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Beaches Turks and Caicos Plays Significant Role in Successful Staging of Jr. Lit’l Chef and Junior Chef Competitions

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PROVIDENCIALES, Turks & Caicos Islands: The Turks and Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association (TCHTA) recently hosted its much-anticipated Jr. Lit’l Chef and Junior Chef competitions, drawing young culinary talents from across the islands.

The competitions involved youths aged 12-14 and 15-19, respectively, with each phase running for a week. The grand cook-off allowed participants to demonstrate their culinary prowess. Participants of both competitions were challenged to prepare a three-course meal consisting of appetizer, an entrée, and dessert.

Executive Chef of Beaches Turks and Caicos, Craig Nazareth helped to manage and captain the teams along with Edwin Gallardo, Executive Chef of Seven Stars. The participants received training at several prestigious resorts, including The Palms, Grace Bay Club, Blue Haven, Ritz Carlton, and Seven Stars. The Jr. Lit’l Chef camp culminated with an exciting cook-off at Kimonos Restaurant, Beaches Turks and Caicos. The young chefs showcased their skills, guided by esteemed chefs such as Eric “Cookie” Johnson, and Daniel Pryce from BTC.

The finale of the Lit’l Chef competition was hosted at Sol E Mare Villa. The Lit’l Chefs competition not only crowns champions but also selects a representative for the Turks and Caicos Islands international culinary team.

Celebrating Culinary Talent:

The Jr. Lit’l Chefs competition featured teams with creative names reflecting their fun spirit: Three Musketeers, Little Chefs, Taste Titans, Honey Pot, and Le Bouchon de Manger. Emerging as champions were Le Bouchon de Manger, represented by Adrian Penn and Roneiko Rowe. Little Chefs, with members Sheliyah Wilson and Nkechi Lewis, secured second place.

Adrian Penn, beaming with pride, shared, “I know my parents are going to be very proud. I am very happy to relive the experience of winning the competition again.”

Roneiko Rowe added, “I know my parents will be happy, especially my dad because he is a chef as well. This is my first time in the competition. Adrian and I play soccer together, but it was our first time working together in the kitchen.”

Crowning the Lit’l Chef Champion:

Ashley Gardiner was named the Lit’l Chef Champion for 2024, marking her second consecutive win. She will travel to Florida to represent the TCI at the Caribbean Junior Duelling Challenge (CJDC) at Carifest XIII in November. Shining Star, Gabrielle Martin, is the runner-up who will accompany Gardiner as a reserve.

A conversation with 17-year-old Ashley formerly of the A. Louise Garland Thomas High School and Edwin Allen High School in Clarendon, Jamaica, revealed her passion for the culinary arts and her appreciation of the mentorship she received from chefs at Beaches Turks and Caicos. She is also grateful for the opportunities garnered from the TCHTA.

“From a tender age I took an interest in baking and would often follow recipes from YouTube and other sites to try and learn more about the culinary arts. I was elated when I was given the opportunity to participate in the Lit’l Chef’s competition of which Beaches Turks and Caicos turned out to be one of the top locations that we visited and worked at during the programme. It was truly an honor to be chosen as the winner of the competition for two consecutive years with Chef Cookie from the Beaches resort being our mentor on both occasions. It is with his guidance, complimented by other chefs, that I was able to be successful. I will forever be grateful for the programme, the chefs and the resorts that support this initiative through the TCHTA.”

Chef Nazareth had high praises for the young chefs, “I was most impressed by the commitment they demonstrated, how much they have learnt and grown as individuals, and their ability to work together.”

He also emphasized the significance of the camp in securing the future success of the hospitality industry in the Turks and Caicos Islands. “Hospitality is the number one industry here, so it is very important that we invest heavily in our young people who are desirous of entering the sector.”

Words of Wisdom:

Nazareth advised the budding chefs, “learn from mistakes and keep growing.” Stacy Cox, CEO of the TCHTA, echoed this sentiment, commending the participants, “this was an amazing experience. I had an opportunity to see what the kids did all throughout the week as they brought it all together in the Black Box Competition, which is the grand finale of their week of training. They followed their tutors’ instructions. They had the cuts, they had the flavors. Their presentations were phenomenal. It was hard to judge because everyone did such an amazing job.”

