TCI News
Letter to the Editor: Should Youths Get Involved in TCI’s Politics?
#Providenciales, September 18, 2019 – Turks and Caicos – Over the years, I have watched in dismay the lack of youth participation in Turks and Caicos politics. The country desperately needs young leaders who are energetic, enthusiastic, morally sound and diligent. There is no doubt that our country has progressed, but that development can only proceed further if we have the youth, who are the future generation, take on the charge of torchbearers to light the way.
Politics basically is an act of leading a nation or a part of nation towards a common development, at the same time rectifying the flaws in the already working system of government. Politicians are representatives of the people, elected by the people to bring their issues to light and improve lives of citizens where possible.
There are several reasons why youth are not as involved but I choose to focus on two. My first thought is that the youth of today are simply not interested in actively participating in the political field as they do not understand how politics shape a nation. If this is the case, I believe as a nation, we need to educate our youth about what politics is and the role they must play. Over the years, many people have had a distorted view of politics, they have fallen to dashed hopes from the failed promises made to them, they have not seen the promised change many have listed in their manifestos, they are still waiting on outdated projects to improve their communities, and they have limited access to their representatives who were once seen as a beacon of hope. I believe one of the ways to get our youth engaged again is to show them that politics that be used as a mechanism for change.
The second reason may be that young people are not given opportunities to prove themselves with the excuse that they are not sufficiently experienced to participate actively in the governance of the country. Almost all the major political parties seem to be functioning under the monopoly of old leaders. While older does mean experience, we must recognize that as the youth of this nation, many of us are coming with fresh new ideas and want to make a valuable contribution to our country.
Is it that the youth of the TCI are content with the way the TCI is being governed? Or are they given opportunities within our political ranks to contribute? The youth of modern TCI are aware of the problems facing our country and the world at large and they want a chance to effectively contribute to the conversation and the change taking place in our country.
When you hear the word politics the first thought which comes to our mind is corruption and we conclude by saying that politics is bad, or politics is dirty. But is politics bad? No, politics is not bad. Political systems exist in most countries to provide people with representation, to bring about effective change through laws. It’s the people and the experience of right politicians and finding ways to properly channel that. There are many corrupt people in politics, but politics is not all bad and we to change the focus on change instead of criticizing.
Youth are the backbone of any economy, system or structure of any nation. They have great potential, and politics is one of the best ways to channel this very potential towards nation building.
We cannot build an apartment just because we have bricks, cement and labor. We need engineer, architect and other key personnel to get the building off the ground. Youth are the architect of the Nation. They can use its resources in the right way to build Turks and Caicos Islands.
Thus, there is a need for the young generation to enter politics and work for the nation. Just imagine what we can do as a nation if our experienced leaders and innovative youth combine their efforts.
I’m not just referring to politics but also matters like inter country business or maintaining relations with other nations, it is important for the youth to have participation as they can think beyond the traditional ways and easily adapt the modern ways of development.
This is the time to think about our country’s future instead of ours. As youth, we have an obligation to begin the work and help build our nation. Once we can set our country into right direction our future will be automatically set.
My question to the youth today is, what role are you playing in building your country? What are you doing to get involved in politics and leadership in our nation?
Ranaldo A. Forbes
Turks and Caicos, December 12, 2025 – For the Turks and Caicos Islands, the shift from removal to redevelopment marks a profound national pivot — one that redefines how the country confronts a problem that has quietly reshaped its landscape for more than a decade.
At a media briefing held Tuesday, December 11, the Informal Settlements Unit (ISU) confirmed that it has now reviewed 35 informal settlement sites for full redevelopment and is advancing 27 conceptual redevelopment designs, signalling a move beyond enforcement toward long-term planning and land re-imagination.
The announcement comes after nearly three years of intensive work under the leadership of Carlos Simons KC, a former justice of the Supreme Court and one of the country’s most respected legal minds. For Simons, who is himself a Turks and Caicos Islander, the mandate has never been cosmetic. Informal settlements, he has repeatedly stressed, are not simply unsightly — they pose public safety risks, strain infrastructure, undermine land ownership regimes, and create environments vulnerable to criminal activity.
