TC Weekly News, May 24-30, 2025

RECORD $549.5M BUDGET PASSED

Premier Charles Washington Misick unveiled a historic $549.5m Budget, marking the largest financial plan in the nation’s history. He described the Budget as a bold declaration of progress, aimed at fostering economic growth, advancing infrastructure, and improving the lives of every citizen. He said it represents his administration’s commitment to sustainable development, innovation, and long-term prosperity.

“Beyond beaches”: TCI charts course for diversified economic future

BY OLIVIA ROSE

While the sun-kissed beaches and turquoise waters of the Turks and Caicos Islands continue to draw millions of tourists annually— solidifying the industry as the bedrock of the nation’s economy— Premier Charles Washington Misick delivered a powerful message in his 2025-2026 budget address, underscoring that it is time to look beyond the sand.

In a clear and resolute tone, Misick announced bold plans to diversify the economic base, aiming to fortify the islands against external shocks and build a more resilient and sustainable future.

The premier emphasised strategic investments in sectors such as agriculture, fisheries, renewable energy, financial services, and the burgeoning digital economy during a parliamentary session that captured the attention of local businesses, investors, and everyday citizens alike.

“We must urgently diversify our economy to reduce the vulnerability to external shocks,” Misick said with urgency and conviction.

The territory’s leader further acknowledged the precarious nature of an economy heavily reliant on a single sector.

He continued, “We will do this by strategically developing sectors that complement tourism and help build long-term resilience.”

Misick’s resolute statement

future

pointed to a fundamental shift in his government’s economic strategy.

The premier made it clear that the Turks and Caicos Islands could not afford to rest solely on the laurels of its tourism industry.

Elaborating on this vision, Misick said, “Mr Speaker, this means expanding our investments in agriculture, fisheries, renewable energy, financial services, and the orange and digital economy.”

The term “orange economy,” referring to creative and cultural

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industries, signalled an expansion into innovative and value-added sectors.

He further explained, “Mr Speaker, our challenge is not how much we grow, but how we manage that growth. For my government, fiscal sustainability and responsible leadership are solemn commitments.

Mr Speaker, we have to build on the strong economic gains of the past few years. Our revenues have increased, investor confidence is high, and our financial health is sound. But, Mr Speaker, that is not enough for long-term sustainability.”

Misick’s remarks further highlighted the delicate balance between attracting investment and ensuring sustainable, diversified growth.

Misick did not shy away from addressing the current economic realities and potential threats facing the islands.

“The global economic climate is volatile. Economies are being rocked by inflation, climate shocks, and shifting financial markets. Most analysts agree that in 2025, the global economy will slow, characterised by persistent inflation and uncertainty due to ongoing trade policy disputes,” he noted.

“We will watch and adjust to keep our economy stable and growing,” he assured, underscoring the need for adaptability and foresight in navigating these challenges.

The premier emphasised that this move towards diversification was not about abandoning tourism

directly to the nation’s ability to diversify and thrive.

“My government continues to find ways to reduce the burden on our people, whether through cost-of-living relief payments or reduced tax fees, such as customs duty on basic items, to give our people some wiggle room.

We have increased the minimum wage and the salaries of all public sector workers, and we will continue to explore ways to alleviate rising living costs for our population.”

He continued, “Mr Speaker, in 2024, the Turks and Caicos Islands’ unemployment rate declined to approximately 5.5%.

Mr Speaker, this is the lowest level in years, reflecting a strong and more stable labour market.

Mr Speaker, while we are heartened by these numbers, we are acutely aware that we must get more out of our heritage.

but rather about strengthening the overall economic ecosystem.

“A long-term vision for sustainability is based on resilient prosperity,” Misick stated.

He stressed, “We must urgently diversify our economy to reduce vulnerability to external shocks. We will do this by strategically developing sectors that complement tourism and can build long-term resilience.”

Delving deeper into specific strategies, Misick outlined a multifaceted approach.

“Mr Speaker, we will broaden and strengthen our revenue base, ensure fairness and resilience in our tax system, and enforce our revenue compliance regime so the government collects what is due,” he declared, addressing the fiscal aspect of this transition.

He also pointedly added, “We heard earlier that only 60% of people are paying their land leases or whatever. A report recently suggested to the government that across revenue heads, we are losing $27 million.

I want to appeal to Turks and Caicos Islanders: better roads, a better education system, a better quality of life, and social security for our people depend on everybody paying their way.

It also depends on those who are charged with the responsibility of looking after the resources of government not to abuse that responsibility.”

Adjusting the cost of living Premier Misick reinforced the importance of compliance and fiscal responsibility, linking them

We have to face the uncomfortable truth that, although in TCI, local labour supply exceeds demand, many of our people who lack the skills and experience are refused entry-level jobs.

We will continue to create opportunities for training and incentivise avenues for youth employment to secure their future.”

The premier underscored that empowering local talent and fostering digital skills is crucial for the successful implementation of this diversification strategy.

Misick’s comprehensive vision included a clear understanding of global economic interconnectedness.

“To sustain long-term growth and job creation, we must remain responsive and agile in facilitating a steady flow of public and private sector investment.

Mr Speaker, we cannot take past success for granted. We must move with haste to streamline the approval process and improve the ease of doing business to deliver government projects, support the private sector, attract new investment, and increase productivity,” he stated.

He added: “We are keeping our promises. My government will continue to invest in our people, in healthcare and security.

Game-changing and timeless infrastructure projects must advance our development.”

The government’s impetus to look “Beyond Beaches” represents a fundamental shift and a commitment to building a resilient, diversified, and prosperous nation.

Premier Misick announced bold plans to diversify the economic base, aiming to fortify the islands against external shocks and build a more resilient and sustainable

Record $549.5m Budget passed –

BY OLIVIA ROSE

TCI Govt promises prosperity and security

In a landmark budget address delivered to Parliament on 20 May 2025, Premier Charles Washington Misick unveiled a record-breaking $549.5 million budget, outlining ambitious plans to expand the economy, enhance public services, and secure the future of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

With a vision of robust economic growth and strategic investments designed to benefit all citizens, Misick presented a financial plan that prioritises sustainability, innovation, and long-term prosperity.

The extensive parliamentary deliberations lasted three days, culminating in a unanimous passage on the evening of Thursday, 22 May 2025.

Inside the hallowed chambers of Parliament, Premier Misick’s address resonated with optimism and determination. He unveiled the largest budget in the nation’s history, emphasising its significance beyond mere financial figures—it is a transformative blueprint aimed at ensuring a prosperous future for every citizen.

Standing before a packed audience of lawmakers, diplomats, students, and members of the public, Misick acknowledged the overwhelming mandate given to his team in the recent general election.

“We are humbled and honoured by the confidence you placed in my team to guide the affairs of our beloved country and to look out for your interests for another five years. We do not take this responsibility lightly and will work every day to ensure that we make your lives better and

build a stronger legacy for future generations.”

Wasting no time, the Premier delved into the core of the budget, outlining its projected revenue sources and economic drivers.

“Mr Speaker, we are projecting that in this financial year we will earn 549.5 million dollars.”

This forecast, he explained, is fuelled by strong revenue streams, primarily from accommodation tax and import duties, reflecting the strength of the tourism and construction sectors.

“The top contributors were the Hotel and Restaurant tax—$125 million,” he specified, “followed closely by import duties… Stamp duties, customs processing fees, work permit fees, and excess revenue from statutory bodies also contributed.”

Beyond financial projections,

Misick underscored the budget’s focus on people—investing in their well-being and securing their future. He spoke passionately about fiscal prudence and his government’s dedication to building a resilient economy.

“Our careful spending has resulted in our reserves and rainyday funds of… Cash Balance $358.6 million,” he noted, drawing nods of approval from those in attendance.

He highlighted key funds and reserves, including “the Development Fund at $58 million,” and “the National Wealth Fund [which] has grown significantly to $93.4 million.”

Despite the substantial planned expenditures, the Premier announced an anticipated operating surplus of $9.5 million, reinforcing the government’s commitment to

financial stability. This surplus, he explained, will enable strategic investments in critical sectors without jeopardising national security or stability.

Top priorities include “public order and safety,” “health,” “education,” and “infrastructure development,” demonstrating a broad yet targeted approach to national development.

“Mr Speaker, my Government continues to find ways to reduce the burden on our people,” Misick asserted, “whether through cost-ofliving relief payments or reducing taxes and fees, such as customs duty on basic items.”

He also announced increases in the minimum wage and public sector salaries, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to improving financial security for citizens.

Reflecting on the first 100 days of his government, Misick acknowledged the importance of faith in leadership, noting encouragement from religious leaders to remain prayerful. He also took stock of his administration’s progress since 2021, citing significant economic growth, increased tourism arrivals, and improvements in social welfare and pensions.

“Mr Speaker, the economy has almost doubled in size,” he declared, “and everywhere you look, there are new developments.”

Among other achievements, he highlighted “comprehensive Crown land reform,” “constitutional changes made last year,” and the creation of “Citizen’s Contract 2.0,” a framework outlining key goals for sustainable development.

Turning to inflation, Misick acknowledged its ongoing

challenges and promised further relief measures.

“Mr Speaker, while inflation is trending downwards and is forecasted to settle at around 3 percent, it is still too high,” he admitted.

He pledged continued efforts to ease financial pressure, through “cost-of-living relief payments” and “reducing taxes and fees, such as customs duty on basic items.”

He also noted declining unemployment rates—the lowest in years—and promised additional opportunities for youth employment and training.

One of the most emphatic points in Misick’s address was the urgent need to diversify the economy beyond tourism.

“Mr Speaker, we must urgently diversify our economy to reduce vulnerability to external shocks,” he declared.

“We will do this by strategically developing sectors that complement tourism and can build long-term resilience. Mr Speaker, this means expanding our investments in agriculture, fisheries, renewable energy, financial services, and the orange and digital economies.”

In closing, Premier Misick reaffirmed his government’s dedication to its citizens.

“My government will work hard to keep our promise to create the conditions to make your lives better,” he pledged.

“Continue to pray, motivate, criticise, and demand the highest standard from us.”

The record $549.5 million budget, he made clear, is not just a financial document—it is a symbol of hope, a promise of progress, and a testament to the enduring spirit of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Premier Hon Charles Washington Misick (Photos:TCI Communications Directorate)

Lawmakers, diplomats, students and members of the public packed the gallery, eager to hear the specifics of the government’s financial strategy for the upcoming fiscal year

SEYMOUR’S CONDEMNATION OF THE BANKING SECTOR

Newly elected Member of Parliament for South Caicos, Tamell “Jello” Seymour, delivered a blistering condemnation of the nation’s banking sector in the Turks and Caicos Islands Parliament on 5 May. He accused banks of failing the public through persistent ATM outages and deliberate cash shortages, branding these issues a betrayal of trust. Seymour, a rising political figure, fervently highlighted the daily hardships residents face in accessing their funds. He argued that these banking failures extend beyond technical difficulties, pointing to a broader systemic neglect that disregards and disenfranchises communities across the territory.

What are your thoughts?

Problem exists outside of Provo

My experience is that on Providenciales, things are now fine. On the small outer islands, the only viable solution is a Post Office bank.

The ‘colony’s’ problems

This is just a small aspect of the ‘colony’s’ problems. What tends to happen is that a perceived resolution lies in infighting— divide and conquer.

No—think broadly about who collects the flight and sea overpass money, and even revenue from undersea traffic. Who fails to live up to responsibilities for the protection of the borders (surely not the local government)? So, change focus in a firm fashion and be effective in criticism.

A new form of leadership

The Hon Tamell “Jello” Seymour is proving that real leadership can come from new faces in the House of Parliament, and that those he met there are not really there to represent anything of note. How is it that during the last four years, no one ever took up this issue? There was a whimper and a whisper from the Premier on the banks’ lending policies, derisking, and huge policy jargon, but he let that slide as soon as he picked it up.

The Hon Seymour’s stark reality of “regularly out of cash, frequently out of service, and consistently failing to meet the basic needs of our communities” comes across as a new idea, but it is not. People in North Caicos, South Caicos, Grand Turk, Middle Caicos, and Salt Cay face these issues daily. He speaks to ATM shortages and, most critically, “deliberate cash shortages.” Could this be a case where banks only provide a limited amount of cash, leaving these communities outside of Providenciales in dire straits? If so, and for all of these years, where

was—and where is—the representation until now? The Hon Seymour is proving, through his voice, speaking truth to power and “representational clarity,” that there is finally, and yes, finally, someone in 2025, where representation is rare, who will defend the people.

Profits over service

The Hon Seymour stated with a raised voice that it was his “understanding that banks deliberately refuse to import sufficient cash into the Turks and Caicos Islands to meet public demand. Why? Because it costs more.”

This is critical, and a debate is needed. If “banks prioritise profit over service,” then they “pass the burden onto our people” rather than incur the expense of adequately supplying ATMs, particularly in outlying districts like South Caicos and North Caicos.

In his remarks to Parliament, the Hon Seymour spoke of the “cruel irony,” whereby, according to regulations, citizens must declare anything over $10,000, but banks, on the other hand, are unwilling to provide them with the means to access their own money. Yes, banks can choose to be better, and the government, if it cares, ought to give them no other choice.

Remote living

This is a major issue in itself. Usually, lines outside the three commercial banks in Provo are long. ATMs are not fully functional, and people are often caught in the rain without access to pay bills, school fees, eat, or simply live.

It feels as though we are living on a remote

island with no real access to anything. This should not be the case, and government policies must be dedicated to ensuring that there are banks, ATMs, and proper services on each island of the TCI where there is a population and small business activity.

Taking Hon Seymour’s debating points into consideration, it is a choice—and banks should be made to step up to the plate. Alas, we would need a government willing to force these issues through new laws and regulations.

No accountability

Emerging as a leader of the future, the Hon Seymour defines a new kind of leadership and representation.

The Hon Seymour urged the “empowerment of the Financial Services Commission” to “monitor and penalise non-compliant banks.” He further declared that “a banking licence is a privilege, not a right.” This is correct!

How is it that no Minister of Finance or Premier ever took such a prescient and clear policy stance on this issue? It is because these officials are not there to represent but

Member of Parliament for South Caicos, Tamell “Jello” Seymour in Parliament

Global NGO urges TCI to ensure unimpeded access to company ownership registers

BY GEMMA HANDY

New measures to help erase secrecy surrounding the true owners of companies registered in the TCI do not go far enough, anti-corruption campaigners warn.

They claim restrictions on precisely who can access the Islands’ register of beneficial ownership – and under what circumstances –limit the ability for investigators to properly analyse the data.

The register is to become publicly accessible for the first time at the end of June under new laws aimed at stemming financial crime in Britain’s Overseas Territories (OTs).

But while global NGO Transparency International has welcomed the fact that the TCI is on track to meet the deadline agreed with London last year, the organisation has raised concerns about the wording of the draft regulations.

In their current form, anyone wishing to view information about one of TCI’s more than 15,000 registered companies will have to demonstrate a “legitimate interest” for doing so.

That is limited to journalists and people carrying out “bona

fide academic research”, along with NGOs and law enforcement authorities working to combat or prosecute money laundering and terrorism financing.

It’s a marked departure from the open access recommended and given as standard in other parts of the world including the UK and European Union, Transparency International’s Senior Policy Manager Margot Mollat tells the Weekly News.

The regulations also require applicants to show evidence of their credentials and that the information is being sought for a specific purpose.

“Journalists will have to specify exactly what they are working on, for example,” Mollat explains. “Ideally the rules should allow for repeated access by NGOs, academics and journalists without having to demonstrate a link to those entities.

“By not giving repeated access it really limits the ability of academics and journalists to do data analysis.”

An EU directive for member states on the matter, issued in May 2024 and “recognised as the de facto standard”, notes the role NGOs, investigative journalists

and others have played in the fight against financial crime.

“They should therefore be considered to have a legitimate interest in accessing beneficial ownership information, which is of vital importance for them to undertake their functions and exert public scrutiny, as appropriate,” it states, adding that applicants’ ability to access registers should not be conditional on the platform through which they carry out their activities.

For OTs like TCI, the Cayman Islands and the British Virgin Islands, there’s a tightrope to walk between showing compliance with those demanding transparency –like the UK – and not deterring the foreign investors who buttress their small economies by infringing their privacy.

Territories like BVI have been dragging their feet on public company registers amid concerns that it will affect their lucrative financial industry.

“The current structure of the BVI’s financial and legal services sector makes it vulnerable to abuse by those seeking to conceal assets or facilitate financial crime,” Mollat says.

Confidentiality enables shell companies to be used to disguise illicit activities and their proceeds. BVI which has a population slightly smaller than TCI is home to a whopping 300,000-plus registered companies, compared to the 15,751 in TCI as of 2022. Cayman, with its population of just over 75,000, had 118,000 registered companies as of 2023.

on applicants; allowing bulk downloads of information; and protecting applicants’ identity.

The recommendations were largely ignored, Mollat says.

“The issues we flagged with Cayman are similar to our concerns with TCI’s regulations which use similar language and format,” she notes.

Attorney-General BraithwaiteKnowles told the Weekly News on Wednesday that the wording of the draft legislation was “consistent with the language across the Overseas Territories and in keeping with our understanding of balancing constitutional rights and obligations following specialist legal advice from senior counsel based in the United Kingdom”.

“As to the consultation period, this last round comes at the tailend of months of engagement with relevant stakeholders. Earlier stakeholder feedback has been thoughtfully considered resulting in the draft that is currently in circulation,” she added.

The FSC did not respond to requests for comment.

Transparency International also believes the fees for accessing company information are excessive. The charge for the dissemination of details about a sole company is $30. For applications relating to more than one connected company, the fee is $150.

and nature of control.

Public registers are important, advocates say, because they reduce the capacity for criminals to benefit from opaque ownership structures.

“We’ve seen the role international financial centres have played in obscuring and hiding the movement of assets and illicit financial flows,” Mollat continues.

“For an investigator trying to find assets – which are often public money – stolen in various jurisdictions, complex financial structures and layering of companies to launder the funds makes it very difficult to follow the money and identify who’s behind the theft.

“When jurisdictions make it difficult to access information about the companies involved and their ultimate owners, it creates barriers for journalists, civil society, and even businesses in identifying and addressing potential illicit financial activity.”

The UK created its own publicly accessible register in 2016 and has been ramping up pressure on its OTs to follow suit.

“Every single jurisdiction should have publicly available information around beneficial owners,” Mollat adds.

“If a business is operating legitimately and paying tax, I don’t understand the rationale of hiding the owners.

to collect a paycheck.

The Hon Seymour, on the other hand, seems committed to the worthy cause of ensuring that the people receive proper banking services.

Real policies and laws are needed

The newly elected Member of Parliament for South Caicos is correct when he states that the issues arising are “systemic.” There is that dastardly word again. In the past, it spoke to corruption at all levels, and now the term applies to wilful neglect, an absence of leadership, and Ministers who will only act under pressure. Basically, they are not elected to lead on real issues that affect the people. Therefore, the Hon Seymour is correct when he further states that the issue is “beyond mere banking convenience.”

He is right to highlight the real-world consequences for livelihoods, businesses, and everyday life, stating that the current situation “affects livelihoods, business operations, emergencies, and the daily dignity of our people.”

How is it that other Caribbean nations—such as Jamaica and Trinidad—have bylaws and regulations for service standards, yet in the TCI, banks are not held to the same level of accountability?

There is a dire and critical need for laws, rules, standards, and legislation to correct these issues.

TCI has had a beneficial ownership register since 2017 but it is currently only accessible to law enforcement agencies.

Attorney-General Rhondalee Braithwaite-Knowles previously said the government wanted to avoid the potential for general “fishing expeditions”.

A letter sent to industry partners by the Financial Services Commission (FSC) on April 7 seeking feedback on the Beneficial Ownership (Amendment) Regulations 2025 gave them seven days to submit written comments.

Mollat says the brief timeframe was “really disappointing”, adding: “We felt it was really, really short for anyone to be meaningfully engaged.”

During Cayman’s public registers consultation, Transparency International submitted 11 pages of recommendations.

Those included enabling general access to the data, rather than restricting it to a case-by-case basis; minimising the financial and administrative burden

“It’s quite high and could be prohibitive for small freelance journalists and NGOs because they will be looking up multiple entities and could end up with a big bill,” Mollat says.

Details of beneficial owners aged 18 and over that can be given out include their name, nationality, country of residence, date of birth,

“In the UK anyone can find out who owns a company and it has not led to witch-hunts.

“While there are legitimate cases where individuals may require protection due to risk of harm, transparency around company ownership is essential for tackling money laundering and protecting the integrity of the financial system.”

Construction boom drives 14.1% growth in sector

BY OLIVIA ROSE

In a significant announcement to Parliament, Hon Washington Misick, Premier and Minister of Finance, Investment, and Trade, revealed a robust surge in the Turks and Caicos Islands’ construction sector.

During his budget address on Tuesday, 20 May, Misick declared, “Construction activity is booming, with new buildings rising across the Islands.”

This rapid growth marks a pivotal moment for the territory’s economy.

According to the Premier’s address, the construction sector experienced a remarkable 14.1% growth in 2024, fuelled by major public infrastructure projects and a

surge in private developments.

Misick elaborated on the key drivers behind this expansion, stating, “Much of this growth is tied to tourism, including new resort buildings, refurbishments, and commercial real estate expansions.”

Additionally, he noted that “the growth in the construction sector also resulted from increased residential demand from foreign investors, expatriates, and Islanders, along with public infrastructure projects.”

Positive growth forecast for 2025

Looking ahead, the forecast remains optimistic.

“Growth is expected to continue at around 5% in 2025 as major developments progress and new

Bar Council meets with AG Chambers on key legislative and regulatory priorities

The Turks and Caicos Islands Bar Council is seeking to enhance its collaboration with the Attorney General’s Chambers on several key matters. This week, the Bar Council’s President, Mark Fulford, shared that he met with the Attorney General and her deputy in furtherance of this goal.

