply. By applying for this post shortlisted applicants agree to be subject to a vetting process including background checks with the police. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.
( SECTION 4(3) OF THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDER STATUS ORDINANCE)
Take notice that I, Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam, Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands in exercise of the powers conferred in me by Section 6(4) of the Turks and Caicos Islander Status Ordinance intend to grant a Certificate of Turks and Caicos Islander Status to Natacha Prosper by virtue of marriage to a Turks and Caicos Islander.
South Bank Marina Ltd, located in Long Bay Hills, Providenciales, invites applications to fill the position of MECHANIC.
MECHANIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Through understanding of marine system and competency with all major brands of outboard engine.
• Complete scheduled maintenance tasks on time and within budget in accordance with the maintenance schedule.
• Complete emergency repairs as required and follow up with appropriate customers the next working day.
• If appropriately qualified, undertake electrical repair. Assist with maintenance tasks at other marinas or homes as directed.
• Service and repair the workboat as applicable. Undertake other maintenance tasks as directed by the General Manager.
• Continuously monitor the general level of maintenance of the workshop areas as informed.
• Ensure parts needed are coordinated with the parts department regularly and associated parts billed to customers.
• Record all hours spent on jobs to ensure an accurate amount is billed to customers.
• Monitor various maintenance task carried out by dockmasters. Provide training/instruction to other staff members when appropriate. Self-motivated ability to work some weekend and holidays.
WAGE RATE:
Wages are in the range of $15.00 per hour based on experience. Application: Applications are invited from qualified Turks and Caicos Islanders and copies of the same should be submitted to the Labor Board. These positions are currently held by eligible Work Permit Holders.
DATE OPEN: FEBRUARY 03RD, 2025
JOB REQUIREMENTS:
• Maintains a clean kitchen, properly washes, and sorts soiled dishes. Keeps dish area free of clutter and organized.
• Sets up dish stations, including dish machines and sinks.
• Maintains clean/dry floors throughout the shift.
• Properly washes, stacks, and stores china, glassware, silverware, cookware, and storage containers.
• Changes water of machines and sinks every two hours, or more often as required by business levels, and properly uses chemical dilutions set by Ecolab.
• Maintains trash cans throughout shift and removes full trashcans and boxes at the end of each shift.
• Maintains the dry storage area and the organization of storage shelves.
• Follows the posted daily dish cleaning duties.
This position is currently held by an expatriate worker.
Salary Range: $8.00 per hour.
JOB REQUIREMENTS:
• Making sure all rooms are clean and in top condition for new arrivals and existing guests.
• Ensure lobbies, lounges, common areas, restrooms, corridors, stairways, locker rooms, and other work areas so that health standards are met.
• Disinfect equipment and supplies, using germicides or steam-operated sterilizers.
• Work quickly and efficiently so guests aren’t left hanging around.
• Liaise with the head housekeeper and supervisor when rooms are ready for guests.
• Ensure the equipment’s use, such as shampooers, polishers, and trolleys, is in good working condition.
• Being able to use the equipment safely and efficiently.
• Ability to bent, lift, and walk upstairs.
• Report on any shortages, damages, or security issues.
• Handle reasonable guest’s complaints/requests and inform head of department.
This position is currently held by an expatriate worker.
Salary Range: $8.00 per hour.
JOB REQUIREMENTS:
• Clean and tidy all areas to the standard cleanliness within time limits.
• Frequent bending, pushing, pulling, and kneeling.
• Re-set dinner rooms tables and terraces.
• Clean dining rooms tables and terraces.
• Clean windows, sweep floors, mop floors and polish furniture fixtures in and outside restaurant.
• Remove dinner wares, pushcart, and lift trays from dining rooms.
• Work cohesively with restaurant waiters, waitresses and supervisors.
• Work with minimum supervision and remain motivated.
This position is currently held by an expatriate worker.
Salary Range: $8.00 per hour.
JOB REQUIREMENTS:
• Perform combination of duties to maintain kitchen work areas, restaurant equipment, utensils clean and in an orderly condition.
• Wash worktables, walls, refrigerators, mop, sweep floors, and meat blocks.
• Prepare ingredients to use in cooking (chopping, peeling vegetables and cutting meat etc.)
• Ensure all food and other items are stored properly.
• Proven experience as kitchen helper.
• Experience in using cutting tools, cookware and bake ware.
• Knowledge of various cooking procedures and methods (grilling, baking, boiling etc.)
• Very good communication skills.
• Work cohesively with head chef and sous chefs. This position is currently held by an expatriate worker.
Salary Range: $8.00 per hour.
JOB REQUIREMENTS:
• Must be able to lift 20lbs pounds on a consistent basis.
• Load all laundry into washer and add specified cleaning agents.
• Operated liner feeder, and table’s linen ironing machines.
• Monitored and operated computer driven washers and dryers according to recommended capacity and manufacture guidelines.
• Take wet, clean items and dry as directed.
• Sort and fold or hang clean dried items.
• Prepared and distributed towels, linens, and rags to different departments.
• Arranged and maintained a sanitary hallway and area outside of the laundry and rooms.
This position is currently held by an expatriate worker.
Salary Range: $8.00 per hour.
JOB REQUIREMENTS:
• Operator buggy and perform daily beach clean-up.
• Clean building floors by sweeping, mopping, scrubbing, or vacuuming them.
• Gather and empty trash, service, clean, and supply restrooms.
• Working within the constraints of Health and Safety and adhere to any Health and Safety policies.
• Perform nightly deep cleaning of common areas of resort; work overnight and split shifts.
• Collect towels from around beach and pool.
• Ability to bent, stand for long hours and knowledge of cleaning equipment’s and machines.
• Ability to walk up and down stairs, bent, physical strength, stamina, and lifts 50lbs.
• Ability to comprehend and communicate in fluent English.
• Excellent communication skills through effectively communicating with guests and management.
This position is currently held by an expatriate worker.
Salary Range: $8.00 per hour
Candidates must have the ability to be on time and present for all scheduled shifts, split shifts, overnight shifts and including weekends and Holidays.
BY OLIVIA ROSE
In a ground-breaking move set to transform the Turks and Caicos Islands' (TCI) tourism landscape, and the territory’s visibility to the rest of the world, the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) has been comprehensively mapped by Google Street View, offering a 360-degree virtual tour of the island's stunning landscapes and cultural landmarks.
This ambitious project, spearheaded by former Deputy Premier Hon Erwin Jay Saunders, captures over 600 miles of roads, beaches and heritage sites across the archipelago, putting the TCI firmly on the global map.
Speaking at an immersive launch event on Wednesday, January 22, which was attended by the Minister of Tourism Hon Josephine Connolly and the Deputy Premier and Minister of Physical Planning
and Infrastructure Development Hon Jamell Robinson, Saunders expressed his enthusiasm for the project stressing its unique capture of all of the “points of interest, cultural and heritage sites” of the islands.
Saunders who has a strong background in Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence explained that the initiative, launched on January 22, 2025 at the Tides in Grace Bay, is a
collaboration between the TCI government and World Travel in 360, a Google partner. It aims to boost tourism by allowing potential visitors to virtually explore the islands' beaches, historical sites, and hidden gems before they arrive.
The Google Street View project covers a vast expanse of the TCI, including all seven inhabited islands.
Key sites captured in the 360-degree and 3D imagery include the Grand Turk Lighthouse, numerous beaches, and historical landmarks.
Saunders emphasised the project's meticulousness: "I went through and we decided that we're going to do all islands. We covered all of them. So we have Grand Turk, Salt Cay Middle and North Caicos, Providenciales, South Caicos.
“We've got over 600 miles of roads that we've captured, we captured every road in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
The data collected by Google will be freely accessible to the TCI government, enabling various departments, such as tourism and heritage, and health response teams to utilize it for their purposes.
The Google Street View project is expected to significantly impact the TCI's tourism industry. By providing potential visitors with an immersive virtual experience, it aims to attract more travellers to the islands.
Additionally, the project has the potential to enhance local infrastructure by identifying areas for improvement.
Dr Della Higgs from the TCI National Trust highlighted the educational and cultural benefits of the project: "For me, that was exciting for me in terms of education, in terms of getting our culture and our history out there...and being able to have that in the world."
The project utilises Google's cutting-edge technology to create a detailed and interactive representation of the TCI. The imagery will be automatically updated by Google, ensuring that it remains current.
Federico Debetto, CEO of World Travel in 360, explained the technology behind the project and its potential to boost tourism to higher heights.
