Caribbean News
TCI native Phildreka Mayham promoted to Learning and Development Manager at BTC
PROVIDENCIALES, Turks & Caicos Islands: Phildreka’s journey did not begin here. Throughout her high school years, she developed a passion for community and hospitality awareness and was one of the founders of the Tourism and Hospitality Club at the Clement Howell High which is still active today. Her love of community activism and debate led her to participate in programmes such as National Youth Parliament which opened doors for her to eventually become one of the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) National Youth Ambassadors.
“Being a youth ambassador and at the time the youngest among our Caribbean peers, I was afforded the opportunity to travel and represent my country. This truly opened my eyes to the world of diversity, networking, and the power of my voice. Sometimes we have to put ourselves out there despite the challenges, regardless of the fear, anxiety or
rejection. The important thing is to keep going, God will keep opening the doors,” Mayham shared.
With a thirst for knowledge and academic advancement, Phildreka read for her Associates Degree in Business Studies from the TCI Community College. Not being willing to settle academically, in 2016, she embarked on a journey of higher education to the United Kingdom. where she obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing Communications with emphasis in media followed by a Master of Science degree in Management in Service Economy (with honours) from the University of Buckingham.
With her passion to serve the Caribbean region, Mayham gave up multiple offers to stay in the field of academia as a lecturer in order to fulfill her lifelong dream of service. Upon her return to the Turks and Caicos Islands in 2019 she found her calling as she joined the Beaches Turks and Caicos family as its Assistant Learning & Development Manager in November that year.
Her role included leading various compliance projects, delivering and developing training materials for team members and executives, orientation and re-orientation for approximately 1800 employees, certifying employees in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation/Automated External Defibrillator (CPR/AED) training and working along with youth to help them see the world of tourism career opportunities. Despite the challenges posed by the Covid19 pandemic, Phildreka was able to adjust to e-learning where needed.
Regional Learning and Development Manager, Julianna Musgrove in sharing about the growth and impact of Phildreka noted, “Working with Phildreka has been like a dream team in the learning and development department here at Beaches Turks and Caicos. She understands the culture of the resort and region and is able to incorporate the necessary training and activities that will empower the team members. Her leadership style is immaculate and this allows her to have an open door policy that gives the team members full access to her and the many benefits of her department. She is an excellent trainer and a key motivator for not just the BTC team, but other resorts within the organisation.”
Now operating in her new role, Phildreka was recently in Jamaica assisting with the training of approximately 700 new employees for the all-new, Sandals Dunn’s River. She has conducted training in leadership at other Sandals and Beaches resorts throughout the Caribbean while she was being groomed as the learning and development leader. 
“I’m still growing each day, I’ve met amazing people and mentors along the way. Julianna Musgrove has been one of those mentors who has helped in guiding me along the path of planning and executing the attributes of being the leader that I am today. My mother Paula Mayham is my main inspiration as she has crafted my will to be the best version of myself. She has encouraged and taught me the importance of stick–to–itiveness, simply put, never give up. Ironically this is one of the established Sandals behaviours,” Mayham noted.
Learning and Development Clerk, Alex Bernadin, one of Phildreka’s team members shared, “she is a champion of a leader and mentor. She is creative and patient. Phildreka is able to empower those around her to give of their best and be comfortable in sharing out-of-the-box ideas with her that can assist with improving the professional lives of the team members. She is a team player and has a passion for providing training for the team members here at BTC.”
Phildreka credits the Sandals organisation for giving her a platform to bring about change in adult education through the Sandals Corporate University (SCU) and the training and development of people. She is looking forward to strengthening community relations through education.
Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicos, March 17, 2023 – Revenue from the Turks and Caicos’ Financial Services Sector will more than double in the next few years, if E Jay Saunders, Deputy Premier and Finance Minister gets his way. It ‘s one of the reasons the country is investing so much capital into getting off of the EU blacklist and becoming a secure trustworthy financial destination.
“The FSC’s revenues for 2020/21 was $10.5M— the figures for 2021/22, would be about similar,” he said. He further explained that $10.5 million from the FSC represented about 2.6 percent of the country’s 408.5-million-dollar
revenue. Though it increased to $14 million in the 2021/22 financial year, finance is still a small fry compared to tourism or even stamp duties but that will change, says Saunders.
“My revenue goal for the Government by the year 2029 [or] the election after the next election – is $500M. By that time, I want the financial sector (FSC) revenues to represent at least 5% ($25M). So that’s my goal for the financial sector by 2029.”
This goal, should it be met, would increase the Government’s revenue by 100 million dollars, a significant increase in spending power for local upgrades and improvements for Turks and Caicos residents and visitors.
Saunders says it’s time for the TCI to diversify its sources of revenue to make sure that what happened in the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw residents out of a job for months, will not happen again. Tourism now makes up around 80 percent of the country’s GDP. The Minister of Finance wants to push that down to 60 or even 50 percent.
Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#Haiti, March 17, 2023 – When a CARICOM delegation visited Haiti earlier this month, conspicuously absent was the Turks and Caicos Islands despite being one of the nations most directly affected by the multi-dimensional crisis there. There is no comment, as yet from the Premier, to say why this was the case.
Still, from the expedition, CARICOM heads of Government have informed that there will be lobbying in Africa for assistance in Haiti. They say they have decided that the best course of action for the Caribbean country is to bolster the Haitian National Police and act as intermediaries with Africa and the world. The decision follows a one day visit on February 27th, and a March 5th meeting chaired by the Bahamas.
CARICOM says during the trip delegates ‘met with a broad range of Haitian stakeholders to hear their views on the
way forward to a Haitian-led solution’. With that in mind it has made a decision on how to proceed.
“The Heads of Government agreed to support the Haitian National Police in their efforts to address the security situation. The focus of the Community will be the provision of training for the HNP and the provision of humanitarian assistance to HNP and the wider Haitian society, taking into account the challenging humanitarian and security situation”
It’s not clear yet where and how this training will take place. Also distinctly absent from the report, no more mention of boots on the ground from other countries despite CARICOM Member States indicating they were ready and willing should it come to that.
In addition, recognizing ‘the common historical experiences and the strong African-Caribbean relationship’ CARICOM says,
“Heads of Government also agreed to seek support from African countries for Haiti. They also agreed to work with the Governments of Canada and the United States as well as the UNDP”
Magnetic Media has reached out to the Premier’s Office to get a full debrief of the February 27th visit (led by Jamaica; including The Bahamas and Trinidad and Tobago) to learn of Turks and Caicos’ posture following the critical sessions.
Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicos, March 17, 2023 – Musicians from the New World Symphony will be in the Turks and Caicos in concert next month and residents are invited to attend in support of the future of Ashley’s Learning Center. 
A fairly young orchestral academy based in Miami, the New World Symphony was launched in the 1980s by 1987, Michael Tilson Thomas and Ted Arison,Carnival Cruises founder. From the 1500 applicants who vie for a spot each year, the symphony accepts around 35 music graduates annually for training fellowships.
A select few of those graduates will be in country on April 8th headlining at the Ashley’s Learning Center concert ‘We’re all in this together’. The concert which also feature local artistes will be held at Brayton Hall on Venetian Road from 6 pm to 8:30 pm
Tickets are available ON ISLEHELP $75 PER GENERAL SEAT $125 PER PREMIUM SEAT $195 PER GALLERY SEAT – with /FREFRESHMENTS.
For TICKET RESERVATIONs you can call: 649-341-2304 or email EVENTS@ASHLEYSLEARNINGCENTER.ORG
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