PRESS RELEASE

FROM THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS

SPORTS COMMISSION

Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – The future of sport in the Turks and Caicos Islands took a major leap forward in March with the official launch of the Long-Term Athlete Development (LTAD) Frameworks, a strategic roadmap designed to guide young athletes from grassroots participation to elite performance.

After years of development, specialised LTAD frameworks have been developed for basketball, football, cricket, swimming, athletics, rugby, along with a general provision that supports other sports. These frameworks provide science-based models to ensure athletes train and compete according to their stage of physical, mental, and emotional development.

This initiative was developed in collaboration with Dr. Colin Higgs, Professor Emeritus at the School of Human Kinetics and a nationally renowned consultant in coaching and athlete development across Canada and the Caribbean. Dr. Higgs’ extensive expertise has been instrumental in shaping a model tailored to the unique context and ambitions of TCI sport.

“We started three years ago with the Long Term Athlete Development Symposium…following that, I have been working with six of the national sport governing bodies to develop their own LTAD plan,” says Dr. Higgs. “Since then, I’ve come back and I’ve been working with the National Sport Governing Bodies (NSGBs) on two things. One is strengthening their administration and being more effective. Then with the sports that I had been working with, developing their LTAD plans, working with them on how they are going to implement those plans to make it a reality, not just a document that sits on a shelf.”

Hon. Rachel Taylor, Minister of Education, Youth, Sports and Social Services, added:

“This has been a three-prong approach as it commenced 3 years ago. We had the framework development that took place and what I like about it is that we have been able to use some of the material to assist in the development and improvement into the Physical Education curriculum within our schools from grade 3-6.”

Hon Taylor explains, “This speaks specifically to long-term development in athletes, so we have a framework in place for each of the sport disciplines. In discussion with Colin, he has highlighted the importance for us to ensure that we focus on grassroots sports and what we want to do is ensure that our children have the opportunity not just to focus on one sporting discipline in their life, but to start very early, giving them the opportunity to be exposed to the various disciplines. At a later stage, they will identify their niche in sports.

There is much more that can be done in terms of developing our facilities. But we are on a mission to bring up, bring about the necessary change.”

The LTAD documents serve as critical tools for National Sport Governing Bodies, equipping them with clear direction and consistent strategies for long-term success. Each framework outlines key components such as:

• TCI’s Seven Stages of Long-Term Athlete Development
• Stage-by-stage guidance on training, competition, and recovery
• Podium Pathways to identify and support high-performance talent
• Sport-specific considerations and factors influencing success

These frameworks represent a bold commitment to excellence and sustainability in sport. By applying LTAD principles, the TCI sports community is investing in a future where young athletes are nurtured properly and positioned to thrive on the regional and international stage.

For more information and to apply the framework to your sport body, contact Compliance and Support Manager, Mrs Joddy Harvey at jcharvey@gov.tc.

Photo Captions: 

1st insert: Dr Colin Higgs meeting withNational Sport Governing Body Executives

2nd insert: L-R: Director of Sport Jarrett Forbes, Hon. Rachel Taylor and Dr Colin Higgs

MEDIA RELEASE

QUICK SUMMARY

Key findings specific to The Bahamas based on the report:

Food Security and Undernourishment:

• In the 2021–2023 period, The Bahamas had one of the lowest prevalence rates of moderate or severe food insecurity in the Caribbean at 17.2%​​.
• Data on undernourishment for The Bahamas is not consistently available, but the country has been noted for relatively better food security conditions compared to others in the region​.

Affordability of a Healthy Diet:

• In 2022, The Bahamas had a high cost of a healthy diet at 5.41 PPP dollars per person per day, higher than the Caribbean average of 5.16 PPP dollars.

Policy Framework:

• The Bahamas’ National Food and Nutrition Security Policy and Action Plan (2017–2021) identifies climate variability as a significant driver of food insecurity. It includes objectives to strengthen resilience against crises, including climate-related impacts​.

Climate and Food Systems:

• Climate variability and extremes are acknowledged as challenges to the country’s agrifood systems. Investments in resilience and better governance are highlighted as essential for mitigating these impacts​

Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer

Severe rainfall has led to the declaration of a state of emergency in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil after 37 people lost their lives, 74 reported missing and 7,949 displaced, now staying in shelters, as of May 3. Video footage in the media shows the area, nearly fully covered by water.  Also, Bridges and roads were left damaged. This was reported in a release by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.