Minister Taylor Calls for Purpose-Driven Action as Nation Marks JAGS Day

Grand Turk, TCI – May 27, 2025 — Minister of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture, Hon. Rachel Taylor, delivered a powerful message at Monday’s wreath-laying ceremony in honour of the late Right Excellent James Alexander George Smith McCartney, the Turks and Caicos Islands’ sole National Hero and first Chief Minister.

Speaking at the restored JAGS McCartney Memorial Site, Minister Taylor urged citizens to move beyond remembrance and embrace purposeful action inspired by JAGS’ enduring legacy.

“Today is more than a wreath-laying ceremony; it is a call to purpose,” Taylor declared, as she reflected on McCartney’s vision of justice, equity, education, and cultural pride. She praised the late leader for empowering youth and the marginalized, noting his foundational role in creating the Junkanoo Club—a space for political thought and cultural expression.

Taylor highlighted the recent transformation of the Memorial Site into a “living classroom,” thanks to the creative efforts of designer Evina Brooks James and technological enhancements by the Ministry of Technology. She commended the Department of Culture for preserving JAGS’ legacy through educational and cultural initiatives.

Referencing today’s social and cultural challenges, Taylor called on citizens to honour JAGS not just with ceremony, but through policies, parenting, and community leadership. “Be bold. Be curious. Be committed,” she urged the nation’s youth.

The ceremony also celebrated McCartney’s daughter, Yaa McCartney, recently appointed Acting Attorney General—a symbolic continuation of her father’s legacy of service and leadership.