Highlighting the local flavours and seasonings, Cox noted, “they tried to get a lot of the island flavors in, using a lot of jerk and creole seasonings. The textures were pretty good for the most part.” She added, “there is always room for improvement, which is why we have the camps on an annual basis so that they can get an opportunity to return and develop their skills.”

The Jr. Lit’l Chef and Junior Chef competitions have once again showcased the promising culinary talent of the Turks and Caicos Islands, helping to ensure a bright future for the local hospitality industry. Cogratulations to all participants and winners for their dedication and remarkable achievements.

 

Photo Captions:

Header – Beaches Turks and Caicos Executive Chef Craig Nazareth (right) shares a moment with TCHTA Stacy Cox (left) along with Lit’l Chefs winners Adrian Penn (2nd left) and Roneiko Rowe following the successful staging of the 2024 season of Lit’l Chef competition at the BTC’s Kimonos’ restaurant.

1st insert – Lit’l Chef Jada Wright presents her team’s culinary delights to the judges at the Lit’l Chef 2024 competition at the Beaches Turks and Caicos’ Kimonos restaurant recently.

2nd insert – Lit’l Chefs 2024 judges doing their examination of the Lit’l Chefs and their respective dishes at the competition at the Beaches Turks and Caicos’ Kimonos restaurant recently.

3rd insert – Sheliyah Wilson, one of the Lit’l Chef 2024 competition shows off her one of her team’s culinary master piece for the camera at the Beaches Turks and Caicos’ Kimonos restaurant recently.

4th insert – Lit’l Chef Joseph Missick was all prepared and ready as he presents one of the dishes from his team at the 2024 Lit’l Chef competiton at the Beaches Turks and Caicos’ Kimonos restaurant recently.

News

Beaches Turks and Caicos Showcases and Supports Local Creativity

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September 12, 2025                                                                                

 

PROVIDENCIALES, Turks & Caicos Islands – The Turks and Caicos Islands are home to a wealth of creativity, from artisans and craft vendors to musicians and performers. Beaches Turks and Caicos, the Caribbean’s leading all-inclusive family resort, has pledged its continued support for these individuals by providing meaningful platforms for them to share their skills and stories with guests from around the world.

The resort’s commitment is most evident in its weekly Cultural Night showcase, where visitors are immersed in the vibrant traditions of the islands. Guests enjoy live performances which feature local music genres such as ripsaw, while artisans display and sell handmade creations. This event not only enriches the guest experience but also strengthens economic opportunities for local entrepreneurs.

Entertainment Division Manager Garett Bailey emphasized the significance of Cultural Night, “we want to showcase everything the Turks and Caicos Islands culture has to offer. Our goal is for guests to leave with a deeper appreciation of the island’s art, music and traditions, while giving local talent the opportunity to share their creativity with visitors from across the globe.”

Beyond Cultural Night, Beaches Turks and Caicos also welcomes local craft vendors onto the resort every Wednesday and Friday where they are offered a direct space to market their goods. Guests have easy access to the Turks and Caicos Cultural Marketplace, where they can purchase authentic local arts and crafts.

Managing Director, James McAnally, highlighted how these initiatives reflect the resort’s broader mission, “we are committed to celebrating and sharing the vibrant culture of these islands with our guests. By showcasing local artistry and music, we not only provide entertainment but also help sustain and grow the creative industries of the Turks and Caicos Islands. From our cultural showcases to nightly live music, we are proud to create authentic connections between our guests and the people of these islands.”

Local musician Keon Hall, who frequently performs at the resort, expressed gratitude for the ongoing partnership, “being able to share my music with Beaches’ guests has created lasting relationships. Some visitors return year after year and request songs from previous performances. This partnership continues to celebrate what we do and strengthens the bond between local artists and the resort.”

The resort’s support of local artisans and entertainers extends beyond business opportunity; it is about preserving heritage and sharing stories. Guests take home more than souvenirs; they leave with experiences that deepen their understanding of Turks and Caicos’ culture and history.

Public Relations Manager, Orville Morgan, noted the importance of this commitment, “for many visitors, these interactions represent their first genuine connection to the Turks and Caicos Islands. From artisans and musicians to farmers and transport operators, our local talent helps shape every guest experience. At Beaches, we are proud to give them the stage to share their stories and their heritage.”

