Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – Tuesday, 8 April 2025: The Department of Rehabilitation and Community Supervision (DRCS), in proud partnership with the Rotary Club of Providenciales and Toastmasters International, hosted its 2nd Annual High School Speech Competition under the theme: “Turning Setbacks into Comebacks: The Power of a Second Chance.”

There were eight (8) schools from across the Turks and Caicos Islands that participated in this year’s event. These students spoke with eloquence, conviction, and compassion as they explored the importance of offender rehabilitation and the transformative power of second chances.  The top three winners of the competition were:

• 1st Place: Reriana Nikes – Clement Howell High School
• 2nd Place: Anique Archer – Maranatha Academy
• 3rd Place: Damian Missick – Louise Garland Thomas High School

Director of Rehabilitation, Mr Jaron Harvey, shared his pride in the students and the broader mission of the event: “This competition is a reflection of how deeply our young people understand the issues of justice, rehabilitation, and redemption. Their words challenge us to build systems that don’t just punish, but also restore. Seeing students from every island come together to speak so boldly about second chances and rehabilitation reminds us why we do this work. The future of our country is in good hands.”

Minister of Public Safety and Utilities, Hon. Otis Morris, said: “I extend congratulations to all the students who participated in this year’s competition. You represented your schools and your islands with distinction, and your voices added incredible depth to this national conversation. The theme of this year’s event speaks directly to the heart of justice and hope. We all make mistakes, but none of us are beyond the reach of grace. Rehabilitation is not solely about punishment; it’s about helping individuals find their way back to society as better people. When we support rehabilitation, we address crime at its root and create a pathway for true transformation.”

The 2nd Annual Speech Competition reflects DRCS’s ongoing mission to change the national narrative around rehabilitation and to foster youth engagement in the national dialogue on crime.  As part of the Department’s observance of Second Chance Month, the competition serves both as a platform for student expression and as a call to action for the wider community.

The Department extends special thanks to all participating schools, teachers, judges, partners, and sponsors who made the event a success.

CAPTIONS:

1st insert: DRCS Staff and Hon. Otis Morris

2nd insert: L-R (Hon. Otis Morris, 1st Place Winner- Rerianna Nikes, Mrs. Roma Stubbs President of Rotary Club of Providenciales,

and Hon. Rachel Taylor)

3rd insert: Participants of the Speech Competition

By A’Navia Mantock- H. J. Robinson High School

Good morning, everyone, picture this, you’re teetering on a cliff’s edge. Wind SCREAMING in your ears, rocks cracking under your soles. One misstep and you’re gone-swallowed in the round by the dark. Now, swap that cliff, for your life—your future.ONE mistake, ONE slip and it’s over, not because you fell but because no one threw you a rope. —hanging in the balance because of a single mistake.

Imagine a world where your worst day is your only day. A world where your worst moment is the only thing people remember about you. Who’d survive that? Not me. Not you. Not a soul in this room.

The truth is, we all make mistakes. Some big, some small, but none of us are perfect. Yet, too often, society is quick to judge and slow to forgive. We define people by their worst decisions instead of their potential for growth. But history, and even our own experiences, prove that people are more than their failures.

A powerful example of this is found in the life of King David yes, the Goliath-slaying, harp-strumming legend.

He wasn’t just a great leader—he was also deeply flawed.

In fact, it’s not just ancient kings or Thomas Edison or Oprah Winfrey, but right here, from Middle Caicos, we’ve got Wilkie Arthur—son of the soil, proof in the living flesh. Prison stamped his past, and when he walked out, the world didn’t care he’d changed. Doors slammed. Jobs? Pity gigs, not real shots. But Wilkie didn’t sulk—he hustled. Though he had changed for the better, society still judged him by his past. Opportunities were scarce, and the few he received were not based on qualifications but on pity. Yet, he embraced them with gratitude.

A few months after his release, journalist Deandra Hamilton, recognizing his firsthand courtroom experience, invited him to freelance journalism covering court & crime for her newspaper. Around the same time, a kind-hearted woman at a hotel offered him a job washing dishes at night. Long hours at Subway Café, scrubbing dishes, and late nights with Magnetic Media, typing up court reports with cramped hands, brought little pay but immense wisdom. These experiences, though short-lived—one lasting a few months, the other a year—gave him a sense of purpose and some sort of financial stability at the time.

Encouraged by these small but significant steps, Mr. Arthur took a leap of faith, secured his business license and is now the face of Eagle Legal News Network. Today, he stands as an exceptional investigative journalist, impacting not just individuals but our entire nation. His journey of redemption has taken him beyond local recognition to international platforms like NBC, ABC, CBS, and Fox News.