"So what we're building here is the Google Street View coverage for all the islands...we will be
bringing the Street View coverage to all roads across Turks and Caicos."
While the project has been widely praised, concerns have been raised about privacy and security. However, project leaders have emphasized that the benefits for tourism and emergency services outweigh these concerns.
Saunders in response to questions from the Weekly News regarding potential risks to safety and privacy said: “Any technology could be used for good or bad, so if someone wants to look at someone's house and see what it looks like, they can zoom down
and do it, but like I said, health services, the security services, can also use it to save your life …if you have email, someone can email you spam, and someone can email you something about your loved one, something about your business, so any tool, any tool, could be used for good and bad, but it's the way, the way the world is going.
“The world is using this tool and I would not recommend for Turks and Caicos to be the last…we did in 40 years with most countries do in hundreds of years”, he added.
The Google Street View project is just the beginning of TCI's digital transformation. There are already discussions about expanding the project to include underwater
imagery and utilising AI to further enhance the virtual experience.
Saunders envisions a bright future for the TCI: "I truly believe that this is going to be the most detailed country in the world, in terms of what we put onto Google Street View and in the 360 virtual tours."
The Google Street View project represents a significant milestone for the Turks and Caicos Islands, showcasing its commitment to innovation and tourism development.
By embracing cutting-edge technology, the TCI is paving the way for a digitally enhanced future while preserving its rich cultural heritage.
• Conduct routine maintenance work on vehicles (replacing fluids, lubricating parts, etc.)
• Schedule future maintenance and advise motorists on good vehicle use
• Inspect vehicle engine and mechanical/electrical components to diagnose issues
• Inspect vehicle computer and electronic systems to repair, maintain and upgrade fleet
• Repair or replace broken or dysfunctional parts and fix issues on vehicles
• Provide accurate estimate (cost, time, effort) for repairs and maintenance of vehicles
• Maintain proper logs of work and issues.
• Maintain equipment and tools in good condition
• Must be able to work six days a week
• Must be able to work outdoors in all types of weather
• Must be able to work on weekends, holidays and at nights if necessary
• Provide roadside assistance to customers during normal working hours and after hours as required
• Must have a valid TCI driver's license
• Must have a clean Police Record
• Must have the ability to speak fluent English
• Must have excellent customer service skills
• Salary is based on experience and qualifications
• Handle all customer contacts efficiently and professionally, in accordance with Hertz/Thrifty standards and guidelines
FEBRUARY 7TH, 2025
$8.00
Cleaning the property, pick up waste and dispose waste and assist with ongoing construction on the property.
Turks fleet limited is offering a position as deck hand. ENGLISH SPEAKING, STCW, and local TCI license are required Starting immediately. Full time. Must be clean-cut, professional and able to work with a large international team.
JOB RULES:
• Helping captain in his duties
• Daily Mechanical maintenance and cleaning of the boats.
• Keeping the dock clean
• Must have previous gardening experience.
• Must be willing to carry out work such as heavy lifting, digging, weeding, trimming and plant waste removal.
• Must be willing to work
weekends and holidays.
• Must have a clean police record and provide Employer References on request.
• Pay- $8.00/hr (depending on experience)
• Sound keeping of logbook.
• Regular checking of all of board equipments and instruments.
• Wash the boat every day and full cleaning and polish once a week.
• Regular, once a week, checking of the moorings.
BENEFITS: 4000$/ month
One week vacation vacation per year
75$ night dive bonus
50$ sunset cruise bonus
• Applicant must have a minimum of 15 years’ experience in the Interior Design field
• Must possess strong leadership, organizational, communication skills and be able to work independently
• Be proficient with Auto Cad, Excel, Word, Quick Books and Photoshop
• Have experience and knowledge in the recruitment of prospective clients and
• Must be prepared to supervise the container offload and install of client furnishings
• Must be prepared to work most local holidays and weekends
• Applicant must own a vehicle and carry a valid Turks and Caicos Driver’s License.
• Salary U.S.$4,000 per month plus commission
• Receive customers and assist them with selecting merchandise
• Greet, interact and monitor customers to assist the store in loss prevention
• Display and organize products in a store for the customers to locate easily
• Help customers in billing and payment processes at the stores counter
• Communicate information about product availability, nutritional information and ingredients
• Maintain the outlook of the store through dusting, cleaning and restocking merchandise on the shelves. Examine the sales floor to ensure merchandise is well-stocked, well-maintained and properly rotated
• Handle record keeping and re-ordering systems
• Help with preparation for displays, trade shows and windows
• Updating the supervisor on store progress and reporting any problems related to the store
• Listen to customers to gain a thorough understanding of what they need and make tailored recommendations based on customer needs
• Process, check and stock inventory to ensure deliveries are correct and of good quality
• Provide exemplary customer service throughout the shift
• Process business transactions, handle cash, process debit/credit
and perform returns or exchanges
• Salary is $8.00 - $12.00 p/hr
Perform regular system inspections. Maintain systems and equipment. Use gauges and diagnostic tests to detect malfunctions. Repair or replace broken aircraft parts Perform troubleshooting
.Keep maintenance and repair logs Use power and hand tools (e.g. cranes, grinders) Understand and apply guidelines from manuals and blueprints .Ensure compliance with regional safety regulations Collaborate with other mechanics and electricians. Salary will
Help the patient get dressed, eat, bathe and complete light housekeeping duties, such as dishes or folding laundry. Plan, prepare and monitor meals. Run errands, remind patients of medications.
$8.00 Hourly
CONTACT:
(STARTING SALARY - $25,000 PER ANNUM)
The ideal candidate will have a strong background in hospitality management, excellent leadership skills, and a passion for delivering exceptional customer service. As a Food and Beverage Supervisor, you will be responsible for overseeing the daily operations of our food and beverage services, ensuring that all activities are carried out efficiently and to the highest standards. You will work closely with the kitchen and service staff to maintain a seamless operation, manage inventory, and ensure compliance with health and safety regulations. Your role will also involve training and mentoring staff, handling customer inquiries and complaints, and implementing strategies to improve service quality and profitability. The successful candidate will be proactive, detail-oriented, and capable of working in a fast-paced environment. If you have a proven track record in food and beverage management and are looking for a challenging and rewarding opportunity, we would love to hear from you.
(STARTING SALARY - $23,000 PER ANNUM)
The successful candidate will be able to mix and match ingredients in order to create classic and innovative drinks in accordance with customers’ needs and expectations. The ideal candidate will have a positive attitude and excellent communication skills to interact with customers and ensure they have a great time. The Bartender will be responsible for maintaining a clean and organized bar area, managing inventory, and ensuring compliance with all health and safety regulations. This role requires a high level of customer service, attention to detail, and the ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
(STARTING SALARY - $19,000 PER ANNUM)
As a Barback, you will play a crucial role in supporting our bartenders and ensuring that the bar operates efficiently. Your primary responsibilities will include stocking the bar with necessary supplies, maintaining cleanliness, and assisting bartenders with various tasks. This position requires a high level of physical stamina, attention to detail, and the ability to work in a fast-paced environment. You will be responsible for ensuring that the bar is always well-stocked, clean, and organized, allowing bartenders to focus on providing excellent service to our customers.
(STARTING SALARY - $23,000 PER ANNUM)
As a Restaurant Server, you will play a crucial role in ensuring our guests have an exceptional dining experience. Your primary responsibilities will include taking orders, serving food and beverages, and providing attentive and friendly service to our guests. You will be the face of our restaurant, and your ability to create a welcoming and enjoyable atmosphere will be key to our success. The ideal candidate will have excellent communication skills, a positive attitude, and a passion for delivering outstanding customer service. You should be able to work efficiently in a fast-paced environment, handle multiple tasks simultaneously, and maintain a high level of professionalism at all times. Previous experience in a similar role is preferred but not required, as we are willing to train the right candidate.
As an Accounts Receivables Supervisor, you will play a crucial role in managing the financial health of the company by ensuring the timely collection of outstanding payments from clients or customers. You will be responsible for monitoring accounts, reconciling discrepancies, and maintaining accurate records to support the Company's financial operations.
KEY RESULTS AREAS: Customer Statement Processing and Management/Accounts Monitoring and Reconciliation/Payment Processing/Collection Activities/Reporting and Documentation/Customer Service and Communication KNOWLEDGE/ SKILLS/ABILITIES:
• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Restaurant or Business Management, or similar
• Proven Experience in accounts receivable and billing in a similar role
• Strong analytical skills and reporting abilities.
