News
Norm & Jeffrey: Making A Difference one bag of trash at a time; Selfless Duo commit to a cleaner TCI
By Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
Norman Rogers
#TurksandCaicos, June 6, 2022 – ‘Everyday unless it rains’ is how often Norman Rogers walks along the roadways of Providenciales, often he wears a shirt with large red letters that any passerby will be able to read. It says “One Man Can Make A Difference.” It’s the same shirt that Norm wears proudly, turning to show the camera over Zoom during our interview. It’s a gift, he explains, from a young man he has deeply inspired with his daily routine, because Norm isn’t just walking, he’s cleaning up the Turks and Caicos.
Norman and his wife first visited the islands in 2002, fell in love with the turquoise water and moved here shortly after, but it wasn’t until his heart attack in 2003 that Norm, an avid birdwatcher, decided to start walking along one of the TCIs uninhabited islands in the mornings and to get his body moving. That’s when he noticed something.
“The litter on the island was getting in the way of the birds.” he explained “And so I started carrying around a garbage bag whenever I started to go out there to take photos of the birds.”
That was the start of what has become a legacy of environmentalism on the islands. Norm has been picking up litter on a regular schedule for the last 16 years, but in 2020 with the advent of quarantines and lockdowns amidst the Coronavirus pandemic he set out walking further and further in either direction of his home each day and didn’t like what he was seeing; he knew he had to expand, and now his current routes are simply incredible. They are organized so as to cover as much ground as he can.
“I’ve got 17 different sections that I clean up and some of them get done every two weeks, some every three weeks and some every four weeks.”
In the four weeks since he has been working a fairly new route in the direction of Governor’s road he has managed to haul in an astonishing 85 bags of trash. Even more surprising is that he has not done this route every day, since he maintains his original routes as well.
“I go out every day from 7:15 to about 9:30 the only days I don’t go out are when it’s raining or occasionally I take a day off,” he explained, “In life I’ve been told that one person can’t make a difference and I thought that I could.”
His total bags each day on this new route range between four and seven but he says this is only because no one has cleaned this area up in a while. Norman says the trick is getting Islanders to maintain the clean. That’s where Jeffrey Nicolas comes in.
The other half of this environmentalist duo Jeffery met Norm at the gym and was so inspired by the older man’s tenacity that he started organizing larger cleanups on his own. And with the help of the Rotaract Club, Jeffery has organized tens of islanders to do their part in cleaning up and he also advocates for recycling with large hotels and locals, holding talks with the Hotel Association to see how the littering issue can be resolved. He maintained that recycling was both beneficial to the environment and to hoteliers.
“We’re Beautiful by Nature we have to keep in Clean by Choice” he said seriously. Norm added his own spin “We wanna keep it beautiful by nature but not desecrated by man.”
The men both agree that the most sustainable way to rid the Turks and Caicos of litter is to start working at the source.
Jeffrey Nicolas
Norman explained, “We would like to promote not littering to begin with, the government is doing a good job of cleaning up some areas but at the same time there’s things that we need to do to help ourselves. To me it starts with Education, we need to teach the kids in school…start with the young.”
Jeffrey added, “We need to start to conditioning the minds of the people, I think all of us love Turks and Caicos we’re just not aware of the problem because a lot of the time we’re not looking on the side of the road until it becomes like a little dump.”
Jeffery explains that not only do Islanders need to be educated on the issue more preventative infrastructure like bins on the highway needs to be put into place.
“You’re driving and you throw a bottle out the window because you have nowhere to put it thinking it’s just one bottle but it adds up. I’ve done cleanups in Blue Hill and Five Cays, where in one day we get up to 50 bags”
For those who don’t know where to start the men say spend five or ten minutes cleaning up the area in front of your home, food businesses cleaning up their trash would also be a good start they say especially since a great deal of the trash they recover are food containers which eventually make their way into the oceans.
The biggest takeaway from duo is that one man, maybe two CAN make a difference.
You can make a different on your yard on your street, in your community and on your island; it only takes starting.
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – May 14th, 2024 – The Turks and Caicos Islands Government and Molo Hotel Group reached a pivotal juncture on Monday, May 13th, 2024, with the ceremonial signing of a development agreement at the Premier’s Office on Providenciales. The agreement, which received official Cabinet approval on March 13th, 2024, signifies a steadfast commitment to advancing the economic landscape of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Molo Hotel Group is a family-owned business, renowned for its distinguished portfolio of high-quality hotels worldwide. The
development initiative encompasses the construction of three distinct IHG branded hotels: InterContinental Turks and Caicos, Kimpton Turks and Caicos and Hotel Indigo Turks and Caicos. Scheduled for completion by 2027, each resort boasts a distinctive design from luxury to laidback sophistication spanning across the shores of Grace Bay Beach.
