News
WOMEN REGAIN GROUND IN CABINET AS AKIERRA MISSICK RETURNS TO FRONT BENCH
The Turks and Caicos Islands Cabinet sees a renewed boost in female representation with the return of Akierra Mary Deanne Missick—a
seasoned leader whose reinstatement signals both experience restored and a notable shift in the current administration’s approach to governance.
Her appointment as Minister of Home Affairs, effective May 1, 2026, follows a period where female presence in Cabinet had thinned. That shift traces back to the Progressive National Party’s re-election in February 2025, when portfolios were reassigned and former Tourism Minister Connolly was not returned to that post, leaving a noticeable gender imbalance at the executive level.
Now, with Missick’s return, that balance begins to correct—and the public response has been unmistakable. Across social platforms and in community chatter, the reaction has been one of joy and approval, welcoming back a figure many regard as one of the most capable and consistent voices in national leadership.
Missick, the Member of Parliament for Leeward and Long Bay, has held her seat since 2012, making her arguably the most firmly elected representative within the PNP. Her political résumé is extensive: former Deputy Premier, former Deputy Leader of the party, former Minister of Physical Planning and Infrastructure Development, and once the Government’s Leader of Business in the House.
Her return also follows a turbulent chapter in her political journey. During the first term of Premier Charles Washington Misick, Missick was abruptly removed from Cabinet by the Premier. She was one of two ministers dismissed during that term, a move that sparked widespread discussion about internal dynamics within the administration.
Fast forward to 2026, and the political landscape has shifted again. Just weeks after the termination of Otis Morris in April, the Home
Affairs portfolio entered a period of uncertainty. Initially, responsibilities were split among three ministers—Shaun Malcolm, E. Jay Saunders, and Deputy Premier Jamell Robinson—after the Premier had indicated he would temporarily assume oversight.
That arrangement, however, appears to have been short-lived.
With Missick now formally sworn in, the Government has moved to consolidate leadership of the Home Affairs Ministry under a single, experienced hand. The official statement from the Office of the Premier points to her legal expertise as a decisive factor, noting the ministry’s substantial legislative agenda and the need for rigorous oversight.
Her return is more than administrative—it is symbolic. It reflects a recalibration within Cabinet, restoring both institutional experience and a stronger female voice at the decision-making table.
The number of women in Cabinet now stands at two—Akierra Mary Deanne Missick and Rachel Taylor, who serves as Minister of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture—marking a modest but notable increase in female representation at the highest level of Government.
For many residents, the message is clear: a tested leader is back, and with her, a sense of balance and confidence in the Government’s direction.
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TCIG knew from April that fuel factor could surge almost 80%; Minister says $500 cost-of-living payment was part of Government’s response
PROVIDENCIALES — The Turks and Caicos Government knew months before July’s shocking electricity bills that consumers faced a potentially massive increase in the fuel factor.
Minister of Information Technology and Energy E. Jay Saunders revealed Friday that Pelican Energy warned his Ministry in April that generation fuel costs were projected to rise from $3.09 per gallon in May to $4.79 in June and July.
That translated into a projected fuel factor jump from about 17.5 cents to 31 cents per kilowatt-hour — an increase of almost 80%.
Saunders said he personally advised Cabinet of the projected increase and presented options for cushioning the impact.
He characterised Government’s $500 cost-of-living payment as its “initial response” to rising fuel costs, before a separate fuel-factor subsidy was approved.
Cabinet records show Government agreed on June 24 to provide funding to mitigate the fuel-factor impact, with the relief programme approved July 8.
Eligible residential customers — those averaging less than $1,500 monthly over the previous three bills — are capped at 22 cents per kWh from July through October.
Pelican confirmed Friday that Government’s contribution was already applied to July bills, meaning the bills now triggering widespread public outrage would have been even higher without the subsidy.
Saunders did not disclose the programme’s total cost.
His admission that Government knew since April, however, raises another question amid the backlash: why were consumers not directly warned by Government about the scale of the approaching increase?
NASSAU, Bahamas — More Bahamians are accessing HIV and sexually transmitted infection-related healthcare through National Health Insurance, a trend the NHI Authority says should be viewed positively.
NHIA stressed in an August 6 statement that its 2025 figures measure healthcare utilisation, not newly diagnosed infections. They include beneficiaries screened, treated, monitored or receiving follow-up care, including people diagnosed previously.
“Increased utilisation of these services should be viewed as a positive development,” NHIA said.
The Authority pointed to “greater enrolment and use of NHI, improved access to screening and testing, continued treatment and monitoring of existing conditions, and increased willingness to seek medical care.”
The development comes amid a mixed three-year HIV picture. New diagnoses rose from 130 in 2023 to 156 in 2024, before declining to 142 in 2025.
NHIA said increased utilisation demonstrates that more beneficiaries are accessing needed healthcare and actively managing their health, reinforcing the importance of screening, early diagnosis and continued treatment.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Americas has recorded 47,459 confirmed measles cases and 44 deaths in 2026, the region’s highest case count in 22 years, prompting the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) to urge stronger vaccination, surveillance and rapid outbreak response.
As of July 18, cases were already more than triple the 15,011 recorded during all of 2025. Guatemala, Mexico, the United States and Peru
account for 95% of confirmed cases. Guatemala leads with 30,371 cases and 26 deaths, followed by Mexico with 12,255 cases and 17 deaths.
PAHO classifies the regional public health risk as very high, citing active outbreaks, immunity gaps, international travel and populations with inadequate vaccination coverage.
The organization says prevention starts with vaccination. Countries are being urged to achieve and maintain at least 95% coverage with two doses of measles-containing vaccine, particularly protecting children and under-vaccinated communities.
Measles spreads through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes. Symptoms can include fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes and a rash.
PAHO is urging health authorities to detect suspected cases early and respond rapidly to stop transmission. Unvaccinated and under-vaccinated people, young children and communities with limited healthcare access face increased risk of severe illness and death.
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