Turks and Caicos remains the only British Overseas Territory grappling with informal settlements at this scale.
From Clearance to Control of Land
Since its inception, the ISU has focused first on reclaiming land that had fallen outside the bounds of planning and regulation. According to data presented, more than 800 informal structures have been addressed across Crown land, private land, and other properties, with the bulk of activity concentrated in Providenciales, and additional operations carried out in Grand Turk and North Caicos.
Providenciales accounts for the largest share of reclaimed acreage and enforcement actions, reflecting both population density and the concentration of informal developments. In Grand Turk, ISU interventions have been more targeted, often tied to flood-prone or environmentally sensitive areas. North Caicos, while hosting fewer informal settlements, has now been formally incorporated into the Unit’s monitoring and redevelopment framework.
To date, the ISU reports approximately 35 acres of land reclaimed, creating, for the first time, a realistic platform for planned redevelopment rather than ad-hoc clearance.
Redevelopment, Not Replacement
What distinguishes this phase of the ISU’s work is not simply the scale of removal, but the clarity of what comes next.
Officials confirmed that 27 redevelopment concepts are now in progress, supported by land already under government control. These are
housing-led but not housing-only designs, incorporating infrastructure layouts, access routes, drainage, and green space — a deliberate break from the sprawl and density that defined informal settlements.
One example shared, illustrated the potential of vertical, modular development: a 2.5-acre site, previously crowded with informal structures, re-imagined to accommodate 105 formal housing units, alongside communal space and planned utilities. The intent, ISU officials said, is to replace disorder with density done right — preserving land while increasing livability.
The Survey Behind the Strategy
Central to the ISU’s evolving approach is a comprehensive Social Needs Assessment Survey, designed not merely to count structures, but to understand the people who lived within them.
The survey spanned multiple islands and dozens of informal settlement sites, collecting data on household size, age distribution, employment status, length of residence, access to utilities, sanitation conditions, flood exposure, and vulnerability factors. It captured information across genders and age groups, with particular attention to working-age adults, children, and households headed by single earners.
Officials described the survey as essential to avoiding a blunt enforcement model. Instead, the data is being used to inform redevelopment planning, guide social interventions, and identify patterns — including how long informal settlements persist, how residents integrate into the labour force, and where the greatest risks to health and safety lie.
The findings reinforced what authorities had long suspected: informal settlements are not transient. Many households had occupied land for years, often without basic services, and in conditions that posed escalating risks during heavy rains or storms. The survey now forms a baseline against which future redevelopment and resettlement outcomes will be measured.
Targeting the Next Generation
Recognising that enforcement alone cannot dismantle a culture of informal construction, the ISU launched youth-focused initiatives over the past year, aimed squarely at prevention.
Through school engagement, creative challenges, and public education campaigns, the Unit has begun addressing the mindset that normalises shanty-style building. Officials described the youth programmes as an investment in long-term cultural change, encouraging young people to see planning, legality, and design as non-negotiable elements of national development.
The initiatives also seek to foster pride in place — reframing orderly development not as exclusionary, but as essential to safety, dignity, and opportunity.
A National Turning Point
The ISU’s presentation makes clear that Turks and Caicos has entered a new phase in confronting informal settlements — one grounded in data, planning, and land control, rather than reaction.
Whether the country can sustain the political will, funding discipline, and cross-agency coordination required to move concepts into construction remains to be seen. But for the first time, the national conversation has shifted.
This is no longer only about what must be removed.
It is about what can — and should — be built in its place.
Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.
Firm Also Secures 8 Individual Rankings and Strengthens Its Regional Leadership
[Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands – Stanbrook Prudhoe, a leading Caribbean law firm, is 1 of 2 firm’s ranked in Tier 1 for cross-Caribbean work and is described as having “built a strong reputation across the Caribbean for handling complex matters, multi-jurisdictional work spanning both transactional and disputes”. Sophie Stanbrook, Tim Prudhoe, Khamaal Collymore and Nadia Chiesa attract plaudits in this category.
Specific to Guyana, Sophie Stanbrook, Tim Prudhoe and Anna-Kay Brown are listed.