• Proficiency in QuickBooks and Microsoft Excel.
• Ability to work well under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Ability to communicate effectively in English both in written format and oral presentation; second language is an asset.
You will play a crucial role in ensuring that our equipment is running smoothly and efficiently. Also, responsible for performing routine maintenance tasks, identifying and troubleshooting maintenance issues, and ensuring that all maintenance processes are adhered to.
DUTIES INCLUDE:
• Handling assigned work orders.
• Performing a variety of routine maintenance tasks
• Communicating issues with your supervisors.
• Proper record of all maintenance work
• Cleaning and maintaining the tools
We are seeking to employ an automotive technician who can demonstrate experience as an automotive technician on cars and light trucks, preferably with ASE certificates. Responsibly would be for diagnosing, maintaining, repairing, parts sourcing & record keeping of all vehicles applicable.
DUTIES INCLUDE:
• Perform automotive repairs
• Knowledge of parts including, identifying, sourcing, estimating and ordering.
• Prepare and keep records via point of sale for related to automotive estimates, repair work, work order status, parts & labor expenditures, estimates and proposed projects.
DESIGN 4 YOU CONSTRUCTION
Leeward Highway, Providenciales LABOURER
Construction labourer. New (Salary) $8.00 / hr
MANGO REEF RESTAURANT
Turtle Cove, Providenciales
BUSSER - Clean tables. LABOURERS - Cleans restaurant. DISHWASHER - Clean dishes, pots, pans. KITCHEN HELPER - Food preparation for cooking.
Renewal (Salary) $8.00 / hr
PASTRY CHEFS - Preparing pastries.
COOK - Preparing food.
Renewal(Salary)$10.00hr
CONTACT-242-8792 FOR DETAILS.
KARINE DESAMOUR GRAY
Five Cays / 242-0550
Cleaning outside the property with sweeper, pick up yard waste and collect leaves, dispose of trash, clean windows etc. $8.00 hourly
DELINOIS GASPARD
The Bight / 343-6994
Cleaning the house, laundering sheets, towels and personal clothing and other housework. $8.00 hourly
Take
$9.00
Receive
QUALITIES
• Graduate from an accredited school of medicine, as an M.D., M.B.B.S. or the equivalent.
• Candidate must have no less than 4 years specialty graduate experience as a licensed physician.
• Candidate must be fluent in English, with knowledge of a 2nd language being an advantage (SPANISH/ CREOLE).
RESPONSIBILITIES
• Provide high quality primary
patient care for outpatients.
• Refer patients for specialty care and hospitalization as clinically indicated.
• Maintains effective communication and positive relationships with staff, referral physicians and other members of the medical community in the TCI and most ESP patients.
• Responsible for accurate, timely, and complete documentation in patient records.
• Assist in business development for practice.
Notice is hereby given that WILLIAM STEVEN ROSS of M & S Trust Company Limited, Regent House West, Regent Village, Grace Bay, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands was appointed as the voluntary liquidator of 96BD LTD (solvent liquidation) on 13th day of January 2025.
All enquiries should be directed to the voluntary liquidator’s attorney Miller Simons O’Sullivan, Regent House West, Regent Village, Grace Bay, Providenciales, Turk and Caicos Islands for the attention of Neil Coles – nrc@mslaw.tc.
The Turks and Caicos Islands oldest and leading publishing house is in need of additional staff to fill the following posts:
Candidates must have at least five (5) years’ experience working full-time for daily newspapers and/or news/features magazines, reporting on hard news, features and parliamentary/court proceedings. Salary paid weekly will commensurate with experience.
This position requires someone with at least five (5) years’ experience working with Macintosh or PC computers. Must be skilled in the make-up of advertising and pagination. Proficiency using InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop software for print is essential. Some technical, networking and web design knowledge an asset. Salary paid weekly will commensurate with experience.
College or high school graduate with at least five (5) years’ experience in community reporting. Ability to drive and use a camera a desirable asset. Salary paid weekly will commensurate with experience.
Candidates must have had actual hands-on experience selling advertising space for newspapers and magazines. Ability to assist clients with the writing of copy for ads and gathering of collateral an asset. Salary is commission based.
As General Manager for the first-time opening of the Hyatt Andaz Turks and Caicos Residences and Hotel, you will be responsible for overseeing and directing all aspects of the hotel’s operations to deliver an extraordinary guest experience. In this pivotal role, you will manage the successful preopening and seamless launch of the property, ensuring it adheres to Hyatt Andaz brand standards while meeting financial and operational goals. Your leadership will drive the team to perform at their best, ensuring that both hotel operations and guest satisfaction are prioritized from the very beginning.
• Collaborate with the corporate and regional teams to manage all preopening activities, including recruitment, marketing, branding, and operational setup.
• Lead the execution of preopening strategies, ensuring deadlines are met for soft and grand opening timelines.
• Oversee the coordination of construction, finishing touches, and onboarding of suppliers and contractors.
• Develop preopening budgets, P&L forecasting, and ensure all necessary permits and licenses are in place.
• Hire, train, and mentor the leadership team and staff for the successful launch of the hotel.
• Ensure all departmental policies, procedures, and systems are in place and align with Hyatt’s global standards.
• Create and implement service protocols
to deliver a luxury guest experience consistent with Hyatt Andaz brand.
• Ensure financial goals are met, including revenue targets, budget management, and cost control.
• Drive sales and marketing strategies to ensure high occupancy rates postopening.
• Monitor daily operations to ensure profitability while balancing guest satisfaction and operational efficiency.
• Uphold the Hyatt Andaz brand’s philosophy of personalized and elevated guest services.
• Ensure that all operations, from front-ofhouse to back-of-house, reflect the luxury and quality of the Hyatt Andaz experience.
• Provide ongoing training and development opportunities to ensure a highly motivated and professional workforce.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality Management, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Master’s Degree (optional but preferred): A Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) or Hospitality Management.
• 10-15+ years of progressive experience in hotel management,
• Previous experience with a Hyatt brand or luxury property.
Salary: $90k to $150k per annum based on qualifications and experience.
Pine Cay is looking for a Management Couple, a Senior Executive director role, responsible for overseeing the operational aspects of the Meridian Club, HOA Management, Resort Development, Hotel Operation, Purchasing, and Marina functions. With a comprehensive range of responsibilities, the general managers play a pivotal role in ensuring the seamless and effective operation of a premier luxury community.
In charge of the asset management and support services of the Club, the directors serve as the bridge between the Club senior staff, Homeowners and Board of Directors. The Management couple directly or indirectly coordinates real estate, operational, commercial, administrative, and financial activities.
Accomplished and visionary leaders, with a passion for the hospitality industry, a large portion of the scope includes real estate development and promotion, property management, maintenance and repair, project management and refurbishment, procurement and inventory management of supplies and equipment, as well as brand management.
To directors need to display high energy, enthusiasm, and a strategic mindset, to lead a resort team in delivering exceptional guest experiences, driving revenue growth, and ensuring operational excellence.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Reports directly to the Chairman and Board of Directors and owns day-to-day operations, explicitly emphasizing enhancing the value of the homeowners properties, the lifestyle for member residents and guests, and the health, safety, and welfare of the community and staffs
• MUST have prior expertise in HOA management, legal compliance, and operational functions of homeowners associations involving disputes over rule enforcement, financial assessments, maintenance issues, governance practices, contract negotiation and development.
• Must have a strong level of financial acuity, and be proactive in evaluating reserve needs, projecting future projects and budgets, and work collaboratively with counterparts at the Club to ensure a high level of understanding of what each is working on or proposing that may have a financial or other resident impact.
• Manage the annual and capital budgets, including monthly analysis and findings. The GM presents key findings to the board at least monthly, with follow-up actions aligning with the annual and strategic plans.
• Project Management: oversee various
construction and renovation projects to maintain and enhance the community. These projects can range from simple repairs to significant infrastructure upgrades. Deep understanding of construction processes, regulations, and best practices is essential. Ensure construction processes are completed efficiently, safely, and within budget.
• Oversee all aspects of island operations, including Sales and marketing, and PR.
Develop and execute strategic Marketing plans to achieve business objectives and drive profitability. Website design, on-location photography, marketing collateral development, social media, and digital advertising. Monitor market trends and competitor activities to stay ahead of the curve
• Operational role: responsible for the overall operational execution and strategic direction of the resort, the directors foster a culture of exceptional guest service and employee engagement. Implement and maintain high operational standards and quality control. Lead and inspire a diverse team of department heads and associates. Establish and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including owners and investors.
• Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management or related field
• 10+ years of experience as a General Manager in remote Luxury Resort with prior Relais & Chateaux Experience, HOA, Project Management and Food & Beverage background required.
• Strong financial acumen and proven success in managing budgets, revenue, and expenses
• Excellent leadership and team management skills
• Strong Marketeer with Real Estate, Hospitality revenue management.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and customer service skills; ability to communicate effectively with your team, owners and officials.
• Ability to think strategically and drive results
• Autonomous with remote place expertise, strong problem-solving and decision-making skills
• Passion for delivering exceptional guest experiences
BENEFITS:
• Annual Salary Net of Taxes 150K USD for couple
• Housing and Food Allowance included
JOB RESPONSIBILITIES AND REQUIREMENTS ARE:
• Must be knowledgable in all aspects of butchery with experience breaking down primal and subprimal animals
• Must have 5 years experience in a similar role
• Must know how to prepare and cut a variety of meats, including beef, pork, and poultry, to meet customer and operational needs
• Must have experience with making charcuterie and sausages
• Must have experience with ordering and monitoring inventory levels
• Must know how to communicate with supervisors to ensure adequate stock
• Must be personable, goal driven and detail oriented
• A salary of $10-$15 per hour depending on experience Island Prime Butcher Shop is hiring a STEWARD
JOB RESPONSIBILITIES AND REQUIREMENTS ARE:
• Must be knowledgeable in maintaining cleanliness and hygiene in the kitchen by washing dishes, cleaning equipment, and sanitizing work areas
• Must be familiar with basic food preparation tasks, or assisting kitchen staff as needed
• Must have the ability to restock supplies, including ingredients, utensils, and cleaning materials, to ensure uninterrupted
• Must be skilled in waste management, ensuring
and
while adhering to safety protocols
• Must be personable, goal driven and detail oriented
• A salary of $9.00 per hour
operations
We are looking for a boat captains to run the clear boats for public and private trips. Pay will be salary of $700 per week plus tips.
- Must hold current TCI Captain’s license, STCW and TIDES course
- Knowledge of boat engine and basic maintenance
- Experience in the waters of Turks and Caicos and tourism
- Have an outgoing, friendly and professional personality
- Greet guests for your trips and ensure waivers are signed.
- Must have clean police record.
We are looking for a first mate and photographer on the clear boats. Pay will $500 salary per week plus tips
- Must have experience with tourism and guiding boat trips
- Must be a confident swimmer
- Experience with photography an asset
- Must speak clear English and be of a professional manner
- Hold current TIDES course
- Clean police record
$8.00
Caring
Cleaning
- $8.50 Hourly
Preparing the workstation. Keeping the kitchen clean.
$8.50 Hourly Washing dishes.
$8.50 Hourly Cleaning.
$8.50 Hourly
Setting up workstations with all needed ingredients and cooking equipment. Cooking food in various utensils or grillers.
$8.50 Hourly
Take orders and serve food and beverages to patrons at tables in dining establishment.
$8.50 Hourly
Set up beach chairs and umbrellas for cruise ship passengers, to offer and sell drinks to customers.
Responsible to take care of the facilities, carry out cleaning and maintenance duties; keep branches clean and orderly, ensuring a safe and tidy environment in all TCI branches. Wage: $1,400-$1,700/m
Set and implement digital strategy by working with cross-functional various partners to transition from traditional to digital processes. Promote a digital culture and build digital business technology platforms. Cross-sell company products and services; assist Sales Team in promoting products and services in different languages. Skills/Qualifications: Proven certifications and experience in the international digital space; Training, experience and certification in AntiMoney Laundering; Demonstrates ability to organize and manage a complex product, service and procedures environment; Fluent in written and verbal English. SALARY $1,400 - $2,000.00/m
Cross-sell company products and services; assist Sales Team in promoting products and services; Interpret and translate for efficient service delivery; record transactions for money transfer; prepare / maintain multiple reports. Skills/Qualifications: Proven certifications and experience for the role. SALARY $1,500 - $1,800.00/m
Seventy-eight years ago, scientists created a unique sort of timepiece — named the Doomsday Clock — as a symbolic attempt to gauge how close humanity is to destroying the world.
On Tuesday, the clock was set at 89 seconds to midnight — the closest the world has ever been to that marker, according to the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, which established the clock in 1947. Midnight represents the moment at which people will have made the Earth uninhabitable.
For the two years prior, the Bulletin set the clock at 90 seconds to midnight mainly due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the potential of a nuclear arms race, the IsraelHamas conflict in Gaza, and the climate crisis.
The clock isn’t designed to definitively measure existential threats but rather to spark conversations about difficult scientific topics such as climate change, according to the Bulletin.
“We set the clock closer to midnight because we do not see sufficient, positive progress on the global challenges we face, including nuclear risk, climate change, biological threats and advances in disruptive technologies” such as artificial intelligence, said Daniel Holz, the Bulletin’s science and security board chair and professor in the department of physics, astronomy and astrophysics at the University of Chicago, in a news briefing Tuesday. “The countries that possess nuclear weapons are increasing the size and role of their arsenals, investing hundreds of billions of dollars in weapons that can destroy civilization many times over.”
Progress in the development of “disruptive technologies,” such as artificial intelligence,
On Tuesday, the clock was set at 89 seconds to midnight — the closest the world has ever been to that marker
biotechnology and in space has also far outpaced regulation in those areas, Holz added.
“All of these dangers are greatly exacerbated by a potent threat multiplier — the spread of misinformation, disinformation and conspiracy theories that degrade the communication ecosystem and increasingly blur the line between truth and falsehood,” Holz added.
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists was founded by a group of scientists who worked on the Manhattan Project, the code name for the development of the atomic bomb during World War II.
Originally, the organization was conceived to measure nuclear threats, but in 2007 the Bulletin made the decision to include climate change in its calculations.
Over the last 78 years, the clock’s time has changed according to how close scientists believe the human race is to total destruction.
Some years the time changes, and some years it doesn’t.
The Doomsday Clock is set every year by experts on the Bulletin’s Science and Security Board in consultation with its Board of Sponsors, which was first established by Albert Einstein in December 1948, with J. Robert Oppenheimer as its first chair. The board currently includes nine Nobel laureates, many of them in physics, physiology or medicine.
The clock has been an effective wake-up call when it comes to reminding people about the cascading crises the planet is facing, but some have questioned its usefulness.
“It’s an imperfect metaphor,” Michael E. Mann, Presidential Distinguished Professor in the earth and environmental science department at the University of Pennsylvania, told CNN in 2022, highlighting that the clock’s framing combines various types of risk that have different characteristics and occur in
different timescales. Still, he added that it “remains an important rhetorical device that reminds us, year after year, of the tenuousness of our current existence on this planet.”
Every model has constraints, Eryn MacDonald, an analyst with the Union of Concerned Scientists’ Global Security Program, told CNN in 2022, adding that the Bulletin has made thoughtful decisions each year on how to get people’s attention about existential threats and the required action.
“While I wish we could go back to talking about minutes to midnight instead of seconds, unfortunately that no longer reflects reality,” MacDonald said.
The clock has never reached midnight, and Bulletin president and CEO Rachel Bronson said she hopes it never will.
“When the clock is at midnight, that means there’s been some sort of nuclear exchange or catastrophic climate change that’s wiped out humanity,” she said. “We never really want to get there, and we won’t know it when we do.”
Though the clock can’t measure threats, if it sparks conversation and encourages public engagement in scientific topics such as climate change and nuclear disarmament, then Bronson views it as a success.
When a new time is set on the clock, people listen, she said. At the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland in 2021, thenUK Prime Minister Boris Johnson cited the Doomsday Clock when talking about the climate crisis the
world is facing, Bronson noted. Bronson said she hopes people will discuss whether they agree with the Bulletin’s decision and have fruitful talks about what the driving forces of the change are.
Moving the clock back with bold, concrete actions is still possible. In fact, the hand moved the farthest away from midnight — a whopping 17 minutes before the hour — in 1991, when thenPresident George H.W. Bush’s administration signed the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty with the Soviet Union.
“We at the Bulletin believe that because humans created these threats, we can reduce them,” Bronson said. “But doing so is not easy, nor has it ever been. And it requires serious work and global engagement at all levels of society.”
Don’t underestimate the power of talking about these important issues with your peers, Bronson said.
“You might not feel it because you’re not doing anything, but we know that public engagement moves (a) leader to do things,” she said.
