News
What lessons if any, have been learned from past hurricane disasters in TCI?
#TurksandCaicos, October 27, 2022 – What lessons if any, have been learned from past hurricane disasters in TCI?
Hard to believe it’s been a little over a month since hurricane Fiona unleashed its fury on the Turks and Caicos Islands, with the Capitol sustaining the bulk of the damages.
As a matter of fact, I’m still coming to grips that I survived the wrath of yet another category 3 hurricane battering down on these islands.
Despite the prediction by meteorologist on national television, which showed TCI was not in the direct path of the hurricane, residents took no chances this time. Unlike previous hurricanes, many residents seemed well prepared to face whatever came their way and fortunately there were no lives loss.
With the country having experienced a number of devastating storms in the past, I must say the recovery efforts and response showed much improvement compared to past disasters.
Although for the most part the country as a whole made it through the storm practically unscarred, the aftermath of the hurricane is what always concerns me the most.
With that being said, what have we done significantly differently as a country to put us in a better position to hasten post recovery efforts and make our infrastructure more resilient in the future?
In terms of additional manpower and support, the TCI Regiment is and was certainly an added layer of assistance. Also, kudos to the DDME management team and the decisive leadership exhibited by Deputy Governor Anya Williams, who was the acting Governor at the time.
Granted, electricity and water at the majority of the homes and businesses have been restored, it’s still a painful reminder of the islands vulnerability.
As far as the eyes can see, the impact literally and metaphorically peeled the scab of an already damaged infrastructure in Grand Turk, to include the local airport.
The terminal doors designated for incoming passengers are off limit to travelers. This forces travelers to haul their luggage through a graveled parking lot area. With tourism being our bread and butter for the economy, one would hope this is on the priority list for repairs.
The remnants of the abandoned buildings at south base are still standing, despite promises made by both the current and previous administrations to have them removed following disaster upon disaster.
What is the government’s plan this time around..put out yet another contract to erect temporary barricades to hide the poor aesthetics?
One must ask, how much more of taxpayers dollars can we waste?
Stop putting on bandaids and take the buildings down.
The impact of the hurricane left telecommunication and electrical lines dangling in the streets and some homes without running water. Particularly in areas like the Ridge, it was an added set back as this community has been deprived for years now without adequate city water. Many residents are losing hope as to whether or not it will ever be restored.
Having gone through similar experience with hurricanes Ike, Irma and Maria, it would have been prudent for FortisTCI to harden the targets even more. Such as allocating adequate funds to start reconstructing the island’s energy system with underground cables and for hazard mitigation.
Experts have predicted storms will get even more intense and swiftly, as we have seen with Fiona. This is largely in part due to a result of higher atmospheric and ocean temperatures, making it harder for communities to prepare and adapt.
The residents of these islands greatly appreciate the 2.5 million dollars recently allocated to FortisTCI by TCIG to subsidize the cost of increased fuel charges.
Nevertheless, the buck should not stop there. With the soaring cost of burning fossil fuel, citizens across these islands would welcome the expansion of FortisTCI “UORE program”.
This program was designed to offer qualifying customers the opportunity to partner with FortisTCI to lease their rooftop space for the generation of solar energy. It offers more alternatives and a way to move away from a centralized energy grid.
In the long run, I believe it would be cleaner, cheaper, and more resilient for the country.
There were also reports of damages done to Carnival cruise lines pier in Grand Turk, causing a delay in cruises to the island for a few weeks.
Although cruises have since resumed sailing, this was a hard blow and yet another setback for the Islands of Grand Turk and Salt Cay. It was especially painful for some residents, who are still trying to bounce back on their feet from the impact of Covid-19 pandemic which delayed cruises to the island for over 18 months.
Ed Forbes
Furthermore, if certain communities or areas are vulnerable or prone to a particular hazard such as flooding, and down power lines crucial to critical infrastructure, the plan should be to outline procedures and strategies for the specific disaster.
Case in point: Close Haul Road which is located in Grand Turk, is prone to flooding and is only one of many examples in Grand Turk and Providenciales. When flooded, this particular road impacts access to some homes for days, why not put in place a permanent fix?
As our population continues to grow, there has also been a huge growth in the number of people living in poorly constructed housing across these islands. What plans are in place to deal with displaced families or regulations to mandate reinforced building structures?
Again, this will take foresight and a proactive approach to addressing these issues.
It’s inevitable that another hurricane will strike and that resources and public attentiveness will follow. However, it’s imperative to not lose sight of successes and failures of the aftermath of the disaster period, because there will always be long-term lessons to learn from disasters.
Nassau, Bahamas, January 15, 2025 – CIBC Caribbean has warned about an ongoing ‘smishing scam’ targeting clients in The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands.
It noted that fraudsters have been sending text messages to persons stating that their accounts were placed on hold or that their cards were locked and requesting them to click on a link and to enter their banking credentials in order to regain access to their accounts.
The bank has reiterated that it does not send out texts or SMS messages with links for clients to click on.
Clients who receive any communication with links should check that they are from a bona fide source prior to attempting to click on them.
The latest fraud attempt is a smishing scam and we are taking the necessary steps to report the fraudulent sites, the bank said.
Smishing occurs when fraudsters attempt to steal customers’ data or money through a text message that tries to trick them into following a link and revealing personal details or login information.
If you believe that you have encountered a suspicious message, just follow these simple tips.
Firstly, don’t click on any links or attachments and don’t reply to the message. Try and establish the legitimacy of the message by getting in contact with the organisation through alternative means, for example, calling the phone number on your printed statements.
