Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands (November 6th, 2026) – The Turks and Caicos Islands welcomes Porter Airlines as it begins its service to the destination with its inaugural Toronto (YYZ) to Providenciales (PLS) route on Friday, November 6th.  The airline will service the route five times weekly from the Toronto Pearson International Airport.

On December 17th, Porter will launch its Ottawa to PLS flight, a new route for the Turks and Caicos Islands. That route will be serviced twice weekly from Ottawa International Airport (YOW).

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Zhavargo Jolly said the expansion of air service from Canada reflects the growing strength of that market to the Turks and Caicos Islands.

“Canada is showing strong and growing interest in the Turks and Caicos Islands, and we are pleased to see that reflected in the expansion of air service from the market. Porter Airlines’ new nonstop flights from Toronto and Ottawa strengthen our connectivity with Canada and give travellers more convenient options for reaching our islands. Canadians have always shown a genuine appreciation for the culture, heritage, natural beauty and, of course, the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands. Perhaps it is that shared warmth and friendliness that keeps bringing them back, and our partnership with Porter will simply make it easier for Canadians to continue showing their love for our Beautiful by Nature islands. Toronto builds on an important existing market for us, while Ottawa opens an entirely new gateway to the Turks and Caicos Islands. This increased access will make it easier for more Canadians to discover and enjoy our destination, while supporting the continued growth of this important market.”

Hon. Arlington Musgrove, minister responsible for aviation, Turks and Caicos commended his team at the Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority (TCIAA) for developing this relationship with Porter.

“The launch of Porter Airlines’ new services from Toronto and Ottawa to the Turks and Caicos Islands is another important milestone in strengthening our connectivity with the Canadian market. Canada remains an important source market for our tourism industry, and these new routes will give Canadians more choice and easier access to the warmth, beauty, and hospitality of the Turks and Caicos Islands. I commend the Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority for leading this initiative and for its continued efforts to develop air service and build strong relationships with our airline partners. I also extend our sincere appreciation to Porter Airlines for its confidence in the Turks and Caicos Islands and for choosing our destination as part of its growing network of sun destinations. We warmly welcome Porter, its passengers and crew to our shores and look forward to a successful and lasting partnership,” he said.

To celebrate and promote the new flights, Experience Turks and Caicos hosted a reception in Ottawa for travel advisors and media. Organised by VoX International, our marketing agency in Canada, the event featured remarks by Market Intelligence Manager, Sharissa Lightbourne and Chairman of the TCIAA, Dwayne Gardiner. Nikeva Ariza, Director of Corporate Affairs, Communications and Public Engagement was also in attendance.

The new flights are operated by Porter’s 132-seat Embraer E195-E2. The aircraft features a two-by-two seating configuration, meaning no middle seats for any passenger. Porter’s elevated onboard experience includes complimentary beer and wine served in glassware, premium Canadian snacks, and free, fast WiFi for every passenger.

To book your flight, visit www.flyporter.com.

Turks and Caicos, October 31, 2026 – Once again, I feel compelled to put pen to paper on this matter.  You don’t expect to slam your brakes in paradise.  But in Grand Turk, it’s becoming routine.

Donkeys roam along roadsides, darting into traffic, while packs of dogs linger around neighborhoods.  Tourists and residents alike face dangerous encounters with animals that, while symbolic of Grand Turk’s identity, now pose very real threats to public safety and themselves.

I’ve had near misses myself, and I’m not alone. This is no longer simply an island charm issue; it’s an unfolding dilemma that demands attention.

Grand Turk has a long history of romanticizing its animals. Donkeys, once essential to the island’s salt trade in the 1800s, are now part of its distinctive character. Yet neither they nor the growing population of free-roaming dogs are being adequately managed.

Estimates place the donkey population at around 500 on an island measuring just 10.5 square miles, with approximately 4,000–5,000 residents and tourist numbers that can double on cruise ship days. Add dogs that are quasi-owned—fed occasionally out of pity or when they wander onto someone’s property, but rarely properly cared for or contained—and the scale of the problem becomes clearer.

Feeding a dog occasionally is not the same as taking responsibility for it. The same applies to owners who fail to provide adequate fencing, allowing their dogs to roam freely through neighborhoods and onto public roads. Responsible ownership requires more than occasional feeding; it means ensuring an animal’s welfare while protecting the wider community.

Tourists may marvel at roadside donkeys or follow a friendly dog to the beach. But they don’t necessarily witness the accidents, injuries, property damage, and scattered garbage. Nor do they see how open grazing areas are disappearing beneath roads, homes, and new developments.

So, whose space is it now? Are the animals invading ours, or are we gradually taking theirs, leaving less vegetation for them to feed on?

This is not simply a debate about animals. It is about responsibility, planning, and public safety.

Grand Turk’s Department of Agriculture faces a challenging predicament. The Turks & Caicos Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (TCSPCA) does what it can, but without adequate funding and government support, its capacity remains limited. Volunteers continue to step forward, yet goodwill alone cannot resolve a problem of this magnitude.

There are several suggestions from avid Hooves & Paws TCI volunteers: Establish satellite watering holes away from high-traffic areas, properly maintain existing ones, or explore the creation of a donkey sanctuary etc.

