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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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CARPHA Progresses to Eligibility for the First Disbursement of Pandemic Funding

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Following a landmark Public Signing Ceremony for the Pandemic Fund (PF) Technical Cooperation Agreement (“Reducing the Public Health Impact of Pandemics in the Caribbean through Prevention, Preparedness, and Response” [RG-T4387] Project) on December 14, 2023, in Trinidad, the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) continues to progress towards the start of implementation.

 CARPHA fulfilled the IDB’s nine conditions prior to first disbursement, achieving full eligibility on March 15, 2024, and is now eligible for the first disbursement. This milestone achievement in just 3 months after the signing speaks to the commitment of both CARPHA, the Executing Agency, and IDB, the Implementing Entity, toward the regional PF project with the objective of supporting the reduction of the public health impact of pandemics in the Caribbean by building pandemic prevention, preparedness and response (PPR) surveillance & early-warning systems (EWS), laboratory systems and workforce capacity, regionally at CARPHA and in countries.

Since the signing of the Technical Cooperation Agreement and as part of the conditions prior to first disbursement, CARPHA has achieved the following key outputs (i) the development of the PF Project Operations Manual, Multi-annual Execution Plan, Procurement Plan, Financial Plan, Procedure for CARPHA’s Financial Reporting System; (ii) vacancy announcements for two tranches of consultants with the subsequent hiring of five (Technical Coordinator, Financial Specialist, Procurement Specialist, Operations Officer and Project Operations Coordinator) and (iii) the establishment of the Project Execution Unit (PEU) and Project Execution Steering Committee (PESC). The dedicated PEU will be responsible for execution according to its planned timelines, which will be led by the Dr. Lisa Indar, the Project Director (CARPHA’s Director of Surveillance, Disease Prevention and Control Division).

 CARPHA, as the lead regional public health agency and an expression of Caribbean Cooperation in Health is mandated by its Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) to support its 26 CARPHA Member States (CMS) in bolstering national systems and coordinating regional response to public health threats. The Agency works closely with regional and international agencies and uses regional mechanisms, surveillance systems, and networks for coordinating its public health response work.

In July 2023, the PF Governing Board announced that CARPHA’s regional entity proposal, entitled ‘Reducing the Public Health Impact of Pandemics in the Caribbean through Strengthened Integrated Early Warning Surveillance, Laboratory Systems and Workforce Development’ was successfully selected for the first round of financing. It was one of only 19 proposals selected from over 300 submissions and the only regional project. The three priority areas in the proposal are: (i) Comprehensive disease surveillance and EWS, (ii) Laboratory systems and (iii) Human resources and public health and community workforce capacity.

This project is expected to begin implementation in March 2024, starting off with a blended onboarding session. A Stakeholder Meeting with countries is tentatively planned for July 2024.

CARPHA remains dedicated to working together with the IDB, CARPHA Member States and the Pandemic Fund to successfully implement the regional proposal geared toward reducing the public health impact of pandemics in the Caribbean.

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Men who had Murdered Man, Marley Higgs’ cell phone face Court

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Wilkie Arthur

Freelance Court Correspondent

The prosecution intends to try two young North Caicos men, both age 21 for the offense of possession of property of a murdered man, property that was stolen and landed in their possession.

The phone belonged to Peureton ‘Marley’ Higgs, who is believed to have been an innocent gunned down at his apartment complex in the Glass Shack area in a spray of bullets on February 2 that killed another man and wounded two others, including a ten-year-old little girl.

The cell phone was described as white in colour, an iPhone, in a hard black case. 

On Monday, March 18th, JEFFVANO HANDFIELD of North Caicos pleaded not guilty to the offense, and the matter was adjourned to April 2024. He was granted bail in the matter.

A second North Caicos man was charged similarly.  

SARENO CAPELLAN aka, Kino Williams is the second individual brought before the court pertaining to the said cellphone. He appeared in court a week after JEFFVANO HANDFIELD, the date being Monday March 25th 2024.

The case for the Crown is that both men sometime in February of this year possessed the cellphone knowing or suspecting it to be stolen property.

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Supreme Court Closed for Easter

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NOTICE is hereby given that the Easter Recess shall commence on Friday 29th April, 2024 and end on Friday 5th April, 2024. During the Easter Recess Judge Selochan will be available to deal only with matters that are urgent or require prompt attention.

Court Business During the Easter Recess

A person who wishes to have a matter heard during the recess must file a certificate of urgency along with an affidavit, which must set out the reasons why the matter is urgent or requires prompt attention. The matter will not be listed during the recess unless the Judge deems it fit for urgent hearing.

Opening Hours During the Easter Holiday

The Supreme Court’s last sitting day for the first term is Thursday 28th March, 2024. The Court will officially resume sittings on Monday 8th April, 2024. The Supreme Court Offices in both Grand Turk and Providenciales will continue to operate while the Court is not sitting during the recess.

The Court Office will be closed on the following public holidays:

  • Friday 29th March, 2024 (Good Friday) CLOSED
  • Monday 1st April, 2024 (Easter Monday) CLOSED

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