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.
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.
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.
-
world news1 week ago80% of the World’s Poor Face Climate Hazards — UNDP Sounds Alarm
-
TCI News1 week agoFrontier Airlines’ Arrival to Turks & Caicos Marks a Game-Changing Connection
-
USA1 week agoNarco-Terrorist Take Down by US Gutting Caribbean Gang-Crime
-
TCI News1 week agoTurks & Caicos Police Commissioner Urges Students to “Awaken Their Sleeping Giants”
-
TCI News5 days agoHURRICANE MELISSA: NATIONAL EXECUTIVE DIRECTIONS
-
Caribbean News2 days agoSeven Days. Seven Nations. One Storm — Hurricane Melissa