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BTC marks World Tourism Day 2022 with TCICC

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PROVIDENCIALES, Turks & Caicos Islands: Students from almost 10 schools in Providenciales were given an opportunity to rediscover the Turks and Caicos Islands through the eyes of a tourist as the Turks and Caicos Community College and Beaches Turks and Caicos (BTC) resort partnered to observe World Tourism Day 2022 at the institution’s campus.

Even as the students were given a front-row seat to the variety of offerings that the leading all-inclusive family resort had to offer the thousands of visitors to its shores annually they also explored the numerous employment opportunities available in the tourism industry.

The career day-styled tourism showcase event saw members from the BTC’s watersports, food and beverage, entertainment, Red Lane Spa®, human resources, and the learning and development departments highlighting the multitude of offerings for guests at the resort while shining an important light on the opportunities and the viability of building a career with the resort.

In sharing the variety of the career offerings at the resort, general manager James McAnally shared, “Beaches Turks and Caicos welcomes thousands of visitors each year and our team is dedicated to providing them with a memorable visit based on the numerous offerings from watersports to the multitude of dining options.  On the other side, our resort also provides a complete career package for individuals in different areas on their professional journey. We also continuously provide training for every team member in order to allow them to achieve their ultimate career goals, particularly but not limited to being industry leaders. Partnerships like this with the Community College are a part of our tourism in schools initiative across our brands.”

The leader of the almost 2,000 Beaches Turks & Caicos team members on the island of Providenciales lauded his team for the tremendous leadership values in helping to train the students who are welcomed each year as part of the resort’s summer internship programme. “We continue to welcome almost 200 students annually as part of our internship programme; many of whom have found fulfilling employment with us. Our training programmes are geared towards lifting those we employ to a world class standard that enables them develop to their fullest potential within the industry,” McAnally added.

Chair of the faculty of Hospitality and Tourism department at the Community College, Michelle Hosten shared that, “Tourism for the TCI is arguably the main source of income for the residents of this archipelago. The objective for this event is primarily to bring awareness to the minds of our young people. The programme offerings that we have here at TCICC are geared towards providing tertiary training with a practical perspective whereby our students are given the real-world experience of the industry.”

“Each year, we continue to receive tremendous support from Beaches Turks and Caicos to provide an avenue for our students to be trained in the industry through the internship programme. Within our associate’s degree programme, we provide hospitality management, tourism management and culinary arts. BTC has allowed our students from all these areas receive hands-on training extensively, to receive a practical component to their theoretical knowledge,” Hosten shared.

Fifth form student from the Clement Howell High school Gerdly Lundy when asked about her experience at the event shared, “My classmates and I have learnt that we can’t expect to reach the head of the industry without ensuring that we have an established foundation. Our school has formed a partnership with Beaches Turks and Caicos which allows our senior students to have internship experiences at the resort. Seeing the different teams from BTC here today was refreshing as they have shown us as students, that there are many career opportunities available within the company and in the industry.”

Owenta Coleby, human resources manager at BTC added, “Our team at the seminar led by Antoinette Thomas, recruitment and compliance specialist ensured that the information needed to make informed career decisions was readily available. The team of leaders shared with those in attendance the value of choosing the right career within this industry and to know that joining the Beaches Turks and Caicos team will be the best career decision that they could make.”

Facilitator of the Tourism Club at the Clement Howell High and Social Studies teacher, Rebecca Shaw explained the value of having the students participate in the event. “Our students are being groomed not only to be employees, but to create employment for themselves. The tourism industry is such a dynamic field that it will allow them to be exposed to the different aspects of what the industry has to offer and to create their own niche within the sector. The partnership with Beaches Turks and Caicos has shown tremendous growth over the years as the resort continues to open its doors to allow our students the experience in the many areas of the industry.”

