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Turks & Caicos Disaster Management Team gives thorough Report on  Hurricane Season Day 1

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By Dana Malcolm

Staff Writer

#TurksandCaicos, June 6, 2022 – The chance of the Turks and Caicos being impacted by a major storm has climbed significantly this year according to Doctor Holly Hamilton Director of Meteorology at the Turks and Caicos Islands Airport Authority.

Hamilton was speaking at the DDMEs 2022 Atlantic Hurricane Season Joint Press Conference, held Wednesday May 1st.

The event was attended by Minister of Immigration Arlington Musgrove, Mike Clerveaux Acting Director of the DDME , Eugene Williams Department of Planning Control Engineer and Roger  Harvey, Assistant Maintenance Manager of the Public Works Department.

METEOROLOGICAL OUTLOOK

Hamilton explained the chance of impact for the Turks and Caicos as predicted by Colorado State University.

“For the named storms they’re forecasting a 59 percent chance we might be impacted by one this season,” she said, and that is up from 40 percent.

“For Hurricanes a 32 percent chance of us being impacted vs the 20 percent average and [there is] an 18 percent  chance that we are impacted by a major hurricane vs the 11 percent average. So you see it is an across-the-board increase in the chance of us being hit.”

The year 2022 is the first in seven years a named storm has not developed before the June 1st start of the Atlantic Hurricane Season but the predictions prove that that  doesn’t mean the season will be slow. Hamilton also explained that storms were more severe now.

“Globally it is about 25 percent more likely that a tropical cyclone will be at major intensity and in the Atlantic that proportion has more than doubled.”

Not only are more storms becoming hurricanes, they are also becoming stronger faster. What this means, Hamilton said, is hurricanes upgrade themselves (from category one to higher) more quickly, sometimes overnight. This makes it very hard to make accurate predictions.

As a reminder 14-21 named storms 6-10 hurricanes and 3-6 major hurricanes are predicted for this season.

This she said made it extremely important for the TCI Islanders to download the DDME Alert app and PAY ATTENTION to all alerts from the DDME on the app or otherwise.

She noted that the TCI was very keen on creating its own meteorological centre in country.

Minister Arlington Musgrove seconded this stressing that it would be very beneficial for the islands.

Minister With Responsibility for Disaster Preparedness 

Minister Musgrove while expressing his hope for a quiet season with no hurricanes encouraged readiness for the season saying, “I urge you to be proactive by downloading the DDME Mobile app, creating an emergency plan for your families, replenishing your stock of emergency supplies and taking the necessary steps to protect property and possession.”

He stressed that ‘preparation rests not just with the government but with all of us.’

Noting that no area on the islands was immune to disaster he said Islanders should ‘be wise and build our resilience capacity through preparedness…we are resilient people and resilient people proactively plan and prepare.”

Department of Planning 

‘Plan ahead’ was the overarching theme of the press conference and the Planning Department’s Eugene Williams  explained some ways TCI Islanders needed to prepare.

– Ensure your roofs are properly anchored and replace rusty Hurricane screws
– Ensure all windows and doors are properly fixed to the walls
– Shutters or ply board must be placed over all windows
– Ensure that all external walls are plastered with cement or paint
– Ensure you have provisions for disposal of stormwater (drains etc)
– Ensure simple drainage is created
– Ensure that personal
– Living in low lying areas are registered with the hurricane shelter in case of evacuation
– All construction sites must properly brace down materials
– Remove all debris from yards for your safety and others.
– Secure important documents and certificates (birth, death, marriage.) land titles etc.

Persons who feel that neighboring properties have a hazard on site which could affect their own property should report that to the Department of Planning.

Public Works Department 

TCI Islanders will not have to worry about drains at least, as Roger  Harvey, Assistant Maintenance Manager of the Public works Department, assured that they were in excellent condition.

“All drainage in the Turks and Caicos Islands, we actually maintain them on a regular basis. We have improved the quality and the flow of water quite a bit and we have new wells drilled in the low-lying areas to receive the water as quickly as possible.”

Harvey also mentioned that the government had secured new heavy duty vehicles to help with cleanup and the flooding which frustrates access to the Providenciales International Airport has also been addressed.

The Department of Disaster Management and Emergencies 

Acting Director of the DDME, Mike Clerveaux said 23 shelters had been prepared for the season but not all would be open at the same time and shelter management training was almost complete with 63 shelter personnel ready to be deployed.

A meeting was held with the TCI Regiment, Police, telecommunications stakeholders and the National Security Secretariat on May 31st, Clerveaux revealed, and it supported finalizing plans for the season.

While the DDME did not have a concrete number on how many people had downloaded the new DDME free mobile App,  Clerveaux said there would be intensified ad campaigns promoting the safety and sense of having this new tool.

Training for key individuals in command centres and simulation exercises with key places including the airport have also been completed.

Damage assessment training and radio communication training are underway and coming up are simulations between the Governor’s office and the UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office.

