News
Growing; a Woman who refuses to let TCI tradition rot in the field
By Shanieka Smith
Features Writer
#TurksandCaicos, April 5, 2022 – From Banking to Psychology to Farming, Mrs KacyDee Higgs, a forty-seven-year-old farmer from North Caicos resolutely confesses being a woman farmer has not been the easiest, but with equal determination, she tells the many challenges, I have grown to like you!
“My kitchen garden turned into my backyard garden and my backyard garden turned into a
farm,” she said as she chuckled and reminisced on the 10-years it took her to realise success as a farmer.
KacyDee Higgs started commercial farming in 2009. Higgs now has a thriving business patriotically called, Caicos Traditions, and her goal is to rejuvenate the staples of yesteryear.
Even as she balances her passion – farming, she currently works in the Mental Health Department for the Turks and Caicos Islands Government as a substance-dependence client counsellor.
“I get that question all the time [why farming?], especially from persons who know me and the jobs that I had before farming. I think they ask me that because, for years, we’ve been looking at agriculture as a demeaning job, so I get that question,” she admitted when we interviewed her following her recent awarding of a Government Agro-Grant.
Mrs Higgs was open and shared, one person asked why she would hang up a corporate jacket to do farming. “It came across pretty derogatory at first, but then I had to realize that they just didn’t see the vision that I had,” Higgs expressed.
Her vision for her Turks and Caicos Islands is to be a self-sufficient island nation, capable of feeding itself.
“A nation that cannot feed itself is not a growing nation,” Higgs expressed.
Her firm perspective is that food security is essential and agriculture should be the TCI’s top goal. In fact, the owner of Caicos Traditions said she believes farming should be taught from birth.
Though she acknowledged that farming is now being taken more seriously in the country, she emphasised that “food security is not only planting or giving a grant to plant food.” Higgs said, “for me, food security is making certain that should something strike this very moment, if you can give an account of 30 thousand people being in North Caicos, those 30 thousand people can be fed.”
The realisation of the significance of food security is the inspiration and motivation behind Caicos Traditions, where produce and herbs like corn, papaya, okra, sugar cane, sugar apples, sweet potatoes, cassava, basil, pepper, and a variety of peas like pigeon, cow, and dry beans bloom straight from the ground and are hanging off the trees.
She said she stuck with these foods, (staples of yesteryear) because they are more adaptable and conducive to the environment in the TCI, even with global warming and other existing environmental issues.
“The reason why Caicos Traditions has started this venture is to make certain that our heritage is carried on and our culture stays alive,” she added.
Higgs is married with four children and manages to be a star farmer. She also wears her jacket in the corporate space, and it would be remiss not to ask, “how do you do it all?”
“It is a work of art, I don’t have it all under control and sometimes I focus more on my job and my farm gets left behind but I try my best to keep my children on a good foot. She added, however, that most of her children are grown and are helpful in the farming department.”
When reflecting on how her children support agribusiness she drove home a profound point – farming is multifaceted. It is not just physical work on a farm; many other things are done behind and beyond the farm.
In all doings, there are challenges and successes. For Higgs, her series of challenges spiralled into her biggest success yet when it comes to her agribusiness.
“My biggest success for farming is seeing that my mills and my grits and corn flour are finally on the shelves of a grocer,” she expressed.
In a truly open exchange, revealing the length and breadth and depth of this Woman Farmer KacyDee said it was in a simple black and white composition book where she drafted her grand plans.
A cousin told her she is ten years ahead of her time – that was discouraging.
“…everywhere I twist and turn, I was getting knocked down. I had to move off the property that I was on, I had a three-year break from farming and I was like, if you want me to do this Lord, why are you making it so difficult?”
She lamented and she waited. In the waiting, throughout her three year break, KacyDee Higgs studied Psychology and had given up on farming or so she thought.
But as passion is a peculiar thing. It can go to sleep and be revived and so it was for her and the passion she has for farming and supporting the vision for national food security.
This champion businesswoman showed grit and picked it all back up.
Caicos Traditions would soon be outputting grits, corn flour and today, those products sit on shelves at Graceway IGA. The down home North Caicos product has also given birth to the idea and production of other traditional ingredients like grated coconut.
North Caicos is called the green island as the second largest in the TCI chain. It is home to farming and ingenuity. Though removed from the capital, Grand Turk and the main economic hub of Providenciales, it is not that far away.
A short ferry ride now does it, and perhaps soon a 12-minute flight will make the connections to key domestic markets more seamless. As farming undoubtedly turns a significant corner and mounts up as a dominant priority for smaller nations given the negative effects of geo-politics and the merciless health crisis, country leaders are now forced to pay proper attention to agriculture.
