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TCI: Collaborative Shorebird Monitoring for Grand Turk and Salt Cay

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#TurksandCaicos, April 6, 2021 – The Turks and Caicos National Trust (TCNT) and the Department of Environment and Coastal Resources (DECR) are collaborating, on the weekend of 26 March 2021, for the Spring National Audubon Society Shorebird Surveys as part of a larger partnership with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

Funding from the National Audubon Society will allow for an intensive weekend of shorebird surveys on the salinas and ponds of Grand Turk and Salt Cay. These vital habitats provide crucial resting and feeding points for wintering and traveling migratory shorebirds, many of which fly thousands of miles seasonally.

The DECR will be assisting on training TCNT staff on shorebird identification and techniques, following training given based on international partner BirdsCaribbean’s excellent bird identification training modules and trainings. The TCNT team will be logging data and getting up-close familiarity with the important natural, cultural, and historical wetlands and salinas of the Turks Islands. Shorebirds, including sandpipers and plovers, can be quite difficult to identify, especially in their winter plumage – so team members will be armed with binoculars, spotting scopes, and field guides as well as lots of field experience to log the numbers and species of shorebirds seen.

Shorebirds are considered important indicator species, especially for the long-term effects of climate change as both sea level rise and increased frequency and intensity of severe weather events affect their winter and summer habitats. Surveys will focus on historical salinas such as Town Pond, Red Salina, and Great Salina and natural ponds such as North and South Wells of Grand Turk, and the Balfour Town salinas of Salt Cay. Their shallow, muddy bottoms and both graded and steep entries provide diverse habitats that allow a wide variety of shorebirds to use them – from the tiny least sandpiper to the much larger willet.

The wintering shorebirds also vary from the very common, numerous sanderling, which can appear in flocks of hundreds, to the red knot, a much rarer bird. The bird counts will be logged using the free mobile app eBird, which uses citizen science technology to gather data on birds around the world. The data will be able to be used by scientists around the world, but in TCI will also contribute to the collaborative Darwin Plus funded project Restoring and Safeguarding Wetlands of the Caribbean UKOTs, also involving partners in Montserrat and Anguilla.

The project seeks to protect and restore wetlands in the Territories, while providing public education about the valuable ecosystem services they provide, such as flood control, carbon storage, and high-value ecotourism and birdwatching opportunities.

“The development of restoration and conservation actions that have identified environmentally significant wetland sites has provided the opportunity to engage our communities and promote the cultivation of eco-tourism. Furthermore, we are educating the public about the importance of safeguarding our natural treasures and appreciation of the diverse bird life in the TCI”, said Winema Sanders-Penn, Executive Director, TCNT.

DECR Director Lormeka Williams stated, “We are blessed in Turks and Caicos Islands to have this incredible free resource for birdwatching opportunities in the historic salinas and ponds of the Turks Islands. Once an economic powerhouse of salt production, they now offer a focal point for the lucrative birding guide industry. Through surveying migratory shorebirds, DECR and the National Trust gather data to demonstrate the natural importance of these sites as well as their income potential. “

The DECR and TCNT welcome interest in birdwatching and encourage anyone passionate about nature to use the eBird app to report observations.

Photo Credit:  MyTurksandCaicosBlog

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DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM REGULATIONS INTRODUCES “RATE YOUR RIDE” SYSTEM FOR TOURISTS VISITING THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS

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FROM THE MINISTRY OF TOURISM

 

Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, 27th March, 2024 – Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands: The Department of Tourism Regulations is proud to unveil the “Rate Your Ride” system, a new initiative designed to enhance the vacation experience for tourists exploring our picturesque islands.

The “Rate Your Ride” system empowers tourists to provide valuable feedback on the quality of transportation services they receive while visiting the Turks and Caicos Islands. Through an easy-to-use online form, tourists can rate factors such as cleanliness, comfort, safety, and professionalism of drivers, helping us to assure the highest quality of service standards across all modes of transportation.

By participating in the “Rate Your Ride” system, tourists play a crucial role in shaping the future of transportation services in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Their feedback will enable us to identify areas for improvement and ensure that every visitor enjoys safe, comfortable, and convenient travel throughout their stay in the Turks and Caicos.

