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TCI: Sandals Foundation Strengthens Schools’ Reopening with Sanitation Conveniences and Back to School Aide

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L to R: Tianna, Tiara and Rushane pose with General Manager at Beaches TCI, James McAnally.

PRESS RELEASE (April 21, 2021): Some one thousand students at the Ianthe Pratt Primary School and Clement Howell High Schools will benefit from brand new handwashing stations and improved sanitization conveniences thanks to an investment of just under US $12,000 from the Sandals Foundation.

On Monday, April 12, hundreds of students began a phased return to “in person” classes for the first time in over a year. The philanthropic organization was keen to help strengthen the health and safety measures within the learning institutions to meet the hygienic needs of students, parents and educators alike.

“We are very delighted to see the phased return of students to the physical classrooms but we are also very cognizant that there will be need for enhanced sanitation facilities to help ease the anxieties that may come along with that,” said Heidi Clarke, Executive Director at the Sandals Foundation, “These newly added resources, we hope, will help bring a sense of comfort to the minds of parents as they will be assured their children are able to access the necessary facilities to practice proper hygiene”.

CHHS Student, Matthew McCoy at the Handwashing station

With the Ministry of Works partnering to conduct the installations, the Ianthe Pratt Primary School saw the injection of 3 pedal and 3 knee operated handwashing stations, 10 sanitizers and 6 soap dispensers. While at the Clement Howell High School, students will now have access to 5 pedal operated hand wash stations, 5 soap dispensers and 35 sanitizers.

Principal at the Ianthe Pratt Primary School, Ms. Neekimo King in commenting on the impact of the new infrastructure stated, “This contribution by the Sandals Foundation has helped to create a feeling of comfort around the school compound. The installations of these sanitizations fixtures make it more convenient for our staff and students to practice good hygiene which is essential in the fight against Covid-19”.

Ms. Kadean Cunningham, Principal at the Clement Howell High School, says the new sanitation infrastructure will help to enhance the COVID-19 protocols on the school compound for both staff and students now that they are fully returned to face to face classes.

L to R: Public Relations Manager Zhavargo Jolly, Projects Manager Wendy Fae Rodriguez, Ken Javier, Matthew McCoy, Principal of CHHS Kadean Cunningham,  Yulenny Walkin and General Manager James McAnally pose at one of 5 pedal operated hand wash stations installed at the school to help with sanitation needs as students return to face to face classes.

“The staff and students now have the option of washing hands in different areas on the compound and sanitizing throughout the day as all rooms now have sanitizing machines.  At Clement Howell High, we promote the mantra during this time that safety is our number one priority and we are elated that Sandals Foundation has partnered with us, yet again, to continue to fulfil this goal. We are profoundly grateful and look forward to more collaboration as we strengthen our programmes and initiatives as we journey to excellence,” stated Ms. Cunningham.

In the meantime, and as part of its continued investment into the island’s education infrastructure, the Sandals Foundation also helped to supply nearly 100 children with new school supplies in time for the new school term.

Sandals Foundation ambassadors from Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort donated ninety-one fully stacked backpacks to students on April 10 to help with bring relief to back to school expenses.

Ninety-one students received fully stacked backpacks on April 10 at the Lower Bight Basketball Courts in the Bight community from Sandals Foundation ambassadors at Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort.

General Manager at Beaches TCI, James McAnally says the activity was aimed at helping to relieve parents of what can sometimes be overwhelming costs associated with the start of a new school term.

“This has been a tough year for families right across the world and for us, as a Caribbean company, we knew there would be areas of need that we could support. It is our duty to do what we can to mobilize our resources as we all navigate these unique times,” said McAnally.

In March, the Sandals Foundation celebrated 12 years of service, investing in the region’s communities, education and the environment.

L to R: James McAnally, General Manager at Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort poses with Ianthe Pratt Primary School students Tekhaii Hall, Kandice Gibson, Quintero Cartwright and Sandals Foundation Ambassador, Wendy Fae Rodriguez at one of 6 new handwashing stations installed by the Sandals Foundation

Press Release: Sandals Foundation

Header: A few of the recipients along with the Sandals Foundation ambassadors and the General Manager of Beaches Turks and Caicos James McAnally.

