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Turks and Caicos Islands Launches New Project on Mosquito Control in Collaboration with London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and UK Health Security Agency

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Research Team and key support members.

Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – Wednesday, 16 October 2024: The Ministry of Health and Human Services Environmental Health Department, in collaboration with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), has launched a ground-breaking mosquito control initiative in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI). Funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), this pilot project will assess the feasibility of environmentally sustainable methods for managing mosquito populations, with the long-term goal of improving public health across the islands.

This nine-month project will identify mosquito species in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) and explore eco-friendly methods for controlling their populations. By focusing on local ecological dynamics, the project seeks to inform a larger mosquito control strategy that balances public health with environmental protection.

The first phase will assess the threat of mosquito-borne diseases and evaluate breeding sites in North Caicos and Middle Caicos. A pilot survey of these sites is planned for November 2024 to guide future mosquito management efforts.

The project is co-led by distinguished experts, including Professor Jo Lines of LSHTM, Zatanya Handfield, Vector Control Coordinator TCI Environmental Health Department, and Dr Jolyon Medlock of the UKHSA. The core team is supported by Roz Taylor from LSHTM, Alexander Vaux from UKHSA, and Bryan Manco, Assistant Director of Research and Development at the TCI Department of Environment and Coastal Resources (DECR).

From 7 – 10 October 2024, the project team engaged with key stakeholders on the islands of Providenciales and North Caicos, facilitating important consultations with the research team. These discussions focused on the potential impact of the project, allowing for critical input from local communities and ensuring that the Turks and Caicos Islands’ unique environmental and public health priorities are fully integrated at every stage of project development.

Following these consultations, the team conducted field visits to significant mosquito breeding sites, including wetlands, ponds, swamps, and residential premises on North Caicos and Middle Caicos. These visits, guided by local experts such as Bryan Manco from the Department of Environment and Coastal Resources (DECR), Junel Blaise, DECR Nursery and Field Officer, and Christopher May, Environmental Officer from the Department of Fisheries and Marine Resources Management, provided valuable insights into the ecological factors. TCI Vector Control Supervisor, Hilton Robinson and Vector Control Officer, Dwight Hall were also present, further contributing to the exploration of these ecologically important areas and providing valuable insights into human activities that promote mosquito breeding. These visits will provide vital data for the pilot survey, shaping future mosquito control efforts.

Mosquito-borne diseases pose a health challenge for the Turks and Caicos Islands, and this initiative represents a significant step toward combating these risks through innovative, ecologically sensitive methods.

Dr. Nadia Astwood, Chief Medical Officer within the Ministry of Health and Human Services, expressed her support for the initiative, stating: “This collaboration marks a significant step in safeguarding the health of our people. Mosquito-borne diseases have long been a concern for us, and this research will not only identify the current threats but also explore innovative, environmentally friendly ways to control mosquito populations. We are deeply grateful to our partners at LSHTM and UKHSA for their expertise and commitment to this cause. By embedding local knowledge and priorities, we are ensuring that the solutions developed are sustainable and tailored to the unique challenges of our islands.”

Honourable Shaun D. Malcolm, Minister of Health and Human Services, also highlighted the initiative’s importance for the nation’s public health strategy: “We are thrilled to collaborate with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the UK Health Security Agency on this ground-breaking initiative. By investing in this research now, we are taking proactive steps to protect the health of future generations. I look forward to seeing the results of this pilot project and the long-term impact it will have on our community.”

The Turks and Caicos Islands Ministry of Health remains steadfast in its dedication to safeguarding the public against vector-borne diseases. Through continued collaboration with regional and international partners, the Ministry is committed to maintaining robust health systems and protecting the well-being of all residents.

For additional information, please visit the Ministry of Health’s Facebook page on https://www.facebook.com/tciministryofhealth/.

Bahamas News

Don Jr. Bahamas Wedding to Proceed Without President Trump

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USA, May 22, 2026 – Donald Trump Jr. is expected to marry Palm Beach socialite Bettina Anderson this weekend in The Bahamas, but despite speculation surrounding the high-profile ceremony, the exact location remains tightly guarded.

Multiple U.S. media outlets report the couple selected a private island in The Bahamas for what is being described as a small, intimate Memorial Day weekend wedding with roughly 50 close friends and family members in attendance. So far, no publication has publicly confirmed which Bahamian island or cay will host the ceremony, though reports consistently describe it as a secluded and heavily private setting.

The secrecy has only fueled curiosity in a country made up of more than 700 islands and cays, many of which are favored by wealthy international visitors for destination weddings and luxury retreats.

On Friday, President Donald Trump confirmed he will not attend the ceremony, citing international tensions and responsibilities at the White House.

Posting on Truth Social, Trump wrote: “While I very much wanted to be with my son, Don Jr., and the newest member of the Trump Family, his soon to be wife, Bettina, circumstances pertaining to Government, and my love for the United States of America, do not allow me to do so.”

Earlier in the week, Trump had indicated he would “try and make it,” but acknowledged the timing was “not good” because of ongoing tensions involving Iran.

Donald Trump Jr., 48, became engaged to Anderson, 39, in December 2025 at Camp David after about a year of dating. This will be his second marriage.

Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.

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Bahamas News

Over a Week Later, Bahamians Still Waiting on Full Election Numbers

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The Bahamas, May 22, 2026 – More than a week after Bahamians voted in the country’s 2026 General Election, complete official constituency voting figures still have not been publicly released by the Parliamentary Registration Department.

