TCI News

Turks and Caicos National Museum Gala – Theme: Building for the future, to protect the past.

Published

5 years ago

June 12, 2019

#Providenciales, June 12, 2019 – Turks and Caicos – In the presence of the Hon. Premier of the Turks & Caicos Islands, Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson, Hon. Derek Taylor and Hon. Mike Eman, former Prime Minister of Aruba, The Turks & Caicos Islands National Museum Foundation (TCNMF) held its sold out inaugural gala at the beautiful Shore Club, sponsored by Stan Hartling and the Hartling group, to launch the fund raising campaign for the new national museum on Provo.

The gala was a resounding success and incredibly raised over $200,000 from this event alone! With funds coming from ticket sales, event sponsorship, advertising, silent auction, sale of engraved pavers and donations; with an unbelievably generous $100,000 alone coming from Martin & Donna Seim, Son of the original museum founder and board director respectively, to name the main gallery in honor of the late Nils and Grethe Seim.

MC for the night was Dr. Hugh Fulford, President of the TCI Community College and Board Director of TCNMF. Hugh kept everyone entertained and managed to extract additional funds from many!

The Hon. Premier made an impassioned speech about the importance of historical and cultural preservation and her governments support for the national museum, including a budgeted $50,000 in this year’s budget, increasing to $100,000 thereafter. The Hon. Premier also introduced the guest of honor and her old friend, Mike Eman, who she received the Chairmanship of OCTA from in February 2017.

Hon. Mike Eman traveled from Aruba to support the event, along with his wife Doina Eman and spoke about the importance of economic growth and increasing our capacity for luxury tourism, as they have done in Aruba, but also to ensure that education, housing, health and general well-being of our citizens is an intrinsic part of that growth and to take lessons from the past, particularly in relation to the sense of family, belonging and community. He also touched on the similar pre-Columbian history and architectural elements found on Aruba, at the other end of the Caribbean.

Award winning architect, Ron Shaw walked everyone through the new building design with an audio-visual presentation and spoke of the architectural elements throughout the island that inspired his incredible vision for the new national museum building and the ability to expand for future requirements without issue and to the energy efficiency of the building and the ability to utilize renewable energy.

Dr. Michael Pateman, Director of the TCNM spoke passionately about his vision for the future of the new museum, and how it should of course be informative and reflect the amazingly diverse history of the Turks & Caicos Islands, but that it will also be fun and entertaining; also what the museum will exhibit, with a real emphasis on the people of the islands and on embracing new technologies to appeal to a younger and wider tech savvy audience.

A truly delicious Dinner was prepared by the Shore Club’s Executive Chef Martin Davies and his team, which was served by The Clement Howell High School Tourism Club, who did an incredible job, as they pleasantly and efficiently served the entire gathering in record time; beaming with pride throughout the entire process. Future tourism professionals one and all!

During Dinner TCI cultural legend David Bowen and Friends stunned the entire audience with an incredible and unique cultural show that was especially put together for the gala with dancing, singing and storytelling about family, fishing, bush medicine and times past, with the beautiful voice of TCI songbird, Barbara Johnson.

TCNMF Board members, Hon. Derek Taylor, Dr. Don Keith and Mr. Thomas Saunders all received long service awards for their incredible 27 years of volunteering on the board of Directors, since the museums inception, and were presented with plaques made from the last 3 pieces of oak left over from the Grandfather Clock in the national museum and executive pens made from hurricane damaged trees from the museum garden on Grand Turk, to make a real connection to the museum. The awards were presented by the Hon. Premier.

A vote of thanks was given by Séamus Day, President of the TCNMF, acknowledging the sense of community that brought everyone together for the event and thanked the TCI Government, and all the incredible companies and individuals, that made the event possible, particularly the Hartling Group: The Shore Club, The Palms & The Sands, Mr. Ron Shaw, Karen Whitt, Martin Davies, Graceway, Jackson Family Wines, Ministry of Tourism, Gilley’s Enterprises, TCBC, TCHTA, Ritz Carlton, Amanyara, Parrot Cay, TC Collection, Grace Bay Resorts & Gracebay Foundation, Beaches, Wymara, Ocean Club, Fortis TCI, Turks Head Brewery, Price Waterhouse Coopers, Sotheby’s, Clearwater Capital, ERA Coralie Properties, The Agency, Intercaribbean Airways, Olympic Construction Ltd., Projectech, Spa Tropique, High Point Resort Orlando, Grace Bay Car Rentals and Grace Bay Paint & Supply. Additionally, the TCNMF team of professionals and volunteers, with special mention to Vanessa Pateman for her design work on the commemorative booklet and banners and the Krieble Foundation for all their incredible support spanning over a decade.

The silent auction raised an additional $5,500 and a huge thank you to all that donated.

The museum also launched their campaign to raise funds through the sale of laser etched bricks and pavers, so if you would like to have a brick engraved with the name of a loved one or your company and logo, please get in touch by calling our Director, Dr Pateman on 649 232 4535 or visit the museums website: www.tcmuseum.org or email info@tcmuseum.org

These will be laid out on the main walkway to the new museum building, a wall of honor and the museum cultural and heritage gardens.

Other fund-raising initiatives include the naming rights to the new national museum building, galleries and gardens, so again, if you would like to support the national museum, please contact us to discuss partnering with The Turks & Caicos National Museum.

TCNMF is a registered not for profit organization aimed at recording, interpreting, preserving and celebrating the history of the Turks and Caicos Islands and its people.

Release: TCI Museum

Photo Credit: Sean Brady

Bahamas News

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

Published

7 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

8 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.