#TurksandCaicosIslands – January 20, 2020 —- STATEMENT MADE ON JANUARY 7, 2020 – The Premier Hon. Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson and Cabinet Ministers updated the general public during a press conference on Tuesday, January 7 2020 on their achievements for the year 2019; their third year since coming to Office in December 2016.
Each minister provided extensive updates on their respective ministries and shared priority areas and plans for the year 2020. Premier Robinson brought updates on the Ministry of Finance, Investment and Trade, Statutory Bodies and The Office of the Premier Local Government and Community Affairs. Among the achievements attained in 2019 were:
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· Passed three surplus Budgets and critical supplementary
· The Home Owners Policy came into effect
· The critical work with CDB to look at the provision of capital access for businesses progressed and the tender was released to complete these works
· Introduced Amnesty Program for tourism related businesses that allowed over 20 businesses to start fresh
· Purchased a building for the new Technical and Vocational Institute
· Organized and facilitated the Mission of the Caribbean Regional Technical Assistance Centre (CARTAC) to discuss TCIG’s Revenues in an effort to revamp our Revenue Collections System
· Government Storage fees waived for a period
· Reestablished the Trade Department
· TCI Represented at Ministerial level at the Social Security Annual General Meeting in Belgium and at the Meeting of the Global Forum
· Completed the Regulations and Standards for the Consumer Protection Ordinance and the Regulations for the Credit Union Ordinance. Both were brought into effect last year.
· Completed the Vision 2040 Document and secured quotes for its critical roll out.
· Funded the reintroduction of Increments for the Civil Service
· Approved and implemented salary advance for Civil Servants, funded the Consultancy Review of the TCI Pension and Terminal Benefits
· Funded critical repairs for Police Stations
· Conducted Actuarial Reviews for all of Government Pensions (which included for the first time Pensions under the Retiring Allowance Ordinance – Politician’s Pensions), NIB and NHIB.
· Reopened the newly refurbished JAGS International Airport in Grand Turk and approved critical projects for the TCIAA including: –
Salt Cay new airport runway. Photo by Salt Cay Community in Action
o Salt Cay Airport Redevelopment
o New Fire Trucks
o South Caicos Terminal (out to tender)
o Fire Hall for Grand Turk (under construction)
o Combined Services Building and Fire Services Building for Provo (out to Tender)
o Office Building for Provo (currently being evaluated)
· Advanced critical projects to redevelop all the ports in TCI
· Invested funds to provide further support of developing the Financial Services Sector.
· Appointed a new CEO and Deputy CEO for the Civil Aviation Authority in the persons of Peter Forbes and Arthur Bassett.
· Appointed a Local Government Modernisation and Review Committee and concluded its consultations around the Islands
· Purchased vehicles for District Administration and reopened the newly refurbished DC’s Office on Salt Cay.
· Agreed plan to launch a Climate Change Symposium to heighten awareness and action
· Progressed the ban on other harmful plastics; enacted restrictions on the importation of polystyrenes and plastic straws
· Introduced an incentivized scrap metal policy for the removal of scrap metal from the Islands
· Progressed the National Security Strategy
· Investment in policing including: building repairs to RTCIPF Headquarters, purchased a new plane, begun implementing CCTV in Grand Turk, acquired a new police boat and other critical equipment
National Hero – Most Excellent, the late Rt Hon JAGS McCartney
· Reinstated JAGS McCARTNEY DAY
· Commissioned the first Musicians of the Turks and Caicos Music Festival
Commenting on the achievements for 2019, Premier Robinson stated: “We are a beautiful, blessed country and we must be grateful to God for his many blessings. Thanks to His Excellency the Governor, the Honorable Ministers, Cabinet colleagues and above all Team Finance, Team Premier’s Office, Public and Private Sector for a collective effort in bettering the lives of all Turks and Caicos Islanders.
As we reflect on the past year, I cannot overlook some of our unfortunate actions as a people. Offering destructive criticism, sitting on the sidelines creating problems for every solution has no place in TCI’s next decade. Too many of us continue to be irresponsible in our use of social media particularly in circulating false accounts of criminal acts and sloops, and this only leads to irreparable damage to our reputation and wasted use of resources. This for me is of serious concern. The tenor of 2020 must be different; let us put country first.
We must move forward on the path of restoration, decentralization and modernization towards attaining Vision 2040. We have much to do in a short time but we must persevere and we will.”
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Turks and Caicos, May 23, 2026 – Invest Turks and Caicos Islands took center stage at one of the region’s most influential hospitality investment gatherings this spring, serving as a Platinum Sponsor at ALIS CALA 2026 in Coral Gables, Florida.
Held April 28 to 30 at the Loews Coral Gables Hotel, the conference brought together more than 600 tourism, hotel and investment leaders from over 35 countries focused on the future of hospitality investment in the Caribbean and Latin America.
ALIS CALA — short for the Americas Lodging Investment Summit Caribbean and Latin America — is widely regarded as the region’s premier deal-driven hospitality investment conference. The platform emerged from the merger of the long-running Caribbean Hotel & Resort Investment Summit (CHRIS) and Hotel Opportunities Latin America (HOLA), creating what organizers describe as a high-level space where investors, developers, lenders, hotel brands and government leaders connect around major regional projects and opportunities.
