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TCI: 21st Century Governance Press Release
#TurksandCaicos, January 30, 2018 – Providenciales – Hon. Sean R. Astwood, Deputy Premier and Minister of Border Control and Employment attended the ‘21st Century Government Summit’ on January 16, 2018 in St. John’s Antigua & Barbuda. The summit also saw Heads of Government from over 8 other neighboring Caribbean Countries
The Government of Antigua and Barbuda and the Caribbean Telecommunications Union, in collaboration with the Caribbean Centre for Development Administration (CARICAD), hosted this Summit to present to regional Heads of Government the principles of 21st Century Government, the goal of which is to accelerate government and public service transformation and thereby strengthen economic competitiveness and promote sustainable development.
The feature address was delivered by Dr. The Rt. Hon. Keith Mitchell, Prime Minister of Grenada and the CARICOM Head of Government who holds responsibility for science and technology. Hon. Mitchell expressed his full support and endorsed the establishment of 21st Century Governments in the Caribbean. He noted “21st Century Government principles are embedded in the Vision and Roadmap for the CARICOM Single ICT Space which was approved by CARICOM Heads of Government in February, 2017. The 21st Century Government programme represents a significant step in the realisation of the vision for the Single ICT space by 2022.
During his address, Hon. Mitchell called on his regional counterparts to ‘take up the mantle to lead the transformation process’ and stated, “As leaders, we must lead the process. That is our responsibility. We must use our power to make the paradigm shift to break from our traditional mindset, practices and methods of engaging our citizens. We must embrace information and communication technologies to transform and make the relationship with our government and citizens more effective and efficient.”
Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, the Hon. Gaston Browne, in his welcome address to his fellow Heads indicated his full support for the 21st Century Government initiative. Prime Minister Browne stated “The Caribbean Telecommunication Union’s focus on 21st Century Government, starting with this Summit, is timely, welcomed and important. My government fully supports this initiative, as is evident by the work already being undertaken through the Ministry of Information, Broadcasting, Telecommunications and Information Technology in Antigua and Barbuda.” E-government services introduced in Antigua and Barbuda include border control and visa application systems, ASYCUDA World System, digitization and automation of business registries, onshore and offshore, land registry system and the driver’s license renewal system.
Hon. Astwood remarked, “This summit could not come at a better time for the Turks and Caicos, one of the aims of my government is to upgrade outdated systems, improve technology and create more innovative, technologically driven products and procedures across our Ministries. Like other countries in the region, when it comes to technology we are desirous of implementing sustainable products that will bring us into the 21st Century. The Ministry of Border Control and Employment recently unveiled its readable plastic card on January 15th, 2018 to replace the cumbersome work permit cards that has been in use over the past years, this is the first step in fully moving to an automated border control system. This is just one of the many products that my government will introduce to The TCI. Strides such as the one just mentioned will improve security, service, processes and efficiency in the country. The Turks and Caicos is already known to be one of the most beautiful countries’ in the world and we are ready to make it one of the most advanced countries’ also.”
The representatives of Estonia, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Rein Lang, and of Georgia, Minister of Justice, Ms. Thea Tsulukiani, also gave outstanding presentations on what has been achieved in e-Government in their respective countries, both of which are rated in the top e-government countries in the world.
The Summit ended on a high note with a round-table discussion of Heads of Government who endorsed 21st Century Government. This set the stage for the three-day Symposium that followed.
Kind regards,
Hon Sean R. Astwood
Deputy Premier
Minister for Border Control and Employment
TCIG knew from April that fuel factor could surge almost 80%; Minister says $500 cost-of-living payment was part of Government’s response
PROVIDENCIALES — The Turks and Caicos Government knew months before July’s shocking electricity bills that consumers faced a potentially massive increase in the fuel factor.
Minister of Information Technology and Energy E. Jay Saunders revealed Friday that Pelican Energy warned his Ministry in April that generation fuel costs were projected to rise from $3.09 per gallon in May to $4.79 in June and July.
That translated into a projected fuel factor jump from about 17.5 cents to 31 cents per kilowatt-hour — an increase of almost 80%.
Saunders said he personally advised Cabinet of the projected increase and presented options for cushioning the impact.
He characterised Government’s $500 cost-of-living payment as its “initial response” to rising fuel costs, before a separate fuel-factor subsidy was approved.
Cabinet records show Government agreed on June 24 to provide funding to mitigate the fuel-factor impact, with the relief programme approved July 8.
Eligible residential customers — those averaging less than $1,500 monthly over the previous three bills — are capped at 22 cents per kWh from July through October.
Pelican confirmed Friday that Government’s contribution was already applied to July bills, meaning the bills now triggering widespread public outrage would have been even higher without the subsidy.
Saunders did not disclose the programme’s total cost.
His admission that Government knew since April, however, raises another question amid the backlash: why were consumers not directly warned by Government about the scale of the approaching increase?
NASSAU, Bahamas — More Bahamians are accessing HIV and sexually transmitted infection-related healthcare through National Health Insurance, a trend the NHI Authority says should be viewed positively.
NHIA stressed in an August 6 statement that its 2025 figures measure healthcare utilisation, not newly diagnosed infections. They include beneficiaries screened, treated, monitored or receiving follow-up care, including people diagnosed previously.
“Increased utilisation of these services should be viewed as a positive development,” NHIA said.
The Authority pointed to “greater enrolment and use of NHI, improved access to screening and testing, continued treatment and monitoring of existing conditions, and increased willingness to seek medical care.”
The development comes amid a mixed three-year HIV picture. New diagnoses rose from 130 in 2023 to 156 in 2024, before declining to 142 in 2025.
NHIA said increased utilisation demonstrates that more beneficiaries are accessing needed healthcare and actively managing their health, reinforcing the importance of screening, early diagnosis and continued treatment.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Americas has recorded 47,459 confirmed measles cases and 44 deaths in 2026, the region’s highest case count in 22 years, prompting the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) to urge stronger vaccination, surveillance and rapid outbreak response.
As of July 18, cases were already more than triple the 15,011 recorded during all of 2025. Guatemala, Mexico, the United States and Peru
account for 95% of confirmed cases. Guatemala leads with 30,371 cases and 26 deaths, followed by Mexico with 12,255 cases and 17 deaths.
PAHO classifies the regional public health risk as very high, citing active outbreaks, immunity gaps, international travel and populations with inadequate vaccination coverage.
The organization says prevention starts with vaccination. Countries are being urged to achieve and maintain at least 95% coverage with two doses of measles-containing vaccine, particularly protecting children and under-vaccinated communities.
Measles spreads through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes. Symptoms can include fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes and a rash.
PAHO is urging health authorities to detect suspected cases early and respond rapidly to stop transmission. Unvaccinated and under-vaccinated people, young children and communities with limited healthcare access face increased risk of severe illness and death.
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