News
Pennies in Savings; Food, Fuel & Import Prices set to Soar
By Deandrea Hamilton
Editor
#TurksandCaicos, April 15, 2022 – TCI Government will have to accelerate its reassessment plans when it comes to the $15 million Food and Fuel Tax Break because currently the drop in Customs Processing Fee (CPF) is only giving consumers pennies, if anything, in savings on grocery items. The reason, a rocketing inflation rate.
Prices on goods around the world are escalating rapidly and making matters worse, shipping costs are also marked up; not good for the Turks and Caicos which is heavily dependent upon imports.
GROCERIES
Since the start of April, shippers have been passing along the higher costs of doing business. Staple food items are more expensive and scarce. Magnetic Media observed empty shelves in several popular grocery stores in the Turks and Caicos; it was extremely concerning.
“It is still very difficult getting products in; we are trying,” explained a produce manager.
The current 2.5 per cent break on the CPF, is working but only to soften the blow on constantly rising levels of inflation; it means the government will have to go back to the drawing board.
Covid-19, shipping delays, lockdowns, quarantine orders, anti-vaccine protests, even the US stimulus to citizens which is financing extreme shopping are all blamed for the inflation; a perfect storm of events which has brought this pressure upon households now having to take on unbearable financial burdens and the Turks and Caicos is no exception.
The Russian-led war on the Ukraine has exacerbated the predicament.
We visited Sunny Foods store, with four grocery outlets in Provo and Grand Turk, where the decision has been to put the regular price and the reduced price on the same sticker. With the CPF applied, shoppers are saving only between one and four cents on popular grocery items.
Graceway Supermarkets decided to apply the CPF tax break on everything at the start of April; the company which owns three grocery stores in Providenciales and one food store in Grand Turk, informed that changes on price tags will come later, the savings will reflect at the cash register for now.
Sam’s Club in Providenciales is dropping prices by three per cent across the board at the register. Gus, the owner, is prepared to take a loss in order to simplify the process and attract shoppers.
P&K Spendless Supermarkets said their new stock will reflect the CPF discount, but no new stock is in store as yet.
Our news organization has been informed there has been no engagement by the Government with most of these food stores.
We are also told that every day, notices are coming from suppliers about increases in costs on the popular goods. Meanwhile, the rising cost of living signals that it is time for workers to get a raise.
Government has been able to tap into the public purse to augment salaries and other public service payouts by $30 million this fiscal year. The private sector has no such luxury.
National Insurance Board payments have increased since the start of April; another cost factor which is neutralizing the impact of the Government’s $500 Inflation Stimulus and the Food & Fuel Tax Break.
The recommendation from the grocers, when Magnetic Media quizzed them about a possible solution: ‘for a few months, as was done during the height of the Coronavirus Pandemic, drop the duty completely on bread basket items.
ELECTRICITY
There will be no reprieve in electricity bills either; FortisTCI has delivered a three pronged message namely: the
company’s efforts to become less fuel dependent; consumer advice encouraging energy conservation and the inescapable reality of surging oil prices which have now topped $100 per barrel.
The TCI’s electricity provider explained despite negotiations for better fuel rates, its supplier, Sun Oil has communicated that the Ukraine crisis will continue to drive up, oil prices.
“We have certainly been in discussions with our supplier and they do have inventory that is currently on hand, that does have the full Customs Processing Fee, CPF included already that has to be exhausted before that reduced Customs Processing Fee is then passed on to FortisTCI, which will flow through the customer bills,” said Aisha Laporte, VP of Finance at FortisTCI during an April 8 episode of Expressions radio show which is hosted by Robert Hall. “…but from the projections that we have we are expected to the see the reduction in the customs processing fee by May.
But I also want to say Mr. Hall, while that 2.5 per cent customs processing fee will be reflected, we’re also seeing an even larger marginal increase on just the cost of fuel. So that will outweigh the reduction from the savings on the Customs Processing Fee.”
FUEL
The report is equally as grim from TCI fuel suppliers.
McAllister Hanchell is Managing Director at Caicos Oil and he communicated early on, that fuel prices are fluctuating so rapidly, it was likely any small reduction would impact prices at the gas pumps.
Hanchell said oil prices are fluctuating, two to three per day in some cases.
This means though the government has come up with a tax break on the customs processing fee and the government’s fuel tax on gas sold at the pumps, it will have no bearing on the cost of the commodity on the open market, or the shipping fees which are also impacted by the pandemic and the conflict in the Ukraine.
