Connect with us

TCI News

Turks and Caicos Post Cabinet Meeting Statement

Published

on

Grand Turk, January 24, 2019 – Turks and Caicos – His Excellency the Governor, Dr John Freeman, chaired the 3rd meeting of the Cabinet on Wednesday, 23 January 2019, at the Government Compound Office on Grand Turk.

 

All Ministers were present.

At this meeting Cabinet:

 

  • Authorised Invest TCI to draw up a new Development Agreement on a conditional basis between Vista Development Ltd (TCI Toscana GP Ltd) and TCIG restating the terms of the expired Development Agreement and setting a new conditionality date of 31 December 2019;

 

  • Approved a request for additional funding for the Prison from the Contingency Fund for the amount of $120,000 for rations and prisoner discharge allowances;

 

  • Considered the report by the consultancy firm, Castalia Ltd, on Fortis TCI Ltd’s proposals for rate and regulatory reform and made recommendations to the Ministry;

 

  • Advised His Excellency the Governor to approve recommendations for inclusion in the draft Hotel and Restaurant Ordinance (Amnesty, Validation, Variation) (Amendment) Bills 2018 which will be forwarded in due course to the House of Assembly for approval;

 

  • Cabinet noted the recommendation of the Procurement Board on the award of the following contract in accordance with the Public Procurement Ordinance: TR 18/15 Reinstatement of Government Buildings All Islands – Lot 1 Crown Land Building, Grand Turk and Lot 2 Ministry of Education, Grand Turk. Cabinet approved the reallocation of funding under Development Project No. PN 005478 from sub-project Crown Land Building, Grand Turk, to sub-project Ministry of Education, Grand Turk;

 

  • Advised His Excellency the Governor to approve, in principle, the final consultancy report on the “Strategic Analysis of TCI’s Financial Services Sector” subject to comments received being incorporated;

 

  • Noted and discussed the financial performance of the TCI Statutory Bodies for the period July – September 2018 as reported by the Accountant General in the 2ndQuarter Financial Report 2018/19 submitted in accordance with Section 148 (1) of the Public Finance Management Regulations;

 

  • Advised His Excellency the Governor to approve the Wildlife Conservation and Trade Bill 2018 for forwarding to the House of Assembly for approval. The Bill would be subject to any amendments proposed by the Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES);

 

  • His Excellency the Governor raised the question of additional resources for the RTCIPF following concerns raised by the Commissioner of Police;

 

  • The Hon. Deputy Premier raised the escalating cost of repatriations of illegal migrants;

 

  • The Hon. Minister of Tourism, Environment, Heritage and Gaming and the Hon. Premier provided an up-date on plans for the removal of the Mega One Triton vessel from Governor’s Beach on Grand Turk;

 

  • At the request of The Hon. Minister of Tourism, Environment, Heritage and Gaming, received an up-date by Her Excellency the Deputy Governor on the recruitment of vector control and emergency services staff on Middle Caicos;

 

  • Received an up-date by the Hon. Premier on the visit to TCI on 24 January by the Bahamian Foreign Minister and officials to discuss co-operation to tackle illegal migration;

 

  • Noted the approval by Cabinet by round robin of Planning Application PR 13836 for outline development permission for the construction of a Government Primary School and Special Needs Centre on Crown Land Parcel 61113/268 at Long Bay, Providenciales in accordance with the Physical Planning Ordinance 2014;

 

Further information on these matters will be provided by Ministers in due course.

 

Release: Governor’s Office

 

 

Continue Reading

TCI News

Unidentified Deceased Male Discovered in Grace Bay Area

Published

on

Turks and Caicos, July 5, 2025 – Around 7AM on today’s date 5th July 2025 officers of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force (RTCIPF) assisted by members of the public carried out a search in the community of Providenciales focusing on targeted areas.

Approximately 9:06 a.m. on Saturday, July 5th, 2025, while conducting the search operation in the Grace Bay area, one of the teams discovered the body of a deceased male in a decomposed state.

The discovery was made along Long Bay Road. The scene has been secured, and all appropriate partner agencies have been notified.

At present, the identity of the deceased has not been established. The RTCIPF will provide further updates as soon as the identification process is complete and the next of kin are informed.

Acting Commissioner of Police Mr. Rodney Adams on commenting on the discovery of the body. We the police extend condolences to the family and friends of the deceased and ask that the public not speculate and await positive identification of the deceased.”

This matter remains under active investigation.

The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force is appealing to anyone who may have information to contact 911 or the nearest Police Station. Information may also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers at 1-800-8477 (TIPS)

Continue Reading

TCI News

Ministry of Health and Human Services Participates in UKOTs Public Health Conference 2025

Published

on

PRESS RELEASE

 FROM THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – The Ministry of Health and Human Services was represented at the 2025 UK Overseas Territories (UKOTs) Public Health Conference held under the theme “Collaborative Approaches to Risk Communication” at the Park Plaza Victoria in London, from June 23–27, 2025.

