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Rock House, the First Cliffside Resort in Turks & Caicos, Opens in Providenciales

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Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands, (May 9, 2022) – Grace Bay Resortsthe boutique owner, developer and operator of the finest luxury resorts and branded residences in Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands, announces the opening of Rock House, the first residential resort tucked into the rugged, untouched limestone cliffs of Providenciales’ north shore. Envisioned by Grace Bay Resorts’ chief executive officer and principal Mark Durliat after being inspired by his travels to Italy and the South of France, the resort features 46 oceanfront villa-style accommodations including studios and one- and two-bedroom freestanding homes built into the limestone cliffside similar to resorts, homes and villas in destinations like the Amalfi Coast.

Rock House is the Caribbean Capri, rivaling a trip to the Mediterranean without the transcontinental trip,” says Durliat.   “As one of only a few Leading Hotels of the World properties in Turks & Caicos, Rock House brings an entirely new experience to those seeking an alternative to the beachfront resorts typically found in the islands.”

Contemporary, Stone-Clad Accommodations

The standout design team behind Rock House includes AD100 interior designer Shawn Henderson, responsible for the interior design of the accommodations; Turks & Caicos’ leading architecture firm Coast Architects; and master planner Epikos Design. The resort’s one and two-bedroom standalone homes cascade down the sloping coastal limestone rock of Providenciales’ north shore, boasting outdoor terraces, bathrooms with lush outdoor shower gardens, 13-foot vaulted ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows to maximize the drop-dead views of the island’s renowned turquoise water. Rock House’s oceanfront pool studios overlook the 100-foot infinity pool, a focal point of the property and the largest of its kind in Turks & Caicos. Interiors feature an eclectic mix of contemporary and traditional design with custom furnishings, porcelain and terrazzo flooring, oversized soaking tubs and Waterworks fixtures. Rock House is Shawn Henderson’s first hospitality project in the Caribbean.

Promoting an eco-conscious ethos and preserving the site’s unique, natural landscape is central to the design of Rock House. Built by hand by local artisans out of the cliffs below, limestone feature walls wrap around the homes, from exterior to interior. All foliage in Rock House’s landscaping is indigenous to the site, including its centuries old, slow-growing Joewood trees, native orchids and ancient lignum vitae, also called the “trees of life” for their medicinal use.

 Chic Amenities

Guests at Rock House have access to the exclusive Beach Club at Rock House, reminiscent of European beach clubs whose crown jewel is a serviced jetty that stretches 130 feet into the Atlantic Ocean. The glamorous club also includes oceanfront dining with soaring views, a private white sand beach sandwiched between the limestone rock and calm ocean, and daily programming including water activities and excursions like kayaking, snorkeling and private island picnics.

Wellness is paramount to the resort, with an elevated 100-foot infinity pool, the largest in Turks & Caicos, which is surrounded by sophisticated day beds and parasols, and offers guests a chance to unwind while overlooking the islands’ famed crystal blue waters. Additional wellness amenities include in-room massage treatments, yoga classes, and winding walking and jogging trails.

“Rock House exudes high-touch service, world-class culinary offerings and unique wellness experiences—all things luxury travelers look for in a vacation today,” says Crawford Sherman, managing director of Rock House. “When guests experience Rock House for the first time, they will get the same indescribable feeling as one gets when experiencing the likes of Capri and Nice.”

Standout amenities slated to open later this year include a relaxing spa, tennis courts and a yoga pavilion.

Dazzling Oceanfront Dining

Led by executive chef Dennis Boon, Rock House’s signature Beach Club restaurant blends into the site’s natural beauty and remoteness while offering seductive 180-degree views of the archipelago’s barrier reef and Atlantic Ocean. The Beach Club serves Adriatic cuisine like fresh seafood, pasta, aged steaks and a curated wine list with endlessly-flowing rosé. Guests can also enjoy drinks at the see-and-be-seen Sunset Bar or the alluring Cave Bar, featuring an appropriate rock & roll themed cocktail menu, or have dinner on the Beach Club jetty for a one-of-a-kind private dining experience.

