TCI News
TCI: Ianthe Pratt Primary School Wins Tourism Environmental Awareness Month Song Competition
#Providenciales, November 8, 2018 – Turks and Caicos – The Turks & Caicos Islands Tourist Board in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, Environment, Heritage, Maritime and Gaming commemorated the 
commencement of Tourism Environmental Awareness Month (TEAM) with the announcement of the winners of the first TEAM song competition. The competition, which was launched in September and had a submission deadline of October 19th, was issued to public and private primary schools throughout the Turks & Caicos Islands. The schools were tasked with composing an original song based on the theme ‘Tourism Is Key, It Starts With Me’.
The Tourist Board received submissions from Ianthe Pratt Primary School, Enid Capron Primary School, Oseta Jolly Primary School, Mills Institute, Richmond Hill Preparatory School, Precious Treasures International School, Ona Glinton Primary School and Iris Stubbs Primary School. The stiff competition was examined by a panel of judges. The Ianthe Pratt Primary School emerging victorious and was presented with the $1,000 prize from the Turks & Caicos Islands Tourist Board. The announcement was made at the launch of TEAM at the Island Fish Fry on Thursday November 1st and a formal check presentation occurred on Monday November 5th. The songs were judged on criteria which included quality of tone, technique, communication, musicianship, stage presence, originality and time.
Ms. E. Blythe Clare, Training Manager at the Tourist Board and coordinator of TEAM, remarked “We were very pleased with the quality of the songs that were submitted and the competition was very tight. On behalf of the Tourist Board, I express my appreciation to all of the schools who participated and extend thanks particularly to the teachers who worked tirelessly to prepare for the competition”.
The Tourism Environmental Awareness Month Song Competition was introduced for the first time this year and complements month-long activities throughout the Turks and Caicos Islands. The winning song, in addition to all the other songs submitted will be played on Radio Turks & Caicos throughout Tourism Environmental Awareness Month. Additionally, the participating primary school choirs will be the featured performers at the Island Fish Fry every Thursday throughout November in Providenciales.
Press Release: TCI Tourist Board
Photo Captions:
Header: – Ianthe Pratt Primary School performed and was announced as winners of the Tourism Environmental Awareness Month song competition at the Island Fish Fry on Thursday November 1, 2018.
Insert: E. Blythe Clare, Tourism Training Manager and Diedra Been, Financial Controller of the Turks & Caicos Islands Tourist Board present the prize of $1,000 to Mrs. Wright, music teacher and Ms. King, principal of the Ianthe Pratt Primary School.
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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