Turks and Caicos, May 23, 2025 – In an emotionally charged close to his budget presentation in the House of Assembly, Zhavargo Jolly, Minister of Tourism announced the long-awaited return of the Turks and Caicos International Music Festival, setting the stage for a cultural revival and a strategic tourism push in the traditionally slow summer months.

“This isn’t just an event,” declared Minister Jolly. “This is Turks and Caicos. This is who we are.”

For the first time since 2008, when international icons like Kenny Rogers and Lionel Richie graced the stage alongside local talent, the festival will make its comeback from July 31 to August 3, 2025. With the theme of unity, identity, and economic opportunity, this event marks a pivotal moment in the government’s vision to expand experiential tourism—a movement focused on meaningful cultural immersion for visitors while deepening national pride.

More Than a Festival – A Strategic Economic Stimulus

Positioned deliberately during a traditional lull in tourist arrivals, the festival aims to do more than entertain. It is being designed as a tool to “activate the economy,” according to Jolly. From boosting hotel occupancy to increasing demand for taxi services and supporting local vendors, the festival is expected to generate tangible economic momentum for the islands.

“We’re not promising perfection,” Jolly said candidly. “We are simply saying: this is the year we start.”

Acknowledging that the road to a globally recognized music festival is not an overnight feat, the Minister pointed to major events like Reggae Sumfest, Essence Fest, and Coachella as models that began modestly and grew into international juggernauts. The Turks and Caicos Islands, he emphasized, now has its moment to take the first step on that journey.

A Cultural Trifecta: Music, Pageantry, and Sport

The 2025 festival will also include three high-profile national collaborations, each bringing its own brand of energy, prestige, and community spirit:

• Friday: Miss Turks and Caicos Universe Competition
  Elevating the country’s young women and reaffirming TCI’s presence on the global stage of beauty, leadership, and empowerment.
• Saturday: TCI Poker Run
  A beloved tradition that blends boating adventure, camaraderie, and charity in the nation’s pristine waters.
• Sunday: Trevor Ariza Celebrity Golf Tournament
  Hosted by the Turks and Caicos-born NBA Champion, this event adds class and star power to cap off the weekend with international appeal.

“That’s not just a weekend,” said Jolly. “That’s a movement. Music. Pageantry. Sport. Culture. Charity. One country. One cause. One moment in history.”

Cultural Identity Meets Global Visibility

The return of the festival also supports the government’s broader tourism strategy, which aims to move beyond sun and sand toward authentic, immersive experiences. The focus on experiential tourism speaks to a deeper engagement with TCI’s cultural heartbeat—from music and storytelling to hospitality and heritage.

“This is not just about music,” Jolly emphasized. “It is about national identity, economic opportunity, and cultural pride.”

With eyes on future growth, the Ministry plans to attract private partners, expand the festival’s footprint, and position it as a staple on the international events calendar. The vision is for tourists to one day plan their travel around this annual celebration of Turks and Caicos life and culture.

A Minister’s Personal Commitment

Minister Jolly ended his presentation with a personal pledge to serve the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands with honor and humility as both an All-Island Elected Member and the steward of the tourism portfolio.

“As I travel the globe to promote this country… I will do so with an unshakable determination to make the people of these islands proud,” he vowed.

With the return of the Turks and Caicos International Music Festival now official, the country potentially stands on the cusp of reclaiming a signature cultural platform—one that not only brings back a globally renowned music scene but an event which has previously sparked controversy due to its cost both fiscally and socially.

PRESS RELEASE

FROM THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS

SPORTS COMMISSION

Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands: Ripple Effect, a short film produced by the Project I.D.E.A. Media Club, has been officially selected for the Caribbean Film Festival. This marks a historic milestone as it is the first film shot and directed in the Turks and Caicos Islands by local filmmakers to be selected for a regional film festival. Commissioned by the Turks and Caicos Islands Sports Commission, the project was led by Project Lead Nandina Hislop and filmmaker Samuel Jules, owner of One Island Media.

The Caribbean Film Festival will take place from 11 -15 June 2025, at CinemaOne, Home of the IMAX, in Trinidad and Tobago. The festival, hosted by Africa Film TT, is an extension of a platform that has been supporting filmmakers for over a decade. According to organisers, the Caribbean Film Festival is a “world-class destination film festival” with a mission to “ignite and energise the region’s film and multimedia industry, fuelling a fresh wave of film production and creative content throughout the Caribbean.”

