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Edwin Astwood points to areas, islands and people forgotten in Response to State of the State Address

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Dana Malcolm 
Staff Writer 

#TurksandCaicos, February 23rd, 2024 -The Turks and Caicos is getting ‘Poor in 2024’ that was the sentiment from Leader Edwin Astwood, Opposition Leader as he responded on February 20th to the State of the State Address delivered by Washington Misick, TCI Premier the day prior.

Astwood rebuffed several comments made by the Premier during his February 19 State of The State Address, including those on health, immigration and housing.

The Opposition Leader, and Former Health Minister maintained that the plan quoted by the Premier for Healthcare, which had to do with improving the current contract overseeing the TCI Hospital, was not enough. Astwood queried where the plans were for other facets of care from the National Health Insurance Board to maternity care to primary healthcare.

“The country needs comprehensive sustainable solutions to go beyond rhetoric and political posturing,” he maintained, “ You all know that when it comes to healthcare, I can deliver, “ he said.

Astwood maintained that, despite the Premier having a plan to deal with housing, that plan left out too many islanders. He stressed that  the country needed policies that would save homes and put plans in place for those who had lost homes to regain them.

The PDM leader was also displeased with the current Crown Land arrangement; an area not overseen by an elected Minister. For this he blamed the Premier.

”He himself has refused to represent this transfer, and he has also refused to support when I did make such recommendations. the Premier did not tell you that this can be done just by changing the Crown Land Ordinance.”

The Opposition Leader maintained that his party was committed to seeing Crown Land returned to a minister and for residents to have easy access.

Astwood also expressed frustration at what he described as the increase in work permits being granted for jobs that Islanders were qualified to do

In terms of finances, The Opposition Leader touched on the reduction in Customs Processing Fee, a border tax on imports; he claimed that it was not being passed on by merchants to the people of the Turks and Caicos.

“A PDM government maintains that savings must be for the consumer, and we have policies and oversight mechanisms to implement that will ensure utilization of these concessions, and that our people benefit from any foregoing of government revenue,” he said.

He also decried the new increases in salary for public servants as uneven.

”Some civil servants, when receiving the pay increase, and the removal of allowances and making almost the same amount as before, and some even end up making less,” Astwood charged.

Despite Misick’s claim that over $760 million is being spent on new developments, Edwin Astwood candidly expressed disappointed that ‘none was being spent in Middle Caicos, Salt Cay and barely any in Grand Turk.’

The enduring statement from the Opposition leader was disappointment in the current administration.

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Widow’s Testimony Recounts Night Haiti President Was Killed

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MIAMI, Florida — Emotional testimony from Martine Moïse, the widow of assassinated Haitian President Jovenel Moïse, has given jurors in a U.S. federal courtroom a chilling account of the night gunmen stormed the presidential residence and killed the country’s leader.

Martine Moïse took the stand this week in Miami as part of the ongoing trial of several men accused of helping plan and finance the July 7, 2021 assassination, a crime that plunged Haiti into political crisis and remains only partially solved.

She told the court that armed men forced their way into the president’s private home in the hills above Port-au-Prince during the early morning hours, firing multiple shots at her husband while she lay beside him. She testified that she was also wounded in the attack and survived by pretending to be dead until the gunmen left the room.

According to prosecutors, the plot involved a group of foreign mercenaries, including former Colombian soldiers, along with Haitian and Haitian-American suspects. Investigators say some of the men believed the mission was to detain the president, but the operation turned into an assassination.

The Miami trial is focusing on the alleged role of South Florida businessmen and others accused of organizing or financing the plan, part of a wider international investigation that has stretched across several countries.

More than four years after the killing, the question of who ultimately ordered the assassination remains unanswered, with suspects still in custody in both Haiti and the United States as the case continues to unfold.

Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.

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Jamaica Joins Afreximbank Agreement, Strengthening Africa–Caribbean Partnership

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CARIBBEAN — Jamaica has become the 13th CARICOM member state to accede to the African Export-Import Bank Establishment Agreement, further strengthening economic ties between Africa and the Caribbean.