More than just a success story, he is a testament to the power of second chances—investing in the youth, sharing his journey, and proving that a person’s past does not define their future, he’s rewriting the script, lifting our youth, showing the past isn’t the final word.

That’s also exactly what the Department of Social Development believes in—giving young people a real chance to rise above their past and build a brighter future. Through safe and supportive residential facilities, mentorship programs, and hands-on vocational training, they provide not just a second chance but the tools to make it count. Whether it’s counseling, life skills training, or simply having someone believe in them, these initiatives help young people regain confidence, break free from old cycles, and step boldly into new opportunities, because at the heart of it all is a simple truth: everyone deserves the chance to rewrite their story.

Now let’s talk about the game-changer—the Department of Rehabilitation and Community Services. This isn’t just bureaucracy at work; this is transformation in action. While some see second chances as a risk, this department sees them as a necessity. Because real rehabilitation isn’t about watching from the sidelines—it’s about rolling up your sleeves and doing the work. Anger management, substance abuse recovery, conflict resolution—these aren’t just programs, they’re lifelines. They’re proof that people aren’t defined by their worst mistakes, but by their courage to change. And when we invest in that change? We don’t just rebuild lives—we rebuild communities. That’s how you turn a system of supervision into a movement of second chances

Only imagine if all these individuals had been judged solely by their lowest moments—how much greatness would the world and this country have missed out on?

Society writes people off with permanent ink but a second chance is written in pencil ready to be rewritten at any time.

Why do we chain people to their yesterday? A kid’s mistake at 16 shouldn’t bury them at 60. If we only see where they’ve been, not where they’re headed, we’re stealing talent, dreams, redemption—the blood this world needs to thrive.

Second chances are not just about receiving them—they are about giving them. We all have the power to see the best in others, to lift them up instead of tearing them down.

We don’t drown in our mistakes; we drown when others refuse to let us swim back to the surface.

So,——- let’s challenge ourselves to do better. Let’s stop defining people by their worst days and start believing in their best ones. Because the greatest success stories don’t come from those who never failed, but from those who refused to be defined by their failures. The past is a chapter, not the whole book it’s time to turn the page. Thank you.

Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – Thursday, 10 April 2025: The Department of Special Education Needs of the Ministry of Education is proud to announce the successful completion of the 2025 annual audiology assessments, conducted from 31^st March to 3^rd April across the four major islands in the Turks and Caicos Islands. This important initiative, in partnership with Hearing the Call and the 1 World Foundation, provided critical hearing screenings and hearing aids to individuals in need—especially youth—underscoring our national commitment to early identification and intervention.

This year, a total of 158 individuals were screened, including 85 youth under the age of 21. Several individuals were also outfitted with hearing aids, ensuring greater access to education, communication, and quality of life. These assessments form a vital part of our department’s broader strategy to provide equitable, timely interventions for children with special educational needs.

The initiative was coordinated by Mrs Lashaunda Skippings, Coordinator of Assessments, who accompanied the audiology team to all islands. Reflecting on the programme’s impact, she shared: “These annual screenings allow us to not only identify hearing challenges early, but also to provide on-the-spot solutions through hearing aids and follow-up care. We are deeply committed to ensuring that every child with a hearing need receives the support necessary to thrive in school and beyond.”

The Director of Special Education Needs, Dr Anya Malcolm-Gibbs, commended the coordinator: “Once again, we see the importance of having strong, organised leadership behind these initiatives. I extend my sincere thanks to our Coordinator of Assessments, whose continued excellence ensures that our interventions are meaningful, timely, and far-reaching. Her ability to mobilise and guide visiting teams helps us meet—and often exceed—our national targets.”

Minister of Education, Hon. Rachel M. Taylor, also praised the initiative: “We are proud of the outstanding work being carried out by the Department of Special Education Needs. Partnerships with programmes like ‘Hearing the Call’ are not just one-off events—they are tied into a strategic vision of building a strong, inclusive education system where every child has access to the support they need. I applaud the team for continuing to deliver on this vision with consistency and excellence.”

The Department remains committed to expanding services, strengthening partnerships, and building capacity to meet the diverse needs of students and families across TCI. For more information or to register for future assessments, please contact the Department of Special Education Needs at sens@gov.tc.

Photo Caption: 

1st insert: An audiologist from‘Hearing the Call’with a student in Providenciales

2nd insert: An audiologist from‘Hearing the Call’with a student in Providenciales