Antoinette Thomas closed by adding, “Being able to share practical demonstrations with these students about some of the offerings that we have at the resort was refreshing for them. They were able to have that opportunity to interact with professionals from the different departments, some of which are not often viewed as traditional tourism career areas. With BTC, we allow continuous training for all our team members, not only within the local region but also at our other resorts in other islands in the Caribbean region. We believe in development of all our team members as we inspire them to become the best within their particular vocation.”

 

Release: Beaches Resorts

Photo Captions:

Header:  Antoinette Thomas, Recruitment and Compliance Specialist (right) presents a gift to a student from Shining Stars Preparatory School at the World Tourism Day 2022 the TCICC

1st insert:  Andrea Brown, (left)Chef at BTC shares a pastry with a member of the public at the World Tourism Day 2022 with Eric ‘Fortune Cookie’ Johnson (centre) Sous Chef at the resort looks on

2nd insert:  BTC Watersport Manager Mark Henley shares diving tip with some students at the TCICC World Tourism Day 2022

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Mottley Sworn in After Historic Clean Sweep in Barbados Election

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Barbados, February 12, 2026 – Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley was this afternoon officially sworn in for a third consecutive term, hours after delivering one of the most emphatic election victories in Caribbean political history — another complete capture of all 30 seats in Barbados’ House of Assembly.

The ceremony, conducted by President His Excellency Lt. Col. The Most Honourable Jeffrey Bostic, marked the formal start of a new administration following the February 11, 2026 general election, which returned the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) to power with a renewed and overwhelming mandate.

In a statement after taking the oath, Mottley said she accepted the responsibility “with humility and resolve,” thanking the people of Barbados for placing their trust in her leadership once again and urging national unity as her government begins its new term. Attorney Wilfred Abrahams was also sworn in as Attorney General.

The result is historic not only for its scale but for its consistency. This is the third straight general election in which the BLP has won every constituency, reinforcing Mottley’s dominance in national politics and extending an unmatched era of one-party control in the modern democratic period.

Voting day unfolded under the watch of a CARICOM Election Observation Mission, led by Antigua and Barbuda’s Supervisor of Elections Ian Hughes and supported by senior electoral officials from Belize and Jamaica. The team engaged key institutions ahead of the poll and monitored the process across the island.

Regional leaders were swift in their congratulations.

Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali described the outcome as “emphatic and historic,” saying the clean sweep reflected how deeply Mottley’s leadership has connected with Barbadians and expressing optimism about strengthening ties between the two countries.

Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness also hailed the victory, noting that her re-election provides an opportunity to deepen cooperation within CARICOM and advance shared regional priorities.

The scale of the win again leaves Barbados without a parliamentary opposition, a reality that has become a defining feature of the political landscape since 2018. Supporters argue the repeated mandate reflects public confidence in Mottley’s stewardship of economic reform, climate diplomacy, the transition to a republic, and Barbados’ expanding global influence.

Now, newly sworn in and backed by another unanimous parliamentary majority, Mottley begins a third term with both extraordinary political capital and equally high expectations at home and across the region.

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Liberty Caribbean Committed to ‘Elevating Region’ at CANTO  

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Simone Martin-Sulgan, Vice President and General Manager, Flow Trinidad & Tobago

Liberty Caribbean is Diamond Sponsor of CANTO Connect 2026 and 42nd AGM

 

Port of Spain, TRININDAD & TOBAGO (February 1, 2026) — Liberty Caribbean, the operators of Flow. Liberty Business and BTC, has reaffirmed its commitment to turning regional connectivity into measurable economic and social outcomes as Diamond Sponsor of CANTO Connect 2026 and its 42nd Annual General Meeting.

CANTO is the leading regional body that brings together telecommunications operators, ICT providers, regulators, governments, and industry partners to support the development of the Caribbean’s digital and communications landscape.

Simone Martin-Sulgan, Vice President and General Manager, Flow Trinidad & Tobago delivered the sponsor’s address on behalf of Liberty Caribbean.

“The work of laying fibre and lighting towers is done; connectivity is now our foundation,” she said.