In a LinkedIn post this week, Mark Fulford – who was recently elected President of the Turks and Caicos Islands Bar Council - said he held a productive working meeting with the AG, Hon Rhondalee Braithwaite-Knowles and Deputy AG Khalila Astwood last April 25.

He said the meeting forms part of the Bar Council’s early outreach and strategic engagement plan following the appointment of its new Council in March 2025. Fulford said it specifically aligns

with the mandate of the Legal Profession Act (LPA) Committee, which he chairs.

Discussions centred on: “The finalisation of the Legal Profession Act (LPA) and the framework required to support its successful implementation, including feedback from the Bench, Bar and government stakeholders.

“The structuring of a Continued Professional Development Program and the extent to which new legislative authority is required to operationalize such a program; the modernization of disciplinary regulations to ensure due process, accountability, and consistency in handling professional complaints in the legal sector; and the coordination of association consultations, and the importance of broader stakeholder input in shaping the regulatory

projects begin,” Misick announced, signalling sustained momentum in the sector.

Government initiatives to empower local builders

However, amidst this boom, concerns regarding local participation and economic benefits have resurfaced.

The Premier directly addressed these concerns, outlining plans to ensure that prosperity extends to local builders and businesses.

“Mr Speaker, to ensure that this construction boom benefits our local builders and businesses, policy and draft legislation are under consideration by the Cabinet,” he stated.

This includes proposals “to establish a value floor, below which foreign contractors will not

be allowed to bid.”

Moreover, the government is committed to integrating qualified local contractors into public projects, empowering them to participate in nation-building while earning a sustainable livelihood.

Misick made a firm pledge to local contractors: “Mr Speaker, we promise local contractors that we will protect their rights in the industry—we may be late, but this is a promise that we will deliver soon.”

To further strengthen this commitment, the government plans to establish a trade training school, preparing residents for employment opportunities in the construction industry.

Moderate growth in the real estate sector

While the construction sector flourishes, the real estate market is displaying more steady growth.

“Mr Speaker, the real estate sector recorded a modest 2.5% growth in 2024, reflecting stability in property development and ownership,” Misick reported.

However, he added that the sector “is forecast to expand by 3.2% in 2025 and is poised for sustained growth over the mid-term.”

Overall, the Turks and Caicos Islands are experiencing dynamic economic activity, driven largely by construction.

With government-backed policies, local empowerment initiatives, and strategic growth plans, the future appears bright for businesses, workers, and investors across the territory.

environment for attorneys.”

Fulford said the Council is fully committed to working collaboratively with the Attorney General’s Chambers. He also affirmed that good governance, transparency, and professional excellence remain the Council’s

core priorities during this term.

“The meeting was timely, forward-looking, and deeply aligned with the Bar Council’s long-term vision to elevate the profession and bring overdue legislative reform to completion,” Fulford explained. He said the body looks forward

to continued dialogue with the Attorney General’s Chambers as both institutions work toward improving legal standards and delivering meaningful institutional development for the benefit of the legal profession and the wider public.

Residential accommodation project under construction in the Turks and Caicos Islands

Bar Council President Mark Fulford with Attorney General Hon Rhondalee BraithwaiteKnowles OBE KC and Deputy Attorney General Mrs Khalila Astwood (LinkedIn photo)

Government refutes claims of approved rate hike, independent inquiry looms

BY OLIVIA ROSE

A long-standing contentious battle over electricity rates in the Turks and Caicos Islands has erupted again, with the Government denying that a final decision has been made on the proposed rate increase for the territory’s sole electricity provider, FortisTCI.

FortisTCI has swiftly pushed back against the government’s narrative. In their statement, the company sought to “clarify statements regarding its 2024 Request for Revised Electric Rates” made in the Energy and Utilities Department’s (EUD) press release.

The company maintains that the 6% rate increase was proposed in February 2024, along with their 2023 annual statements, and disputes the government’s claim that a request was made in 2025. FortisTCI asserts that the 2024 request “was supported by substantial information” and that they “met all further requests,” contrary to the government’s assertions.

“No information requests were, nor remain, outstanding,” FortisTCI declared, emphasising their “complete transparency throughout the process.” The company further clarified that their request for an Independent Inquirer was made in April 2024, following the denial of their rate request, as permitted by the Electricity Act.

TCI

FortisTCI explained that their proposal for revised rates was made “only after carefully considering several factors, including meeting customers’ energy demand as the economy grows, and maintaining reliable service.” They await the inquirer’s appointment and look forward to public engagement during the inquiry, stressing that affordability, sustainability, and reliable energy provision remain

denies entry to cruise ship due to 50 cases of illness onboard

The Enchanted Princess cruise ship – a Royal-Class cruise ship operated by Princess Cruises - was denied entry into the Turks and Caicos on Thursday, May 22, due to health risks onboard the vessel. This is according to a statement from the Ministry of Health. The ministry said the ship was not allowed to dock at the Grand Turk Cruise Port following a public health risk assessment conducted under the International Health Regulations (2005). The vessel was due to dock in Grand Turk on Thursday.

They said the decision followed a review by the Maritime Health

Declaration (MDH) submitted at 4:12 pm on May 21, which reported 50 cases of illness onboard, including acute respiratory illness, including influenza and acute gastroenteritis, with 12 individuals noted as released from isolation. Given the highly transmissible nature of the reported illnesses, the Ministry determined that the risk to the local population remained significant - due to the unrestricted movement of cruise passengers in public areas such as restaurants, beaches, retail outlets and across the island.

Minister of Health, Hon Kyle Knowles, stated: “The health

the proposed rate increase.”

This comes after FortisTCI submitted an application on February 14, 2024, requesting a six percent (6%) rate hike across all customer classes, citing inflationary pressures, increased electricity demand, and changes to international credit rating standards.

The EUD’s statement painted a picture of a rigorous, yet incomplete, review process. Initially, the government engaged in a six-week review, requesting additional information from FortisTCI. However, the EUD claims responses on critical areas like capital investments, operating costs, and fuel charge calculations “remained incomplete or unclear.”

This led the Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands to deny the application on March 27, 2024, stating that “a fully informed decision could not be made based on the information provided.”

at the core of their operations. Meanwhile, the Energy and Utilities Department (EUD) issued a stark update this week, revealing that the review process for FortisTCI’s Rate Variation Application remains ongoing, contradicting assertions in international media.

In a statement released Wednesday, May 21, 2025, the EUD sought to clarify that “no final decision has been reached on

According to the Government’s statement, the situation escalated when FortisTCI formally disputed the Governor’s decision on April 12, 2025, requesting the appointment of an independent inquirer, as permitted under the Electricity Ordinance.

The Governor approved this request on April 29, 2024.

Hon. E. Jay Saunders, Minister of Innovation, Technology and Energy, emphasised the gravity of the situation. “Electricity rates

impact every household and business in the Turks and Caicos Islands,” Saunders stated.

“It is therefore essential that any proposed variation is supported by full transparency, robust data, and a clear justification. The Government remains committed to protecting the public interest while ensuring the long-term stability of our energy sector.”

The government is now in the final stages of confirming the appointment of the independent inquirer who will conduct a formal investigation into the “reasonableness of FortisTCI’s rate application.”

Minister Saunders assured that, “This is a matter of national importance, and we intend to ensure that the process remains independent, objective, and inclusive. We encourage members of the public to participate once the inquiry opens for public input, and we will ensure the process is fully accessible and transparent.”

“No final decision will be made until the inquiry is complete.”

As the appointment of the independent inquirer looms, the people of Turks and Caicos Islands are seemingly caught in the middle of this escalating dispute. The outcome of this inquiry will have significant implications for both consumers and the future of energy provision in the territory, and public participation in the inquiry process will be crucial.

and safety of our residents and visitors remain our top priority. While we welcome cruise tourism and appreciate our partners in the industry, we must act decisively when public health is at risk.” He said the decision was made

following a careful risk assessment and is in line with Articles 31 and 43 of the International Health Regulations (2005), which allow countries to implement additional health measures in response to credible threats.

The Ministry said it will continue to monitor the situation closely and engage with relevant stakeholders to ensure a coordinated and evidence-based response.

Minister of Innovation, Technology and Energy, Hon E. Jay Saunders

Enchanted Princess cruise ship

In memory of a great man – Mr Henry Leon Wilson

“Gone but not forgotten”

INTRODUCTION

I never imagined that in 2025, I would be writing an article in memory of Mr Henry Leon Wilson. It is always shocking to learn that someone you saw the day before has passed away the next day, even though we know our time can come at any moment.

Mr Wilson was a great man. I met him many years ago when he was the Chairman of the National Insurance Board and I served as a board member. However, I did not get to know Mr Wilson on a personal level until he started dialysis on the first shift with me. Our beds were adjacent to one another, making him my neighbour during dialysis sessions.

Everyone in the dialysis unit misses Mr Wilson so much. I still cannot believe he is gone. He has left a significant legacy.

A DEDICATED MEMBER OF THE ANGLICAN CHURCH

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.

Mr Wilson was a long-time member of the Anglican Church. He participated in various activities, such as playing the trumpet, being a member of the ACM and the Vestry, and serving as a lay reader. Mr Wilson was an inspiring teacher. He regularly shared his devotional services with me, which I found highly enjoyable. He never missed a service. He always invited me to St Monica’s, but I surprised him on Good Friday by attending the service with my cousin.

THE YOUNGEST POLITICIAN

At age 22, Mr Wilson became the youngest person elected to serve as a politician in the Turks and Caicos Islands. He joined the PDM party in 1976, ran for the constituency of Salt Cay, and won. He became part of the first ministerial form of government in the Turks and Caicos, led by the late Hon JAGS McCartney. He ran in many other elections—some successful, others not. Of course, that is politics. The

Salt Cay Airport was named after him, a well-deserved honour.

A MAN OF MANY SKILLS

In addition to being a politician, Mr Wilson served in various capacities. He worked in the cruise industry for many years, which gave him the opportunity to travel to many different places. He also worked at the Ramada Casino and in the airline industry for several years. He left such an impact on Mr Lyndon Gardiner, the owner of InterCaribbean Airways, that one of the airline’s planes was named after him.

A COMMUNITY LEADER

Mr Wilson actively participated in community events by playing with the Police Band. This required a lot of time, commitment, and practice. I believe more of us need to be like Mr Wilson by getting involved in the community. Even at nearly 71, Mr Wilson

continued to contribute significantly to the community. Involvement in community events can transform our country. It is possible to accomplish many tasks independently, without assistance from the government. Mr Wilson was also very active in the Kidney Foundation.

A DEVOTED FAMILY MAN

Mr Wilson was a devoted family man. He had four children, one grandchild, and five siblings. He often talked about his family and cherished his memories with them.

CONCLUSION

I miss Mr Wilson so much. Though he cannot hear me, I want to thank him publicly for sharing his knowledge and history with me. One of the significant advantages of undergoing dialysis is the opportunity to interact with remarkable individuals such as Mr Wilson. He was one of a kind— caring, kind, and deeply respected.

The psychology of evil: Reflection on Psalm 36

While sunlight brilliantly illuminates our waters and greenery, and stars fill our nights, there is a lurking menace that resides in our islands. And Psalm 36 helps us to make sense of it. This song, composed by David, reveals the depth of human wickedness that poisons even the most beautiful landscapes. And yet there is hope, as coral reefs protect our shores, God’s faithfulness and unwavering love surround us and protect us from the storms of human depravity. The psalm begins with a portrayal of wickedness: “An oracle is within my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There is no fear of God before their eyes.” The wicked do not disbelieve God; they firmly believe in God, but they just don’t care what he thinks about their actions. This is reflected in their

actions, which are void of wisdom and goodness. He continues by penetrating the psychology of wickedness with clear-sightedness: “In their own eyes they flatter themselves too much to detect or hate their sin.” This self-deception is something we witness regularly –those who justify their wrongdoing through elaborate rationalizations, who have convinced themselves that their actions harm no one.

The wicked are those who “plot

evil on their beds” and “commit themselves to a sinful course.” While those who place their trust in Jesus have their sins forgiven and enjoy the peace that comes with that, all too often, they are victims of those who do not forsake their sin. All of us, forgiven or not, have experienced the betrayal of unfaithful spouses, dishonest business partners, or officials who abuse their power. The human capacity for wickedness is indeed profound.

Psalm 36 does not leave us in despair! With a dramatic shift in verse 5, our gaze is lifted upward: “Your love, LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.” When we stand on our shores looking out at the vast horizon

where sea meets sky, we glimpse something of the immensity of God’s love. That love is as expansive as the Caribbean Sea that connects our islands, as boundless as the blue sky that arches over our beaches and mountains.

“Your righteousness is like the highest mountains,” reminds us that God’s righteousness stands firm against all the storms of human evil. And when we read, “Your justice like the great deep,” We are comforted by God’s justice, profound, encompassing, and ultimately inescapable. In our region, where hurricanes and tropical storms are seasonal realities, we understand what it means to seek refuge. “How

priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.” During storms, we secure our homes and sometimes evacuate to shelters. Spiritually, God offers the ultimate hurricane shelter – a place of safety amid life’s fiercest expressions of evil.

And when he says, “For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.” We are to take solace in the fact that God’s love flows into our parched souls, souls that have been made bare by the evil of mankind and the depravity of our times. Allow God’s love to bring refreshment and renewal to your spirit, especially as you contemplate the increase of evil in our midst.

As we navigate between the darkness of human wickedness and the brilliant light of God’s love, let Psalm 36 remind us which reality is ultimate. The wickedness of humanity, though real and painful, is temporary. God’s love spans the heavens and will outlast all evil. YOU ARE LOVED.

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.

KENYATTA E. LEWIS

Opposition leader criticises the 2025/2026 budget as lacking vision and solutions

BY DELANA ISLES

In his budget presentation this week, Leader of the Opposition, Hon Edwin Astwood emphasised the need for the government to prioritise the needs and aspirations of all citizens and not just a select few.

Astwood said while outlining important allocations, the budget raises critical questions about the government’s long-term vision and the unbiased distribution of resources. “Our people deserve to know how this government intends to invest in their futurewhether it be through education, business opportunities, healthcare, or sustainable economic development,” the party leader said.

He criticised the budget for lacking a clear long-term vision and failing to address pressing issues such as the rising cost of living, stagnant wages, and an underfunded healthcare system.

“We have witnessed rising costs of living, stagnating wages, and a healthcare system that remains overburdened and underfunded. This budget does not provide the urgent solutions our people deserve. Instead of fostering innovation and supporting those who need it most, it perpetuates a cycle of missed opportunities and unfulfilled promises,” Astwood noted.

The opposition leader called for a budget that reflects the dreams of the youth, provides security for families, and fosters opportunities for all. He said: “Our budget must allocate substantial resources toward enhancing our educational system - investing in our schools, training our teachers, and providing our youth with the tools they need to succeed.”

He said this is more than monetary: “But sadly, the Premier and his cabinet did exactly what their campaign slogan was, ‘keep it, where you got it’, they ‘kept it,

where they had it’.”

The party leader stressed that the budget seemed to maintain the status quo rather than address the urgent challenges faced by the community.

On healthcare, Astwood criticised the government’s handling of the health system, describing it as overburdened and near collapse.

“This budget should have been prioritising initiatives that address

the healthcare disparities within our communities, providing the necessary funding for preventative care and wellness programs… sadly this does not do that.”

He added: “The Premier and his cabinet have made a mess of our healthcare services, turning a challenging situation worse.” He said through inaction and wrong actions, “they have NHIP on the brink of collapse, leaving the existing staff under supported, underequipped, and underfunded”.

Wrapping up his response to the budget, Astwood noted that the voters in the TCI chose to “keep it where they had it” last February 7, but that it is the same old ineffectual formula. “Over the last four years, what we got was the same tired, old formula, by an out-of-touch Premier.”

Overall, the opposition leader called for a more equitable, transparent, and inclusive approach to the budget.

“As we scrutinize this budget

and the allocations it proposes, it is painfully clear that it falls woefully short of addressing the urgent needs of our people,” Astwood noted.

He said the allocations are not merely numbers, “they reflect a profound disconnect between this government’s priorities and the realities faced by our citizens”.

According to the party leader, with no significant increases in key areas such as healthcare, education, and support for local businesses, the budget fails to provide the solutions necessary to tackle the pressing challenges of today.

“Our communities are crying out for meaningful investment and support, yet this budget offers nothing but hollow promises.”

The PDM leader is calling on citizens to demand more: “We cannot accept a budget that ignores the struggles of families facing rising costs of living, inadequate healthcare, and stagnating opportunities.”

Do not consent!

Consent is essential—but not consenting? Sometimes, that is your ultimate power move.

In a world constantly nudging you to say yes—yes to extra work, yes to social plans you regret halfway through, yes to people picking your brain, yes to splitting the bills even, you didn’t even order the 35oz steak—it’s time to embrace the beautiful, liberating joy of saying “no.” Or better yet, the delightfully dramatic “you need not to consent.” It’s the elegant way of opting out without guilt, with just the right amount of flair and a sprinkle of sass.

Let’s flip the script and celebrate the “no thanks,” the “not today,” and the “absolutely no Hunny.” Because sometimes declining is not just healthy—it’s heroic.

Not consenting doesn’t mean you’re difficult, stubborn, or “not a team player.” It means you value your time, your energy, and your last nerve. Whether it’s dodging a last-minute Zoom call or refusing to lend your glitter pens to people who never

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

return them, consider this your permission slip to protect your peace—with personality.

1. YOU NEED NOT CONSENT… TO KALE SMOOTHIES

Just because it’s green doesn’t mean it’s good. Your taste buds deserve better. Try chocolate. Or fries. Or literally anything else.

2. DO NOT CONSENT TO 8 AM MEETINGS

If the sun’s still waking up, so should you. That 8 AM Zoom? It’s a wellness hazard. Jesus please give me strength.

3. YOU NEED NOT CONSENT… TO JOINING ANY MORE WHATSAPP GROUPS

You’re not avoiding people, you’re protecting your battery life. And sanity. Unless I invite you to a group, I will rebuke any invites I get.

4. YOU NEED NOT CONSENT… TO SHARING YOUR FRIES. They’re yours. You paid for them. This is not a democracy—it’s a potato monarchy.

5. YOU NEED NOT CONSENT… TO SOMEONE

“PICKING YOUR BRAIN.”

No one picks a brain for fun. You know what they really mean: free labour.

6. YOU NEED NOT CONSENT… TO SPLITTING THE BILL EVENLY

You had a side salad. They had lobster, truffle fries, chocolate fondant, and “a cheeky third bottle of wine.” You are not the sugar daddy.

7. YOU NEED NOT CONSENT… TO YOUR EX’S “JUST CHECKING IN”

They’re not checking in. They’re checking if you’re still single. Politely ask them to go kick rocks_ You prick!

8. YOU NEED NOT CONSENT… TO LOW-RISE JEANS COMING BACK

Your belly button deserves privacy. We’ve evolved. Let the waistband rise.

9. YOU NEED NOT CONSENT… TO EXPLAINING

YOUR LIFE CHOICES TO ANYONE

Don’t want to go out on Friday? My decision. Don’t eat pork? My decision. Judging me for being 30 and single? Leave me the heck alone. Go drink more water.

10. YOU NEED NOT CONSENT… TO BEING ANYTHING LESS THAN FULLY, WEIRDLY, WONDERFULLY YOU

Saying no means saying yes— to your peace, your power, and your preferred brand of chaos. Moral of the story?

Every time you say, “I need not to consent,” you’re not rejecting something—you’re choosing yourself. Your peace, your priorities, your personal space, and your right to not babysit reptiles. Go forth. Decline with confidence. Your boundaries are beautiful.

SHARE YOUR NONCONSENSUAL BOUNDARIES ON: LOUISEDENS@GMAIL. COM OR @DAVIID.L2.

Leader of the PDM and Opposition, Hon Edwin Astwood

Home Affairs Ministry gets $20.8 million for 2025/2026 fiscal year

– focus on community services and innovation

BY DELANA ISLES

The Ministry of Home Affairs, Religious Affairs and Transportation, headed by Hon Shaun Malcolm, will see a disbursement of $20,802,030 for this fiscal year.

“This marks a notable increase from the previous year’s revised estimates, reflecting our government’s continued investment in critical services, community support, and progressive development,”

Malcolm told the House this week as he presented his ministerial allocations.

He said a central focus for his ministry in the new fiscal year 2025/2026 will be innovation and taking government services closer to the people, particularly to the family islands.

“In line with this, we are committed to enhancing the overall customer experience and improving satisfaction across all departments. We intend to achieve this by strengthening our policy framework, developing clear and efficient standard operating procedures, and investing in modern technologies that will enable citizens to access our services remotely and with greater ease.”

The minister said in the new

fiscal year, keen emphasis will be placed on the Department of Community Support and Engagement and the Department of Family and Children Services.

The departments and offices under the ministry include the central office for policy planning and administrative support, department of motor vehicles (DMV), department of community support and engagement, family and children services, gender affairs, registrar general’s department, citizenship and naturalization, and the district commissioners’ offices on the family islands.

A Look Back at

2024/2025

In the last financial year, the ministry utilised 99% of its allocated budget, demonstrating what the minister called “effective financial management”.

The original budget was $17,723,228.55, which saw a revision following supplementary allocations. It was thereby adjusted to $18,573,228.78.

Malcolm said that by the end of the fiscal year, the ministry’s total expenditure amounted to $18,296,792.35, leaving a balance of just $276,436.43, which represents only 1% of the total allocation, “another testament to efficient resource management”.

He said that as of the year to date, aggregate recurrent

Royal TCI police swears in 30 officers from the Jamaica Constabulary Force

Thirty police officers have been deployed to the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force (RTCIPF) as part of a strategic initiative to enhance the RTCIPF’s operational and tactical capabilities. The move comes as the Force continues its mission to protect and serve the citizens and visitors of the TCI.

