News
“Bite greater than the Bark” says Deputy Premier as TCI put on Grey List
By Deandrea Hamilton & Dana Malcolm
Editorial Staff
#TurksandCaicos, March 22, 2022 – The Turks and Caicos Islands is back on the EU Grey List as a non-cooperative tax jurisdiction along with several other Caribbean countries, including two which are in an even more precarious category; the black list.
E. Jay Saunders, the TCI’s Deputy Premier said however, this is an unfair characterization when he made the reveal last week about the listing in the House of Assembly.
“What happens when a country is on put on the list of Non-Cooperative jurisdictions Mr. Speaker? Well according to the European Council website, its member states “will act together to put pressure for reform”. Mr. Speaker, as I am sure you’re aware, this is one of those rare times when the bite is greater than the bark,” said the Minister in parliament.
He also acknowledged that the list is not a desirable place for any country and has vowed to get the Turks and Caicos out the unfavourable category.
“Mr. Speaker, as the guardian of the financial services sector, I am pleased to say to the people of the Turks & Caicos Islands, especially those who work in financial services, that one country that is not on the list is the Turks & Caicos Islands. Mr. Speaker, jurisdictions that do not yet comply with all the EU international tax standards, but have committed to reform, are included in a state of play document (Annex II). This is the list that the Turks & Caicos Islands is currently on, and I’m happy to say that once a jurisdiction meets all its commitments, it is removed from the annexes, and this is what we’re aiming to achieve.”
The ‘EU list of non-cooperative jurisdictions for tax purposes’ identifies non-EU countries that “encourage abusive tax practices which erodes member states corporate tax revenues.
According to several published reports, the Turks and Caicos has not ‘remedied failures of meeting one or more of the requisite standards within a specific timeline’ landing them on Annex ll of the list.
The KPMG report on February 28th confirmed that The Bahamas, TCI and others were added to this list since February 4.
The Turks and Caicos was last gray listed in May 2018 for ‘the existence of tax regimes that facilitate offshore structures which attract profits without real economic activity. The situation was then rectified in 2019 by former Premier and Finance Minister, Sharlene Robinson who, in a statement said she had worked with stakeholders to avoid this negative listing and country was removed.
Now the TCI is back to this unattractive place for financial services and business practices.
“Mr. Speaker, the EU has a program to address what they deem as “harmful tax practices” by countries. The EU aim is to have countries comply with a set of “objective tax good governance criteria, which include tax transparency, fair taxation and implementation of international standards designed to prevent tax base erosion and profit shifting.”
Mr. Speaker, on the 24 February 2022, the European Council ruled on the revised EU list of Non-Cooperative jurisdictions for tax purposes. Countries on the list are described as encouraging “…abusive tax practices, which erode [EU] member states’ corporate tax revenues”. What happens when a country is on put on the list of Non-Cooperative jurisdictions Mr. Speaker? Well according to the European Council website, its member states “will act together to put pressure for reform”.
The Deputy Premier stopped short of saying the country was on the grey-list, but did offer the assurance that the TCI is committed to reform.
“I want to take this time to congratulate the Ministry of Finance team, particularly Mr. Henry Saunders, Director, Financial Transactions Information Exchange, and his team; and the PS of Finance, Mrs. Athenee Harvey-Basden and her team; who worked very hard to ensure that we met the requirements to be included on Annex II, and who are working very hard for our jurisdiction to be removed from the Annexes altogether.”
Other countries named to the Grey List are: Belize, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, Israel, Montserrat, Russia, Tunisia and Vietnam. Trinidad and Tobago and the US Virgin islands have been named as countries with harmful tax practices; these have been ‘Black Listed.’
The Turks and Caicos and other ‘grey-listers’ have until October to shape-up.
The Bahamas, August 27, 2026 – The Royal Bahamas Police Force wishes to inform members of the public that several individuals are scheduled to appear before the Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, 27th August 2026, at 12:00 noon.
The individuals and charges are as follows:
An 18-year-old female is scheduled to be arraigned on the following charges:
Three (3) counts of Murder
Three (3) counts of Attempted Murder
Three (3) counts of Possession of a Firearm with Intent to Endanger Life
Three (3) counts of Possession of an Unlicensed Firearm
Two (2) counts of Possession of Ammunition
Armed Robbery
Abetment to Armed Robbery
Stealing
Receiving
The charges stem from three separate shooting incidents and an armed robbery that occurred on Friday, 21st August 2026, and Saturday, 22nd August 2026.