Personal actions can make a difference. To have a positive impact on climate change, look at your daily habits and see if there are small changes you can make in your life such as how often you walk versus drive and how your home is heated, Bronson said.
Eating seasonally and locally, reducing food waste, conserving water and recycling properly are other ways to help mitigate, or deal with the effects of, the climate crisis. (BBC)
The chemical building blocks of life have been found in the grainy dust of an asteroid called Bennu, an analysis reveals.
Samples of the space rock, which were scooped up by a Nasa spacecraft and brought to Earth, contain a rich array of minerals and thousands of organic compounds.
These include amino acids, which are the molecules that make up proteins, as well as nucleobases - the fundamental components of DNA.
This doesn’t mean there was ever life on Bennu, but it supports the theory that asteroids delivered these vital ingredients to Earth
when they crashed into our planet billions of years ago.
Scientists think those same compounds could also have been brought to other worlds in our Solar System.
“What we’ve learned from it is amazing,” said Prof Sara Russell, a cosmic mineralogist from the Natural History Museum in London.
“It’s telling us about our own origins, and it enables us to answer these really, really big questions about where life began. And who doesn’t want to know about how life started?”
The findings are published in
two papers in the journals Nature and Nature Astronomy.
Grabbing a bit of Bennu has been one of the most audacious missions Nasa has ever attempted.
A spacecraft called Osiris Rex unfurled a robotic arm to collect some of the 500m-wide space rock, before packing it into a capsule and returning it to Earth in 2023.
About 120g of black dust was collected and shared with scientists around the world. This might not sound like much material, but it’s proved to be a treasure trove.
“Every grain is telling us
Yoga has been found to increase grey matter and alter key networks in the brain. Now there are hopes it could be used to help improve people’s mental health.
My right arm is shaking. Sweat drips from my forehead as I twist my body from a side plank into a yoga pose known as “Wild Thing” – or “Camatkarasana”. It is quite the contortion – I arch my back, stretching my left arm over my head. My right foot is planted on the ground, and I look up to the sky.
One translation of the Sanskrit word camatkarasana is “the ecstatic unfolding of the enraptured heart” and is said to elicit confidence. And – despite the strain – I feel invincible.
When I started practicing yoga, I wanted to sweat and to build strength. I saw it purely as a form of exercise – but I found it was so much more.
The practice of yoga dates back over 2,000 years to ancient India. And though today, there are many different types of yoga – from meditative yin yoga to flowing vinyasa – through their use of movement, meditation and breathing exercises, all forms focus on a mind-body connection. And there is growing evidence that yoga may not just have physical benefits but may also be good for your mind too. Some researchers even hope it could be a promising way of helping people with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) cope with their symptoms.
Certainly, research on the physical benefits of yoga is extensive. The first thing anyone who hasn’t tried yoga should know is that it can be surprisingly strenuous. It improves strength, flexibility and cardio-respiratory fitness. Studies have found yoga can improve stamina and agility. It can prevent injuries (although it can also be a cause of injuries if not done correctly) and enhance performance in other sports – with advocates including world-class footballers, American footballers and basketball players.
And there is a growing body of research showing yoga can be beneficial for a wide range of
health issues.
In epilepsy sufferers, for example, practicing yoga has been seen to significantly reduce the number of seizures – or even prevent them entirely. Yoga has been used as an intervention to help manage type 2 diabetes, reduce chronic pain, and aid in stroke rehabilitation. It has also been shown to be more effective than physiotherapy at improving the quality of life for people with multiple sclerosis, and one trial even suggests it could be beneficial for cancer survivors.
Yoga can also help you live a healthy life for longer, says Claudia Metzler-Baddeley, a cognitive neuroscientist at the Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (Cubric) in the UK.
But yoga has also been found to change the makeup of your brain. Studies show practicing yoga positively impacts both the structure and function of parts of the brain including the hippocampus, amygdala, prefrontal cortex, cingulate cortex and brain networks including the default mode network, part of the brain involved in introspection and self-directed thought. Some researchers say this could mean it has potential to mitigate agerelated and neurodegenerative declinesfthere.
Metzler-Baddeley’s research focuses on the cognitive and neural mechanisms of ageing and neurodegeneration. “We think inflammation accelerates ageing – which can be caused by chronic stress,” she says. “Stress hormones like cortisol cause inflammation, which can cause increased blood pressure. These are, of course, risk factors for unhealthy ageing.”
Meditation and mindfulness, she adds, are integral to yoga practice, and “seem to induce changes in brain networks which are important for metacognition, meta-awareness, and regulating emotional responses to stress”.
“We know there’s potential [for yoga to] keep us healthy as we age,” she says. “There are studies that have found a number of structural differences [in the brains
of people who practice yoga], and that certain areas important for metacognition and problem solving seem to be larger.”
Neuroimaging has revealed yoga can lead to an increase in the volume of grey matter in the brain. Grey matter – or the cerebral cortex – is important for mental processes including language, memory, learning and decision-making. In Alzheimer’s disease, there is a loss of grey matter volume and one 2023 study found yoga could slow memory loss among women at risk of the disease.
All exercise is known to boost your mood by lowering levels of stress hormones and increasing the production of endorphins –often referred to as the “feel-good chemicals”. But the combined postures, breathing and meditative exercises in yoga may have additional benefits, reducing anxiety, stress, depression and improving overall mental health. Studies have shown that yoga can improve the short-term symptoms of depression, for example.
“I didn’t want to go on. Life was too difficult,” says Heather Mason, founder of yoga therapy training school The Minded Institute. “Yoga transformed my life – helping me manage depression, anxiety and PTSD.”
After experiencing the profound effects of yoga, Mason went on to train in yoga, psychotherapy and neuroscience, before founding her yoga therapy training school in 2009. “I felt there were a lot
of claims [about yoga] that were made that had no substantiated evidence. And when you have been hopeless for most of your life, you don’t want to be peddled something that might work,” she says.
Mason now trains health and yoga professionals in yoga therapy.
“I realised that there was an accessibility problem,” she says.
“[Yoga] is marketed is for young, white, skinny women. If you don’t see yourself reflected within this practice, you may not think it’s for you.”
It can be expensive, too, she adds, “This is why I am so dead set on its integration into the NHS [the UK’s National Health System].”
Plus, people with mental health issues can often struggle to engage in self-care, she explains. “They have to be motivated to do it. I thought, if we can bring it into the medical paradigm – all that will change.”
Yoga has been found to increase levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid (Gaba) in the brain. This neurotransmitter slows down brain activity by blocking a nerve cells ability to receive and send chemical messages. Studies have found a 12 week course of yoga leads to increases in Gaba that were correlated to improvements in mood and decreases in anxiety.
“With meditation and deepening the breath, you switch from sympathetic to parasympathetic nervous activity. So, you’re triggering the relaxation response,”
says Metzler-Baddeley.
When a person experiences a stressful event, their sympathetic nervous system – the part of the autonomic nervous system which controls involuntary body functions such as breathing and our heartbeat but also helps to govern our response – is triggered. Genes are activated to produce proteins called cytokines that cause inflammation at cellular level. In a dangerous situation, this allows the body to protect itself against wounding or infection. However, if someone experiences persistent stress, long-term inflammation can be damaging and increase the risk of cancer, accelerated aging and depression.
Researchers have found that people who practice mind-body interventions such as yoga and meditation experience a decrease in the production of cytokines –and so a reduction in the risk of inflammation-related diseases and conditions.
There are also some indications that yoga could be beneficial for some people suffering from PTSD. However, the results from other studies using yoga as an intervention for PTSD are mixed and there appears to be a shortage of high-quality research, according to one academic review. One recent study, however, showed that yoga could improve the outcomes of US veterans with PTSD while another showed frequent yoga practice could be beneficial for women with chronic PTSD. (BBC)
More frequent use of marijuana damages the brain’s working memory, which could lead to issues with safety, communications and work success, a new study found.
“Working memory is the ability to retain information for a short period of time and use it,” said lead study author Joshua Gowin, an assistant professor of radiology at the University of Colorado’s Anschutz School of Medicine in Aurora, Colorado.
“An example is checking your blind spot when driving down the road,” Gowin said. “When you look back in front of you, you need to remember what you saw in the blind spot before you can make a good decision if you want to change lanes or not.
“When you’re in the middle of a conversation with your boss, you need to remember what they said long enough to respond to it,” Gowin said. “Losing working memory means that retaining that information might require more effort and be more challenging.”
