Minister of Education’s Address – World Teachers’ Day 2025
Greetings to all Teachers living and working in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Today, as we join the world in celebrating World Teachers’ Day 2025, we pause to reflect on the extraordinary role you play in shaping our classrooms and our very future as a people and as a country. While there is no single official theme this year, much of the world is focusing on the global teacher shortage, investment in the profession, and empowering educators to build a sustainable future. These concerns resonate deeply with us here in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Across the globe, education systems face an urgent challenge: classrooms without enough teachers. This shortage threatens the dreams of millions of children. But here is what this challenge also tells us: the world cannot move forward without teachers.
You are not simply transmitters of knowledge. You are builders of character, instillers of resilience, and cultivators of hope.
Here in the Turks and Caicos Islands, we are committed to ensuring that our teachers are supported, valued, and equipped to thrive. As Minister of Education, I am proud to share some of the steps we are taking to honour that commitment.
We continue to provide training opportunities so that you are not only keeping pace with global standards but are leading innovations in your classrooms. From technology integration to inclusive education strategies, we are making sure you have the tools to meet the diverse needs of every child.
We are listening to your voices. That is why we are working to reduce class sizes, provide better resources, and ensure that the environment in which you teach is one where both you and your students can flourish. You deserve to work in conditions that reflect the value of the work you do.
Teaching must be seen as a calling and a profession of pride and distinction. We are enhancing systems of recognition to celebrate excellence in Teaching and rewarding those who go above and beyond in service of our children. Your dedication deserves to be acknowledged and honoured.
We are encouraging more young people in our islands to enter the teaching profession, ensuring that the next generation of educators is inspired, prepared, and supported. We want our brightest minds to see teaching as the noble and rewarding profession it truly is.
My dear Teachers, you are the architects of our sustainable future.
Each lesson you teach, each encouragement you give, and each child you inspire is an investment in the strength, resilience, and prosperity of the Turks and Caicos Islands. When our children excel, when they dream beyond what they thought possible, when they rise to lead this country, know that your fingerprints are on their success.
I know that teaching is not easy. I know that some days the challenges feel heavy. I know that you often serve as mentors, counsellors, and caregivers, all while working in demanding environments and balancing complex administrative responsibilities. I see your sacrifice. We all do.
But I also know this: teaching is not simply the transmission of knowledge. It is the shaping of lives. Every day, you mold the future. You guide how students think, how they see the world, and how they pursue their dreams. You find joy in witnessing students discover new insights, develop curiosity, and gain confidence in themselves. That joy, that spark you light in a child's eyes, that is what builds nations.
So today, on behalf of the Government and people of these islands, I say thank you.
Thank you for your patience, your sacrifice, your unwavering dedication. Thank you for staying the course even when the path is difficult. Thank you for believing in our children, especially when they struggle to believe in themselves.
The future of the Turks and Caicos Islands rests in the hearts and minds of our young people, and you are the ones guiding them there.
As we look ahead, let us work together to ensure that teaching is always a profession of choice, of dignity, and of purpose. And let us commit, as a country, to empowering and uplifting our educators so that the future we build is one of sustainability, strength, and endless possibility.
You deserve our support. You have our gratitude. And you will always have our commitment to stand beside you as you do this vital work.
Happy World Teachers’ Day 2025. May you continue to inspire, lead, and light the way forward.
Thank you, and may God bless you all.
Illegal Firearm Recovered in TCI
Officers from the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force (RT&CIPF) Tactical Unit recovered a firearm while conducting mobile patrols in the Kew Town area.
As the team approached a convenient store on Musgrove Close, officers observed a group of seven males gathered outside. One male, carrying a shoulder bag, which raised suspicion, prompting officers to search all seven individuals. Nothing illegal was found in their possession.
However, during a field search of the immediate area, officers discovered a black knapsack resting on a table. Upon inspection, a firearm and several rounds of ammunition were found inside the bag.
The firearm and its contents were seized and processed for further investigation. No arrests were made at the scene, and inquiries are ongoing.
As of October 2nd, 2025, the following statistics have been shared with RTC News, where 18 fire arms have been recovered as of October 2nd, 2025.
Breakdown by Location:
o Five Cays – 4
o Kew Town – 3
o Blue Hills – 8
o Grace Bay – 1
o North Caicos – 1
o Grand Turk – 1
The proactive work of our officers in Kew Town underscores the Force’s unwavering commitment to keeping residents and visitors safe. We continue to appeal to the public to play their part by reporting suspicious activity or information about illegal firearms.
Contact the police immediately at 911 or anonymously via Crime Stoppers at 1-800-8477 (TIPS) or by using the Crime Stoppers P3 app.
Bail Granted as Investigations Continue
RTC News understands that officers of the Safeguarding and Public Protection Unit (SPPU) of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force (RT&CIPF) are continuing investigations into allegations of child abuse being reported.
Following consultations with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, investigators have granted bail in the sum of $5,000 each with surety to the caregivers, aged 37 and 45, as inquiries & investigations remain ongoing.
