TCI News

Turks and Caicos Civil Service Welcomes New Teacher Appointments

Published

5 years ago

November 8, 2018

#Providenciales, November 8, 2018 – Turks and Caicos – The Turks and Caicos Islands Civil Service is pleased to welcome and congratulate its new batch of teachers, notably, 8 new local primary school teachers that began their journey at the start of this new school year.

During the month of October, Deputy Governor and Head of the Public Service HE Anya Williams conducted a series of school visits which presented the opportunity to engage with both students and faculty. During her visits, HE Williams presented the new teachers with their very own “Teachers Starters Pack” which included: a lesson plan, a record book; chalk and eraser set; red pens to assist in marking; reward stickers to motivate their students and a number of other items that will assist in carrying out their duties.

Commenting on these appointments, the Deputy Governor stated; “We are pleased to congratulate all new teachers on their appointments, but would especially like to recognize our new local appointees:

Sharilyn Wilson-Lewis – Graduate Upper Primary Teacher (Eliza Simons Primary School)
Anthonica Clarke – Graduate Upper Primary Teacher (Eliza Simons Primary School)
Shanequa Forbes – Assistant Teacher (Eliza Simons Primary School)
Jerisha Durham – Graduate Upper Primary Teacher (Ianthe Pratt Primary School)
Danielle Carroll – Graduate Upper Primary Teacher (Ianthe Pratt Primary School)
Jewel Selver – Assistant Teacher (Ianthe Pratt Primary School)
Arean Louis – Graduate Upper Primary Teacher (Enid Capron School)
Deandrea Fulford – Graduate Lower Primary Teacher (Enid Capron School)

This is the largest batch of local teachers that we have recruited for some time and we are pleased to state that not only did most of these persons complete their studies at the Turks and Caicos Island Community College, but also that some of them were actually serving civil servants in other capacities that decided to take advantage of the training and educational opportunities available to them, to pursue other career choices such as the much needed area of Primary Education.

The Ministry of Education remains our largest and most vital employment sector and we continue to encourage persons to pursue the field of teaching as it is in heavy demand and often relies on overseas recruitment as we require more local teachers to fill the current demand, despite this being a key scholarship area.

As we continue to improve and to build new schools in the Turks and Caicos Islands, it is important that we work to match our employment demands locally. The area of teaching continues to be a priority area for us as a country and we continue to work to improve the pay and well-being of teachers in these islands. In 2014, through the Pay and Grading Review, we provided primary school teachers with a 25% increase in pay, having upgraded teachers’ salaries from $25,000.00 to $35,000.00 per annum and Vice Principals and Principals by over 50% from $29,000.00 to $45,000.00 per annum, but there is of course still much more to do .

Earlier this year, I had the pleasure to meet with the newly formed Teachers Association. We discussed some of the challenges in the teaching sector and ways in which we can encourage more persons to pursue the field of teaching. Challenges raised included salary, long term benefits, teacher to student ratios, infrastructure and equipment. Most of these areas are currently being addressed as most schools, particularly those damaged during last years’ hurricanes are slated for repairs in the current financial year and in the case of student teacher to ratios, additional teachers and teaching assistants are being proposed to assist, while the construction of the new primary school from the EU fund, should also assist in providing more classroom space to ease in overcrowding.

We welcome these new teachers to the public school education sector and hope that they will find their tasks to be rewarding. We also extend our sincerest thanks and gratitude to all teachers throughout the islands on the amazing job that they do every day in helping to educate, nurture and develop the future minds of the Turks and Caicos Islands.”

Release: TCIG

Bahamas News

RBC appoints new Country Manager and Area Vice President for Turks & Caicos

Published

8 hours ago

May 4, 2024

Shanieka

RBC Royal Bank (Bahamas) Limited (“RBC”) is pleased to announce the recent appointment of Kerryl-Lyn King-Henry as Country Manager and Area Vice President (“AVP”), Personal and Commercial Banking, Turks & Caicos Islands (TCI).

In her new role as Country Manager and AVP, King-Henry will take on full responsibility for the bank’s operations, strategy, and development in the TCI market, with a strong focus on solidifying partnerships with the Government, regulatory bodies, and the local community.

King-Henry brings to the role a dynamism influenced by nearly 25 years of industry experience. Prior to her new appointment, she served as AVP of Business Banking in Trinidad and Tobago. She has held progressively senior roles within both personal and commercial banking, as well as various functional units.

King-Henry holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree, with a specialization in Leadership, FinTech and Big Data Analysis, in addition to a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. Further enriching her professional profile, Kerryl-Lyn is a certified John C. Maxwell Coach, Trainer, Teacher, and Speaker. Her passion for leadership and development is matched by her commitment to community service, as she actively volunteers her time and leverages her professional expertise to mentor and support others. “

Kerryl-Lyn’s extensive experience and proven leadership capabilities make her the perfect choice to lead our operations in the Turks & Caicos Islands,” said Ericka Rolle, RBC’s Managing Director and Vice President, Personal Banking, The Bahamas and TCI.