The new observational study, published Tuesday in the journal JAMA Network Open, cannot prove that cannabis harms the
Today’s marijuana is much more potent than in the past, experts say
brain, said Carol Boyd, professor emerita and founding director of the Center for the Study of Drugs, Alcohol, Smoking and Health at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. She was not involved in the study.
However, the study does add scientific evidence to longstanding social beliefs about regular cannabis use, Boyd said in an email.
“For years, clinicians, family and friends who knew heavy cannabis users understood that their memories were ‘shot’ — there’s even a term for this, ‘stoner,’ as in ‘forgot the grocery list, couldn’t
follow a recipe, couldn’t get it together,’” she said.
However, the study could not determine if working memory comes back if a heavy user quits and is a nonuser for an extended period of time, she added.
“Can the adolescent who used cannabis more than 1000 times between the ages of 15 and 20 years of age, but stopped using at 20 years, demonstrate improved working memory 10 years later?”
Boyd said via email. “That is my 64-dollar question — where is the hope for the person with a chronic use disorder who wants their memory back?”
The study analyzed data from the Human Connectome Project, which gathers raw data from studies that focus on how age, development, disease and other factors impact the brain.
In what researchers are calling the largest dataset used to study cannabis and brain function, over 1,000 former or current cannabis users underwent brain scans while completing seven different types of cognitive tests between 2012 and 2015.
Those tests measured their working memory, how they used emotion and rewards in their thinking, and how the brain responded to language. In addition, researchers tested how the brain handled motor skills, as well as how each person’s brain responded to others in a social setting.
Study participants, who were between 22 and 36 years of age, provided urine samples on the day of testing to assess recent use.
Tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, which is what provides the euphoria associated with cannabis use, can be detected “for up to 2 weeks in the casual user and possibly longer in the chronic user,” according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
users was approximately 14%,” he said.
The study did not know the time frame for heavy cannabis use — were all the 1,000 uses in someone’s early 20s and they then had abstained for 10 years? Or had they become recent heavy users?
“Even if a chronic user had stopped using, they still showed cognitive decline in working memory,” he said. “So it did not seem to be contingent upon recent use, but it was related more to chronic use across their lifetime.”
Heavy cannabis users in the study tended to be male, with a lower educational and social economic status, and were more likely to be smokers and drink alcohol.
“However, we did include alcohol in our statistical models, and we found that alcohol did not explain the effects we saw, while cannabis use did,” Gowin said.
However, the study was unable to determine levels of THC in the marijuana that was used or control for existing psychological conditions such as ADHD, which is also known to impact working memory, Boyd said.
something new about Bennu,” said Prof Russell, who’s been studying the tiny specks.
About a teaspoonful of the asteroid was sent to scientists in the UK.
The new research has shown that the space rock is packed full of nitrogen and carbon-rich compounds.
These include 14 of the 20 amino acids that life on Earth uses to build proteins and all four of the ring-shaped molecules that make up DNAadenine, guanine, cytosine and thymine.
The study has also found an array of minerals and salts, suggesting water was once present on the asteroid. Ammonia, which is important for biochemical reactions, was discovered in the sample too.
Some of these compounds have been seen in space rocks
that have fallen to Earth, but others haven’t been detected until now.
“It’s just incredible how rich it is. It’s full of these minerals that we haven’t seen before in meteorites and the combination of them that we haven’t seen before. It’s been such an exciting thing to study,” said Prof Russell.
This latest study adds to growing evidence that asteroids brought water and organic material to Earth.
“The early Solar System was really turbulent and there were millions of asteroids like Bennu flying about,” explained Dr Ashley King, from the Natural History Museum.
The idea is that these bombarded the young Earth, seeding our planet with ingredients that gave us the oceans and made life possible.
But Earth wasn’t the only world getting hit by space rocks. Asteroids would have been colliding with other planets too.
“Earth is unique, in that it’s the only place where we have found life so far, but we know asteroids were delivering those ingredients, the carbon and the water, throughout the Solar System,” said Dr King.
“And one of the big things that we’re trying to understand now is, if you have the right conditions, why do we have life here on Earth - and could we potentially find it elsewhere in our Solar System?”
It’s a key question that scientists will continue to try and answer.
They have decades of research ahead on the dust brought back from Bennu, and parts of our cosmic neighbourhood still to explore. (BBC)
Individuals were considered heavy cannabis users if they had used marijuana more than 1,000 times in their lives; moderate users if they had used weed between 10 and 999 times; and nonusers if their use was less than 10 times.
Researchers found cannabis use reduced brain activity in certain areas of the brain responsible for decision-making, memory, paying attention and emotional processing. However, the only test that reached statistical significance was working memory, such as remembering a shopping list or following verbal instructions.
Researchers found 63% of heavy lifetime cannabis users exhibited reduced brain activity during a working memory task, while 68% of people who tested positive for recent use of cannabis also demonstrated a similar impact.
“However, when we compared recent to chronic users of cannabis side by side, we found that chronic use seemed to be more important than recent use when it came to problems with working memory,” Gowin said.
The reduction in brain activation for heavy users relative to non-
“It is possible that ADHD is a confounder, distorting the results between heavy cannabis use and impaired working memory, she added. “Young adults with ADHD are disproportionately represented among cannabis users.
“The amount of THC ingested, and the mode of ingestion were not provided,” Boyd said, so there is no way to know “how much THC is involved in chronic, heavy use.”
While it’s true that researchers were unable to determine if the cannabis was smoked, vaped or eaten, the study was conducted prior to 2015 when smoking marijuana was most common, Gowin said.
“And certainly smoking or inhaling cannabis means it crosses the blood-brain barrier more quickly than if you consume an edible,” he said.
So what’s the answer to Boyd’s $64 question: Will regular cannabis users get their working memory back? It’s just too soon to know, Gowin said.
“Some really interesting studies have paid people to stop using cannabis for a period of time, usually a month, and there’s some evidence that they recover some of their memory function over that time,” he said.
The US Open will become a 15day tournament in 2025, beginning on a weekend for the first time in the Open era.
This year’s main draw at Flushing Meadows will start on Sunday, 24 August and end on Sunday, 7 September.
It becomes the latest Grand Slam to announce a Sunday start. The Australian Open expanded to a 15-day tournament in 2024, after the French Open took that decision in 2006.
That leaves Wimbledon as the only remaining Slam event to retain the traditional Monday start. In making the change, the US
Open said the move would allow “more fan access than ever to the main draw following three consecutive years of recordbreaking attendance”.
The tournament estimates the expansion will allow access for an additional 70,000 spectators.
Men’s and women’s singles first-round matches will be played across the opening three days in New York, from Sunday to Tuesday.
The Australian Open took the decision to become a 15-day event in an attempt to reduce the number of late-night finishes at Melbourne Park. (BBC)
A pair of 16-year-old skaters, their mothers, and two Russian coaches were among the passengers on board an aeroplane that hit a helicopter above Washington DC on Wednesday evening, the group’s skating club in Boston says.
They were named as teenagers Spencer Lane and Jinna Han, their mothers Christine Lane and Jin Han, and their Russian coaches Yevgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov - who are former worldchampion skaters.
US officials say they do not expect any survivors from the crash, and that at least 28 bodies have been recovered from scene.
The plane was carrying 64 passengers and crew when it collided in mid-air with a US Army helicopter just after 21:00 local time on Wednesday (02:00 GMT).
It then fell into the ice-cold Potomac River.
As many as 15 people on the flight may have been involved in figure skating in total, an unnamed source told the Reuters news agency.
“Several” athletes, coaches and family members involved with US Figure Skating were on the flight, the sport’s US governing body said. It is yet to give more names.
Giving details of the club’s victims, the CEO of the Figure Skating Club of Boston, Doug Zeghibe, told reporters: “Six is a horrific number for us.” He went on to say: “This will have long, reaching impacts for our skating community.”
In a statement, the Philadelphia
Russian former skating stars Yevgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov were on the plane, their club in Boston confirmed
Skating Club and Humane Society wrote it was “devastated” to learn of the crash, adding that “beloved members of the club” were among those who had died.
Earlier on Thursday, Russia confirmed that some of its citizens had been on the plane, after Russia media reported the names of Naumov and Shishkova.
In its own statement, US Figure Skating said “several members of our skating community were sadly aboard American Airlines Flight 5342”. The group were returning home from a development camp in Wichita, Kansas, the statement added.
Wichita hosted the US National Figure Skating championships from 20 January to 26 January. Following the competition, there was a development camp for young skaters.