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DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM REGULATIONS INTRODUCES “RATE YOUR RIDE” SYSTEM FOR TOURISTS VISITING THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS

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FROM THE MINISTRY OF TOURISM

 

Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, 27th March, 2024 – Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands: The Department of Tourism Regulations is proud to unveil the “Rate Your Ride” system, a new initiative designed to enhance the vacation experience for tourists exploring our picturesque islands.

The “Rate Your Ride” system empowers tourists to provide valuable feedback on the quality of transportation services they receive while visiting the Turks and Caicos Islands. Through an easy-to-use online form, tourists can rate factors such as cleanliness, comfort, safety, and professionalism of drivers, helping us to assure the highest quality of service standards across all modes of transportation.

By participating in the “Rate Your Ride” system, tourists play a crucial role in shaping the future of transportation services in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Their feedback will enable us to identify areas for improvement and ensure that every visitor enjoys safe, comfortable, and convenient travel throughout their stay in the Turks and Caicos.

The code will also be publicly accessible through the cooperation of volunteer drivers who will make the rating code available in their vehicles. Flyers and stickers displaying the code will be distributed at hotels, resorts and airports. The mandated display of these codes is expected to align with the rollout of our tourism regulations in 2025.

For more information about the “Rate Your Ride” system and other initiatives by the Department of Tourism Regulations, please visit gov.tc/tourismregulations/or contact us via telephone at 946-4970 and email at tourismregulations@gov.tc.

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THE DEPARTMENT OF BEHAVIOURAL HEALTH SERVICES CONDEMNS RECORDING OF PERSONS WHO ARE IN CRISIS

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FROM THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

 

Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, 27th March 2024– The Department of Behavioral Health Services is appealing to the general public to refrain from recording and circulating videos of persons who may appear to be experiencing a mental health crisis. Anyone can experience a mental health crisis at some point in their life. According to the World Health Organization, 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem in any given year. Persons may struggle with very common conditions such as Anxiety and Depression or be diagnosed with more serious conditions like Bipolar Disorder or Psychosis.

“There are a lot of misunderstandings about various mental health conditions and how they may manifest. In addition, there are a number of negative perceptions and misconceptions that society exhibits towards people with mental health problems. However, just as we would show care and concern for someone diagnosed with Cancer, or any other physical illness, in the same way, we need to be as caring and helpful to persons with mental illnesses”– stated Director of the Department of Behavioral Health Services, Dr. Alicia Malcolm.

The Department is urging the public to call the following numbers if you see someone who appears to be experiencing a mental health crisis:

338-5473/338-3616: Providenciales, North or Middle Caicos

338-3614/338-3612: Grand Turk, South Caicos, Salt Cay

338-6301: Nights and Weekends

If someone is putting themselves or someone else in immediate, serious risk of harm, call 911.

The Department of Behavioral Health services is here to help and provides the following services which are free and confidential:

Location of above services:

o             Sam Harvey Building, Down Town, Providenciales,

o             Primary Health Care Department, Cheshire Hall Medical Center, Providenciales 

o             Department of Behavioural Health, Duncombe Alley, Grand Turk

 

Let’s all do our part in creating a community where people with mental health problems feel respected, supported and cared for. 

For additional information, please visit the Ministry of Health’s Facebook page on https://www.facebook.com/tciministryofhealth/ or the Department of Behavioral Health Services Faceebook on https://www.facebook.com/TCIDBHS/.

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Breaking Ground: TCI Could Lead in Regional Communication Standards

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Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom, 27th March 2024: The PR, marketing, and communications sector is poised for potential growth and could lead the Caribbean region in terms of industry standards says Damian Wilson. Wilson’s suggestion comes after the release of a new research report into the current trends and future direction of the sector as a possible emerging industry in the Turks & Caicos Islands (TCI).

Wilson is the report’s author, which conveys the findings of research which he initiated. “One of the key research results is the considerable optimism by industry practitioners and government alike, with persons seeing growth potential. I believe that we can become regional leaders in this field. I believe that one of the initiatives that could be used to do this is by establishing a ‘TCI Centre of Communications Excellence’ within the TCI Community College. Such an institute would be dedicated to communication and media innovation with a particular focus on digital communications and ICT,” says Wilson.

He further explained, “I believe that the PR, marketing, and communications sector, like much of the country, is at a crossroads and could have an even greater impact on our socio-economic fabric. Some may have concerns about our small size, but I believe this makes us far more agile than our neighbours. All in all, any potential growth must be underpinned by new investments, professional development, and a strategy to integrate the sector into the broader economy.”

Wilson also said that he sees his research as a first step in understanding our own industry sectors in the TCI and would love to see more profound research and analysis conducted. He’s hoping that the report will spark discussion along those lines. The report is entitled ‘Current Trends and Future Direction: A Preliminary Report on the PR, Marketing, and Communications Sector in the Turks & Caicos Islands’. Anyone wanting a copy of the report can contact Damian Wilson via his email, damian.wilson.pr@gmail.com.

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