News

TCI: Engineering Works update at Cheshire Hall Medical Centre

Published

9 years ago

November 30, 2017

#TurksandCaicos, November 30, 2017 – Providenciales – TCI Hospital provides a 24-hour service, and therefore, both health care facilities are maintained throughout the year with an aim to provide minimal disruption to clinical services during engineering works. Specialist engineers continue to work expeditiously to repair any outstanding mechanical issues at Cheshire Hall Medical Centre sustained as a result of Hurricanes Irma and Maria in September.

These issues are connected to water pressure, internal supply and return feeds, which support the cooling system within the facility. As a result, a temporary reduction in cooling capacity took place over recent days to facilitate a replacement of some internal supply/return pipes on the chilled water closed loop system at the Providenciales facility.

A temporary reduction in the cooling capacity is unavoidable under these special circumstances due to the nature of the repairs, and specialist engineers have worked swiftly to complete these essential repairs to support the seamless delivery of routine clinical services.

Emergency Services continue to function at full capacity and the department continues to serve all levels of acuity. However, the Operating Theatre and Diagnostic Imaging Departments at Cheshire Hall Medical Centre were placed in emergency mode due to temperature sensitive equipment. Any changes to routine clinical services and scheduled appointments have been communicated to patients and staff.

To date, 40 joints/elbows along with multiple stretches of pipe work have been replaced. This work has been completed promptly and efficiently whilst working around our patient base in some cases as departmental services continue. The work continued throughout the bank holiday weekend, and upon retesting the system this past Sunday, further pipe breaches were detected in areas that were previously unaffected.

All repairs are projected to be completed by today, Wednesday 29th November 2017 followed by a reactivation and analysis of the system. If there are no further breaches to the chilled water closed loop pipe system, normal cooling temperatures should resume by late this afternoon.

A strategic range of measures were activated to ensure safety and some level of comfort to both staff and patients during this period. These measures include, but are not limited to the following protocols:

All external doors are opened at 7.30a.m. to allow for fresh air ventilation and closed at 6.00p.m. to minimise impact of dawn/dusk and mosquitoes.
All public areas and departments are ventilated with the exception of any areas which would result in Infection Prevention Control or security issues such as special precaution rooms.
Portable floor standing fans have been allocated to all areas with instruction for use and location for best efficiency, cooling and airflow.
Communications have been consistently disseminated to all building users with regard to minimising the use of equipment on standby, and stopping use of some non-essential lights during the day to reduce internal building temperatures.
Environmental Health and Safety inspections take place throughout the day starting at 6.45a.m. by the Facilities Department Duty Manager who conduct environmental scans for leaks, floor surfaces, temperature analysis, and continued management of the building for patients and staff.
Since the adjustment in cooling capacity across the building, there has been no reported issues of condensation slips, trips or falls due to humidity in the building. Floor surfaces are safe and maintained for staff and patients.
The Ministry of Health clinic waiting room has been relocated to the main corridor to allow persons to take full advantage of the natural air inflow.
The Catering Team recently commenced routine water distribution rounds for patients, InterHealth Canada and Ministry of Health staff throughout the day in Outpatient and In-patient areas to ensure hydration. Coconut water has also been distributed to staff to ensure the replenishment of electrolytes.
All front of house departments have been issued with Mosquito repellant spray for use of staff and public. There has been increased vigilance with waste management across the hospital and additional environmental checks to prevent any inflow of flies.
A request has been made to TCI’s Ministry of Health for external areas around the facility perimeter to be fogged in an effort to reduce any potential mosquito population growth. This is particularly important whilst external fire doors are used for ventilation during the daytime hours. Fogging took place around 7:00pm on Tuesday 28, November 2017.
The facilities team continue to provide and monitor support services particularly those in high temperature areas such as the laundry, kitchen and plant works. Staff are monitored for hydration, and rested within the building periodically throughout their shift, allowing for further hydration breaks as required.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused and thank our patients and staff for their understanding.

News

Multi-Agency Enforcement Exercise Targets Illegal Occupation of Crown Land in Five Cays

Published

2 days ago

October 25, 2026

Deandrea Hamilton

Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands: The Crown Land Unit, with coordination and support from the Informal Settlements Unit (ISU), conducted a multi-agency enforcement exercise in the Five Cays area on Thursday, September 17, 2026, as part of ongoing efforts to address the illegal occupation and unauthorised use of Crown land.

The exercise brought together representatives from the Crown Land Unit, ISU and the Turks and Caicos Islands Border Force. Security for the exercise was provided by the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force. Inspections were conducted across several parcels of Crown land throughout Five Cays, where instances of illegal occupation and unauthorised use had been identified.

During the exercise, a total of forty (40) Section 22 Notices of Unauthorised Occupation were served in accordance with the provisions of the Crown Land Ordinance. The notices related to various forms of unauthorised occupation and use of Crown land, including incomplete structures, shipping containers, derelict vehicles, trailer chassis, building materials and other items.

Where persons were not present, notices were affixed to the relevant structures or items. The exercise forms part of the Crown Land Unit’s continuing efforts to prevent squatting and encroachment on Crown land and to ensure that identified instances of unauthorised occupation are appropriately addressed.

The Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands reminds the public that Crown land must not be occupied, developed or otherwise used without lawful authority.

The Crown Land Unit, supported by the ISU and its other partner agencies, will continue to identify and address instances of illegal occupation of Crown land across the Turks and Caicos Islands. Persons affected by notices issued during enforcement exercises are encouraged to comply with the requirements outlined and to seek guidance from the relevant authorities where necessary.