The officers were formally sworn-in on Tuesday, May 20, taking their oaths of office to mark the beginning of their service in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Commissioner of Police, Fitz Bailey addressed the new officers emphasising the importance of unity, professionalism, respect for human rights, and upholding human dignity.

The Commissioner said the

revenue totaled $14,638,014.16exceeding projected estimates by $587,067.37 or 4% and marking a $801,847.71 or 6% increase over the same period in the previous fiscal year.

This performance reflects strong collections in several key areas, the minister noted: “Vehicle license revenues reached $6.5m, up by 3% over projections and 5% more than last year, driven largely by an increase in vehicle imports.

Permanent Residency Certificate (PRC) fees brought in $4.5m, exceeding estimates by 7% and

maintaining consistency with last year’s figures.”

He said these fees primarily stem from individuals transitioning from work permits to permanent residence and from applicants via the investment pathway, which attracts higher fee structures.

Meanwhile, driver’s license fees totaled $1.6 million, meeting estimates and surpassing last year’s collections by 5%, while naturalization fees came in slightly below target at $660,500, 8% under the $718,700 estimate; they were consistent with prior year collections.

He said belonger status fees brought in $390,800, significantly exceeding both the estimate and the previous year’s revenue by $215,500 and $251,400, respectively.

“This stream is influenced by the number of individuals eligible for islander status through marriage and also includes revenue from status card replacements,” Malcolm stated.

Last year, the Department of Community Support and Engagement processed 553 applications for welfare benefits, enrolled 367 individuals in the social enhancement aid programme, and delivered medical and medication coverage to 295 indigent persons, the minister told

the House.

He said with a combined investment of over $7.4 million in benefit programming alone, this is the largest financial commitment in the TCI’s history toward social welfare. Additionally, the department’s transitional housing support and partnerships with the Red Cross have strengthened its emergency response capacity, Malcolm observed.

“The magnitude of this work is significant. The department formerly known as the Department of Social Welfare, supported 774 childcare-related cases and facilitated 69 care and custody orders, 30 emergency child placements, and over 1000 home and school visits.”

Notably, according to the minister, the department’s safeguarding efforts resulted in 91 active child protection cases, including those involving abuse and neglect, approximately half of which affected indigenous Turks and Caicos Islanders.

He said they conducted 37 achieving best evidence (ABE) interviews and continued to support active litigation. “To date, 161 safeguarding ambassadors have been appointed across the islands, and our psychiatric social workers provided mental health support to 433 clients.”

officers are now part of a diverse Force comprising officers from over 21 nationalities, including those with Spanish and Creolespeaking backgrounds. “You are joining a dynamic team with a shared commitment to community safety.”

Adding: “You will work alongside your RTCIPF counterparts, integrating quickly, transferring your knowledge and experience, and gaining vital local insights. It is essential that you work harmoniously and reassure the communities you serve.”

He emphasised that the rule of law must be upheld by everyone, reminding the officers to be firm in the execution of their duty, while also upholding human rights in the execution of their duties. “Respect

for human rights must be at the forefront of your service. The safety and dignity of people are paramount.”

Commissioner Bailey also acknowledged the challenges ahead: “There are individuals who seek to instill fear and disrupt our society through criminal activities. But you are here with a mandateto serve and protect. Your primary objective is to preserve life. In

the face of adversity, we must not become victims; we must prevail as victors. Self-preservation, vigilance, and teamwork will be critical as we move forward.”

Deputy Commissioner of Police Rodney Adams also addressed the new officers, emphasising the importance of collaboration:

“This is about teamwork - working together to bring stability and safety back to the Turks and Caicos Islands.”

Also present at the ceremony were Deputy Commissioner of Police Warren Clarke, who oversees the Strategic Operations Portfolio within the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF); Acting Deputy Commissioner Kendall Grant; Acting Assistant Commissioner Dwight Gardiner; Superintendent Jason James; and Acting Superintendent Kemron Lowhar.

Minister of Home Affairs, Religious Affairs and Transportation, Hon Shaun Malcolm, during this week’s Budget debate (TCIG photo)

Swearing-in ceremony for Jamaican officers (RTCIPF photos)

TCIG to pour $106m into public order and safety

BY OLIVIA ROSE

To enhance security, protect its citizens, and reinforce law enforcement, the Turks and Caicos Islands government has allocated nearly $106 million to Public Order and Safety in its 2025-2026 budget.

Premier Charles Washington Misick, in his budget address on Tuesday, 20 May 2025, outlined a multi-layered strategy aimed at tackling crime, securing borders, strengthening law enforcement, and ensuring safer communities.

This record investment signals the Government’s clear intent to prioritise security in all its forms, recognising it as the foundation upon which prosperity and progress can be built.

Strengthening Law Enforcement and Community Safety

Addressing Parliament, Premier Misick highlighted the pressing security concerns facing the nation.

“Mr Speaker, we must rise to meet the crime challenges that endanger our communities,” he declared.

He acknowledged the complexities of law enforcement efforts but pointed to early signs of improvement.

“While the security challenges are substantial, we are starting to see results. The police are reporting an 11 percent reduction in serious crimes for the first four months of 2025. There is also a 17 percent decrease in murders compared with 2024,” Misick reported, offering a glimmer of hope amidst ongoing concerns.

Community security and border protection have emerged as two fundamental pillars of the

Government’s strategy, addressing both internal threats and the vulnerabilities of the islands’ extensive coastlines.

Investment in Law Enforcement and Public Safety

At the heart of the $106 million allocation lies a substantial investment in the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force, as well as other security agencies tasked with maintaining public order.

“Nearly $106 million will be spent on public order and safety, covering the police, courts, corrections, and border protection.

Mr Speaker, the police will receive the largest portion—over $49 million—as we prioritise safety and security,” Misick announced.

This funding will allow the police force to expand its ranks, enhance training, acquire modern equipment, and improve response capabilities.

“I am pleased to say that, in this budget, the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force will gain 76 new members. I am appealing to the young men and women of this country to seek some of those posts,” Misick stated.

His call for local youths to join the force reflects the Government’s commitment to fostering a welltrained, community-connected police service.

Beyond recruitment, the Government is taking steps to enhance police presence.

“We will expand mobile police stations while exploring several new fixed police stations across our islands, starting in Providenciales,” Misick added.

Strategically placing both mobile and fixed police stations aims to increase visibility, deter crime, and improve security for

residents.

Recognising the need for additional expertise, the Government has engaged international partners to reinforce local security.

“Forty-two tactical police officers—ten from Barbados and thirty-two from Jamaica—will be deployed for the next six months to strengthen our local capacity.

The ten officers from Barbados are already on the ground and being integrated. The officers from Jamaica will arrive in the coming weeks,” Misick confirmed.

He expressed gratitude to the governments of Barbados and Jamaica for their invaluable support.

This regional collaboration underscores the importance of unity in addressing security challenges that extend beyond national borders.

The Premier also emphasised the importance of modern technology in law enforcement.

“Building deep trust between law enforcement and residents involves robust systems, including CCTV surveillance, aerial monitoring, and radar technology to deter illicit marine activities,” Misick stated.

This investment in surveillance technology highlights the Government’s commitment to securing its maritime and land borders.

The Turks and Caicos Islands Regiment and Corrections Department will also receive additional resources to strengthen national security.

“The TCI Regiment will gain 15 new marines, and the Corrections Department will welcome 10 new prison officers as we reinforce every area of our security infrastructure.

Mr Speaker, we are working with partners—including the UK, Bahamas, our Caribbean neighbours, the United States, and INTERPOL—to stop threats before they reach our shores,” Misick said.

These investments aim to bolster defence, improve prison security, and enhance border enforcement efforts.

The Premier added: “Mr Speaker, securing our future means every child and every family should sleep peacefully, knowing that every inch of our border is protected from those who seek to do us harm. This budget is safeguarding our communities. We will not relent in taking the fight to those who seek to destroy the peace in our communities and instil fear in the hearts of our people.”

Turks & Caicos Islands open 2025 with increased stayover and cruise visitors

The Turks and Caicos Islands opened 2025 on a strong note, welcoming over half a million air and cruise visitors to our shores in the first quarter of the year.

Preliminary figures from the ministry tourism on Thursday (May 22) show that the destination attracted 192,297 stayover visitors, a 2.3% increase year over year with March registering the highest number of visitors.

In cruise, the Grand Port Cruise Centre saw an estimated 410,107 cruise passengers in the first quarter of 2025, a 54% increase year over year. The ministry said this can be attributed to an increase in the frequency of ships calling with two ships in port daily during the quarter.

Paul Pennicook, Interim CEO/ Consultant of Experience Turks and Caicos stated: “The Turks and Caicos Islands continue to find

favour with travellers this year as evidenced by our performance in the first quarter.”

He said while the data shows a softening in air arrivals over

the coming months due primarily to economic uncertainties in the United States market, TCI’s number one source market, Experience Turks and Caicos “is

working assiduously to enhance our presence in underserved markets in the US as well as strengthen our marketing in Canada, Latin America and the

Officers of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force on duty

WITHOUT FEAR OR FAVOUR

How curiosity, a crusading spirit and a calling gave rise to the

TCI’s oldest newspaper

BY GEMMA HANDY

The front page headline has been lost to the archives of time but the date is recalled with the speed of artillery fire.

Life-changing events tend to have that effect. And the publication of the very first edition of the Turks and Caicos Weekly News –the culmination of a decades-long dream – was one such moment.

Consequently, 7 July 1982 is a date W Blythe Duncanson will never forget. Likewise, the two cardinal incidents that inspired the newspaper’s creation – and the legendary Bahamian journalist whose searing observations stirred his soul.

Duncanson’s appreciation for the power of the written word was ingrained in childhood.

“My mother Cecilia was an avid reader and a great bibliophile. She introduced us to books,” he says.

But there was one thing in particular that captivated her.

“The editorials in the Nassau Tribune were riveting. People would wait for it to come out each evening. My mother would not go to bed until she had read it,” Duncanson smiles.

The family had moved from Bottle Creek, North Caicos, to the Bahamas when Duncanson was eight years old. Duncanson’s father William was among many Caribbean men to sign up for farm work in the US after the Second World War caused a shortage of labour.

When his contract in Florida ended, William opted to plough the nest egg he had saved into opening

artwork.

a small store in Nassau, and sent for his family to join him.

“My mother was a teacher. She told my father she would come on one condition: that he found her a teaching job because she wasn’t going to do anything else,” Duncanson says.

It wasn’t long before Duncanson too, was enthralled by the Tribune’s editorials. Editor Etienne Dupuch’s commentaries on racial discrimination and the ignominy of segregation still rife at the time “struck a chord”.

“I was so curious about this man who published this paper and who could command such interest. I was determined to be like him,” he continues.

Dupuch would later be knighted by three different countries for his work fighting social injustice, while his 54-year Tribune tenure earned him a slot in the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s longest-serving editor.

When the time came to leave high school, Duncanson turned down a position at the Customs department, arranged for all graduating boys by the headmaster.

“I was the only one who said no, because I was going to work for the Tribune. I didn’t have a job there; I was just convinced I wanted to work for the paper.”

Armed with a winning composition from an interschool essay competition and a selection of drawings from GCE art, earned with a distinction, he headed for the Tribune’s offices.

The recent hiring of two trainees may have put the brakes on his aspirations had it not been for his

“I was sent to the printing department, which at the time was transitioning from letterpress to offset. They asked me where I learned to draw and hired me on the spot,” Duncanson recalls.

“They also asked me what I wanted to be paid. I said I had no idea, I was just out of school. So they said they would start me on 10 pounds a week.”

With his former school pals at Customs earning a third less, it was a decent starting wage and Duncanson would remain at the Tribune for eight years as a graphic designer.

But it meant his calling to write would have to wait; his value to the newspaper’s graphics saw his requests for a transfer to the editorial department rebuffed.

Eventually, Duncanson landed a position at the Bahamian Review, a monthly news publication.

With a team of accomplished journalists at the helm, it was there Duncanson learned to write.

Another serendipitous occurrence was to follow.

“One day I was sent to get a US visa for one of the editors. I met the ambassador and asked him what I needed to do if I wanted to go to the US too. I told him I wanted to get some more experience.

“I was given a form which I filled out and forgot about. Three years later, I went to the post office and there was a letter saying I had been given a green card.”

By then, Duncanson was married to Stephanie who he’d met during his Tribune years. Their two children, Beryn and Brochelle, were aged just six and five. The move would be momentous.

A job was secured as a graphic

designer for an ad agency and the family upped sticks. It was while working at the agency that a client came in one day with a magazine from the Cayman Islands. It was entitled the Nor’Wester, both in tribute to the storms that afflict the territory and the rapid-fire pace of development it was experiencing at the time.

“I looked at that magazine and I said to myself, if Cayman can do something like this, maybe I can do one for Turks and Caicos,” Duncanson remembers.

It was 1979. Duncanson had not set foot in the land of his birth for more than 20 years.

“I decided to come to TCI on a scouting trip to see whether it could sustain a magazine like that. I booked a flight to Grand Turk. On the plane, I was amazed to see all these white people; there were only a handful of Black people on board.

“I assumed the plane would drop us off and continue on to Puerto Rico or somewhere. But when we landed in Provo, all the white people got off too. I asked someone where they were all going and she said to hotels. I said, we have hotels here?”

Back then there were just a few – the Third Turtle Inn, the Island Princess and the Erebus.

“It was very obvious this island was on an upward trajectory,” Duncanson continues.

“While I was there, I saw a cover feature in Town & Country magazine describing Provo as the ‘jet-set island’, despite the fact the roads were not even paved then and you had to travel by boat to get from Blue Hills to Five Cays.”

Grace Bay’s pristine stretch of beach had already captured the

attention of American developers like Fritz Ludington. Club Med would follow in 1984, along with an international airport.

“The rest was magic,” Duncanson says. “I saw the opportunity was ripe for me to launch a magazine.”

In May 1980, the TCI’s first chief minister Jags McCartney was killed in an airplane crash. That November, the opposition PNP won the general election by a landslide, with voters wary of the ruling PDM party’s quest for independence at the time.

The inaugural edition of Duncanson’s monthly periodical ‘The Turks & Caicos Current’ appeared in TCI stores in 1981. Its aim was to harness the nascent intrigue the Islands were garnering among the world’s hautmonde and help lay the path to a prosperity boom. Newly installed chief minister Norman Saunders and commerce and development minister Stafford Missick appeared on the front page with a caption describing the TCI as “the last Caribbean frontier”.

It became an instant success. Still, Duncanson remained living in Miami for several more years, producing the paper remotely with help from a local team based in Grand Turk, until he moved back home permanently in 1986.

“Two things happened that made me realise Turks and Caicos needed a newspaper,” he says. Ruthless killings and torture of Haitians by dictator Francois ‘Papa Doc’ Duvalier had been causing alarm across the region.

“Duvalier had been ruling Haiti

W Blythe Duncanson

TCI’s 2025/2026 Budget: Infrastructure development and disaster preparedness take centre stage

BY DELANA ISLES

The Ministry of Physical Planning and Infrastructure Development, headed by Hon Arlington Musgrove has been allocated a total of $132.7 million for the 2025/2026 fiscal year.

In his budget presentation this week, Minister Musgrove highlighted some of his ministry’s key projects.

“$17.4 million has been allocated to policy planning and technical support; $22 million allocated to public works; $2.5 million to public works department (PWD), mechanical services division; $2.6 million to physical planning and development; $12.5 million to estate management; $2.3 million to the PWD project management division; $6.3 million to emergency management services maintenance division and more than half a million is to housing and community renewal,”

the minister said.

Providing a detailed summary of the funded projects he revealed that more than $6.9 million is allocated to commence new road works across all islands, noting that more than $2.7 million was spent in the previous year on such works. Additionally, $2.1 million is returned to further the refurbishment of community roads in all islands, and with a specific line-item provision of $1.1 million for Leeward and Long Bay, Kewtown, and Wheeland.

A quarter of a million is allocated for the development of sidewalks in Chalk Sound, Providenciales, with a further half a million for road and electrification development works to the causeway and spine road project. Half a million is also returned to continue the works programme to bridges, ponds, and roads in Grand Turk.

One million is allocated to the purchase of government vehicles

Minister of Physical Planning and Infrastructure Development

Honourable Arlington Musgrove presents his ministry’s 2025/2026 budgetary allocation (TCIG photo)

across various departments; and $12.7 million to the continuation of the South Dock port redevelopment. Musgrove shared that $200,000 is returned to commence the

Without fear or favour

with an iron fist, and executed a lot of people. There was a move to assassinate him by a group from Florida headed by a Haitian living there,” Duncanson explains.

“They hired a plane, loaded some mercenaries on board, and landed in South Caicos to refuel. They were going to sneak into Haiti that night, land on Tortuga and take a boat to Portau-Prince. Then they were going to commandeer the radio station, announce that Haiti was under siege and give Duvalier a few hours to leave.”

Duncanson was entrusted with a tour of the plane, replete with weapons and ammunition.

“I met the broadcaster who was going to take control of the airwaves and tell the people that Haiti was free. They had rehearsed the whole thing.

“But someone snitched and told Duvalier they were coming. When the plane got to Tortuga that night, Duvalier’s Leopard Brigade were there waiting for them. They killed everybody.

“I had met these people just hours before.”

Duncanson’s monthly publication established to promote the TCI was not the forum to publish such a story, however insistently

his journalistic inclinations thrummed.

“Two years later another group, headed by a Miami-based revolutionary, stopped in Provo en route to Cuba.

“Again, they came and looked for me. They told me they were going to invade Cuba at Guantanamo Bay. They would not allow anyone else to inspect their equipment and guns. They trusted me because I was a fellow islander.

“Again, I could not do anything with the story.”

The plot did not come to fruition but it was enough to inspire Duncanson to reach out to an old associate from Bottle Creek who was working as a journalist in the US. Duncanson was able to convince him that TCI was in dire need of a newspaper and that he should move back home and start one, which he did.

But fate had other plans and the new venture quickly died.

“So I said, I have to do it. I went to Barclays, I opened an account called ‘TC Weekly News’ and said, I will do it myself.

“The first edition came out on July 7, 1982.”

One of the fledgling paper’s first and most significant stories was a campaign it spearheaded to prevent a US company from

estimated $1.5 million development of a community centre for the Bight, while $1.5 million is appropriated for the refurbishment of the Gustarvus Lightbourne Sports Complex within this fiscal year.

He said $1 million is projected to be spent in this fiscal year in further pursuit of the development of a community center for Bottle Creek, North Caicos; while half a million is projected to be spent on the construction of a recreational pavilion in Wheeland, and further project centered around completing signage throughout Blue Hills.

Additionally, $823,260 is earmarked to be spent on the Matthew Canal rehabilitation. The minister said this contract was retendered in the previous fiscal year and the contract is currently being prepared for execution to allow works to proceed as planned during this year.

“Furthermore, PPID has invested over $1.2 million in

critical infrastructure, such as water lines in Long Bay, Long Bay Hills, Wheeland and Highland Estates. We intend to extend this work to other constituencies in Provo.

“South Caicos – we have not forgotten you: $1.5 million is allocated to further the enhancement and restoration of Conch Ground in South Caicos and another $1 million reserved for a housing restoration project in South Caicos.”

The PPID minister said they also intend to address critical housing repairs needed across the island.

The minister added that an online application system will be launched to improve accessibility, streamline internal processes and complete home inspections for batch two applicants under the home improvement programme, ensuring continued support to homeowners in need.

Turning his attention to the

CONTINUED  23

dumping sewage sludge on West Caicos.

“The government was going to be paid millions of dollars. We launched a crusade against it which went global.”

The plans invoked the ire of long-time local environmentalist Chuck Hesse and eventually caught the attention of Greenpeace.

“Can you imagine a beautiful island like West Caicos being used as a dumping ground?” Duncanson says, as incensed today as four decades ago.

“Once it got international interest the UK put an end to it.”

Technology may have undergone tremendous evolution over the years but the paper’s commitment to the pursuit of truth, along with its status as a bastion of independent thought and free speech, remains firmly in place.

Duncanson smiles as he relates the logistical hurdles of ensuring it made it to print in the early days. Transporting the cameraready ‘paste-up’ to Miami was a feat all of its own.

“There were no computers around when we launched, so someone had to go to the airport every Friday to find someone to deliver the paper to the printer.

“Many times the paper never

reached. One time a lady took the paper all the way to London. She forgot to deliver it. Now we only need to upload it; an amazing difference.”

This summer, the Islands’ oldest newspaper will mark its 43rd anniversary.

“As I look back, I am amazed that it has survived,” Duncanson says.

“When I started out, I didn’t know what success meant. All I knew was I was committed to doing this job. I felt somehow I was called to it.

“While working for the Tribune, a man called John Houseman was publishing the TCI’s first paper, the ‘Conch News’, on a hand-cranked mimeograph machine. People were hungry to read what was happening in the Islands and that was the only form of information they had.

“I used to say, one day I will do a real paper for this country.”

These days and with the media scene now expanded, the TC Weekly News is the only paper still in physical print, despite having an online version for the last 18 years.

“I think people see us as the authority voice because we are the oldest and also because we don’t side with any party.

“Some people like to call us PNP, some PDM, depending on what we carried the week before, but we have no allegiance to any party and I think that’s the reason why the Weekly News is respected,” Duncanson says.

He recalls Christopher Turner, Governor of TCI in the mid-80s, being “amazed at the standard of journalism our paper produced”.

“Over the years, we have published continuously while maintaining that standard we started out with, if not surpassing it.

“It gives me great satisfaction that the Weekly News is a reliable, dependable, trustworthy vehicle of communication.”

