News
Taylor, Green, Butterfield & Garland announced as Newest PDM Candidates
Deandrea Hamilton
Editor
Turks and Caicos, December 2, 2024 – The four final candidates to complete the full slate for the People’s Democratic Movement were announced just before the National Day of Thanksgiving holiday in a press conference held on November 28, 2024 at the party’s headquarters in Providenciales.
Dwayne Taylor
“The faces you will see today are not just candidates, they represent the hopes, dreams and aspirations of every Turks and Caicos Islanders,” said Ezra Taylor, National Party Chairman.
Taylor explained what went into the selection process of the candidates.
“We took in mind exactly what this country needs now for better leadership. These persons check the boxes for the issues we face in this country. You can be confident that as a people we are about to present to you are competent and ready to lead on day one. They are passionate advocates for change, ready to listen, engage and work collaboratively to address the challenges we encounter daily.”
Those challenges were named as increase in crime and violence, lax border security and high cost of living.
Alvin Garland
“Our candidates are here to not only represent our country, but to unite us as a country,” said the national chairman who introduced the four new candidates” Candidate number one, Mr. Temard Butterfield; Candidate number two, the Hon Alvin Garland; Candidate number three, the Hon Dwayne Taylor and Candidate number four: our Garden girl, Ms Sabrina Elizabeth Green.”
Robert Been, PDM Deputy leader welcomed the four newest At Large seat contenders sharing with members of the press and viewers online, what the PDM is proposing as an elected government.
”We are ready to bring solutions, not just promises. This team embodies the high level of representation that our people desperately deserve. Our vision is clear, a government that listens, a government that cares and a government that puts you first, the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands. The PDM is ready to lead.”
Temard Butterfield, a former appointed member of the House, when he spoke, boldly confirmed that he will offer as an All Island candidate and chastised the lack of responsiveness of the PNP Administration.
Temard Butterfield
“I hear the cries of our people, weary of temporary fixes, deaf ears and blind eyes to the challenges affecting the people here in these beautiful islands. Therefore I am here today to recommit myself to service to you, through integrity, accountability and innovation to our country’s progress and holistic advancement.”
Alvin Garland, who is a sitting member of the House of Assembly appointed to the post by the Opposition PDM, recommended policies to ensure equal access to opportunities. He also condemned what he called, ‘the shut mouth stimulus.’
“Our people are being left behind in this fast moving economy, while foreigners are the real benefactors of the growth of this country. This must be true because the Government of the day has just given out a stimulus to TC Islanders and BOTC citizens to offset the cost of living when the economy is thriving and there are lots of opportunities to earn a good living from this booming economy.
A former speaker of the House of Assembly, Dwayne Taylor promoted a need for change; appealing to voters to use their power to change the status quo.
Sabrina Green
“Families are being crushed under the weight of the soaring cost of living, crime has spiralled out of control, robbing us of our peace and immigration is now a crisis of epic proportions. Our health care system fails to meet even the basic needs of our people, infrastructure crumbles, while local businesses close their doors and our young people, full of potential, are being forced to leave for opportunities elsewhere,” said Taylor.
The lone lady introduced on this day, Sabrina Green, has a background in hospitality and law and has served the Turks and Caicos as director of the Human Rights Association; a constitutional entity.
“I believe you deserve better Turks and Caicos. PDM believes you deserve better. We deserve more than just the token gestures. We deserve a Sovereign Wealth Fund to manage our country’s wealth strategically, sustainably. Where others see $1,000 relief payment, I see 125 homes for lower and middle income home earners. A turn key opportunity the government could have capitalised on if they were serious about empowering our people.”
Over 8,400 people have now watched the press conference which was streamed live on Facebook.
TCIG knew from April that fuel factor could surge almost 80%; Minister says $500 cost-of-living payment was part of Government’s response
PROVIDENCIALES — The Turks and Caicos Government knew months before July’s shocking electricity bills that consumers faced a potentially massive increase in the fuel factor.
Minister of Information Technology and Energy E. Jay Saunders revealed Friday that Pelican Energy warned his Ministry in April that generation fuel costs were projected to rise from $3.09 per gallon in May to $4.79 in June and July.
That translated into a projected fuel factor jump from about 17.5 cents to 31 cents per kilowatt-hour — an increase of almost 80%.
Saunders said he personally advised Cabinet of the projected increase and presented options for cushioning the impact.
He characterised Government’s $500 cost-of-living payment as its “initial response” to rising fuel costs, before a separate fuel-factor subsidy was approved.
Cabinet records show Government agreed on June 24 to provide funding to mitigate the fuel-factor impact, with the relief programme approved July 8.
Eligible residential customers — those averaging less than $1,500 monthly over the previous three bills — are capped at 22 cents per kWh from July through October.
Pelican confirmed Friday that Government’s contribution was already applied to July bills, meaning the bills now triggering widespread public outrage would have been even higher without the subsidy.
Saunders did not disclose the programme’s total cost.
His admission that Government knew since April, however, raises another question amid the backlash: why were consumers not directly warned by Government about the scale of the approaching increase?
NASSAU, Bahamas — More Bahamians are accessing HIV and sexually transmitted infection-related healthcare through National Health Insurance, a trend the NHI Authority says should be viewed positively.
NHIA stressed in an August 6 statement that its 2025 figures measure healthcare utilisation, not newly diagnosed infections. They include beneficiaries screened, treated, monitored or receiving follow-up care, including people diagnosed previously.
“Increased utilisation of these services should be viewed as a positive development,” NHIA said.
The Authority pointed to “greater enrolment and use of NHI, improved access to screening and testing, continued treatment and monitoring of existing conditions, and increased willingness to seek medical care.”
The development comes amid a mixed three-year HIV picture. New diagnoses rose from 130 in 2023 to 156 in 2024, before declining to 142 in 2025.
NHIA said increased utilisation demonstrates that more beneficiaries are accessing needed healthcare and actively managing their health, reinforcing the importance of screening, early diagnosis and continued treatment.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Americas has recorded 47,459 confirmed measles cases and 44 deaths in 2026, the region’s highest case count in 22 years, prompting the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) to urge stronger vaccination, surveillance and rapid outbreak response.
As of July 18, cases were already more than triple the 15,011 recorded during all of 2025. Guatemala, Mexico, the United States and Peru
account for 95% of confirmed cases. Guatemala leads with 30,371 cases and 26 deaths, followed by Mexico with 12,255 cases and 17 deaths.
PAHO classifies the regional public health risk as very high, citing active outbreaks, immunity gaps, international travel and populations with inadequate vaccination coverage.
The organization says prevention starts with vaccination. Countries are being urged to achieve and maintain at least 95% coverage with two doses of measles-containing vaccine, particularly protecting children and under-vaccinated communities.
Measles spreads through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes. Symptoms can include fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes and a rash.
PAHO is urging health authorities to detect suspected cases early and respond rapidly to stop transmission. Unvaccinated and under-vaccinated people, young children and communities with limited healthcare access face increased risk of severe illness and death.
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