“Six years in the making, Rock House brings Caribbean hospitality and a sophisticated Mediterranean-inspired experience to Turks & Caicos that guests will remember forever,” says Nikheel Advani, chief operating officer and principal of Grace Bay Resorts.  “Rock House guests in the coming months will be the first to experience our Beach Club, elevated cuisine, revitalizing wellness amenities and Providenciales’ under-the-radar North Shore.”

Rock House is located at 1 International Drive, Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands. Nightly rates start at $655 for guests who take advantage of the resort’s opening offer of 30% off the best available rate, which is available for arrivals between May 1, 2022 and January 30, 2023.

For more information, visit https://rockhouse.gracebayresorts.com.

 

Photo Caption: ROCK HOUSE RIBBON CUTTING WELCOMES TCI PREMIER – On Sunday May 1, 2022, the Rock House officially became the newly opened Rock House and the honour of the ribbon cutting was performed by Premier Washington Misick, his wife, Delthia Misick; Tourism Minister, Josephine Connolly and Executives of Grace Bay Resorts including Nikheel Advani, Chief Operations Officer and Sherman Crawford, who is the new General Manager at the property located on Provo’s northern shore.  PHOTO PROVIDED BY GRACE BAY RESORTS 

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Bahamas News

Don Jr. Bahamas Wedding to Proceed Without President Trump

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USA, May 22, 2026 – Donald Trump Jr. is expected to marry Palm Beach socialite Bettina Anderson this weekend in The Bahamas, but despite speculation surrounding the high-profile ceremony, the exact location remains tightly guarded.

Multiple U.S. media outlets report the couple selected a private island in The Bahamas for what is being described as a small, intimate Memorial Day weekend wedding with roughly 50 close friends and family members in attendance. So far, no publication has publicly confirmed which Bahamian island or cay will host the ceremony, though reports consistently describe it as a secluded and heavily private setting.

The secrecy has only fueled curiosity in a country made up of more than 700 islands and cays, many of which are favored by wealthy international visitors for destination weddings and luxury retreats.

On Friday, President Donald Trump confirmed he will not attend the ceremony, citing international tensions and responsibilities at the White House.

Posting on Truth Social, Trump wrote: “While I very much wanted to be with my son, Don Jr., and the newest member of the Trump Family, his soon to be wife, Bettina, circumstances pertaining to Government, and my love for the United States of America, do not allow me to do so.”

Earlier in the week, Trump had indicated he would “try and make it,” but acknowledged the timing was “not good” because of ongoing tensions involving Iran.

Donald Trump Jr., 48, became engaged to Anderson, 39, in December 2025 at Camp David after about a year of dating. This will be his second marriage.

Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.

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Bahamas News

Over a Week Later, Bahamians Still Waiting on Full Election Numbers

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The Bahamas, May 22, 2026 – More than a week after Bahamians voted in the country’s 2026 General Election, complete official constituency voting figures still have not been publicly released by the Parliamentary Registration Department.

While winners have been declared across the country’s expanded 41-seat Parliament, no centralized official breakdown showing constituency vote totals, turnout percentages, rejected ballots or margins of victory appears to have been published publicly.

The Progressive Liberal Party is widely reported to have secured 33 seats, while the Free National Movement won eight seats, according to tallies carried by several media houses, including the Nassau Guardian’s election tracker and other regional reports.

Still missing, however, are the underlying numbers which would allow the public to independently assess voter participation levels across the country’s 41 constituencies.

That absence is drawing increasing attention following an election already marked by concerns over long lines, advanced polling confusion, voter register complaints and questions about election administration.

Unofficial turnout estimates circulating in local media place national voter participation near 58 percent. If confirmed, that would represent the lowest voter turnout in modern Bahamian general election history.

Historically, The Bahamas has recorded strong election participation rates, with turnout often exceeding 80 percent in previous decades. But participation declined sharply in 2021, when official turnout fell to roughly 65 percent — at the time considered historically low.

Now, the Coalition of Independents says it plans to challenge aspects of the election process in Election Court and is escalating its criticism of the handling of the vote.

In a sharply worded statement issued to media, Coalition Leader Lincoln Bain announced the party will boycott the opening of Parliament, insisting the election was “flawed from start to finish.”

