News
Turks & Caicos Junior Swimmers dominate at Race for the Conch 2022
By Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicos, June 30, 2022 – The Turks and Caicos may have found its sports niche as the Islands junior swimmers put on a world class showing at the “Race for the Conch” Eco-SeaSwim tournament last weekend. Despite the races being populated mainly by adults, all but one of them saw a TCI youngster placing in the top three.
Swimmers from the US, Canada, the Turks and Caicos and The Bahamas entered the June 25 competition, which is now in its 12th year. Four races in all: a 2.4 mile, a 1 mile, a half mile, and a 100m kiddie race and while only 14 young TCI swimmers were participating in the races the country snagged 10 of the 18 podium spots not counting the 100m kiddie race.
“[There were] actually more adults in those races than youngsters. Which makes the achievement of the youngsters all the more remarkable,” said Ben Stubenberg, race organizer.
The one mile swim was topped by TCI Aquatics (TCIASC) swimmer, Lenin Hamilton Jr. in 22:10. Hot on his heels were Tajhari Williams, also from Aquatics in second place, clocking only four seconds off the winning time; Luke Haywood of Provo Aquatics Club (PAC) was third; Sean Walters, also PAC, came in fifth; CARIFTA medalist, Jayden Davis (PAC) was sixth, and Ethan Gardiner (PAC) in got seventh place.
It bears repeating in a race with 22 participants the Turks and Caicos’ young men snatched five of the top ten spots.
On the ladies’ side, Sophie Taylor of Provo Aquatics bagged the No. 2 spot followed by her team mate, Angelina Lindenhahn in third and Thais Burgess (PAC) in fourth, placing the TCI in three of the top five spots.
Not only did they show out in the one mile, but the students swept the half-mile as well!
Again, Lenin Hamilton in fine form pulled off a double win, placing first in 12:14 seconds followed for TCIASC. He
was followed by by Ethan Gardiner in second.
On the girl’s side, primary schooler Lenika Hamilton (TCIASC) powered through to the No. 2 spot followed by Thaiss Burgess (PAC) in 3rd with Danielle Burgess (PAC) placing fifth overall.
If that wasn’t enough, nicknamed “iron man” after competing in back to back races at Saturday’s open sea swimming competition, Tajhari Williams took on the longest race, the 2.4 mile, and placed 2nd. Impressively, he completed the job in 51:24 for his club, TCI Aquatics.
It was exciting to note, all but one of the 14 TCI swimmers placed within the top 10 finishers in every race, still Salt Rakers Aquatic Club was proud of the performance 10-year old Rishith Gururaga who placed 14th in the one mile event.
Additionally, Lenin, Ethan, Tajhari, Luke, Lenika, Thaiss, Sophie, and Angelina all made it to the medal podium placing in the top three in their respective races.
Ben, who cofounded the event with Chloe Zimmerman, is a pioneering figure in local swimming, and both are
ecstatic.
“Another thing was the terrific placement of local island kids, we had some top finishers in all of the races. A lot of them are young teens and managed to come in first in all of the races, male and female. We are very, very proud of them!” he explained.
There were at least 12 under 10-year-olds in the kiddie 100 m race and even more astonishing at least three 10-year-olds in the mile and half a mile swims and several 11 and 12-year-olds as well. All in Stubenberg’s estimation, performing very well in the international competition staged on Grace Bay Beach, at Ricky’s Flamingo Café.
“It’s just so great to see more Turks and Caicos Islanders on the beach and participating in the swim. We’re so happy to be putting it on to increase and enhance swim on the island,” Stubenberg said.
The 14 Turks and Caicos competitors in the open races in alphabetical order are: Danielle Burgess, Thaiss Burgess, Jayden Davis, Alyssa Gardiner, Danielle Gardiner Ethan Gardiner, Rishith Gururaga, Lenika Hamilton, Lenin Hamilton, Luke Haywood, Angelina Lindenhahn, Sophie Taylor, Sean Walters, and Taijari Williams.
The incredible performance of these young athletes proves the Government’s commitment of an Olympic standard pool is promise whose time has come.
#TurksandCaicos, September 29, 2023 – The Integrity Commission advises that the Register of Interests for Members of the Turks and Caicos Islands House of Assembly, as at 31st December 2022 has been completed.
