#Providenciales, Turks and Caicos – December 14, 2020 – It was her suggestion and her list which began the tradition of honouring educators like Oseta Jolly and Ianthe Pratt by naming schools in appreciation of them and on Monday the blessing was returned to a 40-year public education icon from Middle Caicos.
Thelma Lightbourne is humbled by the fact
that the newly constructed Long Bay primary school carries her name, and that
she is still around to see it.
Native to Bambarra and starting as a teacher
at the tender age of 15-years old, Thelma Hamilton-Lightbourne never thought
she would follow in her mother’s footsteps, she told me in an interview. She had dreams of becoming a nurse, but God,
she says had other plans.
Mrs. Lightbourne reflected on how she was
hired while on an errand to Grand Turk.
Off-handedly selected because she happed to be in the right place, at
the right time.
Initially she was a substitute teacher and
once the teacher she was filling in for decided suddenly to leave for The
Bahamas, permanently, it was Education officers and Helena Robinson who thought
young Thelma would be the ideal fit.
That fateful trip to Grand Turk to turn in
some of her mother’s reports to the Ministry of Education changed her life and
was also a time she nearly lost her life.
The now 75-year old grandmother of seven
children recanted a most frightening encounter with the sea and nature.
She said on the way back to Middle Caicos,
after being hired by the Ministry of Education as the new teacher for her
island, the boat was shipwrecked.
Though the captain tried to maneuver around
the stormy weather, he could not and under the water went the boat which would
commonly make the six hour journey to Grand Turk; the only mode of travel back
then.
Thelma and others were clinging to a floating
part of the vessel when they were rescued.
Turks and Caicos lost two people in the tragedy that day. A teenaged Thelma was traumatized but safe.
Her first job in Education paid £5 per month.
“I would tell my children, when I went to go
to Grand Turk with that five pounds (Great Britain Pound, GBP) and bought a
pair of shows, very little else would you have left.”
Initially, her students were children of her
own community in what was then the lower school until she did what she had
never dreamed, moved to Providenciales.
The shift in 1971 was inspired by the love of her life, her late
husband, Thomas Lightbourne, a legend in his own right as a businessman and
prominent Rotarian.
“Well the love of my life found me because I
did not know Provo, so the love of my life found me,” explained Mrs.
Lightbourne who now has seven grand-children because of that union in December
of 1970.
To meet with or speak to this devout Baptist
is to be tickled and to be awed by her charming, witty and humble demeanor. She
is a spunky woman, rich in faith, wisdom, strong values, authenticity and humour!
Even at the school renaming on Monday
December 14, 2020, Mrs. Thelma Lightbourne exhibited gratitude, poise and
jokes… often, you could hear the audience laughing as she delivered her
appreciation remarks.
Thelma began her formal training for teaching
while stationed in Middle Caicos between 1960 and 1970; she continued to pursue
studies in Antigua and Barbuda, despite being a new mother of two.
“Now when I went I left two small children at
home, Elry was about a year and Dionne was about six months old,” she shared.
Her matriculation and exposure to formal
education created increased demand for Thelma Lightbourne’s successful style of educating and connecting
with the island’s children and clearly she was a leader.
The Education Department, who had entrusted
her in 1960 with Middle Caicos’ children now wanted her to head the then, Blue
Hills Primary school, which she did.
There, the nation’s first tuck shop was
started and the investment in a copying machine was made, among other
commendable strides. These accomplishments
were practical interventions as students were able to purchase affordable meals
and have access to copies of essential learning materials.
While she has fond memories of her girl
students, Mrs. Lightbourne confesses that the boys, in those days outnumbered
the girls.
She recalled one student in particular, who
would not even go outside to play with the children until his work was completed. That little boy grew to become one of the
most prominent local doctors and eventually, Premier of the Turks and Caicos
Islands.
