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Beaches Resort Turks & Caicos says ‘incompetence’ and ‘ineffectiveness’ prolonging closure

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#Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – October 15, 2020 — Although vacation bookings for the October 14 opening of Beaches Resort Turks and Caicos were not through the roof, executives today explained it was not expected that they would be and the slow crawl of tourism amidst the coronavirus pandemic is absolutely not the reason the 700+ room resort has delayed its restart. 

Magnetic Media was aiming to ascertain if there could be alternative causes for the announcement of a delay just five days before the luxury family all-inclusive was expected to open its double gates to guests.

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Our probing, however, only unearthed more of the same; Beaches will not re-open to tourism until a four-year-old tax dispute is addressed.

“Breaches of our Development Agreement(s) and other legally binding commitments have yet to be resolved for nearly 4 years, despite tireless efforts by Beaches.  The Board of Directors has therefore mandated that the re-opening of Beaches be postponed,” said BTC in a statement on Friday, October 9.

Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart, Chairman of Sandals Resorts International which owns Beaches, has a high level executive team in country, hoping to end the stalemate.  Progress is however, slow going and this legal limbo is characterised as the worse experience Beaches Resort has ever encountered.

“Our team and the citizens of the TCIG deserve so much better from an elected government. Unfortunately, we must admit that this is the most ineffective Government we have ever had to deal with when compared to the other jurisdictions in which we operate. Our Development Agreement(s) and other legally binding written commitments have been disregarded and trampled on.”

Many residents are dumb-struck by the allegations.  Could government really be this irresponsible about untangling a fiscal mess with such a prominent investor and mammoth partner in tourism?

Beaches Craft Market day; Photo by Magnetic Media in February 2020

Five days later and no assurances are coming from the Ministry of Finance, which is led by Sharlene Robinson, the Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

It is a wait and see as the Turks and Caicos Islands Government (TCIG) has, since the disappointing announcement, been mute; having stated previously it prefers not to engage in a public row with the resort which employs 2,000 people; the largest employee complement in the private sector. 

Beaches Resort Turks and Caicos however, is less given to silence and is not playing coy; a new press statement issued today to Magnetic Media called the Government Administration incompetent.

“Beaches is told that the TCIG has been “working hard” to resolve the matter. If that is the case, then 4 years later it certainly appears to us that it is incompetence.”

This fiscal fiasco cannot be blamed on COVID-19.  The ongoing dispute does however deepen the already severely depressed Turks and Caicos economy. Turks and Caicos tourism, as a result of the unrelenting ravages of the pandemic on the travel industry, is forecast to fall by over 50 percent and that could worsen.

Hon Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart, Chairman, Sandals Resorts International

“Beaches empathises with the hardship being experienced by so many.  Commercial activity has been at a standstill since March of this year.  Time is of the essence for the TCIG to bring economic activity back to life to ensure the wellbeing and health of the citizens of the TCI who have suffered for far too long.  This continued inaction by the TCIG is so grave that Beaches would be irresponsible if we were to remain silent.”

Chairman Stewart, Magnetic Media is informed, was prepared to reopen Beaches Resort Turks and Caicos with the irregularly low bookings.  The expectation brought hundreds of staffers back to work at the start of the month in preparation for the first guests.  Team members we spoke to were happy, optimistic for the first time in a long time and they were not alone. 

Beaches Resort’s expansiveness brings buoyancy to the entire island of Providenciales and beyond – taxi drivers, retailers, grocers, craft market vendors other hotels, sister islands and the airlines are all happier when Beaches is open.

“As the anchor resort in the TCI, we can assure our incredible and dedicated team members together with the taxi association and the wider community that we remain committed to the Turks and Caicos Islands.  We continue to extend our hand in having this matter resolved fairly.”

Beaches responded to Magnetic Media with the explanation that the company is not trying to bully the government and regrets that it did not keep its promise to open on Wednesday.

Before the Covid-19 Pandemic crashed the travel and tourism industry; tourism was projected to surge beyond the 600,000 long stay visitor mark for Turks and Caicos. Photo by Magnetic Media in February 2020

“Beaches Resorts like so many others, looked forward to re-opening its doors on October 14, 2020. Sadly this did not take place despite every effort, humanly possible by our team to have these long outstanding matters resolved with the TCIG.  Beaches has been extremely clear for nearly 4 years, that it owes no taxes whatsoever. As such, there is no favour or forgiveness being sought from the TCIG.”

Beaches adds, they believe the matter related to the dispute about unpaid or over paid taxes could be resolved in a matter of days. 

