TCI News
Turks & Caicos Islander demands better for COVID patients; no food or water for days
#Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – August 6, 2020 — At least two patients under government quarantine have reached out to say they are not being fed, have no drinking water and have no idea when they will be able to leave the facility, despite having spent nearly three weeks in isolation.
A 60-year-old Haitian woman and a 53-year- old Haitian man are being held at the Beach House and are angered and confused by the ill-treatment they are receiving while in the care of the Turks and Caicos Ministry of Health.
Magnetic Media has reached out to the Ministry of Health about the complaint and some efforts are being made to try and rectify the situation.
Still it is outrageous to those who know the 60-year old woman, a devout church member and legal work permit holder that the older lady is forced to stay put and had not received any meals for over two days.
“We need to treat people better than this. This is just wrong! How could you hold people at the hotel and not feed them for days? Ministry of Health needs to treat people better than this. Even for a dog tied under a tree in your yard, you would make sure it had food and water,” said Bloneva Greene, friend of the woman who brought the matter to our attention.
We will use the COVID patient’s middle name – Simone – in the story, for the sake of privacy.
Simone confirmed, via telephone, that she has received the food left with the security officer by her friend. Simone added that she has shared some of the meal with the 53-year-old man also being held at the Beach House, which is a quarantine facility as he too was desperately hungry.
The pair, housed in separate living quarters, had not eaten in two days. Both asked Mrs. Greene for drinking water.
It was also disturbing to hear Simone’s comment on how her meals were served before they stopped coming altogether.
“They left de food on de ground outside the door.”
The man explained he suffers from “sugar” which means he is diabetic. The man also said he has high blood pressure and kidney problems.
“I don’t get nuttin. You put me one place, no water, no food nutting. But you trying to kill me. Send me home, I will stay. I watch TV that’s it. Nobody tell me nuttin every night. One man come and put something in my nose. I tell man, excuse me sir, you come here, you don’t give me food, you don’t give me nutting, you tell me I get 19 Covid. I gat sugar, I gat pressure and I get 19 Covid, I supposed to die? You put me here, for what?!”
For the sake of anonymity, we will use the surname of the man, which is Jean.
Mr. Jean said he has already spent 14-days at hospital after testing positive for COVID-19 and now, in government quarantine he finds the treatment is inhumane.
We are also informed that both have had subsequent coronavirus PCR tests; Mr. Jean and Simone say they were each tested twice.
“I really feel for this man too because he is telling me that the Guyanese guy who came to swab him actually said, ‘sick people don’t eat food’. Come on, how can you tell someone with underlying health conditions who has COVID-19 something like that? Of course he needs food, he needs nutrition,” fumed Mrs. Greene.
Simone has been at Beach House since Saturday and had a doctor visit on Tuesday. In that phone call, Simone shared that she told the doctor she was hungry, had not eaten in days and asked when she would be released from the quarantine facility.
The Doctor informed that there would be a phone call to say when she was free to leave, presented Simone with documents which detailed the various tests and check-ups and gave her a vitamin regimen.
On a sticky note, it was scribbled that Simone ought to have blood work completed in two months.
The physician did not communicate the meaning of the pages and pages of medical information; leaving Simone at a loss about her state of health. The doctor also had no suggestions about what 60-year-old, Simone should do for food.
Ministry of Health continues to look into the situation; it was said to Magnetic Media only moments ago by TCI Public Health that those in quarantine should have received breakfast this morning.
PROVIDENCIALES, Turks & Caicos Islands: — Beaches Turks & Caicos continues to lead the way in sustainability by cultivating a
culture of environmental stewardship across the Turks and Caicos Islands. Through the introduction of biodegradable alternatives, agricultural education and community partnerships, the resort is setting a new standard for eco-conscious hospitality. As part of its ongoing sustainability mission, the resort has replaced single-use plastics and certain chemicals with compostable, biodegradable products derived from natural sources, to reduce pollution and minimize the resort’s carbon footprint.
“At Beaches Turks & Caicos, sustainability is woven into every part of the guest experience,” said Managing Director, James McAnally. “From the products we use to the relationships we nurture, our goal is to make responsible environmental choices that benefit our guests, team members and the wider Turks and Caicos community.”
The resort also practices on-site composting, recycling fruit and vegetable waste from its kitchens to enrich soil and sustain its lush
landscaping. This closed-loop system reduces waste and promotes biodiversity across the property.
Beyond the resort, Beaches collaborates with local partners including schools, government agencies and NGOs to extend green education into the wider community. Through the Sandals Foundation, the resort supports projects such as the installation of water filtration systems, tree-planting activities and biodegradable workshops. Schools like Enid Capron Primary have expanded their farming projects and integrated agricultural science into their curriculum thanks to this partnership. Beaches also leads regular coastal cleanups and reforestation drives which inspires residents and students to play an active role in protecting their environment. “The Earth Guardian volunteers take pride in giving back to our schools and the communities we serve,” noted Public Relations Manager, Orville Morgan. “These initiatives create a sense of shared responsibility that strengthens both our communities and our natural resources.”
With its commitment to biodegradable innovation, sustainable education and environmental action, Beaches Turks & Caicos continues to set the benchmark for biodiversity and sustainability in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Photo Captions
1st insert: Beaches Turks and Caicos and the Sandals Foundation celebrate with students at the Enid Capron Primary School in a Reading Road Trip experience where guests and students get to experience a cultural melting pot of activity.
