TCI News
PDM Administration announces budget increase for primary health care, goal to reduce overseas medical bills
#Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – Thursday April 26, 2018 – The National Health Insurance Plan needs a phenomenal solution to heal its multi-million dollar shortages, and the PDM Administration says it intends to finance the plan it believes will deliver the health care system from its $4 million annual shortfall.
The plan, according to Government will be multi-pronged but will chiefly focus on reducing the expenditure of TAP or Treatment Abroad Program and secondary care at the TCI Hopsitals – combined the two categories account for 86 per cent of monies spent on health care.
Health Minister, Edwin Astwood said more money is coming, and its direction is shifting.
“My Government is prioritising the strengthening of primary health care through a number of initiatives, including an increase in budgetary provisions being made to recruit additional staff in this new financial year, which includes two additional medical officers, registered nurses and physiotherapists.” 
Already, explained the Minister on Monday, there are a greater number of services being offered at the InterHealth Canada managed, TCI Hospitals. Still, government is aiming to make a significant dent in the 51% of revenue which is spent at the hospitals.
“A strong primary health care system is an essential component to any health care system and investment in this area has been lacking in the past. However, my Government has seen it fit to prioritise primary health care once again in order to improve universal access to quality health care for all residents of the Turks and Caicos Islands,” said Hon. Astwood at the press conference held at the Office of the Premier in Provo.
Government talked about partnerships with healthy lifestyle centers in the country and announced a breakthrough for public health.
“…the operation of a mobile clinic, which will be the first time ever in the Turks and Caicos islands…” the Minister of Health, Human Services, Sports and Agriculture added, “…we are partnering with local, non-governmental organizations in order to educate the general public about healthy lifestyle practices, including the implementation of well balanced diets and regular exercise.” 
The initiatives are aimed at prevention and ensuring earlier detection of the lifestyle diseases which are not only claiming lives, but diminishing national productivity.
“It is hoped that with an emphasis on healthy lifestyles and prevention and control of non communicable diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, heart disease and cancer, we would realize a reduction in premature deaths and disabilities which may result from these conditions.”
The announcement of this more assertive action to shift the mindset of people to want to be healthier, subsequently making the nation, wealthier due to a reduction in medical costs, was delivered by Minister Edwin Astwood, who also explained another shift; where sports was added to his health portfolio.
“We look forward to a greater synergy in promoting physical activities at schools and throughout the country. The school nutrition program has been approved in principle, by Cabinet, and is focused on health, nutrition and well being for our children. In addition, the Department of Agriculture has been promoting its ‘Eat what you Grow and Grow what you Eat’ initiatives in our schools and communities…”
There is a review of the TAP, which absorbs 35% of medical costs paid by the National Health Insurance Plan and Government. Minister Astwood said a submission is due for presentation at Cabinet in June 2018. 
“This will ensure that the provision for treatment that will fall outside the scope of the current National Health Insurance ordinance is reviewed as well as reviewing the mechanisms and procedures for clients requiring rehabilitation not available locally.”
The review will also consider higher cost clinical cases, the offer in the benefits package of the NHIP , the sustainability of the Treatment Abroad Program (TAP) and specialty treatment, especially for those struggling to lose weight.
Minister Edwin Astwood, who was joined by the Permanent Secretary for the ministry, Desiree Lewis said the results of the NHIP Actuarial Report, due to be completed in May will under gird the findings in the TAP Review.
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – Wednesday, 25 February 2026: Staff of the Department of Disaster Management and Emergencies (DDME) participated in a one‑day Professional Staff Development Workshop on Thursday, 19th February 2026. The session was facilitated by former DDME Director (2011–2021) and current Permanent Secretary of the Governor’s Office, Dr. Virginia Clerveaux.
The in-house workshop was organised by the DDME Training Unit, to focus on the National Disaster Management Framework, strengthening staff understanding of their roles and responsibilities within disaster management. The session also aimed to enhance the effectiveness of the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) and reinforce inter‑agency coordination.
Drawing on her extensive experience in disaster management in the Turks and Caicos Islands, as well as several deployments to CDEMA member states including Haiti, The Bahamas, and Jamaica, Dr. Clerveaux provided practical insights that reinforced key concepts and clarified operational expectations. Staff members actively participated in discussions and shared recommendations to improve sub‑committee performance and overall departmental efficiency.
To support learning retention, the workshop incorporated pre‑ and post‑assessments, enabling participants to evaluate their understanding and track improvements.
