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TCI: Garvin Thomas Appointed as Director of TCIG Public Works Department

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#TurksandCaicos, April 27, 2021 – The Office of the Deputy Governor is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Garvin Thomas to the post of Director of the Turks and Caicos Government Public Works Department.

Garvin who was born and raised on the island of South Caicos, holds a Bachelor of Design degree in Architecture as well as a number of other certifications.

He joined the Turks and Caicos Civil Service in 2001 following his service as an Apprentice Architect at Simon and Wood Associates for a period of 4 years and has held numerous positions during his tenure with TCIG including the post of Assistant Architect and Project Coordinator before being promoted to the post of Assistant Director of the Public Works Department in 2014 and to the post of Deputy Director in 2018.

Commenting on his appointment Mr. Thomas said: “I would like to first and foremost give thanks to the almighty God for sparing my life and allowing me to see this day of which I am very proud of.

A special thanks to my parents who instilled in me great moral values and respect towards others in Authority. I am honored, humbled and thankful for the opportunity to continue to serve the Government and people of this great nation the Turks and Caicos Islands now as Director of the Public Works Department.

I am grateful for my team who have and continue to support me beyond my expectations during my tenure and my plan is to continue to advocate for the much-needed manpower and resources to enable the department to function efficiently. I look forward to advancing the Department to meet not only regional, but also international standards and best practices in the near future. My main goal and objective is to be the first to establish an Ordinance for the Public Works Department to regulate its functions and responsibilities as it relates to the construction and maintenance of roads, government buildings and to regulate utility companies in terms of the usage of other infrastructure that falls under the remit of PWD.

I look forward to working in this capacity and am grateful for the confidence placed in me. I Thank you.”

Deputy Governor Her Excellency Anya Williams in congratulating Mr. Thomas on his new appointment said: “It is with great pleasure that I take the opportunity to formally announce and congratulate Mr. Garvin Thomas on his appointment to the post of Director of the Turks and Caicos Islands Government Public Works Department.

Having had the opportunity to work directly with Garvin over the years on a number of projects and also hurricane preparedness and response, I can attest that he is an ardent and committed worker; someone you can always call on whenever there is a challenge. He is forward thinking and is always thinking of ways that he work to improve the output of himself, his department and team.

The Public Works Department plays a critical role in both creating and maintaining infrastructure across the Turks and Caicos Islands to support the sustainable growth and development of the TCI economy. It is therefore important that this department is properly funded, resourced and is led by a manager and team that is able to meet the needs of our ever changing environment.

I wish Garvin well on his promotion and look forward to working with him to continue to deliver on the mandate of the Public Works

News

Governor’s Statement Following Results of TCI 2025 General Election

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Turks and Caicos, February 8, 2025 – This morning, I received confirmation from the Supervisor of Elections of the official results of the 7 February 2025 General Election of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Hon. Charles Washington Misick OBE JP, leader of the Progressive National Party, has written to me in line with section 31(2) of the Turks and Caicos Islands Constitution Order 2011, to demonstrate he commands the support of a majority of the elected members of the Parliament.

Accordingly, at a ceremony at the Governor’s Office this afternoon, I appointed Hon. Misick as the Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands. On his advice and in line with section 31(1)(c) of the Constitution, I appointed Hon. Jamell Rayan Robinson as Deputy Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Following the ceremony, the Hon. Premier, Deputy Governor, Hon. Deputy Premier and I received a national security briefing from the Commissioner of Police.

May I take this opportunity to thank sincerely the Supervisor of Elections, the Deputy Supervisor of Elections, all election officials and the independent observers for their committed efforts in managing the electoral process.

Instruments of appointment will be published in the Official Gazette.

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Crime

TCI Police Report a Rape Conviction, Handfield registered as SEX OFFENDER

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Turks and Caicos, February 8, 2025 – The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force acknowledges the sentencing of convicted rapist ELVETHAN “ALVIN” HANDFIELD to life imprisonment following his guilty plea. Handfield was charged with the following offences: Two Counts of RAPE and Two Counts of USING AN OFFENSIVE WEAPON TO CAUSE FEAR.

