Caribbean News
Felix Morley Community Centre Programmes Now Launched!
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, 2 November, 2023 – The Felix Morley Community Centre (FMCC), now under the management of the TCI Sports Commission, was built years ago, to provide a safe space with enriching activities to the Five Cays community. Due to extraneous variables, the FMCC has not been able to maximise its full purpose, which is being aspired towards with the launch of the new programmes.
On Thursday, October 26th, the FMCC Programmes Launch was held, where the new operations of the Community Centre and the slate of programmes and activities that will be available were revealed.
Programmes offered at the centre:
- Dance – Ms Faith Bowens
- Basketball – Mr. Philip Roker
- Karate – Sensei Sandro
- Rugby – Mr. Andrew Phillips
- Youth Yoga – Mr. David Bowen
- Boxing – Mr Jimkelly Joseph and Mr Gary Lightbourne
According to the Director of Sports Jarrett Forbes, “We made a commitment to the Minister, Hon Rachell Taylor, to bring to life, her vision for the centre…The greatest assurance of a wholesome environment for our youth is for the Community, as a village, to preserve what we have here today. The Sports Commission will be counting on the Community of Five Cays to help the Felix Morley Community Centre grow from strength to strength.”
These programmes are just the beginning as the Programmes team is formalizing plans and agreements with additional instructors who are willing to commit their time and expertise to the empowering of communities. As the centre continues to develop, activities for the elderly will come on stream, ranging from modified fitness programmes to social games. Over the coming nine to twelve months, plans are on the way to repair the gazebos along the beach; install a multi-sport artificial field; install a shaded kid’s playground; and develop a full courtyard.
The Sports Commission is pleased to partner with the Department of Youth, which will be delivering a slate of youth development programmes through the Computer Lab such as:
- Computer classes
- Literacy and numeracy
- Toast Masters
- Grooming Sessions with Ms. Alicia Swann
Among those present at the launch were the Governor Her Excellency Dileeni Daniel-Selveratnam, Deputy Governor Her Excellency Anya Williams, Hon. Rachel Taylor, Permanent Secretary Cheryl-Ann Jones, Director of Sports Jarrett Forbes, Deputy Director of Sports Alvin Parker and Director of Youth Jasmine Thomas. Refreshments and food were sponsored by Beaches Turks and Caicos.
H.E. Deputy Governor Anya Williams shared, “I want to commend the TCI Sports Commission for the work that they’ve done on this but also the Ministry of Education but in particularly the Minster of Education Hon Rachel Taylor who has taken this as a personal initiative. I would also like to thank everyone who’s been involved in the private sector.
“A lot of people ask “Why Five Cays?”, especially at a time right now when they know this community has had its share of challenges, particularly in terms of crime, but I say “Why not Five Cays?”. I believe that it is important for us to not run away from problems, but to go directly to them and try to develop solutions as to how we work to address them. I believe one of the best ways to address some of the challenges we are facing today with youth is to provide other opportunities and avenues for them to utilise their talents and skills and look at other programmes. This is a great opportunity not just for his constituency but for the entire Turks and Caicos Islands.
Hon. Rachel Taylor shared, “Today marks yet another milestone and testament to the widespread commitment to nurturing the potential of our young people. The credit for today lies not just with The Government but with our community known as the Turks and Caicos Islands”.
The assistance of donor Mr Thom Barnes has come in handy with fitting out the computer lab, for which he donated approximately $43,000. Hon. Taylor expressed, “I would like to take the opportunity as MP for the constituency, to say a special thanks to Mr Thom Barnes. I also want to say that in the community of Five Cays, we continue to grieve the loss of our young men. The intentionality of this centre is to address the concerns that we have. We believe if our young people tap into the opportunities now, we won’t have these challenges when they become adults. So, parents, the consistency of the programmes depends on you. As much as we want to build out the programmes, if we don’t have the children here we wouldn’t be able to offer such programmes.”
How to register for FMCC Programmes?
Registration forms can be found at the FMCC which is open daily. Once signed, the forms can be submitted to the Registration desk at the centre.
How to Book the FMCC?
If you would like to offer a programme, rooms at the centre can be rented at no cost. If there is anyone or a group who would like to reserve a room at the FMCC for a private event, this would be granted based on availability. The standard Sports Commission booking procedure would be followed which is to contact our Facilities Manager in Providenciales. Sports Commission usage rules and guidelines for visitors and participants at the Felix Morley Community Centre will be strictly enforced.