Hanchell believes the 85 cents per gallon TCI Government collects on fuel, should be temporarily suspended.
SHIPPING
SEACOR has conveyed three significant rate increases since the start of April. On April 4th the shipping charges were raised due the surge in oil costs per barrel from around $80 to now over $100. Last week, an inland surcharge was passed onto the company; a new fee for shippers out of South Florida related to ground handling and that has resulted in higher charges on imports.
South Florida will apply a 20 per cent inland surcharge for all north and southbound shipments from Miami Dade County, Broward County and Ft Lauderdale.
On April 10, this notice came to SeaCor’s local link, AlServices Ltd: “Please note, effective Sunday, May 1, 2022, the below General Rate Increase (GRI) on the Ocean Freight charge will be applicable on all shipments to/from the United States and Turks & Caicos…”
The month of May is also when Cargo Express and Tropical Shipping will begin to charge more for its transport services. From Carl Simmons, Director there was this response to our queries on the kind of cost adjustments were pending:
“Tropical Shipping/Cargo Express Services can confirm that since the war began in Ukraine there has been an increase in Fuel costs that has impacted the costs of Shipping and Trucking to the Turks and Caicos Islands and other parts of the Caribbean. These increases would obviously be passed onto the customers and will ultimately impact consumers.
As of May 1st, 2022, Cargo Express Services will increase Trucking for Containerized cargo by $50.00 to all its Turks and Caicos customers; mainly due to the rise in fuel costs and replacement parts.”
Government’s around the world are powerless to control the cost of goods, supply chain issues, and despite harsh sanctions Russia continues its deadly, militant incursion of the Ukraine – the only solution is a reduction in government imposed taxes, which Consumers say are happening far too slow and offering cuts which are way too meager.
Meanwhile, since their March 15 national press conference, the TCI Government has issued no statement on the rolling issue.
After demolition
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – Friday, 17 July 2026: The Planning Department, with support from the Informal Settlements Unit (ISU), and the Crown Land Unit conducted a coordinated enforcement operation on Thursday, 2 July 2026, resulting in the demolition of six unauthorised structures on private property at Block and Parcel 60502/48. Security for the operation was provided by the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force.
The enforcement action followed the issuance of an Enforcement Notice by the Planning Department on 29 January 2026, advising the persons responsible for the structures that they had been erected without the necessary planning approval and were required to be removed. Following the expiration of the compliance period, a multi-agency operation was organised to carry out the demolition.
Before demolition activities commenced, personnel conducted a comprehensive inspection of the site to confirm that all structures were unoccupied and free of gas cylinders or other hazardous materials. These precautionary measures were undertaken to safeguard the welfare
of both the enforcement teams and the public while ensuring the operation was carried out safely and efficiently.
Upon completion of the exercise, participating agencies returned to Police Tactical Headquarters for a debrief, marking the successful conclusion of another coordinated enforcement effort.
The Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands reminds members of the public that all construction activities must receive the appropriate planning approvals before work begins. The Planning Department will continue to work alongside its partner agencies to enforce the Planning Ordinance, promote orderly development and ensure that construction throughout the Islands complies with the applicable laws and regulations.
Members of the public are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the planning approval process and to seek guidance from the Planning Department before undertaking any development to avoid enforcement action and loss of money invested.
News
DDME’s Hurricane Hunt Scavenger Hunt Sparks Community Spirit and Storm Preparedness in Providenciales
Department of Disaster Management and Emergencies: Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands — Fifteen teams raced across Providenciales on Saturday July 4th for the inaugural DDME Hurricane Hunt, a community scavenger hunt designed to combine friendly competition with hurricane preparedness education.
Teams were given a bag of supplies and 15 cryptic clues, participants had less than two hours to pinpoint locations and collect hurricane must-haves; including water jugs, shovels, flashlights and other supplies that every household should have on hand ahead of a storm.
The challenge tested not only participants’ local knowledge and navigation skills, but also their teamwork under time pressure; all while reinforcing practical lessons about what it takes to stay ready when a storm approaches.
Beyond the hunt itself, the event drew a lively crowd of families and supporters who turned out to enjoy a full day of festivities. Attendees took part in games, received free gifts, face painting, canvas painting, bounce houses and visited vendor booths; while enjoying fresh food off the grill throughout the afternoon.
