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Compensation coming for Hurricane Shelter staff, Long Bay member wants pay increase for volunteers

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#Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands – April 3, 2018 – The Government has finally approved payment to shelter managers and workers who have for months been wanting and awaiting compensation.  During House of Assembly convening last week, it was determined that the workers are due some $55,167 and during Holy Week, the application for the money was approved by parliamentarians.  

“This is our fifth contingency fund withdrawal application and this is in relation to the shelter workers.  We have actually laid on the table already several contingency warrants, Mr. Speaker largely, about four of them are related to hurricane expenses. Spending works such as cleaning, fuel, overtime payment which was approved yesterday for those workers who are under the public service ordinance and are allowed to be paid overtime and of course today we are looking at the payment of shelter workers and there is also an arrangement for volunteers who have also been approved,” said Minister of Finance, Hon Sharlene Robinson in laying the supplementary appropriation last Tuesday.

Concern was expressed by several members of the Opposition PNP; one set of comments by the appointed member for the Progressive National Party were expunged from the records due to the strong charge against those in leadership.  Still, the Leeward and Long Bay member was able to make the point that the funds, in her view, should have been included in the January-February supplementary which was as a result of the hurricanes.

“I do have the concerns about the delays and in reading the annex to the report is shows that the request was made in November 2017, a decision was taken in January 2018 to segregate the payments from shelter managers for a final submission that was made in January,” Hon Akierra Missick continued with, “…when we had the major supplementary in January/February of this financial year that the funds for the shelter workers and volunteers should have been considered at that time as that budget was really addressing changing around funding as a result of hurricanes Irma and Maria.”

Four of the five contingency warrants made within the 2017-2018 fiscal period were brought on by the hurricanes, which is estimated to have cost the Turks and Caicos over half a billion dollars in damages and losses.  The Finance Minister objected to earlier charges that she was directly responsible for the payment coming, only now to the shelter workers and stood in the HOA to explain the process, which first had to have Cabinet approval.

“Even though supplementary was passed in January, even though it was submitted to UK in December; it had not been approved in Cabinet to be included in the Supplementary and if you recall the process to us getting here today, this withdrawal warrant was laid on the table of the House it was referred to the Appropriations Committee and then it is included in the Supplementary.”

The Member for Leeward and Long Bay district during her contribution on Tuesday March 27, 2018 also drew attention to the sacrifice of the volunteers and a need, in her view, to boost their remuneration from $12.50 per hour.

“I must also say Mr. Speaker that I hope in the upcoming financial year, the upcoming budget that we look at an increase for volunteers.  A hundred dollars for an eight hour shift, Mr. Speaker while they are caring for others leaving their families and homes exposed or if they were damaged during the storm, not being able to attend to them is not much of an incentive for new volunteers to sign on.”

The Premier, Hon Sharlene Robinson, who laid the contingency warrant in the House of Assembly last week Tuesday invited members to support the application for the extra money to pay the shelter staff.   The Premier also assured that her office will expedite payment for shelter workers and the approved overtime payees as soon as the paperwork arrives on her desk.

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Invest Turks and Caicos Islands Takes Platinum Sponsor Role at Premier Hotel Investment Summit  

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Turks and Caicos, May 23, 2026 – Invest Turks and Caicos Islands took center stage at one of the region’s most influential hospitality investment gatherings this spring, serving as a Platinum Sponsor at ALIS CALA 2026 in Coral Gables, Florida.

Held April 28 to 30 at the Loews Coral Gables Hotel, the conference brought together more than 600 tourism, hotel and investment leaders from over 35 countries focused on the future of hospitality investment in the Caribbean and Latin America.

ALIS CALA — short for the Americas Lodging Investment Summit Caribbean and Latin America — is widely regarded as the region’s premier deal-driven hospitality investment conference. The platform emerged from the merger of the long-running Caribbean Hotel & Resort Investment Summit (CHRIS) and Hotel Opportunities Latin America (HOLA), creating what organizers describe as a high-level space where investors, developers, lenders, hotel brands and government leaders connect around major regional projects and opportunities.

The event is known for attracting senior decision-makers, with roughly one in three delegates holding titles such as Chairman, CEO, President, Owner or Principal.

Invest Turks and Caicos said its participation focused heavily on showcasing investment opportunities across the territory, particularly in the Family Islands.

CEO Angela Musgrove delivered a presentation highlighting development opportunities in the Turks and Caicos Islands to what the agency described as a full room of attendees and strong stakeholder interest.

In a statement following the conference, Invest Turks and Caicos said discussions centered on tourism expansion, sustainable development and long-term investment partnerships designed to position the Turks and Caicos Islands as a leading investment destination in the region.

The agency added that it looks forward to continuing conversations started at ALIS CALA and building new partnerships with investors, developers and strategic stakeholders interested in growth opportunities throughout the islands.

