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Beaches Resort makes bombshell reveal; lawsuit against TCI Gov’t still in court

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Beaches Turks & Caicos, Caribbean Village - From Trip Advisor

#Providenciales, Turks and Caicos – September 13, 2020 — Beaches Turks and Caicos, on Friday September 11, made a bombshell reveal; that its lawsuit against the Turks and Caicos Islands Government – filed in January 2019 – remains unresolved.

“The Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands, as well as the other defendants, were legally due to file their defence in June 2019 – well over a year ago. They did not. We have patiently waited upon the Government to file its defence but to no avail.”

A Magnetic Media article, published on March 14, 2019 reported this:

An unprecedented interest rate of 213 percent, an audit which exonerated the family all-inclusive resort of fiscal misbehavior, a surprise bill of reported back taxes, breach of government’s own agreement and deviation from its own written assurances plus over-payment of taxes by Beaches are among the reasons, Sandals Resorts International says it is forced to move forward with the lawsuit against TCIG.

“It is indeed most unfortunate that we had to litigate against our host country, but given the injustice we had no alternative. Based on the number of communications that our organization has been receiving, it is clear that the investment and banking community together with the travel trade including the airlines are all paying close attention to see whether the Government will honor its commitments.”

Beaches T&C has not changed its stance and in the Friday media statement claims the resort was compelled to file to take the matter to court and could not withdraw the lawsuit due to a string of alleged injustices perpetrated against them.

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The pending litigation had also threatened Beaches operations in Providenciales; still government is accused of inaction.

“Our numerous meetings, conference calls and letters have led to no positive action on the part of TCIG. We remain anxious to resolve the matter in a lawful and principled manner but we cannot do so in an environment where our correspondence go unanswered, our law suit un-defended and our good faith overtures to engage in steps toward resolution are not reciprocated and have led nowhere despite assurances,” informed the statement issued by Beaches Resort Turks and Caicos.

The charge against TCIG is becoming a common refrain.  Magnetic Media continues to be on the receiving end of complaints about the lack of response from Government Ministers and Officials. 

The reoccurring reports by members of the public fuelled an article on September 6, 2020 by Deandrea Hamilton, Magnetic Media owner, headlined:  PDM Administration, the “NO REPLY” Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Beaches Resort adds to the growing list of frustrated stakeholders and candidly expressed its disappointment about the lack of progress in the legal matter. 

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“No investor, and in particular Beaches, wants to be involved in court proceedings with a host Country. However, given the gravity of certain fundamental breaches of our Development Agreement(s), such as provisions relating to the payment of the Customs Processing Fee, Beaches had no choice but to protect our legal and constitutional rights by filing a lawsuit against the Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands, which is available to the public. This occurred in May 2019.”

The family all-inclusive, resort village has been operating in Turks and Caicos since 1995.  While negotiations in 2019 did result in a Revenue Control Department amnesty that exempted Beaches and others from past due payments and penalties, Beaches Resort informed our news organisation that the gesture fell short.   

“Since 1995 when we commenced operation in the TCI we have consistently and faithfully paid taxes in accordance with our Development Agreement(s) and the laws of the TCI. In 2017 TCIG unilaterally breached our Development Agreement(s) and other written governmental commitments which over the years formed the basis of our substantial investment in the TCI. 

We have over-performed on all our obligations to TCIG and the Government have virtually “torn up” legally binding commitments given in writing as a basis for our investment. As a foreign investor, international law assures us of fair and equitable treatment by our host country, and one should expect no less from TCIG.”                

Magnetic Media has reached out to the Minister of Finance, who is Premier Sharlene Robinson about the statement from Beaches.

Hon Sharlene Robinson, TCI Premier & Minister of Finance

Beaches Resort, in the media release, said they have no further comment.

The general public worries that this looming lawsuit could impact a planned reopening of Beaches Resort Turks and Caicos on October 14.

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.

Bahamas News

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

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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.

 

 

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Government

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

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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/.

 

 

 

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TCI Court

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

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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.

 

 

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