Connect with us

TCI News

TCI National Hero’s death still mysterious, JAGS McCartney monuments destroyed by hurricanes

Published

on

Rt. Excellent JAGS McCartney file photo super-imposed on March 2018 photograph of Junkanoo Club by Deandrea Hamilton

#Providenciales, Turks and Caicos – Thursday, May 10, 2018 –Thirty-eight years after the sudden death of the Turks and Caicos Island’s first Chief Minister, there remains an enigmatic mystery about what really happened to JAGS McCartney.  

Facts on what caused his plane to crash over New Jersey, USA on May 9 1980 are elusive, invisible and seemingly undocumented.

What is certain is that it was an unfathomable tragedy for a nation just beginning to swap its short britches for long trousers on its way to self determination and decolonisation.

James Alexander George Smith McCartney was a different type of Turks and Caicos Islander. The 34 year old was heavily under the influence of the pushy political and civic leaders of the day. Movements and revolutions in The Bahamas and Jamaica both inspired JAGS to return to the land of his birth to turn national leadership right side up.

Some say JAGS was ahead of his time as his bold quest to dethrone British rule in the TCI was unrelenting and unheard of. Though many islanders fought against him and his ideas, JAGS fought back with a brilliant strategy that would one day lead to formation of the country’s first political party – the People’s Democratic Movement – and a Turks and Caicos where the islanders, as Cabinet Ministers called all of the shots. 

I am told that JAGS first educated his people, then agitated for reasonable rights and then documented, in a hand written new constitution, that power ought belong to the indigenous people.

Bar room napkins were where that transformative legislation was scribbled and after and all night show down involving gun fire, rock and bottling throwing and a kind kidnapping, the governor left Waterloo and gave JAGS and the people the power.

The two men signed at the iconic Junkanoo Club and set the wheels in motion for a more democratic nation.

For a reason undocumented JAGS in his fourth year as Chief Minister took a trip to New Jersey. There is no record, we could find of the type of aircraft or who was on board the small plane with JAGS.

In all of the archives of plane crashes – both massive and minute – there is nothing on our JAGS at the United States National Transportation Safety Board’s website.

One item appears to be JAGS’ crash; there are no details on the aircraft or lives lost. No names… only that it happened on May 9, 1980.

The body of the TCIs only national hero was reportedly never found. Nor was his plane. And it remains taboo to talk about the incident at home especially, but why?

Some news articles from the day suggest it may have been a failed drug smuggling attempt or a plane planned to never make it back home or a sinister plot to shush the uprising of strong, black, Caribbean people…

But there are islanders who believe JAGS was on a noble mission to bring new investment, establish food security and demonstrate that the Turks and Caicos could stand on its feet, as a successful island chain.

Today, the Rt. Excellent JAGS would have been 72-years-old if he were alive.  James Alexander George Smith McCartney was the youngest democratically elected leader in history at the time, and continues to hold the record for being youngest Commonwealth country leader in history.

Many have gone on record to say that it is their firm belief that the Turks and Caicos would have a much more altered and autonomous state of being had the man lived and served longer.

On Monday May 28, 2018 the country will commemorate the only National Hero in the traditional memorial service at the National Memorial Park in Grand Turk; the day is also a public holiday.

Terribly, both the publicly owned National Memorial Park and the famous, Junkanoo Club – still owned by McCartney’s family – were badly battered in the September 2017 hurricanes: Irma and Maria.

Our images here were taken in March 2018; six months after the hurricanes.

Magnetic Media is a Telly Award winning multi-media company specializing in creating compelling and socially uplifting TV and Radio broadcast programming as a means for advertising and public relations exposure for its clients.

News

Invest Turks and Caicos Islands Takes Platinum Sponsor Role at Premier Hotel Investment Summit  

Published

on

Turks and Caicos, May 23, 2026 – Invest Turks and Caicos Islands took center stage at one of the region’s most influential hospitality investment gatherings this spring, serving as a Platinum Sponsor at ALIS CALA 2026 in Coral Gables, Florida.

Held April 28 to 30 at the Loews Coral Gables Hotel, the conference brought together more than 600 tourism, hotel and investment leaders from over 35 countries focused on the future of hospitality investment in the Caribbean and Latin America.

ALIS CALA — short for the Americas Lodging Investment Summit Caribbean and Latin America — is widely regarded as the region’s premier deal-driven hospitality investment conference. The platform emerged from the merger of the long-running Caribbean Hotel & Resort Investment Summit (CHRIS) and Hotel Opportunities Latin America (HOLA), creating what organizers describe as a high-level space where investors, developers, lenders, hotel brands and government leaders connect around major regional projects and opportunities.

The event is known for attracting senior decision-makers, with roughly one in three delegates holding titles such as Chairman, CEO, President, Owner or Principal.

Invest Turks and Caicos said its participation focused heavily on showcasing investment opportunities across the territory, particularly in the Family Islands.

CEO Angela Musgrove delivered a presentation highlighting development opportunities in the Turks and Caicos Islands to what the agency described as a full room of attendees and strong stakeholder interest.

