TCI News
Royal Navy Ship, RFA Mounts Bay, Visits TCI
#GrandTurk, June 28, 2018 – Turks and Caicos – [CORRECTION]Following its deployment to TCI in March to help counter the surge in illegal sloops from Haiti, the Royal Navy’s Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship, RFA Mounts Bay, returned to TCI on 27 June in the course of its deployment to the region to support the efforts of the UK’s Caribbean Overseas Territories to prepare for this year’s hurricane season. His Excellency the Governor, the Hon. Premier and Her Excellency the Deputy Governor met the Commanding Officer of RFA Mounts Bay, Captain Peter Selby, on board the ship while it was in Grand Turk.
While here, Mounts Bay delivered hurricane equipment and supplies which have been donated to TCI. At the request of the Department for Disaster Management and Emergencies (DDME), Mounts Bay’s Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Troop – a contingent of Royal Engineers and Royal Marines – carried out a range of hurricane preparedness tasks on the island including work at the customs yard and testing of DDME’s radio equipment. Members of the HADR Troop, several of whom had been stationed in TCI immediately after Hurricane Irma in September last year, also visited key installations on Grand Turk and held meetings with the Governor, Deputy Governor, DDME and others to discuss TCI’s state of readiness for this hurricane season and how the UK may be able to support TCI’s efforts in the event of another hurricane hitting TCI this season.
Separately this week, representatives of the UK military and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office attended the 6th Caribbean Regional Information Operations Council (CRIOC) meeting in Providenciales hosted by the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force. The meeting brought together representatives from across the region and international partners including from the UK, US, Canada, the Netherlands, Bermuda and the Bahamas for talks on coordinating efforts in the event of a repeat of last year’s catastrophic weather events. Participants in the meeting also took part in the first cross-Caribbean hurricane response exercise aimed at helping contribute towards preparations being in place for the hurricane season and bringing together partner countries to this end.
Commenting on the visit of RFA Mounts Bay and other events taking place in TCI this week, His Excellency the Governor said;
“As we in these islands of Turks and Caicos continue with our preparations for the hurricane season, I wish to express thanks for the visit of various advisors from the UK’s Armed Forces and for the return of RFA Mounts Bay, following its deployment here in March, which has delivered hurricane specific equipment and supplies. I was pleased to be joined by the Premier and Deputy Governor when we met the Captain of RFA Mounts Bay on board the ship on 27 June to discuss preparations for this year’s season. Together these visits and initiatives are demonstration of the UK Government’s commitment to the people of this Territory and of its determination to play its part in hurricane preparations. We all hope 
and pray that we will not again suffer hurricanes of the scale seen in TCI last year; but it is our collective duty to make ourselves ready to deal with such a possibility should it come to pass.
‘In recent days I have – with the Premier – co-Chaired the 5th TCI Hurricane State of Preparedness Meeting with representatives of all relevant TCI departments in order to continue to keep us focused on the necessary preparatory work for this hurricane season. I have also welcomed the visit of military representatives from the UK, especially those who were stationed in TCI immediately after Hurricane Irma and have returned with Mounts Bay, and our international partners who together with local officials and members of the RTCIPF have held discussions and conducted a training exercise to ensure we are all as connected as possible and ready, if needed, to act in a coordinated way if we again suffer another hurricane. The visits by HM Armed Forces advisors and by RFA Mounts Bay are part of that wider effort intended to give reassurance to all of us in TCI that we are doing all we can ourselves and with others to ensure we are as well prepared as possible.”
Release: TCIG
Turks and Caicos, September 6, 2025 – The Office of the Deputy Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands is pleased to announce the appointment of Mrs. Tamica Prospere as the Director of the Department of Learning and Development within the Office of the Deputy Governor.
Mrs. Prospere holds a Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) Associate Diploma in Organisational Learning and Development (RQF Level 5), a Bachelor’s degree in Education from the University of the West Indies (UWI) and an Associate Degree in Education, also from UWI. She has further enhanced her credentials with certifications and coursework in content delivery, human resource management, talent management, and training and development from esteemed institutions, including Mico University College and CIPD.
With a strong foundation in public service and education in St. Lucia, Mrs. Prospere dedicated over a decade to classroom teaching at the secondary school level, beginning in 2002. During her tenure, she educated a diverse student body across various subjects, including Mathematics, Information Technology, and Life Skills, all aimed at fostering students’ personal and social well-being. She also facilitated community adult learning programs, showcasing her enduring commitment to promoting inclusive and varied educational opportunities.
Her career in public service in the Turks and Caicos Islands began in 2014 as a teacher at Marjorie Basden High School. From 2019, she served as the Learning and Development Manager for the legacy Customs Department and later for the TCI Border Force. In this role, she made significant contributions to improvements and championed a culture of professional growth.
Mrs. Prospere has been a strong advocate for leadership development through several key programmes. She conceptualised and introduced
the Leading Effectively through Accountability and Development (LEAD) programme for the management team, which has successfully run for three consecutive years, with its most recent leadership reinforcement event held in 2025. Additionally, she implemented several programmes in partnership with educational institutions, resulting in 27 Border Force officers earning continuing professional development (CPD) certifications in supervisory management from UWI and 10 managers completing the Dynamic Leadership course with the Caribbean Maritime University.
She played a pivotal role in developing operational strategic plans and frameworks for both the Customs Department and the TCI Border Force. Mrs. Prospere spearheaded the creation and delivery of professional programmes, such as the Customs Broker Certification Programme. She introduced a Learning Management System (LMS) to facilitate scalable learning for aspiring Customs Brokers.
Moreover, she led the implementation of several significant projects, most notably the Regional Clearance System in the TCI and a comprehensive revamp of customs procedures at Howard Hamilton International Airport, which greatly enhanced operational efficiency. She also facilitated key engagements that strengthened partnerships with leading regional bodies, including the Caribbean Customs Legislation and Enforcement Council (CCLEC), the border security team within CARICOM IMPACS, and the customs advisory arm of CARTAC. These collaborations were instrumental in securing vital technical assistance for training.
Speaking on the appointment, Mrs. Prospere said, “I am honoured to step into this role and lead the Learning and Development Directorate. I believe that a world-class public service is built together. I’m dedicated to partnering with civil servants at all levels to foster a dynamic learning environment where we can collectively develop the skills needed to be adaptable, exceed standards, and deliver truly exceptional service to the public.”
In congratulating Mrs. Prospere, Deputy Governor and Head of the Public Service, H.E. Anya Williams stated, “We are pleased to extend congratulations to Mrs. Tamica Prospere on her appointment as the new Director of the Department of Learning and Development within the Office of the Deputy Governor.
With over a decade of dedicated service in the field of training and development, Mrs. Prospere has consistently demonstrated a deep commitment to building capacity and strengthening the public service workforce in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Her innovative and strategic approach to learning has transformed teams and empowered individuals, ensuring the public service is well-equipped to meet the demands of a constantly evolving landscape.
As the government continues its efforts to enhance service delivery through robust and comprehensive training initiatives, we are confident that Mrs. Prospere’s leadership will be instrumental in advancing a culture of excellence, collaboration and continuous growth across the public sector.
Congratulations Mrs. Prospere, on your well-deserved promotion. We look forward to working with you to shape the future of learning and development in the Public Service in the Turks and Caicos Islands.”
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