If the sender claims to represent CIBC Caribbean, then forward the email as an attachment to our dedicated fraud team (fraud@cibcfcib.com) and delete the message from your system.
It is also a good idea to regularly review all your financial accounts and if you spot any irregularities, contact the bank immediately. Additionally, email security should be reviewed and consider changing your password to a stronger one, using a combination of characters, letters and numbers. Never share your internet banking log-in credentials or One-Time Verification Codes (OTVC) with anyone!
January 13th, 2025 – Nassau, Bahamas – The Bahamas National Trust (BNT) is excited to announce the appointment of new officers and members of the BNT Council 2024 -2025, elected at the organization’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) in October and later confirmed during a special meeting after the AGM.
Mrs. Joanne Smith has been elected as President of the Council. As President and Creative Director of Media Enterprises, she brings a wealth of experience to the role. A former President of the Rotary Club of East Nassau and a Lifetime Member of the BNT, Smith is a passionate advocate for environmental preservation. Her long-standing involvement in producing educational materials for the BNT and her expertise in public relations will be invaluable as the nonprofit strives to promote the national park system and expand its membership base.
Returning to the Council as Deputy President is Ms. Janet Johnson, a former BNT President. With more than 40 years of leadership experience in the tourism industry, both internationally and nationally, Johnson’s marketing expertise will be critical as the BNT implements its 2024-2029 Strategic Plan, targeting expanded infrastructure and visitation for 12 national parks.
Mr. Phillip Cumming has been appointed Honorary Treasurer. A chartered accountant and past President of the Rotary Club of East Nassau, Cumming is also an avid birder and nature photographer.
Elected members of the BNT Council include: Geoff Andrews (immediate past President); Marvin Arrington; Glenn Bannister; Kevin Cartwright; Hank Ferguson; Janet Johnson; Marcus Laing; Neil McKinney; Devin Peet; Naisha Roberts; Karin Sanchez; Gary Sands; Tanya Woodside; and Eddie Carter.
Appointed members are: Dr. Maria Woodside-Oriakhi, University of The Bahamas; Dr. Ana Luz Porzecanski, American Museum of Natural History; Dr. Karen Bjorndal, University of Florida; Christopher Hughes, US Parks Service; Meredith Ross, Leon Levy Foundation; Dr. Pamela Reid, University of Miami RSMAS; Dr. Barney Long, re:wild; and Aurelio Ramos, National Audubon Society.
Representing The Bahamas Government are: Christina Davis-Justin and Holly Peel, Governor General’s Representatives; Ashley Sturrup, Ministry of Education; Dr. Kenneth Romer, Ministry of Tourism; Dr. Rhianna Neeley-Murphy, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources; and Gregory Bethel, Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources.
“We are thrilled to welcome such a talented and diverse group of leaders to our Executive Board,” said Lakeshia Anderson-Rolle, BNT’s
Executive Director. “Their combined experience and dedication to The Bahamas’ national park system will be essential as we work to accomplish the goals outlined in our new five-year strategic plan.”
“It is indeed an honor to serve as the President of the BNT,” said Joanne Smith. “They have grown The Bahamas’ national park system to 33 national parks that protect marine resources, endangered species, and the habitats necessary for the survival of our island flora and fauna. I am looking forward to working with the BNT team and the Council to ensure we meet our strategic goals.
“One of my goals is to increase the membership of the organization and support sustainable finance mechanisms for the parks. I am especially grateful to past President Geoff Andrews, who has agreed to lead the Advancement Committee in successfully achieving our financial goals over the next five years. We hold our first full Council meeting at the end of January and look forward to working with the Council on initiatives that guide the BNT into its next chapter.”
To learn more about the BNT’s role in managing national parks, protecting wildlife, and informing environmental policy, please visit its website: www.bnt.bs, and follow its various social media channels: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
Turks and Caicos, January 13, 2025 – The Marine Branch of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force successfully intercepted two illegal sloops within the last 24 hours. In the first incident, at around 2:25 a.m. yesterday (January 12), the Maritime Operations Center tracked a suspicious target in the Bird Rock, Long Bay area.
Officers of the Marine Branch were informed, and at 2:35 a.m., they spotted a dark blue wooden vessel with two outboard engines carrying several individuals.
The illegal sloop was intercepted, and officers discovered TWENTY-SEVEN (27) illegal migrants- TWENTY-ONE (21) males, including two
minors and SIX (6) females. All individuals were handed over to the TCI Border Force for processing.
Shortly after 1 a.m. today, the Marine Branch, alongside the TCI Regiment, received information that a blue 38-foot wooden Haitian vessel with two outboard engines was in TCI waters.
The vessel was located and intercepted.
Onboard the vessel was ONE HUNDRED and TWENTY-ONE (121) persons – ONE HUNDRED and FOUR (104) males –including a minor and SEVENTEEN (17) females.
Assistant Commissioner (ag) Mat Newton said, “I am grateful to our partners—TCI Border Force and TCI Regiment—for their assistance and support in successfully processing the illegal migrants intercepted by the police. This shows that the layers of security in place are increasingly effective, and we continue to build our defensive measures to tackle this type of crime.”
The RTCIPF asks the public to notify the closest police station, contact 911, the Serious Crime Unit at 231-1842, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-8477, and anonymously give any information on illegal activity.
Additionally, persons are encouraged to download the CrimeStoppers P3 app and share information anonymously.
Photo Credit: RTCIP
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