News

Press Statement from Former Premier – Dr. The Hon. Rufus Ewing

Published

9 years ago

December 15, 2017

#TurksandCaicos, December 15, 2017 – Providenciales – Three months after the passage of the major Hurricanes Irma and Maria, Former Premier Dr. The Hon. Rufus Ewing states:

“I cannot understand why we have to wait so long for our children to get into permanent classrooms and public officers to get back to Grand Turk or into their healthy workplaces while the Government takes the bureaucratic route of first going to the House of Assembly for a Supplementary budget when a contingency warrant using the Excess Expenditure provision of the Constitution could have been approved the day after the hurricane on a case by case assessment basis.”

He further stated:

“…the Government is either weak, incompetent or is ignorant of the authority and power that they have legally and constitutionally.”

Read full article below.

It has now been over 90 days since the passage of the two devastating hurricanes Irma and Maria, and while the Turks and Caicos Islands is open for business in our main economic sector of tourism mainly on the Island of Providenciales, the rest of the Turks and Caicos Islands remains unrecovered, both in the public sector and private sector.

The pace of recovery in these islands is unacceptably slow as measured by the return to normalcy of essential and public services particularly in the harder hit islands of our capital Grand Turk and the islands of South Caicos and Salt Cay. Also unacceptably slow is the slow pace at which our residents are struggling to return to normalcy as they seek shelter with a water proof roof over their heads.

What could have or should have been done speed up the recovery process? Much more could have been done to allow our people to face the Christmas with hope and a peace of mind, but I would only focus on one action at this time.

I know all too well that within the framework of the Turks and Caicos Constitution, executive action from cabinet is derived from the consensus of all members of cabinet both elected and non-elected. But despite these actions requiring the approval of the Governor, His Excellency must approve unless there is violation of governance principles or the matter is one which is the absolute responsibility of the Governor such as internal security, defense, foreign affairs and the public service.

The execution of policies with financial implications that fall outside of the absolute responsibility of the Governor is the prerogative of the elected government. Hence the hands of the government are not tied where there is an urgent need to execute policies of public good for which a government was elected.

The exception to this rule was when there was a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) who had powers to veto the decision of cabinet members and prevent expenditure on policies that he thought were not in the best financial interest of the Government. Several clear examples of his disregard for the best interest and social good of our people can be referenced during his tenure in office. But there is no more CFO! And there no longer exists a need for hands to be tied where our duly elected government has the emergent need to execute policies such as returning to normalcy essential and public services after two devastating hurricanes. If such is the case, then the Government is either weak, incompetent or is ignorant of the authority and power that they have legally and constitutionally.

In fact, the access to the contingency fund (emergency fund) for the purpose of recovery of the islands, in particular essential and public services rests solely in the hands of the Minister of Finance and not even Cabinet. Section 118 (1) of the Turks and Caicos Constitution and Section 7 of the Public Finance Management states “The Minister (Finance), if he or she is satisfied that there is an urgent and unforeseen need for expenditure for which no provision has been made by an Appropriation Ordinance or a Supplementary Appropriation Ordinance may, by a Contingencies Warrant under his or her hand and in anticipation of the grant of an appropriation by the Legislature, authorize an advance from the Consolidated Fund to meet that need and shall forthwith report his or her action to the Cabinet.” Even though section 118 (2) of the Constitution requires the Minister to obtain the approval of the Governor, this provision is rarely invoked and if it was and refused, the matter should be brought to cabinet.

Therefore, the question to be asked is

Whether the emergency repairs to schools, clinics, government offices and clean up programs to remove hazards and public health threats among others are truly considered by this government to be an emergency?

If they are considered emergency, then a Contingency Warrant should have been issued to access funds from the Consolidated Fund to expedite recovery of these islands without having to obtain cabinet approval or much less await a sitting of the House of Assembly.

If the argument why this was not done was that the Governor refused the approval of the warrant by the Minister of Finance, then this matter should have been brought before Cabinet for consensus and approval.

If the argument was that an insufficient amount was budgeted in the Contingency Fund and a supplementary budget is necessary, then again, this argument does not hold water as Section 117 of the Constitution allows for Excess Expenditure. This is expenditure above and beyond what was budgeted.

Given all of these provisions in the Constitution and the Public Finance Management Ordinance to effect policies with financial implications, I am still baffled as to why damaged government schools, clinics and offices where children and civil servants are displaced have not been touched and why major cleanup of hazardous debris posing public health threats have not been cleaned up. I cannot understand why we have to wait so long for our children to get into permanent classrooms and public officers to get back to Grand Turk or into their healthy workplaces while the Government takes the bureaucratic route of first going to the House of Assembly for a Supplementary Warrant when a contingency warrant using the Excess Expenditure provision of the Constitution could have been approved the day after the hurricane on a case by case assessment basis.