The Coalition claims the country cannot “celebrate ceremony while justice is ignored,” arguing that unresolved election concerns continue to hang over the legitimacy of the process.

Among the concerns raised by the COI are:

  • allegations of voter register irregularities;
  • claims that the voters register remained open after Parliament was dissolved;
  • accusations of vote buying;
  • concerns tied to the Pinewood constituency race;
  • alleged constitutional breaches involving undeclared government contracts;
  • and alleged conflicts of interest involving gaming operators serving in Cabinet.

The Coalition also referenced allegations surrounding criminal influence and drug-related claims connected to political operations, while calling for what it describes as a “serious local investigation.”

In its statement, the COI said there has been “no proper public accounting, no local investigation announced, and no Commission of Inquiry launched into these matters.”

The group is now demanding a formal Commission of Inquiry into the conduct of the election and related allegations.

Bain said the boycott of Parliament is “not a boycott of democracy” but instead “a stand in defence of democracy.”

The statement further argues that Parliament itself must be protected from “corruption, conflicts of interest, criminal influence, and electoral fraud.”

So far, election authorities have not publicly indicated when complete certified constituency voting figures will be formally released.

And that delay is becoming increasingly significant because the missing data includes the very numbers needed to understand whether Bahamians truly disengaged from the electoral process in record numbers.

If unofficial turnout estimates are accurate, it would mean voter participation in 2026 either matched or fell below the historically low 2021 election turnout — despite The Bahamas recording one of its largest voter registration totals ever, with more than 209,000 people listed to vote.

Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.

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Health

Grand Turk Residents Fear Norovirus-Linked Cruise as Health Ministry Approves Docking

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Turks and Caicos, May 22, 2026 – Residents in Grand Turk raised concerns last week after a cruise ship previously linked to a major norovirus outbreak was cleared to dock in the Turks and Caicos Islands days after passengers were reportedly denied disembarkation in The Bahamas over health fears.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the outbreak sickened 115 people — including 102 passengers and 13 crew members — during a voyage which ran from April 28 to May 11. The illnesses involved symptoms commonly associated with norovirus, including vomiting and diarrhea.

The outbreak became public on May 7 and quickly triggered concern across the region.

Authorities in Nassau reportedly refused to allow passengers off the vessel because of public health concerns connected to the outbreak.

That decision later fueled anxiety among some Turks and Caicos residents when the ship proceeded to Grand Turk on May 15.

Residents’ concerns were not without cause.

Norovirus is a highly contagious viral illness often associated with cruise ships, hotels, schools and other environments where large groups of people share close quarters. The virus primarily causes sudden vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps and nausea, and spreads rapidly through contaminated food, water, surfaces and person-to-person contact.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most healthy people recover within one to three days, but norovirus can become serious — and occasionally fatal — for elderly individuals, young children and people with weakened immune systems because of severe dehydration. While the overall fatality rate is considered very low, the CDC estimates norovirus contributes to hundreds of deaths annually in the United States, mainly among vulnerable populations.

The Turks and Caicos Ministry of Health and Human Services had said in a press statement on May 15, it believed the risks had been effectively neutralized before the vessel arrived in Grand Turk.

In a statement issued Thursday, the Ministry said the ship had already returned to Florida, where passengers disembarked and “comprehensive sanitization and deep-cleaning procedures were completed” before operations resumed.

The Ministry also stressed that its Public Health Team maintained “close and continuous communication” with the ship’s medical personnel, Carnival Cruise Line officials and stakeholders at the Grand Turk Cruise Centre before approving the docking.

Routine inspections and standard port health procedures were also carried out, according to officials.

The Ministry further reassured the public that there were “currently no public health concerns” associated with the vessel’s arrival.

Still, the situation once again highlighted the delicate balancing act Caribbean nations face between protecting public health and sustaining tourism economies heavily dependent on cruise arrivals.

Officials are now encouraging vendors, taxi operators, tour companies and businesses to continue practicing strong sanitation and hygiene measures as an added precaution.

Residents were also reminded that frequent handwashing remains one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of norovirus and other infectious illnesses.

Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.

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