“This event brought together the best of both worlds; a fun, high-energy competition and a meaningful reminder of how important it is for our community to be prepared,” Mr. Aaron Ballantyne, Community Preparedness Officer for Providenciales. “Seeing 15 teams fully engaged, racing to landmarks across the island while learning what belongs in a hurricane kit, was exactly the outcome we hoped for.”
DDME extends their sincere gratitude to the stakeholders that partnered with the event and generously donated their time, resources and
efforts to make it a success: The Turks and Caicos Islands Red Cross, The Oseta Jolly Primary School, The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force, Do It Center (Building Materials), KB Homes, Digicel TCI, Frost Cay and Clint Grilling and Catering Services, along with all other vendors who were solicited.
The event’s success was also made possible by the private organizations and government departments that opened their locations to serve as scavenger hunt sites, allowing the hunt to unfold across the island; from Chalk Sound to Long Bay.
The quick thinking first place team consisted of; Neekimo King, Keturah Miller-Brown, Lashaunda Dickenson and Kebba Thomas who all walked away with exciting prizes.
Ms. Bernadya Smith, Public Information and Media Manager stated; “With hurricane season underway, this event, along with our recent Hurricane Expo held in Grand Turk and community pop-ups throughout the country, is a testament to DDME’s commitment to blending community engagement with year-round storm readiness. We look forward to making this event an annual staple that brings families together while keeping preparedness at the forefront of every community we serve.
Follow DDME social media pages to stay up to date with upcoming events and to join their weekly quizzes for a chance to win exciting prizes all hurricane season long.
News
Invest TCI Supports Certification of Local Flats Fishing Guides Through MSME Technical Assistance Under Historic TCFFA–TCICC Partnership
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands — June 11th 2026 — Invest Turks and Caicos Islands has confirmed a financial commitment of $26,750 through the MSME Programme’s Technical Assistance support to assist 35 participants undertaking STCW and Fly-Fishing Guide Certifications under the Turks and Caicos Fly Fishing Association (TCFFA) and the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College (TCICC) partnership. The support is intended to strengthen the capacity of existing and emerging local operators within the flats-fishing and marine–based tourism sector, helping participants formalize their skills, improve service standards, and access higher-value economic opportunities.
The announcement follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between TCFFA and TCICC on 12th May 2026, establishing the
country’s first endorsed and regionally recognized Sustainable Fly-Fishing curriculum. That partnership, funded in part by the UK Government through the Darwin Plus Local initiative, aims to certify twenty or more Turks and Caicos Islanders as Flats-Fishing Guides and Train-The-Trainers — drawn from Providenciales, North Caicos, South Caicos, Middle Caicos, and Grand Turk.
Invest TCI’s contribution ensures that the financial barrier to certification does not prevent qualified candidates from accessing this sector-building opportunity. The support is being provided as technical assistance to strengthen the capacity of existing and emerging MSMEs within the flats-fishing and marine-based tourism sector, enabling participants to formalize, improve service standards, and access higher-value market opportunities.
“We are indeed happy to be a part of this initiative and to provide financial support towards the certification of the 35 participants. Invest TCI is committed to empowering small and medium enterprises and the individuals who drive them – and this programme is a direct example of that commitment in action.” — Alexa Cooper, Vice President – SME Development, Invest Turks and Caicos
Regional studies, including research on The Bahamas’ flats-fishing sector, show that the industry can generate significant economic value through lodging, meals, transport, retail, and guided services. This demonstrates the potential for Turks and Caicos to strengthen its own flats-fishing value chain through professional training, certification, and local enterprise development.
Angela Musgrove, CEO of Invest Turks and Caicos, highlighted the strategic alignment between the investment and Invest TCI’s broader
mission:
“Invest TCI’s mandate is to support a stronger, more diversified economy with Turks and Caicos Islanders positioned to benefit from the industries that shape our future. This initiative directly aligns with that mandate. By supporting certification for local flats-fishing guides, we are helping to convert local knowledge into recognized credentials, strengthen small business capacity, and retain more value within our communities. It is a practical investment in people, enterprise, and sector development.” — Angela Musgrove, CEO, Invest Turks and Caicos
TCFFA President Levardo Talbot, whose association initiated the candidacy process and identified the funded participants, welcomed Invest TCI’s commitment as pivotal to the programme’s reach:
“For the first time, Turks and Caicos Islander fly fishing guides have an endorsed and regionally-recognized, locally delivered pathway into a profession that has long been built on their knowledge but not always on their terms. Invest TCI’s support ensures the people who should be in this room are in this room.” — Levardo Talbot, President, Turks and Caicos Fly Fishing Association
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