TCI News
TCI: Hon. Vaden Williams – Contribution to Debate on Alternative Sentencing Bill 2018
#Grand Turk, January 29, 2019 – Turks and Caicos –
Mr. Speaker, I rise to lend my support to this Bill, the Alternative Sentencing Bill 2018.
Mr. Speaker, I want to first of all thank the staff at the Attorney General’s Chambers, the Courts, staff in my Ministry, the ministry of Home Affairs Transportation and Communication, the Social Development Department, the Police, the Prison and any other stakeholder group that would have contributed to it in any way.
Mr. Speaker, the Attorney General or the acting Attorney General at the last meeting has already given an overview of what this bill is about, and what it is proposing to do, and so there is no need for me to go over again. What I would do, Mr. Speaker, is to speak briefly about why this bill is important to our country, why it is important to the Ministry of Home Affairs Transportation and Communication, and finally why it is important to the persons this bill will impact.
Importance to our country
Mr. Speaker, since coming to office My Government has made some important changes that will benefit members of our society who are most at risk.
In keeping with this mission, the changes that will be brought about by this Bill, Mr. Speaker, have been geared towards producing a more progressive, balanced and modern criminal justice system that protects society from crime.
Mr. Speaker my attention was recently drawn to an article by the Center for Economic and Policy Research on the cost of incarceration.
In it, they said that there are four benefits of alternative sentencing.
- It saves cost because it is far less costly than placing someone in prison
- It promotes public safety because it helps individuals to address the underlying issues and factors that contribute to their criminal behavior, it keeps families together and it encourages them to be accountable for their actions
- It gives the courts more options to tailor appropriate sentences, and
- It is consistent with public attitudes: Most adults believe that probation, community service, and rehabilitative services are the appropriate components of sentences for non-violent, non-serious offenses and that jail or prison time are appropriate only when these fail.
Mr. Speaker, while the reason for us bringing this bill today is not about the cost of incarceration, the potential to improve public safety makes this bill worth passing today.
Importance for the Ministry
Mr. Speaker, the ability of the courts to issue the alternative sentencing orders is central to this bill. Of equal importance, Mr. Speaker, is the role that the staff in the Social Development Department, in my Ministry, will have to play.
They will have responsibility for
- coordinating the activities and programs of the orders
- supervising individuals
- In addition, producing the reports required by the court.
Mr. Speaker I am happy to say that my Government has already begun preparation for the implementation of this bill by supporting the creation of a Probation Parole and Rehabilitation Unit within the Social Development department.
We have also supported the department by providing funding to hire a Probation Parole and Rehabilitation Supervisor and Parole Officers this financial year. Funding to hire more Parole Officers will be given in the new financial year.
Mr. Speaker, I digress to add that with the recruitment of these officers, Mr. Speaker, we hope to improve the efficiency of the parole board and continue the groundwork for the Chance for Change programme that we spoke about in our Change Document.
Mr. Speaker, I believe that this is a BIG Deal. It is a BIG DEAL because for far long too, many of our young men leave the prison without any HOPE of ever LEARNING a new skill, or getting a job to support themselves, their families, or even contribute to society that have offended.
This programme is a high priority for us Mr. Speaker and it will become operational within the next financial year.
Mr. Speaker, it is also important to make it very clear that none of the orders in this Bill,
- The Community Service Order
- The Curfew Order
- The Expulsion Order
- The Discharge Order
- The Conditional Sentence Order
- The Intermittent Sentence Order, and
- The Suspended Sentence Supervision Order cannot be successfully implemented or executed by Probation Officers alone.
Other stakeholders such as the Police, the Private Sector, and other parts of the Public Service, the Churches and civic groups, all have a critical role to play in making this new sentencing system a success, and I encourage all of them to do so.
Importance for the Individual
The most important stakeholder, however, Mr. Speaker is the person who receives an order. They are the most important stakeholder because they will be given an opportunity to make a change in their behavior.
Mr. Speaker, naturally, there are some inmates who require the most serious and intense prison security level there is, and for this reason alternative sentencing will not be an option in every case.
But, for others, it seems to make sense to not introduce them to a lifestyle that can only make them worse off in the long-run.
One commonly used alternative sentencing measure is the ability to discharge an offender without punishment, which effectively gives the offender, if they are charged with a less serious crime, a second chance.
If ordered, it is our hope that they make good use of that second chance, and make the choice to change.
