News

The New Turks and Caicos is Less Environmentally Appealing Than the Old One…

Published

8 years ago

November 5, 2014

Providenciales, 4 Nov 2014 – The new Turks and Caicos is less environmentally appealing than the old one. “Can we cope with more people now? Are we in a position to handle it, can we deal with the garbage, can we deal with the plastic, can we deal with oil from engines and cars, can we deal with more anchors on the reef and more sun creams in the ocean. And there is an endless amount of reasons as to why I think we should question the next step forward rather than jumping with two feet because we need development.”

Is the Turks and Caicos going to fall into the pattern of other global hot spots by becoming too developed to maintain luxury status? “So, the real question is, ‘A’ is this going to be strategically a high end destination or is this going to go toward the mass market? And can we actually we actually afford the environmental impact of the mass market and (if so), for the benefit of whom?”

And questions about what size do we want to grow the nation’s resident population; currently at around 31,000. Some of the ideas last night at the Natl Tourism Strategy public meeting held in Providenciales. Those who have been functioning in the industry for decades piped up at the meeting, calling for stronger education and environment protections to preserve the essence of the TCI experience. “I believe it isn’t too far gone that we cannot turn it around. But if we continue to concentrate on mass tourism, high buildings and more… and not take into consideration the environment and the educational program that pass on down into the school to make the child grown to understand to respect the environment”

Mass tourism with skyscrapers and extreme development for some was not the way forward. And along with losing some of the eco-appeal, one said the country is also losing its friendliness due to the animosities among workers in the industry. When the TCI Tourism Board Director, Ralph Higgs responded to these concerns he said there is no plan for mass tourism for the islands, but the plan is a national one. “But in North and Middle Caicos and South Caicos and Salt Cay it has not happened fast enough and as a result we see our communities dying. Forty years ago you would recall in Salt Cay there may have been two to three hundred people; today there are probably 60. In Middle Caicos, years ago there used to be a thousand plus people, now there are two or three hundred, so this plan also has to address what is not happening in our sister islands and how we can tweak or adjust or adopt a policy that will give these islands a chance.”

On a more highly critical side, Lloyd Stubbs, President of the Independent Taxi Drivers said the Hotel and Tourism Association is dictating to the Tourist Board. “In essence although you say mass tourism doesn’t exist; the all-inclusive have branded themselves as mass tourism and the other resorts are taking that. Grace Bay Club as much high end as they are doing, they are involved in contracts. Before even the tour operators were able to sell, now the only way you sell now is if you pay those companies a percentage. The indigenous Turks and Caicos is being shut out of tourism daily and that’s what is part of the frustration.”

And said the entire process seems designed to shut locals out of contributing. “Put a sign by Sweet T’s, one sign, Sweet T’s if you need a location. All of us in this room go to Sweet T’s if you advertise to check this thing here, you will be more than the Hotel Association, they are not a Tourism Association… more than the Hotel Association, here.”

That thought of disregard was naturally refuted by the panel which included Kingsley Been of the Tourism Board, Wesley Clerveaux PS at the Office of the Premier and Gary Brough, Managing Director of hired consultants KPMG.

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Deandrea S Hamilton

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.

Caribbean News

Millions to come from FSC

Published

6 days ago

March 17, 2023

Deandrea Hamilton

Dana Malcolm

Staff Writer

#TurksandCaicos, March 17, 2023 – Revenue from the Turks and Caicos’ Financial Services Sector will more than double in the next few years, if E Jay Saunders, Deputy Premier and Finance Minister gets his way. It ‘s one of the reasons the country is investing so much capital into getting off of the EU blacklist and becoming a secure trustworthy financial destination.

“The FSC’s revenues for 2020/21 was $10.5M— the figures for 2021/22, would be about similar,” he said. He further explained that $10.5 million from the FSC represented about 2.6 percent of the country’s 408.5-million-dollar revenue. Though it increased to $14 million in the 2021/22 financial year, finance is still a small fry compared to tourism or even stamp duties but that will change, says Saunders.

“My revenue goal for the Government by the year 2029 [or] the election after the next election – is $500M. By that time, I want the financial sector (FSC) revenues to represent at least 5% ($25M). So that’s my goal for the financial sector by 2029.”

This goal, should it be met, would increase the Government’s revenue by 100 million dollars, a significant increase in spending power for local upgrades and improvements for Turks and Caicos residents and visitors.

Saunders says it’s time for the TCI to diversify its sources of revenue to make sure that what happened in the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw residents out of a job for months, will not happen again. Tourism now makes up around 80 percent of the country’s GDP. The Minister of Finance wants to push that down to 60 or even 50 percent.

Caribbean News

Debrief on Haiti Caribbean heads visit

Published

6 days ago

March 17, 2023

Deandrea Hamilton

Dana Malcolm

Staff Writer

#Haiti, March 17, 2023 – When a CARICOM delegation visited Haiti earlier this month, conspicuously absent was the Turks and Caicos Islands despite being one of the nations most directly affected by the multi-dimensional crisis there. There is no comment, as yet from the Premier, to say why this was the case.

Still, from the expedition, CARICOM heads of Government have informed that there will be lobbying in Africa for assistance in Haiti. They say they have decided that the best course of action for the Caribbean country is to bolster the Haitian National Police and act as intermediaries with Africa and the world. The decision follows a one day visit on February 27th, and a March 5th meeting chaired by the Bahamas.

CARICOM says during the trip delegates ‘met with a broad range of Haitian stakeholders to hear their views on the way forward to a Haitian-led solution’. With that in mind it has made a decision on how to proceed.

“The Heads of Government agreed to support the Haitian National Police in their efforts to address the security situation. The focus of the Community will be the provision of training for the HNP and the provision of humanitarian assistance to HNP and the wider Haitian society, taking into account the challenging humanitarian and security situation”

It’s not clear yet where and how this training will take place. Also distinctly absent from the report, no more mention of boots on the ground from other countries despite CARICOM Member States indicating they were ready and willing should it come to that.

In addition, recognizing ‘the common historical experiences and the strong African-Caribbean relationship’ CARICOM says,

“Heads of Government also agreed to seek support from African countries for Haiti. They also agreed to work with the Governments of Canada and the United States as well as the UNDP”

Magnetic Media has reached out to the Premier’s Office to get a full debrief of the February 27th visit (led by Jamaica; including The Bahamas and Trinidad and Tobago) to learn of Turks and Caicos’ posture following the critical sessions.

Caribbean News

New ASHLEY’S LEARNING CENTRE CONCERT

Published

6 days ago

March 17, 2023

Deandrea Hamilton

Dana Malcolm

Staff Writer

#TurksandCaicos, March 17, 2023 – Musicians from the New World Symphony will be in the Turks and Caicos in concert next month and residents are invited to attend in support of the future of Ashley’s Learning Center.

A fairly young orchestral academy based in Miami, the New World Symphony was launched in the 1980s by 1987, Michael Tilson Thomas and Ted Arison,Carnival Cruises founder. From the 1500 applicants who vie for a spot each year, the symphony accepts around 35 music graduates annually for training fellowships.

A select few of those graduates will be in country on April 8th headlining at the Ashley’s Learning Center concert ‘We’re all in this together’. The concert which also feature local artistes will be held at Brayton Hall on Venetian Road from 6 pm to 8:30 pm

Tickets are available ON ISLEHELP $75 PER GENERAL SEAT $125 PER PREMIUM SEAT $195 PER GALLERY SEAT – with /FREFRESHMENTS.

For TICKET RESERVATIONs you can call: 649-341-2304 or email EVENTS@ASHLEYSLEARNINGCENTER.ORG