News

Concacaf x Generation Amazing, Turks and Caicos Islands Launch

Published

2 years ago

May 2, 2024

#TurksandCaicos, May 2, 2024 – Thursday, April 25, 2024, marked a momentous occasion for The Turks and Caicos Islands Football Association with the launch of the Concacaf x Generation Amazing Program. This program, supported by the Turks and Caicos Islands Ministry of Education, is currently benefiting 21 public and private primary schools across the Turks and Caicos Islands, encompassing both sectors of education. The primary objective of the Generation Amazing program is to educate and certify teachers to serve as volunteer coaches in sports development and safeguarding practices. Through this training, coaches will deliver football programs to children, aiming to catalyze positive social change within our communities that will continue to thrive for years to come..

The program not only emphasizes teaching children the basics of football but also focuses on instilling core values like teamwork, respect, and leadership. The initiative offers children the chance to enhance their physical well-being while nurturing essential life skills that can contribute to success beyond the field.

TCIFA President, Sonia Fulford, conveyed her appreciation to Concacaf, Generation Amazing, and the Ministry of Sports of the Turks and Caicos Islands for their involvement and support. She highlighted the significance of the project, pointing up a positive impact on the Education Ministry. Generation Amazing’s initiative is also seen as a valuable opportunity to enhance both the educational and athletic aspects within the community. “We’ll have more well-rounded teachers, and well-rounded students, not only from an educational standpoint, but a sporting standpoint. For us it’s a big win!” The President expressed excitement for the project, foreseeing an increase in skilled players and coaches, ultimately benefiting the organization significantly.

Jarret Forbes, Director of Sports, commented, “We are excited about the launch of the Generation Amazing programme here in the Turks and Caicos Islands. We commend the TCIFA for taking a holistic approach to student empowerment through sports. And we are grateful for the interest and support from CONCACAF and the Department of Education in developing our young athletes.”

Alvin Parker, Deputy Director of Sports, also expressed his enthusiasm regarding the upcoming chance for educators to apply their acquired knowledge. Viewing the term ‘Generation Amazing’ as a rebranding concept for Generation X, it is with high anticipation that the program will inspire and instill optimism within the younger demographic.

A devoted team collaborated diligently to ensure the successful initiation of the program. Spearheading the launch for Concacaf were Jennifer Roche, the Concacaf CSR Coordinator; Andre Virtue, Concacaf Coach Educator; Cristian Cubillas; and Garry Stannecc, the Sport For Development Consultant for Concacaf. The local facilitators comprised Dane Ritchie, TCIFA Technical Director; Olivia Graveley, Director of the Grand Turk Football Program; Yunelsis Rodriguez Baez, Director of Women’s Football; and Damien Grant, TCIFA Coach Educator and South Caicos Football Development Officer. The launch encompassed a comprehensive two-day training session for teachers, which will be followed by a mandatory six-week program involving a minimum of 25 students from each school. The program’s execution will be supervised by our Local Facilitators in with the support of Generation Amazing staff. Furthermore, the program will offer support to schools by furnishing footballs and essential equipment.

Jennifer Roche elaborated on Concacaf’s emphasis on Social Impact strategies, highlighting the significance of extending focus beyond on-field activities. “Last year, our CSR brand, ’The Bigger Game’ launched and the ‘Generation Amazing’ Program is one of the programs under the pillars of access to play and coaches education. This program is focused heavily on capacity building and giving tools to teachers, community volunteers, and other community leaders to empower and change lives through our beautiful game.”

Andre Virtue commented, “Obviously, we see the sport and the opportunity it has to grow. But, at the core of it is the coaches and how the coaches engage with our youth. We see the social issues that our youth already have to deal with on a day to day basis, and the dependence on either the parent or some adult to guide them and to mentor them is assumed. And, there is an intentional approach to how we’re communicating life values as it is very important.” Distinguishing between athletic prowess and life skills, Andre indicated that Coach Educating initiative aims to bridge this gap by aligning sports experiences with essential life lessons. The football field, as a dynamic environment, serves as a valuable classroom where the intricacies of life are intertwined with the game’s dynamics. “There are so many things that happen on the football field that are connected to life. The game is a great teacher, but there is an intentional and deliberate attempt to teach those values. It’s just the winning, the losing, the ups and the downs that come out of the game.”

Dane Ritchie further explained that the program also adopts a personalized approach, focusing on individual needs rather than viewing the children as a collective group, thereby maximizing the positive impact on each child. The aspects of conflict resolution, and nurturing respect are deemed integral to the game and are leveraged to impart essential life skills crucial for their development.

