TCI News
New motor arrives in Grand Turk today to fix water woes; Minister exposes $6 million in unpaid water bills
#Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands – Thursday June 28, 2018 – Unpaid water bills in Grand Turk have hit a staggering $6 million, and though having even half of those monies paid would be more than enough to completely overhaul the water system in the Capital, the Minister of Infrastructure Goldray Ewing says the Administration is not holding it against residents.
The Minister returned a call to Magnetic Media overnight, explaining extensively the long standing problems in Grand Turk and remedies upon which he is working; but more significantly, Minister Ewing confirmed that the repair needed to get the water pump working now will be done today thanks to the swift purchase of a brand new motor. The motor was shipped into Turks and Caicos from Ohio.
“The replacement motor arrives on the Lew Tide tomorrow in Grand Turk; from there it is just a matter of installing it. The broken one will be taken to Provo Water Company, which has the expertise on the ground to fix it.”
Minister Ewing, who has a background in engineering said he personally inspected the site and it was evident that the motor which eventually seized up, was over worked.
“When I put my hand on it, it was hot. The bearings in the motor were gone and as with anything that is running non-stop, it burned out and stop running altogether.”
There was a scramble to get the funds together as the country is in a fiscal transition which means monies are not so readily available; the $9,000 was identified said Minister Ewing and paid as down payment on the 800lbs motor, which has a total cost of $15,000. 
Currently, residents of Grand Turk are forced to ration water because the demand far outweighs the supply. Magnetic Media was contacted on Wednesday by residents who called it a crisis situation.
Minister Ewing said the issue of a water shortage in Grand Turk is not new, but that he is working assiduously to lay a proper foundation for radical reform.
Already in motion, a Cabinet approved amendment to the Water and Sewage Ordinance which will allow the Water Undertaking Department to continue with monthly billing for water usage, but now also be legally allowed to cut off supply to those who are not paying their bill.
And that is pretty much everyone explained Hon. Goldray Ewing.
Her Majesty’s Prison is the largest consumer of city water; but the Prison does not pay its bill despite being given the money from the public purse to do so.
The second largest consumer of water is Carnival Cruise Line with an annual bill of around $400,000. Carnival is among the only entities which honors its commitment and pays its water bill.
Government Offices are third in the line for consumption and are guilty of leaving water bills unpaid, despite the monies being allocated for there to be payment. Even the Governor’s Office does not pay its water bill.
“I have had all kinds of people calling me too about the water. I explained to them what was happening and when I ask if they are paying their bill; they hung up on me.”
The Minister said Government should be paying its water bill, that Government offices should set a better example.
Grand Turk is also facing a serious problem with seepage. Water loss for the Capital of the country is at a critical level, with all of the government tanks being in dire need of repair and further to that, residences and businesses are also with a multitude of leaks. The leaks and sizable water loss, shared Minister Ewing are not being fixed because no one is paying for the water.
“If people knew they had to pay for the water they were using or the water that was wasting due to leaks, they would get the leaks fixed.”
The pumps at the Government’s Reverse Osmosis Water Plant in Grand Turk, when at optimum are churning out between 500,000 to 750,000 gallons per day.
“This was still not enough; that may however be due to the number of leaks”, said the Minister.
Magnetic Media was told that all six of the large government-owned water storage tanks are losing water; the tanks are located at the hospital, two tanks are on the ridge near the Community College, there is one each at the South Base, North Well and north of HJ Robinson High school.
“Even the smaller tanks in areas like West Road and Backsalina are leaky.’
Minister Goldray Ewing believes it would take $2.5 million to bring the modernisations and change to the Reverse Osmosis Plant required. The Minister also believes the water plant should be privitised; allowing islanders to own 49% of a new entity which would function more like a business and not like a public service.
“I believe it is a good business opportunity and it has the potential to earn as much as $7 million per year. In the interim, I think we need to get a private company to control billing and eventually create a Statutory Body for Electricity, Sewage, Telecommunications and Water so that there would be better administration.”
This fiscal year, the plan is to conduct major repairs on the system which is over 100 years old. That is projected to cost $1 million. Eventually, there needs to be the addition of another ‘skit’ which will churn out an extra 300,000 gallons of water per day; this would take the units working at the site to three and would cost around $800,000 to purchase.
As for the critical water shortage now, the new motor which arrives in Grand Turk today, will pump 500,000 gallons per day and that will complement the current pump which is producing 250,000 gallons per day.
Turks and Caicos, October 28, 2025 – We are closely monitoring the impact of Hurricane Melissa on Jamaica, and our thoughts and prayers are with our regional neighbours for their safety and well-being
We are now entering a critical period as Hurricane Melissa advances towards the Turks and Caicos Islands. Current projections indicate that Hurricane Melissa will begin to impact the Turks and Caicos Islands around midday tomorrow, Wednesday, 29th October.