Beaches Resort Villages & Spa in Providenciales, Turks and Caicos has given its new reopening date as November 18.

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Joyful Collaboration between 2 Regional Foundations Uplifts Tourism Professionals in Turks & Caicos

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CHTA Education Foundation & Sandals Foundation Training Celebration with TCHTA in Providenciales 20 October 2026. Front Row, L to R: Suzanne & Louise CHTAEF Trainers, Wesley Clerveau, PS Ministry of Tourism, Deryck Meany for Sandals Foundation, TCHTA team: Stacy-Ann Wharton, VP – Nicholette Thomas Operations Manager - Omega Simmons Board Member

Turks and Caicos – Caribbean Supercharged Service, Learning & Leadership workshops were enjoyed by professionals from Grace Bay Car Rentals, a local sponsor, alongside a Heavy Machinery Rental Company, a Paint retailer, 8 resorts, a luxury villa management enterprise and 3 TCHTA sponsored junior chefs, including Team TCI Junior Chef 2026, Zaliya Dickenson, who will complete at the Taste of the Caribbean in November for her country.

These workshops were the result of the longstanding partnership between the CHTA Education Foundation and their sponsor, Sandals Foundation, who support the Caribbean Supercharged programme on a different island every year. This year, the Turks & Caicos Hotel & Tourism Association (TCHTA) hosted the initiative to the delight of its members.

The workshops targeted new team members, seasoned professionals, managers and supervisors. Topics included Foundations & Finesse within Customer Interactions, Delivering Clear Expectations for Service Consistency and Making Memorable Moments.

Sandals Foundation was pleased to also sponsor chefs, cooks, stewards, warehouse & purchasing staff from 7 resorts and 2 high schools for an intensive HACCP Preparation & Pre-Requisites informational day, including international coursebooks, team training booklets and each person’s international assessment fee. The course is approved by the Royal Society for Public Health UK, earns Continuing Professional Development Credits, and is recognized globally as the leading Food Safety Management System.

Deryk Meany, General Manager, Beaches TCI, represented Heidi Clarke, Executive Director, Sandals Foundation at the 20 October Celebration with energy and passion for professional development and life-long learning in tourism to ever uplift and grow ourselves. He asked participants to ‘never stop learning! Today is a step upwards in your personal growth and that of the industry. We are never too old to learn, to share our experiences within training and grow”

Wesley Clerveau, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, gave spirited, positive inspiration and congratulations to the participants “Stayover arrivals in TCI have increased by 6% between January & June this year, we are hot! The place visitors wish to be, and your time, application and learning in each workshop is invaluable to us as a destination and to you as citizens and residents. I urge you to put what you have gained into practice immediately and keep applying yourselves; the more you upgrade, the more service elevates, the more we all succeed”

Karolin Troubetzkoy, Chairwoman, CHTA Education Foundation commented “Congratulations to everyone who participated in this year’s workshops, thank you for being fully engaged and making the most of your opportunity.

Special mention to the 8 past participants that we reunited with and are now working in leadership positions, BRAVO! We are delighted for you and encourage you to stay focused and keep shining and growing upwards.

It has been the Education Foundations honor to work closely with our sponsor Sandals Foundation and partner with TCHTA again to create Caribbean Supercharged positivity within each of you”.

Stacey-Ann Wharton, Vice President TCHTA, congratulated everyone present and stressed the TCHTA ongoing commitment to learning and development of members teams and management, along with special TCHTA scholarships for the HACCP session for 3 Junior Chefs, showing the Associations commitment to nurturing talent from High School upwards.

PHOTO CAPTIONS

First Insert: Wesley Clerveau, PS, Ministry of Tourism

Second Insert: Deryck Meany, GM Beaches TCI representing Sandals Foundation

Third Insert: Stacy-Ann Wharton, Vice President, TCHTA

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Multi-Agency Enforcement Exercise Targets Illegal Occupation of Crown Land in Five Cays

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Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands: The Crown Land Unit, with coordination and support from the Informal Settlements Unit (ISU), conducted a multi-agency enforcement exercise in the Five Cays area on Thursday, September 17, 2026, as part of ongoing efforts to address the illegal occupation and unauthorised use of Crown land.

The exercise brought together representatives from the Crown Land Unit, ISU and the Turks and Caicos Islands Border Force. Security for the exercise was provided by the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force. Inspections were conducted across several parcels of Crown land throughout Five Cays, where instances of illegal occupation and unauthorised use had been identified.