Beaches Turks & Caicos remains dedicated to developing cultural connections and supporting the artisans, musicians and entrepreneurs whose creativity makes the Turks and Caicos Islands unique. Each guest experience is an opportunity to celebrate and sustain the spirit of the islands.

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Caribbean News

“Barbecue” is Cooked! US Turns Over 11 Million Haitians into Potential Informants with $5 Million Bounty

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August 12, 2025

The United States just set fire to the underworld in Haiti — and this time, the smoke might finally flush out the man many call the most feared in the Caribbean.

On Tuesday, the U.S. government slapped a $5 million bounty on the head of Jimmy “Barbecue” Chérizier, the ex-police officer turned gang boss accused of orchestrating massacres, torching neighborhoods, and strangling Haiti’s capital into chaos. This isn’t just a headline — it’s a full-blown game-changer.

That kind of cash — offered under the State Department’s Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program — is enough to turn the country’s entire population, more than 11 million people, into potential informants overnight. Add the millions in the Haitian diaspora, and Chérizier isn’t just wanted. He’s surrounded.

The Number That Changes Everything

Five million U.S. dollars today equals about 655 million Haitian Gourdes. In a country where many scrape by on less than $5 a day, that’s not just life-changing — it’s life-defining. It’s enough to rebuild homes, put generations through school, or buy a one-way ticket far from the gunfire.

In a place where trust is scarce and survival is everything, that figure is more than tempting — it’s irresistible. For Chérizier, it means every friend could be a future informant, and every loyalist might be calculating the cost of staying loyal.

‘We Will Find Them’ — Jeanine Pirro, U.S. Attorney

Jeanine “Judge Jeanine” Pirro, the U.S. Attorney, set the tone with fire in her voice.                                                                                                                                          “This indictment is the first of its kind,” she announced. “Jimmy Chérizier, also known as ‘Barbecue,’ is a notorious gang leader from Haiti who has orchestrated and committed various acts of violence against Haitians, including the 2018 La Saline attack in which approximately 71 people were killed. He both planned and participated in that massacre.

“Anyone who is giving money to ‘Barbecue’ cannot say, ‘I didn’t know.’ They will be prosecuted, and we will find them. They are supporting an individual who is committing human rights abuses, and we will not look the other way.”

Pirro wasn’t just going after Chérizier. She was sending a warning to the Haitian diaspora accused of feeding his war chest from abroad: the days of claiming ignorance are over.

‘No Safe Haven’ — Darren Cox, FBI

Then came Darren Cox, Deputy Assistant Director of the FBI, delivering the muscle of America’s most powerful investigative force.                                                                                                                                                                                                                “There is no safe haven for Chérizier and his network,” Cox declared. “We are closing every link, every cell.”                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Since January, he said, the FBI has arrested three Top Ten fugitives, taken more than 19,000 criminals off the streets, and seized thousands of tons of narcotics — enough to save millions of lives across the U.S.

The FBI’s Miami and Houston offices have already bagged one of Chérizier’s Viv Ansanm associates inside the United States without firing a shot. “These efforts are a deliberate and coordinated plan,” Cox said, “to protect our communities and confront escalating threats from terrorist organizations like Viv Ansanm.”

‘Three-Year Investigation’ — Ivan Arvelo, HSI

Ivan Arvelo, Assistant Director of Homeland Security Investigations, brought the receipts.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    “This is the result of a three-year investigation into Chérizier’s procurement networks, cash pipelines, and operational financing that violates sanctions,” he explained.                                                                                                                                                     Arvelo described 400 structures destroyed, entire communities erased, and a gang exploiting U.S. dollars, technology, and immigration loopholes to keep its killing machine running. “We tracked how Americans unwittingly bankrolled brutality,” he said — proof that the net is tightening both inside Haiti and abroad.

‘The Worst of the Worst’ — Chris Lambert, State Department

Chris Lambert, representing the State Department’s International Affairs division, gave the political bottom line.

“Mass violence in Haiti must end,” Lambert said. “The instability resulting from Chérizier’s actions fuels illegal migration, regional instability, and transnational crime. We will continue to apply every tool available — including our rewards programs — to stop the spread of unchecked violence, especially to target the worst of the worst criminal leaders threatening the people of our hemisphere.”

Lambert confirmed what many have long known: Chérizier is not just a gang leader. He commands Viv Ansanm, officially designated in May as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. In the eyes of the U.S., that makes him not just Haiti’s problem — but everyone’s.

