Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – Friday, 26 June 2026: The Department of Disaster Management and Emergencies (DDME) successfully hosted its Hurricane Preparedness Expo this past Friday, 19 June 2026, at the Dillon Hall in Grand Turk. Residents and visitors attending the event, took full advantage of the opportunity to learn more about hurricane preparedness while participating in exciting activities and receiving complimentary tokens.

The expo brought together several key partners and stakeholders, including the TCI Red Cross, Do it Center (Building Materials), Pelican Energy TCI, Interhealth Canada, TCI Regiment, Health Promotion and Advocacy Unit, Aged Care and Rehabilitation TCI, the Environmental Health Department, Survey and Mapping Department and the Public Works Department.  These stakeholders and vendors contributed to the event’s success by sharing valuable information and products aimed at helping individuals and families prepare for the hurricane season.

Both the Director and Deputy Director for DDME addressed attendees and emphasised the importance of remaining vigilant throughout the Atlantic Hurricane Season.  DDME Director, Lt. Col (Ret’d) Jason Hills stated, “Preparedness is not a one-time activity but an ongoing responsibility. We encourage everyone to take the necessary steps by staying informed and ensuring their emergency plans and supplies are up to date,” DDME Deputy Director Ms. Kevaun Lucas added that, “It only takes one storm to change lives and communities forever. That is why preparedness cannot wait until a hurricane is on our doorstep, take the time now so you will not be caught off guard later.”

DDME would like to take this opportunity to express gratitude to all vendors and persons from the Grand Turk community that attended this event.  We also express our sincere thanks to The Hon. Otis Morris and Hon. Sharon Simons for their presence and participation.

The Hurricane Preparedness Expo forms part of the DDME’s ongoing public awareness and community outreach initiatives during the Atlantic Hurricane Season. These events aim to strengthen preparedness and resilience across the country.  The public is warmly encouraged to attend DDME initiatives and take an active role in hurricane preparedness.

UPCOMING CHURCH SERVICE

Sunday, 28 June 2026  •  St. Mary’s Pro-Cathedral, Grand Turk  |  9:00 AM (New time)

OTHER UPCOMING EVENT

Saturday, 4 July 2026  •   Community Hurricane Scavenger Hunt, Meeting point: Oseta Jolly Primary School, Providenciales |  2:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands (June 26th, 2026) — The Turks and Caicos Islands is celebrating another major airlift milestone with the announcement that United Airlines will launch new nonstop service between Denver International Airport (DEN) and Howard Hamilton International Airport in Providenciales (PLS) beginning December 2026.*

The new weekly service marks a significant expansion of United Airlines’ established presence in the Turks and Caicos Islands and is the result of extensive negotiations with the Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority (TCIAA).

This announcement comes on the heels of the Turks and Caicos Islands’ successful roadshow in Denver, where the delegation, led by the Premier, Hon. Charles Washington Misick, was warmly welcomed by Governor Jared Polis, who proclaimed May 20th, 2026, as Turks and Caicos Islands Friendship Day in Colorado in recognition of the growing ties between the destination and the state.

Premier, Hon. Charles Washington Misick, said this new route will open up new opportunities for the Turks and Caicos Islands.

“This new direct service between Denver and Providenciales is tremendously exciting for the Turks and Caicos Islands. Denver is one of America’s great aviation gateways, opening convenient access to Colorado, California, and the entire western United States. Having already established strong links to the eastern and midwestern markets, we are delighted to now extend our reach to the west. We are confident this route will unlock significant opportunities for tourism, business, and investment and further strengthen our ties with the United States,” he said.

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Zhavargo Jolly, welcomed the announcement as a strong endorsement of the destination’s growing appeal and the Ministry’s continued efforts to diversify source markets and expand airlift.

“This new service between Denver and Providenciales represents another important step in expanding the global reach of the Turks and Caicos Islands. For many years, our strongest air connections have been concentrated along the East Coast and in the Midwest of the United States. Today, we continue our strategic expansion westward, creating direct access to one of North America’s most dynamic and affluent regions. This route strengthens our ability to attract visitors whose interests align naturally with the Turks and Caicos Islands’ tourism product—from luxury travel and wellness experiences to diving, outdoor adventure, and second-home ownership,” he said.

Minister of Physical Planning and Infrastructure Development, Hon. Arlington Musgrove, described the announcement as another important step in strengthening the destination’s connectivity and competitiveness.

