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Save The Bays Congratulates Government on Freedom of Information Act Consultation, Urges ‘Real Teeth’ in Final Version of Legislation

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For immediate release on or after April 18, 2016

Fast-growing environmental movement Save The Bays today applauded the government’s announcement that it would pass a Freedom of Information Act this year following public consultation.

“Freedom of Information is one of the basic tenets of any democracy and was one of the first five goals for which Save The Bays was founded,” said Joseph Darville, chairman of the organization with nearly 20,000 friends on Facebook. “We congratulate the government of The Bahamas and the Minister of Education, Science and Technology, Jerome Fitzgerald, under whose portfolio Freedom of Information falls.”
Save The Bays Chairman Joseph Darville
While Darville offered plaudits for what Save The Bays continually says is “the principle of the public’s right to know the public’s business,” he also urged the government to pass a bill with real teeth.

“We don’t want the dentures version of this legislation,” he said. “We want a bill with real teeth. The public has a right to know the decisions that are made on our behalf, decisions that are made hopefully for our benefit and for the benefit of generations to come and decisions that rely on our, the taxpayer’s, funds for implementation. Paying lip service to freedom of information and then couching the legislation in terms of not releasing much of that information using words like ‘not available because of a national security risk’ will not do. Bahamians are becoming increasingly savvy and we won’t fall for a national security risk answer any time we ask a reasonable question concerning the signing of a contract or the approval for a development, the granting of Crown Land or the sale of natural resources.”

Members of the media and the Bahamas Press Club have been calling for freedom of information legislation for years. The call grew louder in recent months as continuing dump fires fowled the air and filled the skies with toxic fumes while the contract with a new dump management company remains a secret.

“Members of the medical community have warned of both short-term and long-term dangers from the smoke; hundreds, maybe as many as a thousand, demonstrated in black with masks over their faces in a peaceful march organized by RABL last week and yet we still do not have access to information that should be in the public domain,” said Darville. “Introducing an amended bill and inviting extensive public consultation online as well as at town hall meetings is a positive move in the right direction.”

A Freedom of Information Act was passed by the former administration, but never signed into law. When the present government came into power in May 2012, it promised to review and introduce an act, later saying the bill in its current form was flawed and lacking in strong regulations. It debated between a complete re-write and amending the former legislation. Earlier this month, Fitzgerald announced a substantially amended version would be available for public consultation and comment.

“Despite the headlines in various papers, Save The Bays wishes to take the high road that we must all walk if we are going to reach a consensus on how important the environment is to each and every single person in this great nation and learning what our government – whichever government is in power, it does not matter – learning what our government is doing with regard to development, marine protection, natural resources, air and water quality is an essential tool for quality survival.”

A petition that includes calling for Freedom of Information among other principles has drawn nearly 7,000 signatures on the Save The Bays website www.savethebays.bs and news is constantly updated on its Facebook page.

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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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