CherylAnn Jones, Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports, and Social Services, communicated the Ministry’s unwavering support for the Concacaf x Generation Amazing program and its potential to bring about significant transformation. The Ministry’s ethos, centered on Human Capital Development, resonates strongly with initiatives like Generation Amazing, which focus on nurturing leadership qualities, teamwork, and community spirit among today’s youth for the benefit of future generations. “A key tenant of the Generation Amazing program is its emphasis on child safeguarding and so this program aligns with our policy of ensuring that children learn, grow and develop confidently in a safe and nurturing environment. We are delighted to be partners with Concacaf and TCIFA, and applaud these organizations and their continued programs among our young people. We also applaud our principals, physical education teachers, and coaches who will be trained as facilitators in our schools to implement the program, as well as the Sports Commission. We believe that that commitment through football will create positive change.”

For more information, please contact TCIFA Office Manager | Marketing and Communications Coordinator, Candia Ewing at 941-5532 or cewingtcifa@gmail.com

Address:

TCIFA National Academy

Venetian Road

Providenciales

Turks and Caicos Islands

Bahamas News

Bahamas Issues Cybersecurity Alert Over Akira Ransomware Threat

Published

2 days ago

October 22, 2026

Deandrea Hamilton

Nassau, The Bahamas, October 22, 2026 — The National Computer Incident Response Team of The Bahamas (CIRT-BS) has issued a cybersecurity advisory warning businesses, government institutions and other organisations about the growing threat posed by Akira ransomware, a cybercriminal operation capable of stealing sensitive information, disrupting networks and demanding ransom payments.

Active since March 2023, Akira operates through a Ransomware-as-a-Service model, with affiliates exploiting weaknesses in computer networks to gain unauthorised access.

Once inside, attackers can steal confidential data, disable recovery systems and encrypt files, preventing organisations from accessing critical information.

Particularly concerning is Akira’s use of double extortion, threatening to publish stolen information unless victims pay. Some attacks involve data theft without encryption.

The October 22 advisory identifies vulnerabilities involving Cisco and SonicWall firewalls, VPN services, Microsoft Remote Desktop Protocol, Veeam backup systems and outdated Windows and Linux operating systems. VMware ESXi and Nutanix AHV environments are also potential targets.

Attackers may exploit unpatched software, stolen login credentials and inadequately secured remote-access applications, including AnyDesk and RustDesk.

Warning signs include unexpected administrator accounts, unusual remote logins, unauthorised software installations, suspicious backup activity, mass file changes and ransom notes.

CIRT-BS recommends immediate security updates, multifactor authentication, restricted remote access, stronger network monitoring and secure backups maintained separately from operational systems.

Organisations should also remove unnecessary internet exposure of remote desktop services, limit administrative privileges and regularly test backup restoration.

The advisory does not identify any confirmed Akira attack against a Bahamian organisation but highlights vulnerabilities that could expose institutions to serious financial and operational disruption.

Cybersecurity incidents can be reported to CIRT-BS at soc@cirt.bs or through its official website.

News

BermudAir Launches Service to the Turks and Caicos Islands on October 26th, Expanding Air Connectivity Ahead of Winter Season

Published

2 days ago

October 22, 2026

Deandrea Hamilton

Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands (October 22nd, 2026) – The Turks and Caicos Islands welcomes BermudAir as the airline begins its service to the destination on Monday, October 26th, marking the start of a wider expansion that will connect us with additional cities across the United States, Canada and the Caribbean.

BermudAir’s service will begin with a new nonstop service between Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Providenciales. The flight will depart from the Howard Hamilton International Airport at 8 am on Monday morning and arrives at 7.40 pm. Aboard the inaugural flight will be a delegation from the Turks and Caicos Islands led by Experience Turks and Caicos and the Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority (TCIAA), and will include Deputy Governor, Her Excellency Anya Williams, Minister of Tourism, Hon. Zhavargo Jolly, as well s representatives of the Turks and Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association (TCHTA), the board of the Turks and Caicos Islands Tourism Authority, Invest TC and local media.

BermudAir will operate the Fort Lauderdale–Providenciales route three times weekly, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, through May 3rd, 2027. making it easier for business travellers with the schedule offering the potential for same-day return trips. The airline is also launching nonstop service between Fort Lauderdale and Belize City, Belize, on the same schedule, offering travellers in South Florida direct access to both destinations.

The new service introduces BermudAir’s premium leisure inflight experience to the Turks and Caicos Islands. Flights will operate on Embraer E190 aircraft configured without middle seats, giving every passenger a window or aisle seat, alongside complimentary snacks and beverages.

Minister of Tourism, the Honourable Zhavargo Jolly, welcomed the airline’s arrival, noting the importance of expanding airlift to support the continued development of the destination’s tourism industry.

