News
Crackpot Kitchen – The Rebirth Friday 9th July 2021
#TurksandCaicos, July 14, 2021 – Just like the mighty Phoenix, an island favourite Crackpot Kitchen rises from the ashes. Crackpot Kitchen is back at a new location with a unique dining concept new to TCI. At its new Leeward Highway location, at the Allegro Roundabout next to the Rubis gas station, Chef Nik and the Crackpot Kitchen Team are bringing back all your favourites with a food truck dining concept that lends to “pick-up n go” eating while also providing seating options. Crackpot Kitchen is also now mobile with a food truck that will eventually be extending to other locations.
With this new dining concept comes new menu items that will give diners even more options to enjoy authentic TCI dishes with a hint of the modern genius that is TCI’s Culinary Ambassador – Chef Nik! Menu items like the Curry Beef Pastiletos, Shark Tacos and Krusty Krab Burgers are exclusive dishes that provide an exceptional spin on TCI delicacies and favourites. Chef Nik never disappoints when it comes to finding modern ways to bring all the indigenous TCI dishes we love to a new generation of locals and tourists alike. For those patrons who have been patiently waiting for the return of Crackpot Kitchen, menu staples like Friday’s BBQ Pigtails & Fried Fish and the Satday Brunch are back to fill that unfilled spot in your TCI culinary experience.
A devastating fire, the global pandemic nor the closed borders could stop Chef Nik and his vision. While this new concept was being birthed, Chef Nik focused on his private chef catering services, providing his authentic and distinctive TCI dining experience to hundreds of tourists. As featured in his hundreds of social media posts, mentions and reviews from guests – #WeDifferent – Crackpot Kitchen Catering is a different catering experience. Crackpot Kitchen Catering focuses on providing a total dining experience beginning with fresh ingredients used to create stand-out customizable recipes while providing guests with an awesomely fun ambience. Just follow Chef Nik on Instagram @CrackpotKitchen for a little glimpse of the mouthwatering dishes and Crackpot Kitchen Catering experience. Crackpot’s catering service has become a preferred choice to those looking for the private dining experience with TCI’s Culinary Ambassador – Chef Nik.
When speaking about his vision for the new location, Chek Nik advises that the plan for the new Leeward Highway location is a more mobile dining experience. With all meals served in to-go containers, guests are welcome to stop awhile by grabbing a table, sitting for drinks at the bar or they can also opt to just ‘stop and go’ for meal pickup. The new Crackpot Kitchen has used the changes in the dining model, which came with the COVID-19 pandemic, to create a more efficient concept for dining in TCI which will shortly be incorporating a curbside pickup option as well.
Like the mighty Phoenix, Crackpot Kitchen has used the flames to cultivate a Rebirth as it works to perfect the same winning product that we’ve grown to love, now in a new package. “We are so blessed and overwhelmed with the support that we have gotten from the Turks and Caicos community and the hundreds of visitors who have dined with us over the years. We knew we had to get back to it, as we received hundreds of messages asking when we would be returning” says Chef Nik. “This Rebirth is the culmination of a vision to continue to modernize the TCI dining experience, while remaining rooted in all the things that make our food and hospitality a TCI exclusive”. Chef Nik is excited to welcome everyone back to Crackpot Kitchen where there is always – Great Food. Good People. Cool Vibez.
Release: Chef Nik – Crackpot Kitchen
Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicos, March 17, 2023 – Revenue from the Turks and Caicos’ Financial Services Sector will more than double in the next few years, if E Jay Saunders, Deputy Premier and Finance Minister gets his way. It ‘s one of the reasons the country is investing so much capital into getting off of the EU blacklist and becoming a secure trustworthy financial destination.
“The FSC’s revenues for 2020/21 was $10.5M— the figures for 2021/22, would be about similar,” he said. He further explained that $10.5 million from the FSC represented about 2.6 percent of the country’s 408.5-million-dollar
revenue. Though it increased to $14 million in the 2021/22 financial year, finance is still a small fry compared to tourism or even stamp duties but that will change, says Saunders.
“My revenue goal for the Government by the year 2029 [or] the election after the next election – is $500M. By that time, I want the financial sector (FSC) revenues to represent at least 5% ($25M). So that’s my goal for the financial sector by 2029.”
This goal, should it be met, would increase the Government’s revenue by 100 million dollars, a significant increase in spending power for local upgrades and improvements for Turks and Caicos residents and visitors.
Saunders says it’s time for the TCI to diversify its sources of revenue to make sure that what happened in the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw residents out of a job for months, will not happen again. Tourism now makes up around 80 percent of the country’s GDP. The Minister of Finance wants to push that down to 60 or even 50 percent.
Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#Haiti, March 17, 2023 – When a CARICOM delegation visited Haiti earlier this month, conspicuously absent was the Turks and Caicos Islands despite being one of the nations most directly affected by the multi-dimensional crisis there. There is no comment, as yet from the Premier, to say why this was the case.
Still, from the expedition, CARICOM heads of Government have informed that there will be lobbying in Africa for assistance in Haiti. They say they have decided that the best course of action for the Caribbean country is to bolster the Haitian National Police and act as intermediaries with Africa and the world. The decision follows a one day visit on February 27th, and a March 5th meeting chaired by the Bahamas.
CARICOM says during the trip delegates ‘met with a broad range of Haitian stakeholders to hear their views on the
way forward to a Haitian-led solution’. With that in mind it has made a decision on how to proceed.
“The Heads of Government agreed to support the Haitian National Police in their efforts to address the security situation. The focus of the Community will be the provision of training for the HNP and the provision of humanitarian assistance to HNP and the wider Haitian society, taking into account the challenging humanitarian and security situation”
It’s not clear yet where and how this training will take place. Also distinctly absent from the report, no more mention of boots on the ground from other countries despite CARICOM Member States indicating they were ready and willing should it come to that.
In addition, recognizing ‘the common historical experiences and the strong African-Caribbean relationship’ CARICOM says,
“Heads of Government also agreed to seek support from African countries for Haiti. They also agreed to work with the Governments of Canada and the United States as well as the UNDP”
Magnetic Media has reached out to the Premier’s Office to get a full debrief of the February 27th visit (led by Jamaica; including The Bahamas and Trinidad and Tobago) to learn of Turks and Caicos’ posture following the critical sessions.
Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicos, March 17, 2023 – Musicians from the New World Symphony will be in the Turks and Caicos in concert next month and residents are invited to attend in support of the future of Ashley’s Learning Center. 
A fairly young orchestral academy based in Miami, the New World Symphony was launched in the 1980s by 1987, Michael Tilson Thomas and Ted Arison,Carnival Cruises founder. From the 1500 applicants who vie for a spot each year, the symphony accepts around 35 music graduates annually for training fellowships.
A select few of those graduates will be in country on April 8th headlining at the Ashley’s Learning Center concert ‘We’re all in this together’. The concert which also feature local artistes will be held at Brayton Hall on Venetian Road from 6 pm to 8:30 pm
Tickets are available ON ISLEHELP $75 PER GENERAL SEAT $125 PER PREMIUM SEAT $195 PER GALLERY SEAT – with /FREFRESHMENTS.
For TICKET RESERVATIONs you can call: 649-341-2304 or email EVENTS@ASHLEYSLEARNINGCENTER.ORG
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