In a statement following the conference, Invest Turks and Caicos said discussions centered on tourism expansion, sustainable development and long-term investment partnerships designed to position the Turks and Caicos Islands as a leading investment destination in the region.

The agency added that it looks forward to continuing conversations started at ALIS CALA and building new partnerships with investors, developers and strategic stakeholders interested in growth opportunities throughout the islands.

The conference itself focused heavily on capital access, hotel development pipelines, mixed-use tourism projects and investment confidence throughout the Caribbean basin — sectors where Turks and Caicos continues to attract increasing international attention.

Continue Reading

News

Multi-Agency Enforcement Action Conducted in Lower Bight

Published

on

Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands — The Informal Settlements Unit (ISU), in coordination with the Planning Department and key partner agencies, conducted a multi-agency enforcement exercise on Thursday, May 7, 2026, in the Lower Bight area in Providenciales. The exercise resulted in the complete removal of a total of eight (8) unauthorized structures and all associated debris from a privately-owned parcel of land.

The operation was led by the Planning Department, with coordination by the ISU and support from the TCI Border Force, the Crown Land Unit, and Pelican Energy.  Security for the exercise was provided by the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force. All agencies worked collaboratively to ensure the exercise was carried out in a safe, orderly, and controlled manner.

The enforcement action followed a structured and lawful process in accordance with the Physical Planning regulatory framework of the Turks and Caicos Islands. Section 45 Enforcement Notices were first issued on the affected parcel in December 2024, identifying unauthorized structures erected without the requisite approvals. This was followed by the issuance of Warning Notices on April 16, 2026, which advised occupants that they were in breach of planning and land use regulations and provided notice that demolition activities would proceed following the prescribed compliance period. Despite these notices and the time afforded for compliance, the unauthorized structures remained in place.

This exercise represents part of an ongoing commitment to ensuring that development within the Turks and Caicos Islands is lawful, safe, and aligned with national standards.

Continue Reading

News

Beaches Turks and Caicos and Sandals Foundation Champion Early Childhood Literacy with Star-Studded Reading Road Trip

Published

on

PROVIDENCIALES, Turks & Caicos Islands: The grand opening of the Treasure Beach Village at Beaches Turks and Caicos brought more than just high-energy celebrations to the shores of Providenciales as the Sandals Foundation led a star-studded Reading Road Trip at four local primary schools.

Dozens of celebrities, global media representatives, resort guests, and hospitality executives took a purposeful break from the weekend’s festivities to connect directly with the island’s youngest learners. The initiative transformed standard kindergarten classrooms at Enid Capron Primary, Thema Lightbourne Primary, Ianthe Pratt Primary and Oseta Jolly Primary into dynamic literacy hubs as visitors including American Actor and Playwright Jesse Eisebberg, and Real Housewives of New York City and author Kelly Bensimon read books and engaged in fun literacy games and activities.

The carefully designed activities aimed to strengthen students’ foundational reading comprehension skills and saw visitors actively animating characters, reading aloud, playing interactive literacy games, doing phonetic exercises and collaborative arts and crafts.

For local educators, the initiative represented a valuable opportunity to broaden students’ horizons. Through meaningful interaction with media representatives, students learned firsthand about exciting careers in writing, photography, and broadcasting.

Nelene Swann, Vice Principal of Enid Capron Primary, highlighted the profound impact of the unique global connection. “The experience for the children was good as they interacted and shared in a cultural blend while learning about new cultures and different career options,” Swann shared.

For American actor and playwright Jesse Eisenberg, who spent his afternoon volunteering at Oseta Jolly Primary School, his visit coincided with a special occasion on the school’s calendar, creating an even more memorable atmosphere for the youngsters.

“Our school was celebrating Boys Day which allowed [Eisenberg] to share in the experience and even provide great mentorship advice. Lessons such as the importance of consistency were well received by students in this developmental phase,” says Handsfield.

The Sandals Foundation has long championed early childhood education as a fundamental pillar of its philanthropic mission across the region.

Heidi Clarke, Executive Director of the Sandals Foundation, expressed her pride in the weekend’s grand opening educational outreach noting, “The Reading Road Trips provided a one-of-a-kind experience to guests and students as they shared in the power of play, imagination and life – all through the wonders of books. At the heart of our mission is to facilitate the creation of fun and dynamic learning environments that inspire students. We are proud to be a partner in TCI’s education tapestry and will continue to support initiatives that enable students’ holistic development.”

While the grand opening festivities brought a special influx of international participants to the classrooms, the commitment to local schools remains a consistent, year-round priority for the local resort staff. Employees regularly dedicate their personal time to mentor, tutor, and read with primary school students, fostering an incredibly strong bond between the hospitality sector and the local education system.

General Manager Deryk Meany emphasized the immense joy these initiatives bring to his dedicated staff. “This was a blast for the resort team members. The heart of the hospitality industry extends far beyond the resort’s doors and through the Reading Road Trip and other team member volunteer initiatives, we are proud to share our time, resources and expertise to the school community.”

Even as the official grand opening celebrations conclude, the positive impact of these classroom interactions will continue to resonate deeply throughout the Providenciales community and the world – example of a powerful model for community-integrated tourism.

Continue Reading

FIND US ON FACEBOOK

TRENDING