TCI News
FortisTCI Names VP of Engineering and Energy Production and Delivery
#Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands (Tuesday, June 9, 2020) – FortisTCI is pleased to announce the appointment of Don Forsyth as the company’s new Vice President of Engineering and Energy Production and Delivery. Don has more than 20 years of engineering and electric utility industry experience and has served the past seven years at FortisTCI in senior leadership roles. He assumed his new post effective June 1. In his new role, Don will lead the efficient operation and maintenance of FortisTCI’s energy production and transmission and distribution programs.
He will also lead strategic planning for all energy production and delivery and engineering operations functions. Don joined FortisTCI in 2013 as Director of Electrical Engineering and Planning and Energy Delivery. He has held responsibility for leading the engineering and planning teams and supporting the engineering and system design functions.
Don’s role expanded in 2016 when he was promoted to Senior Director of Electrical Engineering and Planning and Energy Delivery, taking on additional operations functions, including engineering and project support for the developing FortisTCI renewable energy programs. Before joining FortisTCI, Don spent 16 years working for the electricity supplier in Grenada, Grenada Electricity Services. There he served seven years as a Senior Engineer, followed by six years as Planning and Engineer Manager. In both roles, Don led technical teams and planning for large engineering projects.
Don holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering and an Executive Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of the West Indies. He has also participated as a guest speaker at numerous engineering and operations conferences, including the CARILEC Engineering Conference, CARILEC Renewable Energy Forum, and the Caribbean Resilient Infrastructure Forum.
Speaking about the appointment, FortisTCI President & CEO Eddinton Powell said, “Don has played a crucial role as a member of the senior management team. His dedication to operational excellence remains steadfast, and his contribution to the development and mentoring of the younger engineers and technicians is without par. The utility business is complex and capital intensive, and many parts of it are potentially dangerous. Continuous training and talent management are two requisites of a good utility. On behalf of the entire FortisTCI family, I congratulate Don on this major milestone and welcome him as a member of the executive team. We wish him continued success in his career and his new role.”
Don has more than 20 years of engineering and electric utility industry experience and has served the past seven years at FortisTCI in senior leadership roles. He assumed his new post effective June 1. In his new role, Don will lead the efficient operation and maintenance of FortisTCI’s energy production and transmission and distribution programs.
He will also lead strategic planning for all energy production and delivery and engineering operations functions. Don joined FortisTCI in 2013 as Director of Electrical Engineering and Planning and Energy Delivery. He has held responsibility for leading the engineering and planning teams and supporting the engineering and system design functions.
Don’s role expanded in 2016 when he was promoted to Senior Director of Electrical Engineering and Planning and Energy Delivery, taking on additional operations functions, including engineering and project support for the developing FortisTCI renewable energy programs. Before joining FortisTCI, Don spent 13 years working for the electricity supplier in Grenada, Grenada Electricity Services. There he served seven years as a Senior Engineer, followed by six years as Planning and Engineer Manager. In both roles, Don led technical teams and planning for large engineering projects.
Don holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering and an Executive Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of the West Indies. He has also participated as a guest speaker at numerous engineering and operations conferences, including the CARILEC Engineering Conference, CARILEC Renewable Energy Forum, and the Caribbean Resilient Infrastructure Forum.
Speaking about the appointment, FortisTCI President & CEO Eddinton Powell said, “Don has played a crucial role as a member of the senior management team. His dedication to operational excellence remains steadfast, and his contribution to the development and mentoring of the younger engineers and technicians is without par. The utility business is complex and capital intensive, and many parts of it are potentially dangerous. Continuous training and talent management are two requisites of a good utility. On behalf of the entire FortisTCI family, I congratulate Don on this major milestone and welcome him as a member of the executive team. We wish him continued success in his career and his new role.”
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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