The conference itself focused heavily on capital access, hotel development pipelines, mixed-use tourism projects and investment confidence throughout the Caribbean basin — sectors where Turks and Caicos continues to attract increasing international attention.

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Multi-Agency Enforcement Action Conducted in Lower Bight

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Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands — The Informal Settlements Unit (ISU), in coordination with the Planning Department and key partner agencies, conducted a multi-agency enforcement exercise on Thursday, May 7, 2026, in the Lower Bight area in Providenciales. The exercise resulted in the complete removal of a total of eight (8) unauthorized structures and all associated debris from a privately-owned parcel of land.

The operation was led by the Planning Department, with coordination by the ISU and support from the TCI Border Force, the Crown Land Unit, and Pelican Energy.  Security for the exercise was provided by the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force. All agencies worked collaboratively to ensure the exercise was carried out in a safe, orderly, and controlled manner.

The enforcement action followed a structured and lawful process in accordance with the Physical Planning regulatory framework of the Turks and Caicos Islands. Section 45 Enforcement Notices were first issued on the affected parcel in December 2024, identifying unauthorized structures erected without the requisite approvals. This was followed by the issuance of Warning Notices on April 16, 2026, which advised occupants that they were in breach of planning and land use regulations and provided notice that demolition activities would proceed following the prescribed compliance period. Despite these notices and the time afforded for compliance, the unauthorized structures remained in place.

This exercise represents part of an ongoing commitment to ensuring that development within the Turks and Caicos Islands is lawful, safe, and aligned with national standards.

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Beaches Turks and Caicos and Sandals Foundation Champion Early Childhood Literacy with Star-Studded Reading Road Trip

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PROVIDENCIALES, Turks & Caicos Islands: The grand opening of the Treasure Beach Village at Beaches Turks and Caicos brought more than just high-energy celebrations to the shores of Providenciales as the Sandals Foundation led a star-studded Reading Road Trip at four local primary schools.

Dozens of celebrities, global media representatives, resort guests, and hospitality executives took a purposeful break from the weekend’s festivities to connect directly with the island’s youngest learners. The initiative transformed standard kindergarten classrooms at Enid Capron Primary, Thema Lightbourne Primary, Ianthe Pratt Primary and Oseta Jolly Primary into dynamic literacy hubs as visitors including American Actor and Playwright Jesse Eisebberg, and Real Housewives of New York City and author Kelly Bensimon read books and engaged in fun literacy games and activities.

The carefully designed activities aimed to strengthen students’ foundational reading comprehension skills and saw visitors actively animating characters, reading aloud, playing interactive literacy games, doing phonetic exercises and collaborative arts and crafts.

For local educators, the initiative represented a valuable opportunity to broaden students’ horizons. Through meaningful interaction with media representatives, students learned firsthand about exciting careers in writing, photography, and broadcasting.

Nelene Swann, Vice Principal of Enid Capron Primary, highlighted the profound impact of the unique global connection. “The experience for the children was good as they interacted and shared in a cultural blend while learning about new cultures and different career options,” Swann shared.

For American actor and playwright Jesse Eisenberg, who spent his afternoon volunteering at Oseta Jolly Primary School, his visit coincided with a special occasion on the school’s calendar, creating an even more memorable atmosphere for the youngsters.

“Our school was celebrating Boys Day which allowed [Eisenberg] to share in the experience and even provide great mentorship advice. Lessons such as the importance of consistency were well received by students in this developmental phase,” says Handsfield.

The Sandals Foundation has long championed early childhood education as a fundamental pillar of its philanthropic mission across the region.

Heidi Clarke, Executive Director of the Sandals Foundation, expressed her pride in the weekend’s grand opening educational outreach noting, “The Reading Road Trips provided a one-of-a-kind experience to guests and students as they shared in the power of play, imagination and life – all through the wonders of books. At the heart of our mission is to facilitate the creation of fun and dynamic learning environments that inspire students. We are proud to be a partner in TCI’s education tapestry and will continue to support initiatives that enable students’ holistic development.”

While the grand opening festivities brought a special influx of international participants to the classrooms, the commitment to local schools remains a consistent, year-round priority for the local resort staff. Employees regularly dedicate their personal time to mentor, tutor, and read with primary school students, fostering an incredibly strong bond between the hospitality sector and the local education system.

General Manager Deryk Meany emphasized the immense joy these initiatives bring to his dedicated staff. “This was a blast for the resort team members. The heart of the hospitality industry extends far beyond the resort’s doors and through the Reading Road Trip and other team member volunteer initiatives, we are proud to share our time, resources and expertise to the school community.”

Even as the official grand opening celebrations conclude, the positive impact of these classroom interactions will continue to resonate deeply throughout the Providenciales community and the world – example of a powerful model for community-integrated tourism.

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