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TCI Govt Officials fully endorse DDME App

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By Deandrea Hamilton & Dana Malcolm

Editorial Staff

 

#TurksandCaicos, March 22, 2022 – Three months before the start of the 2022 Atlantic Hurricane Season and the Department of Disaster and Emergencies in the TCI has launched its new mobile app called DDME Alert and you can find it on both the Android and the Apple platforms.

At a ceremony held Friday at the Shore Club and attended by Governor Nigel Dakin; Deputy Governor  Anya Williams; Minister of Immigration and Border Services Arlington Musgrove; Opposition member Alvin Garland and several other members of government and the Royal TCI Police Force, the striking mobile application was launched.

The UK Foreign Commonwealth Development Office had announced it would support the development of an app for the DDME, now the tool is here and provides real time hazard information, weather updates and access to emergency services to islanders.

Minister with responsibility for Disaster Management and Emergencies is Arlington Musgrove, at the launch on Friday afternoon he expressed being impressed but not surprised.

“You know, when I met Team DDME, they wasted no time in telling me they are a force to be reckoned with.  They said they are very small, but they are definitely a force to be reckoned with.  Not only in TCI, but in the whole region.

This app is a good thing and I really want to encourage every turks and Caicos islander, residents and visitors alike to please download this app.

This is very important, especially in disaster, not only in hurricane, but there could be airplane crashing, fires – this app will be able to tell you things like where flooding is.

I want to thank DDME for bringing this app to the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands.  I applaud you,” said Minister Musgrove.

An ‘IM OKAY’ feature to let friends and family know your status in the event of a disaster is another vital feature. A ‘friend walk’ feature allows one to share location with a friend and allows one to be tracked; both are designed to prove useful when communications are limited.

TCI remembers in 2017, when back to back hits of Hurricanes Irma and Maria destroyed over 70 per cent of buildings and cut off vital communication.  These days earthquakes, tsunamis and man-made catastrophes are all equally as possible.

When the Governor spoke, he too acknowledged the hard working DDME team, particularly Joanna Wilson-Forbes and Mark Wilkinson, who he said not only have ideas but have been able to deliver on them.

“It’s intimidating being a small island state in the hurricane belt but there are two amazing things that now give us an edge, perhaps we did not want them to give us an edge.  But the first is because we have had three category five hurricanes in 13-14 years, we’ve got an extremely experienced Government – by which I mean public service and ministers who’ve done this before and will do it well again and a really experienced public as well, who have been through it.

If you’ve got that type of experienced public, the best thing you can do, is give them the very best information so they can make really smart decisions and that is exactly what your application is doing, thank you for that.”

Governor Dakin, who is co-chair (along with the Premier) of the National Emergency Operation Center, NEOC, which is mobilized in the event of any kind of disaster, said the DDME App also gives leaders great information.

The Governor, Nigel Dakin issued a challenged.  For everyone at the launch to get 10 individuals to download the app, asking those individuals to repeat the process for there to be maximum access to the information contained in the hub.

You can download the DDME app at DDME alert in the App Store or on Google play.

Caribbean News

Liberty Caribbean Supports Regional Forum on AI, Cyber Resilience and Digital Inclusion  

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Port of Spain, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO (February 24, 2026) — Liberty Caribbean, the operators of Flow, Liberty Business and BTC, recently served as Gold-Level Partner of the two-day Trinidad and Tobago Internet Governance Forum (TTIGF), themed “The Innovation Paradox – Balancing Progress with Responsibility and Resilience”.

The Digital Divide is of particular interest to Liberty Caribbean and is being addressed through its Charitable Foundation across the region. Low broadband penetration in the Caribbean contributes to diminished opportunities for individuals, communities, and local economies, but with the support of funding partners, this gap can be addressed through a comprehensive programme – JUMP – that focuses on providing access, devices, and digital skills.

“Liberty Caribbean was proud to serve as Gold-Level Partner of the TTIGF because the conversations taking place here shape key digital policies for multiple stakeholders,” said Simone Martin-Sulgan, Vice President and General Manager, Flow Trinidad.

“As technology accelerates at an unprecedented pace, we must ensure that innovation strengthens our societies rather than fragments them. The theme, ‘The Innovation Paradox – Balancing Progress with Responsibility and Resilience,’ speaks directly to the work we do every day: building networks that are not only fast and reliable, but secure, inclusive and future-ready.”