Mr. Speaker, as Minister of Home Affairs with responsibility for the Department of Social Services I offer my full support to this “Alternative Sentencing Bill 2018” to ensure that we give our people the chance to turn their lives around and become contributing members of society.
Mr. Speaker, I thank you.
News
Joyful Collaboration between 2 Regional Foundations Uplifts Tourism Professionals in Turks & Caicos
Turks and Caicos – Caribbean Supercharged Service, Learning & Leadership workshops were enjoyed by professionals from Grace Bay Car Rentals, a local
sponsor, alongside a Heavy Machinery Rental Company, a Paint retailer, 8 resorts, a luxury villa management enterprise and 3 TCHTA sponsored junior chefs, including Team TCI Junior Chef 2026, Zaliya Dickenson, who will complete at the Taste of the Caribbean in November for her country.
These workshops were the result of the longstanding partnership between the CHTA Education Foundation and their sponsor, Sandals Foundation, who support the Caribbean Supercharged programme on a different island every year. This year, the Turks & Caicos Hotel & Tourism Association (TCHTA) hosted the initiative to the delight of its members.
The workshops targeted new team members, seasoned professionals, managers and supervisors. Topics included Foundations & Finesse within Customer Interactions, Delivering Clear Expectations for Service Consistency and Making Memorable Moments.
Sandals Foundation was pleased to also sponsor chefs, cooks, stewards, warehouse & purchasing staff from 7 resorts and 2 high schools for an intensive HACCP Preparation & Pre-Requisites informational day, including international coursebooks, team training booklets and each person’s international assessment fee. The course is approved by the Royal Society for Public Health UK, earns Continuing Professional Development Credits, and is recognized globally as the leading Food Safety Management System.
Deryk Meany, General Manager, Beaches TCI, represented Heidi Clarke, Executive Director, Sandals Foundation at the 20 October
Celebration with energy and passion for professional development and life-long learning in tourism to ever uplift and grow ourselves. He asked participants to ‘never stop learning! Today is a step upwards in your personal growth and that of the industry. We are never too old to learn, to share our experiences within training and grow”
Wesley Clerveau, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, gave spirited, positive inspiration and congratulations to the participants “Stayover arrivals in TCI have increased by 6% between January & June this year, we are hot! The place visitors wish to be, and your time, application and learning in each workshop is invaluable to us as a destination and to you as citizens and residents. I urge you to put what you have gained into practice immediately and keep applying yourselves; the more you upgrade, the more service elevates, the more we all succeed”
Karolin Troubetzkoy, Chairwoman, CHTA Education Foundation commented “Congratulations to everyone who participated in this year’s
workshops, thank you for being fully engaged and making the most of your opportunity.
Special mention to the 8 past participants that we reunited with and are now working in leadership positions, BRAVO! We are delighted for you and encourage you to stay focused and keep shining and growing upwards.
It has been the Education Foundations honor to work closely with our sponsor Sandals Foundation and partner with TCHTA again to create Caribbean Supercharged positivity within each of you”.
Stacey-Ann Wharton, Vice President TCHTA, congratulated everyone present and stressed the TCHTA ongoing commitment to learning and development of members teams and management, along with special TCHTA scholarships for the HACCP session for 3 Junior Chefs, showing the Associations commitment to nurturing talent from High School upwards.
PHOTO CAPTIONS
First Insert: Wesley Clerveau, PS, Ministry of Tourism
Second Insert: Deryck Meany, GM Beaches TCI representing Sandals Foundation
Third Insert: Stacy-Ann Wharton, Vice President, TCHTA
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands: The Crown Land Unit, with coordination and support from the Informal Settlements Unit (ISU), conducted a multi-agency enforcement exercise in the Five Cays area on Thursday, September 17, 2026, as part of ongoing efforts to address the illegal occupation and unauthorised use of Crown land.
The exercise brought together representatives from the Crown Land Unit, ISU and the Turks and Caicos Islands Border Force. Security for
the exercise was provided by the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force. Inspections were conducted across several parcels of Crown land throughout Five Cays, where instances of illegal occupation and unauthorised use had been identified.
During the exercise, a total of forty (40) Section 22 Notices of Unauthorised Occupation were served in accordance with the provisions of the Crown Land Ordinance. The notices related to various forms of unauthorised occupation and use of Crown land, including incomplete structures, shipping containers, derelict vehicles, trailer chassis, building materials and other items.