While winners have been declared across the country’s expanded 41-seat Parliament, no centralized official breakdown showing constituency vote totals, turnout percentages, rejected ballots or margins of victory appears to have been published publicly.

The Progressive Liberal Party is widely reported to have secured 33 seats, while the Free National Movement won eight seats, according to tallies carried by several media houses, including the Nassau Guardian’s election tracker and other regional reports.

Still missing, however, are the underlying numbers which would allow the public to independently assess voter participation levels across the country’s 41 constituencies.

That absence is drawing increasing attention following an election already marked by concerns over long lines, advanced polling confusion, voter register complaints and questions about election administration.

Unofficial turnout estimates circulating in local media place national voter participation near 58 percent. If confirmed, that would represent the lowest voter turnout in modern Bahamian general election history.

Historically, The Bahamas has recorded strong election participation rates, with turnout often exceeding 80 percent in previous decades. But participation declined sharply in 2021, when official turnout fell to roughly 65 percent — at the time considered historically low.

Now, the Coalition of Independents says it plans to challenge aspects of the election process in Election Court and is escalating its criticism of the handling of the vote.

In a sharply worded statement issued to media, Coalition Leader Lincoln Bain announced the party will boycott the opening of Parliament, insisting the election was “flawed from start to finish.”

The Coalition claims the country cannot “celebrate ceremony while justice is ignored,” arguing that unresolved election concerns continue to hang over the legitimacy of the process.

Among the concerns raised by the COI are:

  • allegations of voter register irregularities;
  • claims that the voters register remained open after Parliament was dissolved;
  • accusations of vote buying;
  • concerns tied to the Pinewood constituency race;
  • alleged constitutional breaches involving undeclared government contracts;
  • and alleged conflicts of interest involving gaming operators serving in Cabinet.

The Coalition also referenced allegations surrounding criminal influence and drug-related claims connected to political operations, while calling for what it describes as a “serious local investigation.”

In its statement, the COI said there has been “no proper public accounting, no local investigation announced, and no Commission of Inquiry launched into these matters.”

The group is now demanding a formal Commission of Inquiry into the conduct of the election and related allegations.

Bain said the boycott of Parliament is “not a boycott of democracy” but instead “a stand in defence of democracy.”

The statement further argues that Parliament itself must be protected from “corruption, conflicts of interest, criminal influence, and electoral fraud.”

So far, election authorities have not publicly indicated when complete certified constituency voting figures will be formally released.

And that delay is becoming increasingly significant because the missing data includes the very numbers needed to understand whether Bahamians truly disengaged from the electoral process in record numbers.

If unofficial turnout estimates are accurate, it would mean voter participation in 2026 either matched or fell below the historically low 2021 election turnout — despite The Bahamas recording one of its largest voter registration totals ever, with more than 209,000 people listed to vote.

Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.

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Health

Grand Turk Residents Fear Norovirus-Linked Cruise as Health Ministry Approves Docking

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Turks and Caicos, May 22, 2026 – Residents in Grand Turk raised concerns last week after a cruise ship previously linked to a major norovirus outbreak was cleared to dock in the Turks and Caicos Islands days after passengers were reportedly denied disembarkation in The Bahamas over health fears.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the outbreak sickened 115 people — including 102 passengers and 13 crew members — during a voyage which ran from April 28 to May 11. The illnesses involved symptoms commonly associated with norovirus, including vomiting and diarrhea.

The outbreak became public on May 7 and quickly triggered concern across the region.

Authorities in Nassau reportedly refused to allow passengers off the vessel because of public health concerns connected to the outbreak.

That decision later fueled anxiety among some Turks and Caicos residents when the ship proceeded to Grand Turk on May 15.

Residents’ concerns were not without cause.

Norovirus is a highly contagious viral illness often associated with cruise ships, hotels, schools and other environments where large groups of people share close quarters. The virus primarily causes sudden vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps and nausea, and spreads rapidly through contaminated food, water, surfaces and person-to-person contact.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most healthy people recover within one to three days, but norovirus can become serious — and occasionally fatal — for elderly individuals, young children and people with weakened immune systems because of severe dehydration. While the overall fatality rate is considered very low, the CDC estimates norovirus contributes to hundreds of deaths annually in the United States, mainly among vulnerable populations.

The Turks and Caicos Ministry of Health and Human Services had said in a press statement on May 15, it believed the risks had been effectively neutralized before the vessel arrived in Grand Turk.

In a statement issued Thursday, the Ministry said the ship had already returned to Florida, where passengers disembarked and “comprehensive sanitization and deep-cleaning procedures were completed” before operations resumed.

The Ministry also stressed that its Public Health Team maintained “close and continuous communication” with the ship’s medical personnel, Carnival Cruise Line officials and stakeholders at the Grand Turk Cruise Centre before approving the docking.

Routine inspections and standard port health procedures were also carried out, according to officials.

The Ministry further reassured the public that there were “currently no public health concerns” associated with the vessel’s arrival.

Still, the situation once again highlighted the delicate balancing act Caribbean nations face between protecting public health and sustaining tourism economies heavily dependent on cruise arrivals.

Officials are now encouraging vendors, taxi operators, tour companies and businesses to continue practicing strong sanitation and hygiene measures as an added precaution.

Residents were also reminded that frequent handwashing remains one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of norovirus and other infectious illnesses.

Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.

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