Shishkova and Naumov are
retired Russian pairs skaters who won the world championships in 1994. They also competed at the Olympics, and later went on to begin their coaching career in the US.
Inna Volyanskaya, a former skater for the Soviet Union, was also on board the flight, according to Russian news agency Tass. Rescue teams are continuing to search the freezing waters of the Potomac River where the remnants of both aircraft remain. On Thursday morning, officials said they had switched to a recovery operation.
Nearby Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport grounded all flights in the wake of Wednesday evening’s crash. Besides the undisclosed total number of skaters, limited information has emerged about the individuals on board.
Brazilian club Santos are in talks to re-sign Neymar after his contract with Saudi Pro League side AlHilal was cancelled by mutual consent.
The 32-year-old Brazil record goalscorer is expected to sign a short-term deal at the club where he began his career.
The termination of his contract at Al-Hilal was considered the biggest step, according to sources close to Neymar.
It ends an injury-hit spell in Saudi Arabia, where he played just seven times for the club he joined in a £77.6m deal in August 2023.
The attacker made two appearances this season, most recently as a substitute in November.
Al Hilal said: “The club expresses its thanks and
appreciation to Neymar for what he has provided at Al-Hilal, and wish the player success in his career.”
Major League Soccer (MLS) club Chicago Fire also attempted
to bring Neymar to the United States but he turned them down in favour of returning to Santos. Fire had Neymar on their ‘discovery list’, meaning they
were the only MLS team able to negotiate with him in the US.
Inter Miami had also been linked with reuniting Neymar with his former Barcelona team-mates Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.
Neymar remains the world’s most expensive footballer after his £200m move to Paris St-Germain in 2017.
Neymar had about seven months remaining on his contract, having joined Al-Hilal on a two-year deal with a reported wage of £129m a year.
He joined claiming he wanted to “write new sporting history”, but had a prolonged spell on the sidelines after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during Brazil’s World Cup qualifier against Uruguay in October 2023.
He returned in October last year
and although he played down an apparent hamstring issue in his second match back, he has not featured since.
Neymar came through the famed youth system at Santos, where he scored 136 goals in 225 games, before a high-profile move to Barcelona in 2013.
He made 186 appearances across four seasons in Spain, winning two La Liga titles, the Champions League and the Club World Cup before his world-record move to PSG as a 25-year-old.
In Paris he won five league titles prior to his move to Saudi Arabia.
Shortly after the move he overtook Pele to become Brazil’s all-time leading male goalscorer with 78 goals, but has not played for his country since his initial knee injury in 2023. (BBC)
Mitchell Owen smashed a scintillating 39-ball century to lead Hobart Hurricanes to their maiden Big Bash League title.
Owen’s century, which was the joint-fastest in BBL history, helped the hosts blaze to a seven-wicket victory over David Warner’s Sydney Thunder with 30 balls to spare.
The 23-year-old Tasmanian opener clobbered 11 sixes as Thunder’s bowlers wilted under the onslaught.
Owen departed for 108 off 42 balls to leave Matthew Wade (32 off 17 balls) and Ben McDermott
(18 off 12 balls) to steer Hurricanes to the trophy in front of a jubilant home support at Ninja Stadium in Hobart.
“It’s an amazing feeling,” said Owen. “I was doing what I’ve tried to do all competition – get us off to a good start so we could take it easy in the middle and thankfully I came off.”
Thunder were going well when openers Jason Sangha (67) and Warner (48) shared a 97-run opening stand before both were dismissed by Hurricanes captain Nathan Ellis (3-23).
Once again, fast bowler Riley
Meredith, who has consistently bowled at speeds in excess of 90mph throughout the tournament, impressed with three middle-order wickets, including England’s Sam Billings, who was bowled for 20.
England’s Chris Jordan was expensive, finishing with 0-47 from four overs for Hurricanes, but a total of 182-7 was never going to be enough once Owen found his groove.
Victory was much deserved for Hurricanes, who finished top of the regular season table. It leaves Melbourne Stars as the only team yet to win a BBL title. (BBC)
It has been over 30 years since the roar of Formula 1 engines echoed on African soil but a heated race is under way to bring the sport back to the continent.
Rwanda and South Africa are vying for pole position and hope to realise their ambition in 2027.
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton has long been an advocate for an African grand prix, and that sentiment is spreading among fellow drivers.
“I would like to race in Africa. We’re very excited to be on that road,” reigning champion Max Verstappen told BBC Sport Africa.
McLaren’s Lando Norris, meanwhile, thinks Africa would be “the perfect place” to introduce F1 to new audiences.
Rwanda is offering an innovative vision, aiming to blend motorsport with sustainability and natural beauty.
President Paul Kagame formally announced Rwanda’s bid in December and the country has the backing of the head of motorsport’s world governing body (FIA). The FIA regulates F1, while Liberty Media are the holders of the competition’s commercial rights.
“Africa deserves a F1 event and Rwanda is the best place,” FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem told BBC Sport Africa. Yet the South African bid has a rich history to draw on - as well as a track which is already built. (BBC)
The newly formed Tomorrow’s Golf League (TGL) had its best match so far on Monday with Tiger Woods’ Jupiter Links claiming a 4-3 overtime victory against fellow co-founder Rory McIlroy’s Boston Common.
After an impressive 31-foot birdie putt from Boston’s Adam Scott leveled the score at 3-3 on Hole 14, Tom Kim and Kevin Kisner won the nearest-the-pin shootout for the Links to record the tournament’s first ever OT win.
“This is what we had envisioned for TGL, to have an experience like this, and I think we delivered,” said Woods after the 4-3 victory.
“It couldn’t have been a more pleasurable display of golf and banter. Everyone in the audience was engaged. Hopefully, the viewership was engaged. We as players loved it.”
the league needed,” said McIlroy, per the BBC. “It’s been really cool to hear that a younger demographic, it’s resonated with them.
“One of the visions when we started was to try to engage that younger demographic and give them a bite-sized version of golf that they could get into and understand, and hopefully, we’ve done that,” he added.
After the first two holes were tied, the Common took the lead when they threw the “Hammer” –which teams can play to make a hole worth two points instead of one – and the Links declined it, meaning they conceded the hole.
The score was leveled again on the following hole when McIlroy declined Jupiter’s “Hammer,” before the Links went ahead for the first time, taking Hole 12 with a birdie thanks to an excellent tee shot from Kim.
The moment of the match came on Hole 14, when Scott’s 31-foot putt gave him the point over Kisner to make it 3-3. A tie on the final hole sent the contest to overtime, in which players face off in a nearest-the-pin shootout, won on this occasion by Kim and Kisner.
The TGL, which has been spearheaded by Woods and McIlroy, TGL matches take place at a custom-built arena at the SoFi Center in Florida
“It
Jupiter tied the match at 1-1 on Hole 6 when Boston conceded a birdie, but went behind again on Hole 10 when Woods took too long to take a shot – the first shot clock violation in TGL history – and the resulting one-stroke penalty handed the point to the Common.
The victorious Jupiter Links are now 1-1 having been thrashed 12-1 in their opening game by Los Angeles Golf Club. They will play New York Golf Club on February 18.
McIlroy’s Common, who were making their debut in the tournament, are next in action against Los Angeles Golf Club on February 5. (CNN)
Australia batter Steve Smith passed the 10,000-run mark in Test cricket as he scored a century on the first day of his side’s opening match in Sri Lanka.
The 35-year-old went into the first Test of the two-match series on 9,999 runs and, as captain in the absence of Pat Cummins, chose to bat after winning the toss.
He came to the crease after Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne had been dismissed and nudged his first delivery to mid-on for a single to become the 15th batter to reach 10,000 Test runs.
“Fortunately hit that one in the gap so nice to get that one away,” Smith told Australia’s 7Cricket.
“Nice to tick that off,” he added.
Smith went on to score 104 not out as he helped his side reach 3302 at the close of play in Galle.
He is the fourth Australian to reach the 10,000 Test run landmark after Allan Border, Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting.
Smith missed a year from the game when he was banned for 12 months after being part of the sandpaper ball-tampering scandal in a 2018 Test match against South Africa.
India’s Sachin Tendulkar holds the record for the most Test runs on 15,921, with Ponting second with 13,378.
England’s Joe Root is fifth on the list with 12,972 runs after he passed compatriot Alastair Cook, who is sixth on 12,472. (BBC)
Sam Prendergast has been retained at fly-half for Ireland’s opening Six Nations match against England on Saturday.