“Her commitment to excellence, combined with a genuine passion for community engagement, aligns perfectly with our Bank’s purpose of helping clients thrive and communities prosper. We are excited to see the positive impact she will undoubtedly bring to her new role,” she added.

Government

MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DELEGATION VISITS WEST MIDLANDS AMBULANCE SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM, UK

Published

9 hours ago

May 3, 2024

Shanieka

Providenciales, Tuesday 30 April, 2024 – A delegation from the Ministry of Health and Human Services, recently undertook a pivotal visit to the West Midlands Ambulance Service in Birmingham, United Kingdom. The visit, which took place from April 21st to April 23rd, 2024, was held under the esteemed patronage of the Ambassador of Health of the British Overseas Territories, Professor Ian Cumming.

Led by Permanent Secretary Mrs. Desiree Lewis OBE, the delegation included Ms. Renessa Williams, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Human Services, and Mr. Andy Brijmohansingh, Director of Emergency Medical Services. This strategic meeting was an integral part of the Ministry’s ongoing efforts to enhance emergency services within the Turks and Caicos Islands.

During the visit, representatives from the West Midlands Ambulance Service provided comprehensive insights into their operations, sharing valuable expertise and offering collaborative initiatives for the development of the TCIs emergency services. Discussions encompassed various aspects, including training and mentoring programs tailored to empower emergency personnel within the Turks and Caicos Islands.

“The visit marked a significant step forward in our strategy for the advancement of emergency services,” stated Mrs. Desiree Lewis OBE. “We are deeply grateful for the generosity and support extended by the West Midlands Ambulance Service, and we look forward to implementing the insights gained to further enhance emergency care within our country. Permanent Secretary Lewis also expressed the Ministry of Health’s gratitude to Professor Ian Cumming for his assistance by way of arranging the visit.”

Mr. Andy Brijmohansingh, Director of Emergency Medical Services for the Turks and Caicos Islands, underscored the importance of the discussions, emphasizing the poignant exchange of ideas and the potential for meaningful collaborations which signifies a commitment to improving emergency services and ensuring the safety and well-being of the residents of the Turks & Caicos Islands.

The Ministry of Health and Human Services expresses its sincere appreciation to the West Midlands Ambulance Service for their warm hospitality and invaluable contributions during the visit.

For additional information, please visit the Turks and Caicos Islands Ministry of Health and Human Services Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/tciministryofhealth/.

TCI Court

Eight Months facing Police Accusations and Court, now Pedro Grant Exonerated

Published

1 day ago

May 3, 2024

Shanieka

Dana Malcolm

Staff Writer

With no evidence to support their claim, the prosecution has dropped their case against Pedro Jose Alfredo Grant Gallon, the Dominican Republic citizen who was accused of impersonating an officer in September 2023.

The Police, who publicized the arrest and charge, have not yet commented on the matter despite Magnetic Media queries.

Grant, for his part, has always vehemently denied the accusations that he was impersonating an officer and described the circumstances surrounding his arrest as unfair.

He contends that on the evening of July 13, 2023, he was being followed by a strange driver, concerned, he waited until the man pulled off at a bar, then took his license plate number and called the police, but police never came to help Grant. He alleges that the next time he saw them, they came with handcuffs to arrest him. In a search, police found his IDs which included his documentation for humanitarian work with the International Diplomatic Alliance (IDA) and police lights attached to his vehicle. In explaining the possession of those lights, Grant said he told officers that they had been in his car from his time in the Dominican Republic where he was involved in law enforcement.

Since that time, Grant has maintained several facts:

The Police did not have a warrant to search his home and car;
The Police took his documents including passports and IDs, one of which was issued by the IDA, and to date have not returned them despite being court-ordered to do so;
The Police intimidated his wife with threats of deportation;
He never showed any ID, flashing lights at the man following him, or claimed to be an officer.

Police have steadfastly refused to comment on the case despite numerous queries into the bizarre circumstances, even with serious allegations like intimidation against them. Grant was officially charged with Impersonating an Officer in September but IDA Head Jerrod Crockett told Magnetic Media despite seizing documents from Grant to support their case, no one even called the organization to see if they were real or fake.

Now, when called to provide evidence to the court as to why they arrested and charged the resident, the police and DPPs office drew a complete blank as Wilkie Arthur, Magnetic Media Court Correspondent, confirmed it was a lack of evidence that got the case dropped.

Despite this win serious damage has been done Grant claims, describing his life as a ‘living hell’ and ‘miserable’ since the accusations were publicized.

The IDA says it has been affected as well.

“That really put a hurt on us for the last six to eight months now because of accusations of fraudulent documents that everybody else has seen. We’re trying to prove our legitimacy now because you guys can’t verify any documents— before you put everything out there as public information,” Crockett said of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force (RTCIPF)

The president also told our news team they had lost thousands of dollars in funding.

Following the closure of the case we reached out again to police to find out on what grounds Grant had been arrested and charged but no response was issued.