Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands,  – The Turks and Caicos Islands Community College (TCICC) announces the official opening of its brand-new Student Lounge at the Grand Turk Campus. The event took place on Wednesday, September 26, on the campus grounds and was attended by distinguished guests, staff, students, and community members.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony was graced by the Honourable Rachel Taylor, Minister of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture, who, in her remarks, applauded the leadership and vision that have been steering the College toward transformative changes. “Leadership makes a difference in any institution,” she stated, alluding to the positive strides TCICC is making toward creating a more engaging and enriching environment for its students.

Other notable attendees included Dr. Barbara Ambrister, Chair of the TCICC’s Board of Governors; Dr. Candice Williams, President of TCICC; Dr. Hubert Fulford, Former President of TCICC; Reverend Frednor Toussaint, who dedicated the building; as well as Heath and Tamika Francis, the talented designers of the new lounge. The presence of past and present Guild Presidents, the Guild Vice President, staff, and students further highlighted the significance of this breakthrough in the College’s journey toward enhancing the student experience.

In her inspiring address, Dr. Williams expressed her immense pride in the launch of the Student Lounge, emphasizing its role as a critical element in fostering an inclusive and vibrant student community. “Today marks yet another milestone in our journey toward fulfilling the College’s vision of becoming the first choice for education and training in the Turks and Caicos Islands and beyond,” she remarked. “This lounge is a testament to our commitment to creating an environment where students can not only learn but thrive.”

The new Student Lounge is designed to be more than just a relaxation space; it embodies TCICC’s core values of excellence, inclusion, and collaboration. The facility features a study room, office space for the Student Guild President, a gaming area equipped for dart and pool enthusiasts, a cozy couch area, televisions, a reading nook, collaborative spaces for group work and a kitchenette. The lounge offers students an ideal environment to connect, collaborate, and unwind in between classes.

Ms. Saphina Blaise, Former President of the Guild, shared her heartfelt sentiments about this achievement: “To stand here today and witness that our voices did not fall on deaf ears fills me with gratitude.” Her words captured the spirit of the event, which was a celebration not just of a physical space but of the unity and collaboration that it represents.

As a key highlight of the College’s ongoing commitment to enhancing the student experience, the Student Lounge stands as a symbol of TCICC’s dedication to supporting its students’ academic and personal growth. “The student experience is at the heart of what makes a college valuable,” said Dr. Williams. “We believe that spaces like this lounge are key to creating enriching, empowering, and memorable experiences.”

As the students begin to enjoy their new space, Dr. Williams urged them to take pride in and ownership of the lounge. “May this lounge be a source of inspiration, relaxation, and pride. Enjoy it, cherish it, and let it remind you that TCICC is committed to supporting you in every way as you reach for your dreams.”

MORANT BAY, Jamaica, October 6, 2024 – Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green, says that a long-term approach to dealing with coffee farm roads must be taken, to propel the nation’s coffee farmers by granting easier access to their farms.

“What I have said to the Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (JACRA) team [is that] we have to take the coffee road programme out of the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) farm road programme, because the small fixes, they help, but we need some big fixes,” said Mr. Green, at the handover of fertilisers and herbicides to coffee farmers in the Buff Bay Valley area of Portland, recently.

He explained that for the short-term approach using resources already available, at least six roads in the coffee belt will be dealt with every year. In this financial year, this will include roads such as Wakefield to Mahoe and Bangor Ridge to Mahoe in Portland, as well as others in St. Thomas and parts of St. Andrew.

Mr. Green pointed out that he has asked JACRA to work with the National Works Agency and do a comprehensive assessment of how much money it is going to cost to fix the coffee roads once and for all.

“Because one of the things that we know, if we are able to fix access to the farms, you will produce more. And if you produce more, the country will make more money from coffee. So, the reality is that the investment in coffee will pay back for itself. So, we have to fix the infrastructure,” the Minister emphasised.

CONTACT: MICKELLA ANDERSON-GORDON

                    JIS REGIONAL OFFICE

                    MORANT BAY

Providenciales, Turks And Caicos Islands, 6th October 2024 – Experience Turks and Caicos has partnered with the Aquila Center for Cruise Excellence to offer two free training opportunities in Grand Turk on October 18th and 19th, 2024.  One session will focus on Product Development, and the other on Vendor Service Excellence.

The Product Development Tours and Guest Experiences course is a full day workshop which will teach participants how to reimagine and create new tour products and guest experiences that respond to today’s needs, and will also include other key factors that are necessary for success. Topics will include: Finding opportunities, knowing the trends, Pricing and adding value, determining product readiness, and getting experiences to market.

This workshop targets tour operators, attractions, experience providers, cruise destinations, and small tour operators.