“The real task before us is to translate that foundation into innovation, productivity and prosperity for our people. Intelligent connectivity, such as networks designed for 5G, AI and IoT, will be the platform for smarter public services, more resilient systems and scaled opportunities for Caribbean entrepreneurs.”

Martin-Sulgan emphasised that infrastructure alone will not deliver sustainable progress.

“Digital progress must become digital prosperity. That means creating career pathways for young people, helping local businesses scale and ensuring citizens across our communities can fully participate in the digital economy. A connected Caribbean should also be a confident, creative and globally competitive Caribbean,” she said.

Liberty Caribbean is represented by a senior delegation at CANTO Connect to support the conference objectives of aligning policy, investment and execution across the region under this year’s theme ‘Elevate the Caribbean – From Connectivity to Global Competitiveness’.

Liberty Caribbean’s delegation includes Inge Smidts, Chief Executive Officer; Desron Bynoe, VP and General Manager, Flow Barbados; Susanna O’Sullivan, VP and General Manager, North Caribbean; Marilyn Sealy, Senior Director, Head of Communications; Dominic Boon, VP, People; Daniel Neiva, Chief Commercial Officer, B2B; Bradley Ramcharan, Director, B2B, Trinidad & Tobago; Yolande Headley, Country Manager, Dutch East Caribbean; and Jade Reymond, Country Manager, Flow Anguilla.

Martin-Sulgan thanked CANTO’s local secretariat for convening the forum and urged delegates to convert conversation into action.

“If we align policy, capital and capability, the Caribbean can move from connectivity to competitiveness. Liberty Caribbean will continue to invest in resilient networks, nurture homegrown talent and partner to deliver measurable social and economic value across our markets,” she said.

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Adam Stewart named CNW’s Businessman/Philanthropist of the Year for 2025

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Executive Chairman of Sandals Resorts, Adam Stewart, has been named Businessman/Philanthropist of the Year for 2025 by the regional news publication, Caribbean National Weekly (CNW).

The publication recognised Stewart for his leadership in hospitality, his ongoing investments in regional tourism, his steady crisis response and his philanthropic work throughout what it described as a year filled with both remarkable achievements and significant challenges.

CNW highlighted how 2025 saw industry recognition for Stewart, major announcements of multimillion‑dollar developments across his all‑inclusive luxury resort brands and an invitation to join the prestigious Wall Street Journal CEO Council.

But the publication said his impact extended well beyond business milestones.

“In 2025, the Executive Chairman of Sandals Resorts didn’t just guide his iconic hospitality empire through crisis – he used its scale and influence to help shape Jamaica’s rebound and lay groundwork for future regional growth,” CNW wrote.

The defining moment, it said, came in late October when Hurricane Melissa caused severe damage to parts of Jamaica’s tourism infrastructure. Stewart responded by leading transparent communication with global travel advisors, partners and team members, and made a landmark pledge, that 100 per cent of Sandals and Beaches employees would remain on payroll and receive Christmas bonuses, even at resorts temporarily closed for extensive restoration and upgrades. The company also committed more than US$3 million in staff recovery aid, providing direct support to families affected by the storm.

CNW further highlighted the work of the Sandals Foundation under Stewart’s guidance, noting record levels of community engagement and targeted disaster‑recovery support in healthcare, livelihoods and the environment.

In response to the honour, Stewart said he was “deeply humbled” to receive the Businessman/Philanthropist of the Year recognition and expressed his gratitude to his teams and partners for their dedication during an extraordinary year.

“This award reflects far more than any one individual. It is a direct result of people showing up every day for their communities and believing business is a force for good. It belongs to the extraordinary teams who carry our shared vision forward – especially the Sandals Foundation, whose work continues to create lasting change across education, health care, disaster relief and environmental stewardship,” Stewart stated.

“To every colleague and partner who helps bring this mission to life – thank you for your commitment, heart and belief.”

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