In addition, Stanbrook Prudhoe is again given Tier 1 status in the TCI firm rankings. Lawyers Sophie Stanbrook, Tim Prudhoe, Sam Kelly
and Nadia Chiesa achieved individual rankings and Laura Miller named as a key lawyer for the firm’s Cross-Caribbean work.
Since its launch in 2022, Stanbrook Prudhoe has established itself as a formidable presence in the Caribbean legal sphere, specialising in Corporate and Fiduciary, Disputes, and Restructuring & Insolvency. This strong reputation is reflected in this latest round of Legal 500 rankings.
The firm’s co-founders, Sophie Stanbrook and Tim Prudhoe, are ranked as ‘Leading Partners’, Tim being 1 of 2 lawyers also listed as such across and the Caribbean as a whole.
The firm has offices in the Cayman Islands, Guyana and the Turks and Caicos Islands. With a growing presence in the federation of St Kitts and Nevis.
Commenting on the recognition, StanbrookPrudhoe co-founder Sophie Stanbrook said, “In just three years, we’ve gone from a bold idea to a Tier 1-ranked firm leading the Caribbean legal market. This recognition proves that ambition, talent, and teamwork can redefine what’s possible in our region, and we’re only just getting started. We look forward to building on this momentum and continuing to drive the standards for legal excellence across the Caribbean.”
The Legal 500 is one of the UK’s most respected legal directories, benchmarking law firms through rigorous independent research and ranking both lawyers and their areas of expertise. For nearly 40 years, it has provided a trusted assessment of law firm capabilities worldwide, evaluating more than 150 jurisdictions through comprehensive research, client feedback, and interviews with leading practitioners.
TCI News
TCI Hosts Strategic Defence Summit as Overseas Territories Regiments Strengthen Security Partnerships
Turks and Caicos, December 4, 2025 – The Turks and Caicos Islands this week became the centre of regional security cooperation as
senior defence leaders from across the British Overseas Territories gathered in Providenciales for the 4th Annual Overseas Territories Commanding Officers Conference — a three-day summit focused on strengthening capability, maritime readiness, and inter-territorial partnerships.
Acting Governor Anya Williams and Premier Charles Washington Misick, OBE, on December 1, welcomed Lord Lancaster, a key figure in the establishment of the TCI Regiment and the current Honorary Colonel of the Cayman Islands Regiment, for a courtesy call and high-level briefing session. Lord Lancaster joined Permanent Secretary for National Security Tito Lightbourne, TCI Regiment Commanding Officer Colonel Ennis Grant, and Commanding Officers from Bermuda, Cayman, Montserrat, the Falkland Islands, and UK defence representatives.
The visit, along with the wider conference agenda, signals a meaningful step forward for the rapidly evolving TCI Regiment, which has grown into a crucial national asset for disaster response, coastal security, joint operations, and resilience planning. Lord Lancaster’s presence carries additional significance: he was instrumental in shaping the Regiment’s formation in 2020 and remains a vocal advocate for expanding the capabilities of small-territory defence units within the UK network.
At the conference’s opening ceremony, Acting Governor Williams emphasised the importance of “collaboration and strategic leadership
across the Overseas Territories,” noting that shared challenges — from climate shocks to transnational crime — demand a unified approach. The Permanent Secretary echoed this, highlighting increased maritime coordination and training pathways as areas where the TCI is seeking deeper integration with its regional counterparts.
Throughout the week, Commanding Officers participated in strategic discussions, intelligence and security briefings, resilience planning sessions, and on-site engagements showcasing the TCI’s developing operational infrastructure. The agenda also focused on improving interoperability — ensuring that Overseas Territories regiments can operate seamlessly together during disaster deployments, search and rescue missions, and joint maritime operations.
For the TCI Regiment, hosting the conference marks a milestone: it positions the young force as an active contributor in shaping the region’s security future rather than merely a participant. Leaders left no doubt that the momentum is intentional — and that the Turks and Caicos Islands are strengthening their role within a broader, coordinated defence framework designed to safeguard shared interests.
Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.
