#EDITORIAL – September 6, 2020 – One of the most common accusations levelled against the PDM Administration Government, amidst the coronavirus pandemic is: “I’m getting no reply.”
Magnetic Media is in receipt of
emails, text notes, WhatsApp messages, phone calls and Facebook messages on a
daily basis which accuse the Turks and Caicos Islands Government – from Premier
to Ministers to Chief Medical Officer – of not responding to urgent questions
and serious dilemmas communicated in the midst of the string of crises brought
on by COVID-19.
Tourists are cancelling
vacations.
Terminated work permit holders
cannot leave the country.
Residents question the safety going
home after possible coronavirus exposure at work, for fear of possibly contaminating
high-risk loved ones.
And employers cannot execute any
screening of staff, even if they wanted to.
The reason: Despite at least two facilities attempting to offer the service, Government has yet to approve a community-based COVID-19 testing facility in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Incomprehensively, government is also denying travel-oriented tests to residents, terminated workers who need to return to their countries of origin and tourists, yes tourists who also need to have a negative PCR test in order to re-enter their home countries.
Each case is of low priority, according to the testing protocols issued by the TCI Ministry of Health.
Government is on record often, restating that there is ‘wide consultation.’ However, many professionals and industries are dumbfounded at being side-lined in the face of this multi-pronged problem.
Travel and Tourism, globally is
on life support. Just this week,
American Airlines announced 40,000 jobs would be impacted by terminations and
layoffs.
The World Travel & Tourism Council has surmised that the Turks and Caicos has taken a near $100 million dollar hit in tourism earnings in the first quarter of 2020 and this week, the Immigration Minister revealed over 3,825 people are laid off amidst the pandemic.
This impact was forecast since
April in a Turks and Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association commissioned KPMG
report. The findings were immediately presented
to the PDM Government.
Again, to this report reaction by
Government was labelled ‘slow’ and a major opportunity for a unique financing
plan for the private sector and tourism as the leading industry, may have been
missed.
Government’s grand design for
stimulus payments is now stalled. A
cash-strapped public purse is feeling the effects of the crippled local economy,
though there have been some recent payouts to more businesses.
No robust tourism equates to
significantly reduced income, which leaves government with little to no revenue
to collect.
Relations are tense. The Governor is audible, but only in
whispers.
Those writing to Magnetic Media
explain that the Governor is responsive but has expressed that he would prefer
to allow the local government to lead.
But where is the leadership? Or at least the ‘caring leadership’ the people had been promised?
File: PDM in opposition from 2016 press conference
Among the words penned to our
media company are: Chaotic; Uncaring;
Defensive; Lacking Empathy; Arrogant and Out of their Depth.
Too often, it is our experience as a media company, that elected government leaders have retreated from the front lines; seemingly hushed and inexplicably quiet.
We have had reports that…
Questions related to Finance, Administration & Business – no reply.
Questions related to Tourism – no reply.
Questions related to Education – no reply.
Questions related to Health – no reply.
Four years ago this was not the case. As with all opposition parties when they want ‘power’, the PDM could not stop talking. Now, with there being a dire need for a calm, steady, consistent, responsive voice… there is silence.
Who will make sure this testing
center – which has already resubmitted in order to be approved in the latest
standards request – is activated?
The people need this service and the people also want to know what government is specifically doing to expedite the process of giving proper approval.
Yet, to the questions and pressure and down right pleas for assistance or intervention, there is no reply.
It is a sad and frustrating refrain for this PDM Administration.
Magnetic Media is a Telly Award winning multi-media company specializing in creating compelling and socially uplifting TV and Radio broadcast programming as a means for advertising and public relations exposure for its clients.
Turks and Caicos, February 5, 2025 – The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force is investigating the discovery of a decomposing body found in the vicinity of Delco Yard, Snake Hill, Blue Hills.
At approximately 7:45 pm on Tuesday, January 15, 2025, officers received information regarding the presence of a body in a ditch near Delco Yard. A team of officers and the TCI Regiment were deployed to the scene.
Upon arrival, officers confirmed the presence of a deceased male wearing black jeans and blue Jordan sneakers. The deceased had a black locks hairstyle. The body was in an advanced state of decomposition.
If you have any information that could assist in identifying the deceased or in the ongoing investigation, please call 911 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-8477 (TIPS).
Information can also be shared via the Crime Stoppers P3 app.
Further updates will be provided as the investigation progresses.
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands — Visit Turks and Caicos Islands secured a coveted live television feature for the country Tuesday morning on Live with Kelly and Mark, the American morning show watched by millions and hosted by actors Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos.
Content provided exclusively by VisitTCI.com helped promote Turks and Caicos as one of only six destinations the segment highlighted as the best spots for a romantic getaway.
“That’s what it actually looks like,” said Ripa, pointing to the titular VisitTCI.com image of Middle Caicos, while Consuelos mused about the country’s trademark white sand and turquoise water.
The feature comes less than a month after Visit Turks and Caicos Islands collaborated with NBC’s TODAY and Travel + Leisure on a segment that featured the archipelago as one of the 50 best places to travel in 2025.
The Turks and Caicos Islands is a popular destination for weddings, honeymoons, and proposals. Several celebrities have chosen to marry in Turks and Caicos, from model Emma Heming and actor Bruce Willis—a former long-time owner of property on Parrot Cay—to Roxy Music frontman Bryan Ferry and Amanda Sheppard.
Ripa and Consuelos, who are married, visited the Turks and Caicos for a kid-free getaway themselves in 2009.
Live with Kelly and Mark is one of the most-viewed entertainment talk shows on American television, with an audience of more than 2.5 million total viewers.
The show joins a collection of dozens of media companies and publications that Visit Turks and Caicos Islands has partnered with to promote Turks and Caicos as a leading tourism destination. VisitTCI.com has collaborated with powerhouse publications such as National Geographic, The Wall Street Journal, AFAR, and Condé Nast Traveler.
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, 6th February 2025– Political campaigning is well on the way for Turks and Caicos Islands General Elections that is scheduled to be held February 7th 2025 and the Supervisor of Elections take the opportunity of reminding Candidates, Political Parties and Independent Candidates or anyone associated with them of the need to comply with the provisions of the Election Ordinance, and in particular he reminds what is expected by virtue of Section 81 of the said Ordinance which reads:
Every person who corruptly, by himself or by any other person, either before, during or after an election, directly or indirectly, give or provides or pays, wholly or in part, the expenses of giving or providing any food, drink, entertainment, or provision to or for any person for the purpose of corruptly influencing that person or any other person, to vote or to refrain from voting at such election, or on account of such person or any other person having voted or refrained from voting at such election;
Every voter who corruptly accepts or takes any such food, drink, entertainment, or provision.
The Supervisor also explained that “Treating” has been illegal for many years and in the past, leading up to the General Election some people choose to ignore the offence of Treating and such behavior he said will not be ignored.
The person offering this kind of inducement is committing a serious criminal offence and so is any member of the public who accepts a gift or cash.
The Supervisor has also warned that he will follow up upon all reports received and will not hesitate to collaborate with the Police to initiate criminal investigation.
Political Party bodies and Candidates should make it known through their organization or campaign machinery of the need to comply with the law so as to uphold the law and ensure a level playing field between campaigns in the best interest of voters in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Anyone who is found guilty of Treating under the Election Ordinance shall on summary conviction be liable to a fine of $5,000 or to imprisonment for twelve months or both.
Please avoid any activity that attracts the attention of treating and any other provision of the Election Ordinance