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A Message from the Turks and Caicos Islands Minister of Tourism, Hon. Ralph L. Higgs

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#TurksandCaicos, September 27, 2017 – Providenciales – Come back to Turks & Caicos; come enjoy our lifestyle, our people, and our hospitality, which the world has grown to love.   We are open to serve you.   The Turks & Caicos Islands that the world has grown to love is still here for you to come and enjoy–our casual luxe lifestyle, our friendly people, and our warm hospitality are all waiting for you!

Hurricanes Irma and Maria did not break us, they did not steal our ability to love and serve.   These storms only exposed some of our vulnerabilities which we must strengthen.   While the vast majority of our tourism infrastructure sustained minimal damages, several of our communities received direct hits from Irma.   Indeed, this will cause some hardship over the short and medium term; however, we have persevered and came through with high spirits.  Our government rededicates itself to the rebuilding process on a steady path of completion in the near future.

image003The Turks & Caicos Islands have adapted with resilience.   Our ability to foster partnerships with key agencies, locally and internationally, will accelerate the process of recovery.   We continue to remain optimistically confident that we will be able to return to providing the quality and excellent service that our islands are known for.   Our tourism product will continue to evolve from the experiences we have undergone, affording us the opportunity to be more creative and innovative with the goods and services we offer.

Hoteliers are on schedule with their repairs and annual off-season maintenance schedules in preparation for re-opening, and have demonstrated their support for the welfare of their workers and the greater community as a whole.    “Irma and Maria have provided some challenging circumstances, but circumstances that present us with opportunities to forge new relationships and strengthen existing ones,” commented Nikheel Advani, President of Turks and Caicos Hotel & Tourism Association.   “We are here to serve, and serve we will”.

Most international flights have resumed normal operations as at Saturday, September 23rd.   The majority of the countries utilities services are back on line, and the workers are feverishly addressing those pending.

As Minister of Tourism, I would like to encourage you to include Turks & Caicos Islands in your vacation plans right away.   I can assure you that the warm hospitality which our islands have become synonymous with, will embrace you.   You will also get some pleasure from knowing that while you are vacationing with us, you are helping us to rebuild our islands and returning normal lives to our people.

So come back to the TCI, which will always be Beautiful by Nature.

For further details and ongoing updates regarding the resorts, restaurants and activity schedules, please refer to our website: http://turksandcaicostourism.com/recoveryupdate 

Regards,

Hon. Ralph L. Higgs

Minister of Tourism, Environment, Gaming, Culture and Heritage
Turks & Caicos Islands Government

 

Photo credit: Brilliant Studios

 

 

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Bahamas News

Afreximbank Annual Meetings Return Next Month; Caribbean Links Remain in Focus

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May 29, 2026 – Two years after The Bahamas made history as the first Caribbean nation to host the African Export-Import Bank’s Annual Meetings, thousands of delegates are expected to gather in Egypt next month for AAM2026.

The 33rd Afreximbank Annual Meetings will be held from June 21-24 in El Alamein, Egypt, under the theme: “Intra-African Trade and Industrialisation: Pathway to Economic Sovereignty.”

The event is regarded as one of Africa’s most important gatherings on trade, investment, finance and economic development, bringing together heads of state, policymakers, business leaders, development finance institutions and international partners.

For Caribbean nations, the meetings hold special significance.

In 2024, The Bahamas welcomed thousands of delegates to Nassau for the landmark event, marking the first time the annual meetings were staged outside the African continent and placing the Caribbean at the center of growing discussions on Africa-Caribbean trade and investment.

Since then, Afreximbank has continued to expand its engagement in the region, promoting stronger commercial ties between Africa and Caribbean countries and exploring opportunities in trade finance, infrastructure development, logistics, investment and private sector growth.

Organizers say this year’s discussions will focus on strengthening intra-African trade, advancing industrialization, building regional value chains and increasing economic resilience amid global uncertainty.

The meetings are also expected to provide a platform for new partnerships, investment opportunities and development initiatives that could have implications beyond Africa, including for Caribbean nations seeking to deepen economic cooperation with the continent.

As leaders prepare to convene in Egypt, the Caribbean’s growing relationship with Afreximbank remains a key part of the institution’s broader vision of expanding trade and investment connections across the Global South.

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UN Reports Ebola Outbreak Expands in DRC; Bahamas Monitors Two Recent Arrivals

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The Bahamas, May 29, 2026 – The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continues to expand, with United Nations officials now warning that the disease has spread across multiple eastern provinces and become the third-largest Ebola outbreak on record.

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), as of May 26 the outbreak had reached 13 health zones in Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu provinces. More than 1,000 suspected cases have been reported, including 121 confirmed infections and 17 deaths. Six healthcare workers are among those who have died.

The United Nations says humanitarian teams remain actively engaged in treatment, surveillance, community outreach and disease containment efforts. However, the response is being complicated by insecurity, population movement and restrictions affecting the delivery of supplies and personnel.

While the outbreak remains confined to Africa, authorities in The Bahamas recently activated emergency health protocols after two men who had spent time in the Democratic Republic of the Congo arrived at Lynden Pindling International Airport aboard a British Airways flight.

The Ministry of Health confirmed the travelers were isolated after presenting low-grade fevers upon arrival on May 22. Officials later reported that the fevers subsided and neither individual displayed symptoms consistent with Ebola Virus Disease.

The two men, identified as a British national residing in Australia and a French national, were transferred to the Modular Unit at Princess Margaret Hospital for continued monitoring.

Health officials emphasized that there are currently no confirmed Ebola cases in The Bahamas and assessed the risk to the public as low.

Still, the growing outbreak overseas has prompted increased vigilance. Health Minister Dr. Michael Darville said the government is reviewing whether additional travel measures may be necessary for countries affected by the outbreak.

The United Nations this week announced up to US$60 million in emergency funding to support the Ebola response in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighboring countries, warning that rapid action remains critical to preventing further spread.

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TCI Aviation Notice System Moves from U.S. to U.K. Platform

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Turks and Caicos, May 29, 2026 – The Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority has quietly implemented a significant change to how critical aviation notices are distributed, shifting the publication of its Notices to Airmen, or NOTAMs, from the United States system to a United Kingdom-based platform.

In a statement issued to the aviation community, TCIAA advised that effective May 13, 2026, at noon, all Turks and Caicos Islands NOTAMs began being published through the UK NOTAM Office, operated by National Air Traffic Services (NATS), under the U Series classification.

The move means pilots, airlines, dispatchers and flight planning teams can no longer rely on the Federal Aviation Administration’s traditional NOTAM source to locate current operational notices for the Turks and Caicos Islands.

NOTAMs are essential aviation communications used to alert pilots and operators to temporary changes that could affect flight operations, including runway closures, navigational aid outages, airspace restrictions and other safety-related information.

According to the Airports Authority, the transition is part of a broader aviation modernization programme and will remain in place until TCIAA commissions its own Aeronautical Information Management and Aeronautical Message Handling System capability.

The authority stressed that the change does not affect flight operations or aviation safety.

“At this time, there is no interruption to air traffic operations or safety-critical services,” the TCIAA said, noting that operational information will continue to be communicated through established Air Traffic Control channels.

The authority urged airlines, charter operators, flight planners and other aviation stakeholders to ensure their operational teams are aware of the new publication source to avoid missing important notices.

While largely administrative, the shift represents another step in the Turks and Caicos Islands’ effort to modernize its aviation infrastructure and align more closely with international aviation information management standards.

The Airports Authority thanked stakeholders for their cooperation as the transition moves forward.

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