TCI News
The Shoe is on the Other Foot. Are we Hypocrites?
#Providenciales, March 5, 2019 – Turks and Caicos – IPoliticians and their supporters have to be very careful what they say or do when they are in Opposition or even in Government as you never know when the shoe will be worn on the other foot.
Hypocrisy on both sides
In October/November 2016, the PNP administration brought to the House of Assembly a bill to write off $12 million in penalties for Cable & Wireless. This was related to taxes that Cable & Wireless should have charged their customers for the period June 2010 to May 2014 as a result of a change in law in 2011. However, management of Cable & Wireless (including myself, yes I was CEO then) was not aware of the change in law and never charged the customers the taxes and therefore never collected the taxes and so the Government thought it was fitting to waive the penalties as it would have detrimental impact on the company including the employees.
The Opposition (the PDM) at that time claimed they did not have enough information and did not vote or supported the waiver of the $12million. In fact, this write off was one of the campaign tactics that the Opposition used during the 2016 campaign. Supporters of the party spoke strongly against this write off saying the Government should not do it and that the money could have been used elsewhere. Are we a bunch of hypocrites?
This week, the House of Assembly met and this time, the PDM administration brought to the House of Assembly the amnesty waiver to write off penalties of $85mllion for hotels and restaurants. This time the PNP voted against the bill like what the PDM did in 2012. The people that openly spoke against the $12million write off in 2016 are now very quiet with the $85mllion and it is only because their party is in power. The PNP supporters on the other hand are crying shame on this write off. Aren’t these actions of hypocrisy by both PNP and PDM?
Beaches
I supported the write off for Cable & Wireless because C&W never collected the taxes from customers. Likewise, I will support a write off for the Hotels and Restaurants penalties especially if the hotels did not collect the taxes from guests. I also think the penalties calculations are excessive and a write off should take place. However, in the HOA, the Premier said that Beaches claimed they were told they only had to pay 60% of the accommodation tax. This is an alarming concern as the TCIG is saying there is no evidence of any agreement.
Now some supporters of this government are trying to turn this around and casting blame on Hon. Washington Misick. We are hypocrites. There is a letter circulating around on Facebook by John Brown. How did John Brown get a copy of the Ministry of Finance letter? This letter was in 2013 when the Government made changes to the tax platform by charging guests 12% on all services they receive during their time in TCI. Hon. Misick stated that the Revenue Commissioner informed him that Beaches is paying 60% based on the Development Agreement. How could Hon. Misick be blamed when the Development Agreement was signed during the Taylor Administration unless another development agreement was made during Mike Misick administration? I spoke to Hon. Derek prior to publishing this article and he is not aware of any arrangements of Beaches only paying 60%. I also contacted Hon. Mike Misick and his administration never agreed to Beaches only paying 60% of the taxes. I believe what both of the former leaders told me unless Beaches can show us something in writing.
How could an establishment collect taxes on behalf of TCIG and only payout 60%? How could an establishment operate without such a written agreement? Was Beaches only charging the guests 7.2% (which is 60% of 12%) or were they charging the full 12%? The law of the country is 12% and that is public knowledge and no agreement should supersede the laws of TCIG.
Reimburse the Companies that paid the excess penalties last year
I feel horrible about the fact that many other businesses especially the small ones paid excessive penalties in 2018 and early 2019 and there was no amnesty for them. (At least I am not aware of any). Some of these businesses had to borrow funds to pay for the penalties and now we have major hotels such as Beaches being waived of the penalties. Is it possible for TCIG to reimburse the businesses that paid the excess penalties in the last two years?
Conclusion
I know it is a tough decision for any Government to come to the people and tell them they are writing off $85million in outstanding penalties. Therefore, political parties must be cautious what they say or do when in opposition as you never know what shoe you will have to wear once you become the Government.
I am quite sure when Beaches was referring to the 60%, they were talking about the 60% service charges that were entitled to pay employees.
By: Drexwell Seymour
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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