News
Loopholes and Lawsuit-fears paralyzed officials on Super-Spreader Events
#TurksandCaicos, August 27, 2021 – The Disc Jockeys hosting the party concert weekend events were out-smarting law makers and jumping through loop holes admitted Minister of Health Jamell Robinson, who hosted a press debriefing on Wednesday to confront the myriad of issues related to the Coronavirus Pandemic.
Government and Police had been criticised for not shutting down potential Covid-19 super spreader events and residents learned that the fear of being sued prevented action to end an August 20th weekend concert series, where American recording artist, Trina was the feature.
“We were alerted about the events taking place. So we had a meeting and discussed, well was this permitted through us? The answer was no. So the next question became, okay, can it go forward? And out of that discussion, we found that because of the location where the events were being purported to happen that there was a loophole in the regulations. Such that if you had the event at a normally operating business location, you would be able to get the capacity of 70 per cent vs the required permitting of 50 people.”
Super spreader events are suspected of being at the source of the recent surge; after all, numbers of new cases have been trending up since restrictions were relaxed in July. Warnings have been issued, threats have been levelled to suspend business licenses for social gathering and mask wearing breaches therefore this time, it is hoped the newest raft of rules will work.
“On further discussion, we said well if this event can take place under the law what is the plan to risk manage it taking place. So, we had a conversation with the compliance team and in that discussion, we also found out that the international artist who was visiting the country, had already received a temporary work permit to be in the islands. Not only did we have a loophole, we had one arm of Government issuing a permit for that person to be here when the other arm of government had no clue this was taking place,”explained the Minister of Health.
Instead of applying for their events to the Ministry of Health, the promoters danced past the Environmental Health Department and regulators leaving officials paralysed by reasonable fears of costly lawsuits.
“We can take the risk of quote on quote, shutting that event down, which many persons cried out and asked us to do. We would have left the government liable for not only the cost of the event being put on but also for defamation and damages to the promoter and the organisers of the event.”
The Minister said, certainly a law suit would have been imminent but now those loopholes are plugged.
Following a Cabinet decision, even more scrutiny will come for events which allow 50 people in attendance, as Dr. Nadia Astwood, the Chief Medical Officer will also have to approve the application.
Temporary work permits for performers, artists and entertainers are on freeze, indefinitely.
Additionally, since these events usually draw party-goers and revelers, a new mandate and tighter rules are in force as of next month.
“There will be no nationwide lockdown,” said Minister Robinson, “All night clubs and bars should will reduce their occupancy to 50 per cent of their registered capacity. Patrons at night clubs and bars must provide proof of being fully vaccinated. Bars and clubs to be responsible for verifying identity and vaccination status of all participants and a log book kept with the same and shared with the ministry of health and the environmental health department every Monday.”
Identity tags for patrons will also be introduced; a measure to come on stream by September 14. All other new measures take effect from Wednesday September 1.
Health and Police promise a better response to suspect and risky party events in future. The Ministry of Health has informed they do not know if these events have led to the coronavirus surge, hospitalizations or deaths due to a lack of cooperation in the contract tracing process.
Caribbean News
Liberty Caribbean Supports Regional Forum on AI, Cyber Resilience and Digital Inclusion
Port of Spain, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO (February 24, 2026) — Liberty Caribbean, the operators of Flow, Liberty Business and BTC, recently served as Gold-Level Partner of the two-day Trinidad and Tobago Internet Governance Forum (TTIGF), themed “The Innovation Paradox – Balancing Progress with Responsibility and Resilience”.
The Digital Divide is of particular interest to Liberty Caribbean and is being addressed through its Charitable Foundation across the region. Low broadband penetration in the Caribbean contributes to diminished opportunities for individuals, communities, and local economies, but with the support of funding partners, this gap can be addressed through a comprehensive programme – JUMP – that focuses on providing access, devices, and digital skills.
“Liberty Caribbean was proud to serve as Gold-Level Partner of the TTIGF because the conversations taking place here shape key digital
policies for multiple stakeholders,” said Simone Martin-Sulgan, Vice President and General Manager, Flow Trinidad.
“As technology accelerates at an unprecedented pace, we must ensure that innovation strengthens our societies rather than fragments them. The theme, ‘The Innovation Paradox – Balancing Progress with Responsibility and Resilience,’ speaks directly to the work we do every day: building networks that are not only fast and reliable, but secure, inclusive and future-ready.”
