TCI News
TCI Premier speaks to the nation, disagrees that British Governor not micro-managing public funds
#GrandTurk, Turks and Caicos Islands – April 16, 2018 – The Premier of the TCI not only disagrees with the comment, by the Governor, that the UK is not micro-managing public money but explained that systems constitutionally entrenched to govern spending, dramatically slow down the pace for funds to be released on public projects.
Premier Sharlene Robinson said the Governor did not ‘lie’ to media when he met with them on Thursday, but that his statement was lop-sided, leaving out the position of the elected government. 
“What the Governor has not said is that the UK has not engaged in micro-managing at its highest levels, but the Governor is involved in every process here and controls – a meaning of micro-managing – through Cabinet all decisions with the need for consensus, complete agreement of seven elected members and three un-elected members for anything to move forward.”
Premier Sharlene Robinson explained that it was reaction to a Magnetic Media article posted about the Governor’s comments from a press breakfast meeting which elicited her statement in defence of her administration. During the National Address on Monday over Radio Turks and Caicos, the country leader gave examples of how exhaustive – our word, not hers – is the process for projects.
“The Supplementary approved in February took over a month to secure. This was necessary because the constitution does not allow TCIG to run a deficit budget without its approval. The Supplementary which was debated by the House was a reduction Supplementary, as we could not spend as usual due to our fallen revenues. The House of Assembly had to approve this and following the storms, the projects agreed in March 2017 had shifted in priority and headlining for this revised priority was school repairs and NHIB support.” 
The Premier continued with acknowledgement of comments from the PNP Opposition that the monies for hurricane recovery clean up was late. In the address, Premier Robinson agreed that it was late in the budget year but added that her team felt it the most proactive move given the system.
“As it was the end of the year much more could not be achieved under the procurement process which required six weeks for invitation to tenders and following approvals for business cases and even after, tenders or bids are received there was an evaluation stage that has to be undertaken.” Add to this it was exposed that in the space of 16-months of her administration, the UK has been asked three times by Premier Robinson to take over the hefty $10m per year SIPT bill. The Special Investigation trial was instituted under the British since 2009 and has been reported to have significantly fattened the coffers of attorneys working the expensive case against former country leaders including ex-Premier and former PNP Leader, Michael Misick.
“What the Governor has not said is that on three separate occasions: twice to London and more recently directly to him, I have had the need to raise the high and continuing annual costs of $9.1m to cover SIPT costs with $5m for legal aid and $4m for SIPT’s Team. TCIG would be able to do much more if we had access to this near $10m annually and I have suggested to the UK that should the UK assume these responsibilities and if done, the TCIG would be able to address areas of its interests, the Governors interests and critical areas also identified by the locally elected government.” 
Last Thursday the Governor told media that the UK has released much of its hooks when it comes to spending since the nullification of the Chief Financial Officer. HE Dr. John Freeman said the British FCO would have understood even a deficit budget given the extremities brought by Hurricanes Irma and Maria last September. But the Premier said her Government has its reasons for not rushing to a Deficit Budget; being chiefly focused, she noted, on keeping the British involvement in TCI money matters at bay.
“Last year the Budget for the first time since the new stringent financial regulations did not have to be approved by the UK as in previous years. Any reserves/savings below the agreed cash level would see the UK having to approve the FSPS and the detailed Budget. What the Governor has not said is that there has been a call by his Office as to areas he wish to have funded and have already stated that the Budget can be difficult to agree even if our cash levels remain as is and there remains no need to submit the detailed Budget to the UK for scrutiny and approvals. He is still very much in the process and can, as with any decision of Cabinet, hinder or halt any process until he himself in full agreement.”
With both country leaders now on the record about TCIG money and how it flows, the issues which caused the questions and stinging commentaries to erupt remain unresolved and vexing to thousands of people. 
Money, which is healthily in abundance in the Turks and Caicos public purse is still being spent too slowly or not at all as it relates to rebounding from the hurricanes, taking care of public and private relationships and enhancing critical public infrastructure.
However, to conclude her address to the Nation, Premier Hon. Sharlene Robinson expressed a strong final point and challenge to His Excellency: “The UK is involved every stage locally by the Governor’s role and so to say there is no micromanaging or local control is certainly incorrect. The current Governor, as many know nationally is involved at all levels even where neither of his predecessors has been under elected Government. Hence the perception out there that he is running the country. This is a perception he must feel compelled to correct by actions.”
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.
News
The Department of Trade, Industry & Fair Competition to Host Export Readiness Workshop Under the theme “Empowering TCI Businesses for Local Growth and Global Markets.”
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – Wednesday, 11 February 2026: The Informal Settlements Unit (ISU) coordinated a multi-agency enforcement operation on Thursday, 29 January 2026, led by the Planning Department, with support from the Crown Land
Unit, the Turks and Caicos Islands Border Force, and security provided by the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force. The operation, carried out at three different locations in Providenciales, formed part of ongoing government efforts to address unauthorised development and illegal occupation of land in accordance with governing legislation.
The operation commenced in Blue Hills, where five Section 58 Enforcement Notices were issued on unauthorised structures identified on Block and Parcel 60502/48.
Enforcement activity then moved to a second location off the Leeward Highway near Caicos Lodge, where six Section 58 Enforcement Notices were issued on additional unauthorised structures on Block and Parcel 60802/66.
The final phase of the operation took place in The Bight, where three unauthorised structures were removed, with all debris cleared from the site in keeping with established safety and environmental protocols.
The Informal Settlements Unit remains committed to working alongside its partner agencies to support lawful development, protect public and private land, and ensure that planning regulations are enforced in a coordinated and transparent manner across the Turks and Caicos Islands. Similar joint operations will continue as part of the Government’s wider strategy to address unauthorised development and informal settlement activity.
