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Address by TCI Governor; Easter Weekend with increased restricted movement

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Full Statement as Presented April 7, 2020 – Good evening Turks and Caicos. It’s the Governor speaking.

A short but important announcement this evening.   We’ve now been in curfew and lockdown for 11 days. From a national perspective, it’s going well and we are grateful we have strong public support for which myself, the Premier, the Cabinet and the police want to say thank you.

The weekend we are approaching – the Easter weekend – is traditionally one where business activity slows considerably.  In the belief that you will meet us half way we want to use this Easter period to just slow, still further, the amount of movement and comingling on the Island.

Let me start by saying what I’m not about to announce is a confirmation of a rumor that started to circulate today that Cabinet was going to order a complete lockdown over Easter. That was false; we are not.

Over this Easter period, you may still exercise in the morning and evening, within the set times, and if you hold a specific exemption – such as needing to care for someone that needs care – you may attend to their needs.  But you must have an exemption.

There will also be some businesses that will still function and they are obvious, medical facilities including doctor’s offices; hotels where guests are in residence; ferry services for emergency cases; commercial aviation, airports and security service businesses.

But beyond those we are though going to close down all other businesses for two and a half days. This will be the afternoon (starting at noon) on Maundy Thursday, 9th April, all of Good Friday (the 10th April) and Easter Sunday (12th April). 

Over this Easter period essential businesses that have been operating during this period of lockdown may operate on Saturday 11th April and Easter Monday 13th April.

I’ll say that again. All businesses will be closed from after ‘noon’ on Thursday. They will stay closed on Friday. They will open on Saturday, close on Sunday, open on Monday.

We do this for two reasons.  We have eight confirmed cases on the Islands and we now have evidence of on-island transmission. In other words, a small number of these individuals had no travel history and so they have been exposed on the Island. 

In a measured way we want to yet further put distance between our population at the places our population most come into contact with strangers, or indeed friends. At present the most likely places this happens are the businesses that are open.

The second reason is that, while many have been able to have considerable time at home with family, this has not been true for our front line services.

Police and immigration officers have not only been working extremely long hours securing the lockdown and curfew, but have had the extra challenge of dealing with the interception of sloops and subsequent repatriations. Others have had long hours in other essential services where we have reduced staffing to the bare minimum.

Utilizing this Easter holiday period gives us the opportunity to let these people take a breath and seriously reduce the traffic on the road – people won’t have the opportunity to visit a business because there will be no business to visit – and that will allow our front line services some space to refresh.  There will of course be no let-up in policing, just matters will be more manageable for those on duty and our Marine Branch will remain – as it always is – primed and deployed.

These decisions were made by the National Emergency Operations Centre, chaired by the Premier and myself and agreed in a cabinet paper. Regulations have been drafted and will be in force covering this change. Tonight we will have graphics up on social media explaining, and I’ll publish the text of this address.

We are giving notice this evening so again you can use the next day and a half to prepare sensibly. There’s no need to panic buy, or rush. You’ve all worked out for yourselves that the stores are well stocked and will continue to be so. Stay calm as they say, and carry on.

Now a look ahead. Given that almost every other country in the world has extended its lockdown period it’s not unreasonable for many to ask what the Cabinet’s view will be on this, when ours expires in the middle of next week.

The answer is that the decision has not been taken, the more data we have in making this decision the better. It will though be taken this week or weekend by Cabinet, and communicated early to you, so again if preparations are needed they can be done in a sensible measured way.

The Cabinet will be strongly guided by Ministry of Health on this and we have asked for a very detailed paper laying out the case, for and against, systematically.

All in all, though I do want to say that myself, the Premier, the Commissioner of Police and Minister of Health judge overall compliance has been extraordinarily good. We are up at around 90% or above and that does give us the very best chance of defeating this. TCI you are at the moment the envy of many others in the region for the way we are all holding together on this.

Away from this I do want to call out, as at times I have done in the past, a malicious use of fake news. Imagery circulated today suggested a huge Sloop was in Provo. It wasn’t.  For those that risk their lives out on the sea stopping this happening, and for the last eight months they have an extraordinary high success rate, can you imagine how disheartening this is?

But beyond just undermining people, who I see as amongst our present national heroes, a few weeks ago this type of fake news would have been wrong – in a moral sense – because it was produced by a person that wanted to cause fear and generate hate. The difference today, under new law, is that this is now a criminal offence. As a result, a police investigation has started; I look forward to a future prosecution.

