Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, 7th May 2025 – In a proactive step toward strengthening national resilience, Acting Governor Her Excellency Anya Williams and Premier and Minister of Finance, the Honourable Charles Washington Misick, who joined virtually, chaired the Turks and Caicos Islands first State of Preparedness Meeting in anticipation of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, which officially begins on June 1.
The high-level meeting was convened to assess the country’s readiness and reinforce inter-agency coordination in the face of potential tropical threats.
The meeting brought together key members of Cabinet, senior government officials, and representatives from critical service and emergency response sectors.
Attendees included: Minister of Physical Planning and Infrastructure Development, the Honourable Arlington Musgrove; Minister of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture, the Honourable Rachel Taylor; Minister of Health and Human Services, the Honourable Kyle Knowles; and Minister of Tourism and the Environment, the Honourable Zhavago Jolly.
Also present were Permanent Secretaries, Deputy Secretaries, District Commissioners, the Acting Director of the Department of Disaster Management Ms. Kevaun Lucas and Emergencies (DDME), the Director of Meteorology Dr. Holly Hamilton, as well as representatives from the TCI Regiment, telecommunications provider Flow TCI, Provo Water Company, Fortis TCI, Rubis TCI, the Turks and Caicos Islands Red Cross, InterHealth Canada, and other relevant partners and stakeholders.
The session began with an in-depth presentation by Dr. Holly Hamilton, who shared forecasts and projections for the upcoming hurricane season. Her briefing included insights from regional and international meteorological bodies, highlighting an expected increase in storm activity due to above-average sea surface temperatures and other climatic conditions.
Participants engaged in extensive discussions on key preparedness pillars, including the status and capacity of emergency shelters across the islands, strengthening telecommunications and utility infrastructure, logistics for relief distribution, public health readiness, and inter-agency coordination protocols. Emphasis was placed on community engagement, public education, and early warning systems to ensure the population is adequately informed and equipped ahead of any storm event.
Acting Governor Williams commended the collaborative efforts of all agencies involved and underscored the importance of preparedness, particularly in light of increasingly unpredictable weather patterns due to climate change. She stressed that national resilience is a shared responsibility and encouraged all sectors to finalise and test their contingency plans in the weeks leading up to the season’s start.
This meeting marked the beginning of a series of preparedness activities scheduled to take place across the country, including simulation exercises, shelter inspections, and community outreach initiatives aimed at enhancing overall disaster readiness.
