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TCI: ‘Abject failure’ is PDM governance says former election running mate Connolly

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Hon Josephine Connolly on House Opening Day, June 18, 2018

#GrandTurk, Turks and Caicos Islands – Monday July 9, 2018 – A reminder of her vow to voters was a core part of the presentation by Hon Josephine Connolly following the June 18 delivered Speech from the Throne; but larger than those points were repeated criticisms of the PDM Government by Connolly for its performance this first 18-months.  

“Mr Speaker the one thing I did not hear in the Throne Speech as long as it was, was an admission of the failures of the last eighteen months. And why Mr Speaker, because the last eighteen months have been an unmitigated disaster. No amount of spin, no amount of dissembling, no amount of finger pointing , no amount of dog eat my homework excuses can remove from the lives of the people of this country the consequences of the complete, utter and abject failure of this government.”

Debate on the Throne Speech did come, but not until nearly two weeks after the Governor of the territory expressed the plans of the PDM Administration in a 45-minute speech delivered at the ceremonial Opening of the House of Assembly.

A re-ordering by the Premier, Hon Sharlene Robinson of the agenda, pushed the official response by the Opposition Leader and debate on the Speech back by 11-days.  A move, Hon. Connolly slammed as immature.

“…To move from the worrying lack of courtesy in this house, to an atmosphere where we can disagree without being disagreeable and where the shuffling of the order paper is not political gamesmanship, but a reflection of the priorities of the country.”

H.E. Dr. John Freeman delivering Throne Speech on June 18, 2018

The second All-Island Member of Parliament, who in June 2017 had her position as Minister of Education revoked by the Premier and who is now considered an Independent Parliamentarian, noted the islands and cays still wallowing in damages and destruction from the September hurricanes.

“If you were to travel through the nation’s capital the evidence is there. This Government has not invested a visible dime in restoration works post the hurricanes. Mr. Speaker, the vulnerable are still in a vulnerable state. And Mr. Speaker, while I understand and appreciate the need for strategic management the establishment of the Task Force was publicized months after the passage of the hurricanes. I guess, Mr. Speaker this task force is positioned for, God forbid, the next disaster.”

2014 constructed dock on South Caicos pounded by storm surges. Photo by Magnetic Media, Dec 2017

Hon Connolly on Friday June 29 during House of Assembly pointed to hole-filled public buildings, mold-poisoned public offices and islanders she commended for resilience but expressed her concern that some of those islanders may face medical issues in the long term.

PNP Opposition on House Opening Day, June 18, 2018

“Look at the building in which we are sitting, cast your eyes outside at the adjacent building (I notice the hole in the roof was covered this week) but the effect of mold in that building is so transparent Mr. Speaker that I would not be surprised if the public servants occupying the lower floor have lung issues in the future.  The residents of Salt Cay, South Caicos, Providenciales are still begging for some measure of relief.  So Mr. Speaker, unless there is an alternate meaning of the word ‘swift’ as outlined in the dictionary, pardon me if I do not subscribe to the government’s view of swift.”

Hon. Josephine Connolly, who also now occupies seating nearer the Opposition PNP in the House of Assembly, explained that her desire is for the Government-of-the-day to do more than make rosy promises, but to ensure that election season promises are kept.

“My vision is that the promises I made at the time of the election will become reality so that our nation will not perish.  A vision that government should put the country’s interests first, ahead of special interests, family and party bosses.  A vision based on the conviction that planning and government decision-making should extend beyond the next election cycle.  A vision that our financial resources cannot continue to be used up for the short-term gain and benefits of a privileged few.  A vision that sees government ministers as strong individuals who understand that they have a voice to use in Cabinet, not only at election time and will not be threatened but stand tall and strong.  A vision that the people see through the propaganda of loyalty to this leader or that party, the overriding loyalty has to be to your country and your people.”  

The PDM Administration was accused by Hon. Josephine Connolly of having no vision and suffering from partisan loyalty to the detriment of better service to the Turks and Caicos Islands.

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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Climate Change

Without Action, TCI could lose landmass to Rising Ocean

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Dana Malcolm 
Staff Writer 

We are living in the hottest times ever recorded by mankind, according to new data shared by Copernicus Climate Change Service, (C3S). It’s not just a warmer season, climate records continue to topple like dominoes in a concerning and for many, frightening trend that could have consequences for the Turks and Caicos.

