Connect with us

News

DECR Launches Important Tropical Plant Areas & Species in TCI Project

Published

on

#TurksandCaicos, May 19, 2022 – The Department of Environment and Coastal Resources (DECR) along with visiting scientists from Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (RBG Kew) will launch the DarwinPlus 114 Project Tropical Important Plant Areas and Important Plant Species in TCI. The project was originally to begin in May 2020, but with Covid-19-related travel restrictions, along with restructuring at DECR and RBG Kew, two years of deferments were necessary. The project has begun and will be officially launched this week in a workshop on Thursday 12 May 2022 beginning at 9:00 AM in the National Environmental Centre.

In reference to the project, DECR Director Lormeka Williams stated, “With the recent completion of the National Physical Development Plan, the signing of the Climate Change Charter, and the review of the National Parks Ordinance, we are poised and ready to utilise new information on land use and impacts to our Protected Areas and green spaces. We are newly energised to commit to the discovery and description of our most sensitive and significant plant diversity hotspots. We’re inspired by our colleagues in the British Virgin Islands having completed the pilot of this project. We are also ready and excited to find out what these plants are that evade identification and may prove to be something unknown to science.”

The project is focused on identifying Tropical Important Plant Areas (TIPAs) in Turks and Caicos Islands. TIPAs are a network of the key sites for wild plants and threatened habitats identified using scientifically robust data. They are not legal designations, but a means to identify the most important sites for wild plant diversity and to inform the protection and management of sites. Identifying TIPAs will help prevent the global loss of plant diversity, whilst safeguarding the role of plants as primary producers and providers of ecosystem infrastructure, products, and services.

TIPAs also provides a framework for Governments to implement target 5 of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Global Strategy for Plant Conservation – to ensure the protection of at least 75% of the most important areas for plant diversity of each ecological region by 2020 with effective management in place for conserving plants and their genetic diversity. TIPAs also contribute to implementing the CBD’s Aichi Biodiversity Target 12 – by 2020 the extinction of known threatened species has been prevented and their conservation status, particularly of those most in decline, has been improved and sustained. Criteria for identification of Tropical Important Plant Areas were developed, and the first nationwide project was completed by RBG Kew and the Virgin Islands National Parks Trust in the British Virgin Islands in 2019. Assistant Director of Research and Development B Naqqi Manco participated in the April 2019 BVI TIPAs Workshop, and discussed the potential to replicate the project with long-established partners at RBG Kew in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Following the TCI TIPAs Launch Workshop, the DECR and RBG Kew team will trial the criteria over several sites of high plant diversity in Providenciales, North Caicos, and Middle Caicos. Over the next three years, the teams will cover other islands as well. Of particular importance will be the Turks and Caicos Islands eight known endemic plant species – those found nowhere else on earth. A secondary component of the project focuses on investigating some unique populations of rare plants in TCI, which may constitute new varieties or even species. RBG Kew will use DNA analysis to explore the relationship of these species to their closest relatives. Importantly, the rare and endemic species will be targeted for IUCN Red Data Listing as well, to assess their wild population status and trends.

 

Release: DECR

Photo: This beautiful Encyclia orchid is one of the unique groups of plants that will be studied by the project.

 

News

Invest TCI Strengthens Regional Investment Connections at Caribbean Investment Forum 2026 in Barbados

Published

on

Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – Monday, 19th October 2026: Invest Turks and Caicos Agency (Invest TCI) strengthened its regional presence at the Caribbean Investment Forum (CIF) 2026, held October 5 – 7, 2026, in Bridgetown, Barbados, participating as both a sponsor of the Forum and representative of the Turks and Caicos Islands’ investment landscape.

The Caribbean Investment Forum brought together regional and international investors, government representatives, business leaders, entrepreneurs, investment promotion agencies, and development partners to explore investment opportunities, strengthen partnerships, and advance sustainable economic development throughout the Caribbean.

The Agency’s sponsorship of CIF 2026 formed part of its continued commitment to strengthening the visibility of the Turks and Caicos Islands within the regional investment community and building relationships with investors, development partners, investment promotion agencies, and businesses across the Caribbean.

The opening of the Forum was attended by the Honourable Mia Amor Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados, who emphasised the importance of scaling regional investment, strengthening economic cooperation, and transforming innovative ideas into commercially viable opportunities. Invest TCI was represented by Ms. Alexa Cooper, Domestic Investment Officer, and Mr. Hezron Henry, Marketing Support Officer. Throughout the Forum, the delegation engaged with stakeholders and promoted the Turks and Caicos Islands as a competitive investment destination while exploring opportunities for greater regional collaboration and knowledge exchange.

Speaking on her experience at the Forum, Ms. Alexa Cooper, Chief Domestic Investment Officer, said:

“CIF 2026 provided another valuable opportunity to engage with donor organisations, investors and Investment Promotion Agencies (IPAs) from across the Caribbean. A highlight for me was the introduction of an exclusive masterclass for fund managers, investors and support organisations, which offered practical insights into unlocking capital, strengthening investment ecosystems and supporting investment-ready businesses. I was equally impressed with the quality of projects pitched, which showcased the region’s innovation and investment potential. It was encouraging to see projects presented with a clearer understanding of investor expectations, reinforcing the importance of not simply developing projects, but ensuring they are well-structured, investment-ready and positioned to attract the right investment partners.”