2nd insert: Beaches Turks and Caicos resort Simone Woodfine from the Bar Department prepares to plant a tree at one of our schools to celebrate the mission of providing a healthier environment for the Turks and Caicos Islands
TCI News
Turks and Caicos Corporate Community Join Beaches Resort to Raise Funds for Jamaica’s Hurricane Melissa Relief
Turks and Caicos Islands, December 17, 2025 – Corporate partners in and around Providenciales recently joined Beaches Turks and
Caicos Resort raising over US $54,000 to support Jamaica’s Hurricane Melissa Relief effort. The fundraising dinner, aptly titled, ‘One Caribbean, One Family, One Love’ saw over eighteen companies gather on Friday, December 12 to support the recovery of families and the rebuilding of communities affected by the category 5 storm.
“When our Caribbean family calls, we will respond with love,” said Deryk Meany, General Manager of the Beaches Turks and Caicos resort. “Today it is Jamaica that is affected, but tomorrow, it could be the Turks and Caicos or another neighbouring island. We are committed to serving our brothers and sisters and are deeply grateful to everyone who have donated to the cause.”
Since the passage of Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica on October 28, the Sandals Foundation has been working around the clock with local
agencies and international partners to provide shelter essentials, food, and clean water, restore schools, and provide medical support to hospitals. Funds raised at the recent benefit dinner will help bolster the next phase of the philanthropic organisation’s support to rebuild schools and livelihoods in affected communities.
“As we continue to provide essential first-relief support, we have already begun our long-term recovery response,” says Patrice Gilpin, Public Relations Manager at Sandals Foundation. “Many schools, which are the cornerstone of stability, learning, and emotional support for our young ones, require urgent attention. This donation will go a far way in restoring a sense of normalcy in the lives of our youngest and most vulnerable.”
The One Caribbean, One Family, One Love fundraising dinner featured, amongst other things a silent auction of Sandals and Beaches
Resort stays, airline tickets, spa services, catamaran cruise, and private chef dinner. The night’s four course meal was also spearheaded by the TCI’s 2025 Taste of the Caribbean silver medalist culinary team- all of whom volunteered for the event.
Managing Director of the Northern Caribbean and Curaçao, James McAnally expressed delight at the outcome noting, “The success of this event is indicative of the power of partnerships to effect real change. We are grateful to the TCI business community, resort guests and our resort team for coming together and making this moment count.”
Photo Captions
1st insert: Sandals Foundation Public Relations Manager Patrice Gilpin (centre) accepts the cheque from Beaches Turks and Caicos resort General Manager Deryk Meany (left) and Managing Director of the Northern Caribbean and Curacao James McAnally
2nd insert: Members of the Beaches Turks and Caicos resort’s entertainment team were on hand to provide scintillating performances at the event
3rd insert: Beaches Turks and Caicos resort General Manager Deryk Meany (5th left) poses for the cameras with representatives of the Graceway Communities as he personally thanked those who were in attendance
TCI News
Experience Turks and Caicos Projects Month-on-Month Growth of Stayover Arrivals for Winter Season
PROVIDENCIALES, TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS – (December 17th, 2025) – As the Turks and Caicos Islands welcomes visitors for the 2025/2026 winter season, forward bookings for the peak travel period from December to March are projected to surpass those of the same period last year. Experience Turks and Caicos is also forecasting steady month-on-month growth throughout the first half of 2026, with forward bookings already tracking ahead of 2025 levels.
“This is welcome news for our tourism sector, which experienced modest declines over the last two quarters,” said Mr. Paul Pennicook,
Interim CEO Consultant of Experience Turks and Caicos. “One of the key drivers of this positive outlook is increased airlift, including a 19 percent increase in capacity from Canada for the winter season and a six percent increase from the United States.” Mr. Pennicook also attributed the improved projections to targeted marketing and trade engagement efforts led by Experience Turks and Caicos, particularly ongoing training and education for travel advisors and tour operator call-centre agents across all key source markets.
“We have maintained a strong presence through product launches and travel trade events such as Delta Vacations University, while significantly increasing the destination’s visibility through co-op advertising with major tour operators in our three primary markets,” he added.
Public relations activity has also played a critical role, with several hosted media visits from journalists in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Latin America, alongside proactive pitching efforts that resulted in more than 100 placements in travel trade and consumer publications in 2025.
Analysis of current booking patterns also indicates a notable shift toward shorter booking windows. “One major U.S. tour operator reports
that over the past several weeks, approximately 90 percent of bookings have been for travel within the next 60 days,” Mr. Pennicook noted. “Hoteliers are reporting similar trends, suggesting the potential for further growth as we move into 2026.”
Despite the positive outlook, October and November recorded declines in stayover arrivals. Preliminary data shows 30,508 air arrivals in October, representing a seven percent decrease compared to October 2024, largely due to reduced airlift from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom as well as the impact of Hurricane Melissa on travel to the region. November recorded 52,547 stayover arrivals by air, a marginal one percent decrease year-on-year.
As the Turks and Caicos Islands welcomes visitors back to its shores this winter season, Experience Turks and Caicos would like to reassure that the island remains safe and welcoming. Statistics from the Royal Turks and Caicos Police Force show that overall crime is down, with a 40 percent reduction in murders. Experience Turks and Caicos is working closely with the police force to ensure tourism areas are well monitored and patrolled to enhance visitor security.