Perhaps a final note to say that the ‘Security Assistance Team’, the Premier and myself greeted yesterday, are now settled in quarantine. Myself and the team leader, Lieutenant Colonel Steve Jones, had a three-way teleconference with his commanding General today in the UK.

The team are very clear on their initial task which is to properly understand the health capacity in all its forms we have in TCI so we can support and help build greater capacity against COVID19 while, at the same time, understanding how UK military capability – which comes in different forms –can support our anti-illegal immigration operations.

The two of course link together in terms of the fight against COVID19. They have a further set of sub-tasks such as hurricane preparedness and support to building our regiment but the two main tasks will dominate.

That’s it for now TCI. Day 11 over, day 12 soon to begin. I’ve barely left the house for the last few days – and there’s a lot I miss – not least the beaches and the sea – I guess they will only be all the better when I can enjoy them again – which of course I will.

 Good night.

Provided by the Governor’s Office, Turks and Caicos Islands

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HURRICANE MELISSA: NATIONAL EXECUTIVE DIRECTIONS

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Turks and Caicos, October 28, 2025 – We are closely monitoring the impact of Hurricane Melissa on Jamaica, and our thoughts and prayers are with our regional neighbours for their safety and well-being

We are now entering a critical period as Hurricane Melissa advances towards the Turks and Caicos Islands. Current projections indicate that Hurricane Melissa will begin to impact the Turks and Caicos Islands around midday tomorrow, Wednesday, 29th October.

This morning, Her Excellency the Governor and the Hon. Premier chaired a State of Preparedness Meeting.  All Government agencies and critical services are mobilised. The safety and protection of every person across our Islands remains our highest priority. Our emergency response teams are prepared and the TCI Regiment is deployed across each of our  Islands to support community readiness and immediate response. The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force are on active duty, with additional officers in North Caicos, Salt Cay, South Caicos and Grand Turk.

At this time, the hurricane is moving north-northeast. The country is expected to experience tropical storm conditions, heavy rainfall and significant storm surge. The storm surge poses a serious concern for low-lying coastal areas especially along our western and southern coastlines, which may result in coastal flooding.  Based on the most current weather projections and anticipated impacts for the Turks and Caicos Islands, the National Executive have agreed the following actions:

1.    Evacuation Advisories

Residents in specific low-lying and flood-prone coastal areas are likely to experience significant storm surge of 2-4 feet with accompanying rainfall. Strong advice is now place for residents in these areas to relocate to designated shelters which will be open from 4pm this afternoon. These areas include:

Middle Caicos 

  • Conch Bar                 Nearest Shelter: The Community Centre

North Caicos

  • Sandy Point              Nearest Shelter : Sandy Point Community Centre
  • Whitby                        Nearest Shelter: Adelaide Oemler Primary School
  • Bottle Creek              Nearest Shelter: Adelaide Oemler Primary School

Providenciales

      • Chalk Sound             Nearest Shelter Enid Capron Primary School
      • Five Cays                  Nearest Shelter: Enid Capron Primary School
      • Discovery Bay          Nearest Shelter: All Saints Church, Leeward Highway
      • Juba Sound              Nearest Shelter: A. Louise Garland High School
      • Long Bay                   Nearest Shelter: A. Louise Garland High School

South Caicos

  • Cockburn Harbour   Nearest Shelter: Community Centre
  • Old Airport Road      Nearest Shelter: Community Centre

Should an evacuation order become necessary, it will be issued following the 6:00 PM Advisory this evening from the TCI National Weather Service.

2.    Activation of Emergency Operations Centre

The National Emergency Operations Centre in Providenciales and all Islands Emergency Operations Centres will be activated at 4:00 PM today.

3.    Shelters Access
Shelters across all Islands will open today at 4:00 PM to receive members of the public.

4.    Shelter-in-Place

A Strong Shelter-in-Place Advisory is in place for all islands, commencing at 10:00 PM tonight. This will be in place until the all clear has been issued.

This means that from 10:00 PM tonight, all residents should be off the road, in a safe location, either at home or a designated shelter.

Please note that this position may be revised following the 6:00 PM Advisory from the TCI National Weather Service, depending on updated storm projections.

The Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority (TCIAA) has confirmed that all airports remain fully operational for today. They will advise the public about ongoing operations dependent on the weather impacts.