As for where it’s going next, with Duncanson now well into his 70s, that remains to be seen.

“It’s something I ponder about,” he admits. “Whoever takes it on needs curiosity and drive; that crusading spirit you get in your gut when causes need to be championed.”

There’s one thing, however, that he’s sure about.

“I don’t see myself retiring; I will work until I drop,” he laughs.

“And I would be quite satisfied with that. I would have made my contribution to the growth and development of my country, and to small island journalism.”

Outstanding TCI luminaries honoured in emotional inaugural “Unsung Heroes” gala

BY OLIVIA ROSE

In a moving tribute that resonated throughout the archipelago, six pioneering Turks and Caicos Islanders were celebrated for their indelible contributions at the “Inaugural All-Island Unsung Heroes Brunch” on Sunday, 18 May 2025.

The atmosphere was thick with emotion as family, friends, and well-wishers gathered to honour these pillars of their respective communities – each representing a different island and a lifetime of dedication to the growth and visibility of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

The event, hosted by a local organisation, was more than just a ceremony; it was a testament to the power of recognition and appreciation for those who often work tirelessly behind the scenes.

Biographies detailing each honouree’s remarkable life journey were read aloud, painting vivid portraits of individuals whose actions have shaped the very fabric of the islands.

Tears flowed, laughter echoed, and pride swelled as awards, gifts, and floral tributes were presented by loved ones, turning the occasion into a heart-warming celebration of lives well lived.

Alicia Swann, Founder and

President of Myrna-Lisa’s Guiding Light NPO, set the tone with a deeply personal reflection during her address. Drawing on her childhood in South Caicos, she paid tribute to the everyday heroes who inspired her.

“The true heroes to me were the fishermen, the mechanics, my grandfather William Henry Mills, my grandmother who served the elderly, and my mother, a woman of faith and resilience,” Swann stated, her voice thick with emotion. “Celebrating our heroes while they are alive to feel the love and appreciation is one of my greatest honours.”

The honourees, each a beacon

of light in their respective domains, represented a diverse range of fields, from education and entrepreneurship to cultural preservation and journalism.

W Blythe Duncanson of Providenciales, pioneering owner of the Islands’ oldest newspaper, the Weekly News, which is still thriving today.

Its first publication on 7 July 1982 is a date Duncanson “will never forget,” his biography revealed.

He elaborated on the newspaper’s early days, stating, “One of the fledgling paper’s first and most significant stories was a campaign it spearheaded to prevent

a US company from dumping sewage sludge on West Caicos. The government was going to be paid millions of dollars. We launched a crusade against it, which went global.”

Family members spoke of Duncanson’s tireless dedication, noting his wife Stephanie’s instrumental role in selling advertising and his children’s early contributions to the TC Weekly News.

He concluded, “I don’t see myself retiring; I will work until I drop. And I would be quite satisfied with that. I would have made my contribution to the growth and development of my country and to

Honourees and their families celebrate the auspicious occasion

Organiser of the event, Ms Alicia Swann flanked by six Turks and Caicos Islanders adorned with sashes, following an inaugural “Unsung Heroes” award ceremony (Photos: Olivia Rose & Nolan Smith)

Local performers Paula Rigby and daughter Apple Astwood (Mama P and Granddaughter) provided a moment of laughter to the All-island Unsung Honorees and guests

small island journalism.”

Representing North Caicos was Lewellyn Handfield, a renowned businessman and owner of Lew1 Shipping. His biography highlighted his multifaceted contributions:

“Guided by the motto, ‘Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might,’ Handfield has been active in Christian ministry for over four decades.”

His unwavering faith was a recurring theme, as he stated, “Of all his achievements, I want my greatest legacy to be my faith in God, a loving husband, and a Christ-like example to my five children, twelve grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.

To me, if my family cannot say I loved them as Christ loved the Church, then all my accomplishments would be in vain.

I am a living testament of a legacy rooted in faith, vision, and love for my family and people.”

Friends spoke of Handfield’s dedication to his community, noting how he literally “connected

the islands one island at a time” with his shipping company.

From Grand Turk, Ed Forbes was honoured for his celebrated boating and marine services. His biography detailed a life of purpose and service:

“What began as a courageous leap soon evolved into a distinguished career that would span decades and borders.

As an acclaimed Director of Corporate Investigations in the United States, Forbes became known for pioneering some of the most effective loss prevention strategies in the industry.”

Reflecting on his community involvement, the biography noted, “Beyond his professional accomplishments, Forbes remains deeply committed to community upliftment.

He has led grassroots initiatives such as a weekly outdoor skating programme for youth and served as the head of the local search and rescue operation in Grand Turk, dedicated to saving lives at sea.”

Family and friends remarked on

Forbes’ dedication, emphasising his role as a “steadfast pillar” and mentor.

Emily Malcolm of South Caicos, a longstanding educator and community pillar, was also celebrated.

Her biography resonated with her passion and dedication: “Emily Lorlene Albertha Malcolm is passionate about her country, the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Born on South Caicos, she has lived, worked, and served the community of virtually every inhabited island of the Turks and Caicos.”

Her love for teaching shone through: “Malcolm’s love for her chosen profession of teaching and for children led her to open Elam’s Care Centre after-school facility for ages 3 to 11, to continue positively influencing young lives.”

Her commitment to community was further highlighted: “Malcolm is always looking for a way to bring the community together.

She is the founder of the Salt Cay

and South Caicos Senior Citizens Clubs, with whom she enjoys her hobbies such as handicraft and cooking.”

Loved ones shared stories of Malcolm’s selflessness and dedication, emphasising her role as a mother figure to many beyond her immediate family.

She summarised, “My greatest desire is that others would see Christ in me and get to know Him as Lord and Saviour of their lives.”

Janet Walkin from Middle Caicos, a lifelong contributor to community development, was remembered for her dedication to education.

The biography read, “Although quiet in personality, Walkin showed immense passion for people and exhibited strong leadership skills. This led her to pursue a career in education.”

Finally, Thelma LightbourneKennedy of Salt Cay was honoured for her commitment to cultural preservation.

Her biography highlighted her deep roots in Salt Cay: “At the

age of six, Lightbourne-Kennedy began her early education at the Salt Cay Primary School, now known as Mary Robinson Primary School.”

The Inaugural All-Island Unsung Heroes Brunch was hailed as more than an ordinary brunch— it was a moment of collective gratitude and celebration.

The organisation expressed heartfelt thanks to its sponsors, partners, and dedicated team.

According to the organisers, “a heartfelt thank you to: The Hartling Group – Official Venue Sponsor for Turks and Caicos Islands Fashion Week; Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort Villages and Spa; Ports of Call Resort; Barbetta Restaurant; Froggies on da Beach; Omar’s Beach Hut; Be You Spa; Gracebay Market; Aziza, 88.5 FM The Beat; Radio Turks and Caicos; Wellington Collections; Basic Essentials; Projetech; Conch Shack; HerbMe; and Paula Rigby and daughter Apple Astwood (Mama P and Granddaughter) for bringing laughter to audience”.

Ms Alicia Swann, Blythe Duncanson, Mrs Stephanie Duncanson, and Mrs Cutella Talbot during the award ceremony

Ms Alicia Swann and Ms Janet Walkin

A relative assisted Mrs Thelma LightbourneKennedy as she accepts her award

Mrs Cutella Talbot, Ms Emily Malcolm and Ms Alicia Swann, during the award ceremony

Ms Alicia Swann, Mr Lewelyn Handfield and Mrs Cutella Talbot during the award ceremony

Ms Alicia Swann, Mr Ed Forbes and Mrs Cutella Talbot during the award ceremony

TCIG to boost social welfare and improve healthcare – Premier Misick

BY OLIVIA ROSE

In an effort to address long-standing issues within the social welfare and healthcare sectors, the 20252026 budget unveiled by Premier Charles Washington Misick places significant emphasis on improving services and bolstering support for vulnerable populations in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

The third-largest allocation in the 2025-2026 budget, with a substantial $94 million dedicated to health.

In his budget address on Tuesday, 20 May 2025, which resonated deeply with citizens concerned about healthcare accessibility and quality, Premier Misick outlined substantial allocations and ambitious plans, with a particular focus on overhauling the National Health Insurance Plan (NHIP) and enhancing primary care access.

Misick acknowledged past shortcomings and pledged renewed commitment to the well-being of every citizen. He made it clear that his Government will confront the challenges within the healthcare system head-on.

“Mr Speaker, our goal is to develop an affordable healthcare infrastructure with the best-trained personnel to deliver the best care to our people,” Misick asserted. He quickly followed this with a candid acknowledgment of the current state of affairs. “And, Mr Speaker,” he continued, “while it is well known that we have invested millions in delivering quality healthcare to our people, the reality is that mismanagement within the system has too often led to substandard service and frustrated patients.”

REVITALISING HEALTHCARE SERVICES

The Premier’s address detailed a comprehensive approach to revitalising the healthcare system.

“Mr Speaker, as we have been doing since we took office, we will continue the transformation of our healthcare system into a resilient, inclusive, sustainable structure for our people,” Misick stated, emphasising a continuation of ongoing efforts while recognising the need for further significant changes.

He elaborated on the necessity of comprehensive, affordable, and readily accessible healthcare.

“For a nation to have sustainable prosperity, its people must be healthy, cared for, and supported by healthcare delivery systems that they can rely on,” he affirmed, framing healthcare not just as a service but as a fundamental pillar of national prosperity.

Misick did not shy away from addressing specific challenges and areas requiring immediate attention.

He spoke directly about the

mismanagement within the NHIP, a programme intended to provide affordable healthcare to all citizens but which has faced numerous operational and service delivery issues.

“Mr Speaker, while it is well known that we have invested millions in delivering quality healthcare to our people, the reality is that mismanagement within the system has too often led to substandard service and frustrated patients. This is unacceptable! And, just as with our other commitments, we will fix it,” he vowed.

This promise to “fix it” reaffirms the Government’s top-to-bottom review and restructuring of the NHIP to ensure it meets its intended purpose effectively.

Beyond the NHIP, Premier Misick emphasised the importance of primary care access, recognising it as the foundation of a robust healthcare system.

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“We want our people to be healthy, cared for and supported by a healthcare delivery system that they can rely on,” he stated, underlining the necessity of a reliable and accessible system for all.

He stressed his Government’s commitment to investing in local clinics, preventative care programmes, healthcare worker training, recruitment, and retention, tackling potential staffing shortages and skills gaps that may contribute to substandard service and ensuring that basic healthcare services are readily available in communities across the islands.

STRENGTHENING SOCIAL WELFARE

The budget’s increased allocations for pensions and social assistance further underscore the Government’s commitment to social welfare. By strengthening these programmes, the Government aims to provide a safety net for the elderly, disabled, and other vulnerable groups, ensuring they have the necessary financial support to meet their basic needs.

These financial commitments serve as a tangible demonstration of the Government’s overarching goal of “investing in people,” offering more than just healthcare— delivering comprehensive support for overall well-being.

Investing in Healthcare Infrastructure

Furthermore, investments in healthcare infrastructure are set to receive a significant boost.

Details in the full budget address included building and improvement

support for infrastructure in communities across all the islands.

The Government intends to improve public infrastructure to give people a better quality of life while increasing productivity and driving long-term economic growth.

These infrastructural developments are not merely about constructing buildings but about creating an environment conducive to high-quality healthcare delivery, the Premier emphasised.

Upgrading facilities, investing in state-of-the-art equipment, and ensuring sufficient resources are key components of the Government’s strategy.

Misick also spoke on the Government’s broader vision for sustainable prosperity, of which healthcare plays a crucial role.

“For a nation to have sustainable prosperity, its people must be healthy, cared for, and supported by healthcare delivery systems that they can rely on,” he reiterated.

A PIVOTAL MOMENT IN HEALTHCARE REFORM

In closing, Premier Misick’s strong statements on addressing mismanagement, investing in trained personnel, enhancing primary care, and increasing social welfare allocations indicate a determined effort to rectify longstanding issues plaguing the Turks and Caicos healthcare system.

The 2025-2026 budget, therefore, marks a pivotal moment in the nation’s healthcare journey, promising to place the well-being of the people at the forefront of Government policy.

National Health Insurance Board

Premier Charles Washington Misick

Turks and Caicos tourism takes bold steps for 2025

– new initiatives aim to boost economy and national identity

BY DELANA ISLES

Minister of Tourism, Hon Zhavargo Jolly has detailed several initiatives aimed at enhancing the visitor experience and foster cultural pride and economic growth for residents.

These ambitious plans were unveiled during Jolly’s ministerial presentation for the 2025/2026 budget this week. Minister Jolly said efforts are underway to reimagine and realign the sector to better serve the people.

“We’ve heard the calls for more attractions and cultural experiences,” the Minister stated, pointing to Grand Turk as a focal point for new developments.

“Just this past month, Grand Turk was filmed for a feature in an international cruise television series set to premiere this summer. We are aggressively working to raise the visibility of Grand Turk as

a premier cruise destination, Jolly said.

He added that while some Carnival ships have been temporarily rescheduled, new Royal Caribbean vessels - through continued collaboration with Carnival - will begin calling into Grand Turk, “ensuring we maintain strong cruise traffic to support our local economy”.

Another highlight of the Minister’s address was progress on the White Sands Beach Hotel project in Grand Turk. “As for the White Sands Beach Hotel project, the delay was due to three remaining strata units whose owners were holding out on the sale.

“I’m proud to report that the issue has now been resolved.”

He said a Request for Proposal has been finalised and will be open to submissions within the next

30 days. “This is the start of real, meaningful investment in Grand Turk’s tourism future - led by vision, not circumstance.”

The minister reported that to diversify TCI’s visitor base and reduce market vulnerability, Experience Turks and Caicos is actively negotiating new airline routes from priority regions, including the West Coast of the United States, Central and South America, Europe, and the United Arab Emirates. He said these efforts aim to position TCI as a globally recognised destination.

International Music Festival returns with a bang

This year, for the first time in over a decade, the Turks and Caicos International Music Festival is coming home,” Jolly revealed.

From July 31 to August 3, the islands will host a national event “that brings us together, that

reminds us of our soul, that calls the world to come and celebrate with us, not just around us,” he told the House.

The last time this festival was held was in 2008.

“We welcomed legends like Kenny Rogers and Lionel Richie and gave our own artists a moment they had long deserved, to stand on that stage, to shine, to represent this country with pride. This is not just about music, it is about national identity, economic opportunity, and cultural pride.”

The minister said they are placing the festival “exactly where our tourism numbers typically dip”. He added: We’re using it to activate the economy, fill rooms, keep taxis moving, and give our local vendors something to plan for.”

Adding to the festival’s allure are three national events planned for the weekend: the Miss Turks

and Caicos Universe competition, spotlighting the nation’s talented young women and placing them on the global stage. The iconic TCI Poker Run, combining adventure, community spirit, and charity on the islands’ pristine waters. And the Trevor Ariza Celebrity Golf Tournament, hosted by the NBA champion, bringing elegance and star power to the weekend.

While acknowledging that the journey ahead may not be without challenges, Minister Jolly expressed optimism about the bold steps being taken. “This is the year we start,” he remarked, drawing parallels to iconic festivals like Reggae Sumfest, Coachella, and Essence Fest.

“When the world starts building its calendar around our celebration, we will remember that this was the moment it all began,” Minister Jolly stated.

Victoria Public Library opens historical and cultural division

The Department of Library Services this week opened the historical and cultural division at the Victoria Public Library, located on Front Street, Grand Turk. The milestone was commemorated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by parliamentarians, government officials, community members, and supporters from across the island.

The newly launched division serves as a dedicated space for preserving and celebrating the rich history and cultural heritage of the Turks and Caicos Islands, a statement from the department this

week read.

They said although the current collection is modest due to the unfortunate loss of materials in a past fire, the creation of the division signals a renewed and intentional commitment to safeguarding the nation’s legacy for future generations.

“We are excited to open this important resource to the public,” Kecha Chase, Director of Technical Services within the Department of Library Services said. “This is just the beginning. We encourage residents and visitors to explore our collection and contribute to

this living archive by donating documents, photographs, or other culturally significant materials.”

The historical and cultural indoor space is a research-only facility. Materials within the section are for on-site consultation only and are not available for loan, ensuring their long-term preservation and accessibility for academic and community research.

Additionally, following consultations with the residents of Grand Turk, the department said the outdoor space will be made available for event rentals in accordance with a structured rental

agreement.

Minister with responsibility for Library Services, Hon Rachel Taylor, praised the initiative: “This new division is more than a physical space, it is a promise to honour and preserve the stories, struggles, and triumphs that define who we are as a people. It reflects our commitment to cultural preservation, national pride, and education.”

She congratulated the schools for sharing their students’ projects for display and extended special thanks to the residents of Grand Turk, particularly Mrs. Wealthy

Hall, for her generous contribution of artifacts.

“I commend the Department of Library Services for their dedication to ensuring that our heritage remains accessible and protected for future generations,” the minister stated.

The Department is encouraging the public to support this important national effort by donating historical items such as letters, photographs, publications, and artifacts.

All contributions will be respectfully archived and made available for public education and research.

The Department of Library Services unveiled the historical and cultural division at Victoria Public Library in the nation’s capital last Thursday (TCIG photos)

TCI’s 2025/2026 Budget: Infrastructure development ...

CONTINUED FROM  15

Department of Disaster Management and Emergencies (DDME)

Musgrove said the department’s key activities for the financial year are focused on enhancing national early warning systems, to the tune of $750,000 from a CDB grant funding; as well as strengthening emergency inter island communication, through the procurement of a mobile tower for the Islands of North and Middle Caicos, estimated at $140,000.

A further $1.1 million will go towards acquiring a building on Providenciales to function as a national emergency operating centre.

DDME will be retrofitting emergency shelters, procuring hurricane supplies and storage facilities with a budget of $382,000; building institutional capacity of the residents of TCI through training to the tune of $52,000 and keeping local communities engaged and informed, in an effort to strengthen resilience with a budget of $36,000, the minister told the House.

Pointing to the ministry’s planned expenditure for the ministry’s two statutory entities, Musgrove noted that the Airports Authority intends to “advance a very ambitious, challenging, and yet inspiring and rewarding expenditure programme”.

He said: “Most of the expenses aim to align with its introduction of a recently developed Strategic Master Plan. A plan which combines the Authority’s Strategic Vision for its network of airports in alignment with the Government’s Vision 2040 and Master Plans for each of its six airports to guide its infrastructure investment programme with a 30-year outlook.”

In this fiscal year, with a contract recently awarded, the Airports Authority will break ground on the construction of a $3 million fire hall, to be named the Benjamin Johnson Fire Hall in Grand Turk at the JAGS McCartney International Airport. This is in addition to the $850,000 allocated for the purchase of a new fire truck to add to its fleet.

He said a further $5m has been allocated for the retendering and construction of the Norman B. Saunders

International Airport Phase II Project which will see the completion of the external works at the airport to include the construction of a parking lot, sidewalks, landscaping, and installation of critical IT infrastructure.

Additionally, $19 million has been allocated for the construction of a new passenger terminal at the Clifford Gardiner International Airport.

“After years of talking about it, and having spent the last year engaging on a consultancy project to explore feasibility, needs, and to scope out the required works, a whopping $16 million capital investment project is introduced for the integration of a surveillance radar programme throughout TCIAA’s network, modernising TCI’s air navigation programme, and making the management of its airspace more efficient and safer,” the minister said.

As it relates to the Ports Authority, the minister said an estimated $900,000 is projected to be spent this year from a $3.9 million phase one project for the South Caicos port infrastructure development. While an additional $600,000 is projected to be spent on the Bellfield Landing Master Plan phase 2 pavement.

He said $1.1 million is expected to be spent on a $2m project for the Grand Turk Port Redevelopment. Another $1m has been recognised for the advancement of Phase 3 of the Bellefield Landing Master Plan, while an additional $350,000 has been allocated for the acquisition of a safety boat.

VACANCY

ENTERPRISE SALES EXECUTIVE

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Responsible for managing the end to end billing cycle and dealing with under agreed contractual SLA’s any queries the account may have.

• Accountable for managing the handset allocation fund as well as effectively communicating with the customer through the agreed lines of communication.

• Conduct regular account reviews, quarterly at a minimum or monthly if the size of the account dictates such.

• Document all customer meetings in Sales Force ensuring that actions, owners and timelines are noted and tracked.

• Responsible for maintaining a strong relationship with the areas that drive demand into Sales and Service Directorate, and for ensuring an up to date roadmap of demand is maintained to allow planning and alignment of priorities and resources in Sales and Service channels.

• Required to influence the shape and scope of programs to ensure they create outcomes which are aligned with the Sales & Service goals and strategy.

• Employ strong relationship management skills as well as robust project/program planning, governance, tools and techniques to ensure all risks, issues and dependencies are managed and impacted stakeholders are always appropriately engaged through clear engagement and communication strategies.

• Liaise with wider delivery teams beyond Sales and Service, ensuring they are aware of and focused on the strategic goals of the directorate and that the wider teams in Sales and Service are engaged through effective communications and timely engagement of Sales & Service subject matter experts.

• This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED FOR JOB:

• Minimum 2-3 years B2B or B2C direct sales & field based or telephone cold calling experience.

• Ideally, a first degree in Management / Marketing / Sales or equivalent qualifications.

• A masters would be an asset

• A Diploma in Management Studies or equivalent or management training incorporating the management of Human Resources and the concepts of Managerial Accounting and Budgetary Analysis.

• Knowledge of functions & operations of the Telecommunications industry.

• Knowledge of the mobile, wireless, fixed voice & data products & service offerings.

• Working knowledge of CRM & contact management systems, e.g. Salesforce.com

Regional News

Bahamas: Government to bring in rent control rules - Rolle

Legislation to govern rent control will soon be introduced, according to executive chairman of the Consumer Protection Commission Randy Rolle.