Members of the House of Assembly are required by the Turks and Caicos Islands Constitution, Section 103(2), and the Integrity Commission Ordinance (the Ordinance), as amended, Section 52(1), to file with the Commission, Statements of Registrable Interests. The Commission would, therefore, like to inform members of the public that, it
has compiled the information contained in these Statements of Registrable Interests and has produced The Register of Interests 2022 for the Members of the House of Assembly, as at 31st December 2022.
The Register of Interests 2022 is now available for public inspection at the following locations:
- House of Assembly in Grand Turk
- Office of the Premier – Grand Turk and Providenciales
- Office of the Integrity Commission – Grand Turk and Providenciales (during the hours of 8:30am to 4:30pm from Mondays to Thursdays and 8:00am to 4:00pm on Fridays.)
- Office of the District Commissioner – Middle Caicos, North Caicos, Salt Cay and South Caicos.
The Register can be viewed at these locations during normal working hours or at a time that is convenient for the respective offices.
For further information or any assistance please contact the Integrity Commission:
By telephone at: 946-1941(Grand Turk Office) or 941-7847 (Providenciales Office) By e-mail at: secretary@integritycommission.tc or info@integritycommission.tc
Rashaed Esson
Staff Writer
#TheBahamas, September 29, 2023 – With moves to deepen ties, governments of The Bahamas and Qatar have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to solidify agreements in principle surrounding the development of aviation and other related services.
This is according to Chester Cooper, The Bahamas Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investment and Aviation in a Facebook post.
This comes after The Bahamas Government in a press release on September 24th, revealed that Cooper, was set to meet with the head of Qatar Airways to have talks regarding “multiple mutually beneficial aviation opportunities for both countries.”
The release also said the deputy prime minister and the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investment and Aviation are working on “forging strategic partnerships with several Middle Eastern countries to strengthen ties to The Bahamas and the Caribbean,” and this new signing is indicative of such efforts.
Following the September 25th signing, on September 27th, Kenneth Romer, Deputy Director General of Tourism for The Bahamas informed via Facebook some details of the agreement saying, “we have now established a framework for cooperation and formed strategic partnerships with Qatar Airways, Qatar’s Transport, Aviation and Investment Agencies and The Qatar Aeronautical Academy, that will benefit our country.”
Regarding further efforts for the improvement of The Bahamas, Cooper announced on Facebook again on Tuesday September 26th that both countries are working to make Nassau a passenger hub for Latin America and the Caribbean adding that talks are being held for Grand Bahama as a cargo hub.
Additionally, as the press release informed, Cooper is preparing for an on ground visit of Bahamasair domestic operations by Qatar Airways Technical team sometime in October.
Rashaed Esson
Staff Writer
#Guyana, September 29, 2023 – Guyana is making moves to become the primary food production center for the Caribbean, going ahead with plans to develop a USD$14 million regional food hub.
In fact, as reported by the Observer, the facility has already been identified on the country’s Soesdyke /Linden Highway.
Guyana seems to really want this to become a reality and Zulfikar Mustapha, Agriculture Minister, expressed this,
highlighting what Guyana has over its Caribbean sister Islands.
“We want Guyana to be the food hub, the primary production hub of the Caribbean so that we could supply the Caribbean. What we have, our colleagues in the Caribbean don’t have. We have arable flat land and abundant fresh water,” he said, adding that with the multi-million dollar US investment, the country can, “modernise the infrastructure, and start ramping up the productions.”
Also, the Agriculture Minister pointed out that the project is geared to make for a more competitive local Agriculture industry as well as developing high-yielding varieties, pest-resistant and climate-resilient varieties.
Additionally, in the facility’s development, Guyana, Mustapha said, will work with Belize.
In fact, with more on Belize’s involvement, Dr. Ashni Singh, Finance Minister, informed that the Government is in talks with the Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley about sourcing inputs from northern Brazil and transporting them through Guyana to Barbados and vice versa.
Singh also reportedly revealed that the project will help develop the growing logistics industry in Guyana.
Considering regional food import cost, with this development, Guyana is the leading Caribbean Community country pushing ahead with plans to reduce the multi-billion dollar regional food import bill by 25 per cent by 2025, the Observer says.
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