Now living in the community of Blue Hills,
right next door to the school, Mrs. Lightbourne taught Rufus Ewing, who
ascended to the post of premier in 2012 and his brother Goldray Ewing, who is a
current member of the Turks and Caicos cabinet.
She said they were both stand out pupils.
The Department would come calling again,
expressing a need for Mrs. Lightbourne to move; the shift would take her down
the hill to the high school, which she helped to bring into existence.
Thelma Lightbourne’s knack for connecting
sincerely with students was required; it was a time when concern mounted about
a stronger sense of identity for Turks and Caicos children. The Ministry of Education identified her as
the one who could soften the blow of any adverse effects tourism and other developments
could bring.
She let go of her beloved primary school and
became a transformative force at the high school; taking on the social and
moral development of older students as Guidance Counsellor and partnering that
with teaching in Social Studies and Religious Knowledge.
Her polite protests lasted decades, but eventually
the high school was able to lay hold of the treasure that was Thelma Hamilton
Lightbourne. Her final stint in
education would be at the Clement Howell High School, named for the principal
she once worked under and from her recollection, brimming with Turks and Caicos
hope for outstanding future leaders.
Reluctantly, heartbreakingly Thelma Lightbourne
did what all government workers did at the age of 55 at that time; she
resigned.
Since then, this matriarch has travelled the
world with her husband who had long pined for the pleasure; survived sickness;
was tutor to many of the younger generations who would come to her home for
lessons; served her church and God in ways too numerous to outline and now
enjoys watching her children as accomplished members of the Turks and Caicos society,
building their own families and legacies.
Although she was not in the executive of the
Department of Education, Mrs. Lightbourne fondly remembers being very much a
part of the critical decisions for the sector.
On the list of recommendations she had made,
that tribute could be paid to the valiance of teachers by renaming schools in
their honour.
Lightbourne made the suggestion and presented
a list of educators who were deserving of the honour. Some say her own name
should have been included at that time but Thelma Lightbourne disagrees.
Her faith in a just and loving God told her that someday her day would come and surely it did and at a time when she could see it for herself and share it with her most precious students – her own children and grand-children. When asked the reaction of her family at the news that her name was to crown the country’s newest school; Mrs. Lightbourne said “they are happy and believe I deserve it” she added, “My husband would have said you deserve it.”
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PROVIDENCIALES, Turks & Caicos Islands, April 17, 2024 – “Thousands have lived without love, but no one has ever lived without water,” according to poet, W. H. Auden. More than 500 students and teachers at the Enid Capron Primary School in Providenciales stand to benefit from a 750 gallons filtration water tank system valued at almost US$15,000 courtesy of the Sandals Foundation, Beaches Turks and Caicos and SIP Water, distributers of ICON LifeSaver®. The system that was recently installed will be able to use harvested rain water along with its ultra-filtered system to provide potable water.
This project had SIP Water, which is the Caribbean Distributors for ICON LifeSaver®, install and commission the system which was handed over to the administrators of the Sandals Foundation adopted school. ICON LifeSaver® is a British company providing some of the safest, potable water purification solutions in the world through supporting organisations.
Paul Girling, Director of SIP Water says, “This system is able to change untreated, contaminated water into ultra-pure, micro-biologically clean drinking water. Its multi-filtration system removes all micro plastics, bacteria, protozoan cysts and viruses to a minimum level of 99.99% without the need for any electricity or chemicals”.
Minister of Education, Youth, Sports and Social Services and Member of Parliament for the Five Cays area, Hon. Rachel Taylor was present as the system was commissioned. “This is a landmark achievement for the school and the community of Five Cays. This location is an emergency shelter and with the Atlantic Hurricane season not far away, having this in place will serve our students well and by extension, the community. We are grateful for the continued partnership with Sandals Foundation and Beaches Turks and Caicos in giving back to the Turks and Caicos Islands,” Taylor shared.
