TCI News
TCI: Mental Health in Adolescents
#Providenciales, April 3, 2019 – Turks and Caicos – The WHO defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity…”. Mental health, specifically, is defined as not just the absence of a mental disorders but a state of well-being in which a person realizes their own abilities, is able to cope with life’s normal stresses, is able to work regularly and productively and is able to contribute to society. Good mental health is therefore the foundation for an individual’s and a community’s effective functioning and well-being. It is therefore critical to ensure the sound mental health of each individual beginning from childhood and throughout the lifespan. Hence as a society it is our duty and obligation to nurture and maintain the mental health of everyone, especially our children and adolescents. For the purpose of this article we will focus on adolescents.
Adolescence is defined as the developmental stage between ages 11 and 19/20 and is a time of great hormonal storms, decisions, pressures, identity formation, learning and personality formation. While many adolescents have good mental health, multiple physical, emotional and social changes, along with various risk factors (see beneath) can all make adolescents vulnerable to mental health problems. These factors can also determine the mental health of an individual into their adult life. This stage of life is also the time to develop healthy physical, emotional and social habits to secure one’s mental health and some of these positive habits will be discussed later.
Let’s review the statistics, according to the WHO:
- Of the world population 1 in every 6 persons is aged 10 to 19.
- 16% of the burden of disease & injury in the 10 to 19 age group is due to mental illness
- 50% of all mental health conditions start at age 14 but are largely undiagnosed or undetected, largely due to lack of knowledge, awareness and stigmatization.
- Globally depression is a leading cause of disability and illness among adolescents and the 9th leading cause of overall illness in that age group, with anxiety being the 8th leading cause.
- At its worse, depression can result in suicide and suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death worldwide among 15-19 year olds.
- Failure to address mental conditions in adolescence unavoidably results in physical and mental challenges in adulthood and consequently limits the ability to lead fulfilling lives.
- Childhood behavioral disorders are the 6th leading cause of disease burden among adolescents. Such disorders affect academic performance and usually lead to delinquency.
- Eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder and body dysmorphic disorder normally emerge in adolescence and often co-exist with depression, anxiety and/or substance abuse.
- Mental health issues account for self-harm in adolescents and in 2016, approximately 62,000 adolescents died globally from self-harm.
- In 2016, interpersonal crime was the 2nd leading cause of death among older adolescent males.
Risk factors:
Some of the risk factors which predispose adolescents to mental illness include but are not limited to:
- Poverty and lack of opportunities, educational and otherwise.
- Physical, verbal, and emotional abuse, with special emphasis on sexual abuse.
- Parental neglect, abandonment, and incest.
- Violence and trauma at home and in the community.
- Harsh parenting and bullying.
- The stresses & struggle of identity formation as one fights for autonomy.
- Peer pressure to conform and experiment with different trends.
- Exploration of their sexual identity and sexual orientation.
- The extensive & inappropriate exposure to social media and technology.
- The disparity between their actual life and their perceptions/aspirations of the future.
- The quality of life at home and with their peers.
- Adolescents who belong to minority groups, are stigmatized or due to discrimination or exclusion.
- Chronic illness, developmental disorders, and disabilities.
- Teenage pregnancy and/or abortions, teenage parents, and those in early life marriages.
- Orphans.
- Exposure to alcohol and drug use at an early age.
- Genetic factors (hereditary traits of mental illness).
- Poor coping mechanisms and lack of social support systems.
Types of mental illness among adolescents:
While the array of mental health conditions is wide and varied, just a few common ones will be highlighted for the purpose of bringing greater awareness.
- Emotional disorders e.g. depression, anxiety, along with excessive irritability, frustration or anger and mood swings. These can also lead to clinical depression and bipolar disorder.
- Emotionally related physical symptoms e.g. stomach aches, headaches, nausea, acne.
- Behavioral disorders such as oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), conduct disorder, ADHD, and disruptive behavioral disorder.
- Eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder which are also linked to body dysmorphic disorder.
- Psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia in it’s different forms.
- Dissociative disorders such as dissociative identity disorder (also called multiple personality disorder) and depersonalization disorder.
- Suicide and self-harm.
- High risk behaviors e.g. drug use, promiscuity & unprotected sex, indulging in violent behaviors.
These conditions are chronic, long term conditions which can be controlled with medication, psychotherapy, and sound, consistent social support systems in the form of family, friends, mental health professionals, church and community. Once clients comply with their medication regimes and counseling and there is good support then the possibility of patients living a relatively functional life is high. Therefore, it is prudent to adopt the proactive approach in choosing prevention rather than cure when addressing mental illness, and being aware of the various risk factors empowers us to do so.
How do we nurture mental health in adolescents?
- Establishing healthy, regular sleep patterns as well as healthy daily routines for them.
- Providing a healthy diet and regular exercise for them
- Developing adaptive coping mechanisms; these should be taught/modeled by responsible caring adults. Teens look towards the adults in their life for guidance hence we must set the tone for behaviors if we wish to see them emulated.
- Teaching them how to develop good decision making skills. The decision making center of the brain does not fully develop until age 25, therefore it is crucial that we support our teens in their decision making.
- Developing healthy interpersonal relationships with everyone in their circle.
- Nurturing a healthy self-concept, with good self-esteem and self-worth.
- Teaching them to understand, appreciate, embrace and most importantly manage their emotions.
- Providing a happy, healthy home for them free of violence, abuse, aggression and anger.
- Remaining open and available for them to talk and share whatever they may need to.
- Spending quality time with them while you engage in healthy joint activities.
- Providing discipline in a way which they can understand and discuss and also setting boundaries for them to operate within.
- Remaining aware and interested in their life events, friendships, academic performance, and choices.
- Speaking positively into their lives and future and helping them plan for their future.
- Praising them for their efforts and accomplishments despite how seemingly small it may be; teens need to be encouraged especially by those they hold in high regard.
- Being a reliable, responsible, dependable model to them in every way.
- Giving them opportunities to develop autonomy and think for themselves so that they can differentiate as healthy individuals and not feel or remain overly dependent on others.
- Treating them with respect; speaking with them and not with negativity and condescension.
- Ensuring regular medical checkups and observing your teen for changes and challenges they may be experiencing.
- Placing realistic expectations on them and not making unreasonable demands. Each teen is unique with their own competencies and capabilities and therefore they should not be compared to others. Comparison brings unnecessary pressure, frustration, and discontent as teens often struggle to meet unrealistic and unfair expectations set by the adults in their lives.
Remember our adolescents are the next generation of tomorrows world, the leaders, the innovators, the decision makers and the parents of another generation. It is therefore in the best interest of all society to nurture, maintain and preserve the mental health of this precious generation with the hope that they will be given the best chance for a bright and productive future and that they will do the same for those to come after them.
Therefore, we hope that this information has brought some level of insight and will serve as a motivating force in nurturing mental health in our adolescents.
References:
- Adolescent Mental Health: WHO.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail.
- How to Promote Good Mental Health: promisesbehavioralhealth.com/mental-health
Release: TCIG
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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