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NATIONAL YOUTH WEEK ADDRESS 2013 by Opposition Leader,Hon. Sharlene Cartwright Robinson

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Sharlene Cartwright1Yesterday and today we mark the beginning of Youth Week 2013 with Church Services and I commend the organisers for commencing this week long celebration in this manner.

As I reflect on the beginning of this journey. It was in 1995, the Derek Taylor led Administration deemed it important enough to set aside a day to celebrate our youth. From that day to this, much has been accomplished but there is much to do. However I remain grateful that there remains a commitment to ensure that greater focus is placed on our youth during this week.

At the outset, we wish to thank Mrs Angela Musgrove for her work and commitment over the years and we are sad to see her go but we are certain that she will continue in her avid support for positive youth development. We also wish to congratulate her on her recent recognition and Award from the British Empire.

Youth in this country continue to play pivotal roles and they continue to make contributions, be it positive and negative. It is up to us to ensure that their contributions are more positive than negative and we must recommit ourselves to their positive personal development. We often say that youth are the future leaders and I beg to differ to a certain extent because they are leaders today as well. They may take on more senior leadership roles as we move on but there is a need for a shift in thinking and we are called to recognize that they are already leaders in one respect or another and we must equally embrace them as co leaders today.

I pause to encourage and celebrate our youth who have taken on international, regional and national roles: our Youth Ambassadors, our Youth Parliamentarians, various Student Government Councillors and Prefects. These youth already have great leadership roles and need to be celebrated and encouraged. It is now time to reinforce a comprehensive Youth Policy that will aid the leaders of today and prepare the leaders of tomorrow. This Policy must embrace and plan for all the challenges that our youth face: imprisonment, juvenile delinquency, special needs, gang violence and bullying. They have immediate needs such as technical and vocational training, scholarships and funding for further educational pursuits and employment. These are but a few of the challenges that remain constant. As a member once of the National Youth Council, I was a part of drafting the first National Youth Policy and I am happy to hear that the Government has since revisited the need for this Policy and I look forward to seeing the master plan for youth development in these Islands but I caution that whilst we give to the development of our youth, we must demand more of them and we must establish a National Volunteer Service and Cadet Program, both of which I am convinced will help us as a people in shaping the best adult citizens possible.

In 2000 I spearheaded a Private Member’s Motion in the then Legislative Council that saw the establishment of the Culture Desk now Culture Department and assisted the first Director with a Cultural Policy. A part of that Motion was to feature TCI culture strongly in the week leading up to National Youth Day and the week was named Culture Awareness Week, the week now embraced as Youth Week. I wish to encourage us all to ensure that our children remain exposed to true TCI culture and that we make every effort during every opportunity that presents itself to instilling in our youth what truly makes or ought to make us proud to be Turks and Caicos Islanders. For there to be a shift in the attitudes of our youth as we desire, there must be a true sense of a national pride and a strong sense of ownership and belongership. It is important for them to know who we are as a people so as to give them a true sense of identity.

We are all responsible for the leaders among us – current and future and it is my hope that we use this week to reflect on how are we contributing to the development of our country’s future. Youth are bound to be the future leaders and how we mold them today will determine what type of leaders they will be tomorrow because they will lead this country. May we reflect on the decisions that we make that will impact them today and tomorrow and may we realize that we are all accountable to them and for the future we hand to them.

Youth I ask that you require more of yourself, aim high and make wise decisions. Embrace the opportunities that are made available to you and allow God to lead you on the best path for your life.

As Director of Youth for the TCI Baptist Union and President of the Caribbean Baptist Fellowship Youth Department, I am blessed with the God given role of working with our youth in this country and around the Caribbean. I remain committed to developing our youth for the betterment of nations around this region and at home. I challenge us all to do more as our youth are achieving more: more academically, in sports and other initiatives and they are equally facing more and more challenges.

It calls for a greater investment of our resources and not just financial but also our time. I am calling on the Government to do its part and I am calling on individual citizens to donate to a worthy cause, to give of your time and talents by joining a civic organization today or by lending your support to those organisations that focus on our children Sunday and Sabbath Schools, Youth Ministries, the Kiwanis Club, Soroptimist, Rotary, Path Finders, Boy Scouts, Girl Guides, Brownies, Rainbows and other affiliate Clubs.

It is time we invest in our youth as they are the key. I wholehearted embrace and welcome this year’s theme “Invest in me: I’m the key”.

Youth, enjoy your week!

Sharlene L Cartwright Robinson LLB CLE JP

Magnetic Media is a Telly Award winning multi-media company specializing in creating compelling and socially uplifting TV and Radio broadcast programming as a means for advertising and public relations exposure for its clients.

