News
InterHealth Canada awarded $17.1 Million; former Health Ministers explain why
Deandrea Hamilton
Editor
Turks and Caicos, March 28, 2025 – Five ministers of health have served while a lingering legal matter got dusty and went unrectified; now the Turks and Caicos Islands Government will pay InterHealth Canada $17.1 million; a negotiated settlement engineered by the Washington Misick Administration.
The dispute escalated to litigation in the Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson Administration, when Edwin Astwood was the Minister of Health and Human Services.
Former minister Astwood, now the Leader of the Opposition, explained to Magnetic Media, the government of that day believed there was a contractual quandary. On the one hand, the TCIG had signed on to incrementally increase its clinical services payment to InterHealth Canada to the tune of $1.5 million per month. On the other hand, the government then believed full services in the management of hospital were never delivered by IHC.
“Mr. Speaker if we feel that InterHealth Canada wasn’t doing something right by the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands, why shouldn’t
we go and question what they’re doing legally,” explained Edwin Astwood, Leader of the Opposition, after being chastised for the litigation started under the PDM Administration.
“I don’t know what happened in the four years, why we lost that case. I wasn’t there for the last four, five years so maybe why did we lose the case, why didn’t we win that? It was a clear shut case that we had.”
Former Minister of Health, Shaun Malcolm had earlier expressed outrage at the question related to the payout; chiding Astwood for feigning ignorance of the matter.
Malcolm explained how the government arrived at the payout sum.
“One of his questions, in relation to the $17.1million claim against government; he asked a question: what is this about? So, Mr. Speaker, I think its important to clarify for the public, those who are listening in the public …. The leader of the opposition was a member of that very same committee (Public Accounts Committee), Mr. Speaker and I recall having the Ministry of Health before that committee and the Ministry of Health was being questioned about the relationship of the Hospital and its contractual agreement.
Mr. Speaker, it came forward that the Ministry of Health could not answer many of our questions at that time because there was an arbitration, that we learned at that time, was in-train. And what was the reason? The TCIG was in a dispute with the InterHealth Canada.
Mr. Speaker, people of the Turks and Caicos Islands, because under the former minister of health, which was on the committee, that happened to be the Leader of the Opposition, there was no reconciliation for a number of years, under him and because there was no reconciliation done and they couldn’t come to a resolution on how much needed to be paid, Interhealth Canada took the government to court on his watch,” said Shaun Malcolm, now the Minister of Home Affairs.
“Thank God for the prudency of this government and our actions we took in our last term, it would have been much more!
We worked diligently, we recruited experts to navigate the very complicated contract and because of the move we made, we have saved this country – this good progressive PNP government – has saved this country a colossal amount of money.”
Minister Malcolm called it the price of “bad management” of the PDM.
“The prudent action to take is to bring expertise, people in, so that we could right the institution.”
The Opposition Leader corrected a point, that it was the PDM which brought the matter to arbitration and not the other way around. He also believes the Turks and Caicos Islands Government should have won the matter, not agreed to the enormous settlement.
“What happened in the last four years and four ministers of health that brought us to this point and I do believe they need to address that,” said Astwood. In a November statement from the Government, the public got a glimpse into the protracted case, where the PNP Administration expressed similar reasons for discontent with the InterHealth Canada contract.
From the TCIG Statement: “… TCIG believes it has established areas of non-compliance that could result in TCIG being able to pursue various remedies under the contract. Whilst IHC have disputed this, the last few months have seen greater dialogue in which a settlement of outstanding issues was sought. However, IHC has been unable to provide adequate assurances to the Cabinet of future performance and we have not been able to reach a satisfactory agreement.
As a result, the Cabinet has decided to continue to enforce TCIG’s contractual rights and invoke the appropriate remedies available to TCI which would include the levy of financial deductions, the ability to require service improvement plans, the ability for TCI to step in to provide the services, and/ or the termination of the contract entirely.”
The spat over the $17.1 million settlement erupted in a March 18, 2025 meeting of the House of Assembly, where a fourth Budget Supplementary of $40.5 million was passed.
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – Wednesday, 25 February 2026: Staff of the Department of Disaster Management and Emergencies (DDME) participated in a one‑day Professional Staff Development Workshop on Thursday, 19th February 2026. The session was facilitated by former DDME Director (2011–2021) and current Permanent Secretary of the Governor’s Office, Dr. Virginia Clerveaux.
The in-house workshop was organised by the DDME Training Unit, to focus on the National Disaster Management Framework, strengthening staff understanding of their roles and responsibilities within disaster management. The session also aimed to enhance the effectiveness of the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) and reinforce inter‑agency coordination.
Drawing on her extensive experience in disaster management in the Turks and Caicos Islands, as well as several deployments to CDEMA member states including Haiti, The Bahamas, and Jamaica, Dr. Clerveaux provided practical insights that reinforced key concepts and clarified operational expectations. Staff members actively participated in discussions and shared recommendations to improve sub‑committee performance and overall departmental efficiency.
