Government
Carnival & City of Miami gift Grand Turk new Fire Truck
By Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicos, May 10, 2023 – A refurbished fire truck was handed over to the Turks and Caicos Islands by Carnival Cruises and the City of Miami’s Fire Department on April 20th, in the presence of Government ministers and representatives from the Cruise Line.
“This truck represents so many things, concrete and symbolic. Firstly, it will service the residents and visitors of Grand Turk. In addition to this vital public service we also hope it will help residents feel more secure and inspire a deeper sense of community. The truck also represents the longstanding partnership between Carnival and the island of Grand Turk,” said Kelly Penton, Senior Director Public & Executive Communication at Carnival.
Penton said the donation of the truck was a culmination of over a year of work after another Carnival representative, Marie McKenzie, Senior Representative of Government and Destination affairs, identified the need for fire
“Minister Morris stressed the need for a truck dedicated to the residents of Grand Turk,” Penton explained. Both women mentioned that it was Morris who was the driving force behind the project having called up McKenzie to plead the islands case. Morris was emotional while speaking at the event.
“When I decided that I was going to be in politics, the most [important] thing was for me to be able to do more for the people of Grand Turk than I was doing in private citizen life– for me and for Grand Turk this is a dream come true,” he said.
The City of Miami was credited for its immediate and unwavering help as they made repairs to the truck, and commissioned the beautiful decals and TCI logos on the vehicle before driving it an hour out of their way to the shipping dock from where it was sent to the TCI.
The fully equipped vehicle was bright red as is usual for fire trucks but sported a decal of the country’s flag along the front with the words “Turks and Caicos”.
It is to be stationed at the Grand Turk Cruise Centre.
The event was attended by Josephine Connolly, Minister of Tourism; Arlington Musgrove, Minister of Immigration; Shaun Malcolm, Minister of Health; and Anya Williams, Acting Governor. Representing Carnival was Captain of the Mardi Gras Alessandro Lemmi; Penton; McKenzie and others.