Acting Director of DDME, Mr. Kevaun Lucas stated: “Investing in the continued development of our team is essential to strengthening national resilience. This and future planned workshops will help to reinforce our commitment to building a highly skilled, well‑coordinated workforce capable of leading and supporting disaster management efforts across the Turks and Caicos Islands. I am proud of the team’s engagement and encouraged by the meaningful contributions they made throughout the session.”
This Professional Staff Development Workshop forms part of DDME’s ongoing commitment to enhancing internal capacity, strengthening operational coordination and improving overall departmental synergy as the agency continues to advance national preparedness and response capabilities.
Photo Captions:
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, 20 February 2026 — The Informal Settlements Unit (ISU), in collaboration with key
government agencies, coordinated a multi-agency enforcement exercise on Thursday, February 5, 2026, at Block and Parcel 60609/33 in the Five Cays area.
The exercise was led by the Crown Land Unit, pursuant to its statutory mandate under the Crown Land Ordinance to prevent squatting and encroachment on Crown land. The ISU coordinated the operation, with support provided by the Planning Department and the Turks and Caicos Islands Border Force, while the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force ensured security throughout the activity.
The enforcement action followed a series of inspections conducted by the Crown Land Unit throughout Five Cays, which identified several illegally constructed buildings made of concrete and timber on sections of the subject parcel. In keeping with the provisions of the Crown Land Ordinance, occupied structures were served Letters of Illegal Occupation, delivered by hand to occupants and
posted on structures where individuals were absent. Incomplete and unoccupied structures were served Notices of Unauthorized Occupation pursuant to section 22 of the Ordinance. A total of ten (10) Letters of Illegal Occupation and three (3) Notices of Unauthorized Occupation were issued during the exercise.
The Informal Settlements Unit reiterates that these coordinated enforcement exercises form part of the Government’s ongoing efforts to uphold the law, protect Crown land, and manage informal settlements in a structured and lawful manner. Members of the public are reminded that unauthorised occupation and development on Crown land is unlawful and subject to enforcement action.
Almost two million visitors recorded in 2025
PROVIDENCIALES, TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS – The Turks and Caicos Islands saw an increase in stayover arrivals in December, seven percent higher than the corresponding period in 2024.
Preliminary data suggests that stay over arrivals by air for the month of December was 66,427 in comparison to 62,610 in December 2024.
From January to December 2025, preliminary visitor arrival numbers totalled 640,754; on par with the number recorded for the same period of 2024.
Stay Over Arrivals YTD December 2024/2025
The first quarter of the calendar year attracted the largest number of arrivals with visitor arrivals three percent higher than the first quarter of 2024. Reduced airlift from the United Kingdom and the United States, most notably the Virgin Atlantic and JetBlue services, was however felt from the second quarter (April to June). As a result, visitor arrivals dropped three percent in the second quarter.
By the third quarter of this year (July to September), geopolitical and economic conditions in the key source markets, namely the United States, led to further contraction of arrivals. In the last quarter of 2025, arrivals were impacted in October due to the passage of Hurricane Melissa but additional airlift from the USA and Canada resulted in an increase in arrivals in November and December.
Mr. Paul Pennicook, Interim CEO Consultant of Experience Turks and Caicos, said December’s increase in stayover arrivals is an encouraging indicator of the sustained interest in the Turks and Caicos Islands as a premier destination.
“While we note and continue to monitor geopolitical shifts that affect us, Experience Turks and Caicos is focused on increasing marketing initiatives in our primary source markets. We have spent the last two years investing in groundwork such as crucial travel advisor training to assist them in selling the destination more effectively. In the next fiscal, we will be building on those initiatives with co-op activities with partners as well as out of home advertising to increase visitation to our destination,” he said.
In Cruise, the preliminary count of passenger arrivals for the month of December 2025 was 129,346, a 22 percent increase over last December. This growth follows the berthing of 11 additional ships in Grand Turk this month.
From January to December, the cruise sector continued to outperform the same period last year, as the 1.3 million total cruise passengers recorded, marks a five percent Year-on-Year increase. 
The cruise sector experienced significant growth in the first quarter of 2025, with passenger arrivals surpassing last quarter by 53 percent. In the second and third quarter however, several cruise lines adjusted their itineraries as vessels were pulled from the fleet or from the Caribbean region, which resulted in fewer passengers.
Arrivals dropped seven percent and 10 percent in the second and third quarters, respectively. Double digit growth was recorded in the last two months of Quarter 4. This growth however, was not sufficient to outweigh the drop in arrivals experienced in October, following the cancellation of cruise calls due to the passage of Hurricane Melissa. Despite the late-quarter rebound, arrivals for the final quarter of 2025 closed six percent below the same period in 2024.