“Air connectivity remains one of the most important factors in the continued development of our tourism industry. BermudAir’s expansion represents an opportunity to strengthen our connections with key international markets while opening new doors for our sister islands. I am particularly encouraged by the planned direct service between Newark and South Caicos, which speaks directly to our vision of expanding tourism opportunities across the Turks and Caicos Islands. Our objective is to ensure that improved connectivity translates into greater economic activity, stronger local businesses and more opportunities for Turks and Caicos Islanders to participate in and benefit from tourism.” said Minister Jolly.

Commenting on the significance of the new route for the country’s development, the Honourable Arlington Musgrove, Minister of Physical Planning and Infrastructure Development (PPID), stated: “The introduction of BermudAir’s new service is a testament to the continued growth and development of our aviation sector. The Ministry of Physical Planning and Infrastructure Development, alongside the Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority, remains dedicated to enhancing our airport infrastructure to accommodate increased airlift. We are committed to working to ensure that our facilities provide a seamless, world-class experience for all incoming passengers and we warmly welcome BermudAir to our shores.”

The Fort Lauderdale launch is the first of several new services BermudAir plans to introduce to the Turks and Caicos Islands for the 2026–2027 winter season. Additional connections to Providenciales are scheduled from:

Bermuda to TCI and Grand Cayman: Beginning December 18th, 2026
Anguilla: Beginning December 19th, 2026
Boston, Massachusetts: Beginning December 19th, 2026
Toronto, Canada: Beginning December 19th, 2026
Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina: Beginning December 20th, 2026
Newark, New Jersey to South Caicos: Beginning December 20th, 2026
St. Petersburg/Tampa, Florida: Beginning December 21st, 2026
Baltimore-Washington: Beginning December 24th, 2026

The expansion will give travellers more options for reaching the destination during the winter travel season, while broadening access from established and developing source markets. The additional routes also create opportunities for tourism stakeholders to reach new audiences and encourage visitors to explore more of the islands.

For flight schedules and bookings, visit www.flybermudair.com.

News

DDME Celebrates International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction

Published

2 days ago

October 22, 2026

Deandrea Hamilton

Emcee and members of the panel (L-R): Ms. Arnisiqua Selver, Mistress of Ceremony; Mr. Andrew Gardiner, TCI Red Cross; Mr. Garry McLean, Department of Planning and Ms. Kevaun Lucas, Department of Disaster Management and Emergencies.

Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – Thursday, 22 October 2026: The Department of Disaster Management and Emergencies (DDME) joined the global observance of International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR) on October 13th. Various initiatives were held throughout the islands to bring awareness to the public, including panel discussions, community engagement activities, school visits, essay writing and an original video submission from the Eliza Simons School in Grand Turk.

Disaster Risk Reduction is a people-centred endeavour; it emphasises that policies, systems and investments must be designed around the needs and capabilities of individuals and communities, according to the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030. Each year, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), as the implementing agency for the Sendai Framework, issues a call to action encouraging individuals, communities, and countries to become resilient.

The 2026 IDDRR theme, ‘Resilience Starts at Home’ seeks to bring global and national awareness of the core role of households in disaster risk reduction, advocating for stronger governance and investment in resilient housing, reducing housing-related risk and empowering households to take risk-informed actions to protect themselves and strengthen community resilience.

The Turks and Caicos Islands, in an effort to reduce disaster risk, seeks to observe the concepts and core principles of the Sendai Framework 2015-2030. Throughout the years, many initiatives have been taken through the various stages of the disaster cycle from preparedness to recovery in an effort to strengthen the resilience of the Turks and Caicos Islands. Initiatives such as the creation and consistent updating of building codes, the Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Housing Project following major hurricanes such as Ike in 2008, the creation of an early recovery framework, as well as strengthening CCRIFF insurance were all implemented to ensure that the Turks and Caicos Islands were on the path to build back stronger and better.

This year’s theme underscores the roles governments, the private sector, and individuals play in ensuring communities and homes are safe and more resilient. The Turks and Caicos Islands Government has made significant strides in ensuring that homes are constructed through the use of risk-informed planning, land use planning and construction practices. The Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Housing Project, which facilitated the construction of twenty-four (24) completely rebuilt homes and repaired thirty-four (34) homes, provided a baseline for future housing initiatives such as Programme 3. This programme includes community renewal and infilling under the National Housing Policy and seeks to repair property that has sustained physical damage for vulnerable people.

Residents of the Turks and Caicos Islands are reminded of the individual role that they can play in ensuring that their homes are resilient.

Ensure that you obtain the proper approvals from the Planning Department before building.
Ensure that you utilise the standards and building codes of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Include proper drainage systems and other methods to reduce flooding and water pooling near your home.
Update your family emergency plans and ensure that everyone in your household is aware of its contents.

Let us all do our part in ensuring that all homes across the Turks and Caicos Islands are resilient.

Highlights from IDDRR can be seen on the Official DDME Social media accounts: Facebook @ddme.tci_official and Instagram @ddm.tci