Beaches Turks and Caicos Managing Director, James McAnally shared, “this project is a giant step towards ensuring the basic necessities in our community are safe and sustainable. We continue to grow and look at new ways to serve in the areas of education, the community and the environment. This tank will go a long way in helping to improve the quality of life of the children and faculty in the Five Cays community especially during times of disaster.”
Principal at Enid Capron Primary School, Sophia Garland elatedly shared, “our students’ health will be improved as they consume more water daily. This system will provide for us a level of sustainability throughout the school and the community. As an educational institution, we continue to celebrate partnerships with corporate entities that seek to support key infrastructural needs of the students, staff and wider community.”
The ICON LifeSaver® product is environmentally friendly. As a leader in sustainability, this will help in the reduction of plastic bottles. The filters are reusable and typically have a 1-2 year span. This is a patented ultra-filtration technology which is independently tested to the highest portable water standards.
Captions:
Header: Paul Girling (left), director of SIP Water, Sophia Garland (2nd left), principal of the Enid Capron Primary school, Hon. Rachel Taylor, Minister of Education, Youth, Sports and Social Services, and Joe Lovegrove, Operations and Technical Director of LifeSaver gave thumbs up sign to the completion of the project.
1st insert: Joe Lovegrove, Operations and Technical Director for LifeSaver takes his time to insert one of the six filters that the filtration system that was recently installed and commissioned at the Enid Capron Primary School.
2nd insert: Enid Capron Primary School teachers share a moment with the ICON team following the successful completion of the installation of the water filtration system with Paul Girling (left) director of SIP Water and Joe Lovegrove Operations and Technical Director for LifeSaver.
Experience Turks and Caicos is fostering an environment where young talent can thrive and excel, and the recent additions to the organisation serve as a testament to that commitment.
Experience Turks and Caicos is pleased to welcome Miss Rothesia Williams and Miss Kristan Lightbourne to the Finance Department as well as Miss Oshin Whyte, who has been assigned a temporary role as Tourism Statistics Officer.
Miss Williams joined the team as an Accounts Clerk effective April 2nd, 2024 while Miss Lightbourne will take up the position of Finance Accountant effective April 15th, 2024.
In her role, Miss Williams will support the Finance Accountant in updating financial records, generating financial reports, reconciling bank statements and processing financial transactions. Miss Williams is a graduate of the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College with an Associate’s Degree in Business Administration and previously worked at the Waterloo Hotel Management Ltd, where she held the roles of Accounting Clerk and Senior Accounts Payable Clerk.
As Financial Accountant, Miss Lightbourne will prepare statements and reports and advise on financial strategy.
Miss Lightbourne previously worked as an accountant at The Shore Club where she oversaw and provided strategic guidance to various sectors within the finance department, including Cost Control, Audit, Accounts Payable, Cash Management, and Payroll and implemented and reviewed internal financial policies and controls to ensure compliance and efficiency among other duties. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance and Management from the Turks and Caicos Community College and is currently pursuing her Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) certification in the United Kingdom.
Miss Whyte will be working temporarily with the team as Tourism Statistics Specialist effective April 3rd, 2024.She will be responsible for collecting and analysing data relevant to the tourism industry that would enable Experience Turks and Caicos to develop informed strategies to enhance the tourism sector.
Miss Whyte previously held the position of Interim Environmental Policy Coordinator with the Ministry of Tourism where she collaborated with the Department of Fisheries and Marine Resources to ensure the timely delivery of the key objectives of the Sustainable Livelihood Program. She is a graduate of Oxford Brookes University with a BSc (Hons) in Environmental Sciences and the University of Kent with a Masters by Research (Hons) in Human Geography
In welcoming the young women to Experience Turks and Caicos, Co-Chair of Experience Turks and Caicos Mr. Alvin Hegner said the future of the tourism industry centres around the youth.