“March 2024 was warmer globally than any previous March in the data record, with an average surface air temperature 10°C above the previous high set in March 2016. This is the tenth month in a row that is the warmest on record for the respective month of the year” the C3S revealed.

To some, that might mean getting a new fan, having AC installed, or spending some extra days at the beach. But in some of the coldest places on earth sheets of ice are melting, contributing to sea level rise, and affecting the Caribbean.

Countries below sea level are most at risk, at the forefront of those calculations is the Turks and Caicos. A November 2023 report cited the TCI, Bahamas, Jamaica, and Cayman,  as facing sea level rise by the end of the century. In that report, the UNDP estimates that without shoreline defenses more than 5 percent of the Turks and Caicos Islands will disappear completely below the ocean. This is the prognosis for The Bahamas, BVI, and Cayman as well.

“The displacement of millions of people and the disruption of economic activity in major business hubs could introduce new elements of instability and increase competition for resources,” the UNDP warned.

The continued temperature records aren’t helping.

“Antarctic sea ice extent was 20% below average, the sixth lowest extent for March in the satellite data record,” the Copernicus Service explains, though in some areas there was more ice than we have seen for several years, it’s not enough to stave off the continued melting.

NASA explains that because floating ice is made of fresh water, it increases sea level slightly when it melts into the salty sea, but its melting ice on land like glaciers that fall into the ocean, and the expansion of seawater as it warms, contribute most to sea level rise.

For coastal countries, this means land loss and for islands, it is a major concern. Already global sea level has risen about 8 inches (0.2 meters) since reliable record-keeping began in 1880 according to NASA . In a 2024 report the space agency said by 2100, scientists project that the sea will rise at least another foot (0.3 meters), but possibly as high as 6.6 feet (2 meters)

When Magnetic Media used the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Sea Level Rise Simulator it didn’t show what would happen to the Turks and Caicos or the Bahamas, but it did have data on Florida which lies just an hour off the coast of Freeport, Bahamas. With only 1 foot of water rise, areas like Key West were completely covered.

The UNDP however,  says there is hope and urges countries to treat the prediction as a call to action rather than an inevitability, as shoreline defences and climate action have the potential to prevent these changes.

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Sandals Foundation and Partners Install and Commission 750 Gallon Ultra-filtration Water Tank at Enid Capron Primary School

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MEDIA RELEASE

 

PROVIDENCIALES, Turks & Caicos Islands, April 17, 2024 – “Thousands have lived without love, but no one has ever lived without water,” according to poet, W. H. Auden. More than 500 students and teachers at the Enid Capron Primary School in Providenciales stand to benefit from a 750 gallons filtration water tank system valued at almost US$15,000 courtesy of the Sandals Foundation, Beaches Turks and Caicos and SIP Water, distributers of ICON LifeSaver®. The system that was recently installed will be able to use harvested rain water along with its ultra-filtered system to provide potable water.

This project had SIP Water, which is the Caribbean Distributors for ICON LifeSaver®, install and commission the system which was handed over to the administrators of the Sandals Foundation adopted school. ICON LifeSaver® is a British company providing some of the safest, potable water purification solutions in the world through supporting organisations.

Paul Girling, Director of SIP Water says, “This system is able to change untreated, contaminated water into ultra-pure, micro-biologically clean drinking water.  Its multi-filtration system removes all micro plastics, bacteria, protozoan cysts and viruses to a minimum level of 99.99% without the need for any electricity or chemicals”.

Minister of Education, Youth, Sports and Social Services and Member of Parliament for the Five Cays area, Hon. Rachel Taylor was present as the system was commissioned. “This is a landmark achievement for the school and the community of Five Cays. This location is an emergency shelter and with the Atlantic Hurricane season not far away, having this in place will serve our students well and by extension, the community. We are grateful for the continued partnership with Sandals Foundation and Beaches Turks and Caicos in giving back to the Turks and Caicos Islands,” Taylor shared.

Beaches Turks and Caicos Managing Director, James McAnally shared, “this project is a giant step towards ensuring the basic necessities in our community are safe and sustainable.  We continue to grow and look at new ways to serve in the areas of education, the community and the environment. This tank will go a long way in helping to improve the quality of life of the children and faculty in the Five Cays community especially during times of disaster.”

