TCI News
Turks and Caicos Judicial Appointments announced by Governor
#GrandTurk, Turks and Caicos Islands — Thursday, 20th February 2020 Ensuring there is a vibrant Judiciary that not only dispenses justice, but provides balance to the Executive, is an essential element of democratic law-abiding society.
I’m announcing today three new judicial appointments: the next Chief Justice, a second Judge and the appointment of a new Chief Magistrate for the Turks and Caicos Islands. Over the next month or so I’ll be announcing further judicial appointments linked to the Appeal Court.
In keeping the public informed, let me start by saying something about the process as well as the result.
In making judicial decisions the Governor is not alone. He has outstanding counsel. He makes his decision based on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission; a group of three very senior and experienced Judges.
The Commission who advise the Governor are: Justice Sir Michael Barnett, a former Chief Justice of the Bahamas and now a Judge on the Appeal Court of the Bahamas. Justice Hilary Philips, President of the Court of Appeal of Jamaica and Justice Zaila McCalla a former Chief Justice of Jamaica.
It is the JSC who sift the applicants and then choose which applicants they will interview. It is the JSC, and not the Governor, who conducts the interviews. Using the role of Chief Justice as an example the role was advertised internationally, not just regionally, and the JSC received a very strong field of applications.
From this field the JSC chose to interview seven candidates. They don’t ask the Governor’s views on individual candidates either before the sift or before the interview. They did consult with the President of the local Bar and they did canvass individuals to see if there was interest from members of the senior Bar in TCI; no local candidates chose to put themselves forward this time for the role of Chief Justice.
The JSC also canvassed the Governor’s view, not in terms of named candidates but any special requirements the Governor might identify. I said that beyond being an excellent Jurist, and having an independent spirit, TCI needed a Chief Justice with the energy and experience of taking through change in the Justice Sector.
The blue print for that change has been crafted by our outgoing Chief Justice with significant support from those in the wider criminal justice stakeholder group. As a result, all those interviewed were provided with a copy of the Strategy and interviews included questions about approach and implementation.
With regard to the appointments I am now announcing, I have acted on the advice of the JSC, not only in terms of the appointment of a successful named individual, but also in terms of the type of contract that underpins the appointment.
The Islands new Chief Justice will be Mrs Justice Mabel Agyemang.
Mabel Agyemang of Ghana
Justice Agyemang has worked as a Superior Court Judge in three Commonwealth Jurisdictions. At present she is a Justice of the Court of Appeal in Ghana.
She is a product of the University of Ghana and the Ghana School of Law, she was in private legal practice from 1987 to 1991 when she joined the Judiciary of Ghana. In 2002, she was appointed a High Court Judge.
From 2004 to 2014 she was seconded to the Commonwealth Secretariat as an expert to the Judiciaries of The Gambia and Swaziland where she worked as a High Court Judge. She was then appointed an expert Judge of The Gambia Court of Appeal. From 2013 to 2014 she was the Chief Justice of The Gambia. She took up her present role in 2015.
It is worth saying something about her departure from her role in the Gambia. This is a badge of significant honour. She stood up to an autocrat – one of Africa’s most notorious strongmen – Yahya Jammeh – whose 22-year rule only ended in 2017. Through integrity and courage, she attempted to protect the Judiciary from an overarching executive.
It’s probably best I give, as but one example, evidence provided by the Bar Council in the Gambia.
Justice Agyemang was elevated to the position of Chief Justice, a very difficult position to hold in an autocratic regime. The Bar welcomed her appointment as we strongly believed in her independence and capacity to steer the justice system. During her tenure as Chief Justice, she had firm control of the judiciary, as well as the support of the judges, the Bar Association and the judicial staff. She instilled a culture of discipline and professionalism in the Judiciary. The attitude to work by judicial officers dramatically changed, and they became more professional and effective. Punctuality was expected of everyone and she led by example. She introduced reforms to ensure access to justice to litigants and to minimize the unnecessary delays in the dispensation of justice. She initiated the amendment of the Rules of Court to ensure expeditious determination of cases. She was a driver of innovation and reform, introducing ICT solutions to Judges for case law research amongst other things.