The code will also be publicly accessible through the cooperation of volunteer drivers who will make the rating code available in their vehicles. Flyers and stickers displaying the code will be distributed at hotels, resorts and airports. The mandated display of these codes is expected to align with the rollout of our tourism regulations in 2025.

For more information about the “Rate Your Ride” system and other initiatives by the Department of Tourism Regulations, please visit gov.tc/tourismregulations/or contact us via telephone at 946-4970 and email at tourismregulations@gov.tc.

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THE DEPARTMENT OF BEHAVIOURAL HEALTH SERVICES CONDEMNS RECORDING OF PERSONS WHO ARE IN CRISIS

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FROM THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

 

Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, 27th March 2024– The Department of Behavioral Health Services is appealing to the general public to refrain from recording and circulating videos of persons who may appear to be experiencing a mental health crisis. Anyone can experience a mental health crisis at some point in their life. According to the World Health Organization, 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem in any given year. Persons may struggle with very common conditions such as Anxiety and Depression or be diagnosed with more serious conditions like Bipolar Disorder or Psychosis.

“There are a lot of misunderstandings about various mental health conditions and how they may manifest. In addition, there are a number of negative perceptions and misconceptions that society exhibits towards people with mental health problems. However, just as we would show care and concern for someone diagnosed with Cancer, or any other physical illness, in the same way, we need to be as caring and helpful to persons with mental illnesses”– stated Director of the Department of Behavioral Health Services, Dr. Alicia Malcolm.

The Department is urging the public to call the following numbers if you see someone who appears to be experiencing a mental health crisis:

338-5473/338-3616: Providenciales, North or Middle Caicos

338-3614/338-3612: Grand Turk, South Caicos, Salt Cay

338-6301: Nights and Weekends

If someone is putting themselves or someone else in immediate, serious risk of harm, call 911.

The Department of Behavioral Health services is here to help and provides the following services which are free and confidential:

Location of above services:

o             Sam Harvey Building, Down Town, Providenciales,

o             Primary Health Care Department, Cheshire Hall Medical Center, Providenciales 

o             Department of Behavioural Health, Duncombe Alley, Grand Turk

 

Let’s all do our part in creating a community where people with mental health problems feel respected, supported and cared for. 

For additional information, please visit the Ministry of Health’s Facebook page on https://www.facebook.com/tciministryofhealth/ or the Department of Behavioral Health Services Faceebook on https://www.facebook.com/TCIDBHS/.

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Breaking Ground: TCI Could Lead in Regional Communication Standards

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Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom, 27th March 2024: The PR, marketing, and communications sector is poised for potential growth and could lead the Caribbean region in terms of industry standards says Damian Wilson. Wilson’s suggestion comes after the release of a new research report into the current trends and future direction of the sector as a possible emerging industry in the Turks & Caicos Islands (TCI).

Wilson is the report’s author, which conveys the findings of research which he initiated. “One of the key research results is the considerable optimism by industry practitioners and government alike, with persons seeing growth potential. I believe that we can become regional leaders in this field. I believe that one of the initiatives that could be used to do this is by establishing a ‘TCI Centre of Communications Excellence’ within the TCI Community College. Such an institute would be dedicated to communication and media innovation with a particular focus on digital communications and ICT,” says Wilson.

He further explained, “I believe that the PR, marketing, and communications sector, like much of the country, is at a crossroads and could have an even greater impact on our socio-economic fabric. Some may have concerns about our small size, but I believe this makes us far more agile than our neighbours. All in all, any potential growth must be underpinned by new investments, professional development, and a strategy to integrate the sector into the broader economy.”

Wilson also said that he sees his research as a first step in understanding our own industry sectors in the TCI and would love to see more profound research and analysis conducted. He’s hoping that the report will spark discussion along those lines. The report is entitled ‘Current Trends and Future Direction: A Preliminary Report on the PR, Marketing, and Communications Sector in the Turks & Caicos Islands’. Anyone wanting a copy of the report can contact Damian Wilson via his email, damian.wilson.pr@gmail.com.

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