We have recently welcomed the long-awaited arrival of a full-time veterinarian, but that alone is not enough. Support vehicles, appropriate facilities, and equipment for the safe and humane capture and treatment of animals are also essential.

There is another uncomfortable question that deserves an answer: Is the Department investing in the training and resources needed for the humane euthanasia of severely injured animals when recovery is no longer possible, rather than leaving police officers to resort to shooting them?

There may be emergencies in which officers must act immediately to protect human life. However, emergency responses should not replace a properly funded animal management programme. Severely injured animals deserve a humane, professional response, with veterinary guidance wherever circumstances permit.

We have also heard concerning reports of animal mutilation. Such reports warrant serious attention and, where appropriate, proper investigation. Animal welfare must be part of this conversation, not an afterthought.

If Grand Turk wants to preserve its Beautiful by Nature identity, it needs more than slogans. It needs enforcement, practical solutions, and a willingness to acknowledge that some animals are suffering while others pose genuine dangers to residents and visitors.

No one wants to strip the island of its character. Donkeys, dogs, horses, cows, and even the occasional roaming of goats or roosters contribute to the experience that makes Grand Turk memorable. But when charm becomes a hazard and beauty collides with danger, it is time to stop romanticizing the situation and start organizing around solutions.

There is no single, perfect answer. But continuing to do too little only increases the risk of more accidents, more suffering, and further damage to the environment we claim to cherish.

The wild can still be free, and humans and animals can coexist. But that balance requires responsible ownership, humane treatment, effective enforcement, adequate resources, and government leadership.

This administration must work alongside local volunteers, expatriate residents, animal welfare organizations, and the private sector to develop sustainable strategies before neglect leads to irreversible consequences.

Grand Turk’s animals are part of our heritage. Protecting that heritage means protecting the animals, the people who share this island with them, and the visitors who come here expecting paradise.

Ed Forbes

NTSB examining roadside assistance driver’s actions, SUV speed and seat belt use after six people perish in fiery collision

ORLANDO, FLORIDA — October 29, 2026 — Federal investigators have joined the investigation into a horrific Florida Turnpike collision that claimed six lives, including all three children of a Bahamian mother, as questions intensify over what caused the deadly crash.

The United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has confirmed that it is opening an investigation into the October 23 accident, which occurred around 9:31 p.m. near mile marker 252 in Orange County.

The agency’s involvement brings federal scrutiny to a tragedy that has devastated several families and prompted an extraordinary outpouring of sympathy and disbelief.

Among those killed were siblings Charles Milton, Jakara Milton and Dalvena Green, the three adult children of Marshall Clarke-Milton and her husband, Charles Milton Sr.

The siblings were traveling with three others to Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights, reportedly on their first trip together.

They never arrived.

FEDERAL INVESTIGATORS EXAMINE WHAT WENT WRONG

The NTSB confirmed to FOX 35 Orlando that its investigation will examine the training and performance of the roadside assistance driver, the actions of the SUV driver, including speed, and whether the occupants were wearing seat belts.

The agency investigates serious transportation accidents to identify safety failures and recommend measures that could prevent similar tragedies.

Its involvement does not establish wrongdoing by either driver.

The Florida Highway Patrol is conducting a separate investigation into the collision.

According to the preliminary police account, a Road Ranger roadside assistance truck had been parked in the highway median before its driver received instructions to assist a disabled box truck on the opposite shoulder.

As the Road Ranger moved across the northbound lanes, it collided with a 2023 Chevrolet Traverse carrying six adults.

Both vehicles left the roadway and caught fire.

All six occupants of the SUV died at the scene. The Road Ranger driver survived with minor injuries.

MOTHER CHALLENGES EARLY ACCOUNT

Witnesses reportedly told investigators that the SUV was traveling at high speed without its headlights illuminated.

However, those observations have not been established as the definitive cause of the collision.

Clarke-Milton has challenged suggestions that her children or their companions were responsible, urging investigators to examine the evidence before reaching conclusions.

She wants investigators to establish the SUV’s actual speed and determine whether its headlights were operating.

The family’s concerns underscore the importance of the continuing investigations, particularly given the movement of the roadside assistance vehicle across active highway lanes.

ALL THREE CHILDREN LOST

For Clarke-Milton, the investigation unfolds against an almost incomprehensible personal tragedy.

She lost all three of her children simultaneously.

In an emotional interview with FOX 35 Orlando, the grieving mother described the terrible feeling that overcame her when she could not reach them.

“My heart sank,” she said, recalling the moment she feared her children were involved.

The siblings were among six people whose lives ended during what should have been an enjoyable evening together.

The other victims included Timothy Williams and Shawn Palmer. A sixth person’s identity had not been publicly confirmed in the latest reports reviewed.

The family’s heartbreak has resonated across The Bahamas and beyond, with expressions of sympathy accompanying calls for answers.

SEARCH FOR ANSWERS CONTINUES

The Florida Highway Patrol has indicated that a crash report is expected within approximately ten days of the accident.

The NTSB’s investigation will examine broader transportation safety concerns, including the operation of roadside assistance vehicles and the circumstances surrounding the collision.

For the grieving families, the findings cannot reverse the tragedy.

But they may establish what happened on that stretch of Florida’s Turnpike and whether anything could have prevented six people from losing their lives.

For one Bahamian mother, the loss is especially devastating.

Three children left for an evening of entertainment. Not one came home.