Leinster’s Prendergast, 21, started Ireland’s last two November Tests and is entrusted to make his Six Nations debut from the start this weekend by interim head coach Simon Easterby.
Jack Crowley played every minute of Ireland’s Six Nations title-winning campaign last year, but despite impressing for Munster in recent weeks, the 25-year-old must settle for a place on the bench. Easterby, who has stepped up
to replace Andy Farrell while the latter focuses on leading the British and Irish Lions this summer, has also recalled Ryan Baird to the back row.
Baird’s inclusion means Tadhg Beirne switches to the second row with Joe McCarthy - who started every Ireland game in 2024 - ruled out through injury.
Garry Ringrose is preferred to Leinster team-mate Robbie Henshaw at outside centre, partnering Bundee Aki.
Having recently returned from a six-month knee injury layoff, hooker Dan Sheehan starts on the bench
with Ronan Kelleher retained. Kelleher will start alongside Andrew Porter and Finlay Bealham in the front row. Bealham is again required from the start in place of the injured Tadhg Furlong.
Ireland: Keenan; Hansen, Ringrose, Aki, Lowe; Prendergast, Gibson-Park; Porter, Kelleher, Bealham; Ryan, Beirne; Baird, Van der Flier, Doris (capt).
Replacements: Sheehan, Healy, Clarkson, Henderson, Conan, Murray, Crowley, Henshaw.
Steven Gerrard has left his role as manager of Al-Ettifaq by mutual consent after 18 months in charge.
The former Aston Villa and Rangers boss joined the Saudi Arabian club in July 2023.
Ex-England and Liverpool midfielder Gerrard signed a twoyear extension to his initial deal in January 2024, contracting him to the club until 2027.
But Al-Ettifaq have won just five of their 17 league matches this season, leaving them five points above the relegation zone.
“Football is unpredictable and sometimes things don’t go the way we want,” said Gerrard.
“However, I leave with great respect for the club and the country. I have no doubt that the work being done will bring success in the future and I wish the team the very
best for the rest of the season.
“From the first day I was warmly welcomed and I have enjoyed the chance to work in a new country with a different culture.
“Overall I have learnt a lot and it’s been a positive experience personally and for my family as well.”
Al-Ettifaq club president Samer Al Misehal said Gerrard transformed the club.
“Sometimes things don’t go as planned, but the firm foundations he helped build will guarantee a bright future in the long term,” the president said.
“He changed the club for the better and that will never be forgotten. This decision, made with mutual respect and in agreement is in the best interest of both Steven and the club as we
move forward.”
After a stellar playing career with Liverpool and England, 44-year-old Gerrard began his managerial career with Rangers in 2018 and led the club to their first Scottish Premiership title in 10 years in 2020-21.
He succeeded Dean Smith as Villa manager in November 2021, but was sacked 11 months later after only 13 wins in 40 games.
Gerrard guided Al-Ettifaq to a sixth-place finish during his first season.
But he leaves with them 12th in a 16-team league, having won 23 of his 59 matches overall.
Gerrard was reportedly one of the best-paid managers in world football during his time in Saudi Arabia, on a salary of about £15m per year. (BBC)
The Tibor’s Sharks defeated the Kvanar Oilers 6-5 in an exciting clash over the weekend when action continued in the Provo Hockey League (PHL) at the Graceway Sports Centre in Providenciales.
The Junior Division game proved to be a thrilling encounter with the Oilers battling hard to stay within striking range. CJ Moriarty carried the Sharks ahead at 4:20 in the first period, but Owen Barkworth Knight levelled the game at 7:07 before Joswin Jose made it 2-1, soon it was 3-1 with Moriarty scoring his second, by the end of the first period, Oilers had pulled one back off the stick of Jack Henry.
In the second period, the Oilers drew the game again with Estheban Couture scoring at 1:55. Moriarty, was however having none of it and his third goal at 2:38 ensured that the Sharks stayed ahead. Adrien Penn made it 5-3, but Couture staged a comeback late with two successful strikes. Jose, however, sealed the win with his second goal for the Sharks at 15:46.
In the other Junior clash, the Parrot Cay Canucks defeated the L’Heureux and Co Canadian 4-3 after a solid second period.
The Canadiens marched ahead with goals from Keith Higgs and Nathan Affleck in the opening period for a 2-0 lead; the lead
increased to 3-0 at 1:20 into the second after Lucas Emery found the back of the net, but the Canucks, led by Liam Redstone and Rishith Gururaja staged a comeback.
Both players scored two goals each in the second to register the thrilling 4-3 win. Redstone scored the first two before Gururaja tied the game at 13:39 before delivering the winning strike a little over a minute later.
In the Novice Division, the Saunders and Co Greyhounds made light work of the Grace Bay Car Rental Islanders 5-1.
Dylan Garland led the winners with a hat-trick, while Harvey Arthur added a brace. The Islanders
were led by Bastien Gaudet.
In the other Novice clash, the Design Studio Jets got the better of the Projetech Pirates 3-2. Tejas Gururaja led the winners with two goals and an assist, while Lucio Bozzer added the other.
The Pirates were led by Evan Luker and Tristan LeDaridor.
In the Bantam Division, the Twa Marcelin Wolf Lightning defeated the Turkberry Hurricanes 7-4 after a dominant performance from Odyn Nielsen.
Nielsen scored the second and third goals and the last two goals of the game to ensure that his side recorded the win. Lennox Losinske supported with two goals and Marco
Gallardo with a successful strike. For the Hurricanes, Damian Rutherford led the attack with two second-period goals, while there were one each for Charlie Davies and Ryan King.
In the other Bantam clash, the Temple Financial Panthers, led by Connor Bromley, defeated the Ritz Carlton Flyers 6-2.
The Panthers dominated the first period and led 6-1 with Bromley scoring four goals, while also assisting Shlok Ganglani, who netted the opener.
Tyler Wake Forbes scored the other goal for the winners.
Elodie Gaudet scored both goals for the Flyers.
The Wesley Methodist Stingrays had a point to prove, in the past, they were dismissed as just a potential team and not as the side that could take it to the next level— but the disbelievers were wrong.
Over the Championship weekend, last week, the Stingrays made the critical stops and scored the needed buckets, to beat both of the favourites en route to the TCISS Inter-High School Basketball title.
Coach Alvardo Parker told the Weekly News that the game was retribution, especially from those who had dismissed them early.
For the former dominant player, the school has constantly improved and three years ago when he started as the coach it was a “learning process” for most of the players.
After rebounding last year to finish third, the side used their growth as motivation.
“Throughout the season I asked this question many times “Do you want to beat the teams we are supposed to beat or do you want to beat the likes of Clement Howell and HJ and become a champion. Of course, the answer was always be a champion but practice after practice and game after game I didn’t see a championship-level team,” Parker noted.
In the first major test of the season, HJ won by 20-plus points.
Led by Parker and the other coaches, the side rebounded from that loss and turned on the heat and incrementally they got better, and by the Championship weekend, the team was placed in fifth gear with
several practice sessions.
“Our practice session was centred around beating the press which we struggled against all season. HJ used it to beat us and we knew if we faced Clement we would see it all game. Early in the week, I sent the guys videos and notes on how to beat a press which I assigned to them as homework. Every practice, and up to game time I asked random players what we do in certain situations and they had the answers.”
On January 24, the Stingrays defeated the HJ Robinson Stallions to reach the final. That game ended 53-50, while the Clement Howell High School Eagles won against Elite Sharks via forfeit.
CHHS were still listed as the favourites in the championship
clash on Saturday, but Wesley Methodist were able to make the needed stops and drop some big shots to triumph 69-61.
The Sharks ended up winning the third-place title with a 49-42 win over HJ.
According to Parker, “Overall, it was a great experience and I’m very happy that we were able to have played our best basketball when it mattered most. My mind is already on next year.”
INTER-HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL 2024-25 AWARDEES:
MOST POINTS
Yuery Beato - Elite High School (EHS)
MOST REBOUNDS AND PLAYER OF THE CONFERENCE GROUP B
Poteinsky Dumesle - Wesley Methodist High School (WMHS)
MOST BLOCKS
Ma’karii Lightbourne - Precious Treasures International School (PTIS)
MOST ASSISTS
Allan Gedeon - Maranatha Academy (MA)
MOST STEALS
David Hall - British West Indies Collegiate (BWIC)
PLAYER OF THE CONFERENCE
Group A - Abraham Smith - Precious Treasures