To support learning retention, the workshop incorporated pre‑ and post‑assessments, enabling participants to evaluate their understanding and track improvements.
Acting Director of DDME, Mr. Kevaun Lucas stated: “Investing in the continued development of our team is essential to strengthening national resilience. This and future planned workshops will help to reinforce our commitment to building a highly skilled, well‑coordinated workforce capable of leading and supporting disaster management efforts across the Turks and Caicos Islands. I am proud of the team’s engagement and encouraged by the meaningful contributions they made throughout the session.”
This Professional Staff Development Workshop forms part of DDME’s ongoing commitment to enhancing internal capacity, strengthening operational coordination and improving overall departmental synergy as the agency continues to advance national preparedness and response capabilities.
Photo Captions:
Caribbean News
Liberty Caribbean Supports Regional Forum on AI, Cyber Resilience and Digital Inclusion
Port of Spain, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO (February 24, 2026) — Liberty Caribbean, the operators of Flow, Liberty Business and BTC, recently served as Gold-Level Partner of the two-day Trinidad and Tobago Internet Governance Forum (TTIGF), themed “The Innovation Paradox – Balancing Progress with Responsibility and Resilience”.
The Digital Divide is of particular interest to Liberty Caribbean and is being addressed through its Charitable Foundation across the region. Low broadband penetration in the Caribbean contributes to diminished opportunities for individuals, communities, and local economies, but with the support of funding partners, this gap can be addressed through a comprehensive programme – JUMP – that focuses on providing access, devices, and digital skills.
“Liberty Caribbean was proud to serve as Gold-Level Partner of the TTIGF because the conversations taking place here shape key digital
policies for multiple stakeholders,” said Simone Martin-Sulgan, Vice President and General Manager, Flow Trinidad.
“As technology accelerates at an unprecedented pace, we must ensure that innovation strengthens our societies rather than fragments them. The theme, ‘The Innovation Paradox – Balancing Progress with Responsibility and Resilience,’ speaks directly to the work we do every day: building networks that are not only fast and reliable, but secure, inclusive and future-ready.”
Across the Caribbean, the digital divide remains one of the most pressing barriers to equitable growth. Low broadband penetration limits access to education, entrepreneurship and essential services, and that is why we are deeply committed to closing this gap.
Through the Liberty Caribbean Charitable Foundation and initiatives like the JUMP Programme, the company is expanding access to technology, affordable connectivity and digital skills training so that individuals and communities are empowered to participate fully in the digital economy.
Martin-Sulgan further stated “at Liberty Caribbean, we believe progress and responsibility must move in lock step. By investing in resilient networks, inclusive programmes and trusted partnerships, we are helping to build a Caribbean that is innovative, secure and prepared for the opportunities ahead.”
Topics covered during the Forum, with over 140 participants, included “Securing Critical Infrastructure”, Integrating AI into Digital Transformation”, “The Digital Divide”, The Human Cost of Innovation – Mental Health and Well-being in the Digital Age’, and AI, Cyber Resilience and Regional Innovation”.
Focused on the underlying mandate of the Conference theme thought leaders, innovators, policymakers, technologists, researchers, and community stakeholders were invited to explore how countries can evolve boldly without compromising values or long-term stability.
Photo Caption:
TTIGF – l-r Darren Campo, Regulatory & Compliance Officer; Yolande Agard-Simmons, Senior Manager Communications; and Kevon Swift, Senior Manager Government and Regulatory Affairs of Flow Trinidad in attendance at the Post Event Mixer at Caribbean Telecommunications Union’s Head Office in St Clair, Port of Spain
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, 20 February 2026 — The Informal Settlements Unit (ISU), in collaboration with key
government agencies, coordinated a multi-agency enforcement exercise on Thursday, February 5, 2026, at Block and Parcel 60609/33 in the Five Cays area.
The exercise was led by the Crown Land Unit, pursuant to its statutory mandate under the Crown Land Ordinance to prevent squatting and encroachment on Crown land. The ISU coordinated the operation, with support provided by the Planning Department and the Turks and Caicos Islands Border Force, while the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force ensured security throughout the activity.
The enforcement action followed a series of inspections conducted by the Crown Land Unit throughout Five Cays, which identified several illegally constructed buildings made of concrete and timber on sections of the subject parcel. In keeping with the provisions of the Crown Land Ordinance, occupied structures were served Letters of Illegal Occupation, delivered by hand to occupants and
posted on structures where individuals were absent. Incomplete and unoccupied structures were served Notices of Unauthorized Occupation pursuant to section 22 of the Ordinance. A total of ten (10) Letters of Illegal Occupation and three (3) Notices of Unauthorized Occupation were issued during the exercise.
The Informal Settlements Unit reiterates that these coordinated enforcement exercises form part of the Government’s ongoing efforts to uphold the law, protect Crown land, and manage informal settlements in a structured and lawful manner. Members of the public are reminded that unauthorised occupation and development on Crown land is unlawful and subject to enforcement action.
