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HIRTAC grant $20k to student-led community initiative

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#UnitedKingdom, December 12, 2017 – North Caicos’ D.C. Cynclair Musgrove brought to our attention the ambitious, highly commendable work of Raymond Gardiner High School students.   Briann Gardiner & Astacio Ariza, together with their fifth form peers, are championing the repairs and refurbishment of their community facility at Horse Stable Beach.

This integral landmark not only hosts civic and social functions, such as the annual Rake n’ Scrape, Season Jam, pageants, recitals, graduations and meetings among others, but is also a very popular tourist destination.   Though since the passing of Irma and Maria, it has been forced to close.   This has already led to two major community functions being affected.

In their letter to HIRTAC, they stated that they would like to ‘give back to the island that gave so much to them’.   The students’ resourcefulness, compassion and wisdom is beyond their years.   We owe it to these future leaders of TCI to encourage and empower their goals.

Since then we have been in discussion with officials; the Ministries of Education, Infrastructure, Planning and Public Works are all very supportive of their initiative and for contributions towards the scheme.   We would like the pay special thanks to our advisor & TCIG Senior Quantity Surveyor, Dominique Durham, who has been instrumental in assisting the cause. We are all very exited to work together with the students.

SO, WHAT ARE WE DOING?

HIRTAC are kick-starting their campaign with an initial grant of $20,000!  This is thanks to all of your generous donations so far; THANK YOU!   Also, thank you for being patient while we ensured that your contributions will be well invested and meaningfully delivered.

In order to help make their dream a reality, we still need to do more. We are working alongside the students to help establish and advise on the works. We are committed to realizing their vision for a resilient, celebrated site that seizes the full potential of its location.

We will be running a series of community-engagement programmes with local practices and individuals to develop not only the students’ proposal for the site, but also to offer design education outreach.   We believe it is important to not only help restore this facility to beyond its former glory, but to also engage and empower this community.

With official assessments totaling repairs at over $130k, we need your help.

We are seeking monetary or material sponsorship on behalf of the students.   You can make donations here, or please get in touch to learn more and find out other ways you can contribute.

We will be announcing developments with their project along the way & opportunities to get your sleeves rolled up in 2018.

WELL DONE Briann, Astacio & peers! Your determination, and that of your hardworking District Commissioner, is truly inspiring.

#TCIstrong #BuildBackBetter #HorseStableBeach

Press Release by: HIRTAC

 

About HIRTAC:  HIRTAC is a non-profit relief initiative, founded by UK-based Turks and Caicos Islanders and past residents.

HIRTAC works in conjunction with an advisory panel of varied expertise in the Turks & Caicos Islands (TCI) comprising local non-profit charity Food for Thought, as well as a number of other established individuals in their respective field

OUR MISSION:

To establish a mode of reputable, transparent funding to support the humanitarian response in the TCI following Hurricane Irma.

 

THE METHOD BEHIND THE MISSION

  1. 1. Short Term: To act as an agentto support emergency relief efforts which assist local communities in restoring their homes & businesses. This includes receiving donations of goods and facilitating outreach programmes/initiatives.
  2. Long Term: Invest funds raised in rebuilding opportunities for the youth of the local communities in TCI.

 

THE MONEY BEHIND THE MISSION:

WHERE YOUR DONATION GOES

STEP 1  | DONATE |

You raise and donate incredible amounts of money to help the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands. For those in the US, please note you can make 501(c)(3) tax-deductible contributions. Fiscal sponsorship has kindly been made available to HIRTAC through the Turks and Caicos Reef Fund.

STEP 2  | ALLOCATE |

We add together all the money and use it to give grants to organisations whose purpose aligns with our mission of supporting urgent relief and rebuilding opportunities for the youth of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

In this immediate period, we are helping to identify suitable proposals and reaching out to the communities in need.

Please get in touch to find out how to apply for a grant here.

STEP 3   | DISTRIBUTE |

It takes several weeks for each batch of funding to be allocated so we can ensure the most efficient use of donations. Money is given out in stages rather than a lump sum so we can regularly maintain its most effective use.

During this process, HIRTAC endeavours to obtain sponsorship of every avenue, from transport to external service/administration costs. This means that every penny you give is most efficiently invested in rebuilding opportunities for the Turks and Caicos Islands.

STEP 4  | OVERSEE |

We oversee projects & provide updates on the success stories of your generous contributions!

 

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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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