The two caregivers were arrested this week following a Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) referral from the Department of Social Development, made on September 29, 2025.
Due to the sensitivity of the case and ongoing investigations, names are witheld until the agencies are completed.
The SPPU strongly emphasizes that if you suspect a child is being abused or there are allegations of abuse, that as citizens, you IMMEDIATELY report to the matter to the nearest police station, contact the Safeguarding and Public Protection Unit at 232- 6696,the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) at 338- 4013, via email MASH@gov.tc ot the Department of Social Development at 338-4008 or call 911.
Sean 'Diddy' Combs gets 50 months in prison
Sean “Diddy” Combs has been sentenced to 50 months in prison for his conviction on two prostitution-related offenses.
He gets credit for time served since his arrest. Combs has already spent 12 months at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.
Before the judge read the sentence, Combs tearfully apologized in court, saying, "I’ve been humbled and broken to my core."
Federal prosecutors argued Combs deserved at least 11 years in prison, while Combs' lawyers asked for a sentence of no more than 14 months.
Source - ABC
Rape Accused Denied Bail
EDWARD RICHARD CHRISTOPHER PHILLIPS,44, a British citizen, residing in the TCI appeared before the Magistrate court today.
Phillips has been charged with three counts of rape which occured in Providenciales.
The charges were laid on October 1st, 2025, following consultations with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. They arose from a report made on September 16, 2025, which led to a police investigation.
The accused was denied bail and has been remanded in custody until his next court appearance on October 6th, 2025.
Border Force Thanks Public for Safe Return of Canine Officer
The Turks and Caicos Islands Border Force confirmed to RTC News that the brown Cocker Spaniel reported missing earlier today has been safely recovered.
The canine, a valued member of the Border Force K9 Unit, was returned in good health thanks to the vigilance of the public and the integrity of the individual who came forward to ensure his safe return.
Director General of Border Force, Emilio Seymour, expressed his gratitude:
“We are relieved and grateful to have our canine officer back with us. On behalf of the Border Force, I extend sincere thanks to the community for their concern and support, and to the individual whose actions ensured the safe return of our officer. This is a reminder of the strong bond between the public and those who serve to protect these islands.”
The Border Force emphasises that its canine officers are more than working animals; they are trained law enforcement partners whose contribution is critical to national security.
The Border Force once again thanks the public for their cooperation and commitment in this matter.
India in command against the West Indies in the opening Test
Centuries by Dhruv Jurel, Ravendra Jadeja and KL Rahul, have left West Indies with a herculean task if they are to avoid a heavy defeat against India in the opening Test match at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
Jurel scored an impressive 125, Jadeja finished unbeaten on 104 and Rahul stroked an even 100, as the home side piled up a massive 448 for five at the close of play on the second day, giving them an already mammoth first innings lead of 286 runs.
India’s batsmen made the visitors toil in the sun all day with little success, with captain Shubman Gill chipping in with a half century against a tame West Indies bowling attack that lacked venom.
Resuming the day on 121 for two with Rahul on 53 and Gill 18, the duo dominated proceedings in the morning session during a 98-run partnership.
Rahul survived a scare in the day’s first over when his outside edge flew between the wicketkeeper and first slip and into the third man boundary, but apart from that was solid in defense and quick to latch onto anything short or wide offered by the bowlers.
They navigated the first hour with ease and Gill brought up his eighth half century in Test cricket with a single off left-arm spinner Khary Pierre.
Skipper Roston Chase got the much-needed breakthrough for the Windies when he had Gill caught at first slip by Justin Greaves as he attempted a reverse sweep, to leave India 188 for three.
Rahul, meanwhile, continued his march to three figures, sweeping Pierre for four to move into the 90s.
He eventually notched his 11th Test century and second at home with a single through midwicket off Chase, as India went to lunch in a strong position of 218 for three, a lead of 56 runs.
The West Indies reaped success again immediately after the break when left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican enticed Rahul into a cover drive that went straight to Greaves without any addition to the score.
In all, Rahul faced 197 balls and hit 12 fours.
Jadeja joined Jurel at the crease and the two crushed any hopes the Windies had of staging a fightback during a backbreaking 206-run partnership for the fifth wicket.
Jadeja was in a no-nonsense mood early on, smashing Warrican for two massive sixes and driving Chase down the ground for four.
Jurel reached his half century by cutting Justin Greaves past backward square for a boundary and it didn’t take long for Jadeja to score his seventh fifty plus score in his last nine innings with a quick single off Warrican, as India went to tea at 326 for four.
West Indies took the second new ball in the day’s final session, but it made no difference as the two batters dominated proceedings.
It came as no surprise, therefore, when Jurel, playing in his sixth Test, scored his maiden Test century with a boundary off Chase past mid-off.
Jurel brought up the 200-run partnership with a straight six off Warrican, but after facing 210 balls and striking 15 fours and three sixes, he edged Pierre behind to wicketkeeper Shai Hope to give him his first Test wicket at 424 for five.