It was regrettable that despite her excellent and successful tenure, the President at the time unlawfully terminated her services to the dismay and disappointment of the entire legal fraternity. At that period of the time, the then autocratic President was doing everything possible to control the Judiciary. Indeed, the departure of Justice Mabel Agyemang was sorely felt, as she left an indelible mark in our judicial sector.
The new Chief Justice herself asked the JSC that she be employed on a three-year contract and that was the JSC’s recommendation to me, which I have accepted.
The Islands new Puisne Judge will be Ms Tanya Lobban-Jackson.
Ms Tanya Lobban-Jackson has been the extremely effective Chief Magistrate of the Turks and Caicos Islands. The Magistrates Courts, where the vast majority of cases are heard have had conviction rates of 80% that mirror the UK’s and they have a reputation for efficiency.
Ms Lobban-Jackson was appointed to the post of Chief Magistrate of the Turks and Caicos Islands in August of 2016. In that post she was ex officio Coroner and Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty Authority.
Prior to being appointed to the Magistracy, Ms. Lobban-Jackson was a Senior Prosecutor in Jamaica and Senior Crown Counsel in the Cayman Islands gaining eighteen years’ experience in advocacy in the Magistrate’s Court, Supreme Court and Court of Appeal.
Trained in the areas of Child Safeguarding, Human Trafficking, Money Laundering, and Case Management; she was first appointed to act as Puisne Judge of the Supreme Court of the Turks and Caicos Islands in December of 2018 and has done so periodically since then.
Ms Lobban-Jackson as Chief Magistrate alongside her now colleague Mr Justice Aziz, who remains with us in TCI, have both been instrumental in building a consensus in the TCI Judiciary that has resulted in the strategy that the new Chief Justice will drive forward.
The JSC’s recommendation was that Ms Lobban-Jackson should be appointed with tenure until she reach’s the age of constitutional retirement. A recommendation that I have accepted.
Mr Jolyon Hatmin will be the next Chief Magistrate of TCI.
Mr Hatmin was appointed Resident Magistrate in the Turks and Caicos Islands in 2012. Prior to this he was the Managing Attorney of the Legal Aid Authority in his native Guyana, representing clients at the civil and criminal bar. He also worked as a Legal Advisor to the Guyana Sugar Corporation and was a public prosecutor for several years. He was first admitted to the Bar in 2000.
Mr Hatmin has built a reputation for sound judgements in his role as a Magistrate and his promotion will also allow him a seat at the senior stake-holders group that will take forward reform of the Justice sector and is to be welcomed.
In Summary: We will have in TCI a reforming Chief Justice, a Chief Justice who has won the respect of the Bar and Bench in multiple Commonwealth jurisdictions, a Chief Justice highly regarded by the Commonwealth Secretariat, and a Chief Justice who stood up for the Judiciary against an extremely powerful autocratic Executive.
Working with her we will have two excellent Judges, Justice Aziz and Justice Lobban-Jackson who have been instrumental in building the strategy that our new Chief Justice will take forward. The appointment of Mr. Hatmin as Chief Magistrate – and the elevation of Justice Lobban-Jackson -should reassure TCI that a drive for improvement, through change, will not be at the expense of continuity.
PRESS RELEASE FROM TCI GOVERNOR’S OFFICE
Washington, D.C. – 5 May 2026– The Turks and Caicos Islands continues to strengthen its presence on the international stage through the successful implementation of the Vincula LAC Digital Skills Programme, an initiative led by the Ministry of Innovation, Technology and Energy in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture, the World Bank and Coursera.
Representing the Turks and Caicos Islands at the Vincula LAC Graduation Ceremony held at the World Bank Headquarters in Washington,
D.C. were members of the Vincula LAC Turks and Caicos Implementation Team, Dr. Candice Williams, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Ms. Prinicia Miller, Workforce Development Officer of the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College (TCICC). Their attendance reflects the Turks and Caicos Islands’ strategic commitment to equipping its citizens with globally competitive digital skills and strengthening workforce capacity to support economic growth and innovation.