The event is known for attracting senior decision-makers, with roughly one in three delegates holding titles such as Chairman, CEO, President, Owner or Principal.
Invest Turks and Caicos said its participation focused heavily on showcasing investment opportunities across the territory, particularly in the Family Islands.
CEO Angela Musgrove delivered a presentation highlighting development opportunities in the Turks and Caicos Islands to what the agency described as a full room of attendees and strong stakeholder interest.
In a statement following the conference, Invest Turks and Caicos said discussions centered on tourism expansion, sustainable development and long-term investment partnerships designed to position the Turks and Caicos Islands as a leading investment destination in the region.
The agency added that it looks forward to continuing conversations started at ALIS CALA and building new partnerships with investors, developers and strategic stakeholders interested in growth opportunities throughout the islands.
The conference itself focused heavily on capital access, hotel development pipelines, mixed-use tourism projects and investment confidence throughout the Caribbean basin — sectors where Turks and Caicos continues to attract increasing international attention.
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands — The Informal Settlements Unit (ISU), in coordination with the Planning Department and key partner agencies, conducted a multi-agency enforcement exercise on Thursday, May 7, 2026, in the Lower Bight area in Providenciales. The exercise resulted in the complete removal of a total of eight (8) unauthorized structures and all associated debris from a privately-owned parcel of land.
The operation was led by the Planning Department, with coordination by the ISU and support from the TCI Border Force, the Crown Land Unit, and Pelican Energy. Security for the exercise was provided by the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force. All agencies worked collaboratively to ensure the exercise was carried out in a safe, orderly, and controlled manner.
The enforcement action followed a structured and lawful process in accordance with the Physical Planning regulatory framework of the Turks and Caicos Islands. Section 45 Enforcement Notices were first issued on the affected parcel in December 2024, identifying unauthorized structures erected without the requisite approvals. This was followed by the issuance of Warning Notices on April 16, 2026, which advised occupants that they were in breach of planning and land use regulations and provided notice that demolition activities would proceed following the prescribed compliance period. Despite these notices and the time afforded for compliance, the unauthorized structures remained in place.
This exercise represents part of an ongoing commitment to ensuring that development within the Turks and Caicos Islands is lawful, safe, and aligned with national standards.
PROVIDENCIALES, Turks & Caicos Islands: The grand opening of the Treasure Beach Village at Beaches Turks and Caicos brought more than just high-energy celebrations to the shores of Providenciales as the Sandals Foundation led a star-studded Reading Road Trip at four local primary schools.
Dozens of celebrities, global media representatives, resort guests, and hospitality executives took a purposeful break from the weekend’s festivities to connect directly with the island’s youngest learners. The initiative transformed standard kindergarten classrooms at Enid Capron Primary, Thema Lightbourne Primary, Ianthe Pratt Primary and Oseta Jolly Primary into dynamic literacy hubs as visitors including American Actor and Playwright Jesse Eisebberg, and Real Housewives of New York City and author Kelly Bensimon read books and engaged in fun literacy games and activities.
The carefully designed activities aimed to strengthen students’ foundational reading comprehension skills and saw visitors actively animating characters, reading aloud, playing interactive literacy games, doing phonetic exercises and collaborative arts and crafts.
For local educators, the initiative represented a valuable opportunity to broaden students’ horizons. Through meaningful interaction with media representatives, students learned firsthand about exciting careers in writing, photography, and broadcasting.
Nelene Swann, Vice Principal of Enid Capron Primary, highlighted the profound impact of the unique global connection. “The experience for the children was good as they interacted and shared in a cultural blend while learning about new cultures and different career options,” Swann shared.
For American actor and playwright Jesse Eisenberg, who spent his afternoon volunteering at Oseta Jolly Primary School, his visit coincided with a special occasion on the school’s calendar, creating an even more memorable atmosphere for the youngsters.
“Our school was celebrating Boys Day which allowed [Eisenberg] to share in the experience and even provide great mentorship advice. Lessons such as the importance of consistency were well received by students in this developmental phase,” says Handsfield.
The Sandals Foundation has long championed early childhood education as a fundamental pillar of its philanthropic mission across the region.
Heidi Clarke, Executive Director of the Sandals Foundation, expressed her pride in the weekend’s grand opening educational outreach noting, “The Reading Road Trips provided a one-of-a-kind experience to guests and students as they shared in the power of play, imagination and life – all through the wonders of books. At the heart of our mission is to facilitate the creation of fun and dynamic learning environments that inspire students. We are proud to be a partner in TCI’s education tapestry and will continue to support initiatives that enable students’ holistic development.”
While the grand opening festivities brought a special influx of international participants to the classrooms, the commitment to local schools remains a consistent, year-round priority for the local resort staff. Employees regularly dedicate their personal time to mentor, tutor, and read with primary school students, fostering an incredibly strong bond between the hospitality sector and the local education system.
General Manager Deryk Meany emphasized the immense joy these initiatives bring to his dedicated staff. “This was a blast for the resort team members. The heart of the hospitality industry extends far beyond the resort’s doors and through the Reading Road Trip and other team member volunteer initiatives, we are proud to share our time, resources and expertise to the school community.”
Even as the official grand opening celebrations conclude, the positive impact of these classroom interactions will continue to resonate deeply throughout the Providenciales community and the world – example of a powerful model for community-integrated tourism.