Caribbean News
Crucial Public Meeting coming with new Dellis Cay Owners; construction set for early 2023
By Deandrea Hamilton & Dana Malcolm
Editorial Staff
#TurksandCaicos, December 9, 2022 – It will no longer be the tiny island with decaying homes, languishing amidst a scandalous transaction when construction resumes on the infamous Dellis Cay Project as early as the first quarter of 2023.
Arlington Musgrove, Minister of Immigration and Border Services made the announcement at a town hall meeting in North Caicos on November 29th in response to a resident’s query about the development.
With the help of a stated injection of $200 million, the picturesque property is expected to transition to one of international glamour and prestige. But first, it will be a great opportunity for those in the construction industry with some 300 jobs expected to be generated during the building phase.
“The owner for Dellis Cay wanted a meeting this week but it was conflicting with our town halls so they’ve scheduled a meeting for the first week of January,” Musgrove explained “He wants to come here and his main focus is housing so it’s a great opportunity for the people of the twin islands.”
Musgrove said the owner wanted to discuss housing, boating, opportunities for construction workers and more, including tourism-based businesses.
“They want to start in the first quarter of next year…” he said.
Dellis Cay which is just off the coast of North Caicos was sold off under the Michael Misick administration. A huge luxury project was started on the private cay by Dr. Cem Kinay, a Turkish hotelier before everything came to a grinding halt in 2009. Allegations of corruption linked to a reported $ 500,000 donation to Misick marred the deal, sent the property into receivership and back onto the market.
This past July, Dellis Cay was purchased by the Desarollos Hotelco, owners of the Ritz Carlton on Grace Bay. At the time news broke of the sale, construction was slated to get started within 12 months.
No sale price was made public for the the 560-acre private island, which Desarollos Hotelco brokered through Engel and Völkers Turks and Caicos from Trinidad and Tobago Unit Trust Corporation (TTUTC); TTUTC held the property in receivership.
Hope is now reignited as Dellis Cay is poised to be yet another luxury development strongly linked to and dependent upon North Caicos islanders.
Minister Musgrove, as the Member of Parliament for the twin islands of North and Middle Caicos encouraged residents to attend the January 2023 meeting with the new owners.
“Please I want everyone to be there so we can listen and say what we want; and whoever has housing and whoever has cars boats that we can help organize that.”
A hotel is also planned for the Cay in the near future.
KINGSTON, April 29 (JIS):
Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator the Hon. Matthew Samuda, says the outcome of discussions arising from the Jamaica National Stakeholder Consultation on Climate Services and the 1st National Climate Forum (NCF-1) will assist in guiding the Government’s planning for climate change.
This, he points out, is important for climate mitigation as well as building Jamaica’s resilience.
“We look forward to the discussions that will, no doubt, take place. We look forward to the basis of planning for the Government to streamline its investments to ensure you have the tools that you need to better advise us, that the WRA (Water Resources Authority) has the tools to digitise its monitoring network, and that all of the agencies that touch our planning mechanisms have the tools. But we need to know what we are facing, and we’re guided by your expertise,” Minister Samuda said.
He was addressing the opening ceremony for the Jamaica National Stakeholder Consultation on Climate Services and the 1st National Climate Forum (NCF-1) at the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel in New Kingston on Monday (April 29).
Senator Samuda said given the fact that the climate has changed and continues to do so, investments in and collaborations on building Jamaica’s predictive and scientific capacity must be prioritised.
“Ultimately, we need to be able to assess our current climatic realities if we are to better plan, if we’re to insist and ensure that our infrastructure meets the needs that we need it to. I’m very happy that this event is happening… because this is a critical issue.
“Jamaica, last year, faced its worst and most severe drought… and this year, we’re already seeing the impacts of not quite as severe a drought but, certainly, a drought with severe impacts, especially in the western part of the country,” he said.
Principal Director, Meteorological Service of Jamaica, Evan Thompson, explained that the forum aims to, among other things, establish a collaboration platform for climate services providers and users to understand risks and opportunities of past, present and future climate developments, as well as improve inter-agency coordination of policies, plans and programmes.
Among the other presenters were Ambassador, European Union to Jamaica, Her Excellency Marianne Van Steen; Chief Scientist/Climatologist, Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology, Adrian Trotman; and Head, Regional Climate Prediction Services, World Meteorological Organization, Wilfran Moufouma-Okia.
The Meteorological Service of Jamaica hosted the Jamaica National Stakeholder Consultation on Climate Services and the 1st National Climate Forum (NCF-1) in partnership with the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology and the World Meteorological Organization.
The National Stakeholder Consultation is a governance mechanism that guides how different sectors or actors work together to create products that contribute to adaptation and resilience-building. It seeks to create a road map for the development and implementation of climate services to inform decision-making.
NCF-1 aims to bridge the gap between climate providers and users. It increases the use of science-based information in decision-making and operations with the aim of generating and delivering co-produced and co-designed products and services.
CONTACT: CHRIS PATTERSON
-
TCI News1 week agoExperience Turks and Caicos and Ministry of Tourism explore development of Cruise industry at Seatrade Global Cruise Conference
-
Latin America and Caribbean7 days agoRegional SDGs Update
-
Crime1 week agoFollowing Court ruling, US Embassy Doubles Down on Warning: DO NOT TRAVEL TO TCI WITH GUNS, AMMO
-
Bahamas News7 days agoEnvironment State-Minister updates ‘Our Ocean’ forum on The Bahamas as SIDS leader in sustainable tourism
-
Bahamas News5 days agoPacesetting Cohort of Eleuthera Residents Graduate from Leading Light Programme
-
Caribbean News1 week agoU.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS SHINES AS A PREMIER DESTINATION AT THE 2024 SEATRADE CRUISE GLOBAL CONFERENCE
-
Caribbean News1 week agoRBC appoints new Head of Caribbean Banking
-
Bahamas News6 days agoNassau Cruise Port Donates Nearly $2 Million Towards Food Security