Speaking in Senate on a financial compendium that was passed this week, Mr Rolle said the Davis administration is preparing to take “bold action” on rent control.

Acknowledging that many residents are “struggling” with the cost of housing, Mr Rolle said the CPC is preparing to tackle one of the greatest challenges to Bahamian consumers.

“I am excited by the potential for these financial reforms to support greater competition in the market. That means better prices, more choices, and more innovation—real relief for Bahamian consumers,” said Mr Rolle.

“Yes, I’m talking about bold action even on issues like rent control. Rent is one of the greatest consumer challenges we face today. The cries of Bahamians struggling with housing costs are real and they have not gone unheard.”

Speaking to Tribune Business, Mr Rolle said rent control is a “priority” for the government as the CPC has received a growing number of complaints about the cost of rent and the role high prices have played in increasing the cost of living.

“This is something that’s a priority for the government, and I think in short order, you’re

Senator Randy Rolle said that the Davis administration is prepared to take “bold action” on rent control

going to see more information as it relates to it, because there is a growing level of complaints from consumers as it relates to cost of living over the last couple of years,” said Mr Rolle.

He said the CPC is also working with the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Attorney General’s Office to draft new competition legislation that will allow consumers to easily compare prices.

“We are working on competition legislation also bring forth the ability for Bahamians to compare prices, and even though they’re only 22 controlled items Bahamians should know that they have choices and where the where the best choices are,” said Mr Rolle.

The CPC held town hall meetings across the Bahamas earlier this year where they discussed consumer rights, including tenant and landlord

rights with participants.

Speaking about the meeting in Bimini, Reno V Smith, chief price inspector for the Northern Bahamas said tenants complained about landlords not ensuring their accommodations are kept in a “liveable state”.

He said that while there are not many complaints about landlords in the district overcharging there have been many complaints about deteriorating infrastructure and environmental hazards, especially in Grand Bahama.

He highlighted that by law, landlords can only charge 20 percent of the value of the of the property as rent, must provide a receipt upon payment and cannot withhold a security deposit for normal wear and tear. Tenants were also made aware that they have an obligation to pay their rent on time and ensure that they do not damage the property in which they are residing. (Tribune242)

Antigua: Woman returns home after three decades ‘missing’

A remarkable story of perseverance and hope unfolded Tuesday morning at VC Bird International Airport as 56-yearold Denise Odelia Charles stepped onto Antiguan soil for the first time in over three decades.

Charles, who had been missing since late 1992, arrived on a private jet chartered by the Venezuelan government shortly after 10 am, ending a 32-year, 5-month absence that had left her family in a state of painful uncertainty.

Among those welcoming her were her brother Terrence Charles and nephew Tishorn Watson, who had travelled to Venezuela to accompany her on the final leg of her journey home.

Prime Minister Gaston Browne was personally present for the historic homecoming having

assisted the family in getting their loved

Details surrounding Charles’ three-decade stay in Venezuela remain limited. Sources close to

the family indicate she is expected to share her extraordinary story in the coming weeks once she has had time to readjust and reconnect with loved ones. (Loop News)

The Dominican Republic has expelled hundreds of pregnant and breastfeeding women to Haiti over the past month despite its mounting insecurity and “in violation of international standards,” the United Nations said Tuesday.

Boosting deportations to neighbouring Haiti -- the region’s poorest nation which is ravaged by gang violence -- was a campaign promise of Dominican President Luis Abinader, re-elected in May 2024 for a second term.

The UN humanitarian team in Haiti “expresses deep concern over the rising number of pregnant and breastfeeding women being deported from the Dominican Republic to Haiti, in violation of

international standards,” the group said in a statement.

It said the UN migration agency (IOM), in partnership with Haitian authorities and others, had “assisted an average of 15 pregnant women and 15 breastfeeding mothers per day” at two border crossings since April 22.

The two countries share the island of Hispaniola, the secondbiggest in the Caribbean after Cuba.

“Nearly 20,000 individuals -including a growing number of highly vulnerable women -- were deported by land in April 2025, marking a record number for a one-month period,” according to the IOM.

Body of man missing in Acklins for three months discovered

Three months after James McKinney vanished while foraging in Acklins’ wilderness, police have discovered his decomposed body, ending a desperate search that gripped the tight-knit island community.

McKinney, a 59-year-old father of five, was found wearing the same clothes he had on when he disappeared in early February. A police official, who confirmed the grim discovery this week, said foul play is not suspected but are awaiting autopsy results to determine the cause of death.

McKinney had reportedly ventured into the bush in search of cascarilla bark a day before his 60th birthday when he phoned a retired police officer in distress. His final words described being near a “high wall with plenty of grass.” Despite being advised to stay put, he vanished before help could reach him.

The discovery came after another resident, also searching for cascarilla, led authorities to the Spring Point area, a region

James McKinney was a 59-year-old father of five

infamous for its dense vegetation, concealed caves, and deep sinkholes. The same terrain had previously thwarted extensive search efforts involving drones, K-9 units, and support from the US Coast Guard and the Royal Bahamas Defence Force. McKinney’s family had criticized the response, calling it sluggish and inadequate.

Haitian women are being rounded up at Dominican hospitals

expels hundreds of pregnant women to Haiti, UN says

Denise Charles returns to Antigua to a warm welcome from family and Prime Minister Gaston Browne

one home.

UK govt agrees to hand over Chagos Islands to Mauritius

The UK government has signed a landmark agreement to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.

At the same time, it secured a long-term lease that allows the US to continue operating a key military base on Diego Garcia, the largest island in the Indian Ocean archipelago.

Under the deal, the UK will pay Mauritius an average of £101 million ($136 million USD) annually to lease the base for at least 99 years.

British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer called the base “crucial” to national security.

“By agreeing to this deal now on our terms, we’re securing strong protections, including from malign influence, that will allow the base to operate well into the next century, helping to keep us safe for generations to come,” he said at a military headquarters in Northwood, near London.

The base has supported US military operations from Vietnam to Iraq and Afghanistan.

It accommodates nuclear submarines, aircraft carriers, and large aircraft used in intelligence gathering.

The deal has been sharply criticized by opposition politicians.

“We should not be paying to surrender British territory to

Trump administration bars Harvard from enrolling international students

The Trump administration on Thursday revoked Harvard University’s ability to enroll international students, marking a sharp escalation in the battle over the Ivy League school’s autonomy in the face of the administration’s policy demands.

“Harvard can no longer enroll foreign students and existing foreign students must transfer or lose their legal status,” the US Department of Homeland Security said in a statement.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem ordered her department to terminate Harvard’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification, citing the university’s refusal to turn over the conduct records of foreign students requested by the DHS last month.

Noem, in a letter to Harvard on Thursday, accused the university of “perpetuating an unsafe campus environment that is hostile to Jewish students, promotes-proHamas sympathies, and employs racist ‘diversity, equity and inclusion’ practices.”

“Let this serve as a warning to all universities and academic institutions across the country,” the Homeland Security statement said.

A sculler

programming, policies, hiring and admissions by threatening to cut off federal benefits. Trump officials say they are trying to banish antisemitism following contentious campus protests over the Israel-Hamas war and root out DEI practices they decry as “illegal and immoral discrimination.”

Harvard swiftly condemned the move as “unlawful” in a statement Thursday, adding it is “fully committed to maintaining Harvard’s ability to host international students and scholars, who hail from more than 140 countries and enrich the University – and this nation – immeasurably.”

and our country, and undermines Harvard’s academic and research mission,” university spokesperson Jason Newton said.

A substantial portion of Harvard’s student body could be impacted. The university says it has 9,970 people in its international academic population, and data shows 6,793 international students comprise 27.2% of its enrollment in the 2024-25 academic year. Some Harvard staff worry draining the university of its foreign students would debilitate the academic prowess of both the institution and, potentially, American academia as a whole.

Mauritius,” said Kemi Badenoch, leader of the Conservative Party.

The agreement has also drawn protests from Chagossians — islanders who were forcibly removed in the 1960s and 1970s to make way for the base.

Two campaigners, Bernadette Dugasse and Bertrice Pompe, brought a last-minute legal challenge that temporarily blocked the signing.

The injunction was later lifted by another judge, allowing the deal to go ahead.

Pompe said the outcome was devastating. “A very sad day,” she said. “The rights we are asking for now, we have been fighting for for 60 years. Mauritius is not going to give that to us.”

The agreement includes a trust fund for the Chagossian community and allows Mauritius to begin a resettlement program — but not on Diego Garcia.

There is no legal obligation for displaced residents to be allowed to return.

The UK has controlled the Chagos Islands since 1814. It split them from Mauritius in 1965, three years before Mauritius gained independence.

In 2019, the International Court of Justice issued a non-binding opinion that Britain’s separation of the islands was unlawful.

Harvard has become ground zero for the Trump administration’s clash with elite US universities as it seeks to influence some campus

“We are working quickly to provide guidance and support to members of our community. This retaliatory action threatens serious harm to the Harvard community

Harvard economics professor and former Obama administration official Jason Furman called the measure “horrendous on every level.”

Johnson wanted tighter Covid rules, inquiry hears

Boris Johnson pushed for a more “ruthless, authoritarian approach” towards people who refused to self-isolate during the pandemic, according to documents seen by the Covid inquiry.

The instinct of policy makers was to favour “punitive measures” over financial support, wrote Lord Patrick Vallance who spoke to the PM throughout the crisis and appeared alongside him on TV briefings.

Diary entries written during that time by Lord Vallance, then the UK’s chief scientific adviser, revealed officials “always want[ed] to go for stick, not carrot”.

Lord Vallance has said his diary entries were informal personal reflections and “late night musings”, never intended for publication.

He was giving evidence to the sixth part of the Covid inquiry, which is investigating test, trace and quarantine policies.

During 90 minutes of questioning, he was shown a series of entries from his evening diaries from the first year of the pandemic.

On 12 August 2020, he wrote

Lord Patrick Vallance, former government chief scientific adviser, gave evidence to the inquiry in west London

about a meeting with the prime minister and his senior aides, including then chief adviser Dominic Cummings and cabinet secretary Simon Case.

“Instinct of this crew is to go for more enforcement and punitive measures,” he wrote.

“We suggested more carrot and incentives [were] required to make people take a test, self-isolate etc, but they always want to go for stick not carrot.”

Asked who he was referring to in that entry, Lord Vallance said

it would have been the “decisionmakers for policy”.

In another entry, on 25 September 2020, as Covid cases were rising once again, he quoted Boris Johnson as saying: “We need a lot more punishments and a lot more closing down”.

And in a further entry on 7 January 2021, just after the start of the third nationwide lockdown, he wrote: “PM says: ‘We haven’t been ruthless enough. We need to force more isolation. I favour a more authoritarian approach.’”

The UK has controlled the Chagos Islands since 1814. It split them from Mauritius in 1965, three years before Mauritius gained independence

rows down the Charles River near Harvard University on April 15, 2025, in Cambridge, Massachusetts

VACANCY NOTICE

B Y THE TCI INTEGRITY COMMISSION

HUMAN RESOURCE CONSULTANT

SUMMARY:

The Integrity Commission of the Turks and Caicos Islands is seeking to retain a Human Resources Consultant on an on-call basis to assist with the Human Resource functions, policies and programs of the TCI Integrity Commission.

KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Review staff manual, rules and policies of the Commission that relate to staff and staffing.

• Review current procedures for grievances and dispute/conflict resolution, and make recommendations as needed.

• Review staff performance appraisals system.

• Review current training platforms for staff.

• Identify and compile a list of resources, tangible and intangible, that the Commission needs.

• Assist in recruitment process of staff (shortlisting, interviewing etc)

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resource Management/Social Sciences/Public Sector Management is essential.

• Professional Human Resource Certification to the level of SPHR or HRMP would be an asset.

• A Degree with concentration in Human Resource Management would be an asset.

EXPERIENCE:

• Eight to ten years experience in the field of Human Resource Management, preferably with at least (2) at a managerial level with supervisory responsibility.

REMUNERATION

• Contract will run 12 months

• Payments will total $21,600, to be paid over the 12-month period, in monthly instalments of $1,800, payable on the 30th of each month.

• Inter-island travel, accommodation and subsistence will be provided as necessary.

LOCATION

The successful applicant will be able to carry out work from the Commission’s offices in Grand Turk and Providenciales as necessary.

REPORTING

In addition to reporting to the Commission as required, the successful applicant will also actively report to the Commission Secretary, the Director and Deputy Director of the Commission.

SPECIFIC REQUIREMENT FOR TCI INTEGRITY COMMISSION ORDINANCE

The successful applicant is required to be knowledgeable of the Integrity Commission Ordinance, Public Service Ordinance and TCI Public Service Handbook.

Notice of Appointment of Voluntary Liquidator Companies Act (CAP. 16.08)

Section 237

Notice is hereby given that CLAIRE MCAVINCHEY 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 NUCENTRALE LTD. (solvent liquidation) on 15 May 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 Jonathan Katan – jk@mslaw.tc.

CHEF DE PARTIE

Minimum of 5 years of experience in a luxury resort environment. Run and supervise any kitchen section to the required standards. Ensure all preparation of the designated section is complete and ready for each service. Comply with all health and safety regulations, staff code of conduct and company policies. Must be self-motivated and have a passion for hospitality and cooking. Effective time management, pay attention to details. Salary $24,000 per annum.

PASTRY CHEF

More than 5 years of experience in a luxury resort kitchen. Must prepare a wide variety of pastries along with creating new and exciting desserts. Decorate pastries using various of toppings or icings. Must have indepth knowledge of sanitation principles, food preparation and baking techniques and nutrition. Working knowledge of baking with ingredient limitations, dietary restrictions and food allergies. Must be detailed orientation. Certificate in culinary arts, pastry-making, baking or relevant field. Salary is $30,000 per annum.

MARINE LABOURER

Minimum 3 years’ experience. Responsible for keeping the club and homeowners’ boats clean and well maintained with scheduled maintenance and care. Assist boat passengers with loading and unloading luggage and freight. Keep the harbor master’s office clean. Assist with marine area and dock maintenance operations. Salary $10.00 per hour

THE SOURCE LTD

LUXURY VILLA BUTLER/ LIVE IN BUTLER

We are looking for an honest, hardworking, self-motivated individual with keen organizational and communication skills to join our team. The butler must be knowledgeable about services offered and serve as an attentive liaison between guest and staff. Please note this position requires the applicant to be on call 24/7.

BUTLER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Inspect villa before and after guest arrival

• Greet guest upon arrival, unpacking and packing guest suitcases/bags

• Anticipate and meet guest needs

• See Guest off upon departure

• Unpacking and packing guest clothing

• Ironing clothing and pressing linen

• Serve meal & prepare cocktail and other beverages

• Run errands (must have valid driver’s license)

• Must assist with cleaning rooms and assist with the upkeep of the villa

• Assist with replenishing inventory, including cleaning supplies, dishware, etc.

BUTLER REQUIREMENTS AND QUALIFICATIONS

• Certification in Safety Management or Food Safety

• Minimum of 5 years’ experience working as a butler at a luxury villa/resort

• Must have a sunny disposition and must maintain a positive attitude

• Ability to adapt to fast paced-paced environment

PLEASE NOTE THAT RENUMERATION FOR THIS POSITION STARTS AT $1500.00 BASED ON QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE. INTERESTED PERSONS ARE ASKED TO SEND A COPY OF THEIR RESUME TO HR@THESOURCE.TC

MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN/ MAINTENANCE MAN

A Luxury Villa Company is looking to employ an Air-condition/ Maintenance Technician to work along with our Maintenance Team. Duties include but are not limited to: -

• Trouble shooting, Installing, maintaining and repairing air conditioning

• Ventilate equipment and controls making sure that they operate efficiently and continuously

• Diagnose electrical and mechanical malfunctions and defects

• Clean blowers and coils, check belts and motors

• Inspect and maintain refrigerators and ice machines

• Repair parts of the facility that may need repair

• Stay current on safety measures for fire, carbon monoxide

• Maintain compliance with industry regulations

• Communicate any issues to management

• The technician should be able to work in places where they are exposed to dust, fumes, noise and toxic materials and high voltage he or she should be capable of working in confined hot spaces like roofs and attics. Renumeration for this position starts at $10.00 per hour. Interested persons are asked to forward their CV to hr@thesource.tc

VILLA COOK/LIVE-IN VILLA COOK

A villa cook is required for an upscale villa management company. The cook will be responsible for the consistent preparation of innovative and creative cuisine of the highest quality. Attention to detail a must, as is demonstrated culinary expertise resulting in outstanding guest satisfaction. Managing a busy kitchen, setting menus, ordering and monitoring supplies.

• Liaise with Concierge for food provision to purchase prior to guest arrival.

• Submit the provision receipts, to Accounting in an accurate report and timely manner

• Provide direction for all day-to-day operations in the kitchen.

• Actively involved in menu development.

• Determines how food should be presented and create decorative food displays.

LUXURY VILLA BUTLER/LIVE IN BUTLER

We are looking for an honest, hardworking, self-motivated individual with keen organizational and communication skills to join our team. The butler must be knowledgeable about services offered and serve as an attentive liaison between guest and staff. Please note this position requires the applicant to be on call 24/7.

BUTLER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Inspect villa before and after guest arrival

• Greet guest upon arrival, unpacking and packing guest suitcases/bags

• Anticipate and meet guest needs

• See Guest off upon departure

• Unpacking and packing guest clothing

• Ironing clothing and pressing linen

• Serve meal & prepare cocktail and other beverages

• Run errands (must have valid driver’s license)

• Must assist with cleaning rooms and assist with the upkeep of the villa

• Assist with replenishing inventory, including cleaning supplies, dishware, etc.

BUTLER REQUIREMENTS AND QUALIFICATIONS

• Certification in Safety Management or Food Safety

• Minimum of 5 years’ experience working as a butler at a luxury villa/resort

• Must have a sunny disposition and must maintain a positive attitude

• Ability to adapt to fast paced-paced environmen

• Ensures practices and procedures comply with food handling and sanitation standards. This includes completing an annual hygiene plan and hygiene inspection prior to guest arrival

• Follows proper handling and right temperature of all food products.

• Ensures all equipment in the kitchen is properly cleaned, maintained and in working order in accordance with local Health Department standards.

• When the villa is vacant, he/she shall work with the villa team to ensure that the villa is clean and well maintained.

PREREQUISITES:

Must have experience cooking and working in Luxury Villa’s. Displays leadership. Exemplifies excellent customer service and creates a positive atmosphere for guest relations. Must be able to prepare Kosher food and be Serv Safe Certified.

CHEF

workstations.

LABOURER

HELPER

PHOTOGRAPHER

2

Install cabinets, bathroom vanities, mouldings and finishing work. $15 hourly (new application)

Govt workers to benefit from Elite UWI Accounting Programme

A select group of Turks and Caicos Islands government employees have embarked on a rigorous journey, pursuing a Master of Science (MSc) in Accounting through the esteemed Mona School of Business and Management (MSBM).

This inaugural initiative marks a decisive step towards bolstering fiscal accountability and professional expertise.

Hailed as a “great partnership” by Executive Director, Dr David McBean, the programme represents a strategic investment in the nation’s human capital and promises to elevate financial management standards within the public sector.

According to a statement from the Government, the inaugural cohort— handpicked for their dedication and potential— commenced their studies in late April, engaging with a curriculum tailored to meet the specific needs of accounting professionals

serving the Turks and Caicos Islands Government.

Delivered virtually, this programme underscores a commitment to accessibility and continuity, enabling these vital public servants to advance their education without disrupting their crucial work.

Dr McBean highlighted the significance of this collaboration, stating, “This is a great partnership and one that we hope will be enduring. I hope this is the start of a strong relationship with not only government employees but other residents of Turks and Caicos, as MSBM offers a wide range of degree courses as well as short courses. Your degree will be of significant worth, as MSBM is a highly rated institution within UWI, which ranks among the top 600 universities globally.

Additionally, the MSc Accounting programme is top-rated by Eduniversal.”

He further assured that the school “would work

with them to support their academic goals,” reinforcing MSBM’s dedication to the success of these pioneering students.

The gravity of this initiative was underscored by the presence of top-tier government officials during the virtual orientation.

Deputy Governor and Head of the Public Service, HE Anya Williams, articulated the government’s vision with clarity, stating, “We are very pleased that the Turks and Caicos government is partnering with MSBM on this very important programme. Learning and development are integral to the government’s agenda as we strive to improve service delivery and performance across our public service, particularly the Ministry of Finance. From the perspective of the Office of the Deputy Governor, we are committed to ensuring that our staff possess the right skills not only for the jobs they currently perform

NOTICE PUBLIC CONSULTATION

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (EIA) PUBLIC STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION – FOR CORAL GARDENS DUNE REPLENISHMENT – PR16651, 60812/57, PENNs ROAD, GRACE BAY, PROVIDENCIALES, TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS

The Environmental Impact Assessment Report – for Coral Gardens Dune Replenishment – PR 16651, 60812/57, Penns Road, Grace Bay, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands has been finalized and is available online for public review at: https://www.gov.tc/planning/pr-16651

Hard copies of the EIA Report are available at the Department of Planning Offices in Providenciales and Grand Turk.

The Environmental Impact Assessment Report was submitted in accordance with Section 44 (1) b of the Physical Planning Ordinance. Comments on the EIA report can be sent to the Department of Planning via email to planningconsultation@gov.tc or Environmental Compliance Manager, Garry Mclean- gmclean@gov.tc or in writing to the Department of Planning, Emily House, Leeward Highway, Providenciales, or at South Base, Grand Turk on or before Monday, June 09th,2025.

A Public Consultation on the EIA will be held on Thursday, May 29th ,2025 at 5:00p.m. – 6:30p.m. at the Department of Planning, Emily House, Leeward Highway, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands. All interested persons are invited to attend to air their views, have their concerns addressed, and have their questions answered. This is your opportunity to add your voice to the discussion.

but also to prepare them for upward mobility in the Public Service. Therefore, this programme is very important to us.”