Accompanying the Invest TCI delegation was Mr. Sean Penn, Chief Executive Officer of Sky Poultry Farm Ltd., the first commercial egg and poultry production facility in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Mr. Penn’s participation provided an opportunity to showcase the development of domestic enterprise within the Turks and Caicos Islands while highlighting the potential of agriculture and food production as part of the country’s broader economic diversification efforts.

Through his participation at CIF 2026, Mr. Penn had the opportunity to engage with regional stakeholders, gain exposure to developments within the Caribbean agricultural sector, and explore potential partnerships and opportunities related to agricultural investment, innovation, and enterprise development.

For Invest TCI, the combination of sponsorship, investment promotion and local business representation provided a multifaceted platform to advance the Agency’s mandate. It allowed Invest TCI not only to promote the Turks and Caicos Islands to prospective investors but also to facilitate greater exposure for a local enterprise operating within an emerging sector of the economy. The Forum also provided opportunities for the Invest TCI delegation to exchange knowledge with regional counterparts, strengthen institutional relationships, and gain insight into investment trends and opportunities affecting Caribbean economies.

As the Caribbean Investment Forum continues to expand its regional reach, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, was announced as the destination for the next edition of the Forum, providing another opportunity to bring together investors, policymakers, investment promotion agencies and businesses from across the Caribbean and beyond.

Invest TCI looks forward to the continued growth of the Caribbean Investment Forum and the opportunities it creates to deepen regional partnerships, promote investment, and connect Caribbean businesses with new markets and sources of capital. The Agency remains committed to attracting sustainable investment, supporting domestic enterprise, encouraging economic diversification, and developing partnerships that contribute to the long-term economic development of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Continue Reading

Bahamas News

Energy Minister Delivers Electrifying Keynote Opening Address at CAREC 2026  

Published

on

NASSAU, The Bahamas – The Bahamas’ Minister of Energy, Utilities and Aviation, The Honourable JoBeth Coleby-Davis, delivered an electrifying address during the opening ceremony of the 2026 CARILEC Resilient/Renewable Energy Community (CAREC) Conference and Exhibition, being held October 18–22, 2026, at the British Colonial Hotel in Nassau, The Bahamas.

Under the theme “Empowering Progress: Strategic Policy and Planning for the Energy Transition,” the event draws more than 200 industry leaders, policymakers, regulators, and energy professionals committed to advancing practical strategies for sustainable and reliable Caribbean power systems through renewable energy and emerging technologies.

During her address, titled “The New Energy Era: Transforming Policy into Progress,” Minister Coleby-Davis reminded attendees that The Bahamas’ national motto, “Forward, Upward, Onward, Together,” aptly describes what the region’s energy transition demands.

“Empowering Progress speaks directly to our national motto. Not waiting for progress, but creating the conditions that allow progress to happen. Meaningful progress, however, does not occur by accident. It requires vision, sound policy, strategic planning, strong institutions, and the determination to turn decisions into results,” said Minister Coleby-Davis.

Participants acknowledged that small island developing states share similar pressures, compounded by geographical challenges, small electricity markets, ageing infrastructure, geopolitical influences, and the growing threat of severe weather.

Tasked with ushering in a new energy era across the islands while addressing the challenges posed by The Bahamas’ unique archipelagic composition, Minister Coleby-Davis said, “Every island needs a different answer, but the same logic. As an archipelagic nation, we must provide electricity across many islands, each with its own demand and infrastructure needs. Our strategy, therefore, must be national in direction, but responsive to individual communities.”

Restating her Ministry’s three core messages—that energy is an economic and security priority, technology must be viewed as a tool to support strong institutional leadership, and natural gas should be considered a bridge, not a destination—Minister Coleby-Davis reiterated that “progress must now be reflected in functioning infrastructure, effective institutions, and better electricity services: from policy commitments to coordinated implementation, and from fragmented investment decisions to long-term planning.”

Organised by CARILEC and co-hosted by Bahamas Power and Light (BPL) and Grand Bahama Power Company (GBPC), the annual Conference and Exhibition brings together the Caribbean energy community to advance practical solutions to the region’s most pressing energy challenges and accelerate progress towards more resilient, reliable, and sustainable power systems.

Continue Reading

Bahamas News

Monument Supports Hands for Hunger With Paradise Plates Debut  

Published

on

NASSAU, Bahamas — Caribbean Wines & Spirits (CWS), The Bahamas’ leading wine and spirits distributor, proudly supported Paradise Plates, Hands for Hunger annual fundraiser with a flavorful offering of its newest product, Monument Beverage Co.

Monument, which launched this July and is available across six major islands, made its Paradise Plates debut. Guests enjoyed three bold flavors: Peach Passion, Ginger-Lime and Melon Fizz as they socialized throughout the evening.

Monument brand ambassadors engaged guests with knowledge on the ready-to-drink beverage’s unique taste and look. Many attendees were delighted to learn that Monument is 100% Bahamian-made and owned and enjoyed seeing the various national landmarks on the packaging.

The booth was adorned with vibrant brand colors, striped arches, tropical florals and a photo worthy backdrop featuring Monument cans filled with florals cascading down the wall.

At the end of the event, the entire Monument inventory had finished, making Monument’s Paradise Plates debut a huge success.

For more details on Caribbean Wines & Spirits, new products and specials, visit www.cwsbahamas.com today.

Continue Reading

FIND US ON FACEBOOK

TRENDING