TCI News
Donated paint and volunteers as Sandals Foundation & TCI Paint & Supply beautify The Bight school
#Providenciales, August 12, 2019 – Turks and Caicos – A couple of weeks of sweat equity and over $10,000 in donated paint and professional painters will ensure the new school year is more aesthetically appealing and conducive for learning for the 585 students of the Ianthe Pratt Primary School (IPPS) in the Bight.
“We thank Sandals Foundation for all that they are doing because we know that when the children return to school in September, they’re going to be excited and happy, because they are going to be basically in a new school. Outside is painted, inside is painted, doors will be painted and I know the teachers will be so grateful. So thank you!”
The Sandals Foundation volunteers of Beaches Resort, which sits next to the school, began the work on Friday with tremendous help from TCI Paint & Supply.
Wendy-Faye Rodriquez, project manager from Beaches Resort explained the mission of the 35 volunteers from Beaches and 15 volunteers from ER Construction.
“Sandals Foundation is in a joint venture with TCI Paint which supplied us with the necessary paint materials and supply of the different paint brushes, rollers and the tools required to do this job. We are very happy to have TCI Paint and ER Construction, not only did TCI Paint donate the paint and supplies but ER Construction to actually have professional painters, painting here with us.”
Minister of Education, Karen Malcolm was joined by her Director of Education, Edgar Howell in the announcement of the big donation for the Ianthe Pratt Primary School family.
“I am elated for the work that Sandals Foundation and TCI Paint along with their partners are doing here at the school. At the Ministry of Education, we are always grateful for those in our community, our corporate partners who come on board and assist us during the summer holidays. This is not the first project that Sandals has done, I can recall them helping us with Enid Capron as well as Clement Howell High School.”
TCI Paint & Supply owner Brenton Berry’s wife is a former teacher at IPPS and that is admittedly a part of the inspiration for his company ‘jumping at the chance’ to support the project.
“Ianthe Pratt holds a very special place in my heart because my wife actually taught here for quite some time, so its nice to be able to give back to the community. It’s nice to be a part of good things going on.”
Eleven-year-old TCI Paint & Supply was asked to come on board by the Sandals Foundation.
“I think it is a testament of Sandals Foundation and all of the other people that are here working, volunteering their time to take care of the future of the country; they are the leaders and the future of the country. We are proud to be a part of it.”
The school grounds and classrooms have by now been cleaned-up in preparation for the new coats of paint, aimed at beautifying the buildings and classrooms.
“We also have volunteers who are here to help clean the areas, the doors, the windows, the ceilings the fans, the light fixtures; whatever is needed for us to apply the quality paint we received to these areas,” said Mrs. Rodriquez, who added that, “We are grateful that the Ministry of Education has allowed us and opened arms to us to be here to make this venture, a successful venture for us and our future leaders, our kids of this school.”
A message of care for the facilities which came from the Minister was not merely for IPPS children, but for students at public schools across the country, said Minister Malcolm.
“There is a lot that is going into ensuring you have comfortable environments, so I would ask that you take care of it, just like you would take care of your homes. You spend most of your time during the day here at Iathe Pratt and I would encourage you to do your best to ensure that your surroundings are kept clean, your classrooms are kept clean, put your garbage in the bins and just help your teachers by behaving and learning because you are here in school to learn.”
It will mean Ianthe Pratt Primary teachers return in August to fresh looking classrooms and it will mean, the same for students in September – all agreed this is imperative for a successful education.
Mr. Berry concluded: ‘It’s gonna be a brand-new school once Sandals Foundation is done with it.”
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#iantheprattbeautificationproject
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TCIG knew from April that fuel factor could surge almost 80%; Minister says $500 cost-of-living payment was part of Government’s response
PROVIDENCIALES — The Turks and Caicos Government knew months before July’s shocking electricity bills that consumers faced a potentially massive increase in the fuel factor.
Minister of Information Technology and Energy E. Jay Saunders revealed Friday that Pelican Energy warned his Ministry in April that generation fuel costs were projected to rise from $3.09 per gallon in May to $4.79 in June and July.
That translated into a projected fuel factor jump from about 17.5 cents to 31 cents per kilowatt-hour — an increase of almost 80%.
Saunders said he personally advised Cabinet of the projected increase and presented options for cushioning the impact.
He characterised Government’s $500 cost-of-living payment as its “initial response” to rising fuel costs, before a separate fuel-factor subsidy was approved.
Cabinet records show Government agreed on June 24 to provide funding to mitigate the fuel-factor impact, with the relief programme approved July 8.
Eligible residential customers — those averaging less than $1,500 monthly over the previous three bills — are capped at 22 cents per kWh from July through October.
Pelican confirmed Friday that Government’s contribution was already applied to July bills, meaning the bills now triggering widespread public outrage would have been even higher without the subsidy.
Saunders did not disclose the programme’s total cost.
His admission that Government knew since April, however, raises another question amid the backlash: why were consumers not directly warned by Government about the scale of the approaching increase?
PROVIDENCIALES — New commercial Crown Land applications are facing a six-month pause as the Turks and Caicos Islands Government takes inventory of its holdings.
During Cabinet meetings held July 15 and 16, an immediate six-month moratorium was approved on the acceptance, processing
and approval of new applications for commercial Crown Land grants, leases and allocations.
The pause will remain in place pending completion of the Crown Land Inventory Review. Cabinet’s summary did not state what prompted the review or indicate whether availability of commercial Crown Land is a concern.
The two-day meeting also advanced major consumer legislation. Cabinet approved the National Fair Competition Policy 2026 and drafting instructions for a Fair Competition Ordinance, moving TCI toward stronger consumer protection and fair competition rules.
In Grand Turk, Cabinet approved rezoning land in the North West Suburbs from low-density to medium-density residential use to facilitate a new apartment development.
Cabinet also advanced fisheries reforms, water legislation allowing private and public-private investment, minerals legislation and appointments across tourism, health and finance.
Progress toward establishing a TCI Credit Union was also noted.
PROVIDENCIALES — Major development projects outside Providenciales received Cabinet attention on July 8, with Government approving agreements connected to the redevelopment of Dellis Cay and a resort development in North Caicos.
Cabinet approved a Development Agreement between the Turks and Caicos Islands Government, Desarrollos Hotelco DC Ltd. and
Desarrollos Hotelco Astoria Ltd. for the redevelopment of Dellis Cay.
The long-discussed private island development sits between Providenciales and North Caicos and its return to Cabinet signals another step toward redevelopment.
Cabinet also approved amendments to an agreement involving SPR LND Ltd. (Royal Reef) and TCIG Development Agreement for a resort/hotel development in North Caicos.
Other decisions included approval of the First Supplementary Appropriation Bill 2026 for onward transmission and the appointment of Cindy Ewing as Chair of the Invest TCI Board, effective August 1 for three years.
Cabinet also noted consultation outcomes concerning changes to business licensing, approved professional membership expenses for qualifying Telecommunications Commission staff and approved advice relating to the Interim Clinical and Estates Services PPP.
The July 8 meeting was chaired by Acting Governor Anya Williams.
Photo Credit: Royal Reef (Keith)
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