Premier and Minister of Finance, Economic Development, Trade and Investment, Hon Charles Washington Misick, lauded the partnership and personally congratulated the pioneering students. He stated unequivocally, “UWI is the top university in the Caribbean and ranks within the top 5% globally, and the students are privileged to be among a very select group to attend UWI and pursue this programme. Given the rapid growth of the economy, there are capacity challenges that need to be addressed urgently, and the future belongs to those who

continuously learn. The government will support the students to ensure their success.”

This robust backing from the highest levels of government reflects a profound understanding of the critical role education plays in national development.

The virtual orientation session provided the new cohort with essential information about the programme structure, curriculum, online learning platform, and the support services available to them. It also offered a valuable opportunity for students to engage with MSBM faculty and their peers.

The online MSc Accounting programme offers a flexible learning

environment, enabling government employees to pursue advanced education while continuing their vital work in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

The curriculum, delivered by experienced academics and industry professionals, covers critical areas of accounting and business.

This initiative builds upon MSBM’s strong track record of delivering impactful business education across the Caribbean and supports the TCI government in its commitment to professional development.

By equipping its accounting professionals with advanced skills, the Islands are positioning themselves for sustained economic growth and improved governance.

(OLIVIA ROSE)

TCI non-profit FisherFolkFirst joins UNESCO ocean literacy network

Ocean literacy is defined as ‘an understanding of the ocean’s influence on us, and our influence on the ocean.’

For small island nations like the TCI, fostering an oceanliterate society is crucial, especially in the face of climate change. Across the world, small-scale fishers and fish workers have a greater direct interdependency on the ocean than any other group of people, and this is certainly the case in the TCI. Therefore, developing ocean literacy among the TCI’s fisherfolk is essential for their livelihood security and for the conservation of marine biodiversity.

Local non-profit organisation FisherFolkFirst has been actively promoting ocean literacy among the TCI’s commercial fishers and fish workers. In recognition of this work, FisherFolkFirst was recently invited to join the United Nations Educational, Scientific and

Cultural Organisation’s Blue Thread—a global network of initiatives putting ocean literacy into action. Blue Thread serves as a symbol of commitment to sustainable ocean stewardship, inclusive participation, and innovative approaches to addressing ocean-related challenges.

“We are delighted to join UNESCO’s global ocean literacy network,” said Marta Calosso, Executive Director and co-founder of FisherFolkFirst. “It is always incredibly rewarding to work with the TCI’s fishers and fish workers. They possess an enormous wealth of knowledge about the TCI’s marine environments and recognise the link between healthy seas and decent livelihoods. Unfortunately, fishers are often vilified as being part of the conservation problem, but I strongly believe they are part of the solution. Ocean literacy helps to empower fisherfolk to advocate for their rights, livelihoods, and traditions at a time when these are increasingly under threat.” FisherFolkFirst partners with both the Department of Fisheries and Marine Resources Management and the Department of Environment and Coastal Resources. Recent initiatives include promoting TCI fishers’ access to Invest Turks and Caicos’ MSME programme, ensuring that the fishing community’s voices are reflected in the laws regulating the industry, and broadly publicising the TCI’s fishing regulations while explaining the ecological rationale behind them. These efforts take the form of brochures, posters, pull-up banners, a website, and videos—all available in English, Spanish, and Creole, catering to those who struggle with literacy.

Find out more on the FisherFolkFirst website: www.fisherfolkfirst.org.

FisherFolkFirst in action

Shakem Charles Wins 2025 TCI Top Model Mainstream Media Award

The elegance of fashion met the exuberance of the media on Saturday, 17 May 2025, as the 2025 TCI Top Model Mainstream Media Award competition unfolded at the stunning Somerset Resort on Grace Bay, Providenciales.

Now a signature feature of the TCI Top Model Contest, the Mainstream Media Award celebrates the contestant who best connects with the press through confidence, charisma, and communication. This year’s competition featured eight contestants, each participating in a series of rapid-fire, five-minute interviews with an esteemed panel of media judges.

These included Vivian Tyson, Editorial Director at NEWSLINE TCI; Olivia Rose, Senior Reporter at Turks and Caicos Weekly News; Zoya Faessler, Reporter at Radio Turks and Caicos; and Takara Bain, Managing Director of All Eyes on You Communications TCI Ltd.

Following four rounds of engaging and high-energy interviews, Contestant #1, Shakem Charles, emerged as the winner, earning the coveted full-page feature in the country’s three major news publications—The Sun, TC Weekly News, and NEWSLINE TCI. He will also be featured on all of Radio Turks and Caicos’s social media platforms.

This win is a transformative opportunity for any aspiring public personality or model.

“This win means everything to me,” said Shakem. “I came into this competition wanting to grow, to be seen, and to be heard. To have the media connect with who I am and what I represent—it’s empowering. I feel seen, and I’m ready for what’s next. In life’s journey, there might be delays along the way, but I know now— your destiny is never denied.”

Mynisha Chery (Contestant #4) and Diavion Ebanks (Contestant #6) were also standout performers, rounding out the top three with compelling interviews that

showcased eloquence, authenticity, and impact.

This prestigious competition first took place in 2014, with Brielle Swann named as the inaugural Mainstream Media Darling Awardee. Since then, it has become a benchmark for identifying future stars in the fashion and communications industries.

Founder and Executive Producer of the TCI Top Model Contest, Mr Courtney Robinson, shared, “The Mainstream Media Award is a vital part of this competition because a model today isn’t just a face—they’re a voice, a brand, and a storyteller. Shakem demonstrated the poise, clarity, and authenticity

that embodies the future of fashion in the Turks and Caicos Islands, and beyond our shores.

This platform can truly change the trajectory of a contestant’s career.”

The journey continues as the spotlight turns towards the Grand Finale: “En Vogue”, taking place on Saturday, 31 May 2025, at Brayton Hall, Providenciales. It promises to be an unforgettable evening of fashion, performance, and the naming of the Face of the Turks and Caicos—TCI Top Model 2025.

Don’t miss it—the future of fashion in the TCI is

at

about to be unveiled

The Extravaganza!

L-R) TC Weekly News Senior Reporter, Ms Olivia Rose; Radio Turks and Caicos Reporter Ms Zoya Faessler; Winner of the Mainstream Media Competition, Mr Shakem Charles; Managing Director of All Eyes on You Communications TCI Ltd, Ms Takara Bain and Editorial Director at NEWSLINE TCI. Mr Vivian Tyson

Shakem Charles with his fellow contestants and judges

Diavion EBanks with Vivian Tyson

Olivia Rose with Mynisha Chery

Takara Bain and Shakem Charles

HAND CRAFTER

1 CLEANER

CLEANER

LABOURER

CLEANER

GILLEY’S ENTERPRISES

is looking to hire talented candidates to join our team!

HR MANAGER

• Lead HR operations, including recruitment, onboarding, and employee relations

• Develop and implement HR policies and procedures

• Support performance management and staff development

• Ensure compliance with labour laws and internal policies

• Championing a positive workplace culture and employee engagement initiatives

• Oversee benefits administration and leave tracking

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR:

• Proven experience as an HR Manager or similar role

• Strong knowledge of HR practices, employment law, and compliance

• Excellent communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills

• Experience with HRIS systems and Microsoft Office Suite

• A degree in HR, Business Administration, or related field (CIPD/SHRM a plus)

PURCHASING AND LOGISTICS REPRESENTATIVE

• Manage procurement of goods and services from local and international suppliers

• Track and coordinate shipments, deliveries, and inventory levels

• Negotiate contracts, pricing, and delivery terms with vendors

• Maintain accurate records of purchases and logistics activities

• Ensure compliance with internal procedures and external regulations

• Collaborate with internal teams to forecast supply needs and avoid delays Requirements:

• Proven experience in purchasing, logistics, or supply chain management

• Strong negotiation and organizational skills

• Knowledge of import/export regulations and logistics documentation

• Knowledge of receiving and transfer of all bonded goods

• Knowledge of TCIG Customs Declarations

• Proficiency in MS Office software, with emphasis on Word, Excel, and Outlook

• High School Diploma or equivalent with a minimum of 3 years’ experience in the

CLEANER

CLEANER

LABOURER

JOB ADVERTISEMENT

Resort + Villas is seeking a professional, courteous Bellman to join our team and deliver outstanding guest service. The ideal candidate will assist guests with luggage, provide directions and information, and ensure a warm, welcoming experience from arrival to departure.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES INCLUDE BUT NOT LIMITED TO:

• Excellent communication and customer service skills

• Presentable appearance and positive attitude

• Ability to lift and carry luggage

• Previous hotel or hospitality experience preferred

• Flexible with shifts, including weekends and holidays Compensation: $8:00 per hour

INTERESTED APPLICANTS CAN CONTACT OUR HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY 9AM TO 5PM ON (649)941-7555 E-MAIL COVER LETTER OUTLINING YOUR INTEREST AND SUPPORTING EXPERIENCE ALONG WITH YOUR RESUME OR C.V. TO HR@WYMARA.COM Submission deadline date May 14th2025

PELICAN BAY

RESTAURANT & BAR

2 SERVER

• Minimum 2 years of food and beverage in a upscale restaurant

• Must have excellent verbal and written communication skills, knowledgeable on Micros, must work well under pressure and have a friendly yet professional demeanor, must be a team player

Salary $8.00 per hour, Plus service charge and tips

2 BARTENDER

• Minimum of 2 years of experience in a upscale restaurant. Must possess excellent verbal and communication skills, minimum 21 years of age

• Also have experience in stock taking and inventories must have good cashier skills, Be a team player.

Salary $8 per hour, Plus service charge and tips

1 KITCHEN HELPER

• Preparing the work Stations for the cooks, keeping kitchen clean and tidy at all times

• Receiving Stocks and putting away, must be able to lift 50lb

Salary $8 per hour, Plus service charge and tips

PUBLIC NOTICE

TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDER STATUS APPLICATION

( 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 Yuderca Matos Gardiner by virtue of marriage to a Turks and Caicos Islander.

PROVIDENCE INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY

Accepting applications for

PRINCIPAL AND TEACHERS

REQUIREMENTS:

• Must be trained in Primary Education and/or a specialist area with at least a Bachelor’s Degree must be able to diagnose various learning styles

• Must have a minimum of ten years’ experience working at the elementary level

• Must demonstrate the ability to work on their own initiative and also as a team player

• Must demonstrate best practices and implement various learning styles within the school

• Must be able to implement and demonstrate multiple intelligence strategies and create IEPs

• Must have the ability and experience to coordinate various school enrichment programs

• Have worked with an international curriculum and has experience with; The Primary National Curriculum in England, ABEKA and the TCI National Primary Curriculum

• Must be enthusiastic, energetic, approachable, creative, tech savvy and have excellent communication skills with a willingness to lead in a dynamic manner. Must create vibrant a learning environment and put in extra hours when necessary.

COMPENSATIONS:

Salary commensurate with qualifications and experience at $23,000 to $36,000 per annum. Suitable applicants must submit resumes along with copies of qualifications and three character references.

This position is currently held by work permit holders. Belongers are welcome to apply.

Wymara

BARBER

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• Must have a degree in Psychology and Neuropsychology from an accredited University,

• Minimum 5 years’ experience in a clinic, laboratories, university, hospital, mental health facilities, or research

• Minimum of 5 years as a fully registered clinical psychologist on a recognized Medical Board.

• Proficient with planning and performing psychological interventions.

MAIN DUTIES

• Knowledge of human behavior, performance; individual ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders,

• Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, and cultures and their history and origins

• Counsels’ clients and patients, individually and in group sessions,

• running cognitive tests of patients, evaluating patient needs and diagnosing and treating brain-based disorders

• Evaluates clients physical or mental condition based on review of client information and monitoring for safety in a restrictive environment

• Develops and implements treatment plans based on clinical experience and knowledge, Measuring the effectiveness of interventions and implementing changes where required

• Updating and maintaining patients EMR files, maintains confidentiality of records relating to client’s treatment

• Liaise with other healthcare professionals and hospitals

• Making assessments and interpretations based on biopsychosocial evaluations, psychometric tests, semi-structured interviews, therapy sessions, and neuropsychological assessments.

• Bi-lingual is preferred

LINE COOK

SKILL REQUIREMENTS:

Cook eggs and other breakfast items to order to the customer’s specification. Cook lunch and dinner items to order to customer’s specification to include, but not limited to:

• Cooking meats to temperature such as hamburgers and steaks

• Produce salads, sandwiches, tacos, quesadillas, burritos, fajitas and other

• Tex - Mex items that appear on the menu at Somewhere Café and Lounge.

• Assist with prepping foods for service by following recipe standards, strong knife skills and

• proper sanitation to produce high quality food that accurately represents the Café.

• Work with other kitchen staff members to execute food, prioritize steps, and contribute to the overall team atmosphere of the kitchen.

• Participate in daily cleaning duties as scheduled by the Chef or Sous Chef’s to maintain a clean safe environment for all employees to work in.

• Cook on the line, during service in a high pressure environment, executing food to order in an ala minute kitchen according to the ticket in a timely manner.

• Be able to stand on ones feet for 8 hours and be comfortable lifting 25 pounds or more without physical restrictions.

• Be available to work holidays and weekends with a flexible schedule.

Turks Islanders given preference

Pay - commensurate with experience

Position currently held by permit holder

Salary Commensurate with Experience. Approximately $70K annually

SEND CV, REFERENCES, RESIDENCY STATUS TO: TBAYLEY@ SOMEWHERECAFEANDLOUNGE.COM OR ISLAND APPLICANTS CAN DELIVER THEIR DOCUMENTS DIRECTLY TO THE RESTAURANT AT THE ADDRESS BELOW

This ad is for a permit application. Liquid Caicos Ltd t/a Somewhere Cafe & Lounge located at Coral Gardens

JOB DESCRIPTION:

We are currently seeking an experienced Auto Mechanic to join our reputable automotive service team. The ideal candidate will have a minimum of 10 years of hands-on experience in diagnosing, repairing, and maintaining various types of vehicles.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Perform routine automotive maintenance tasks, including oil changes, tire rotations, filter replacements, and fluid checks.

• Diagnose and repair mechanical and electrical issues on a variety of vehicles, including cars, trucks, and SUVs.

• Utilize diagnostic tools and equipment to identify and resolve complex vehicle problems efficiently.

• Conduct thorough inspections and provide accurate estimates for repair work.

• Complete all job orders and service documentation accurately and in a timely manner.

• Maintain a clean and organized work area, ensuring all tools and equipment are properly stored.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Minimum of 10 years of proven experience as an Auto Mechanic.

• Proficiency in computerized diagnostic tools and equipment.

• Strong knowledge of automotive repairs, maintenance, and systems.

• Excellent problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

• Ability to prioritize and multitask in a fast-paced environment.

• Team-oriented attitude with strong communication and interpersonal skills.

• Certifications are preferred and mandatory.

• High school diploma or equivalent. Technical or vocational training is a plus.

• This Position is for Renewal or first time

• Wages start at $750.00 per week.

HOUSEKEEPER

GEORGE GRAIG Five Cays 342-3111

BABYSITTER

$8.00

Caring for our 2 children, feed them, bath, dress and monitor them, light housekeeping.

LORRAINE BORGELLA

Behind Mara, Blue Hills 242-4317

DOMESTIC WORKER

$8.00

Caring for my children, clean my home, wash dishes, clean the kitchen, bathroom, make beds, wash and cook.

ANNE ROSE DELHOMME & RONALD JOSPEH 342-0409

Five Cays, Sub Division

BABYSITTER

$8.00

Caring for our two children, bath, feed, monitor them and light housekeeping

VENARD ALCIN HANDFIELD 332-1466

Glass Shack

LABOURER

$8.00

Cleaning the property, pick up waste and dispose waste and assist with ongoing construction on the property

J & V FASHION VARIETY

STORE

Blue Hills 246-2715

HELPER

$8.00

Cleaning the store, stock goods on shelves, help with unloading container

PARADA DOMINICAN RESTUARENT

The Bight 348-6766

KITCHEN HELPER

$8.00

preparing the workstation for the cook, sorting and distributing ingredients, keeping the kitchen clean

ABDONALD PIERRE 246-1963

WHEELAND

$8.00

Cleaning the property, pick up waste and dispose waste and assist with ongoing construction on the property

GUILENE PERICLESS

342-0237

Blue Hills

Caring for my children and household, wash, iron, cook and clean

M SEXY BEAUTY SALON

443-0186

Blue Hills

HAIRDRESSER

$8.00

Braiding men and women hair

SEM DESTIN

331-5436

JAFOOE LTD

COMPUTER REPAIR TECHNICIAN

EDUCATION:

Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science or related field, Minimum of 5 HP Inc. University Certifications.

Work Experience: Not Less than 5 years industry experienced.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS REQUIRED:

• Working knowledge of modern networking devices, Wi-Fi Networks and printers

• Demonstrated ability to read and understand technical manuals and schematics

• Highly skilled in installing, repairing and troubleshooting computer hardware and peripheral including Windows-based PCs and Macintosh Apple platforms

• Proven ability to manage multiple troubleshooting tasks simultaneously while maintaining the quality of results

• Extensive experience in backup and image management software

• Expert user of Microsoft Office Applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access)

• Able to configure VPN and server/client-side hardware and software

• Proven record of managing time and priorities effectively

• HP Certified (Commercial Printing)

• Cisco Certified

• Work schedule 6 days a week

Salary payable based on qualifications and experience.

Belongers are encouraged to send a copy of their resume to the Labour Board. This is a renewal.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES – TO INCLUDE BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE FOLLOWING:

• Managing the smooth running of the Property for the owner and occupants.

• Ensuring that all areas of the Property are cleaned and maintained to the highest standard.

• Maintaining inventories of pantry items, kitchen equipment and linens.

• Managing weekly meal preparation and grocery shopping.

• Carrying out regular checks on all equipment & furnishings, reporting any damage or breakage immediately to owner and following up on repairs.

• Sufficient accounting skills and computer proficiency.

SKILLS/EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

• Possess an exceptional eye for detail and standard with regards housekeeping service.

• Be able to work well under pressure.

• Be flexible in dealing with last minute requests.

PUBLIC NOTICE

TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDER STATUS APPLICATION

( 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 Ian Richard Arthur by virtue of marriage to a Turks and Caicos Islander.

The Risk Manager of IT & Specialized Assurance will understand our clients’ operations, their industry and the issues they face in order to provide risk and other advisory services. The combination of our specialist skills, industry expertise and on-going investment allows us to anticipate complex business problems for our clients and recommend preventative action. The incumbent will be responsible for a portfolio of clients on a day-to-day basis which will include planning, day-to-day management of the team including review of testing and reports, liaison with key client staff and the management of the reporting process. The incumbent will be expected to drive quality and client service excellence, actively develop and mentor their team and participate actively in business development opportunities.

WHAT WILL YOUR TYPICAL DAY LOOK LIKE?

BIGBLUE COLLECTIVE SALES REPRESENTATIVE

Big Blue Collective is seeking a motived,

DUTIES FOR THIS POSITION WILL INCLUDE:

• Service and retail sales with the goal of growth to the overall business

• Answering phones/emails, making sales and reservations with solid knowledge of all products and services.

• Greeting and signing in guests in a professional, friendly manner with direction and information to keep the arrival flow seamless.

• Ensuring payments are collected, entering and balancing of daily income

• Working with the retail manager on designing custom items for sale.

• Must be willing to work long hours, weekends, holidays while remaining flexible

• Inventory and stock control with Quickbooks POS

• Possibility to fill in as an eco guide including snorkeling, kayaking and paddleboarding. Training provided.

THIS POSITION REQUIRES THE FOLLOWING QUALIFICATIONS:

• Mature, self motivated, outgoing, honest and energetic that has a passion for working with the public.

• Must be able to work weekdays, weekends and holidays.

• Must speak English, any other languages and asset

• Attention to detail is key

• Minimum high school graduate with strength in math and marketing

• 3 years sales and sales related marketing experience

• 3 years front desk/reception experience/retail sales management

• Education and experience in retail textile design,

• Experience with Quickbooks POS

• Experience in ordering, maintaining, designing and stocking retail

• Experience in promoting and marketing service and retail sales an asset

• Good understanding of the tourism industry and a passion for protecting the environment

As a manager you’ll manage a portfolio of clients to which you bring deep expertise to help them solve their complex risk management problems. You don’t just solve their problem, you get to the root of it. You take pride in leading a team through testing and reports, as well as liaising with key client staff and managing the reporting process. You play a pivotal role in helping organizations transform how they think about security. You help companies find balance between control and risk, maximizing their potential and agility. You enjoy motivating your team and seeking out new business.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree with strong academic credentials in Business/ Accounting, Computer Science, Engineering, Management Information Systems or Risk related field is strongly preferred

• Qualified in a minimum of one or more of the following designations: CIA, CISM, CISA, CISSP, CIIP/E, CIPM, CEH, and/or other related certifications

• 5+ years practical experience working in business or technology risk within a professional services firm or large scale business; 3+ years post qualification experience preferred

PREFERRED:

• Experience in a Professional services firm or large business.

The salary for this position will be based on qualifications and experience and will range from $65,000.00 - $70,000.00. Interested Turks and Caicos Islanders can also submit copies of their application to the Labour Department/TCI Work Permit Board. Position held by work permit holder.

2 FIBER TECHNICIANS

• Install and maintain

according to

• Perform low-loss fiber splicing and cable jointing.

• Perform preventative maintenance and ensure that proper standards are followed.

• $12.00 per hour

DOMESTIC WORKER LABOURER

The Turks and Caicos Islands oldest and leading publishing house is in need of additional staff to fill the following posts:

WRITERS/ PHOTO JOURNALIST

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.