Principal at Enid Capron Primary School, Sophia Garland elatedly shared, “our students’ health will be improved as they consume more water daily. This system will provide for us a level of sustainability throughout the school and the community. As an educational institution, we continue to celebrate partnerships with corporate entities that seek to support key infrastructural needs of the students, staff and wider community.”

The ICON LifeSaver® product is environmentally friendly. As a leader in sustainability, this will help in the reduction of plastic bottles. The filters are reusable and typically have a 1-2 year span. This is a patented ultra-filtration technology which is independently tested to the highest portable water standards.

 

Captions:

Header: Paul Girling (left), director of SIP Water, Sophia Garland (2nd left), principal of the Enid Capron Primary school, Hon. Rachel Taylor, Minister of Education, Youth, Sports and Social Services, and Joe Lovegrove, Operations and Technical Director of LifeSaver gave thumbs up sign to the completion of the project.

1st insert: Joe Lovegrove, Operations and Technical Director for LifeSaver takes his time to insert one of the six filters that the filtration system that was recently installed and commissioned at the Enid Capron Primary School.

2nd insert: Enid Capron Primary School teachers share a moment with the ICON team following the successful completion of the installation of the water filtration system with Paul Girling (left) director of SIP Water and Joe Lovegrove Operations and  Technical Director for LifeSaver.

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TCI News

Nurturing Young talent: Experience Turks and Caicos welcomes new additions to the team

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Experience Turks and Caicos is fostering an environment where young talent can thrive and excel, and the recent additions to the organisation serve as a testament to that commitment.

Experience Turks and Caicos is pleased to welcome Miss Rothesia Williams and Miss Kristan Lightbourne to the Finance Department as well as Miss Oshin Whyte, who has been assigned a temporary role as Tourism Statistics Officer.

Miss Williams joined the team as an Accounts Clerk effective April 2nd, 2024 while Miss Lightbourne will take up the position of Finance Accountant effective April 15th, 2024.
In her role, Miss Williams will support the Finance Accountant in updating financial records, generating financial reports, reconciling bank statements and processing financial transactions. Miss Williams is a graduate of the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College with an Associate’s Degree in Business Administration and previously worked at the Waterloo Hotel Management Ltd, where she held the roles of Accounting Clerk and Senior Accounts Payable Clerk.

As Financial Accountant, Miss Lightbourne will prepare statements and reports and advise on financial strategy.

Miss Lightbourne previously worked as an accountant at The Shore Club where she oversaw and provided strategic guidance to various sectors within the finance department, including Cost Control, Audit, Accounts Payable, Cash Management, and Payroll and implemented and reviewed internal financial policies and controls to ensure compliance and efficiency among other duties. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance and Management from the Turks and Caicos Community College and is currently pursuing her Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) certification in the United Kingdom.

 

Miss Whyte will be working temporarily with the team as Tourism Statistics Specialist effective April 3rd, 2024.She will be responsible for collecting and analysing data relevant to the tourism industry that would enable Experience Turks and Caicos to develop informed strategies to enhance the tourism sector.

Miss Whyte previously held the position of Interim Environmental Policy Coordinator with the Ministry of Tourism where she collaborated with the Department of Fisheries and Marine Resources to ensure the timely delivery of the key objectives of the Sustainable Livelihood Program. She is a graduate of Oxford Brookes University with a BSc (Hons) in Environmental Sciences and the University of Kent with a Masters by Research (Hons) in Human Geography
In welcoming the young women to Experience Turks and Caicos, Co-Chair of Experience Turks and Caicos Mr. Alvin Hegner said the future of the tourism industry centres around the youth.

“As we forge ahead in fortifying and expanding our organisation, the stewardship of adept individuals becomes paramount. Given the Turks and Caicos Islands’ singular reliance on tourism, we must foster sustainability by nurturing our youth, empowering them to evolve into the torchbearers of tomorrow who will carry forward the legacy of our current endeavours. I am genuinely enthused to extend a warm welcome to these young women as they join our ranks, eagerly anticipating the remarkable contributions they will undoubtedly make,” he said.
Miss. Williams and Miss Lightbourne will report to the Chief Financial and Operations Officer, Ms. Rufina Augustin while Miss Whyte will report to the Chief Marketing Officer, Ms. Trina Adams.

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