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DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM REGULATIONS INTRODUCES “RATE YOUR RIDE” SYSTEM FOR TOURISTS VISITING THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS

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FROM THE MINISTRY OF TOURISM

 

Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, 27th March, 2024 – Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands: The Department of Tourism Regulations is proud to unveil the “Rate Your Ride” system, a new initiative designed to enhance the vacation experience for tourists exploring our picturesque islands.

The “Rate Your Ride” system empowers tourists to provide valuable feedback on the quality of transportation services they receive while visiting the Turks and Caicos Islands. Through an easy-to-use online form, tourists can rate factors such as cleanliness, comfort, safety, and professionalism of drivers, helping us to assure the highest quality of service standards across all modes of transportation.

By participating in the “Rate Your Ride” system, tourists play a crucial role in shaping the future of transportation services in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Their feedback will enable us to identify areas for improvement and ensure that every visitor enjoys safe, comfortable, and convenient travel throughout their stay in the Turks and Caicos.

The code will also be publicly accessible through the cooperation of volunteer drivers who will make the rating code available in their vehicles. Flyers and stickers displaying the code will be distributed at hotels, resorts and airports. The mandated display of these codes is expected to align with the rollout of our tourism regulations in 2025.

For more information about the “Rate Your Ride” system and other initiatives by the Department of Tourism Regulations, please visit gov.tc/tourismregulations/or contact us via telephone at 946-4970 and email at tourismregulations@gov.tc.

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THE DEPARTMENT OF BEHAVIOURAL HEALTH SERVICES CONDEMNS RECORDING OF PERSONS WHO ARE IN CRISIS

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FROM THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

 

Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, 27th March 2024– The Department of Behavioral Health Services is appealing to the general public to refrain from recording and circulating videos of persons who may appear to be experiencing a mental health crisis. Anyone can experience a mental health crisis at some point in their life. According to the World Health Organization, 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem in any given year. Persons may struggle with very common conditions such as Anxiety and Depression or be diagnosed with more serious conditions like Bipolar Disorder or Psychosis.

“There are a lot of misunderstandings about various mental health conditions and how they may manifest. In addition, there are a number of negative perceptions and misconceptions that society exhibits towards people with mental health problems. However, just as we would show care and concern for someone diagnosed with Cancer, or any other physical illness, in the same way, we need to be as caring and helpful to persons with mental illnesses”– stated Director of the Department of Behavioral Health Services, Dr. Alicia Malcolm.

The Department is urging the public to call the following numbers if you see someone who appears to be experiencing a mental health crisis:

338-5473/338-3616: Providenciales, North or Middle Caicos

338-3614/338-3612: Grand Turk, South Caicos, Salt Cay

338-6301: Nights and Weekends

If someone is putting themselves or someone else in immediate, serious risk of harm, call 911.

The Department of Behavioral Health services is here to help and provides the following services which are free and confidential:

Location of above services:

o             Sam Harvey Building, Down Town, Providenciales,

o             Primary Health Care Department, Cheshire Hall Medical Center, Providenciales 

o             Department of Behavioural Health, Duncombe Alley, Grand Turk

 

Let’s all do our part in creating a community where people with mental health problems feel respected, supported and cared for. 

For additional information, please visit the Ministry of Health’s Facebook page on https://www.facebook.com/tciministryofhealth/ or the Department of Behavioral Health Services Faceebook on https://www.facebook.com/TCIDBHS/.

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Breaking Ground: TCI Could Lead in Regional Communication Standards

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Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom, 27th March 2024: The PR, marketing, and communications sector is poised for potential growth and could lead the Caribbean region in terms of industry standards says Damian Wilson. Wilson’s suggestion comes after the release of a new research report into the current trends and future direction of the sector as a possible emerging industry in the Turks & Caicos Islands (TCI).

Wilson is the report’s author, which conveys the findings of research which he initiated. “One of the key research results is the considerable optimism by industry practitioners and government alike, with persons seeing growth potential. I believe that we can become regional leaders in this field. I believe that one of the initiatives that could be used to do this is by establishing a ‘TCI Centre of Communications Excellence’ within the TCI Community College. Such an institute would be dedicated to communication and media innovation with a particular focus on digital communications and ICT,” says Wilson.

He further explained, “I believe that the PR, marketing, and communications sector, like much of the country, is at a crossroads and could have an even greater impact on our socio-economic fabric. Some may have concerns about our small size, but I believe this makes us far more agile than our neighbours. All in all, any potential growth must be underpinned by new investments, professional development, and a strategy to integrate the sector into the broader economy.”

Wilson also said that he sees his research as a first step in understanding our own industry sectors in the TCI and would love to see more profound research and analysis conducted. He’s hoping that the report will spark discussion along those lines. The report is entitled ‘Current Trends and Future Direction: A Preliminary Report on the PR, Marketing, and Communications Sector in the Turks & Caicos Islands’. Anyone wanting a copy of the report can contact Damian Wilson via his email, damian.wilson.pr@gmail.com.

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