In the rich ‘brown gold’ of North Caicos, there grows the products island children were raised on and nourished with; there grows the value and offerings of KacyDee Higgs’ Caicos Traditions
News
Turks and Caicos Golf Association Dominates Caribbean Classic for Historic Three-Peat as Champions
Casa de Campo, Dominican Republic – History was made on the greens of Casa de Campo as the Turks and Caicos Islands Golf Association (TCIGA) secured an unprecedented third consecutive championship at the 29th annual Caribbean Classic Golf Tournament, held from April 29th to May 2nd, 2025. This remarkable achievement underscores a significant surge in the prominence of golf within the Turks and Caicos Islands, a success largely attributed to the strategic team assembled by Sean Wilson, Head Professional at the esteemed Royal Turks and Caicos Golf Club.
A strong contingent of 48 golfers proudly represented the TCIGA, competing fiercely across both the Men’s and Women’s divisions. Their enthusiastic participation was duly rewarded with victories in the men team category.
Hon. Rachel Taylor, Minister of Sports, Turks and Caicos Islands stated “On behalf of the Government and the people of the Turks and
Caicos Islands, I extend heartfelt congratulations to our national golf team for their outstanding achievement at the 29th Caribbean Golf Classic. Securing a third consecutive victory is a testament to the team’s dedication, skill, and the growing stature of golf in our nation. This accomplishment not only brings pride to our islands but also inspires our youth to pursue excellence in sports. Let us celebrate this momentous victory and look forward to continued success in the years to come.”
“This three-peat victory truly reflects the growing passion and increasing involvement in golf within the Turks and Caicos,” commented TCIGA President Fraser Dods. “To bring home the coveted George Noon Cup for the third year running, after nearly three decades of competition, fills us with immense pride for Turks and Caicos golf.”
The team’s dominant performance stemmed from unwavering determination and exceptional play across all flights and categories. The men’s team clinched the prestigious Robert Grell Trophy. This near clean sweep across all team divisions highlights the burgeoning depth of talent within the TCIGA membership.
The Caribbean Classic, organized annually by the Caribbean Golf Association, unites golfers from its twelve member countries. The tournament features both individual and team competitions, with each participating nation fielding an unlimited number of players who compete over three days, playing eighteen holes each day.
Having captured the George Noon Cup in 2023 for the first time in 27 years of participation in 2023, 2024 and now again in 2025, Team Turks and Caicos once again amassed the highest overall points, solidifying their reign as champions. This three consecutive victory marks a significant milestone for sports in the Turks and Caicos Islands and for the burgeoning golf community.
Individual Stars Shine Brightly
Beyond the collective triumph, individual brilliance shone through from several TCI golfers. Andrea Todd delivered a stellar performance to win the ladies’ Flight 1. On the men’s side, Kurt Rivers, Jamie Gray, Dale Hodgkins, Simon Dobbs, Steven Kendrew, and Mark Fulford all showcased impressive form. Their individual successes were crucial in bolstering the team’s overall victory.
“This incredible team performance speaks volumes about the dedication and talent we have within the TCIGA,” stated Mark Fulford, Vice President of the TCIGA. “To witness such commitment and skill across all divisions is truly inspiring and signals a very bright future for golf in the Turks and Caicos.”
Looking to the Future: Building on a Legacy of Success
Jarrett Forbes, TCI Director of Sports, expressed his optimism for the future of the sport. “This victory underscores the tremendous potential for golf in the Turks and Caicos,” he noted. “We are eager to encourage more young people in our islands to embrace this fantastic sport.”
Sean Wilson, Head Golf Professional at Royal Turks and Caicos Golf Club, echoed this sentiment. “This is a truly monumental achievement
for TCI golf,” he said. “Bringing home trophies in two out of three divisions is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the TCIGA executive and all its players.”
Special thanks goes to Royal Turks and Caicos Golf Club, and the hard work of golf professionals
Ashley Gravett and Justin Simmons in bringing so many more new golfers into the sport.
President Fraser further commented that:
“Summer kids golf camps are a great way for children to receive a fun introduction to the game. These summer clinics run in June and July and all are welcome to attend and get a taste of the fastest growing sport in TCI”
This third consecutive victory at the Caribbean Classic establishes a new and impressive legacy for golf in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
The TCIGA is managed by a dedicated volunteer executive committee comprising Fraser Dods (President), Mark Fulford (Vice President), Denise Douglas (Secretary), Dale Hodgkins (Treasurer), Andrea Todd, and Roberto Stipa. Through their collective efforts and the growing enthusiasm of TCI golfers, the future of the sport in the region looks exceptionally promising.
The Caribbean Classic remains a highlight on the Caribbean Golf calendar, bringing together amateur golfers from twelve nations, including the Turks and Caicos, Puerto Rico, Guadalupe, the Bahamas, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Dominican Republic, Barbados, the Cayman Islands, Martinique, St Lucia, and the USVI.
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