TCI News
TCI: Josephine Connolly – My Farewell Speech
#Grand Turk, January 31, 2019 – Turks and Caicos – Thank you for the indulgence Mr. Speaker in allowing me to address this house in a personal explanation.
Mr. Speaker I became involved in politics late in life. I did not have a history of active political activism being content to run my business and leave the running of the country to those who were prepared to deal with the challenges of running for public office. Politics as we used to call it.
But by 2012, Mr. Speaker, I had become so frustrated by what I saw as the continuing mistakes of successive governments both PDM and PNP I felt that if I thought I could help my country I should at least try. Stop complaining about the darkness, but light a candle as the leader of the opposition would say.
Mr. Speaker my message struck a chord with the public because despite being a political novice I was elected in 2012 and served as a loyal member of the opposition for four years.
In 2016 I was elected as the second all Island member and was appointed Minister of Education in the new PDM government. I had I believed finally reached a point where I could do some good. Unfortunately my tenure in cabinet office was short and I believe it was always meant to be short. During my time in politics I have always spoken my mind, I am too old and experienced to be bullied or intimidated by fast loud talk. I believe that as the people voted me into office, then my first loyalty is to the people of the Turks & Caicos Islands.
As disappointed as I was and as unfair I thought my dismissal I stayed loyal to the party and those who voted for me. I did not leave the party, but stayed a loyal back bencher.
Mr. Speaker I hoped as an independent member I could speak freely and keep the elected government to their election promises. But it has become obvious to me that it is difficult, if not impossible, for an independent member to significantly influence government for the betterment of the people of the Turks & Caicos Islands. In fact as an independent member I seemed to have attracted more than my fair share of criticism. The recent orchestrated social media campaign against me, was meant to discourage me and spread strife and disharmony. Mr. Speaker as an aside I would just like to thank the many people of the Turks & Caicos Islands who have contacted me to say “do not be discouraged” your support is incredibly heartening.
Mr. Speaker I am of the view that this campaign says more about the authors and Mr. Speaker I intend to follow the words of my friend Michelle Obama….when the internet trolls go low I go high.
Mr. Speaker I no longer believe I can help my people as an independent member of the House of Assembly. The profusion of bad news from last week, the riots in the jail, the continued incursion onto our shores by illegal migrants and the announcement that the biggest employer on the Island is closing down tells me that our people desperately need help. And Mr. Speaker let me repeat that was just last week’s bad news.
To help our people I need to surround myself with a team of individuals who respect each other’s strengths and do not fall into the trap of the personality cult and most importantly focus on the needs of the people of this country not the latest Facebook post.
I have decided therefore Mr. Speaker to join the Official Opposition. I will now take my rightful place in this Honorable House.
Thank you Mr. Speaker.
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, 20 February 2026 — The Informal Settlements Unit (ISU), in collaboration with key
government agencies, coordinated a multi-agency enforcement exercise on Thursday, February 5, 2026, at Block and Parcel 60609/33 in the Five Cays area.
The exercise was led by the Crown Land Unit, pursuant to its statutory mandate under the Crown Land Ordinance to prevent squatting and encroachment on Crown land. The ISU coordinated the operation, with support provided by the Planning Department and the Turks and Caicos Islands Border Force, while the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force ensured security throughout the activity.
The enforcement action followed a series of inspections conducted by the Crown Land Unit throughout Five Cays, which identified several illegally constructed buildings made of concrete and timber on sections of the subject parcel. In keeping with the provisions of the Crown Land Ordinance, occupied structures were served Letters of Illegal Occupation, delivered by hand to occupants and
posted on structures where individuals were absent. Incomplete and unoccupied structures were served Notices of Unauthorized Occupation pursuant to section 22 of the Ordinance. A total of ten (10) Letters of Illegal Occupation and three (3) Notices of Unauthorized Occupation were issued during the exercise.
The Informal Settlements Unit reiterates that these coordinated enforcement exercises form part of the Government’s ongoing efforts to uphold the law, protect Crown land, and manage informal settlements in a structured and lawful manner. Members of the public are reminded that unauthorised occupation and development on Crown land is unlawful and subject to enforcement action.
Almost two million visitors recorded in 2025
PROVIDENCIALES, TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS – The Turks and Caicos Islands saw an increase in stayover arrivals in December, seven percent higher than the corresponding period in 2024.
Preliminary data suggests that stay over arrivals by air for the month of December was 66,427 in comparison to 62,610 in December 2024.
From January to December 2025, preliminary visitor arrival numbers totalled 640,754; on par with the number recorded for the same period of 2024.
Stay Over Arrivals YTD December 2024/2025
The first quarter of the calendar year attracted the largest number of arrivals with visitor arrivals three percent higher than the first quarter of 2024. Reduced airlift from the United Kingdom and the United States, most notably the Virgin Atlantic and JetBlue services, was however felt from the second quarter (April to June). As a result, visitor arrivals dropped three percent in the second quarter.
By the third quarter of this year (July to September), geopolitical and economic conditions in the key source markets, namely the United States, led to further contraction of arrivals. In the last quarter of 2025, arrivals were impacted in October due to the passage of Hurricane Melissa but additional airlift from the USA and Canada resulted in an increase in arrivals in November and December.
Mr. Paul Pennicook, Interim CEO Consultant of Experience Turks and Caicos, said December’s increase in stayover arrivals is an encouraging indicator of the sustained interest in the Turks and Caicos Islands as a premier destination.
“While we note and continue to monitor geopolitical shifts that affect us, Experience Turks and Caicos is focused on increasing marketing initiatives in our primary source markets. We have spent the last two years investing in groundwork such as crucial travel advisor training to assist them in selling the destination more effectively. In the next fiscal, we will be building on those initiatives with co-op activities with partners as well as out of home advertising to increase visitation to our destination,” he said.
In Cruise, the preliminary count of passenger arrivals for the month of December 2025 was 129,346, a 22 percent increase over last December. This growth follows the berthing of 11 additional ships in Grand Turk this month.
From January to December, the cruise sector continued to outperform the same period last year, as the 1.3 million total cruise passengers recorded, marks a five percent Year-on-Year increase. 
The cruise sector experienced significant growth in the first quarter of 2025, with passenger arrivals surpassing last quarter by 53 percent. In the second and third quarter however, several cruise lines adjusted their itineraries as vessels were pulled from the fleet or from the Caribbean region, which resulted in fewer passengers.
Arrivals dropped seven percent and 10 percent in the second and third quarters, respectively. Double digit growth was recorded in the last two months of Quarter 4. This growth however, was not sufficient to outweigh the drop in arrivals experienced in October, following the cancellation of cruise calls due to the passage of Hurricane Melissa. Despite the late-quarter rebound, arrivals for the final quarter of 2025 closed six percent below the same period in 2024.
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