The Supreme Court delivered the ruling yesterday (February 6), with Handfield, 47, of Glass Shack, Providenciales, being ineligible for parole until he has served 16 years. Should parole be granted, he will be registered as a sex offender for life.

Acting Superintendent Grantley Williams, Head of Serious Crime, Safeguarding, and Public Protection, stated: “Following an extensive investigation by our Safeguarding and Public Protection Unit, Handfield was charged after a report made by a female victim on April 20, 2024. The victim, after entering a jitney driven by Handfield on April 19, 2024, was taken to his residence in Glass Shack, where she was subjected to sexual assault before being released the following day.

“This heinous act of violence, where Handfield posed as a jitney driver, lured, and assaulted the victim while threatening harm, is despicable. The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force commend the victim’s bravery in coming forward, demonstrating immense courage in ensuring that this predator is brought to justice.

We recognize this is a difficult journey, and our Safeguarding and Public Protection Unit officers remain available to support the healing process.

We take this opportunity to urge any victims of sexual violence to come forward. Your reports are vital in removing dangerous offenders from our streets and ensuring the safety of our communities. Our commitment to justice remains unwavering, and we will continue to work tirelessly to protect and safeguard the communities.”

If you have been a victim or know anyone who has been a victim of sexual assault, please get in touch with the police without delay at the Safeguarding and Public Protection Unit at 232- 6696 or the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) at -338-4013.

All calls will be treated with sensitivity and confidentiality.

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Government

Misick promises to be Premier for all after “Sweet, Sweet Victory”  

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Deandrea Hamilton

Editor

 

Turks and Caicos, February 8, 2025 – When the cheering and dancing and handshakes and high fives were given the attention they rightly deserved, Washington Misick, the resoundingly re-elected premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands turned his attention from the divisiveness of the election trail to a message of solidarity.

“I have lost elections, so I know how difficult it is for you but now it is time to put partisan differences aside and work on behalf of our people,” said Misick, as he spoke pointedly to the Leader of the Opposition from his celebration stage just after midnight on February 8.

“I want to thank our wonderful and loyal supporters.  Our campaign team and our candidates who worked hard, long hours, burned the midnight oil to mount this victorious campaign.  I wanna thank my beloved wife and our extended families of all of our candidates for all of their support. Tonight’s victory belongs to you.

Because of you we will be able to continue the work of building for our children and our children’s children.  I am inviting everyone to be on this journey with us, whether you’ve voted PNP or whether you voted PDM or whether you voted independent.  I want you to be on this journey with us,” he said.

The premier, who is now serving a second consecutive term in office and serving for a third time as leader of the Turks and Caicos Islands, was flanked by his winning team and throngs of jubilant supporters assembled at the party’s headquarters in Providenciales.

While the PNP was clearly most able to energize its base, winning many of their seats by spectacular margins, voter turnout in this 2025 General Election was at an historical low.  The premier, in his victory speech demonstrated his awareness of that fact and offered an olive branch to those who skipped voting altogether, which would have been over 2,400 people, according to Elections Office statistics.

“And to those Islanders who did not vote for me or the PNP, I hope that our work, policies and programs will earn your support and your blessings.  I promise, I will hear your voices, we will hear your voices and I promise that we will be there for you and I will be your Premier too.”

The Washington Misick led team swept the At Large category securing all nine seats, which now also introduces two first time Members of Parliament.  Only three seats from the constituency races went unsecured by the PNP; it was a total of 16 seats for the party in yellow.

“On this journey, we must have great success together and we will continue the economic and social transformation together.  No journey is without bumps and setbacks, you won’t always agree with the decisions we take but I will always be honest with you about why we make those decisions and the challenges we face.”

“To every islander and every resident, we will work hard everyday on your behalf and we will create the conditions and the opportunities to give all of our people a better quality of life,” he said to vigorous applause, adding, “Let us build together in a single purpose to make our beautiful by nature Turks and Caicos Islands the place where dreams flourish, justice abounds, love is abounding and hope is endless.”

The Premier informed supporters and those watching via social media that work for his new Progressive National Party Administration continues promptly on Monday.

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