TCI News
TCI: Holy Family Academy Takes Top Spot at History & Cultural Heritage Quiz
#Providenciales, November 6, 2019 – Turks and Caicos – Holy Family Academy is the winner of this year’s Turks and Caicos National Museum Foundation’s History & Cultural Heritage Quiz. The competition saw nine high schools from across Turks and Caicos vie for the title, and was hosted on October 31 at Brayton Hall in Providenciales in partnership with the Departments of Education and Culture, and FortisTCI as the primary sponsor.
The Turks and Caicos National Museum established the History & Cultural Heritage Quiz in 2015 to create a space where knowledge of the country’s history and culture could be shared and passed on to younger generations. It is held each year during October when National Heritage month is observed.
Students prepare for weeks leading up to quiz day, rigorously studying and learning about local bush medicine, fishing and whaling, the salt history and significance of the Salinas, cotton, sisal, and the endemic wildlife. Students must also know about the country’s national parks, natural heritage, and general knowledge of the islands’ cultural and historical timeline.
Representing Holy Family Academy were Ikera Stubbs, Nahysha Hinson, and Christian Jean, supported by their teacher Guilmise Gustave. Coming in second place and representing Raymond Gardiner High School were Cameron Handfield, Davar Lewis, and Cajair Davidson, supported by their teacher Stacie Ann Taylor.
Winning the grand prize, Holy Family’s team will travel to neighboring Jamaica in 2020, where the group will explore the UNESCO World Heritage Sites and learn about that country’s historical ties to Turks and Caicos. FortisTCI is sponsoring the cost of accommodations, ground transportation and tour activities. As runners up, Raymond Gardiner’s team will travel within the Turks and Caicos to one to the inhabited islands where they will learn about its history and culture, with their trip supported by TCI Reef Fund. InterCaribbean Ltd. has comped airfare for both groups.
Speaking about the event, FortisTCI Senior Vice President of Corporate Services Ruth Forbes said, “FortisTCI has been a loyal partner to the National Museum and the Department of Education as a major sponsor of this event for a few years. Every year, on this occasion, I’m reminded of the reasons why we support this effort. We support because of the passion and dedication of the organizers and teachers to preserve our heritage and culture, and the inspiration and pride seen in our students as they prepare, learning about our country’s diverse group of islands.”
Turks and Caicos National Museum Director Michael Pateman said, “The Museum is pleased to continue to develop and host the History and Cultural Heritage Quiz to be a great learning experience for students. I want to thank FortisTCI as our corporate sponsor for this event and our other supporting sponsors for their commitment to the education of our youth. It is your continued contribution that makes this work possible.”
The chief organizer of this event was Turks and Caicos National Museum Associate Candianne Williams. Turks and Caicos Islands Community College Public Relations Officer Rachel Harvey served as the quiz moderator. Judges comprised the Director of Education Edgar Howell, Director of Culture Ludwina Fulford, Director of the Turks and Caicos National Museum Dr. Michael Pateman, and Department of Environment and Coastal Resources Education Outreach Coordinator Amy Avenant.
This year’s competition also featured cultural presentations from a British West Indies Collegiate student Brandon Handfield who played the steel pan, Enid Capron Primary School’s Ripsaw Band, and an animated reading by Brenda Clare of a selection from local poet Emily Malcolm.
Participating schools:
HJ Robinson High School
Holy Family Academy
Long Bay High School
Maranatha Academy
Marjorie Basden High School
Provo Middle School
Raymond Gardiner High School
TCI Middle School
Wesley Methodist High School
Release: FortisTCI
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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