Bahamas News

Bahamas Issues Cybersecurity Alert Over Akira Ransomware Threat

Published

5 days ago

October 22, 2026

Deandrea Hamilton

Nassau, The Bahamas, October 22, 2026 — The National Computer Incident Response Team of The Bahamas (CIRT-BS) has issued a cybersecurity advisory warning businesses, government institutions and other organisations about the growing threat posed by Akira ransomware, a cybercriminal operation capable of stealing sensitive information, disrupting networks and demanding ransom payments.

Active since March 2023, Akira operates through a Ransomware-as-a-Service model, with affiliates exploiting weaknesses in computer networks to gain unauthorised access.

Once inside, attackers can steal confidential data, disable recovery systems and encrypt files, preventing organisations from accessing critical information.

Particularly concerning is Akira’s use of double extortion, threatening to publish stolen information unless victims pay. Some attacks involve data theft without encryption.

The October 22 advisory identifies vulnerabilities involving Cisco and SonicWall firewalls, VPN services, Microsoft Remote Desktop Protocol, Veeam backup systems and outdated Windows and Linux operating systems. VMware ESXi and Nutanix AHV environments are also potential targets.

Attackers may exploit unpatched software, stolen login credentials and inadequately secured remote-access applications, including AnyDesk and RustDesk.

Warning signs include unexpected administrator accounts, unusual remote logins, unauthorised software installations, suspicious backup activity, mass file changes and ransom notes.

CIRT-BS recommends immediate security updates, multifactor authentication, restricted remote access, stronger network monitoring and secure backups maintained separately from operational systems.

Organisations should also remove unnecessary internet exposure of remote desktop services, limit administrative privileges and regularly test backup restoration.

The advisory does not identify any confirmed Akira attack against a Bahamian organisation but highlights vulnerabilities that could expose institutions to serious financial and operational disruption.

Cybersecurity incidents can be reported to CIRT-BS at soc@cirt.bs or through its official website.

News

BermudAir Launches Service to the Turks and Caicos Islands on October 26th, Expanding Air Connectivity Ahead of Winter Season

Published

5 days ago

October 22, 2026

Deandrea Hamilton

Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands (October 22nd, 2026) – The Turks and Caicos Islands welcomes BermudAir as the airline begins its service to the destination on Monday, October 26th, marking the start of a wider expansion that will connect us with additional cities across the United States, Canada and the Caribbean.

BermudAir’s service will begin with a new nonstop service between Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Providenciales. The flight will depart from the Howard Hamilton International Airport at 8 am on Monday morning and arrives at 7.40 pm. Aboard the inaugural flight will be a delegation from the Turks and Caicos Islands led by Experience Turks and Caicos and the Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority (TCIAA), and will include Deputy Governor, Her Excellency Anya Williams, Minister of Tourism, Hon. Zhavargo Jolly, as well s representatives of the Turks and Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association (TCHTA), the board of the Turks and Caicos Islands Tourism Authority, Invest TC and local media.

BermudAir will operate the Fort Lauderdale–Providenciales route three times weekly, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, through May 3rd, 2027. making it easier for business travellers with the schedule offering the potential for same-day return trips. The airline is also launching nonstop service between Fort Lauderdale and Belize City, Belize, on the same schedule, offering travellers in South Florida direct access to both destinations.

The new service introduces BermudAir’s premium leisure inflight experience to the Turks and Caicos Islands. Flights will operate on Embraer E190 aircraft configured without middle seats, giving every passenger a window or aisle seat, alongside complimentary snacks and beverages.

Minister of Tourism, the Honourable Zhavargo Jolly, welcomed the airline’s arrival, noting the importance of expanding airlift to support the continued development of the destination’s tourism industry.

“Air connectivity remains one of the most important factors in the continued development of our tourism industry. BermudAir’s expansion represents an opportunity to strengthen our connections with key international markets while opening new doors for our sister islands. I am particularly encouraged by the planned direct service between Newark and South Caicos, which speaks directly to our vision of expanding tourism opportunities across the Turks and Caicos Islands. Our objective is to ensure that improved connectivity translates into greater economic activity, stronger local businesses and more opportunities for Turks and Caicos Islanders to participate in and benefit from tourism.” said Minister Jolly.

Commenting on the significance of the new route for the country’s development, the Honourable Arlington Musgrove, Minister of Physical Planning and Infrastructure Development (PPID), stated: “The introduction of BermudAir’s new service is a testament to the continued growth and development of our aviation sector. The Ministry of Physical Planning and Infrastructure Development, alongside the Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority, remains dedicated to enhancing our airport infrastructure to accommodate increased airlift. We are committed to working to ensure that our facilities provide a seamless, world-class experience for all incoming passengers and we warmly welcome BermudAir to our shores.”

The Fort Lauderdale launch is the first of several new services BermudAir plans to introduce to the Turks and Caicos Islands for the 2026–2027 winter season. Additional connections to Providenciales are scheduled from:

Bermuda to TCI and Grand Cayman: Beginning December 18th, 2026
Anguilla: Beginning December 19th, 2026
Boston, Massachusetts: Beginning December 19th, 2026
Toronto, Canada: Beginning December 19th, 2026
Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina: Beginning December 20th, 2026
Newark, New Jersey to South Caicos: Beginning December 20th, 2026
St. Petersburg/Tampa, Florida: Beginning December 21st, 2026
Baltimore-Washington: Beginning December 24th, 2026

The expansion will give travellers more options for reaching the destination during the winter travel season, while broadening access from established and developing source markets. The additional routes also create opportunities for tourism stakeholders to reach new audiences and encourage visitors to explore more of the islands.

For flight schedules and bookings, visit www.flybermudair.com.