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Minister and Government’s Plan for TCI Tourism is a Pipe Dream:

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#TurksandCaicos, February 7, 2023 – The Hon. Minister for Tourism is intentionally misleading TC Islanders about her Government’s plans for Our Country’s leading industry, Tourism, and about the treatment of the Tourist Board’s staff.  The only thing the staff of the Tourist Board has received so far from the organization, along with their separation letters, is complete demoralization. How does the minister expect the staff to feel and perform over the next four months? Why not give the staff their monetary package now so they can invest it or use it to prepare themselves for their transition into their own business or new employment? That is thoughtful and the humane thing to do at this time, Madam Minister.
The Hon. Minister’s assertion that the new DMO, which will be a Public Private Partnership (PPP), is the answer and not the further marginalization of our people, is a Pipe Dream.  At best the assertion is theoretical and not based in TCI reality.
We have had a number of PPPs here in the TCI and no one can point to a single case where our people haven’t been screwed by them – so much so, that our country cannot enter into a PPP arrangement without the expressed communicated approval of the British Government (HMG). This position taken by the British with respect to PPPs in the TCI, I suspect, was not taken because PPPs are bad things (they have their place and purpose). However, in Our Country’s case, this is a requirement perhaps, because we have been taken to the cleaners every time we have entered into PPP agreements with the Private sector. Has TCIG secured the blessing of HMG for this proposed PPP and did it sign off on the funding mechanism for the PPP? Is this not using public funds to promote in part private interest?
 Hon. minister as soon as possible let us see the proposed make up and structure of the proposed DMO/ PPP. Show us how our people will maintain control or retain the final say in how Tourism develops in Our Beautiful Country.
 No country dissolves a successful public agency, especially one with an acceptable track record, to privatize it.  Such action is viewed with cynicism and is quite often associated with political cronyism.
Hon. minister it is true that some destinations in the region have restructured the way tourism is marketed and managed in their country. However, I am not aware of a single country in the Caribbean, or in the world for that matter, which has seen the growth that TCI has realized on the small budget the Board has had to work with, then demolish the said organization like you and your government are proposing.
I am all for working closely with the Private Sector when there are areas of common interest and mutual benefit. But we must remember that the  vast majority of the private sector is all about Bottom Line and beholden only to its shareholders, even at the expense of our people and the destruction of our environment.
Hon. Minister, I am sure that you are aware that there is very little left in the Turks and Caicos Islands which is Ours, or that we control. Almost all of our prime land, for tourism development, is out of our hands; our economy is largely owned and driven by others. Everyday we are becoming more irrelevant in our own country. Please remember or be aware that he who owns the land, owns the country. He who owns the economy controls the country. And he who owns the land and controls the economy at the same time, is king. We are lacking in all of these areas and one day it will manifest itself undeniably so. Be warned.
Regards,
Ralph L. Higgs

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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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