Caribbean News
Beaches Turks and Caicos After 24 Years
Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands: After 24 years of dedicated service to Beaches Turks and Caicos resort, veteran steward supervisor for more than 20 years, Samuel Maxwell Knowles has traded in his tools for retirement.
Having joined the organization in October of 1998, Samuel, who relocated with his family from the Bahamas to Providenciales, began his career in hospitality in the staff cafeteria as a chef.
At his retirement party held in one of the conference rooms at the resort, Samuel was showered with accolades for his leadership and commitment to his family. One common thread in all the congratulatory remarks was his unwavering belief in training and mentorship.
Stewarding Manager Carlton Biggs shared, “Samuel helped to transform the department into one of the leading areas for training on the resort. Throughout his tenure as a leader, he consistently motivated his team to complete courses offered by the Sandals Corporate University (SCU). We are more equipped now as a team because of what Samuel has done.”
Managing Director James McAnally noted, “Working with Samuel over the years, I have always appreciated how calm and composed he is amidst the many challenges. He has always been the voice of reason for his team. One of his greatest strengths is working with the SCU to guide them into acquiring training and certification in their respective fields.”
“I have had many opportunities to interact with Mr. Knowles, and one of my most appreciative periods is the way he took ownership of his respective areas and had genuine care for a job well done. Also, whenever we would speak, we would always talk about family, and often he would share a good word of faith. He had great respect from those he led as well as his peers. He will certainly be missed, and I’m happy that he will be spending some well-deserved time with his family,” McAnally shared.
While this veteran leader was showered with accolades through the many presentations, Samuel sat wearing a broad smile next to his wife of 38 years, Judymae Knowles, shared how satisfied he was with what he had heard. “I am satisfied with the influence that I have been able to create during my time here. Being able to experience this level of growth professionally has shown others that once you can dream it and you have an organization that believes in you and your development, nothing is impossible. I have the utmost respect for the leaders that I have worked with who have helped me to be the best professional that I could be.”
“Being a firm believer in continuous learning, Samuel noted the value of consistently seeking career growth. “When I first thought about becoming a leader within this industry, I prioritized completing the different courses that the SCU offered for the team. Courses like Supervisory Management, Train The Trainer, Leadership, and Hospitality Trainer were a few of my favorites.”
Judymae Knowles, while reflecting on her husband’s career, shared, “For 24 years, I have been married to the team at Beaches Turks and Caicos. They have been my family since the moment my husband joined, and this is something I am thankful for.”
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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