TCI community survey released as part of a new project launching

#TurksandCaicos, January 25, 2023 – The social, economic, and environmental impact of Covid-19 in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) is the focus of a community survey being officially launched today as part of a new European Union funded project: Resilient Community Recovery from Covid-19 in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

The TCI Government Department of Environment and Coastal Resources (DECR) and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) are working together with key project partners, including the TCI Fishing Co-operative, TCI National Trust, and Invest Turks and Caicos, to identify sustainable livelihood ventures that simultaneously improve the natural environment and provide opportunities for the people of TCI to establish new skills and job opportunities.

This project has been funded through a €939,422 grant from The Caribbean Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) Resilience, Sustainable Energy and Marine Biodiversity Programme (RESEMBID), a €40M programme financed by the European Union and implemented by Expertise France, the development cooperation agency of France.

The community survey released today will help to inform the development of training programmes to reach at least 150 community members across the islands through a locally led Community Hub established by the project.

The experiences of businesses in TCI will also be collected in a separate survey to understand how different sectors have been affected by the pandemic and to collect ideas for building a more resilient economy. This survey will inform the development of a Natural Capital Investment Plan to signpost opportunities for sustainable investment in TCI.

According to visa service provider Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), TCI experienced a US$452 million loss from tourism revenue during the pandemic, reducing the economy by 23%. Reductions in tourist activity at the start of the pandemic and measures such as social distancing impacted job opportunities in the tourism sector and industries that depend on tourists, including local fisheries that rely on the demand from hotels and restaurants.

Whilst tourism has resumed in 2022, TCI continues to be affected by Covid-19. The tourism and fishing industries are still some of the most vulnerable to future hazards. This project will identify training opportunities to diversify the economy in both new and existing sectors, to help TCI build back from the pandemic in an environmentally conscious and resilient way.

DECR Director Lormeka Williams, MSc, said:

“The Department of Environment and Coastal Resources’ remit has expanded with the responsibility of Climate Change; and the environmental and climate pressures following the Covid-19 Pandemic have shown considerable impact in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The RESEMBID Resilient Community Recovery from Covid-19 in the Turks and Caicos Islands project is supporting needs for skills training and development within and beyond the Department, to help us recover more sustainably and responsibly from the Pandemic. We look forward to the positive effects and impacts the project will have on those affected by the Pandemic.”

TCI Fishing Cooperative Chair Pastor Oscar Talbot, said:

“We are grateful to be a part of this project, as it highlights the importance of sustaining livelihoods post Covid-19 and beyond of the most vulnerable.”

Dr. Gemma Harper, Chief Executive at JNCC said:

“JNCC is delighted to support this project with our partners in the Turks and Caicos Islands. This project will assess the impact of Covid-19 to build the resilience of the Turks and Caicos Islands’ communities, economy and environment against future disruption. Crucially, local communities and businesses are invited to share their experiences of the pandemic through surveys launched today to shape their islands’ recovery. We look forward to supporting TCI’s communities in creating novel opportunities for sustainable livelihoods through this work.”

This project provides the people of TCI with a unique opportunity to shape the islands’ economic and environmental recovery from Covid-19 to create a more secure and sustainable future. To find out more or to complete the surveys, please visit the project webpage http://www.jncc.gov.uk/community-resilience-tc or contact TCIcommunity@jncc.gov.uk for more information.