Kimpton Turks and Caicos – an epitome of luxury lifestyle living, will feature 192 guest rooms including three outdoor pools, a luxury spa and a fitness center. Additionally, seven dining options ranging from a beachfront restaurant to a rooftop bar.
Adjacent to the Kimpton, InterContinental Turks and Caicos will offer 59 classic luxury suites with panoramic ocean views. Mirroring its counterpart, this resort will offer an array of dining options and upscale facilities.
Steps away from the Intercontinental and Kimpton resorts, Hotel Indigo Turks and Caicos will embrace a sense of community and contemporary elegance, offering 56 bedrooms. The resort will feature an onsite restaurant, lobby bar, outdoor pool, and fitness room.
Beyond the realm of hospitality, this development agreement underscores the government’s commitment to fostering economic growth and enhancing employment opportunities in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Molo is partnering with the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College (TCICC) to actively promote hospitality as a career choice and support in developing training programs, career fairs, seminars, workshops, and events to raise awareness about hospitality careers. Molo has committed to provide employment and apprentice opportunities to TCICC students and provide mentoring and practical on property training to students.
The signing event was graced by Hon. Charles Washington Missick, Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands, Hon. Jamell Robinson, Deputy Premier, Hon. Kyle Knowles, Minister of Public Safety and Utilities, Hon. Rachel Taylor, Minister of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture, Łukasz and Marcin Slominski, Owners of Molo, Ross Morrow, Managing Director Molo, Arik Kono, Vice President Upscale Development for IHG, Dr. Candice Williams, President and CEO of the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College, Angela Musgrove, InvestTCI CEO, Dr. Barbara Ambrister, Chairperson of the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College, Dr. Delores Stapleton- Harris, Vice President of Academic, Vocational and Student Affairs for the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College, Mr. Kevin Baxter, Dean of Technical Vocational Education Training (TVET) and Sheryl McLaughlin, InvestTCI Investment Services Executive.
Commenting on the development agreement, Premier, Hon. Misick, stated “The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing of
IHG/Molo Hotels is a significant step towards a sustainable future for hospitality in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Three hotels, Kimpton, Intercontinental, and Hotel Indigo, will be introduced, enhancing our tourism product and creating employment opportunities.”
He further added, “Partnerships with the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College and Turks and Caicos Islands Sports Commission are underway, demonstrating the Government’s commitment to developing human capital and elevating tourism offerings. This project will bring economic growth, embrace local talent, and enrich our economy.”
Additionally, Mrs. Angela Musgrove, CEO of Invest Turks and Caicos Islands, emphasized “This collaboration confirms our commitment to fostering economic growth and prosperity within our country. We have worked closely with Molo Hotel Group, and we are confident that this transformative project will further position the Turks and Caicos Islands as a premier destination for travel and investment. Much to our delight, it will also provide opportunities for engagement with our Community College and small business community.”
The Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands, operating through its primary Investment Promotion
Agency, Invest Turks and Caicos Islands, remains committed to attracting and facilitating Foreign Direct Investments to the country by providing a comprehensive suite of services. Through strategic initiatives and targeted promotion, the agency catalyzes sustainable development, driving innovation and small business opportunities across various sectors of the economy.
#TurksandCaicos, May 13, 2024 – Detectives of the Serious Crime Unit of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force have
charged a man who allegedly stole a vehicle.
The accused, DANVANTE BRISCO, 30, of Kew Town, Providenciales, was charged with:
- One Count: Robbery
- One Count: Taking Motor Vehicle Without Authority
- One Count: Using Offensive Weapon to cause fear
Mr. BRISCO appeared in court today (May 13 ) and was granted bail of $7500.00 with one surety.
The matter was adjourned to July 05 for a Sufficiency Hearing.
#TurksandCaicos, May 13, 2024 – A 20-year-old Dock Yard male appeared in court today (May 13th) charged with a series of firearm-related offences.
The accused, JAMES SIMON, was denied bail and remanded into custody pending a Sufficiency Hearing scheduled for July 05th, 2024.
Mr. SIMON faces the following charges:
- One Count: Robbery;
- One Count: Gang Membership
- One Count: Possession of a Firearm for the Benefit of a Gang
- One Count: Possession of Ammunition for the Benefit of a Gang.
The charges against Mr. Simon followed investigations by officers of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force into a robbery at the parking lot of a Casino where three males robbed a victim.
Additionally, Mr. Simon is charged with the following offences, having been arrested on May 02nd, 2024, along South Dock Road.
- One Count: Possession of a Firearm
- One Count: Possession of Ammunition
- One Count: Unlawful Entry
Officers also charged a teenage minor who was in the company of Mr. Simon on May 02nd with One Count of UNLAWFUL ENTRY.
The accused, seventeen and from Kew Town, Providenciales, pleaded guilty and will be sentenced on May 20th.
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