Attending on behalf of the Turks and Caicos Islands were Dr. Nadia Astwood, Chief Medical Officer, and Mr. Lynrod Brooks, Director of Health Policy and Planning.

Hosted by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) under its Civil Resilience Programme, the conference convened Chief Medical Officers and senior technical officers from several UK Overseas Territories including Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands (BVI), Cayman Islands, Montserrat and Turks and Caicos Islands – as well as from the Crown Dependencies, St. Helena, Ascension and Gibraltar.

The week-long event featured a range of expert-led sessions and workshops, focusing on strengthening risk communication and public health resilience across the UKOTs. Key agenda items included:

  • Introduction to Behavioural Science-Informed Risk and Crisis Communication
  • Good Practice for Effective Crisis Communication
  • Crisis Alert! A Scenario-Based Exercise
  • Identifying Key Health Threats and RCCE (Risk Communication and Community Engagement) Needs – Workshops Parts 1 & 2
  • Civil Food Resilience in the UKOTs
  • Risk Communication and EPRR (Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response) Frameworks
  • Practical Approaches to Risk and Crisis Communication
  • Communicating Risks in Violence Prevention: Public Health Approaches
  • Mental Health and Psychosocial Support During Crisis
  • Responding to Emerging Infections
  • Antimicrobial Resistance: Assessing the Global Threat
  • Cervical Cancer Elimination and RCCE
  • Tackling Vaccine-Preventable Diseases and Vaccine Hesitancy
  • Enhancing Comprehensive Prevention and Management of Diabetes – Interactive Session

A highlight of the conference was the keynote address delivered by Professor Sir Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer for England. In his address, he emphasized both progress and persistent challenges in global public health.

Commenting on the importance of the conference, Dr. Nadia Astwood, Chief Medical Officer of the Turks and Caicos Islands, stated, “This gathering provided a critical opportunity to strengthen collaboration and knowledge exchange across the Overseas Territories, particularly around preparedness and response to public health threats. Strengthening health security remains a top priority for the Turks and Caicos Islands.”

Hon. Kyle Knowles, Minister of Health and Human Services, echoed this sentiment, noting, “We are grateful for the continued support from the UK Government through the FCDO and UKHSA. This platform ensures that the Turks and Caicos Islands are part of a coordinated approach to building resilience and safeguarding public health.”

The Ministry’s participation in this conference forms part of ongoing efforts to enhance the national capacity for emergency preparedness, community engagement, and evidence-informed public health communication.

Continue Reading

News

Search for Missing American Tourist Intensifies in Turks and Caicos

Published

on

U.S. Officials, Family Join Local Efforts as Disappearance Enters Ninth Day

By Deandrea Hamilton | Editor and Wilkie Arthur | Eagle Legal News

 

Turks and Caicos, July 4, 2025 – The United States Department of State has confirmed it is aware of the disappearance of American citizen Brian Tarrence in Turks and Caicos, and the U.S. Embassy in Nassau is actively assisting in the ongoing investigation. Tarrence’s mother is now on the island, anxiously hoping for good news as the search for her son enters its ninth day.

Tarrence, 51, of New York, vanished on June 25 while vacationing with his wife in Providenciales. The couple was staying at the Inn at Grace Bay in a privately rented villa booked via Airbnb. CCTV footage reviewed by Eagle Legal News shows Tarrence walking away from the property around 3:00 a.m., alone and without signs of immediate distress. He has not been seen since.

The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force is treating the case as high priority, and a search operation is underway in Grace Bay, with efforts expanding to The Bight and nearby districts. U.S. private investigator Carl DeFazio, hired by Tarrence’s family, is also on the ground and working alongside local authorities.

“We are tracking any activity—credit cards, digital devices—that could point us toward his location,” said DeFazio. “This is a coordinated effort, and we are committed to bringing Brian home.”

Sources close to the investigation say Tarrence may have been in a vulnerable state prior to his disappearance. His wife reported that he had relapsed into alcohol use and was displaying increasingly erratic behavior, including signs of paranoia and delusional speech. He reportedly believed people were outside their villa and made concerning remarks hours before he disappeared.

When his wife woke that morning, Tarrence—and his phone and wallet—were gone. The devices remain unreachable, and no transactions or confirmed sightings have been reported.

His wife continues to cooperate fully with police, while his mother, who recently arrived in TCI, has joined local and diplomatic efforts in hopes of a safe resolution.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the nearest police station or call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-8477.

Continue Reading

FIND US ON FACEBOOK

TRENDING