During the exercise, a total of forty (40) Section 22 Notices of Unauthorised Occupation were served in accordance with the provisions of the Crown Land Ordinance. The notices related to various forms of unauthorised occupation and use of Crown land, including incomplete structures, shipping containers, derelict vehicles, trailer chassis, building materials and other items.

Where persons were not present, notices were affixed to the relevant structures or items. The exercise forms part of the Crown Land Unit’s continuing efforts to prevent squatting and encroachment on Crown land and to ensure that identified instances of unauthorised occupation are appropriately addressed.

The Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands reminds the public that Crown land must not be occupied, developed or otherwise used without lawful authority.

The Crown Land Unit, supported by the ISU and its other partner agencies, will continue to identify and address instances of illegal occupation of Crown land across the Turks and Caicos Islands. Persons affected by notices issued during enforcement exercises are encouraged to comply with the requirements outlined and to seek guidance from the relevant authorities where necessary.

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BermudAir Launches Service to the Turks and Caicos Islands on October 26th, Expanding Air Connectivity Ahead of Winter Season

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Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands (October 22nd, 2026) – The Turks and Caicos Islands welcomes BermudAir as the airline begins its service to the destination on Monday, October 26th, marking the start of a wider expansion that will connect us with additional cities across the United States, Canada and the Caribbean.

BermudAir’s service will begin with a new nonstop service between Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Providenciales. The flight will depart from the Howard Hamilton International Airport at 8 am on Monday morning and arrives at 7.40 pm. Aboard the inaugural flight will be a delegation from the Turks and Caicos Islands led by Experience Turks and Caicos and the Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority (TCIAA), and will include Deputy Governor, Her Excellency Anya Williams, Minister of Tourism, Hon. Zhavargo Jolly, as well s representatives of the Turks and Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association (TCHTA), the board of the Turks and Caicos Islands Tourism Authority, Invest TC and local media.

BermudAir will operate the Fort Lauderdale–Providenciales route three times weekly, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, through May 3rd, 2027. making it easier for business travellers with the schedule offering the potential for same-day return trips. The airline is also launching nonstop service between Fort Lauderdale and Belize City, Belize, on the same schedule, offering travellers in South Florida direct access to both destinations.

The new service introduces BermudAir’s premium leisure inflight experience to the Turks and Caicos Islands. Flights will operate on Embraer E190 aircraft configured without middle seats, giving every passenger a window or aisle seat, alongside complimentary snacks and beverages.

Minister of Tourism, the Honourable Zhavargo Jolly, welcomed the airline’s arrival, noting the importance of expanding airlift to support the continued development of the destination’s tourism industry.

“Air connectivity remains one of the most important factors in the continued development of our tourism industry. BermudAir’s expansion represents an opportunity to strengthen our connections with key international markets while opening new doors for our sister islands. I am particularly encouraged by the planned direct service between Newark and South Caicos, which speaks directly to our vision of expanding tourism opportunities across the Turks and Caicos Islands. Our objective is to ensure that improved connectivity translates into greater economic activity, stronger local businesses and more opportunities for Turks and Caicos Islanders to participate in and benefit from tourism.” said Minister Jolly.

Commenting on the significance of the new route for the country’s development, the Honourable Arlington Musgrove, Minister of Physical Planning and Infrastructure Development (PPID), stated: “The introduction of BermudAir’s new service is a testament to the continued growth and development of our aviation sector. The Ministry of Physical Planning and Infrastructure Development, alongside the Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority, remains dedicated to enhancing our airport infrastructure to accommodate increased airlift. We are committed to working to ensure that our facilities provide a seamless, world-class experience for all incoming passengers and we warmly welcome BermudAir to our shores.”

The Fort Lauderdale launch is the first of several new services BermudAir plans to introduce to the Turks and Caicos Islands for the 2026–2027 winter season. Additional connections to Providenciales are scheduled from:

  • Bermuda to TCI and Grand Cayman: Beginning December 18th, 2026
  • Anguilla: Beginning December 19th, 2026
  • Boston, Massachusetts: Beginning December 19th, 2026
  • Toronto, Canada: Beginning December 19th, 2026
  • Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina: Beginning December 20th, 2026
  • Newark, New Jersey to South Caicos: Beginning December 20th, 2026
  • St. Petersburg/Tampa, Florida: Beginning December 21st, 2026
  • Baltimore-Washington: Beginning December 24th, 2026

The expansion will give travellers more options for reaching the destination during the winter travel season, while broadening access from established and developing source markets. The additional routes also create opportunities for tourism stakeholders to reach new audiences and encourage visitors to explore more of the islands.

For flight schedules and bookings, visit www.flybermudair.com.

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