Ripple Effect will be screened alongside films from countries including Panama, Guyana, and Jamaica. The selection was made by a team of seasoned critics, guided by an Advisory Board that includes Scott Sardinha, Cultural Attaché for Westbrook Pictures and the Will Smith Circle. Ripple Effect was directed by film student Malachi Jarrett and Samuel Jules, with executive production by Samuel Jules and Nandina Hislop. The crew primarily consisted of youth between the ages of 14 and 21, mentored under the Project I.D.E.A. Media Club.

Project Lead Nandina Hislop shares, “We are immensely proud of this selection as this successful short film was achieved with a minute budget, powered by immense assistance from the production company One Island Media. Over 90% of actors in the film were first-time performers, which is a testament to the raw talent on our island. We hope this selection will result in a surge of public and private sector investment into the local film industry and the Project I.D.E.A. Media Club.”

Director of the film Samuel Jules, adds, “The acceptance of Ripple Effect into the Caribbean Film Festival brings me immense pride—not just because of the dynamic team, including passionate teens who contributed to its success, but because it also highlights pressing social issues in our communities. I hope this latest development in the film’s journey encourages positive change, inspires greater interest in the art of cinematography among young people, and encourages more support and resources for these creative pursuits.”

Minister of Education, Youth, Sports, and Social Services, the Hon. Rachel Taylor, also extended congratulations:

“This is a proud moment for the Turks and Caicos Islands. Ripple Effect’s success on the regional stage highlights the incredible potential of our youth and the power of creative expression to tell our unique stories. I commend the Project I.D.E.A. Media Club, One Island Media, and all involved in this project for demonstrating what can be achieved through talent, mentorship, and perseverance. Initiatives like these are vital not only for building skills and confidence but also for providing positive pathways that steer our young people away from juvenile delinquency. The Ministry remains committed to supporting the growth of creative industries as key drivers of national development and youth empowerment.”

Ripple Effect has also been submitted for consideration to other Caribbean film festivals, including the Trinidad+Tobago Film Festival and the Bahamas Independent Film Festival, with hopes for continued success. For more information, email nehislop@gov.tc.

The Project I.D.E.A. Media Club is currently open for summer session applications. Apply here: https://forms.office.com/r/c53uYaAaDb.

Garfield Ekon

Staff Writer

USA, September 21, 2024 – Hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs has been charged with serious sex offenses from a 14-page indictment, accusing him of racketeering, sex trafficking by force and transportation to engage in prostitution.

Mr. Combs, 54, was arrested on Monday evening, with allegations of running a criminal enterprise from at least 2008 that relied on drugs and violence to force women to “fulfill his sexual desires”, according to prosecutors. A New York federal judge remanded the musician in custody on Tuesday after prosecutors argued he was a “serious flight risk”.

If convicted on all three counts, the rapper and record producer faces a sentence of 15 years up to life in prison. Asked by US Magistrate Judge Robyn Tarnofsky how he wished to plead, Mr. Combs stood up and said: “not guilty”.

According to court documents, Mr. Combs “wielded the power” of his status to “lure female victims, to engage in extended sex acts” called “Freak Offs”. During Freak Offs, Combs distributed a variety of controlled substances to victims, in part to keep the victims “obedient and compliant,” the indictment said.

In a news briefing, US prosecutor Damian Williams said officials found firearms, ammunition and more than 1,000 bottles of lubricant during raids on Mr. Combs’ homes in Miami and Los Angeles, about six months ago. Mr. Williams said federal agents also found three semi-automatic rifles with defaced serial numbers, and a drum magazine.

He told reporters that further charges were possible, without offering details.

Mr. Agnifilo, the musician’s lawyer, maintained, “there’s no coercion and no crime.”

“He’s not afraid of the charges,” he said, adding that he believed Mr. Combs was the target of “an unjust prosecution”.

In court documents, federal prosecutors said that Mr. Combs had “abused, threatened, and coerced women and others around him to fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation, and conceal his conduct”.

Prosecutors accuse Mr. Combs of “creating a criminal enterprise” whose members – under his direction – engaged in sex trafficking, forced labour, kidnapping, arson and bribery.

“On numerous occasions”, the documents said, Mr. Combs assaulted women by “striking, punching, dragging, throwing objects at, and kicking them”.

The indictment did not specify how many women were alleged victims.

It also does not accuse Mr. Combs himself of engaging directly in unwanted sexual acts with women.

Last November, his ex-girlfriend, singer Casandra Elizabeth Ventura, filed a civil lawsuit against him that included graphic descriptions of violent abuse.

Sean “Diddy” Combs denied the accusations, but settled the case a day after it was filed.