Beaches Resort Turks and Caicos Villages & Spa Statement issued July 28
#Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – July 29, 2020 — As the conversation continues on finding solutions to the new normal that has been brought about by the COVID 19 pandemic, Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort Villages and Spa is committed to working with all stakeholders in an effort to try to restart the country’s tourism sector.
Turks and Caicos Premier and Minister of Home Affairs receive electrostatic foggers for ground transportation operations ahead of re-opening. Presented by James McAnally, General Manager of Beaches Resort Turks and Caicos
On Monday,
in response to questions from journalists, Premier the Hon. Sharlene Cartwright
Robinson acknowledged that the government had not yet had any conversation with
Beaches Turks and Caicos on the current plight.
We wish to
assure the people of the TCI that we are always available to discuss this unprecedented
situation that the Caribbean and the entire world are now faced with.
Notwithstanding that, Beaches is forging ahead with our reopening plans.
Let us be
clear, there is no magic wand that is going to make this better overnight. This
will require many millions of dollars in marketing, extensive coordination with
vast numbers of travel agents, tour operators and airline partners throughout the
United States, Canada, Latin America, the U.K. and Europe, along with robust
training of team members on the ground, all of which can only be achieved
through experience, hard work and an excellent reputation.
Beaches French Village, Providenciales Turks and Caicos
We fully
recognize that Beaches is the anchor resort of the TCI, as was pointed out just
days ago by fellow hotelier Armando Pizzuti of the Turks and Caicos Collection
who lamented what the closure of Beaches until October 14th would
mean for the destination in the interim.
It is our
recognition of this, and our resolve to do all we can to support the economy
and livelihoods of the people of the TCI, which prompted us to take the
decision more than two decades ago to remain open 12 months a year in spite of
the seasonal nature of travel, and it is with huge pride that we have
faithfully done so barring unforeseen circumstances such as hurricanes.
Over the
past 20 years we have only closed no more than seven times, most as a direct
result of hurricanes such as Hanna, Irene, Irma and Maria and now because of a
pandemic. In fact we moved heaven and earth to have the resort reopened after
the devastation of Hurricane Irma, and it took the mobilization of our
resources from throughout the Caribbean to get the job done in 99 days – an
effort the Premier considered her Christmas present at the time.
Only twice
were we affected by slow traffic, and on those two rare occasions the
anticipated fallout prompted the government at the time to offer a small
contribution to the significant global marketing costs that were required to remain
open.
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However
Beaches does not and has never wanted to be a burden on the people of the TCI,
and we have committed to marketing and promoting the TCI for the most part on
our own. In fact a number of hoteliers including the TCI Tourism Board have
commented that the level of advertising we do is very important to the Turks
and Caicos, especially since they have extremely low budgets.
As we have
said before, the people of the TCI can count on us continuing to be a strong
and solid partner. We have identified what we feel is the most realistic date
for reopening, we are open to dialogue with all stakeholders in the interim,
and we are putting every effort into a bringing back the airlift that is the
very lifeline of the tourism sector.
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#TurksandCaicos, September 29, 2023 – The Integrity Commission advises that the Register of Interests for Members of the Turks and Caicos Islands House of Assembly, as at 31st December 2022 has been completed.
Members of the House of Assembly are required by the Turks and Caicos Islands Constitution, Section 103(2), and the Integrity Commission Ordinance (the Ordinance), as amended, Section 52(1), to file with the Commission, Statements of Registrable Interests. The Commission would, therefore, like to inform members of the public that, it has compiled the information contained in these Statements of Registrable Interests and has produced The Register of Interests 2022 for the Members of the House of Assembly, as at 31st December 2022.
The Register of Interests 2022 is now available for public inspection at the following locations:
House of Assembly in Grand Turk
Office of the Premier – Grand Turk and Providenciales
Office of the Integrity Commission – Grand Turk and Providenciales (during the hours of 8:30am to 4:30pm from Mondays to Thursdays and 8:00am to 4:00pm on Fridays.)
Office of the District Commissioner – Middle Caicos, North Caicos, Salt Cay and South Caicos.
The Register can be viewed at these locations during normal working hours or at a time that is convenient for the respective offices.
For further information or any assistance please contact the Integrity Commission:
By telephone at: 946-1941(Grand Turk Office) or 941-7847 (Providenciales Office) By e-mail at: secretary@integritycommission.tc or info@integritycommission.tc
#TurksandCaicos, September 29, 2023 – Concerning reports are coming out of Providenciales regarding the placement of students as the new term got started.
Wilkie Arthur, Magnetic Media Court Correspondent, had the opportunity to speak with several young people who were supposed to be in school. Instead, they were hanging out close to home, as they said they couldn’t afford the fees of the private schools they had been placed in.
Edgar Howell, Director of Education, during an August 31st press conference, had indicated that at least 26 students were awaiting assistance with placement in private high schools and 35 students were awaiting placements in primary schools. Parents should have heard from the ministry within days.
Arthur fielded concerns from them and their families who wished to remain anonymous.
“The schools are full and they don’t have any more money to continue the [private] schools they were going to. So, this bright September morning these children are actually just idle,” he explained.
By law (Education Ordinance 2009), all children between four and 16 years old in the Turks and Caicos Islands are considered of ‘Compulsory School Age’ meaning, they must be enrolled in an institution.
It has long been the practice of the Ministry of Education to place students in private schools and subsidize the fees when space has run out in public schools. This year was no different.
“The Ministry continues to provide assistance to the parents through the private school subsidy program and 375 students are being assisted for the 2023/24 school year,” Howell explained.
It’s not clear if these students were a part of that number.
We have since reached out to representatives at the Turks and Caicos Ministry of Education for information on students who are not in school, how many remain unable to fit into public school classes and what provisions are in place for those students; there has been no update.
#TurksandCaicos, September 29, 2023 – Upgrades are underway at the JAGS McCartney International Airport but Grand Turk Residents say they were subject to subpar conditions for far too long; the comments came at a town hall meeting hosted by the Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority in the capital on Thursday September 21, at Dillon Hall.
“I am speaking on behalf of Grand Turk residents. It is unacceptable for the Airports Authority to treat residents how they do,” one resident told TCIAA executives at a town hall meeting in Grand Turk.
The airport was hit during Hurricane Fiona in late 2022, resulting in a destroyed roof and serious damage to the terminals from extensive flooding plus damage to the domestic and international arrival areas, deeming the area unfit for use.
The hurricane damage last year only exacerbated the destruction wrought by previous storms including 2008’s Hurricane Ike and 2017’s Hurricanes Irma and Maria.
The JAGS McCartney International was reopened for domestic arrivals just this past June after phase one of a restoration project. The international terminal was scheduled to open soon after but repairs are still ongoing. Residents told TCIAA executives, the work was simply not executed quickly enough.
“The lack of attention that they paid to the JAGS McCartney Airport after the hurricane, having the residents of this island come in like we’re from a third world country for months? It’s unacceptable for residents of this island for you all to leave us like that,” a resident maintained.
Ongoing updates include fixing the perimeter fence and parking lot as well as the fire station. Residents appeared grateful but cautiously optimistic.
“We see the plans that you have— which is good, and we hope that the next time we have a disaster we don’t have to be waiting for months [and] be treated like that.”