TCI News
Turks and Caicos Pastor gets world class training in Public Speaking, as he ‘declares’ the works of the Lord
#TurksandCaicos, May 11, 2018 – Providenciales – Community Fellowship Centre senior pastor, Rev. Bradley Handfield has seen a fervent interest in a basic standard re-ignited this year, and in addition to establishing a Book Club at his church, he has been making investments into his own personal development.
“This year started out with me reading a lot because we had the hurricane in September and during that time I had a lot of time to think and to read and I started reading and listening to Les Brown on YouTube and on Facebook. I was extremely motivated by what I heard from him through his videos and his presentations and I found out that he was having this training in Deerfield Beach in April and I said to myself, I am not going to let this miss me. Les Brown is the world’s #1 Motivational Speaker and I know that he has a lot of knowledge, wisdom and insight and sheer experience that he can share with those of us who are interesting in speaking to people and speaking into people’s lives and motivating people.”
Reverend Handfield, who is a professional teacher and the 16-year pastor of Community Fellowship Centre, an Assemblies of God church in Providenciales talked about his recent trip to Florida where the focus for him was on becoming a better speaker.
“The conference was a training seminar and it was focused on improving your speaking ability. I speak every week to an audience, but I have this desire to continue learning as long as I am alive and I want to become better at whatever it is that I am doing. And since I do speak to people every week, I want to enhance the way that I speak to people so that I am being most effective at reaching them and touching them and at meeting their needs.”
Rev. Handfield is impressed and inspired by the story of Les Brown. A man born with his twin in a derelict building in Miami, Florida and abandoned by his birth mother. A man who had limited prospects but who at the age of 73-years old, is now ranked in the Top 10, in fact at No. 2 of the Top 10 Global list of Motivational Speakers. Brown is a former disc jockey, a former politician, an author and an Emmy Award winning broadcaster. Les Brown is ultra-effective at encouraging people to pursue and possess their dreams; often using his life as a reference point.
“I know what my purpose is because my purpose was revealed when I was three-years-old, it was said clearly that my life was spared when I was about to die from pneumonia. God miraculously healed me and prophesied over my life before healing me, saying this child would not die but live to declare the works of the Lord. And so I know that speaking is what I live for. God saved my life so that I could declare…”
And declare is what Bradley Handfield of North Caicos does, emphatically. The pastor is known for his frank commentary on issues ranging from politics to education to the Word of God, cultural folklore and personal development on the national and regional level. Rev. Handfield has organized leadership conferences featuring among others, world renowned author and speaker, the late Dr. Myles Munroe.
The Pastor is also an author who recently told a children’s story in a book titled, Auntie Fannie, Mattie and the Talking Potatoes.
“One of the things I walked away from this conference is the understanding of two-dimensional story telling and three-dimensional story telling. When I heard of about three-dimensional story telling, my ears pricked because I wanted to know what do you really mean and how much deeper can you go in story-telling. So I learned that we can tell stories where we share a particular incident that has happened to us or someone else, it could even be a story that we have heard and we can just share it and it enhances our speech because we are able to put into the story telling, the feeling of individual at the time of the incident,” Rev. Bradley continued, “the audience can actually feel as if they are a part of that event that has already happened and actually feel those emotions as you say them and that was demonstrated (at the conference) and that was real, really powerful and really impactful.
So far for 2018, teachers of the Community Christian Academy and others have benefited from a special session to enhance teacher methodology under the guidance of husband and wife team, Murriell and Bob McCulley. Rev. Bradley, as he often called, said “there is more to come.”
In the meantime, Pastor Bradley is hoping that his thirst for self-enhancement will be contagious and admits that while he does not expect everyone to be able to attend conferences abroad, he does pray and hope that residents will make the more financially manageable decision to invest in quality books and read them.
“So whether I am in church speaking on the Gospel of Jesus Christ or I am at some kind of seminar teaching people about leadership or something else that I have learned about in my lifetime, I am still declaring the works of the Lord. Because whatever I am able to learn or impart is all about what God has done and what God is doing for us in the world.”
by Deandrea Hamilton | Editor
PROVIDENCIALES, TCI — In a country where government press conferences are virtually non-existent, ministers are often difficult for
journalists to access and regular broadcast television news has disappeared, TCI Innovation, Technology and Energy Minister E. Jay Saunders has challenged Caribbean media to become “impossible to ignore.”
Speaking at the Caribbean Broadcasting Union gathering, Saunders argued that the Caribbean does not have a relevance problem but a “discoverability and positioning problem.”
Discoverability is precisely the issue in Saunders’ home country. Even Government’s own attempts at video news broadcasting have struggled against the realities of consistently producing a daily, weekly or even monthly newscast.
The difficulties confronting TCI media extend well beyond algorithms: limited advertising revenue, underfunding, shortages of trained professionals and insufficient human capacity leave newsrooms struggling for both staff and stamina.
Then there is the reality of operating in one of the region’s smallest societies. Politicians, journalists, advertisers, businesses and the subjects of stories often exist within the same tight economic and social circles. A controversial report that might create a ripple elsewhere can produce a tsunami in TCI, intensifying concerns among journalists about commercial and professional victimisation.
Saunders believes AI can help.
He urged Caribbean media to use the technology to transform one original story into television, radio, web, podcast, social and translated content without multiplying newsroom workload.
He also wants regional journalism structured so AI systems can find, understand and trust Caribbean sources, moving media beyond traditional SEO into Answer Engine Optimisation.
His ultimate message was emphatic: “Use AI not to make Caribbean media more artificial — but to make Caribbean voices more visible.”
For Turks and Caicos media, however, becoming visible may require more than technology. It requires an environment in which journalism can survive.
