News
Turks and Caicos Islands Community College Celebrates 29th Annual Commencement Ceremony
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands — On Thursday, 28 November 2024, the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College (TCICC) proudly hosted its 29th Annual Commencement Ceremony under the inspiring theme: “30 Years of Developing Our Nation-Builders: Honouring the Past, Embracing the Present, Inspiring the Future.” The event, held at the Yellowman and Sons Auditorium, marked a historic milestone with a record-breaking 194 graduates from the Associate, Bachelor’s, and TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) programmes.
Among the 194 graduates, 69 earned Associate degrees, 29 completed Bachelor’s degrees, and 96 were TVET trainees. Demonstrating academic excellence, 25% of the Associate degree graduates achieved Dean’s List recognition with GPAs above 3.5, while Bachelor’s graduates celebrated a range of honours classifications: 14% earned Upper Second-Class Honours, 69% achieved Lower Second-Class Honours, and 17% secured a Pass.
The ceremony was attended by an audience of over 500, including distinguished dignitaries such as Acting Governor, Her Excellency Anya Williams; Honourable Rachel Taylor, Minister of Education; Honourable Otis Morris, Minister of Home Affairs; and Honourable Josephine Connolly, Minister of Tourism. Also present were other past and current government officials, families and well-wishers of the graduands,
as well as the dedicated staff and faculty of the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College.
The Honourable Rachel Taylor, Minister of Education, commended the graduating class and paid tribute to the institution’s rich legacy. She remarked, “As the Minister with responsibilities for Education, I was delighted to witness the graduation ceremony for the cohort of students who walked across the stage and received their certificate in their field of study. Our students have been resilient in their efforts to empower themselves through education. It was enlightening to witness the (ninety-six) 96 candidates who were certified and received their Caribbean Vocational Qualifications (CVQs) through our Technical Vocational Education Training (TVET) from all our training sites on Providenciales, Grand Turk, South Caicos and the Prison. It blessed my heart to witness twenty (20) inmates receiving their certification. We truly believe that inmates who have access to and benefit from an education while in prison, develop marketable skills and are better equipped to reintegrate into society upon release. With this initiative in place and being strengthened to offer additional areas of study, our inmates are more likely to secure stable employment, contribute to their communities, and break the cycle of recidivism. As a Government, we have partnered with Invest TCI for entrepreneurial opportunities upon completion of our TVET programme. Our boost in registration at TCICC with over 38% increase in enrollment, is a testament of our intent to building Human Capital through Free Access to our community college.”
In her remarks, TCICC President Dr. Candice Williams highlighted the College’s enduring impact on the community, stating, “TCICC’s achievements this year are a testament to our commitment to excellence—TVET certifications soared by 109%, the Dean’s List grew by 169%, and 80% of our students benefit from free tuition. These achievements are transformative. They represent lives changed, communities empowered, and a nation enriched.”
A unique highlight of the event was the graduation of 20 inmates from the HM Prison under TCICC’s TVET Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) programme. These graduates were praised by staff at the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation for showing remarkable transformation in attitude and outlook, emphasising the College’s commitment to inclusive education and societal reintegration.
The ceremony also featured an inspiring address from three former leaders of TCICC: Rev. Dr. Julia Williams, Dr. Hubert Fulford, and Mrs. Clara Gardiner. Each shared heartfelt reflections on the College’s legacy while issuing powerful charges to the graduates to embrace their roles as changemakers in the community.
As TCICC continues to celebrate its 30th anniversary, this year’s commencement ceremony serves as a resounding testament to its pivotal role in shaping the nation’s future.
Link to Photos: TCICC 29th Commencement Ceremony Images
For further information, please contact:
June-Ann Campbell mco@tcicc.edu.tc
Marketing and Communications Officer
3 Success Way, Butterfield, Providenciales
Turks and Caicos Islands
TKCA 1ZZ
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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