Why Haitians May Not Resist

In Haiti, money talks — loudly. And when you put 655 million Gourdes on the table, it shouts.

That’s the kind of figure that turns casual acquaintances into informants and makes even the most hardened loyalist wonder if the payout is worth more than the risk. It’s not a matter of “if” word gets out, it’s a matter of “who will be first to collect.”

For grieving families, it’s a chance at justice. For the desperate, it’s a chance at survival. For Haiti as a whole, it’s hope — wrapped in the most dangerous of temptations.

An Answer to Prayers

For years, Haiti’s headlines have been a scroll of horrors — kidnappings, executions, burned neighborhoods, bodies in the streets. Chérizier’s name has been attached to too many of them.

This move by the U.S. isn’t just strategy. It’s personal. It’s a signal to every Haitian — at home or abroad — that the days of impunity could be ending.

I’ll admit it: when I heard the news, I danced, I sang, and I nearly cried. Not because $5 million is a lot of money, but because of what it means — the possibility, at last, of stopping the man accused of helping turn Haiti into hell on earth.

Four officials, four angles, one mission: Pirro’s fire, Cox’s grit, Arvelo’s precision, Lambert’s conviction. Together, they’ve put the heat on “Barbecue” like never before.

BBQ is cooked. The only question now is: which one of over 11 million potential informants will serve him up?

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Africa

What If Caribbean Dollars Flowed to Africa? A Trade Revolution Within Reach

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By Deandrea Hamilton | Editor

 

What would happen if the Caribbean started spending more with Africa?

That question is no longer hypothetical. It’s the vision behind a growing movement that sees the Caribbean not just as a neighbor of the Americas, but as a key partner in the rise of a “Global Africa.” With shared history, deep cultural ties, and emerging trade frameworks, experts say the potential is enormous—if the will to act finally matches the passion of the speeches.

Billions on the Table

Today, trade between Africa and the Caribbean sits at just over US $729 million annually. But the International Trade Centre (ITC) and Afreximbank project that number could balloon to US $1.8 billion per year by 2028—more than doubling in just a few years.

This boost is expected to come not just from commodities, but increasingly from services, particularly in transport, travel, food exports, and creative industries. Two-thirds of that growth, according to analysts, could come from services alone—sectors where the Caribbean is eager to expand. (afreximbank.com).

Meanwhile, Africa’s consumer and business spending is forecasted to skyrocket to US $6.66 trillion by 2030, driven by a population boom and rising middle class.

The Case for a New Trade Axis

The Caribbean imports 80% of its food, but many of those goods can be sourced from African markets. What we offer in return? World-class logistics, tourism know-how, financial services, and proximity to the U.S. market. It’s a natural fit—one that is currently underdeveloped.

The recent call by Grenadian Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell for a “Global Africa Commission” underscores this urgency. He urged stakeholders at the Afreximbank Trade Expo to stop the cycle of empty talk and get to work: building shipping routes, finalizing trade agreements, and boosting knowledge of what each region actually has to offer.

“We will not leave here with another communiqué,” Mitchell continued. “We will leave here with a commitment to act, to build together, to trade together, to succeed together and rise together.”                                                                                                                                                                                                   The statement underscored a central theme of the summit — that both Africa and the Caribbean can no longer afford to admire the idea of unity; they must operationalize it.Pilot platforms like the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) are already simplifying how cross-border payments work between African countries—and could extend to Caribbean partners. The system removes the need for U.S. dollars in trade between African nations, creating space for sovereign empowerment.

What’s the Hold-Up?

Let’s be blunt: political will, slow bureaucracies, and lack of coordination are stalling real action. Despite a decade of “Africa–Caribbean unity” talk, less than 3% of CARICOM trade currently involves the African continent. That fact continues to undermine these brave speeches and ambitious notions.

Where Caribbean Consumers Fit In

Caribbean consumers—especially the younger, tech-savvy generation—are already looking for affordable, ethical, and culturally relevant goods. African markets offer exactly that. Redirecting even a fraction of spending toward African-made clothing, beauty products, tech tools, or agro-processed foods could start a real trade revolution.

Bottom Line

If the political leaders won’t build the bridge fast enough, maybe Caribbean consumers will. The money is there. The interest is rising. Now it’s time to turn the “Global Africa” vision into a real economic shift—one shopping cart at a time.

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