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TCI: Bottle Creek Clinic hold Up: Response to the Premier

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#Providenciales, 31 December, 2019 – Turks and Caicos – Happy New Year to Middle and North Caicos, and the entire Turks and Caicos. May God continue to shine his grace upon all of you and your families.

Today it is with a heavy heart that I inform you all, that the accusations made against me and my company, Jaca TCI Ltd. by The Premier in the December 20-27 Issue, Volume 15 – No. 50 of the Sun News Paper, are completely and utterly incorrect.

Unfortunately I can only say that either your team did not advise you of the facts or you have intentionally released false information. Its gives me no pleasure in bringing to light the factual events which occurred during the Bottle Creek Clinic Project, but it is imperative that the people of Bottle Creek and the entire Turks and Caicos Islands know the truth.

Madam Premier, you stated: “The Bottle Creek Clinic was a fight from (the time) we got elected.” I’m confused about this statement. I can provide numerous emails to the contrary. In fact the Permanent Secretary for that department and EMS department staff can attest to all the emails I sent requesting to begin the Project. The Honorable Derek Taylor Intervention was done at the request of my colleague Jeff Lee on behalf of Jaca TCI Ltd.

Madam Premier the budget for The Bottle Creek Clinic was $1.8 million. My initial bid came in a little over that, I was asked to come within the budget and to do value engineering and show savings on the project. I then came in with a price of a little over $1.5 million. Recommencement of work after negotiations was $68,000, which led to me creating savings of over $140,000. The Bottle Creek Clinic came in below budget and still as a state of the art Clinic for the people of Bottle Creek.

Unfortunately I think you are confusing this project with the Promenade, where you and your team had to shuffle figures around to find monies near or around the amount of $900,000. Madam Premier please explain to the people of North and Middle Caicos and the entire Turks and Caicos Islands, why that project had doubled. One can only assume why.

The ditch you are claiming I did not dig, was outside my scope of work, and outside the scope of the bid. This ditch was something Fortis TCI asked for which would allow them to upgrade per their master plan for that area. Your EMS department asked for quotes from a few persons. I ended up with it two weeks ago.

You also mention that the temporary power had to be sourced. Madam Premier, two days before your so call opening of the Bottle Creek Clinic, to save face for my friend Ralph Higgs, not you, I personally went and turn on that power in my name.

Here in the Twin Islands we are our brothers keepers. What affects Ralph affects me and the entire community of North and Middle Caicos. I will continue to say Ralph is a good person, but that he is led by a party which does not care about the people of North and Middle Caicos. Madam Premier, please tell the people what the PDM has ever done for the Twin Islands.

Madam Premier please tell me and the people of the Twin Islands where is the truth in anything you have said in that article, it is all lies.

In an effort to clear my name, my company name and receive a public apology, I have decide to take this matter to court, where everything, all factual details will come out. As all information presented by you in that article is False.

Wishing you all a Happy and Prosperous New Year. May God continue to Bless and Protect the people of Turks and Caicos Islands.

FROM ARLINGTON “CHUCK” MUSGROVE ED #4 CANDIDATE

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Fredrico Johnson Appointed to Permanent Secretary

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Turks and Caicos, November 2, 2024 – The Office of the Deputy Governor is excited to announce the appointment of Fredrico Johnson to Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Mr. Johnson is a distinguished senior management leader with over ten years of experience in both public and private sectors.  Most recently, he served as Deputy Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Home Affairs, where he directed the development and implementation of essential policies, ensured public service accountability, and promoted strategic initiatives focused on talent development and succession planning. His contributions to policy development included leading a delegation to the Bahamas for insights into a local government policy initiative and addressing public service backlogs, which greatly enhanced operational efficiency.

Additionally, Mr. Johnson previously served as District Commissioner, managing government services, projects, and financial planning on the island while collaborating with various government departments to deliver critical community services.

Currently, Mr. Johnson is pursuing a Master of Science in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Walden University (expected 2025) and holds a Bachelor of Science in Management with a concentration in International Business from Johnson & Wales University. His ongoing professional development includes certifications in emergency management, urban search and rescue, and results-driven development.

In response to his appointment, Mr. Johnson shared his thoughts: “I am deeply honoured and humbled to be appointed as the Permanent Secretary within the Ministry of Home Affairs. This role presents an incredible opportunity to serve our nation and its people, and I am driven by the belief that we must let our passion drive our success. I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to my support system and mentors, who have offered encouragement, guidance, and prayers throughout the years. Their unwavering support has been invaluable on this journey. A special thank you goes to Permanent Secretary James Astwood for his exemplary leadership over the past few years. His dedication and commitment have laid a strong foundation for us to build upon. I am also grateful to our Deputy Governor for her visionary approach, which has provided young leaders in the public service with the platform to grow, flourish, and lead. To the entire team, I am excited to work alongside you as we continue progressing and enhancing our ministry’s service to the public. Together, I am confident we will achieve great things.”

H.E. Anya Williams, Deputy Governor and Head of the Public Service, expressed her congratulations, stating, “It is with great enthusiasm that I congratulate Mr. Johnson on his appointment to Permanent Secretary. Throughout his career, he has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership and a deep commitment to public service. He assisted in leading strategic initiatives that not only improved operational efficiency but also significantly elevated the level of service within the Ministry of Home Affairs. I have every confidence that he will bring the same dedication and innovative thinking to this new role, and I look forward to witnessing the continued positive impact he will have on the Ministry and the public service at large.

Congratulations to Mr. Johnson on your well-deserved promotion”.