Is the inaction due to a lack of vision, or lack of ability, a slow learning curve, lack of assertiveness, lack of money or lack of care and concern? As Turks and Caicos Islanders I am sure we all care about the well-being of our people, because generally that’s who we are, a caring people, so it must be because of all of the other reasons. But the inaction cannot be due to lack of money, because one year ago the Government was in a position of fiscal surplus. If there is no longer a fiscal surplus then where has all the money gone? Is it that there was wasted expenditure? But on what? Travel? Nothing was done to show where the money went. Has revenue dropped significantly due to poor fiscal management and failure to find new revenue streams or expand existing revenue streams? Or was it the hurricanes? Historical budgets will show that the majority of government revenue comes in the tourism months November- July/August. So a hurricane occurring in September would impact the government revenue for that month and going forward but not immediately erode months and years of surplus. So the questions are where has the money gone? And why is there much inaction in the recovery of these islands especially Grand Turk, Salt Cay and South Caicos?

Enough excuses, enough is enough! We need real answers and more importantly we need real action!

Press Release: Dr. The Hon. Rufus W. Ewing

News

Beaches Turks & Caicos welcomes record 111 interns in 2026 summer programme

Published

4 days ago

July 10, 2026

Deandrea Hamilton

Beaches Turks and Caicos Hotel Manager Ghislain Boutoulle was on hand to welcome the over 100 interns at the orientation session recently

PROVIDENCIALES, Turks & Caicos Islands: — Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort has launched its 2026 Summer Internship Programme with a record-breaking cohort of 111 high school and tertiary-level students, marking the largest intake in recent years.

The six-week programme, which runs from July 6 to August 14, 2026, is designed to give young Turks and Caicos Islanders hands-on exposure to the hospitality industry across a wide range of departments.

Human Resources Recruitment Specialist Fitzroy Virgo highlighted the programme’s growing significance, “this is the largest cohort we have had in recent times. We currently have 111 participants with a waiting list of almost another 100. We are happy that we have been able to attract some of the brightest and best young minds in the Turks and Caicos Islands as we have interns from Providenciales, North and South Caicos Islands.”

Virgo also noted that the programme goes beyond technical training, incorporating soft skills workshops in financial literacy, customer service, résumé writing and brand and image management.

General Manager Deryk Meany praised the human resources and training teams for the programme’s sustained growth. “The success of this programme has allowed us to grow each year as we continue to build a conducive learning environment for aspiring professionals in the hospitality industry throughout the Turks and Caicos Islands,” Meany said.

He noted that many of this year’s interns were first introduced to Beaches through educational tours facilitated by the Sandals Foundation. “We are excited to provide training in the various areas but more importantly to train them in the soft skills areas that will allow them to be more marketable after they experience this internship programme.”

Among the interns is Maranatha Academy fifth form student Vernae Handfield, who has set her sights on the culinary arts. “My dream is to explore the culinary world and to be a Michelin chef in the future — hence my reason for wanting to start my experience here at the largest resort in the Turks and Caicos Islands,” Handfield shared. “I’m looking forward to learning from all these experts who have many years of experience in the different cuisines.”

For others, the programme offers a bridge between classroom theory and real-world application. Keiser University accounting major Sean Astwood II said the opportunity is perfectly aligned with his academic goals. “I want to be able to put into practice my theoretical knowledge into the field of accounting and eventually auditing. Getting the opportunity here at Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort is the perfect environment for me to start to build my skills. I’m grateful for this experience to be immersed into this dynamic working environment.”

The programme has also fostered a culture of return, with several interns participating for multiple consecutive years — a testament to the quality and lasting impact of the experience. As Beaches Turks and Caicos continues to expand its community engagement through hospitality education, the 2026 cohort stands as a powerful reflection of the resort’s commitment to developing local talent and strengthening the Turks and Caicos Islands’ hospitality workforce for years to come.

Photo Insert: A section of the audience at the Beaches Turks and Caicos 2026 summer internship programme at the Caribbean Village conference room

News

Multi-Agency Operation Targets Illegal Occupation of Crown land in Blue Hills

Published

4 days ago

July 9, 2026

Deandrea Hamilton

Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, July 9, 2026- The Crown Land Unit, with coordination and support from the Informal Settlements Unit (ISU), conducted a multi-agency enforcement exercise in the Blue Hills area off Tom Lightbourne Road and opposite the dump on Thursday, July 2, 2026, as part of the Government’s ongoing efforts to protect Crown land from illegal occupation and encroachment.