The development was confirmed during the 50th CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting, where an Afreximbank delegation led by George Elombi and Kanayo Awani met with Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness to advance cooperation.

Prime Minister Holness thanked the bank for its support following Jamaica’s recent hurricane, noting that Afreximbank financing helped restore critical infrastructure including water, electricity, sewage systems and roads, while also assisting reconstruction efforts aimed at building stronger resilience to future disasters.

The meeting also focused on broader development opportunities tied to Jamaica’s membership in the agreement. Discussions included rebuilding and modernising infrastructure such as railways, hospitals and other public facilities, while strengthening regional transportation and trade networks to improve the movement of people and goods across the Caribbean.

Afreximbank has been expanding its presence in the Caribbean as part of its strategy to connect Africa with the region often referred to as “Global Africa.” The bank has already committed billions of dollars in financing and trade support to Caribbean economies in recent years, including funding for infrastructure, trade facilitation and private sector investment.

By joining the agreement, Jamaica gains expanded access to Afreximbank’s financial instruments, technical support and trade networks designed to promote commerce between Africa and CARICOM states.

Regional leaders say the growing partnership could unlock new opportunities in areas such as trade, logistics, tourism, manufacturing and cultural exchange, strengthening economic cooperation between the two regions with deep historical and diaspora ties.

Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.

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Liberty Caribbean Supports Regional Forum on AI, Cyber Resilience and Digital Inclusion  

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Port of Spain, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO (February 24, 2026) — Liberty Caribbean, the operators of Flow, Liberty Business and BTC, recently served as Gold-Level Partner of the two-day Trinidad and Tobago Internet Governance Forum (TTIGF), themed “The Innovation Paradox – Balancing Progress with Responsibility and Resilience”.

The Digital Divide is of particular interest to Liberty Caribbean and is being addressed through its Charitable Foundation across the region. Low broadband penetration in the Caribbean contributes to diminished opportunities for individuals, communities, and local economies, but with the support of funding partners, this gap can be addressed through a comprehensive programme – JUMP – that focuses on providing access, devices, and digital skills.

“Liberty Caribbean was proud to serve as Gold-Level Partner of the TTIGF because the conversations taking place here shape key digital policies for multiple stakeholders,” said Simone Martin-Sulgan, Vice President and General Manager, Flow Trinidad.

“As technology accelerates at an unprecedented pace, we must ensure that innovation strengthens our societies rather than fragments them. The theme, ‘The Innovation Paradox – Balancing Progress with Responsibility and Resilience,’ speaks directly to the work we do every day: building networks that are not only fast and reliable, but secure, inclusive and future-ready.”

Across the Caribbean, the digital divide remains one of the most pressing barriers to equitable growth. Low broadband penetration limits access to education, entrepreneurship and essential services, and that is why we are deeply committed to closing this gap.

Through the Liberty Caribbean Charitable Foundation and initiatives like the JUMP Programme, the company is expanding access to technology, affordable connectivity and digital skills training so that individuals and communities are empowered to participate fully in the digital economy.

Martin-Sulgan further stated “at Liberty Caribbean, we believe progress and responsibility must move in lock step. By investing in resilient networks, inclusive programmes and trusted partnerships, we are helping to build a Caribbean that is innovative, secure and prepared for the opportunities ahead.”

Topics covered during the Forum, with over 140 participants, included “Securing Critical Infrastructure”, Integrating AI into Digital Transformation”, “The Digital Divide”, The Human Cost of Innovation – Mental Health and Well-being in the Digital Age’, and AI, Cyber Resilience and Regional Innovation”.

Focused on the underlying mandate of the Conference theme thought leaders, innovators, policymakers, technologists, researchers, and community stakeholders were invited to explore how countries can evolve boldly without compromising values or long-term stability.

Photo Caption: 

TTIGF – l-r Darren Campo, Regulatory & Compliance Officer; Yolande Agard-Simmons, Senior Manager Communications; and Kevon Swift, Senior Manager Government and Regulatory Affairs of Flow Trinidad in attendance at the Post Event Mixer at Caribbean Telecommunications Union’s Head Office in St Clair, Port of Spain

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