This morning, Her Excellency the Governor and the Hon. Premier chaired a State of Preparedness Meeting. All Government agencies and critical services are mobilised. The safety and protection of every person across our Islands remains our highest priority. Our emergency response teams are prepared and the TCI Regiment is deployed across each of our Islands to support community readiness and immediate response. The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force are on active duty, with additional officers in North Caicos, Salt Cay, South Caicos and Grand Turk.
At this time, the hurricane is moving north-northeast. The country is expected to experience tropical storm conditions, heavy rainfall and
significant storm surge. The storm surge poses a serious concern for low-lying coastal areas especially along our western and southern coastlines, which may result in coastal flooding. Based on the most current weather projections and anticipated impacts for the Turks and Caicos Islands, the National Executive have agreed the following actions:
1. Evacuation Advisories
Residents in specific low-lying and flood-prone coastal areas are likely to experience significant storm surge of 2-4 feet with accompanying rainfall. Strong advice is now place for residents in these areas to relocate to designated shelters which will be open from 4pm this afternoon. These areas include:
Middle Caicos
- Conch Bar Nearest Shelter: The Community Centre
North Caicos
- Sandy Point Nearest Shelter : Sandy Point Community Centre
- Whitby Nearest Shelter: Adelaide Oemler Primary School
- Bottle Creek Nearest Shelter: Adelaide Oemler Primary School
Providenciales
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- Chalk Sound Nearest Shelter Enid Capron Primary School
- Five Cays Nearest Shelter: Enid Capron Primary School
- Discovery Bay Nearest Shelter: All Saints Church, Leeward Highway
- Juba Sound Nearest Shelter: A. Louise Garland High School
- Long Bay Nearest Shelter: A. Louise Garland High School
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South Caicos
- Cockburn Harbour Nearest Shelter: Community Centre
- Old Airport Road Nearest Shelter: Community Centre
Should an evacuation order become necessary, it will be issued following the 6:00 PM Advisory this evening from the TCI National Weather Service.
2. Activation of Emergency Operations Centre
The National Emergency Operations Centre in Providenciales and all Islands Emergency Operations Centres will be activated at 4:00 PM today.
3. Shelters Access
Shelters across all Islands will open today at 4:00 PM to receive members of the public.
4. Shelter-in-Place
A Strong Shelter-in-Place Advisory is in place for all islands, commencing at 10:00 PM tonight. This will be in place until the all clear has been issued.
This means that from 10:00 PM tonight, all residents should be off the road, in a safe location, either at home or a designated shelter.
Please note that this position may be revised following the 6:00 PM Advisory from the TCI National Weather Service, depending on updated storm projections.
The Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority (TCIAA) has confirmed that all airports remain fully operational for today. They will advise the public about ongoing operations dependent on the weather impacts.
In times such as this, the role of commercial entities extends beyond business – it becomes a vital part of the community’s resilience. All retailers and service providers are urged to uphold their humanitarian responsibilities by maintaining fair pricing and ensuring essential goods and services remain accessible to all.
Residents and visitors are reminded to adhere strictly to all official advisories and evacuation orders as they are issued. Avoid unnecessary movement, secure your property, and ensure that you and your family are prepared with essential supplies. Stay prepared and stay safe.
Turks and Caicos, October 24, 2025 – Commissioner of Police Fitz Bailey delivered an impassioned address to male students at Clement Howell High School, calling on them to recognize their power, seize their potential, and “awaken the sleeping giants” within.
In a message that blended humility, faith, and personal experience, the Commissioner reminded the boys that the decisions they make today will shape their future.“The choices you make today determine who you become tomorrow,” he said.
Bailey, who revealed he was the first in his family to attend high school, urged the students to embrace education and discipline as tools of
transformation.“Knowledge is power. If you want to be a real man, you need to read,” he told them. “Remember your potential — if others can do it, so can you. Some of you are sleeping giants waiting to be awakened.”
He emphasized that circumstances of birth do not dictate destiny, challenging the young men to carry self-respect, faith, and moral conviction wherever they go. “Self-respect is key; respect yourself, respect others, and respect God,” he said. “The circumstances you were born into do not define who you are.”
The Commissioner also spoke about resilience, advising that true strength often lies in restraint.
“There will be challenges, and people may try to impede your development — but rise above negativity. Sometimes, strength means walking away,” he said. “Some of you are sleeping lions; it’s time to awaken that instinct and rediscover your true potential.”
In closing, Commissioner Bailey delivered a stirring challenge:
“Each morning, look in the mirror and remind yourself that you were created by God and are capable of great exploits. You are a possibility with potential. Step forward with confidence — this is your country, your islands. Be the best version of yourself.”
Following his speech, the Commissioner engaged the students in open dialogue, answering questions and listening to their perspectives on issues affecting young men in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Developed by Deandrea Hamilton • with ChatGPT (AI) • edited by Magnetic Media.