Where persons were not present, notices were affixed to the relevant structures or items. The exercise forms part of the Crown Land Unit’s continuing efforts to prevent squatting and encroachment on Crown land and to ensure that identified instances of unauthorised occupation are appropriately addressed.
The Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands reminds the public that Crown land must not be occupied, developed or otherwise used without lawful authority.
The Crown Land Unit, supported by the ISU and its other partner agencies, will continue to identify and address instances of illegal occupation of Crown land across the Turks and Caicos Islands. Persons affected by notices issued during enforcement exercises are encouraged to comply with the requirements outlined and to seek guidance from the relevant authorities where necessary.
News
BermudAir Launches Service to the Turks and Caicos Islands on October 26th, Expanding Air Connectivity Ahead of Winter Season
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands (October 22nd, 2026) – The Turks and Caicos Islands welcomes BermudAir as the airline begins its service to the destination on Monday, October 26th, marking the start of a wider expansion that will connect us with additional cities across the United States, Canada and the Caribbean.
BermudAir’s service will begin with a new nonstop service between Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Providenciales. The flight will depart from the Howard Hamilton International Airport at 8 am on Monday morning and arrives at 7.40 pm. Aboard the inaugural flight will be a delegation from the Turks and Caicos Islands led by Experience Turks and Caicos and the Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority (TCIAA), and will include Deputy Governor, Her Excellency Anya Williams, Minister of Tourism, Hon. Zhavargo Jolly, as well s representatives of the Turks and Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association (TCHTA), the board of the Turks and Caicos Islands Tourism Authority, Invest TC and local media.
BermudAir will operate the Fort Lauderdale–Providenciales route three times weekly, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, through May 3rd, 2027. making it easier for business travellers with the schedule offering the potential for same-day return trips. The airline is also launching nonstop service between Fort Lauderdale and Belize City, Belize, on the same schedule, offering travellers in South Florida direct access to both destinations.
The new service introduces BermudAir’s premium leisure inflight experience to the Turks and Caicos Islands. Flights will operate on Embraer E190 aircraft configured without middle seats, giving every passenger a window or aisle seat, alongside complimentary snacks and beverages.
Minister of Tourism, the Honourable Zhavargo Jolly, welcomed the airline’s arrival, noting the importance of expanding airlift to support the continued development of the destination’s tourism industry.
“Air connectivity remains one of the most important factors in the continued development of our tourism industry. BermudAir’s expansion represents an opportunity to strengthen our connections with key international markets while opening new doors for our sister islands. I am particularly encouraged by the planned direct service between Newark and South Caicos, which speaks directly to our vision of expanding tourism opportunities across the Turks and Caicos Islands. Our objective is to ensure that improved connectivity translates into greater economic activity, stronger local businesses and more opportunities for Turks and Caicos Islanders to participate in and benefit from tourism.” said Minister Jolly.
Commenting on the significance of the new route for the country’s development, the Honourable Arlington Musgrove, Minister of Physical Planning and Infrastructure Development (PPID), stated: “The introduction of BermudAir’s new service is a testament to the continued growth and development of our aviation sector. The Ministry of Physical Planning and Infrastructure Development, alongside the Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority, remains dedicated to enhancing our airport infrastructure to accommodate increased airlift. We are committed to working to ensure that our facilities provide a seamless, world-class experience for all incoming passengers and we warmly welcome BermudAir to our shores.”
The Fort Lauderdale launch is the first of several new services BermudAir plans to introduce to the Turks and Caicos Islands for the 2026–
2027 winter season. Additional connections to Providenciales are scheduled from:
- Bermuda to TCI and Grand Cayman: Beginning December 18th, 2026
- Anguilla: Beginning December 19th, 2026
- Boston, Massachusetts: Beginning December 19th, 2026
- Toronto, Canada: Beginning December 19th, 2026
- Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina: Beginning December 20th, 2026
- Newark, New Jersey to South Caicos: Beginning December 20th, 2026
- St. Petersburg/Tampa, Florida: Beginning December 21st, 2026
- Baltimore-Washington: Beginning December 24th, 2026
The expansion will give travellers more options for reaching the destination during the winter travel season, while broadening access from established and developing source markets. The additional routes also create opportunities for tourism stakeholders to reach new audiences and encourage visitors to explore more of the islands.
For flight schedules and bookings, visit www.flybermudair.com.
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