“This new service is the result of continued collaboration between the Government, the Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority, Experience Turks and Caicos and our airline partners. Expanding air access is critical to sustaining tourism growth, and we are pleased that United Airlines continues to recognise the immense opportunity that exists here in the Turks and Caicos Islands,” the Minister said. “As part of our broader strategic vision, we have been deliberately cultivating and developing routes from the western portion of North America — a market of enormous potential — with the goal of securing greater overall air capacity into our destination.”

“We’re excited to give our customers yet another non-stop option between the Caribbean and Denver,” said Tom Kozlowski, Senior Manager of Latin, Caribbean, & Hawaii Network Planning, United Airlines. “United is the largest carrier in Denver, and this new addition will be the westernmost service from Turks and Caicos to the US, opening new tourism opportunities. We know our customers in Denver and surrounds will enjoy easier access to beautiful beaches, unique island charm, and vibrant culture in one of the Caribbean’s most sought-after destinations.”

The addition of the Denver route further strengthens the Turks and Caicos Islands’ airlift portfolio and builds on recent successes in expanding access from key and emerging markets. Experience Turks and Caicos and the Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority will continue working closely with airline partners to identify opportunities for strategic growth and enhanced connectivity.

The new route will be operated by a Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft featuring 179 seats, including 20 in business class and 159 in economy.

The tentative flight schedule is below:

Schedule subject to change.

Customers can book flights at united.com and on the United app.

*Subject to Government approval

By Deandrea Hamilton | Magnetic Media

The Bahamas, June 26, 2026 – Just in case you thought Sebastian Bastian, The Bahamas’ first Minister of Innovation and National Development, was about to dust off Vision 2040 and carry on where others left off… think again.

In his maiden Budget Communication on Monday, June 15, Bastian unveiled what amounts to a blueprint to rebuild how the government works.

Not with another glossy vision document.

But with an execution machine.

The clearest indication came when the Minister acknowledged that while Vision 2040 was an important national achievement, it also exposed a weakness.

“So we are changing what we are building. The National Development Plan will no longer be a document we complete and set aside. It will be a living instrument — continuously reviewed, always current, resourced by full-time professionals, and grounded in real data — that shapes how this government, and every government after it, chooses its priorities. A plan is a document. What we are building is an institution.”

It is a remarkable shift in philosophy.

Instead of governments producing national plans every decade, Bastian wants professionals monitoring implementation in real time, measuring progress and ensuring administrations stay focused on delivering what they promised.

To Bastian, national development goes far beyond the roads, airports and buildings Bahamians can see. It also means creating the invisible infrastructure of government — smarter systems, better planning, reliable data, accountability and institutions that survive changes in political administrations.

His speech repeatedly returned to one central idea: government itself has become an obstacle to opportunity.

He described a Family Island entrepreneur waiting weeks or even months for approvals because government systems do not communicate with one another. He spoke of public servants trapped by outdated manual processes instead of serving people. And he highlighted an 18-year-old entering a workforce being reshaped by artificial intelligence before graduation.

As he explained:

“…our job is a practical one: to make government work better, to make The Bahamas easier to do business in, and to make sure our country and our people are ready for what comes next.”

For ordinary Bahamians, he said the objective is simple.

“…a government that is simpler, faster, and far easier to deal with… dealing with your government will get easier, year after year, by design.”

His ministry’s four pillars are ambitious: modernizing government, preparing the nation for artificial intelligence, developing Bahamian talent and driving long-term national development.

Among the initiatives announced were a National Artificial Intelligence Authority, the country’s first AI legislation, a National Digital ID, SmartGov productivity tools for public officers, connected government systems, a National AI Literacy Initiative, an independent National Planning and Development Institute and a Delivery Division dedicated to turning plans into action.

The speech stopped short in one important area.

While Minister Bastian thoroughly explained how government intends to transform itself, he did not establish the measurable targets by which Bahamians can judge whether that transformation is succeeding.

However, he did reveal the next milestone.

Beginning in August, the National Development Plan Secretariat will begin assessing the planning capacity of every ministry and department while establishing a national tracking system before the renewed development plan moves into execution.

With 23 ministries and offices in the Davis administration, Bahamians now have a timeline.

It would not be unreasonable for the public to expect Minister Bastian to return once that assessment is complete with the findings, benchmarks and measurable goals that define success.

After all, the Minister’s own philosophy leaves little room for anything less.

“Delivery does not happen by good intentions — it happens when you build the institutions to carry it: capacity for research and policy thinking; teams dedicated to implementation; structures that demand accountability; systems that measure progress; and continuity that outlives any election cycle.”

If this speech is any indication, Minister Sebastian Bastian is not asking Bahamians to judge him by promises.He is asking to be judged by performance.