That last sentence is where I think we land the plane. It acknowledges that EJ actually has some us
Bahamas News
Bahama Brass Band Invitation Sparks Heritage Debate Ahead of TCI Constitutional Holiday
Turks and Caicos, August 20, 2026 – The planned participation of the Bahama Brass Band in the Turks and Caicos Islands’ inaugural Constitutional Holiday celebrations on August 30 has sparked public debate over culture, heritage and the historical contributions of Turks and Caicos Islanders abroad.
Organizers defended the invitation, saying the band’s inclusion is intended to highlight the deep historical ties between the two countries
and honor Turks and Caicos men who helped establish and develop the institution in Grand Bahama.
According to the organizers, the Bahama Brass Band began in 1955 in Pine Ridge, Freeport, with Turks and Caicos Islanders, including the late Deacon Reuben Hall Sr. of Middle Caicos and Jenkins Williams and Mervin Hendfield of North Caicos, among those who helped build its foundation. The band eventually grew to more than 50 men.
The organizers also pointed to the participation of Turks and Caicos men in The Bahamas’ Independence celebrations on July 10, 1973, arguing that their contributions became part of Bahamian history while maintaining strong connections to their homeland.
Supporters say bringing the band home represents an opportunity to honor those pioneers, showcase their regional influence and expose younger generations to an important part of Turks and Caicos history.
However, concerns raised publicly described the invitation as potentially disrespectful to local culture and heritage. Organizers acknowledged those concerns, apologizing to anyone who felt overlooked or offended, while maintaining that no disrespect was intended.
The committee said the event should ultimately unite rather than divide, presenting the band’s history as evidence of the reach and resilience of Turks and Caicos heritage.
PHOTO CREDIT: Bahamas Brass Band
News
BermudAir Launches New York Area’s First Nonstop Service to South Caicos, Now Just a 3.5 Hour Flight from Newark
Twice-Weekly Nonstop Flights Begin December 20 with Fares from $347 One Way, Creating Direct Access to Salterra Resort & Spa
– New Route Expands BermudAir’s Winter Turks & Caicos Network –
[New York, NY – August 20, 2026] – BermudAir, the leading premium leisure carrier to Bermuda and the Caribbean, today announced it will introduce nonstop flights to South Caicos from Newark this winter. The route places one of the Caribbean’s most secluded island destinations just 3.5 hours from the New York area for the first time.
The new service starts on December 20, 2026, operating on Sundays and Thursdays, and will be the only nonstop service to the destination
from the New York area. This seasonal service will operate through April 25, 2027. Fares start at $347 one way ($773 roundtrip) and go on sale today.
The new South Caicos route creates gives travelers two distinct luxury resort options, with direct access to Salterra, A Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, recently named the No. 1 resort in Turks and Caicos by Condé Nast Traveler.
Set across 85 beachfront acres with a 3,000-foot private white-sand beach, Salterra brings a full luxury resort experience to an island still defined by its historic salinas, pristine waters, bonefishing flats and uninhabited cays. Upon landing at South Caicos International Airport (XSC), guests are approximately 10 minutes from the resort.
While flights go on sale today, the airline’s BermudAir Holidays vacation-packaging division will offer curated travel to South Caicos from next month, featuring flights, hotels and authentic island experiences, with bundled discounts and value-added perks, making it even easier to explore the destination.
Previously BermudAir announced seven new routes to Providenciales in Turks and Caicos, from Newark (EWR), Boston (BOS), Baltimore-Washington (BWI), Raleigh-Durham (RDU), Fort Lauderdale (FLL), St Petersburg/Tampa (PIE) and Toronto (YYZ) which will all start in December except for Fort Lauderdale which begins October 26.
Expanded Winter Season
- To South Caicos:
- Twice-weekly nonstop from Newark (Sundays and Thursdays) from December 20 through April 25, 2027.
- To Turks and Caicos:
- Weekly nonstop from Newark (Saturdays) and one weekly direct service (Thursdays) from December 19 through April 29, 2027;
- Weekly nonstop service from Boston (Saturdays), from December 19 through May 1, 2027;
- Weekly nonstop service from Baltimore-Washington (Thursdays), from December 24 through April 29, 2027;
- Twice-weekly nonstop service from Raleigh-Durham (Thursdays and Sundays), from December 20 through May 2, 2027;
- Thrice-weekly service from Fort Lauderdale (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays), from October 26 through May 3, 2027;
- Twice-weekly nonstop service from St Petersburg/Tampa (Mondays and Thursdays), from December 21 through May 3, 2027; and
- Weekly nonstop service from Toronto (Saturdays), from December 19 through May 1, 2027.
“We’re thrilled to continue expanding our Caribbean network as the premium leisure carrier from North America,” said Adam Scott, Founder and CEO of BermudAir. “Now New Yorkers can fly nonstop to two distinct sides of the Turks and Caicos Islands — Providenciales and the secluded island of South Caicos, home to the exquisite Salterra and Sailrock South Caicos resorts.”
The airline consistently earns Net Promoter Scores of 70+, one of the highest ratings in the airline industry. All flights will be operated on comfortable Embraer E190 aircraft, offering passengers the airline’s signature warm service and authentic island hospitality.
“South Caicos has always felt worlds away, and that is part of its magic,” said Michael Tibbetts, Founder and CEO of Salterra. “Beginning this winter, guests can fly nonstop from Newark in 3.5 hours, land at one of the newest international airports in the region and be at Salterra minutes later. This route makes a long weekend escape and an extended stay to one of the Caribbean’s most unspoiled islands remarkably easy, without changing the sense of discovery that makes South Caicos so special.”
For more information or to book flights, visit www.flybermudair.com. Salterra will offer dedicated stay packages timed to BermudAir’s Thursday and Sunday nonstop service. To book a stay at Salterra, A Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, visit www.salterra.com