The operation brought together representatives from the Crown Land Unit, the ISU, the Planning Department and the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force who provided security for the exercise. Following a briefing, inspections were carried out across a number of parcels of Crown land where illegal structures and other unauthorised uses had been identified.

During the exercise, officers served a total of eleven (11) Letters of Illegal Occupation to occupied structures, while six (6) Section 22 Notices of Unauthorised Occupation were issued in accordance with the provisions of the Crown Land Act. In addition to illegally constructed buildings, notices were also issued in relation to the unauthorised placement of vehicles, boats and a jet ski on Crown land. Where occupants were not present, notices were affixed to the relevant structures or locations.

The Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands reminds the public that occupying or otherwise using Crown land without lawful authority is an offence under the Crown Land Act. These inspections and enforcement activities form part of a sustained programme aimed at safeguarding public lands, discouraging unlawful development and ensuring that Crown land is managed in the best interests of the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

The Crown Land Unit will continue to work closely with its partner agencies to identify and address instances of illegal occupation across the Islands. Persons occupying Crown land without authorisation are encouraged to comply with all notices issued and to seek guidance from the relevant authorities where necessary.

News

Beaches Turks & Caicos Opens Team Members State of the Art Welcome Centre

Published

4 days ago

July 9, 2026

Deandrea Hamilton

PROVIDENCIALES, Turks & Caicos Islands: — Beaches Turks and Caicos has officially unveiled its newly constructed Team Member Welcome Centre, marking a significant milestone in the resort’s ongoing Beaches 2.0 transformation.

The new facility, introduced as part of phase one of the development, is designed to centralize essential services and amenities for team members while elevating comfort, convenience and overall workplace satisfaction. The space now houses a state-of-the-art cafeteria, a multimedia training room, the human resources department, expanded locker and changing facilities and an automated banking machine- creating a comprehensive, one-stop hub for team members.

Speaking at the opening, General Manager Deryk Meany emphasized the broader vision behind the investment and its alignment with the brand’s evolution.

“This is one more step in Beaches 2.0 being consistent, providing personalized service and taking it to the next level for our team members to be comfortable. I want my team to know that this resort is the most ideal place to work and we are invested in their comfort and wellbeing” Meany stated.

The initiative reflects a growing recognition within the hospitality sector that employee experience is connected to guest satisfaction. Beaches Turks and Caicos has prioritized modern infrastructure and staff focused amenities to strengthen team engagement while reinforcing its reputation as a leading employer in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Regional Managing Director James McAnally described the Welcome Centre as a space for employees’ well-being and operational excellence.

“This project is a long-term plan that was designed to provide comfort for every team member,” McAnally said. “The new dining space can rival fine dining restaurants on the island. We have provided the best for our team and we want them to enjoy the amenities as we continue to enhance the family atmosphere at Beaches Turks and Caicos.”

The restaurant which is a standout feature of the new facility, offers a modern dining experience with upgraded seating, contemporary finishes and an enhanced menu selection. Designed with both functionality and aesthetics in mind, the space reflects the resort’s commitment to quality for its team.

In addition to dining, the multimedia training room introduces advanced learning capabilities, supporting ongoing team development through interactive and technology-driven training sessions. The inclusion of human resources within the same complex further streamlines comprehensive space for staff related services, while the expanded locker and changing areas address a conducive working facilities space for the team.

Long-serving team member Carlton Salmon praised the development, noting its impact on morale and daily operations.

“This place is simply amazing,” Salmon shared.

“The style and design are similar to the new Treasure Beach Village. This is Beaches 2.0. Every team member has given positive ratings for not only the food, but the one-stop shop idea.”

The Welcome Centre’s opening signals more than just a physical upgrade. It shows that Beaches Turks and Caicos continues to position itself as a forward-thinking leader in Caribbean hospitality.

As phase one comes to fruition, anticipation is already building for future enhancements under the Beaches 2.0 initiative, which aims to further integrate innovation, community support and elevated service standards across the resort.

PHOTO CAPTION: The official ribbon cutting at the Welcome Centre has (l-r) Curtis Lee, Hotel Manager, Phildreka Campbell, Learning and Development Manager, Patricia Talbot, Restaurant Manager, Javain Campbell, Diamond team member, James McAnally, Regional Managing Director, Deryk Meany, General Manager, Owenta Coleby, Human Resources Manager, Tanya Swann, Executive Assistant Manager Treasure Beach Village, and Dr Anya Malcolm-Gibbs, Director of Special Education Needs Services