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TCI still storm ready; UK mobilises Mounts Bay auxiliary ship

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#Providenciales, August 29, 2019 – Turks and Caicos – Once Tropical Storm, now Hurricane Dorian has been a shifty system as she barrels through many of the Caribbean islands, in some cases bringing drizzles of rain and in others causing flash floods, dangerous surf conditions and mudslides. 

Around 4pm on Tuesday, TCI Authorities put these islands on Tropical Storm Alert, which meant residents were expected to rush to readiness by Wednesday and feel the effects of this fourth named storm on Thursday and all-day Friday.

By 11pm Tuesday, the forecast from the National Hurricane Center based in Miami Florida, illustrated a different trajectory of Tropical Storm Dorian; a shift that took the TCI well out of its forecast cone. 

By morning, the tropical storm alert for the Turks and Caicos was discontinued.

“The Bahamas Met centre confirms that the tropical storm Dorian has shifted slightly in a northeasterly direction which currently takes it out of the direct path of the Turks and Caicos Islands.  We will indeed feel some slight (weather) situation as a result of passage of Dorian, said Ralph Higgs, Minister of Tourism.

The Minister encouraged having an emergency plan and knowing your plan despite the change which has, at this time, taken the TCI out of the harm’s way.

“We must continue on the path of preparedness as you are aware we are still in the peak of our Atlantic Hurricane Season, which means from now until the end of the peak season, storms can appear on the horizon,” said the Minister who added, “If you own or operate a business familiarize yourself with your continuity plan following the passage of a storm, to ensure there is minimal loss of business in the event we are hit by a storm in the 2019 season.”

In a media debriefing held at the Governor’s Office in Providenciales on Wednesday morning; Minister responsible for disaster management, Ralph Higgs; Director of disaster management, Dr Virginia Clerveaux and Governor of the territory, His Excellency Nigel Dakin explained the decision to discontinue, what preparations had been made and even what reinforcements the United Kingdom have activated as support to all the Caribbean Overseas territories.

DDME Director, Dr. Virginia Clerveaux talked about what had already taken place in preparation for an encounter with Tropical Storm Dorian.

“We have held sub-committee meetings continuously throughout the year and we are ensuring that persons are prepared. From these subcommittee meetings we have action points that are circulated to ensure persons are doing it.  When we had those meetings, we were in touch with our CDEMA partners, they were communicating and providing us information. The Governor’s Office was very instrumental and continuously instrumental in disaster management as you know, as Director of DDME, I advise the Governor so he would have been kept abreast of every decision that is being made,” said Director Dr. Clerveaux.

The Governor, who admits this would have been his first tropical storm encounter said he was impressed with the DDME’s data driven approach to making decisions and the UK’s readiness to swiftly send help, if needed. 

“What I was very reassured about is that we rapidly moved the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Mounts Bay in behind the storm, where it continues to sit so if the storm does change direction tomorrow – and it could – we’re still in a good position to bring in support rapidly behind it.”

In the TCI on Wednesday, skies were overcast, the horizon looked hazy and there was early morning light rain.  Residents remained watchful and said, they would continue with preparations just in case Tropical Storm Dorian did the unexpected; and that posture is fine by the officials.

“That forecasting may change and if that forecasting changes, then the advice may change. But I hope given that this is going to be a recurring theme in the fabric of this country that what we need to do is very carefully calibrate so that we neither over react, which in the end will destroy public confidence or indeed under react.  I think at the moment what we are trying to do is give you a very calibrated response, which we will keep under permanent review over the next few days,” said His Excellency Dakin.

RFA Mounts Bay

At 11pm on Wednesday, ‘Dorian’ continued to shift away from the Turks and Caicos Islands and the storm grew in strength, becoming a category one hurricane.  The NHC forecasts even more intensification of Dorian.

From the National Hurricane Center: “On this track, Dorian should move over the Atlantic well east of the southeastern and central Bahamas on Thursday and Friday… Dorian is forecast to strengthen into a powerful hurricane during the next couple of days…Dorian is expected to produce the following rainfall accumulations:  The central Bahamas…2 to 4 inches, isolated 6 inches.  The northern Bahamas and Coastal sections of the Southeast United States…4 to 8 inches, isolated 10 inches. This rainfall may cause life-threatening flash floods.  SURF:   Swells around the U.S. and British Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico should gradually diminish tonight.”

Minister Higgs assured, “Your government will continue to move proactively to ensure that our country is ready to face any scenario of natural hazards in the 2019 Hurricane Season.”

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Joyful Collaboration between 2 Regional Foundations Uplifts Tourism Professionals in Turks & Caicos

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CHTA Education Foundation & Sandals Foundation Training Celebration with TCHTA in Providenciales 20 October 2026. Front Row, L to R: Suzanne & Louise CHTAEF Trainers, Wesley Clerveau, PS Ministry of Tourism, Deryck Meany for Sandals Foundation, TCHTA team: Stacy-Ann Wharton, VP – Nicholette Thomas Operations Manager - Omega Simmons Board Member

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

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Multi-Agency Enforcement Exercise Targets Illegal Occupation of Crown Land in Five Cays

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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.

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BermudAir Launches Service to the Turks and Caicos Islands on October 26th, Expanding Air Connectivity Ahead of Winter Season

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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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