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CARICOM speaks out on Climate Change, looking to May meeting to amplify call for Climate Funding

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March 3, 2024

 

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) remains on the frontlines of global climate crisis, an issue the Region has been aggressively advocating on for the past thirty years. Despite the many commitments and promises of international partners, the window of opportunity to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels is rapidly closing.

Heads of Government are concerned that while COP 28 was widely regarded as a historic event, with the completion of the first global stocktake (GST), on progress in achievement of the Paris Agreement goals, the outcomes of GST show that emissions of greenhouse gases continue to rise and the nationally determined contributions (NDCs) of Parties will not keep global temperatures below the 1.5 degree goal enshrined in the Paris Agreement.

Heads of Government also expressed concern to be heading to COP 29 where a New Finance Goal will be articulated to replace the 100bn goal, which has not yet been met, even as developing countries require trillions to deal with the escalating impacts of climate change. Developed country parties have not provided enough finance at scale, technology and capacity building support required to help developing countries tackle their pressing needs to build their resilience, especially in adapting to the adverse and increasingly catastrophic impacts of climate change. The clear absence of definitive timelines for action and quantitative commitments for scaling up of investments, and particularly adaptation finance emerging out of COP 28, cause great concern to our Region.

The Conference noted that Small Island Developing States (SIDS), recognized as the most vulnerable group of countries and a special case for sustainable development, have been facing strong push back against the recognition of their special circumstances especially in the context of climate finance. There is limited international support for special allocations for SIDS within financing arrangements and available climate finance from international and private sources is limited, expensive and too onerous to access.

In light of the preceding, Heads of Government called for CARICOM to take a strategic, unified and coordinated approach to ensure that the Region remains influential in the climate and development arena through engagements with key partners and advocacy groups.

They called for renewed focus by the Region to advocate for inclusion of forests, nature-based solutions and blue carbon into market mechanisms with the aim of articulating clear regional positions and strategies.

Heads of Government reiterated the call for improved readiness programmes, simplified approval procedures, a change to the criteria for determining access to low-cost finance, and for the adoption of programmatic approaches to address the bottlenecks in accessing finance.

The Region reiterates its support for the Bridgetown Initiative’s call to expand capital adequacy of international financial institutions.

Heads recognized that the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States, scheduled to be held in Antigua and Barbuda, 27 – 30 May 2024, will be an inflection point for many of these discussions to be articulated. As such, the Region remains committed to participating in the Conference at the highest level.

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South Caicos Development Plans shared with Washington-Misick led Administration

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On Monday, 12 February 2024, the Premier led a delegation to tour the island of South Caicos to view the ongoing public and private sector projects, involving the remodelling and rebranding of the airport terminals, historical districts, and the East Bay Hotel.

The tour of the various developments reinforced the Government’s commitment to collaborating with stakeholders to boost the island’s activity and economy.

Photos courtesy of the TCI Office of the Premier

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Ministry of Tourism continues to get rid of dilapidated structures

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By LINDSAY THOMPSON

Bahamas Information Services

NASSAU, The Bahamas – The Ministry of Tourism, Investments and Aviation is continuing to rid areas of derelict and dilapidated structures posing safety problems, and a threat to the overall tourism product.

In this vein the recent structure to be demolished was the Gaming Board building owned by the Hotel Corporation.  Located adjacent to Goodman’s Bay Beach on West Bay Street, it was formerly the Sir Harry Oakes property; the northern portion once housed Bahamas Information Services for several years.

 


On hand to witness the demolition were Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation the Hon. Chester Cooper, and Senator Randy Rolle, Global Consultant, MOTIA.

The demolition started on Monday, February 5, 2024 by Virgo Construction headed by the contractor Terry Delancy.  

DPM Cooper explained that the government felt the Gaming Board building should no longer sit there in a derelict manner, and continue to be an eyesore and pose safety concerns.

“Goodman’s Bay will be enhanced as a result of getting rid of this building. It will be more aesthetically pleasing for residents who traverse this area. Women who walk in the mornings in particular through these areas will be pleased to see that this has become a green space, rather than a derelict structure,” he said.

DPM Cooper also noted that his ministry consulted broadly with the Antiquities, Monuments & Museums Corporation (AMMC), and other historians before proceeding with demolition.

“We are sure not to take any actions as it relates to buildings, without consultation. So they were very comfortable with the process and we continue to work closely with them on all of the buildings that we have demolished in the downtown area,” he said.

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