The first shooting occurred in the area of Soldier Road and Baillou Hill Road, resulting in the death of a 51-year-old male.
The second shooting occurred in the area of Joe Farrington Road, resulting in the death of a 52-year-old male.
The third shooting occurred in the area of Gladstone Road, resulting in the death of a 36-year-old male.
The armed robbery occurred at a business establishment in the area of Carmichael Road and Baillou Hill Road.
A 21-year-old male is scheduled to be arraigned on one charge of:
- Murder
The charge stems from a shooting incident that occurred on Tuesday, 21st July 2026, in the area of Samson Street, Nassau Village, which resulted in the death of a 28-year-old male.
A 32-year-old male is scheduled to be arraigned on the following charges:
- Murder
- Attempted Murder
These charges stem from a shooting incident that occurred on Wednesday, 24th December 2025, in the area of Graham Drive, Yellow Elder, which resulted in the death of a 25-year-old male.
RBPF, PACD
by Deandrea Hamilton | Editor
PROVIDENCIALES, TCI — In a country where government press conferences are virtually non-existent, ministers are often difficult for
journalists to access and regular broadcast television news has disappeared, TCI Innovation, Technology and Energy Minister E. Jay Saunders has challenged Caribbean media to become “impossible to ignore.”
Speaking at the Caribbean Broadcasting Union gathering, Saunders argued that the Caribbean does not have a relevance problem but a “discoverability and positioning problem.”
Discoverability is precisely the issue in Saunders’ home country. Even Government’s own attempts at video news broadcasting have struggled against the realities of consistently producing a daily, weekly or even monthly newscast.
The difficulties confronting TCI media extend well beyond algorithms: limited advertising revenue, underfunding, shortages of trained professionals and insufficient human capacity leave newsrooms struggling for both staff and stamina.
Then there is the reality of operating in one of the region’s smallest societies. Politicians, journalists, advertisers, businesses and the subjects of stories often exist within the same tight economic and social circles. A controversial report that might create a ripple elsewhere can produce a tsunami in TCI, intensifying concerns among journalists about commercial and professional victimisation.
Saunders believes AI can help.
He urged Caribbean media to use the technology to transform one original story into television, radio, web, podcast, social and translated content without multiplying newsroom workload.
He also wants regional journalism structured so AI systems can find, understand and trust Caribbean sources, moving media beyond traditional SEO into Answer Engine Optimisation.
His ultimate message was emphatic: “Use AI not to make Caribbean media more artificial — but to make Caribbean voices more visible.”
For Turks and Caicos media, however, becoming visible may require more than technology. It requires an environment in which journalism can survive.
That last sentence is where I think we land the plane. It acknowledges that EJ actually has some us
Bahamas News
Bahama Brass Band Invitation Sparks Heritage Debate Ahead of TCI Constitutional Holiday
Turks and Caicos, August 20, 2026 – The planned participation of the Bahama Brass Band in the Turks and Caicos Islands’ inaugural Constitutional Holiday celebrations on August 30 has sparked public debate over culture, heritage and the historical contributions of Turks and Caicos Islanders abroad.
Organizers defended the invitation, saying the band’s inclusion is intended to highlight the deep historical ties between the two countries
and honor Turks and Caicos men who helped establish and develop the institution in Grand Bahama.
According to the organizers, the Bahama Brass Band began in 1955 in Pine Ridge, Freeport, with Turks and Caicos Islanders, including the late Deacon Reuben Hall Sr. of Middle Caicos and Jenkins Williams and Mervin Hendfield of North Caicos, among those who helped build its foundation. The band eventually grew to more than 50 men.
The organizers also pointed to the participation of Turks and Caicos men in The Bahamas’ Independence celebrations on July 10, 1973, arguing that their contributions became part of Bahamian history while maintaining strong connections to their homeland.
Supporters say bringing the band home represents an opportunity to honor those pioneers, showcase their regional influence and expose younger generations to an important part of Turks and Caicos history.
However, concerns raised publicly described the invitation as potentially disrespectful to local culture and heritage. Organizers acknowledged those concerns, apologizing to anyone who felt overlooked or offended, while maintaining that no disrespect was intended.
The committee said the event should ultimately unite rather than divide, presenting the band’s history as evidence of the reach and resilience of Turks and Caicos heritage.
PHOTO CREDIT: Bahamas Brass Band
