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TCI: Training for the world’s newest Outbackers

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#Providenciales, August 17, 2018 – Turks and Caicos – A whirlwind experience is one way you can describe the training to which the world’s newest Outbackers have been exposed as Outback Steakhouse Turks and Caicos prepares to open in Providenciales next week.

“I’m so excited, I’m not going to lie, I’m so excited because it is my first and I know we have a lot to bring to the Turks and Caicos Outback, and I’m just excited.” – Annya Munnings, Instructor, Outback Steakhouse-Bahamas

Trainers arrived over the weekend from The Bahamas and the US to meet this bunch: Orientation was a blast, and when we checked in with the Outbackers on Monday at day one of training, the energy was high as the signature Outback Steakhouse dishes were introduced, explained and tasted for the education of hostesses and servers.

“When we train people to be great outbackers, we also train them to be great people as well.  We talk about hospitality, sharing, quality, all of these things and having fun at work and having courage and knowing when or to have the right judgement.” – Frank Pavone, Instructor-Outback Steakhouse, International

All of that eating meant there was a whole lot of cooking… the kitchen was busy with activity, but once again there were smiles as the group got savory reviews from the dining room.

“We always call people that work for us outbackers, and outbackers for life because just as they are here, it’s going to be real and they are going to be the same way out there on the street, in the community, at their house, because for us it makes us feel good to take care of other people and we hope that they will feel the same way.  So, when you come in here to eat you’ll feel like the people taking care of you really want to take care of you.” – Mark Butler, Instructor – Outback Steakhouse, International

It has been over 20 years since a branded restaurant was established in the Turks and Caicos, the last was KFC… Outback Steakhouse is a first of its kind franchise for the country and it is creating quite a buzz.

 

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CARICOM speaks out on Climate Change, looking to May meeting to amplify call for Climate Funding

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March 3, 2024

 

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) remains on the frontlines of global climate crisis, an issue the Region has been aggressively advocating on for the past thirty years. Despite the many commitments and promises of international partners, the window of opportunity to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels is rapidly closing.

Heads of Government are concerned that while COP 28 was widely regarded as a historic event, with the completion of the first global stocktake (GST), on progress in achievement of the Paris Agreement goals, the outcomes of GST show that emissions of greenhouse gases continue to rise and the nationally determined contributions (NDCs) of Parties will not keep global temperatures below the 1.5 degree goal enshrined in the Paris Agreement.

Heads of Government also expressed concern to be heading to COP 29 where a New Finance Goal will be articulated to replace the 100bn goal, which has not yet been met, even as developing countries require trillions to deal with the escalating impacts of climate change. Developed country parties have not provided enough finance at scale, technology and capacity building support required to help developing countries tackle their pressing needs to build their resilience, especially in adapting to the adverse and increasingly catastrophic impacts of climate change. The clear absence of definitive timelines for action and quantitative commitments for scaling up of investments, and particularly adaptation finance emerging out of COP 28, cause great concern to our Region.

The Conference noted that Small Island Developing States (SIDS), recognized as the most vulnerable group of countries and a special case for sustainable development, have been facing strong push back against the recognition of their special circumstances especially in the context of climate finance. There is limited international support for special allocations for SIDS within financing arrangements and available climate finance from international and private sources is limited, expensive and too onerous to access.

In light of the preceding, Heads of Government called for CARICOM to take a strategic, unified and coordinated approach to ensure that the Region remains influential in the climate and development arena through engagements with key partners and advocacy groups.

They called for renewed focus by the Region to advocate for inclusion of forests, nature-based solutions and blue carbon into market mechanisms with the aim of articulating clear regional positions and strategies.

Heads of Government reiterated the call for improved readiness programmes, simplified approval procedures, a change to the criteria for determining access to low-cost finance, and for the adoption of programmatic approaches to address the bottlenecks in accessing finance.

The Region reiterates its support for the Bridgetown Initiative’s call to expand capital adequacy of international financial institutions.

Heads recognized that the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States, scheduled to be held in Antigua and Barbuda, 27 – 30 May 2024, will be an inflection point for many of these discussions to be articulated. As such, the Region remains committed to participating in the Conference at the highest level.

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South Caicos Development Plans shared with Washington-Misick led Administration

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On Monday, 12 February 2024, the Premier led a delegation to tour the island of South Caicos to view the ongoing public and private sector projects, involving the remodelling and rebranding of the airport terminals, historical districts, and the East Bay Hotel.

The tour of the various developments reinforced the Government’s commitment to collaborating with stakeholders to boost the island’s activity and economy.

Photos courtesy of the TCI Office of the Premier

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Ministry of Tourism continues to get rid of dilapidated structures

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By LINDSAY THOMPSON

Bahamas Information Services

NASSAU, The Bahamas – The Ministry of Tourism, Investments and Aviation is continuing to rid areas of derelict and dilapidated structures posing safety problems, and a threat to the overall tourism product.

In this vein the recent structure to be demolished was the Gaming Board building owned by the Hotel Corporation.  Located adjacent to Goodman’s Bay Beach on West Bay Street, it was formerly the Sir Harry Oakes property; the northern portion once housed Bahamas Information Services for several years.

 


On hand to witness the demolition were Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation the Hon. Chester Cooper, and Senator Randy Rolle, Global Consultant, MOTIA.

The demolition started on Monday, February 5, 2024 by Virgo Construction headed by the contractor Terry Delancy.  

DPM Cooper explained that the government felt the Gaming Board building should no longer sit there in a derelict manner, and continue to be an eyesore and pose safety concerns.

“Goodman’s Bay will be enhanced as a result of getting rid of this building. It will be more aesthetically pleasing for residents who traverse this area. Women who walk in the mornings in particular through these areas will be pleased to see that this has become a green space, rather than a derelict structure,” he said.

DPM Cooper also noted that his ministry consulted broadly with the Antiquities, Monuments & Museums Corporation (AMMC), and other historians before proceeding with demolition.

“We are sure not to take any actions as it relates to buildings, without consultation. So they were very comfortable with the process and we continue to work closely with them on all of the buildings that we have demolished in the downtown area,” he said.

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