FOR MAGAZINES AND OTHER PERIODICALS GRAPHICS PRODUCTION DESIGNER/ PAGINATOR

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.

COURT REPORTER

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.

ADVERTISING SPACE SALES PERSON

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.

is commission based.

Kew Town, Providenciales

BABYSITTER

CAR WASH ATTENDANT

TIRE REPAIRMAN

DOMESTIC WORKER

LABOURER

MASON HELPER

•

REQUEST FOR QUOTES FOR CLEANING SERVICES

Digicel TCI is seeking the services of a cleaning company to provide weekly cleaning for its premises located at 991A Leeward Highway, Providenciales Requirements:

Digicel TCI wishes to invite proposals from suitably qualified service providers in possession of a valid Turks and Caicos Islands business license to undertake the following over the course of each week:

• Empty garbage receptacles daily.

• Wash floors at least once per week.

• Clean toilets daily.

• Wash and dry any dirty dishes and clean the kitchen daily.

• Dust desks and furniture at least once per week

• Clean interior office windows at least once per week.

• Clean the inside of exterior office windows at least twice per month.

• Wash out the 2 fridges at least once per month.

PRICING AND RATING INCLUSION

All prices and rates provided in this quote are inclusive of all costs associated with the services provided. Cost includes but are not limited to permits and labour requirements for cleaning and sanitizing. Your company will supply the required PPE, cleaning supplies, equipment, tools and any materials required to perform the general cleaning of the facility.

GUEST AND OWNER RELATIONS SPECIALIST

H2O life.style.resort is seeking for a highly self motivated, energetic, friendly, professional and customer-focused assistant property manager to oversee its hotel operation.

Are you passionate about delivering exceptional VIP service? Do you thrive in a multicultural, high-end hospitality environment? If you’re fluent in at least three languages and have a talent for creating unforgettable guest experiences, we’d love to meet you!

As a Guest and Owner Relations Specialist, you will be the face and voice of our brand—providing personalized, attentive, and seamless service to our distinguished guests and property owners. You will handle requests with discretion and care, anticipate needs, and ensure every interaction reflects the luxury and professionalism of our standards.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Serve as the primary point of contact for VIP guests and property owners

• Provide multilingual support and ensure clear, professional communication

• Coordinate guest arrivals, special requests, and personalized experiences

• Handle complaints or concerns with tact and efficiency, ensuring satisfaction

• Maintain accurate guest and owner records, preferences, and service notes

• Liaise with housekeeping, concierge, and management to uphold service excellence

REQUIREMENTS:

• Minimum 3 years’ experience in VIP service, hospitality, or guest relations

• Fluent in at least three languages (including English and French)

• Strong interpersonal and problem-solving skills

• High level of professionalism, discretion, and cultural sensitivity

• Ability to stay calm under pressure and handle high-profile clients

• Proficiency

management

Seeking an experienced captain with minimum 10 years experience operating marine vessels 40ft and over, Captain’s license and an in depth knowledge of TCI Waters. Excellent written and verbal skills with the ability to deliver a high level of customer service to guests, provide advice and assistance to guests prior to and following charter and resolve

Seeking experienced individuals for any issues that arise. Must have experience in maintenance and repairs for charter fleet, ensure vessels are clean and operational. Organisational skills are required for scheduling and maintaining records of all maintenance and service requirements for charter fleet. Salary up to $36,000 per annum, based on experience and qualifications.

INTERESTED TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDERS CAN ALSO SUBMIT COPIES OF THEIR APPLICATION TO THE TCI LABOUR DEPARTMENT.

QUALIFICATIONS AND REFERENCES SHOULD ACCOMPANY CV. APPLICANTS SHOULD APPLY IN WRITING BY MAY 30TH, 2025

VALUE FOR YOUR

ISLAND PHARMACY

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Serves patients with kind and caring disposition

• Prepares medications

• Counsels and monitors patient drug therapies

• Gives pharmacological advice and information to patients and health care team via phone and in person

• Prepares medications by reviewing and interpreting physicians’ orders

• Detects and resolves therapeutic incompatibilities

SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS

• Must have certification from accredited university/institution and

valid professional licenses through valid and acceptable regulation authority

• Must have minimum 5 years’ experience working in a Retail Pharmacy environment

• Skilled at interacting with customers of all socioeconomic backgrounds

• Ability to operate Point-of-Sale and Kroll programs

• Possesses excellent communications and interpersonal skills

• Competent and reliable professional, committed and experienced

SALARY: 50K PER ANNUM

SUNNY FOOD STORE CASH AND CARRY FIVE CAYS

S OUTH DOCK PROVIDENCIALES, TURKS AND CAICOS ISLAND Contact No: 1649-9418112

Is

STORE SUPERVISOR

• Candidate must have at least 6-8 years experience in the field

• Must have through knowledge of the following:

• Advanced knowledge and skills in computer systems, most

• specifically,

• QuickBooks Pro 2020, Microsoft Excel, and Inventory control

• management.

• Extensive knowledge of SMS Front & amp; Back Office POS System

• Extensive knowledge of NCR 7456 POS

• Manage retail staff, including cashiers and people working on the

• floor.

• Ensure pricing is correct. Work on store displays.

• Coach, counsel, recruit, train, and discipline employees.

• Evaluate on-the-job performance.

• Identify current and future trends that appeal to consumers.

• Maintain inventory and ensure items are in stock.

• Keep up with fluctuating supply and demand.

• Maintain store cleanliness and health and safety measures.

• Organize and distribute staff schedules.

• Manage different departments within the store.

• Handle customer questions, complaints, and issues.

• Committed to work flexible hours, days, nights, weekends and holidays.

• Able to safely lift boxes

• Wages start at gross $600 weekly.

• This Position is for work permit renewal and for first time work permit application.

GROCERY STOCK CLERK

• Stock the shelves with product and fill it back up when it sells

• Keep the store looking good throughout the day doing what’s called

• “facing” or “fronting”

• Provide the bulk of the customer service outside of the check stands.

• Direct people to products and offer product suggestions and maybe

• even cooking tips

• Refill shelves and displays with goods.

• Assist with unloading delivery trucks and organizing stockrooms.

• Salary starts at $8.00 to $10.00 per hour

• This position is for renewal and for first time work permit application

BUTCHER(S)

• Cutting, grinding and preparing meats for sale.

• Cleaning and maintaining tools and equipment.

• Weighing, packaging, pricing, and displaying products.

• Performing quality inspections on meat and other products

• Wages start from $8.00 to $12.00 per hour.

PRODUCE CLERK

• Responsible for doing Manual work

• Loading and unloading Container

• Knowledge on produce products and sanitary methods

• Should be physically fit to lift products 50lb or more.

• Being able to work at heights

• Committed to work flexible hours, days, nights, weekends and holidays.

• Salary $8.00 to $11.00 per hour

• This position is for renewal and for first-time work permit Applications.

BABYSITTER

CLEANER DOMESTIC WORKER SOUND ENGINEER

GOVERNESS BARBER TRADESMAN

Assist

Applicant must be qualified RIBA part 2 with a minimum of 5 years postqualification experience with the ability to travel freely throughout the Caribbean and South America

• Suitable candidates must be able to work under their initiative and see projects from concept to completion under the direction of the Directors.

• Have a keen knowledge and interest in BIM and visualisation software

• Have exceptional hand drawing skills, verbal and graphic presentation

• Research literature and maintain knowledge of current building materials, structural, mechanical and electrical system codes and application methods.

• Review subcontractor’s shop drawings to ensure compliance with specifications and contract agreements by checking them for technical accuracy according to accepted guidelines.

• Work with customers and clients to gather facts, define design and space planning problems, conceptualise possible solutions and secure approvals of proposals.

• Review product literature, analyse materials and determine appropriateness for application to projects.

• Provide advice and develop design documents to initiate and modify architectural, interior design and space planning solutions.

• Perform drafting of preliminary concept drawings to architectural working drawings and coordination with structural and mechanical information for new construction or refurbishment projects.

• Have advanced BricsCAD and SketchUp skills and intermediate Revit skills, plus Rhino and VectorWorks. Also with proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel and Adobe Photoshop.

• Have excellent written and spoken English skills

• Have valid driver’s license

DOMESTIC WORKER

Science & Technology

New brain tumour test a game changer, experts say

A new test has been developed that reduces the time it takes to diagnose types of brain tumours from weeks to just hours, researchers say.

Surgeons have described the “ultra-rapid” method of genetic testing as a “game changer” and say it could improve care and treatment for thousands of patients.

The method has been developed by scientists at the University of Nottingham in partnership with clinicians at Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS Trust.

The research has attracted interest from across the UK, with other NHS hospitals setting up their own testing alongside existing regimes to gather more evidence about its effectiveness.

A study published on Wednesday reveals the method has already been used in 50 operations at NUH and has had a 100% success rate in diagnosing the exact type of tumour.

There are currently more than 100 identified types of brain tumour, and clinicians need to identify which kind a patient has to determine the most effective way to treat them.

Traditionally, samples of tumours are extracted during surgery to be taken away, tested, and examined under a microscope in a pathology lab.

While the process is mostly accurate, it can take up to eight weeks to definitively diagnose the type of tumour.

Stuart Smith, NUH consultant neurosurgeon, said: “Sometimes once we do get the full diagnosis back from the laboratory, we realise it’s a type of tumour that would really benefit from what we call more radical surgery to remove every last piece of tumour, if that hasn’t been done at the first operation.

“Sadly, sometimes that does mean a patient has to undergo a second, or sometimes even a third operation, to ensure that all the tumour that can be surgically removed has been.”

However, the new technique has seen results returned in as little as 90 minutes, and Mr Smith said it was possible to get a diagnosis while a patient was still in the operating theatre for their original procedure.

It means surgeons would be able to perform more radical surgery, if needed, at the time.

Mr Smith also said faster classification could allow patients to get radiation treatment or chemotherapy, more quickly, and that the quicker diagnoses often reduced the anxiety patients felt while waiting for test results.

“It is a game changer,” he added.

The new method has returned results for diagnosing types of brain tumours in as little as 90 minutes

Prof Matt Loose, a biologist at the University of Nottingham’s School of Life Sciences, developed the new method using software dubbed ROBIN.

Using nanopore genetic sequencing, he said, scientists are able to choose which parts of the DNA to look at in detail, delivering a faster result.

He said: “Sadly most brain tumours are incredibly aggressive and waiting six to eight weeks, or however long, for every subsequent test may be too long for

Scientists discover key to fatburning power in human cells

About a decade ago, a new generation of weight-loss drugs promised a slimmer, healthier future. But there was a catch: while these medications helped shed fat, they also led to a loss of muscle mass.

Now, scientists may be on the verge of a breakthrough. In a serendipitous discovery, Professor Atan Gross from the Weizmann Institute of Science and his team identified a protein in muscle cells called MTCH2, or “Mitch” for short, that plays a key role in metabolism. When they turned off the Mitch gene in mice, something amazing happened. The animals not only became resistant to obesity, but their endurance soared, all thanks to a significant boost in metabolic activity.

Building on that success, Gross’s team recently took the research a step further. In a new study published in The EMBO Journal, they found that switching off Mitch in human cells also sped up the burning of fats and carbohydrates. Even more exciting, it stopped new fat cells from forming altogether.

Back in the mouse studies, the results were just as impressive. The mice didn’t just avoid gaining weight. They actually developed more muscle fibers, which are known to consume lots of oxygen and improve stamina.

These welcome changes led to improved performance in stress tests and heart function but left researchers facing a mystery: How does silencing the expression of a single protein “inoculate” the body

that patient.

“Now we can get the results within hours and that can happen within an operation while a patient is still in theatre.”

Gemma’s daughter Nancy was diagnosed with a brain tumour aged just one in 2023.

The now two-year-old had two brain surgeries, then high-dose chemotherapy treatment to prevent the cancer from coming back.

Gemma, from Castle Donington in Leicestershire, said: “From Nancy’s first surgery to finding out what that tumour was, it was two weeks, and that was two weeks of pure hell and anxiety.

“But to have it done that quick, it could have saved her that extra brain surgery.”

Nancy is now in remission and has become the face of a national TV advert for Young Lives vs Cancer, a charity that supported the family during her treatment.

Charles Trigg, who lives near Market Harborough in Leicestershire, was diagnosed with a stage four aggressive glioblastoma tumour in April.

He was told his tumour was the size of a golf ball.

The 45-year-old, who has been treated by Mr Smith, said: “To have knowledge is power and it could be the worst knowledge you have, but it gives you certainty, and having

that certainty actually makes life a hell of a lot easier.

“The fact they’ve been able to get back data very quickly that allows an extensive team of people to conduct detailed reviews feels like an amazing blend of science and medicine.

“The pace is phenomenal, and it gives you that certainty and clarity, regardless of whether you like the information, I can’t change the information, but what I can do, is take the information I’ve been given early - and absorb it, feel it and start to plan for the next stage.”

Brain tumours are the biggest cancer killer of children and adults under 40, according to The Brain Tumour Charity.

Dr Simon Newman, the charity’s chief scientific officer, said: “The delivery of an accurate diagnosis within hours of surgery will be transformative for all patients ensuring rapid access to the optimal standard of care and - cruciallyremoving the uncertainty patients face when having to wait weeks for their diagnosis and prognosis.”

Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital and King’s College Hospital in London are among those now setting up their own testing of the method alongside their existing processes. (BBC)

against obesity and, at the same time, improve muscular endurance? The search for an answer led them to the power plants of the cell, the tiny mitochondria organelles responsible for producing energy and driving cellular metabolism.

THE ROLE OF MITOCHONDRIA IN METABOLISM

We can learn a lot about the mitochondria simply by observing their shape and distribution within the cell. These organelles can fuse together, forming an extensive network of power plants that are highly efficient producers of energy, or they can exist as separate organelles that are less efficient at generating energy. To overcome the decrease in efficiency, these

Obesity continues to be a significant global health challenge

separate organelles must use a variety of energy resources – such as fat, carbohydrates, and proteins – at a higher rate.

Over the years, Gross’s team in Weizmann’s Immunology and Regenerative Biology Department discovered that in addition to regulating metabolism, Mitch is one of the key regulators governing mitochondrial fusion, which helps us to understand the findings in mice. But would silencing Mitch have similar results in humans?

In the new study, the researchers,

led by doctoral student Sabita Chourasia, examined what happens to human cells when the Mitch protein is deleted by means of genetic engineering. The scientists found that the mitochondrial network then collapses, the organelles separate, the efficiency of energy production declines –and the cell goes into a permanent state of energy deprivation. This might sound like a nightmare scenario, but sometimes the lack

Science & Technology

Tropical forests destroyed at fastest recorded rate last year

The world’s tropical forests, which provide a crucial buffer against climate change, disappeared faster than ever recorded last year, new satellite analysis suggests.

Researchers estimate that 67,000 sq km (26,000 sq mi) of these pristine, old-growth forests were lost in 2024 – an area nearly as large as the Republic of Ireland, or 18 football pitches a minute.

Fires were the main cause, overtaking land clearances from agriculture for the first time on record, with the Amazon faring particularly badly amid record drought.

There was more positive news in South East Asia, however, with government policies helping to reduce forest loss.

Tropical rainforests store hundreds of billions of tonnes of carbon in soils and woody trunks. But this new global record raises further questions about their resilience on a warming planet.

Many researchers are concerned some forests, such as parts of the Amazon, may be approaching a “tipping point”, beyond which they could fall into irreversible decline.

“The tipping point idea is, I think, increasingly the right one,” said Prof Matthew Hansen, codirector of GLAD laboratory at the University of Maryland, which produces the data.

Prof Hansen described the new results as “frightening”, and warned of the possible “savannisation” of the rainforest,

where old-growth tropical forests die back and permanently switch to savanna.

“It’s still a theory, but I think that that’s more and more plausible looking at the data.”

A separate study, published last week, made a similar warning of possible significant dieback of the Amazon if global warming exceeds the international target of 1.5C.

This would not only threaten the vibrant array of wildlife living in these most biodiverse habitats, but would also have serious ramifications for the global climate.

Until recently, the Amazon had been doing humanity a favour, absorbing more planet-warming

carbon dioxide (CO2) than it released.

But the burning of these forests emits huge amounts of CO2 –adding to warming rather than limiting it.

In 2023-24, the Amazon experienced its worst drought on record, fuelled by climate change and the natural warming El Niño weather pattern.

Many fires are started deliberately to clear land for agriculture, making it difficult to disentangle the two.

But the drought provided ideal conditions for fires to spread out of control, with Brazil and Bolivia most badly affected.

While only a single year, it fits the expected pattern of more intense tropical fires in a warming world.

“I think we are in a new phase, where it’s not just the clearing for agriculture that’s the main driver,” said Rod Taylor of the World Resources Institute (WRI), which is also behind the latest report.

“Now we have this new amplifying effect, which is a real climate change feedback loop, where fires are just much more intense and much more ferocious than they’ve ever been.”

In total, the record loss of the world’s old-growth (primary) tropical forests released 3.1 billion tonnes of planet-warming gases, the researchers estimate.

That’s roughly the same as the emissions of the European Union.

SIGNS OF PROGRESS

Countries in South East Asia, however, bucked the global trend.

The area of primary forest loss in Indonesia fell by 11% compared to 2023, for example, despite drought conditions.

This was the result of a concerted effort by governments and communities working together to enforce “no burning” laws, according to Elizabeth Goldman, co-director of the Global Forest Watch project at WRI.

“Indonesia serves as a bright spot in the 2024 data,” she said.

“Political will is a key factor of success - it’s impossible otherwise,”

Scientists propose novel way of treating ...

of energy and its inefficient production can be beneficial – as, for example, when the goal is to offset overeating or to stimulate the use of fat deposits and prevent the accumulation of fat.

“After deleting Mitch, we examined, every few hours, the effect that had on more than 100 substances taking part in metabolism in human cells,” Chourasia explains. “We saw an increase in cellular respiration, the process in which the cell produces energy from nutrients, such as carbohydrates and fats, using oxygen. This explains the increase in muscular endurance in previous experiments using mice.”

BURNING FAT, NOT JUST CALORIES

To increase the rate of their respiration, cells need more nutrients, which serve as fuel in the energy production process.

The researchers saw that the high demand for fuel caused the human cells from which they had deleted Mitch to “burn” more deposits of substances like fats, carbohydrates, and amino acids. Moreover, while regular cells use more carbohydrates and proteins, rather than fats, to produce energy, cells without Mitch rely largely on fat to produce energy and to grow.

“We discovered that deleting Mitch led to a major drop in fats in

membranes,” Gross explains. “At the same time, we saw an increase in fatty substances used to produce energy, and we realized that the fat was being broken down from the membrane to be used as fuel. In other words, we showed that Mitch determines the fate of fat in human cells.”

During the next stage of the study, the researchers discovered that Mitch’s involvement in the accumulation of fat in the body goes even further. Since it was known that women with obesity have elevated levels of Mitch, the researchers postulated that this protein is vital not only for mitochondrial fusion but also for fat cell differentiation, in which

agreed Gabriel Labbate, head of climate change mitigation at the United Nations forests programme UNREDD, which was not involved in today’s report.

Other countries, including Brazil, have seen success in the past with similar approaches, but started to see losses increase again in 2014 following a change in government policies.

Prof Hansen said that although the progress in South East Asia was positive, the fluctuations in forest loss in Brazil show that protection policies have to be consistent.

“The key we haven’t seen yet is sustained success in reducing and maintaining low levels of conversion of these ecosystems and if you were interested in conserving the environment you have to win always and forever,” he told BBC News.

The researchers agree that this year’s UN climate summit COP30 - which is being hosted in the Amazon - will be critical for sharing and promoting forest protection schemes.

One proposal is to reward countries which maintain tropical forests through payments. The detail is still to be worked out but has promise, according to Rod Taylor.

“I think it’s an example of an innovation that addresses one of the fundamental issues that at the moment there’s more money to be made by chopping forests down than keeping them standing,” he said. (BBC)

CONTINUED FROM  57

progenitor cells accumulate fat and turn into mature fat cells.

“When we deleted Mitch from the progenitor cells, we discovered that the environment created in these cells was not conducive to the synthesis of new fats,” Gross explains. “Reducing the ability to synthesize membranes prevents the cells from growing, developing, and reaching the point where differentiation is possible. The process of fat accumulation requires a large amount of available energy, but in cells without Mitch, there is a shortage of energy. In addition, the expression of genes necessary for differentiation is suppressed, and there is a shortage of the

substances vital for this process to occur. As a result, differentiation of new fat cells is reduced, along with fat accumulation.”

In light of these promising findings, Gross’s lab is currently working, in collaboration with Bina – the Weizmann Institute’s translational research unit that identifies early-stage projects with applicative potential – on a comprehensive program to develop a novel small molecule that inhibits Mitch and may serve as an effective treatment for obesity. The program is being carried out in partnership with Yeda Research and Development Company, Weizmann’s technology transfer arm. (Sciencetechdaily)

Researchers estimate that 67,000 sq km (26,000 sq mi) of these pristine, old-growth forests were lost in 2024 – an area nearly as large as the Republic of Ireland

Sports

Pacquiao coming out of retirement to face Barrios

Manny Pacquiao will come out of retirement to face Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight championship on July 19 in Las Vegas, the 46-year-old Filipino boxer said on Wednesday.

Pacquiao is the only boxer to win world championships in a record eight weight divisions while he was also the oldest welterweight world champion in history at the age of 40 in 2019.

A Filipino senator from 2016 to 2022, Pacquiao had retired from boxing in 2021 while he also ran for president in 2022.

“I’m back. On July 19, I return to the ring to face WBC Welterweight Champion Mario Barrios at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Let’s make history,” Pacquiao wrote on Instagram.

The southpaw, who has 62 wins, eight losses and two draws in a 72-fight career, was also elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2025.

