TCI News
Overseas Students Conference and Film Festival, London, 2018
#London, September 19, 2018 – United Kingdom – The UK Overseas Territories Association is delighted to announce details of their third 
Overseas Students conference, to take place on Saturday 3rd November 2018 at the Natural History Museum (Flett Events Theatre), London.
The conference is open to students studying in the UK from all territories that are members of UKOTA[1]. The event presents a great opportunity for students from a wide range of cultures to come together and celebrate their shared histories and distinctiveness at the same time. The theme of the 2018 Conference is ‘Identity’, something that resonates strongly amongst the Overseas Territories. At a time of change in the UK with the imminent departure from the European Union, both the UK and its Overseas Territories are reflecting upon their historic ties and cultural identity.
Students have been invited to produce a short film depicting their homeland, under the broad theme of ‘Identity’. Films will be shown at the conference in the Flett Events Theatre as part of an Overseas Territories film festival, and judged by the political and cultural geography academics Dr Alastair Pinkerton (University of London) and Dr Matt Benwell (Newcastle University). The academics will then use their Overseas Territory specialist knowledge to lead a discussion on the themes coming out of the students’ original film work.
The Natural History Museum hosts will also be fielding speakers to highlight the vast range of specimens held at the museum from UK Overseas Territories across the globe. Students will get the opportunity to visit collections behind the scenes to see specimens relating to their various Overseas Territories.
The UKOTA Chair Eric Bush, Cayman Islands Representative in the UK, said: “We are delighted to be holding the important UKOTA student conference, where the future generation of Overseas Territory citizens get to meet, interact and share areas of common interest and celebrate differences. We are particularly grateful to the prestigious Natural History Museum for generously hosting the event. The Museum offers both fantastic facilities and a genuine insight into the various Overseas Territories, seen through the enormous collection of exhibits gathered from around the globe.”
Dr Mark Carine, Principal Curator in Charge of the Algae, Fungi and Plants Division remarked: “We are very pleased and excited to be working with the UK Overseas Territories and their students and to have the opportunity to discuss the huge and important collections gathered from around the world over the centuries. We are also keen to highlight the on-going modern day scientific work still taking place in the Overseas Territories, with current Natural History Museum scientists. We hope that the students gain a wider understanding of their endemic flora and fauna and their importance in global biodiversity and to their own cultural identity.”
UKOTA is encouraging students from the Overseas Territories who are in the UK to register for this event and follow @UKOTSTUDENTS Facebook page for further information and updates about the event. All information and registration details can be found at: www.ukota.org/studentconference18. Further enquiries regarding the student conference or the Film Festival can be sent to ukota@angeloversees.com ordeputyrep@falklands.gov.fk.
TCIG knew from April that fuel factor could surge almost 80%; Minister says $500 cost-of-living payment was part of Government’s response
PROVIDENCIALES — The Turks and Caicos Government knew months before July’s shocking electricity bills that consumers faced a potentially massive increase in the fuel factor.
Minister of Information Technology and Energy E. Jay Saunders revealed Friday that Pelican Energy warned his Ministry in April that generation fuel costs were projected to rise from $3.09 per gallon in May to $4.79 in June and July.
That translated into a projected fuel factor jump from about 17.5 cents to 31 cents per kilowatt-hour — an increase of almost 80%.
Saunders said he personally advised Cabinet of the projected increase and presented options for cushioning the impact.
He characterised Government’s $500 cost-of-living payment as its “initial response” to rising fuel costs, before a separate fuel-factor subsidy was approved.
Cabinet records show Government agreed on June 24 to provide funding to mitigate the fuel-factor impact, with the relief programme approved July 8.
Eligible residential customers — those averaging less than $1,500 monthly over the previous three bills — are capped at 22 cents per kWh from July through October.
Pelican confirmed Friday that Government’s contribution was already applied to July bills, meaning the bills now triggering widespread public outrage would have been even higher without the subsidy.
Saunders did not disclose the programme’s total cost.
His admission that Government knew since April, however, raises another question amid the backlash: why were consumers not directly warned by Government about the scale of the approaching increase?
PROVIDENCIALES — New commercial Crown Land applications are facing a six-month pause as the Turks and Caicos Islands Government takes inventory of its holdings.
During Cabinet meetings held July 15 and 16, an immediate six-month moratorium was approved on the acceptance, processing
and approval of new applications for commercial Crown Land grants, leases and allocations.
The pause will remain in place pending completion of the Crown Land Inventory Review. Cabinet’s summary did not state what prompted the review or indicate whether availability of commercial Crown Land is a concern.
The two-day meeting also advanced major consumer legislation. Cabinet approved the National Fair Competition Policy 2026 and drafting instructions for a Fair Competition Ordinance, moving TCI toward stronger consumer protection and fair competition rules.
In Grand Turk, Cabinet approved rezoning land in the North West Suburbs from low-density to medium-density residential use to facilitate a new apartment development.
Cabinet also advanced fisheries reforms, water legislation allowing private and public-private investment, minerals legislation and appointments across tourism, health and finance.
Progress toward establishing a TCI Credit Union was also noted.
PROVIDENCIALES — Major development projects outside Providenciales received Cabinet attention on July 8, with Government approving agreements connected to the redevelopment of Dellis Cay and a resort development in North Caicos.
Cabinet approved a Development Agreement between the Turks and Caicos Islands Government, Desarrollos Hotelco DC Ltd. and
Desarrollos Hotelco Astoria Ltd. for the redevelopment of Dellis Cay.
The long-discussed private island development sits between Providenciales and North Caicos and its return to Cabinet signals another step toward redevelopment.
Cabinet also approved amendments to an agreement involving SPR LND Ltd. (Royal Reef) and TCIG Development Agreement for a resort/hotel development in North Caicos.
Other decisions included approval of the First Supplementary Appropriation Bill 2026 for onward transmission and the appointment of Cindy Ewing as Chair of the Invest TCI Board, effective August 1 for three years.
Cabinet also noted consultation outcomes concerning changes to business licensing, approved professional membership expenses for qualifying Telecommunications Commission staff and approved advice relating to the Interim Clinical and Estates Services PPP.
The July 8 meeting was chaired by Acting Governor Anya Williams.
Photo Credit: Royal Reef (Keith)
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