Across the Caribbean, the digital divide remains one of the most pressing barriers to equitable growth. Low broadband penetration limits access to education, entrepreneurship and essential services, and that is why we are deeply committed to closing this gap.
Through the Liberty Caribbean Charitable Foundation and initiatives like the JUMP Programme, the company is expanding access to technology, affordable connectivity and digital skills training so that individuals and communities are empowered to participate fully in the digital economy.
Martin-Sulgan further stated “at Liberty Caribbean, we believe progress and responsibility must move in lock step. By investing in resilient networks, inclusive programmes and trusted partnerships, we are helping to build a Caribbean that is innovative, secure and prepared for the opportunities ahead.”
Topics covered during the Forum, with over 140 participants, included “Securing Critical Infrastructure”, Integrating AI into Digital Transformation”, “The Digital Divide”, The Human Cost of Innovation – Mental Health and Well-being in the Digital Age’, and AI, Cyber Resilience and Regional Innovation”.
Focused on the underlying mandate of the Conference theme thought leaders, innovators, policymakers, technologists, researchers, and community stakeholders were invited to explore how countries can evolve boldly without compromising values or long-term stability.
Photo Caption:
TTIGF – l-r Darren Campo, Regulatory & Compliance Officer; Yolande Agard-Simmons, Senior Manager Communications; and Kevon Swift, Senior Manager Government and Regulatory Affairs of Flow Trinidad in attendance at the Post Event Mixer at Caribbean Telecommunications Union’s Head Office in St Clair, Port of Spain
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, 20 February 2026 — The Informal Settlements Unit (ISU), in collaboration with key
government agencies, coordinated a multi-agency enforcement exercise on Thursday, February 5, 2026, at Block and Parcel 60609/33 in the Five Cays area.
The exercise was led by the Crown Land Unit, pursuant to its statutory mandate under the Crown Land Ordinance to prevent squatting and encroachment on Crown land. The ISU coordinated the operation, with support provided by the Planning Department and the Turks and Caicos Islands Border Force, while the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force ensured security throughout the activity.
The enforcement action followed a series of inspections conducted by the Crown Land Unit throughout Five Cays, which identified several illegally constructed buildings made of concrete and timber on sections of the subject parcel. In keeping with the provisions of the Crown Land Ordinance, occupied structures were served Letters of Illegal Occupation, delivered by hand to occupants and
posted on structures where individuals were absent. Incomplete and unoccupied structures were served Notices of Unauthorized Occupation pursuant to section 22 of the Ordinance. A total of ten (10) Letters of Illegal Occupation and three (3) Notices of Unauthorized Occupation were issued during the exercise.
The Informal Settlements Unit reiterates that these coordinated enforcement exercises form part of the Government’s ongoing efforts to uphold the law, protect Crown land, and manage informal settlements in a structured and lawful manner. Members of the public are reminded that unauthorised occupation and development on Crown land is unlawful and subject to enforcement action.
February is National Self- Check Month and family medicine physician at Cleveland Clinic, OH, John Hanicak, MD, highlights why at home self-checks are extremely important when it comes to not just early cancer detection but identifying other illnesses too and offers tips on what to look out for.
“Sometimes I look at them as sort of like your check engine light on the car, just like there would be a red flashing light that tells you that
there’s something wrong with a car and prompts you to bring that in and get serviced. Your body does the same thing. It gives you warning signs to look into that symptom a little bit further,” said Hanicak.
Dr. Hanicak said self-checks are going to be a little different for everyone.
However, in general, he recommends looking for anything that may seem abnormal, such as unexplained weight loss, blood in your urine, bumps and bruises that won’t heal, and changes in bowel habits.
For example, if you suddenly start going to the bathroom a lot more than you used to, that could be a sign of something more serious.
He also suggests doing regular skin checks and documenting any moles or spots that start to look different.
“Realize that you are your own person. There’s nobody else in the world exactly like you. You’ve got your own set of ideas, your own family history and your own genetics. Know what is normal for you, and when that changes, that’s the kind of thing that we would be interested in talking about,” said Dr. Hanicak.
Dr. Hanicak notes that self-checks are not meant to replace cancer screenings, as those are just as important to keep up with.
Press Release: Cleveland Clinic