“As we forge ahead in fortifying and expanding our organisation, the stewardship of adept individuals becomes paramount. Given the Turks and Caicos Islands’ singular reliance on tourism, we must foster sustainability by nurturing our youth, empowering them to evolve into the torchbearers of tomorrow who will carry forward the legacy of our current endeavours. I am genuinely enthused to extend a warm welcome to these young women as they join our ranks, eagerly anticipating the remarkable contributions they will undoubtedly make,” he said.
Miss. Williams and Miss Lightbourne will report to the Chief Financial and Operations Officer, Ms. Rufina Augustin while Miss Whyte will report to the Chief Marketing Officer, Ms. Trina Adams.
Office of the Deputy Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands proudly announces the appointment of Ms. Julianna Musgrove to the post of Deputy Permanent Secretary within the Office of the Deputy Governor.
Ms. Musgrove’s academic journey is marked by excellence and dedication. She earned her Bachelor’s degree with honors in Hos
pitality and Tourism Management from the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College, demonstrating a commitment to academic achievement and professional growth. Currently, she is on the cusp of completing her Master’s degree in Human Resource Management and Development from the University of Salford in the United Kingdom, further enhancing her knowledge and expertise in her chosen field.
With over a decade of leadership experience in learning and development, human resources, and hospitality, Ms. Musgrove brings a wealth of knowledge and skills to her new role. Prior to her transition to the civil service, she served as the Regional Learning and Development Manager at Sandals Resorts International, where she oversaw learning and development operations across multiple Caribbean nations. Her adept leadership skills have been evident in successfully spearheading change initiatives and development programs at an executive level.
Ms. Musgrove’s contributions extend beyond her professional pursuits. She has served as a Governor on the Board of Governors for the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College, where she chaired the Human Resource, Safety, and Compensation sub-committee, demonstrating her commitment to education and community service. Additionally, Ms. Musgrove is an Executive Member of the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College Alumni Association, actively contributing to the growth and development of her alma mater.
Her exceptional achievements have garnered widespread recognition, earning her prestigious accolades such as the 2023 Caribbean Rising Star Award from the International Society of Hospitality Consultants and the Sandals Foundation Sentinel of the Year Award.
Reflecting on her appointment, Ms. Musgrove expressed her gratitude and enthusiasm for the opportunity to serve in her new capacity:
“It is with a profound sense of gratitude and humility that I assume the role of Deputy Permanent Secretary. I am eager to embark on this journey to serve my country with dedication and commitment. My faith in God sustains me, and I am immensely grateful for the unwavering support of my family, mentors, and friends.
This appointment is not just a milestone in my career; it is also a profound responsibility that I embrace wholeheartedly. With great optimism and enthusiasm, I look forward to the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.”
Commenting on her appointment, Deputy Governor and Head of the Public Service, Her Excellency Anya Williams remarked, “It is with great pleasure that I extend congratulations to Ms. Julianna Musgrove on her appointment as Deputy Permanent Secretary within the Office of the Deputy Governor, and I extend a warm welcome to her as she joins the Turks and Caicos Islands Public Service.
As my office continues to forge ahead with various initiatives aimed at enhancing service quality and bolstering our capacity building endeavors, Ms. Musgrove’s role will be instrumental. Working alongside the Permanent Secretary, she will play a pivotal role in the re-establishment of the Training Directorate, spearheading the development of a comprehensive training program tailored to address skill gaps and developmental needs across the Public Service. Additionally, Ms. Musgrove will oversee the Employee Compliance and Appraisal functions, ensuring that performance is meticulously monitored, corrective measures are swiftly implemented, and commendable efforts are duly rewarded.
The appointment of Ms. Musgrove comes at a critical juncture, and her expertise and dedication will undoubtedly fortify our efforts to enhance the services we provide to the public. My office is committed to providing Ms. Musgrove with the support as she embarks on this new chapter, and we eagerly anticipate the positive impact she will undoubtedly make as a valued member of our public service family.
Congratulations on your appointment, Julianna, and welcome to the team!”