News
TCI Community College TVET Programme Empowers Inmates and Officers with Certifications at His Majesty’s Prison
#TurksandCaicos, September 15, 2023 – Five (5) inmates and nine (9) Correctional Officers at His Majesty’s Prison have successfully obtained internationally recognised certifications through the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) Community College’s Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) PLAR programme. This represents 100% passes in the skill areas of Customer Service and Commercial Food Preparation. The individuals are now eligible to receive their Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ) Level 1 certificates during the upcoming College Graduation exercise. This historic accomplishment marks a significant milestone in the rehabilitation and skills development of incarcerated individuals and capacity building for correctional officers within the Turks and Caicos
Islands penal system.
A tri-partite partnership, signed on 17 November 2022, officially brought together the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College, His Majesty’s Prison (formerly the Department of Correction and Rehabilitation), and the HJ Robinson High School. Under the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), the entities joined forces to deliver high-quality technical vocational education and training to inmates and officers in recognition of the pivotal role training and skills development plays in the rehabilitation process.
The MOU signing was witnessed by several government ministers, including Hon. Rachel Taylor, Hon. Josephine Connolly, Hon. Otis Morris, Hon. Arlington Musgrove, and Hon. Shaun Malcolm. Senior government and education officials were also present to witness the historic event signaling their intent and commitment to the programme.
Training for this cohort commenced in August 2022 and they sat the PLAR Challenge Exam in February 2023. Aspects of the examinations were proctored virtually and formed the basis for the College to utilise technology to deliver training and assessment to this unique cohort. This intervention provided the benchmark for the TCICC’s success, which earned the team first place in the Blended Challenge at the recently concluded International Conference of TVET within the Caribbean.
“A TVET system is only as strong as the institution that provides the education and training. The tripartite approach to this initiative will indeed provide the relevant rehabilitation for our inmates that will allow them to transition into the labour force and live healthy and productive lives. I look forward to our team providing certification in other areas as the programme progresses. Once again, congratulations to all wardens and inmates and I encourage you to continue to capitalise from the opportunities that presents itself,” expressed Hon. Rachel Taylor, Minister of Education.
Hon. Otis Morris, Minister for Home Affairs, Transportation, Broadcasting, Energy and Utilities and Telecommunications Commission, joined in congratulating the trainees on completing this milestone, he continued by stating, “This is a significant achievement that reflects your dedication, hard work, and commitment to your education and career development. As you move forward in your journey, remember that the skills and knowledge you’ve acquired during this program will be invaluable in your chosen field. Your determination has brought you to this milestone, and I have no doubt that you’ll continue to excel in your future endeavours. Best wishes for a bright and successful career ahead! As the minister responsible for the DCR I’m elated to have supported this programme and look forward to it’s continuous success.”
The success of the TVET programme at His Majesty’s Prison depends heavily on the collective efforts of all stakeholders. Dr. Candice Williams, President of TCI Community College, urged employers to value the certifications earned by inmates by offering employment opportunities to those who’ve completed their certifications. This
supports rehabilitation and fosters a more productive workforce for our community.
Mr. Michael Woodbine, Superintendent of Prisons and Director of Rehabilitation lauded the programme by stating, “Working with a widely recognised partner such as TVET really does enable us to support prisoners in their rehabilitation, training and work experience. Gaining high-quality recognised qualifications, and being able to demonstrate and practice those skills in the prison really does help people to prepare for their release. This first programme, which saw staff and prisoners achieving together, is just the start and we will work with TVET to broaden our offer of skilled and meaningful training, helping and supporting people who leave the prison in gaining meaningful work as they return to being productive members of our communities.”
Mr. Kevin Baxter, TVET Dean, highlighted the significant growth and impact the TVET programme has experienced and emphasised the programme’s continued dedication to its partnership with His Majesty’s Prison and the secondary school system. He stated, “TVET’s expansion underscores the importance of equipping inmates with workforce-ready skills and competence thereby fostering a seamless transition into society after incarceration”.
The TCI Community College’s TVET programme has proven to be a beacon of hope, offering incarcerated individuals a path towards personal growth, rehabilitation, and a brighter future. As the partnership continues to flourish and additional skill areas are included, it is anticipated that additional inmates and correctional officers will benefit from this transformative initiative.
February is National Self- Check Month and family medicine physician at Cleveland Clinic, OH, John Hanicak, MD, highlights why at home self-checks are extremely important when it comes to not just early cancer detection but identifying other illnesses too and offers tips on what to look out for.
“Sometimes I look at them as sort of like your check engine light on the car, just like there would be a red flashing light that tells you that
there’s something wrong with a car and prompts you to bring that in and get serviced. Your body does the same thing. It gives you warning signs to look into that symptom a little bit further,” said Hanicak.
