#Beaches, Turks and Caicos – PUBLIC STATEMENT – October 22, 2020 — We have noted the attempts to peddle disinformation in certain quarters regarding the impasse between Beaches Resorts and the Government of the TCI.
Unfortunately
for those peddling such political propaganda, and who think that a David and
Goliath scenario provides political leverage, live in an outdated time and
place.
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2020 has
caused immeasurable suffering and hardship and people have no time for
political gimmicks.
The 2013
letter, which is being bandied about as a misconceived political tool did
nothing more than confirm the basis on which the all-inclusive sector paid
taxes since the 1990’s which was implemented under a PDM administration. In
fact, we understand that there is at least one other resort which has a more
favourable tax arrangement than Beaches.
Beaches
wishes to make it perfectly clear that it has no political affiliations. Rather
it is a partner with any and all duly elected governments, and our only commitment is to work with
Government to ensure that the people of
the TCI are able to once more see commercial activity return and be able to
take care of their families sooner rather than later.
Since 1996,
Beaches along with its amazing team members, and indeed the entire community,
have worked night and day to build one of the most incredible resorts found on
planet earth. We stand ready to work hand in hand with the people of the TCI,
to re-open our doors and get back to business.
Beaches Platinum Protocol for Cleanliness activated at its Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Villages & Spa on Grace Bay Beach. Photo by Magnetic Media
Beaches has
made it clear that it wishes no favours and that it owes no taxes. It is the
TCIG which owes Beaches and it is the TCIG which has violated our legally
binding agreements and commitments.
The world
is looking on at what is happening between the island’s key investor, and those
persons elected to take care of the people’s business and welfare, and the
picture they are seeing right now is not a very pretty one.
We take
note of the statement issued by the Turks and Caicos Hotel and Tourism
Association, and their deep concern for the negative fallout the continued
closure of Beaches has for the 13,000 employees of the sector and the overall
economy of the TCI. Beaches can assure the Hotel and Tourism Association, the
13,000 employees of the sector, along with our 2000 team members and the wider
community, that we will continue to do all we can to have this matter resolved
in a fair and equitable manner. We seek nothing more.
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We remain convinced that it is sheer incompetence by the TCIG that is the single reason why we are where we are today and what has compelled the Board of Directors to keep Beaches’ doors closed. We are still doubtful that TCIG has arisen from its slumber and whether they care about the crushing economic impact being experienced by our team members, the business community and the citizens of the TCI. The issues involved can be resolved in two days but only time will tell if the TCIG will treat this matter with the urgency it demands.
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.
#TurksandCaicos, April, 2023 – The Turks and Caicos will be losing yet another banking branch following confirmation of reports that CIBC FirstCaribbean bank in Grace Bay will be shut down on Friday March 31st.
CIBC representatives confirmed the shutdown to MM Thursday March 30th. Employees at the Leeward Highway branch moved over to the Grace Bay branch in January to allow for necessary upgrades and expansions to infrastructure. That shift lasted for four months and employees were scheduled to move back to Leeward Highway in early April. No mention of a closure to the Grace Bay branch was made in the January 12 press release that detailed the upgrades.
Citing those upgrades, which are now complete, Managing Director of the Bahamas Operating Company, responsible also for TCI, Dr. Jacqui Bend said, “CIBC FirstCaribbean is continuing to work on a number of initiatives aimed at improving the processes and technologies that our teams use to support our clients and employees alike. We have committed further investments in simplification, automation, and security across our bank and, as always, our clients will be the beneficiaries of this renewed effort,
It’s a repeat of the firm’s new mantra focused on self-service and digitization that has seen the local presence of the country’s oldest bank diminish more and more.
CIBC defends the decision explaining that retail client services had already been ceased at that Grace Bay branch and the closure of it earlier this year, while expansion Leeward Highway’s location was designed to ‘reconfigure and improve’ their network for the future.
“While there may be a few teething issues being encountered while our teams and clients adjust to their new surroundings, our teams are working with an ‘all hands on deck approach’ to expedite service to our clients,” she said in the statement shared with Magnetic Media.
The shifts to more digitized services eliminates the in person experience and residents have voiced discontent with the strategy. Earlier this year CIBC First Caribbean indicated they would pare down services and the in branch experience at their Grand Turk location.
It left Grand Turk with no banks within which they could enter to get that ‘human touch’. While there was outrage, Government remained silent.
Since January 3rd, customers of the bank have had to shift to the digital approach which now requires smaller cash deposits and smaller cash withdrawals to be made via ABMs, which are more state of the art and it also means applying for many of the banking features online.
#TurksandCaicos, March 31, 2023 – Belief in themselves and an inspiring new coach has caused a dramatic shift in the Turks and Caicos National Men’s Football team according to captain Billy Forbes; the TCI National Men’s Football team secured two impressive back-to-back wins.
“The guys are buying in now, having a coach that they can look up to, who has played professionally before– it’s really amazing,” he explained. “For me, I’m really proud of the guys because three or four years ago that would have been us losing the game probably like 6-0, something like that. For us to go down 1-0 and come back and win it- I think that was fantastic, you can’t really ask for much more.”
He was speaking to the press after a March 28th match against Bonaire. The team is on a winning streak following back-to-back victories over the US Virgin Islands and Bonaire in the Concacaf Nations League. The most recent match with Bonaire almost looked like a miss just one minute in- but as Forbes said they pulled it together. Coach Hayden Mullins, former Crystal Palace, Portsmouth, and National English Footballer detailed the nail-biting match.
“I thought we started slow; we gave a goal away in the first minute,” he said. “The pleasing thing for me is we went from one nil down to 2-1 up at halftime. We had something to build on. Full assessment? The game had everything, we had a red card; we missed a penalty; we went goal down; but the resolve and the character from the guys was perfect. It’s exactly what we’re looking for.”
Sebastian Turbyfield (# 1 goalkeeper), concurred with his captain and coach. Turbeyfield performed quite a few gymnastic feats to keep TCI in the running throughout the match. He described his teammates as having a completely different resolve and promised they would only be getting better from here.
Mullings said the team is one that the country can be proud of and ‘could definitely get out of league C.”
#TurksandCaicos, March 31, 2023 – Earth Day is coming up on April 22, 2023, and the Department of Environment and Coastal resources is hosting a poetry competition for TCI youth to mark the event.
Students of all ages are encouraged to write a sonnet to celebrate the TCI’s natural beauty; the winning poem will be published in the Times of the Island Magazine.
The deadline for poems to be submitted is April 30, 2023, and students should submit their poem via email to aavenant@gov.tv or in person to any DECR office. Entries must include the student’s name, age and school.
The department promises that there are prizes to be won for the top poets.
April 22 marks the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement 53 years ago and helps demonstrate support for environmental protection. The theme for this year is “Invest In Our Planet.”
This year‘s theme follows years of missed climate action goals by governments globally, including poor climate financing. The Turks and Caicos and other small island developing states are particularly at risk environmentally because of the growing threat of climate change.
Currently the country is working through the Environmental Health Department DECR, Fisheries Department, and more to create sustainable fishing, farming, and marine practices that will benefit the country economically, but also protect its natural flora and fauna.
Projects include sargassum research, coral nurseries to rebuild the country’s coral reef, farming in schools, marine spatial planning to create an effective plan for the use of marine resources, participation in the UK Blue Belt program to protect local marine life, and much more.