TCI News
The Environmental Health Department Personnel Participate in Association of Food and Drugs Officials (AFDO) 129th Annual Education Conference
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands 4 July 2025 – Environmental Health Officers Shanieka Cranston and Khris-Ann Lawson, recently attended the Association of Food and Drugs Officials (AFDO) 129th Annual Education Conference held in Dallas, Texas, from June 21-25, 2025.
The AFDO conference brought together professionals from across the globe to share knowledge, best practices, and innovative solutions in food safety, and environmental health. During the conference,
Ms. Cranston and Ms. Lawson engaged with international experts, participating in workshops, seminars, and networking opportunities that focused on cutting-edge topics related to food safety and environmental health.
The insights gained from this conference will significantly enhance the department’s capacity to protect public health and ensure a safe environment for the citizens and visitors of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Key lessons and highlights from the Conference:
- Outbreak Investigation Mastery: The officers sharpened their response strategies through “A Murder Mystery Matinee,” a hands-
on session that taught advanced outbreak investigation skills crucial for preventing foodborne illness outbreaks on the islands. - Risk-based Inspections: Officers explored where TCI stands in the global shift toward risk-based inspection models, aiming to make local inspections more targeted and effective in managing health risks.
- Strengthening Food Safety Culture: Lessons from top U.S. food safety leaders including former FDA Deputy Commissioner Frank Yiannas, will support a cultural shift in the food businesses toward safer handling and prevention practices.
- Digital Transformation in Food Safety: Sessions like “The Past, Present, and Future of Digital Food Safety Management” introduced emerging technologies that the TCI may adopt to streamline regulatory process and data reporting.
- Human Factors and Team Dynamics: Workshops such as “Virtually Extinct: Reviving Human Interaction” offered strategies to boost collaboration and productivity within the department and across other public health sectors.
- Talking to Decision Makers: Communication focused training helped refine how the department conveys critical health recommendations to policy makers, ensuring stronger alignment and impact.
Participation in the AFDO Conference:
Participation in the AFDO conference has enhanced the capacity of TCI’s Environmental Health Professionals to adopt global best practices, collaborate with international regulators, and modernize their public health systems. These learnings will be translated into:
- More efficient and science-based inspection protocols.
- Quicker and more coordinated outbreak responses.
- Stronger partnerships with local food businesses.
- Increased public trust in health and safety standards.
- Improved training programs for frontline inspectors.
The knowledge and skills acquired will be instrumental in developing and implementing effective strategies to address current and emerging environmental health challenges in the islands. This includes improving food safety standards, enhancing water quality monitoring, and strengthening regulatory frameworks.
The Environmental Health Department looks forward to applying the lessons learned and best practices shared at the AFDO conference to further its mission of safeguarding the health and environment of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
For additional information, please visit the Ministry of Health’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/tciministryofhealth/.
Almost two million visitors recorded in 2025
PROVIDENCIALES, TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS – The Turks and Caicos Islands saw an increase in stayover arrivals in December, seven percent higher than the corresponding period in 2024.
Preliminary data suggests that stay over arrivals by air for the month of December was 66,427 in comparison to 62,610 in December 2024.
From January to December 2025, preliminary visitor arrival numbers totalled 640,754; on par with the number recorded for the same period of 2024.
Stay Over Arrivals YTD December 2024/2025
The first quarter of the calendar year attracted the largest number of arrivals with visitor arrivals three percent higher than the first quarter of 2024. Reduced airlift from the United Kingdom and the United States, most notably the Virgin Atlantic and JetBlue services, was however felt from the second quarter (April to June). As a result, visitor arrivals dropped three percent in the second quarter.
By the third quarter of this year (July to September), geopolitical and economic conditions in the key source markets, namely the United States, led to further contraction of arrivals. In the last quarter of 2025, arrivals were impacted in October due to the passage of Hurricane Melissa but additional airlift from the USA and Canada resulted in an increase in arrivals in November and December.
Mr. Paul Pennicook, Interim CEO Consultant of Experience Turks and Caicos, said December’s increase in stayover arrivals is an encouraging indicator of the sustained interest in the Turks and Caicos Islands as a premier destination.
“While we note and continue to monitor geopolitical shifts that affect us, Experience Turks and Caicos is focused on increasing marketing initiatives in our primary source markets. We have spent the last two years investing in groundwork such as crucial travel advisor training to assist them in selling the destination more effectively. In the next fiscal, we will be building on those initiatives with co-op activities with partners as well as out of home advertising to increase visitation to our destination,” he said.
In Cruise, the preliminary count of passenger arrivals for the month of December 2025 was 129,346, a 22 percent increase over last December. This growth follows the berthing of 11 additional ships in Grand Turk this month.
From January to December, the cruise sector continued to outperform the same period last year, as the 1.3 million total cruise passengers recorded, marks a five percent Year-on-Year increase. 
The cruise sector experienced significant growth in the first quarter of 2025, with passenger arrivals surpassing last quarter by 53 percent. In the second and third quarter however, several cruise lines adjusted their itineraries as vessels were pulled from the fleet or from the Caribbean region, which resulted in fewer passengers.
Arrivals dropped seven percent and 10 percent in the second and third quarters, respectively. Double digit growth was recorded in the last two months of Quarter 4. This growth however, was not sufficient to outweigh the drop in arrivals experienced in October, following the cancellation of cruise calls due to the passage of Hurricane Melissa. Despite the late-quarter rebound, arrivals for the final quarter of 2025 closed six percent below the same period in 2024.
News
The Department of Trade, Industry & Fair Competition to Host Export Readiness Workshop Under the theme “Empowering TCI Businesses for Local Growth and Global Markets.”
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – Wednesday, 11 February 2026: The Informal Settlements Unit (ISU) coordinated a multi-agency enforcement operation on Thursday, 29 January 2026, led by the Planning Department, with support from the Crown Land
Unit, the Turks and Caicos Islands Border Force, and security provided by the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force. The operation, carried out at three different locations in Providenciales, formed part of ongoing government efforts to address unauthorised development and illegal occupation of land in accordance with governing legislation.
The operation commenced in Blue Hills, where five Section 58 Enforcement Notices were issued on unauthorised structures identified on Block and Parcel 60502/48.
Enforcement activity then moved to a second location off the Leeward Highway near Caicos Lodge, where six Section 58 Enforcement Notices were issued on additional unauthorised structures on Block and Parcel 60802/66.
The final phase of the operation took place in The Bight, where three unauthorised structures were removed, with all debris cleared from the site in keeping with established safety and environmental protocols.
The Informal Settlements Unit remains committed to working alongside its partner agencies to support lawful development, protect public and private land, and ensure that planning regulations are enforced in a coordinated and transparent manner across the Turks and Caicos Islands. Similar joint operations will continue as part of the Government’s wider strategy to address unauthorised development and informal settlement activity.
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