Barrios, a Mexican-American boxer, has 29 wins in 32 bouts, winning 18 by knockout and losing twice. (CNN)

Tottenham Hotspur wins first trophy in 17 years

Tottenham Hotspur defeated Manchester United 1-0 to win the Europa League final on Wednesday in Bilbao, Spain.

The victory secured Spurs their first title in 17 years.

Athletic Bilbao’s Estadio de San Mamés was full of tears of joy from Tottenham fans clad in white and players alike at the fulltime whistle as the team abolished the reputation for not finishing big matches.

It’s a major moment for Spurs as they win the club’s first trophy since 2008 and first continental silverware since the 1983-84 season. The north London club has struggled to shake off the reputation of being “nearly good enough” over the last decade and celebrated the win as if it was their first trophy in nearly two decades.

The first half was sloppy, with both teams unable to take control of the game or create genuine goal chances.

Carlsen held to draw by 143,000 opponents in largest ever online chess game

Magnus Carlsen is vastly successful against just one opponent. And even when he came up against many more, the Norwegian showed he can hold his own.

The five-time world chess champion was competing in the ‘Magnus vs. The World’ competition – an online chess match which allowed the public to test themselves against arguably the greatest player of all time.

And after 46 days competing, the contest – the largest online chess game ever held, according to Chess.com – ended in a draw after 32 moves when the public forced a threefold repetition in a queen endgame to earn a half-point for either side.

“Overall, the World has played very, very sound chess,” Carlsen told Chess.com as the game came to a close. “Kind of from the start, maybe not going for the most enterprising options, but keeping it in the vein of normal chess. It’s not always the best strategy, but it seemed like it worked fine this time.”

The format meant that each side had 24 hours to make a move. After Carlsen made his opening gambit, Team World voted on what

it would do next.

The public was aided in its endeavor by a panel of five coaches, including WGM Dina Belenkaya, NM Dane Mattson, IM David “Divis” Martinez, IM David Pruess and GM Benjamin Bok.

The event shattered the records for participation in a online chess game, passing the previous record of 70,000 set for the ‘Vishy vs. The World’ last year.

When ‘Magnus vs. The World’ began on April 4, 100,000 had signed up with that number rising to 143,000 over the course of the game. According to Chess.com, there were 508,000 votes cast and

more than 30,000 forum comments posted over the six weeks of competition.

“I’m thrilled to see the incredible reception and enthusiasm from the community,” Sam Copeland, Chess.com’s head of community, said afterwards.

“This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for players of all levels to suggest, discuss, and debate their chess ideas in competition with the greatest chess player of all time. The coordination and collaboration among the players were impressive, and we are deeply grateful to Magnus for his participation in the match.” (CNN)

Spurs struck late in the half through midfielder Brennan Johnson.

In the 42nd minute, Tottenham’s midfielder Pape Sarr whipped a right-footed cross into the area, with the ball deflecting off Man United’s Luke Shaw and then getting a slight touch from Spurs’ top scorer in all competitions.

The scrappy goal from the Welshman sent Tottenham fans into euphoria, while fans wearing red remained seated and dejected just ahead of the half.

The highlight of the match, at least the most athletic, came in the second half: with United pressing for an equalizer, Micky Van de Ven flashed a moment of brilliance.

After United’s free-kick was blundered by Tottenham keeper Guglielmo Vicario, Red Devils forward Rasmus Højlund snapped an uncontested header toward an unguarded goal, only for the Dutchman to fill the gaping space

It’s a major moment for Spurs as they win the club’s first trophy since 2008 and first continental silverware since the 1983-84 season

with an acrobatic scissor kick goal clearance to preserve the lead in the 62nd minute. Later, Vicario made amends with a nifty stretch save on Alejandro Garnacho and then an even better stop on Luke Shaw near the end to preserve the clean sheet and the win.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

By winning the competition, Tottenham qualifies for the continent’s top club competition, the Champions League, next season – despite how dreadful the club’s recent domestic performances have been.

Both English teams have been experiencing frustrating, parallel worlds as the pair have struggled mightily in the Premier League. Tottenham lies in 17th place

in the table, losing 21 times this season, while Manchester United lies one spot ahead in 16th position, having won just four league games since the turn of the year. The title represented a historical achievement for Tottenham star Son Heung-min. After the match, Spurs noted that he was the first club captain from South Korea to lead his team to a major European trophy. (CNN)

Manny Pacquiao is now 46

Magnus Carlsen’s game against the public ended in a draw after 46 days of competition

Sports International

Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai GilgeousAlexander named 2024-25 NBA MVP

Oklahoma City Thunder star guard

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was named NBA Most Valuable Player for the 2024-25 regular season for the first time in his career on Wednesday.

Gilgeous-Alexander said he tried “so hard to not think about” winning the MVP award throughout the season but gave credit to his teammates for the honor.

“Just worry about playing basketball and getting better and trying to win games,” he told the NBA on TNT crew with his Thunder teammates sitting all around him.

“But as a competitor, and as a kid dreaming of the game, it’s always in the back of your mind. I’m very thankful to be on this side of the ballot. But none of it is possible without the guys behind me. The amount of games we won, the fashion we won the games, is so impressive. Probably the main reason I got the award – so without them it’s not possible.”

The seven-year pro out of the University of Kentucky averaged a league-leading 32.7 points per game as the Thunder finished the season an NBA-best 68-14. The Canadian also averaged 5.0 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.0 blocks per game during the campaign.

In somewhat of a parallel to the playoffs, where OKC knocked off the Denver Nuggets in seven games to move into the Western Conference Finals, GilgeousAlexander fought off three-time league MVP Nikola Jokic – who averaged an incredible tripledouble on the year – to win the

Footballer admits to orchestrating the smuggling of around $800K of cannabis into UK

Footballer Jay Emmanuel-Thomas has admitted to orchestrating the smuggling of 60 kilograms (roughly 132 pounds) of cannabis worth around $800,000 (£600,000), according to the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA).

Emmanuel-Thomas, whose former clubs include Premier League sides Arsenal and Ipswich Town, recruited two women to collect the cannabis from Thailand and transport it back to the UK, the NCA said in a statement.

charged with smuggling cannabis. However, the pair believed that they were transporting gold in two suitcases each, according to the NCA, and were acquitted with no evidence offered against them. They were taken into custody after arriving from Bangkok.

award.

The Thunder star previously finished runner-up to Jokic in last year’s voting and fifth following the 2022-23 season.

Jokic finished second in the MVP voting this year while Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo came in third place.

Gilgeous-Alexander is the third Thunder player to win the award, after Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.

This is the seventh consecutive year an international player has won the award. The last American player to win the honour was James Harden in the 2017-18 season. (CNN)

The NCA added that the case at Chelmsford Crown Court was adjourned on Wednesday with a sentencing date to be confirmed. The maximum sentence for cannabis importation into the UK is up to 14 years in prison, according to the NCA.

“It is believed Thomas … was the intermediary between suppliers in Thailand and drug pushers in the UK,” the NCA said in a press release.

The two women were originally

The 34-year-old forward was playing for Scottish side Greenock Morton around the time of his arrest in September last year. The club subsequently terminated his contract with immediate effect.

“Organised crime groups make significant profits by trafficking and selling perceived high-quality cannabis legally grown in the US, Canada and Thailand illegally in the UK,” NCA senior investigating officer David Philips said in a statement.

“Organised criminals like Thomas can be very persuasive and offer payment to couriers. But the risk of getting caught is very high and it simply isn’t worth it.”

Yu Zidi, a 12-year-old Chinese swimming ‘sensation,’ sets 200-meter individual medley record

200-meter individual medley.

Yu clocked a time of 2:10.63 at the Chinese National Championships in Shenzen on Sunday, finishing second behind two-time Olympic bronze medalist Yu Yiting.

The time would have seen the younger Yu qualify for the

semifinals at last year’s Paris Olympics and took almost two seconds off her personal best.

“12-year-old sensation alert!”

World Aquatics posted on X. “Yu Zidi just swam a blazing 2:10.63 in the women’s 200m IM at the Chinese Nationals – the fastest ever time by a 12-year-old.”

Yu, who turns 13 in October, missed out on qualifying for the Paris Olympics but could earn a spot on China’s team for

the upcoming World Aquatics Championships in Singapore in July, per Reuters. She followed up her stellar 200m IM performance with a second-place finish in the 200m butterfly semifinals, finishing in 2:08.52 and qualifying for Wednesday’s final. The Chinese National Championships began on May 17 and are set to conclude on May 24. (CNN)

Chinese swimmer Yu Zidi has been described as a “sensation” after producing the fastest ever time by a 12-year-old in the

Yu Zidi competes in the women’s 200-meter freestyle semifinal at the Chinese National Championships

Jay Emmanuel-Thomas is seen playing for Scottish side Greenock Morton before the club released him in Glasgow, Scotland

Oklahoma City guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has won the NBA Most Valuable Player of the year award for the 2024-25 regular season

Sports International

NFL owners decide not to ban controversial tush push play

The controversial “tush push” play will not be banned for the upcoming NFL season.

A vote on whether the tush push would be permitted going forward was tabled at an owners meeting in April, but its fate was once again up for debate when they reconvened at the Spring League Meeting on Wednesday in Minnesota. In order to pass any motion, there needs to be a 75% majority in favor of the rule change among NFL owners, with 24 out of 32 votes needed.

The short-yardage play, which involves the multiple offensive players pushing the quarterback a few yards as the offensive line pushes forward, has been a key element in the Eagles’ success of late, helping the team in its quest to lift the Lombardi Trophy this past season.

Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported 10 teams voted against the ban.

The Philadelphia Eagles, who have popularized the play with their success when using it, celebrated the news of the tush push play with a photo on X that has the words “Push On.” The photo the Eagles used with the post, notably, was a Philadelphia game against the Green Bay Packers. The Packers had submitted a proposal to outlaw it on safety and competitiveness grounds.

Retired Eagles center Jason Kelce joined the cause for his former team in persuading enough support to avoid the ban, traveling to Minnesota to speak at the meeting.

After the vote, Kelce declined to speak to the media, according to reporters on site.

“(Kelce) was very articulate and gave his description,” NFL competition committee chairman Rich McKay said. “We heard

from the Eagles. Then we heard from a lot of teams in the room.

We watched some video and took all the necessary vote counts and realized that was not a rule that was ready to be passed.

“I’d say it’s not disappointing for me, for our committee, for the committees that did the work, because it takes 24 votes to pass anything. We don’t set a low bar.”

The amended proposal had recommended that pushing or pulling a runner “in any direction at any time” or lifting him to his feet would be banned, meaning the tush push and any other play where the player with the ball is pushed, pulled or lifted would be outlawed.

On the eve of the vote, the Packers amended their proposal to focus on the banning of offensive players “assisting the runner.”

WHAT IS THE TUSH PUSH?

The tush push rose to prominence a few years ago when the Eagles began deploying it in short-yardage situations.

It is a running play in which the ball is snapped to the quarterback, who then plunges forward into the offensive line. While the linemen push forward, the quarterback is then pushed from behind by a tight end and a running back, akin to a scrum in rugby.

The combined efforts usually result in a short-yardage gain that is enough for either a first down or a touchdown and the Eagles’ version of the play is usually unstoppable.

Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts – who is the person with the ball in his hands and is being pushed from behind – has benefitted greatly from this play, with the majority of his 52 rushing touchdowns over the last four seasons coming from the tush push.

It became a key driving factor in the team reaching the Super Bowl two years ago and in their title success last season.

Like many other aspects across the NFL, other teams have tried to adopt the tush push with varying success, while the Eagles remain

the masters of it.

WHY DID TEAMS WANT IT OUTLAWED?

Despite the success of the tush push, it has become a controversial play, with some arguing it takes away competitiveness and makes football less exciting.

The play, which bears similarities to the old-school quarterback sneak, has also led to safety concerns, with players pushing against one another with all their force in such close proximity.

Green Bay, which was beaten handily by the Eagles in the wildcard round of the playoffs as Philadelphia went on to win Super Bowl LIX, was the team to table the motion to ban the play, with CEO and team president Mark Murphy saying the tush push was “bad for the game.”

“There is no skill involved and it is almost an automatic first down on plays of a yard or less,” Murphy added. “We should go

back to prohibiting the push of the runner. This would bring back the traditional QB sneak. That worked pretty well for Bart Starr and the Packers in the Ice Bowl (in 1967).”

The rule proposal submitted by the Packers suggested that the rules change to “prohibit an offensive player from pushing a teammate who was lined up directly behind the snapper and receives the snap, immediately at the snap.”

Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott – one of three coaches on the league’s competition committee – said that the Packers’ proposal “takes away the force” of the play, prioritizing player welfare.

“Traditional quarterback sneaks have been around for a long time,” he previously has told reporters. “I think that’s the context of it that’s important. Then you know the pushing of it adds the force piece, which again is, I think that exponentially raises my concern.”

Ahead of the decision, Eagles stars Jordan Mailata and AJ Brown discussed the play, with both sounding unbothered by the possibility of it being outlawed. Brown said it was “only a oneyard play,” while Mailata went as far to say he hoped it would be banned, solely because of the name.

“In terms of them banning the tush push, I hate that name, so I hope they do ban it. It’s a stupid name,” Mailata joked. “But I can’t control it. We can’t control it.

“We don’t even worry about it. Right now, we’re just installing our schemes, whatever KP (offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo) is installing that day, that’s what we’re focused on because worrying about if they’re going to ban the tush push or not, ain’t going to win us a championship.” (CNN)

Novak Djokovic earned his first clay-court victory of the 2025 season, defeating Hungary’s Márton Fucsovics 6-2, 6-3 to reach the quarterfinals of the Geneva Open.

It was Djokovic’s first win on clay since he secured gold at the Paris Olympics in August to complete the career singles Golden Slam: winning all four grand slam singles events and the Olympic

singles gold medal.

The Serbian star was dominant throughout – never facing a break point – and his performance was a stark improvement on recent firstround exits in Monte-Carlo and Madrid.

“My first win this season on clay, obviously it’s great to break the ice in a way,” Djokovic said in his on-court interview. “It’s a very

demanding surface. “We all know how tricky it is to play on clay, compared to the other surfaces you always have to expect an extra one or two shots, balls coming back.

“Here there is a bit more altitude so it helps in you have a good serve, and today, I think that was my strongest shot. I had a very high percentage of first serves, a lot of free points on the first serve

“It makes life on court a bit easier. Very glad to be able to play the best tennis when it was

most needed. All the way through ‘til the last moment I was quite focused and pleased with my level of tennis. Hopefully, that can continue tomorrow.” (CNN)

The tush push has been utilized by the Philadelphia Eagles to great success

Novak Djokovic ended a three-match losing streak

Olympics when I needed to get myself out of trouble.

Sports National

TCIFA expands football development with C-Licence course

The Turks and Caicos Islands Football Association (TCIFA) successfully hosted the first phase of its C-Licence Coaching Course from 16–18 May 2025 at the TCIFA National Academy.

The initiative is a crucial milestone in the association’s efforts to gain full inclusion in the Concacaf Coaching Convention at the C-Licence Level.

The C-Licence Coaching Course aligns with Concacaf’s drive to standardise coaching conventions across member associations. Meeting these standards ensures coaches fulfil the minimum requirements necessary for coaching audits and certification within the region. Once officially recognised within the Concacaf Coaching Convention, the TCIFA C-Licence will hold validity across all member nations, expanding opportunities for coaches and

enhancing the overall quality of football education in the Turks and Caicos.

Following the in-person segment of the course, participating coaches will enter a six-week development phase, combining online learning with practical assignments designed to reinforce key coaching principles. This structured approach allows candidates to refine their techniques, integrate new strategies, and prepare for final assessments. Those requiring additional evaluations will have opportunities for reassessment to complete their certification.

Leading the course were TCIFA Head of Coach Education Damien Grant and TCIFA Technical Director Dane Ritchie, supported by FIFA Technical Expert John Peacock, who was invited under the FIFA/Concacaf Coach Educator’s Mentorship Programme. Peacock

Pro Tennis Academy TCI: Inspiring the next generation of players

Aiming to inspire the next generation of tennis stars, Pro Tennis Academy TCI has launched a dynamic initiative to introduce preteens to the game. Through its Tennis Talent Search Programme, held every Saturday from 9:00 am to 10:00 am at the Venetian Club, children aged 7 to 12 are given the perfect opportunity to step onto the court, whether they are beginners or already passionate about the sport.

With certified coaches leading the sessions, the academy is determined to nurture young talent, offering participants the chance to refine their skills while staying active and engaged. Beyond basic training, standout players may even earn spots in the academy’s

Participants of the course

provided evaluations and feedback to coach educators, ensuring the delivery aligned with international coaching competency frameworks.

Looking ahead, TCIFA will launch a “Train the Trainers” programme, designed to expand coaching education by equipping new instructor-level educators with the necessary skills to sustain progress in football development.

“This C-Licence course marks a historic milestone for the TCIFA as we take meaningful steps towards

full inclusion in the Concacaf Coaching Convention,” Grant said. “It’s not just about meeting standards—it’s about raising them. We aim to empower local coaches with the knowledge, tools, and confidence to lead with purpose and develop players effectively.”

Dane Ritchie emphasised the significance of this initiative in building a sustainable coaching framework. “The delivery of the course has progressed very well, with candidates responding

positively to the teaching methods,” he said. “Thanks to the support from FIFA, Concacaf, and the TCIFA leadership, we are moving towards officially becoming part of the Concacaf Coaching Convention at the C-Licence Level.”

The Turks and Caicos Islands Football Association remains committed to elevating coaching standards, reinforcing football education, and nurturing the next generation of coaches and players in the region.

structured youth development programme.

This initiative is not just about playing tennis—it is about fostering discipline, athleticism, and a love for the game at an early age. Pro Tennis Academy TCI aims to help preteens gain confidence in their abilities while ensuring that tennis becomes accessible to all.

As interest in the sport continues to grow across TCI, organisers are optimistic that this programme will spark enthusiasm among youngsters, potentially paving the way for future champions.

For more information or to register, interested participants can message the academy or call Coach Rey at 649-441-7537.

Some of the children in this photo are already learning the sport

Co-ed High School Volleyball Tournament set for June 7

Four schools have signed up for the Co-ed High School Volleyball Tournament, which will be played at the Gus Lightbourne Sports Complex on June 7th from 9:30am.

According to information from the Sports Commission, A. Louise Thomas Garland High School, Wesley Methodist High School, British West Indies Collegiate and Clement

Howell High School will do battle.

The event is sponsored by TC Crystal. For more information, contact Dwight Myrie on (649) 243-8729.

Sports National

TCI will battle against Cayman, Anguilla, Guyana and Antigua & Barbuda in CFU U-14

Turks and Caicos Islands will face Cayman Islands, Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, and Guyana in Group C of Tier II at the 2025 CFU U-14 Challenge Series Girls, set to take place from August 1524 in Trinidad and Tobago. The competition will see 23 Member Associations battle for regional honours, with Tier II featuring a round-robin format to determine group winners.

TCI and its group rivals will each play four matches in the opening phase, aiming for a top finish that would secure a place in the Tier II semi-finals. Additionally, the best second-place team across the three groups will advance to the knockout stage.

Introduced in 2018, the Challenge Series offers young players an entry point into international football while also The FA continues to invest in

Over 120 participate in Let’s Move TCI Island Run

The Let’s Move TCI Island Run saw an impressive turnout of 123 participants, bringing together runners, walkers and fitness enthusiasts in a push to promote healthier lifestyles across the Turks and Caicos Islands. The event featured three race categories—a 5K, 10K and Half Marathon— allowing individuals of all fitness levels to take part.

Among the competitors, several standout performances were recorded. Kevern De Bellott secured victory in the men’s Half Marathon with a time of 1:35.3, followed by Toby Sheppard in 1:39.0 and Ali Davidson Higgs in 1:51.4. In the women’s race, Leila Nortje claimed first place in 1:58.3, edging out Jessica Carey (1:59.0) and Mary Jimenez (2:04.4).

The 10K run saw Love Joseph take the top spot for the men in 44:28.6, with Owayne Hanson (47:08.2) and Keron Clarke (47:31.9) rounding out the podium. On the women’s side, Karyn Downes finished first in 51:54.2, ahead of Sian Evans (54:34.2) and Claire McAvinchey (57:33.1).

In the 5K run, Jackinson Saint Juste led the men’s field

with a winning time of 22:20.6, narrowly beating Fernando Ayuso (22:20.8) and Thony Francios (22:37.1). For the women, Tanaire Gardiner crossed the finish line first in 26:05.7, followed by Haley Gardiner (28:36.3) and Daphenie Joseph (29:54.2).

Government officials praised the event for encouraging healthier lifestyles and fostering community spirit. Minister of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture, Hon Rachel Taylor, who participated in the 5K, commended the initiative for inspiring wellness and applauded the organisers for their efforts. Minister of Health and Human Services, Hon Kyle Knowles, highlighted the importance of taking charge of personal health, expressing pride in the collaboration supporting the campaign. Director of Sports, Jarrett Forbes, also celebrated the participants, stressing that every effort towards fitness makes a difference.

The Let’s Move TCI Committee extended its gratitude to all participants, volunteers and supporters who helped make the event possible.

serving as a training platform for regional referees and match officials. The tournament aligns with the CFU’s developmental agenda, ensuring teams compete at an age-appropriate level that fosters growth.

The strength of competition in Group C will depend on factors such as past performances, team preparation, and development programs. The Cayman Islands has shown competitive ability in previous tournaments, while Guyana has an expanding football program that could make them a formidable opponent. However, the tournament itself will ultimately determine the toughest matchups.

With the official schedule to be confirmed in the coming weeks, all eyes will be on the Caribbean’s next generation as they take centre stage in Trinidad and Tobago.

The respective winners of the events