To mark the occasion locally, the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College hosted a live watch event where participants across the Turks and Caicos Islands gathered to view the graduation ceremony and were formally presented with their certificates. The event served as a national celebration of achievement and progress in digital skills development.
In attendance were the Honourable Rachel Marshall Taylor, Minister of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture, and the Honourable Erwin Jay Saunders, Minister of Innovation, Technology and Energy, Dr. Delores Stapleton-Harris, Vice President of Academic, Vocational and Student Affairs and Dr. Patroy Montaque, Vice President of Institutional Advancement and External Affairs. Both ministers delivered remarks congratulating graduates from across the Turks and Caicos Islands and reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to expanding access to digital education and workforce opportunities.
Since its launch in the Turks and Caicos Islands in August 2025, the Vincula LAC programme has demonstrated strong national engagement and impact. By the end of the programme, approximately 688 participants across the country had enrolled, collectively expressing interest in over 1,400 courses. Against an allocation of 500 licenses, the Turks and Caicos Islands achieved an exceptional 516 course completions, surpassing The World Bank’s target by 3.2 percent.
This performance reflects not only strong national engagement but also a clear demonstration of the country’s capacity to maximize access and translate opportunity into measurable outcomes.
Available data indicates strong participation across several islands. Among those who reported their location, 155 graduates were from Providenciales, 31 from Grand Turk, 18 from North and Middle Caicos and 8 from South Caicos. While not all participants indicated their island of residence at point of completion, these figures demonstrate broad national engagement and the programme’s reach across the Turks and Caicos Islands.
The programme continues to play a critical role in equipping citizens with in-demand digital skills that support national development priorities, economic diversification, and workforce resilience.
Building on this success, the Ministry of Innovation, Technology and Energy and the Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture are pleased to announce that funding has been allocated to continue the online Coursera offerings. A total of 200 licenses have been secured for the year and will be strategically rotated to ensure maximum utilisation and national reach. The Turks and Caicos Islands Community College will continue to manage and deliver the programme as part of its online offerings.
Hon. Erwin Jay Saunders, Minister of Innovation, Technology and Energy stated:
“This initiative is not simply about course completion. It is about national capacity building. We are deliberately positioning the Turks and
Caicos Islands to compete in a digital global economy by investing in our people, expanding access to technology-driven learning, and creating pathways for innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic resilience.”
Hon. Rachel Taylor, Minister of Education, Youth, Sports, Culture stated:
“Education must evolve to meet the demands of a rapidly changing world. The success of the Vincula LAC programme demonstrates what is possible when access, opportunity, and intentional policy align. We are proud of our graduates and remain committed to ensuring that every citizen has the opportunity to develop the skills required to thrive in the modern workforce.”
Dr. Candice Williams, President/CEO of the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College stated:
“This achievement reflects transformation. It demonstrates our ability as a nation to convert access into achievement and learning into impact. At TCICC, we are committed to ensuring that digital education is not a privilege, but a pathway. A pathway that empowers individuals, strengthens communities, and positions the Turks and Caicos Islands as a leader in workforce development within the region.”
The Turks and Caicos Islands Community College invites residents across the islands to enroll in its online Coursera programmes and gain in-demand digital skills through flexible, self-paced learning and globally recognised certifications.
Whether you are starting your career, advancing professionally, or exploring new opportunities, this is your moment to invest in your future.
Do not wait for opportunity. Prepare for it!
PROVIDENCIALES, Turks & Caicos Islands: — Beaches Turks and Caicos recently transformed into a massive reunion hub, rolling out the red carpet to celebrate its highly anticipated Welcome Home Week 2026. Held recently, the spectacular five-day event saw more than
2,000 loyal repeat guests return to the pristine shores of Providenciales. For these returning vacationers, it was not just another vacation but a heartfelt homecoming filled with exclusive events, community giving and unforgettable island entertainment.
Welcome Home Week is a staple tradition for the resort, designed specifically to honour and pamper guests who make Sandals and Beaches resorts their preferred vacation destination year after year. This year’s iteration proved to be an extraordinary showcase of hospitality, packed with a wide range of activities tailored specifically to celebrate the resort’s extended family of loyal visitors.
