By Dana Malcolm

Staff Writer

#TurksandCaicos, December 22, 2021 – The Turks and Caicos Humanitarians of the Year are Stan Hartling and Arean Lewis.  The two were awarded by the Turks and Caicos Islands Human Rights Commission along with several other awardees on Saturday December 11, 2021 at the Shore Club. The event was attended by the likes of Governor Nigel Dakin and Deputy Premier E.J. Saunders.

Lewis bagged The Junior Humanitarian award which he has been nominated for every year since the award’s inception.  Lewis was recognized for his work in the community of South Caicos. Some of the work he has done includes organizing fundraisers for children, organizing island clean-ups and an Easter Fair, a Gala to honor past and present teachers in South Caicos as well as an annual Christmas fair for residents.

The man of the night however was Mr Stan Hartling. Hartling was recognized for the work he does with charities around the TC through the Hartling Group.

Hartling’s work includes support for cultural endeavors like the search for the Trouvadore shipwreck. He has contributed to healthcare for islanders in the form of a dialysis machine and financially supporting the Turks and Caicos AIDS Awareness Foundation. He also invests in youth development with financial contributions to the Provo Hockey League and a scholarship scheme along with many other initiatives across the islands.

The Commission, in reference to Hartling’s Contributions said, “These are contributions to the Turks and Caicos Islands that improve the lives of our most vulnerable residents and provide a significant boost to the development of our society into one where we eliminate poverty and provide security and opportunity for all whilst still honouring our history and staying true to our culture.”

There were also several other awardees at the community level two people from each island were awarded and an overall community star was selected from the group to receive the Cheryl Astwood-Tull Community Star Award.

Awardees included Mr. Franklin Missick and Palm Grove in action representing Grand Turk.

From Salt Cay there was Gladys Kennedy and Anthonet Talbot, Sharon Minnot and Maria Clare were chosen from South Caicos, Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Jacobs represented Middle Caicos, Kadra Been-Handfield and Quincy Thomas were the North Caicos awardees and Katherine Forbes and Jeffery Nicolas and the Rotaract Club from Providenciales rounded out the Community Stars.

From the pack Mr. Franklin Missick was the lucky man chosen for the Hon. Cheryl Astwood-Tull Community Star Award.  Mr. Missick was selected by a panel for what they said was ‘his outstanding contributions on the island of Grand Turk’.

Director Ms. Sabrina Green was lauded by both the Deputy Premier and the Governor for her masterful management of the Commission.

Greene said that the commission would now be focusing on addressing the ‘key areas of inequality in the Turks and Caicos’. She said these included housing inequality, minimum wage, facilities for the elderly and disabled persons, special needs education and school placement.

Next year’s awards have been set for December 10th 2022.