Dr. Hanicak said self-checks are going to be a little different for everyone.
However, in general, he recommends looking for anything that may seem abnormal, such as unexplained weight loss, blood in your urine, bumps and bruises that won’t heal, and changes in bowel habits.
For example, if you suddenly start going to the bathroom a lot more than you used to, that could be a sign of something more serious.
He also suggests doing regular skin checks and documenting any moles or spots that start to look different.
“Realize that you are your own person. There’s nobody else in the world exactly like you. You’ve got your own set of ideas, your own family history and your own genetics. Know what is normal for you, and when that changes, that’s the kind of thing that we would be interested in talking about,” said Dr. Hanicak.
Dr. Hanicak notes that self-checks are not meant to replace cancer screenings, as those are just as important to keep up with.
Press Release: Cleveland Clinic
PM: Project delivers on promise and invests in youth, sports and national development
GRAND BAHAMA, The Bahamas — Calling it the fulfillment of a major commitment to the island, Prime Minister Philip Davis led the official groundbreaking for the Grand Bahama Aquatic Centre, a facility the government says will transform sports development and create new opportunities for young athletes.
Speaking at the Grand Bahama Sports Complex on February 12, the Prime Minister said the project represents more than bricks and mortar
— it is an investment in people, national pride and long-term economic activity. The planned complex will feature a modern 50-metre competition pool, designed to meet international standards for training and regional and global swim meets. Davis said the facility will give Bahamian swimmers a home capable of producing world-class performance while also providing a space for community recreation, learn-to-swim programmes and water safety training.
He noted that Grand Bahama has long produced outstanding athletes despite limited infrastructure and said the new centre is intended to correct that imbalance, positioning the island as a hub for aquatic sports and sports tourism.
The Prime Minister also linked the development to the broader national recovery and revitalisation of Grand Bahama, describing the project as part of a strategy to expand opportunities for young people, create jobs during construction and stimulate activity for small businesses once operational.
The Aquatic Centre, he said, stands as proof that promises made to Grand Bahama are being delivered.
The project is expected to support athlete development, attract competitions, and provide a safe, modern environment for residents to access swimming and water-based programmes for generations to come.
Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.
The Bahamas, February 15, 2026 – For the better part of three years, Bahamians have been told that major Afreximbank financing would help transform access to capital, rebuild infrastructure and unlock economic growth across the islands. The headline figures are large. The signing ceremonies are high profile. The language is ambitious. What remains far harder to see is the measurable impact in the daily lives of the people those announcements are meant to serve.
The Government’s push to secure up to $100 million from Afreximbank for roughly 200 miles of Family Island roads dates back to 2025. In
its February 11 disclosure, the bank outlined a receivables-discounting facility — a structure that allows a contractor to be paid early once work is completed, certified and invoiced, with the Government settling the bill later. It is not cash placed into the economy upfront. It does not, by itself, build a single mile of road. Every dollar depends on work first being delivered and approved.
The wider framework has been described as support for “climate-resilient and trade-enhancing infrastructure,” a phrase that, in practical terms, should mean projects that lower the cost of doing business, move people and goods faster, and keep the economy functioning. But for communities, that promise becomes real only when the projects are named, the standards are defined and a clear timeline is given for when work will begin — and when it will be finished.
Bahamians have seen this moment before.
In 2023, a $30 million Afreximbank facility for the Bahamas Development Bank was hailed as a breakthrough that would expand access to financing for local enterprise. It worked in one immediate and measurable way: it encouraged businesses to apply. Established, revenue-generating Bahamian companies responded to the call, prepared plans, and entered a process they believed had been capitalised to support growth. The unanswered question is how much of that capital has reached the private sector in a form that allowed those businesses to expand, hire and generate new economic activity.
Because development is not measured in the size of announcements.
It is measured in loans disbursed, projects completed and businesses expanded.
The pattern is becoming difficult to ignore. In June 2024, when Afreximbank held its inaugural Caribbean Annual Meetings in Nassau,
Grand Bahama was presented as the future home of an Afro-Caribbean marketplace said to carry tens of millions of dollars in investment. What was confirmed at that stage was a $1.86 million project-preparation facility — funding for studies and planning to make the development bankable, not construction financing. The larger build-out remains dependent on additional approvals, land acquisition and further capital.
This distinction — between financing announced and financing that produces visible, measurable outcomes — is now at the centre of the national conversation.
Because while the numbers grow larger on paper, entrepreneurs still describe access to capital as out of reach, and communities across the Family Islands are still waiting to see where the work will start.
And in an economy where stalled growth translates into lost opportunity, rising frustration and real social consequences, the gap between promise and delivery is no longer a communications issue.
It is an inability to convert announcements into outcomes.
Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.
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