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Edgar Howell appointed as Deputy Secretary

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Turks and Caicos, November 2, 2024 – The Office of the Deputy Governor is delighted to announce the appointment of Mr Edgar Howell as the new Deputy Secretary within the Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports, and Culture.

Mr. Howell brings a rich educational background, holding an Associates Degree in Biology from the College of the Bahamas (now the University of the Bahamas), a Bachelor’s Degree in Zoology and Biochemistry from the University of the West Indies, and a Master’s Degree with distinction in Education Management. He embodies the philosophy that “Education is a lifelong journey,” continually pursuing professional development opportunities that enhance his skills and benefit his responsibilities.

Most recently, Mr. Howell served as Director of Education for fifteen years, following a five-year tenure as Deputy Director of Education. His extensive experience also includes four years of teaching Math, Chemistry, and Integrated Science at Clement Howell High School and one year as Head Teacher at Oseta Jolly Primary School.

Mr. Edgar Howell shared his thoughts on his new role, “Stephen Covey advised – ‘You have to decide what your highest priorities are and have the courage—pleasantly, smilingly, non-apologetically, to say ‘no’ to other things. And the way you do that is by having a bigger ‘yes’ burning inside.’ I accepted that my bigger yes is to nation-building and focused on education and families. While this appointment as Deputy Permanent Secretary includes wider TCIG responsibilities, my values of Faith, Family, Patriotism, and Stewardship keep my bigger yes well aligned. My parents instilled a belief that ‘a charge to keep have I, a God to glorify…’ As always, I lean on the promise of Isaiah 41:10 – ‘So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

E. Anya Williams, Deputy Governor and Head of the Public Service expressed her confidence in Mr. Howell’s capabilities, stating, “I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Mr. Howell on his new appointment. His unwavering dedication to the education sector over many years, coupled with his passion for nurturing the potential of our youth, is truly commendable. We eagerly look forward to the contributions he will further bring to our educational initiatives and the positive impact he will make in fostering the development of our community and the bright future of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Congratulations, Mr Howell, on your well-deserved promotion.”

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Turks and Caicos Cruise Tourism Earns US$116 million for 2023/2024  

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PROVIDENCIALES, TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS  – Cruise Tourism in the Turks and Caicos Islands is booming, earning the destination a whopping US $116 million over the 2023/2024 period.

A new Business Research & Economic Advisors (BREA) report entitled “The Economic Contribution of Cruise Tourism to the Destination Economies, a Survey-based Analysis of the Impacts of Passenger, Crew and Cruise Line Spending” revealed that passenger and crew visits along with additional expenditures by the cruise lines and the destination itself generated a total of US$116.1 million in cruise tourism expenditure during the 2023/2024 cruise year.

The expenditure supported direct employment of 1,197 residents of the Turks and Caicos Islands paying $21.8 million in annual wages.

Quoting data collected from the Ministry of Tourism, the report said 945,040 cruise passengers arrived aboard cruise ships during the 2023/2024 cruise year. Of these, an estimated 796,670 passengers (84%) disembarked and visited the Grand Turk destination where the cruise port is located.

Utilising additional industry data and visiting cruise lines, the survey said 288,515 crew were aboard the cruise ships and 30 percent, or 87,710 crew, disembarked and visited the destination.

The report noted that passenger arrivals are up 15 percent from the last study in 2017/18.

“This is fantastic news, particularly for Grand Turk, our cruise capital,” said Minister of Tourism, the Hon. Josephine Connolly in response to the results of the surveys. “I am very proud of the work that our taxi drivers, tour operators, vendors and suppliers have been doing in Grand Turk to enhance the service and offerings to all who visit our shores. They have shown a commitment to truly develop the cruise industry and it is paying off.”

The Minister said that the Ministry of Tourism and Experience Turks and Caicos have been supporting tourism stakeholders in Grand Turk through a variety of initiatives.

“Through the TIDES programme from the Department of Tourism, we are ensuring that everyone is knowledgeable about the destination and can operate at a high standard. Experience Turks and Caicos recently held two workshops in collaboration with the Aquila Centre for Cruise Excellence in Product Development and Vendor Excellence for the cruise industry and the team has been working on developing new products such as Taste of Turks and Caicos which will introduce our enticing cuisine to cruise passengers every Thursday from November 7th as well as enhancing existing products with signage and maps,” Minister Connolly said.

The FCCA report is based on results from a survey conducted among passenger and crew onboard ships of member cruise lines. The surveys were undertaken during the eight-month period beginning in October 2023 and ending in May 2024 and were distributed onboard the ships via QR codes. Guests and crew completed the surveys online and they were only surveyed once during a cruise itinerary.

The survey found that passengers accounted for the group that spent the most followed by crew and cruise lines and destinations. For the entire 2023/2024 cruise year, the estimated 791,730 cruise passengers who disembarked and spent a total of US$81.4 million.

Passengers spent 73 percent of their onshore expenditure on shore excursions, watches and jewelry, and food and beverages.

Crew spent money on food and beverages, clothing, and other purchases which accounted for 74 percent of their onshore spending. For the entire 2023/2024 cruise year, the estimated 95,780 crew who went ashore and visited Grand Turk spent an estimated total of $4.5 million ($US).

Cruise lines made payments to local businesses for a variety of goods and services, including payments for port fees and taxes, navigation services, utilities and other supplies. The destination itself had employees and employee wages related to its cruise operations. Based upon data provided by the FCCA member cruise lines and the destination, the report estimates that cruise lines and the Turks and Caicos Islands itself were responsible for approximately $30.2 million in direct spending during the 2023/2024 cruise year.

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