While there was little else for the West Indies to celebrate following his dismissal, Jadeja was all smiles when he became the third Indian to reach three figures in the innings, scoring his sixth Test century with a single off Warrican.
Together with Washington Sundar, they navigated the final few overs to ensure India kept the Windies in a stranglehold heading into Saturday’s third day.
Scoreboard of the second day of the first Test between India and West Indies here at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Friday.
Source- CMC
MSF says Haiti sinks deeper into a crisis as health facilities close
The non-government organization, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Friday said that as the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, sinks deeper into a crisis marked by violent clashes between armed groups and police forces, there has been an increase in the number of civilian causalities arriving at its facilities.
MSF, also known as Doctors without Borders, said that while nearly two in five Haitians are in urgent need of medical care due to widespread insecurity and violence, 60 to 80 per cent of Port-au-Prince’s health facilities are closed or non-functional for the same reasons.
It said that between January and June 2025, MSF teams assisted 2,600 victims and survivors of sexual violence, admitted 13,300 patients to emergency rooms and treated 2,267 victims of violence.
Among these, 26 per cent were minors, compared to 11 per cent in 2024 with MSF stating that most minors were under the age of 15, and one third were girls. Thirty per cent of all minors admitted for violence-related injuries suffered gunshot wounds.
“These figures reflect the alarming deterioration of the situation in Haiti, where civilians, including women and children, are increasingly exposed to danger every day,” says Mumuza Muhindo Musubaho, MSF head of mission in Haiti, adding “civilians must be spared by the parties to this conflict”.
MSF said that on September 20, at least 17 wounded people were treated at the MSF hospital in Drouillard following a drone attack carried out the same day in the Cité Soleil neighbourhood.
Among these patients were two men who were already dead on arrival, and another man who died while being transferred, 10 women – one of whom died en route to MSF’s trauma hospital in Tabarre – and three children who tragically did not survive their injuries. Two more women injured in this attack died at the nearby Isaïe Jeanty maternity hospital, where MSF is also working.
“This violence is occurring in the context of a territorial conflict, with communities directly on the frontlines, trapped between the threat of explosive drones and the brutal violence of armed groups that loot and burn homes, destroy neighbourhoods, terrorise communities, and increasingly use sexual violence as a weapon of control, punishment, and extortion,” MSF said.
It said on average, about 18 per cent of patients followed through MSF’s general healthcare project in neighbourhoods controlled by armed groups report that they avoid using public transportation to reach medical facilities outside these areas, fearing they might be targeted.
MSF said that the restricted movement of residents, combined with the widespread closure of hospitals since 2024 due to armed attacks, looting, the exodus of medical staff, and difficulties in supplying medicines, has drastically reduced and centralised the availability of healthcare, leaving a large share of people without access to vital services.
It said that this situation also places extreme pressure on the facilities that remain operational, notably MSF’s trauma hospital in Tabarre, which has increased its bed capacity by 50 per cent, with 26 per cent of trauma cases linked to violence.
Only one major public hospital is still functioning in the capital, Hôpital universitaire de la Paix, and it is regularly overwhelmed.
“This devastating context fuels a profound sense of abandonment among Haitians. And, it must be said, the severe decline in healthcare availability – a crisis within the crisis – also leaves the few remaining humanitarian and medical actors with the impression of being overwhelmed by ever-growing needs,” Musubaho said.
MSF said it remains fully committed to supporting the people of Haiti and is working closely with the Ministry of Public Health and Population, adding “it is imperative that civilians, healthcare workers, and medical facilities be protected”.
Source- CMC
Earthquake rattles three Caribbean islands
An earthquake with a magnitude of 4.8 rattled several cities in the Caribbean on Friday, but there were no immediate reports of damage of injuries.
The Trinidad-based Seismic Research Centre (SRC) of the St. Augistine campus of the Universty of the West Indies (UWI) said that the quake occurred at 10.59 am (loccal time) and was at a depth of 142 kilometers (km).
It said that the quake was felt 33 km north east of Kinstown, the capital of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, 67 km, south, south west of Castries in St.Lucia and 128 km south of Fort-de-France, the capital of the French island of Martinique.
Source- CMC
U.S Government shutdown continues
The federal government on Thursday entered its second day of a shutdown amid an impasse on Capitol Hill over competing congressional spending bills.
The Senate floor was open Thursday, but the chamber was not voting due to Yom Kippur. The Senate is, however, expected to vote again Friday on both the Democrat funding bill that includes health care provisions and the short-term government funding bill.
As of now, however, Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he is not expecting the Senate to engage in weekend work.
President Donald Trump said Thursday he had a meeting scheduled with OMB Director Russ Vought to determine which agencies he "recommends" be cut — either temporarily or permanently.
"I have a meeting today with Russ Vought, he of PROJECT 2025 Fame, to determine which of the many Democrat Agencies, most of which are a political SCAM, he recommends to be cut, and whether or not those cuts will be temporary or permanent," Trump wrote on his social media platform.
He called the shutdown an "unprecedented opportunity."
Source- ABC