TCI News
Provo Water Company Issues an Update on Water Distribution Challenges
PROVIDENCIALES, TCI. MAY 22, 2024: Provo Water Company (PWC) announced today that, due to persistent demands, water restrictions will continue through June 2024 as the organization continues its commitment to improving the water distribution network through various projects addressing current distribution challenges.
The water restrictions, which have been in place on an as-needed basis, will continue in the following areas: West of Suzie Turn: Including The Bight (between Beaches Resort and Turtle Cove), Cooper Jack, Industrial Park, Thompson Cove, Cherokee Road, Blue Mountain, Downtown, Airport Road, Kewtown, Blue Hills, Five Cays, South Dock, and Chalk Sound will encounter low to no water pressure during nightly restrictions from 11:00 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. Venetian Road and Turtle Tail: Will undergo a 50% water restriction from 9:00 p.m. to 5:30 a.m., potentially leading to reduced water pressure for customers.
In response to the ongoing high water demands, PWC Managing Director Robert Hall reaffirmed his team’s unwavering commitment to mitigating these challenges.
He said, “Water demands on Providenciales are still high, and as we continue to make progress on our improvement projects to address these short-term distribution challenges, we kindly ask for your patience and understanding while we work expeditiously to resolve these issues.”
PWC is currently working on three key projects to improve water distribution across Providenciales. The primary focus is on the New City Water Transmission Main Project, which includes the installation of larger-diameter pipes along a new route. This initiative aims to significantly boost water flow and establish an alternative distribution route through which to distribute water.
Another project currently underway involves replacing older valves in the water distribution network with newer, larger-diameter valves. This upgrade will enhance water flow, resulting in improved distribution along the existing network pipes. The third project focuses on enhancing the current booster equipment responsible for augmenting water flow within the distribution network.
These enhancements will bolster the booster’s capacity to leverage the upgraded pipe diameters and replaced valves more efficiently.
Speaking on the projects and their progress, Hall said, “These projects have always been a part of our plan to accommodate the growth of the country. Unfortunately, unforeseen setbacks due primarily to the long-term effects of the pandemic and its impact on the world economy and supply chains, among other factors, have taken their toll on our project timelines. Our team is committed to resolving these issues as quickly as possible, but we are taking every measure to ensure that we do so in a way that allows us to continue providing incredible service and value to our customers.”
In addition to the improvement projects, PWC is also in the process of building a new water plant on the northwest side of the island. This new plant will introduce a new distribution point closer to the areas currently experiencing water restrictions and provide a host of benefits to water distribution for the whole island. Hall emphasizes the significance of water conservation as a crucial measure in addressing water shortages.
Simple actions like repairing leaks, utilizing water-efficient fixtures, and practicing mindful water usage can greatly contribute to preserving precious water resources and reducing monthly bills.
For more information on Provo Water Company and its water efficiency and conservation initiatives, visit its website, provowater.com, and social media pages at @ProvoWaterCompany for tips and announcements, or contact our customer service team at customerservice@provowater.com.
Almost two million visitors recorded in 2025
PROVIDENCIALES, TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS – The Turks and Caicos Islands saw an increase in stayover arrivals in December, seven percent higher than the corresponding period in 2024.
Preliminary data suggests that stay over arrivals by air for the month of December was 66,427 in comparison to 62,610 in December 2024.
From January to December 2025, preliminary visitor arrival numbers totalled 640,754; on par with the number recorded for the same period of 2024.
Stay Over Arrivals YTD December 2024/2025
The first quarter of the calendar year attracted the largest number of arrivals with visitor arrivals three percent higher than the first quarter of 2024. Reduced airlift from the United Kingdom and the United States, most notably the Virgin Atlantic and JetBlue services, was however felt from the second quarter (April to June). As a result, visitor arrivals dropped three percent in the second quarter.
By the third quarter of this year (July to September), geopolitical and economic conditions in the key source markets, namely the United States, led to further contraction of arrivals. In the last quarter of 2025, arrivals were impacted in October due to the passage of Hurricane Melissa but additional airlift from the USA and Canada resulted in an increase in arrivals in November and December.
Mr. Paul Pennicook, Interim CEO Consultant of Experience Turks and Caicos, said December’s increase in stayover arrivals is an encouraging indicator of the sustained interest in the Turks and Caicos Islands as a premier destination.
“While we note and continue to monitor geopolitical shifts that affect us, Experience Turks and Caicos is focused on increasing marketing initiatives in our primary source markets. We have spent the last two years investing in groundwork such as crucial travel advisor training to assist them in selling the destination more effectively. In the next fiscal, we will be building on those initiatives with co-op activities with partners as well as out of home advertising to increase visitation to our destination,” he said.
In Cruise, the preliminary count of passenger arrivals for the month of December 2025 was 129,346, a 22 percent increase over last December. This growth follows the berthing of 11 additional ships in Grand Turk this month.
From January to December, the cruise sector continued to outperform the same period last year, as the 1.3 million total cruise passengers recorded, marks a five percent Year-on-Year increase. 
The cruise sector experienced significant growth in the first quarter of 2025, with passenger arrivals surpassing last quarter by 53 percent. In the second and third quarter however, several cruise lines adjusted their itineraries as vessels were pulled from the fleet or from the Caribbean region, which resulted in fewer passengers.
Arrivals dropped seven percent and 10 percent in the second and third quarters, respectively. Double digit growth was recorded in the last two months of Quarter 4. This growth however, was not sufficient to outweigh the drop in arrivals experienced in October, following the cancellation of cruise calls due to the passage of Hurricane Melissa. Despite the late-quarter rebound, arrivals for the final quarter of 2025 closed six percent below the same period in 2024.
News
The Department of Trade, Industry & Fair Competition to Host Export Readiness Workshop Under the theme “Empowering TCI Businesses for Local Growth and Global Markets.”
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – Wednesday, 11 February 2026: The Informal Settlements Unit (ISU) coordinated a multi-agency enforcement operation on Thursday, 29 January 2026, led by the Planning Department, with support from the Crown Land
Unit, the Turks and Caicos Islands Border Force, and security provided by the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force. The operation, carried out at three different locations in Providenciales, formed part of ongoing government efforts to address unauthorised development and illegal occupation of land in accordance with governing legislation.
The operation commenced in Blue Hills, where five Section 58 Enforcement Notices were issued on unauthorised structures identified on Block and Parcel 60502/48.
Enforcement activity then moved to a second location off the Leeward Highway near Caicos Lodge, where six Section 58 Enforcement Notices were issued on additional unauthorised structures on Block and Parcel 60802/66.
The final phase of the operation took place in The Bight, where three unauthorised structures were removed, with all debris cleared from the site in keeping with established safety and environmental protocols.
The Informal Settlements Unit remains committed to working alongside its partner agencies to support lawful development, protect public and private land, and ensure that planning regulations are enforced in a coordinated and transparent manner across the Turks and Caicos Islands. Similar joint operations will continue as part of the Government’s wider strategy to address unauthorised development and informal settlement activity.