Across the Caribbean, the digital divide remains one of the most pressing barriers to equitable growth. Low broadband penetration limits access to education, entrepreneurship and essential services, and that is why we are deeply committed to closing this gap.

Through the Liberty Caribbean Charitable Foundation and initiatives like the JUMP Programme, the company is expanding access to technology, affordable connectivity and digital skills training so that individuals and communities are empowered to participate fully in the digital economy.

Martin-Sulgan further stated “at Liberty Caribbean, we believe progress and responsibility must move in lock step. By investing in resilient networks, inclusive programmes and trusted partnerships, we are helping to build a Caribbean that is innovative, secure and prepared for the opportunities ahead.”

Topics covered during the Forum, with over 140 participants, included “Securing Critical Infrastructure”, Integrating AI into Digital Transformation”, “The Digital Divide”, The Human Cost of Innovation – Mental Health and Well-being in the Digital Age’, and AI, Cyber Resilience and Regional Innovation”.

Focused on the underlying mandate of the Conference theme thought leaders, innovators, policymakers, technologists, researchers, and community stakeholders were invited to explore how countries can evolve boldly without compromising values or long-term stability.

Photo Caption: 

TTIGF – l-r Darren Campo, Regulatory & Compliance Officer; Yolande Agard-Simmons, Senior Manager Communications; and Kevon Swift, Senior Manager Government and Regulatory Affairs of Flow Trinidad in attendance at the Post Event Mixer at Caribbean Telecommunications Union’s Head Office in St Clair, Port of Spain

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Multi-Agency Enforcement Action Conducted in Five Cays

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Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, 20 February 2026 — The Informal Settlements Unit (ISU), in collaboration with key government agencies, coordinated a multi-agency enforcement exercise on Thursday, February 5, 2026, at Block and Parcel 60609/33 in the Five Cays area.

The exercise was led by the Crown Land Unit, pursuant to its statutory mandate under the Crown Land Ordinance to prevent squatting and encroachment on Crown land. The ISU coordinated the operation, with support provided by the Planning Department and the Turks and Caicos Islands Border Force, while the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force ensured security throughout the activity.

The enforcement action followed a series of inspections conducted by the Crown Land Unit throughout Five Cays, which identified several illegally constructed buildings made of concrete and timber on sections of the subject parcel. In keeping with the provisions of the Crown Land Ordinance, occupied structures were served Letters of Illegal Occupation, delivered by hand to occupants and posted on structures where individuals were absent. Incomplete and unoccupied structures were served Notices of Unauthorized Occupation pursuant to section 22 of the Ordinance. A total of ten (10) Letters of Illegal Occupation and three (3) Notices of Unauthorized Occupation were issued during the exercise.

The Informal Settlements Unit reiterates that these coordinated enforcement exercises form part of the Government’s ongoing efforts to uphold the law, protect Crown land, and manage informal settlements in a structured and lawful manner. Members of the public are reminded that unauthorised occupation and development on Crown land is unlawful and subject to enforcement action.

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Health

What to Look for with Self-Checks at Home

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February is National Self- Check Month and family medicine physician at Cleveland Clinic, OH, John Hanicak, MD, highlights why at home self-checks are extremely important when it comes to not just early cancer detection but identifying other illnesses too and offers tips on what to look out for.

“Sometimes Ilook at them as sort of like your check engine light on the car, just like therewould be a red flashing light that tells you that there’s something wrong with acar and prompts you to bring that in and get serviced. Your body does the samething. It gives you warning signs tolook intothat symptom a little bit further,” said Hanicak.

Dr. Hanicak saidself-checks are going to be a little different for everyone. 

However, in general, he recommends looking for anything that may seem abnormal, such asunexplained weight loss,blood in your urine, bumps and bruisesthat won’t heal,and changes in bowel habits. 

For example, if you suddenly start going to the bathroom a lot more than you used to, that could bea signof something more serious. 

He also suggestsdoing regular skin checksanddocumentingany molesor spotsthat start to look different. 

“Realize that you are your own person.There’s nobody else in the world exactly like you.You’ve got your own set ofideas, your own family history and your own genetics.Know what is normal for you, and when that changes, that’s the kind of thing thatwe would be interested in talking about,” said Dr. Hanicak. 

Dr. Hanicaknotes that self-checks are not meant to replace cancer screenings, as those are just as important to keep up with. 

Press Release: Cleveland Clinic

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