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Press Statement – Mandating the establishment of Pubic Beneficial InterestRegisteries in The Overseas Territories through order in Council

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#TurksandCaicos, May 04, 2018 – Providenciales – It should be no surprise to observers of history that the Overseas Territories constitutional relationship with the UK has been subjugated in a political compromise between the minority government of Theresa May and the diverse parliamentary groups to secure the passage of the new Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Bill passed by the UK Parliament on May 1 in exchange for mandatory establishment of public registries of beneficial interest by 2020.

The will of colonial peoples have always been political fodder In the UK geopolitical interest as reflected in the famous oration by Viscount Lord Palmerston 1784-1865, Foreign Secretary and two-time Prime Minister under Queen Victoria that “Britain had no eternal allies and no perpetual enemies, only interest that were eternal and perpetual.”   And so, history has once again repeated itself and the interest of the Overseas Territories has been sacrificed on the altar of political expediency to achieve legislative consensus in bringing sanctions to bear against Russia.

The decision by the UK Parliament on the one hand affirmed the principle of consensus democracy as it relates to the UK special interest; while on the other hand admittedly “disenfranchises the elected representatives of the Overseas Territories who do not have a voice in the UK Parliament.” This is especially egregious given that it reflects a traditional bias in favour of Crown Dependencies tilting the playing field in their favour.  The alarming Ignorance of reality in the Overseas Territories by members of UK Parliament has been costly, and this most recent decision in the words of Alan Duncan himself will potentially create hardship for them.

The  decision is clearly not evidence based and indeed the evidence provided by the UK itself as reflected by Alan Duncan statement asserts that the Overseas Territories now generally have “central registers or similarly effective systems …… that enable UK law enforcement authorities to establish the ultimate owner of companies registered in the Overseas Territories……The commitments they have made in the exchanges of notes with the UK exceed current Financial Action Task Force standards and put them ahead of most jurisdictions, including many of our G20 partners and some states in the United States.”  This contradicts the notion of UK parliamentarians that the Overseas Territories are tax havens for robber barons, tax evaders, fraudsters, drug runners and funders of terror.  Indeed, there is more evidence that the UK itself is a haven for ill-gotten wealth.

While the Turks and Caicos Islands offshore financial sector is not as significant a part of our economy compared with that of the Cayman Islands or the BVI we have recently passed a new Companies Ordinance which establishes a central registry albeit not public; and plans are ongoing to continue the modernisation of legislation to make the jurisdiction more competitive.   In addition, a review of the industry by KPMG is expected to be completed during the month of May together with recommendations for the expansion of the Offshore financial services sector.

Therefore, two sequential and immediate actions are necessary  to any future strategy to grow the financial services sector to maintain equilibrium between income and costs.

  1. TCIG should move post haste to publicly identify itself with the sentiments of those recently expressed by the Cayman Islands, BVI and Gibraltar in a show of solidarity.
  2. Second and more importantly all stakeholders including the government, opposition and the private sector must as a matter of urgency convene a meeting to examine the options available to the TCI in a rational and dispassionate way.  Given the TCI low profile in this sector there may well be an upside that may be used to our advantage.  A win for the Turks and Caicos Islands regardless to who are the architect is a win for all of us, but the discovery of that win requires vision and collaboration.

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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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