The festivities kicked off with a lavish welcome reception, setting a warm and inviting tone for the days ahead. Guests reconnected with favourite team members and mingled with fellow returning visitors while enjoying signature cocktails and local culinary delights. The momentum continued to build throughout the week with a vibrant line-up of daytime events. A breathtaking catamaran cruise allowed guests to soak in the famous turquoise waters, while the highly competitive yet hilarious pool olympics brought out the playful spirit of attendees of all ages.
Beyond the poolside fun and ocean adventures, the week featured moments of meaningful connection and community impact. Guests enthusiastically participated in the Sandals Foundation’s “Pack for a Purpose” initiative, bringing much-needed school supplies and resources to support local educational programmes in the Turks and Caicos community. This philanthropic effort was beautifully paired with a relaxed sip and paint session, where guests could unleash their inner artists while enjoying fine wines.
General Manager Deryk Meany was thrilled with the turnout and the vibrant energy that filled the property. He noted that this year’s celebration stood out as one of the most successful Welcome Home Weeks the resort has ever hosted. According to Meany, a major highlight that elevated the 2026 festivities was the introduction of the Treasure Beach Village experience. This new addition provided an immersive, localized atmosphere that gave returning guests fresh memories to take home, proving the resort always has something new to offer.
Orchestrating an event of this magnitude requires seamless coordination, and the resort’s dedicated staff delivered on all fronts. Samantha Bartholomew-Roberts, the loyalty and travel manager, expressed immense pride in her department. She was visibly excited about the incredible work her team achieved, noting that celebrating with loyal guests is one of the most rewarding aspects of their roles. Her team worked tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure every detail was perfect, from the personalized room greetings to the execution of the massive group activities.
The unforgettable week was perfectly capped off with an entertainment-packed farewell dinner. Under the Caribbean stars, the returning guests were treated to spectacular live performances, gourmet dining, and a final toast to the memories made. As the 2026 Welcome Home Week came to a close, it was clear that the bond between Beaches Turks and Caicos and its loyal guests remains stronger than ever.
Turks and Caicos, May 4, 2026 – Electricity costs in the Turks and Caicos Islands are seeing modest adjustments this month, reflecting
ongoing shifts in global fuel prices and their direct impact on what residents pay at the meter.
According to Pelican Energy TCI’s April 2026 fuel factor update, customers in Providenciales, North Caicos and Middle Caicos will benefit from a 2.5 percent decrease, bringing the rate down to $0.1616 per kilowatt hour. The change offers slight relief for households and businesses already grappling with high living costs.
However, the picture is not uniform across the islands.
In Grand Turk and Salt Cay, fuel factor rates have edged up by 0.6 percent, now sitting at $0.1578 per kilowatt hour, while the rate for South Caicos is still pending. Last month, South Caicos recorded a decrease, with the rate falling to $0.1714 per kilowatt hour, one of the highest across the islands.
The fuel factor is a key component of electricity bills, rising and falling in line with international oil prices. As a result, even small shifts in the global energy market can ripple quickly into local utility costs.
The Government’s Department of Trade, Industry and Fair Competition (DTIFC), in its April 16 fuel price report, said it continues to
monitor fuel pricing trends as part of its mandate to protect consumers and ensure transparency in the market. The report is designed to give residents a clearer understanding of how fuel costs are determined and how they may change over time.
Regionally and globally, fuel prices remain volatile.
Oil markets have been influenced in recent months by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, production decisions by major oil-producing nations, and fluctuating demand as economies adjust to post-pandemic realities. While some Caribbean countries have reported slight easing at the pumps, others continue to see elevated prices compared to pre-2020 levels.
For Turks and Caicos, where electricity generation relies heavily on imported fuel, the link is direct and unavoidable.
Consumers are therefore likely to continue experiencing incremental changes rather than dramatic swings, with monthly adjustments reflecting the unpredictable nature of the global energy market.
For now, the slight decrease in key population centres may offer temporary relief—but the broader trend suggests that energy costs will remain a closely watched issue for both households and policymakers.
Developed by Deandrea Hamilton • with ChatGPT (AI) • edited by Magnetic Media.
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