In times such as this, the role of commercial entities extends beyond business – it becomes a vital part of the community’s resilience. All retailers and service providers are urged to uphold their humanitarian responsibilities by maintaining fair pricing and ensuring essential goods and services remain accessible to all.

Residents and visitors are reminded to adhere strictly to all official advisories and evacuation orders as they are issued. Avoid unnecessary movement, secure your property, and ensure that you and your family are prepared with essential supplies. Stay prepared and stay safe.

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Frontier Airlines’ Arrival to Turks & Caicos Marks a Game-Changing Connection

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Turks and Caicos, October 25, 2025 – Budget-friendly skies are opening over the Turks and Caicos Islands as Frontier Airlines prepares to launch its first-ever nonstop flights between Providenciales International Airport (PLS) and Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL) — the world’s busiest air hub.

Starting December 20, 2025, the twice-weekly service will offer residents and tourists a direct, affordable gateway to and from the U.S. mainland. The new route marks Frontier’s debut in the Turks and Caicos, part of a major regional expansion that includes 22 new routes across Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America.

“We couldn’t be more excited to begin operations in Providenciales,” said Josh Flyr, Frontier’s Vice President of Network and Operations Design. “With our nonstop service to Atlanta, we’re making travel easier, more affordable, and unlocking connections to countless destinations across the U.S. and beyond. It’s not just about tourism — it’s about opportunity.”

Big Win for Providenciales and the Region

The move positions Howard Hamilton International Airport as a growing Caribbean hub. Frontier’s low-fare model is expected to stimulate visitor arrivals, particularly from Atlanta — a key U.S. tourism feeder city — while giving Turks and Caicos residents new, cost-effective travel options for business, education, and leisure.

Industry observers note that the timing couldn’t be better. Turks and Caicos tourism remains on an upward trajectory in 2025, with hotel occupancy and airlift both climbing following the pandemic rebound. Frontier’s entry adds competitive pricing to an air market long dominated by legacy carriers, expanding the reach of the destination to more budget-minded travelers.

A Wider Growth Strategy

The Atlanta–Providenciales launch is part of Frontier’s aggressive Caribbean push this winter, which also includes new flights to NassauSt. MaartenPuerto Vallarta, and San José del Cabo. Introductory fares to select destinations are as low as US $69 one-way.

For Turks and Caicos, the connection to Atlanta — one of Frontier’s strategic bases — means instant access to hundreds of onward destinations in North America and beyond.

As Frontier joins the expanding roster of carriers serving the islands, tourism officials are calling it a “win-win for accessibility and affordability.” And for travelers? It’s a golden ticket to paradise — at a fraction of the cost.

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Turks & Caicos Police Commissioner Urges Students to “Awaken Their Sleeping Giants”

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Turks and Caicos, October 24, 2025 – Commissioner of Police Fitz Bailey delivered an impassioned address to male students at Clement Howell High School, calling on them to recognize their power, seize their potential, and “awaken the sleeping giants” within.

In a message that blended humility, faith, and personal experience, the Commissioner reminded the boys that the decisions they make today will shape their future.“The choices you make today determine who you become tomorrow,” he said.

Bailey, who revealed he was the first in his family to attend high school, urged the students to embrace education and discipline as tools of transformation.“Knowledge is power. If you want to be a real man, you need to read,” he told them. “Remember your potential — if others can do it, so can you. Some of you are sleeping giants waiting to be awakened.”

He emphasized that circumstances of birth do not dictate destiny, challenging the young men to carry self-respect, faith, and moral conviction wherever they go.  “Self-respect is key; respect yourself, respect others, and respect God,” he said.  “The circumstances you were born into do not define who you are.”

The Commissioner also spoke about resilience, advising that true strength often lies in restraint.

“There will be challenges, and people may try to impede your development — but rise above negativity. Sometimes, strength means walking away,” he said. “Some of you are sleeping lions; it’s time to awaken that instinct and rediscover your true potential.”

In closing, Commissioner Bailey delivered a stirring challenge:

“Each morning, look in the mirror and remind yourself that you were created by God and are capable of great exploits. You are a possibility with potential. Step forward with confidence — this is your country, your islands. Be the best version of yourself.”

Following his speech, the Commissioner engaged the students in open dialogue, answering questions and listening to their perspectives on issues affecting young men in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Developed by Deandrea Hamilton • with ChatGPT (AI) • edited by Magnetic Media.

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