More information on reserving facilities can be found on the Sports Commission website: https://www.gov.tc/sports/venues/fees.
By Deandrea Hamilton | Magnetic Media
October 14, 2025 – It’s being called political theatre — but for citizens, constitutional watchdogs, and democracy advocates across the Caribbean, it feels far more serious. Within a single week, two national parliaments — in Trinidad and Tobago and St. Kitts and Nevis — descended into turmoil as opposition members stormed out in protest, accusing their Speakers of bias, overreach, and abuse of parliamentary procedure.
For observers, the walkouts signal a deeper problem: erosion of trust in the very institutions meant to safeguard democracy. When Speakers are viewed as political enforcers instead of neutral referees, parliaments stop functioning as chambers of debate and start performing as stages for power and spectacle — with citizens left wondering who, if anyone, is still accountable.
October 6: St. Kitts Parliament Erupts
The first walkout erupted in Basseterre on October 6, 2025, when Dr. Timothy Harris, former Prime Minister and now Opposition Leader,
led his team out of the St. Kitts and Nevis National Assembly in a protest that stunned the chamber.
The flashpoint came as the Speaker moved to approve more than three years’ worth of unratified parliamentary minutes in one sitting — covering 27 meetings and three national budgets — without individual review or debate.
Dr. Harris called the move “a flagrant breach of the Constitution and parliamentary tradition,” warning that the practice undermines transparency and accountability. “No serious parliament can go years without approving a single set of minutes,” he said after exiting the chamber.
The Speaker defended the decision as administrative housekeeping, but critics were unconvinced, branding the move a “world record disgrace.” The opposition’s walkout triggered renewed calls for the Speaker’s resignation and sparked a wider public discussion about record-keeping, accountability, and respect for parliamentary norms in St. Kitts and Nevis.
October 10: Trinidad Opposition Follows Suit
Four days later, on October 10, 2025, the Opposition United National Congress (UNC) in Trinidad and Tobago staged its own walkout from the House of Representatives in Port of Spain.
The UNC accused the Speaker of partisan bias, claiming she had repeatedly blocked urgent questions, ignored points of order, and allowed government members to breach standing orders without consequence.
“The Speaker has failed in her duty to act impartially,” the Opposition declared in a statement. “Parliament is not the property of any political party or Presiding Officer.”
The dramatic exit was seen as a culmination of months of rising tension and frustration, with opposition MPs arguing that parliamentary rules were being selectively applied to silence dissenting voices.
Political analyst Dr. Marcia Ferdinand described the twin walkouts as “a warning sign that parliamentary democracy in the Caribbean is teetering on the edge of performative politics.”
“When chairs become political shields rather than constitutional referees,” she said, “democracy becomes theatre, not governance.”
A Pattern Emerging
While St. Kitts and Trinidad are very different political environments, both incidents point to the same regional fault line: the perception that Speakers — the guardians of parliamentary order — are no longer impartial.
In Westminster-style systems like those across the Caribbean, the Speaker’s authority depends not on power but on public confidence in fairness. Once that credibility erodes, parliamentary control collapses into confrontation.
Governance experts say the implications are serious: eroded trust between government and opposition, declining public confidence in state institutions, and growing voter cynicism that “rules” are flexible tools of political advantage.
Why It Matters
Parliamentary walkouts are not new in the Caribbean, but what makes these recent events different is their frequency and intensity — and
the regional echo they’ve created. Social media has amplified images of lawmakers storming out, with citizens from Barbados to Belize questioning whether the same erosion of decorum could be happening in their own legislatures.
Analysts warn that if this perception takes hold, it risks diminishing the moral authority of parliamentary democracy itself.
“Once opposition MPs believe the rules are rigged, and once citizens believe Parliament is just performance,” said one Caribbean governance researcher, “you’ve lost the most valuable currency in democracy — trust.”
Restoring Balance
Political reformers across the region are calling for tighter Standing Order enforcement, independent parliamentary service commissions, and training to strengthen Speaker neutrality. Civil society leaders say the public must also play its part by demanding transparency and refusing to normalize partisan manipulation of parliamentary procedure.
Whether these twin walkouts become catalysts for reform — or simply another episode of Caribbean political theatre — will depend on what happens next inside those chambers.
For now, democracy watchers agree on one thing: when opposition leaders feel the only way to be heard is to walk out, the entire democratic house — not just its Speaker — is in danger of collapse.
Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.
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