RTC Director

FortisTCI Purchases Three New Generation Units & Addresses Recent Outages Grand Turk

Turks and Caicos Islands (Friday, April 28, 2017) – FortisTCI (the Company) has three new Caterpillar 3516 B generating units for the Grand Turk power plant, following the loss four generation units during February and March of this year. The new units, rated at 1.4MW each, were last week.

The Company has confirmed that one unit will ship today, Friday, April 28, 2017, with an expected arrival Grand Turk of Tuesday, May 2, 2017. The installation will begin immediately upon arrival and
commissioning of the first unit is expected within ten days of commencing installation work. The additional two units will be shipped on Monday, May 1, 2017.

Turks and Caicos Utilities, a FortisTCI subsidiary, has experienced an extraordinary sequence of incidents involving equipment failure both on the Transmission and Distribution (T&D) system and at the South Base
Plant. The generation failures have all been catastrophic, which is unprecedented in FortisTCI’s history.
This has left the plant with degraded generating capacity. The frequency of recent outages is not consistent the Company’s high expectations for reliability nor the level of service that the Company strives for and
has historically delivered to customers.

President and CEO Eddinton Powell said, “We recognize the impact that this series of outages is having our customers on Grand Turk. Electrical systems, even small systems like Grand Turk's, are not “plugand-
play,” but are complex hardened infrastructure facilities. We are doing everything possible to address situation and return the service to the level of reliability that our customers deserve and have come to
expect.”

In the meantime, the Company has redeployed several trailer-mounted generation units from to Grand Turk to help stabilize the situation. Mr. Powell added, “We are working as hard as can to return the system to normalcy, but it will take time for the new permanent generation resources be put in place.”

The recent incidences impacting service to customers on Grand Turk are a major focus for the Company the situation there remains unstable. As a result, a team of Electrical and Mechanical Technicians have
been deployed to provide support and to conduct a review to strengthen the overall system. A T&D team is currently performing thermal scanning of the T&D system to locate potential hotspots as a preventative
measure and means of avoiding as many future outages as possible.

FortisTCI assures customers that the Company is committed to, and working continuously on delivering a and reliable service to Grand Turk. The Company will continue to issue regular updates and notices
to keep customers informed.

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by RTC Director

POST 11th CABINET MEETING

His Excellency the Governor, Dr John Freeman, chaired the 11th meeting of the Cabinet on Wednesday, 26 April 2017, at the N J S Francis Building on Grand Turk.

All Ministers were present except the Hon. Deputy Premier.

 
At this meeting Cabinet:

 
·         Agreed that the Hon. Minister of Health should write to the National Health Insurance Board requesting that steps be taken to implement in full the recommendations of the Chief Internal Auditor which had been previously agreed by Cabinet and for the Board to report back to the Minister within seven days;

 
·         Noted that a consultation for a national refurbishment policy was underway and that a paper reflecting the comments of all relevant departments would be returned to Cabinet for consideration following consultation;

 
·         Noted that a stakeholder and public consultation exercise for a new national investment policy was underway the findings of which would be presented to Cabinet in due course;

 
·         Advised His Excellency the Governor to approve national clinical guidelines for the management of hypertension and diabetes and for cancer screening;

 
·         Advised His Excellency the Governor to approve an amendment to the Fisheries Protection Regulations to allow seized marine product caught by spear gun to be sold in accordance with the Public Finance Management Ordinance provided that the seized product is not otherwise illegal to possess for example because of its species, size or seizure during its closed season;

 
·         Advised His Excellency the Governor to approve renovations to the Green Door building on Grand Turk to enable it to be used as temporary accommodation to re-house low-risk prisoners while essential works to accommodation blocks at HM Prison are carried out;

·         Received an information paper from the Hon. Minister of Infrastructure on the recent spate of power outages on Grand Turk and measures being taken to address the problem and called for improved communication by  Fortis TCI to keep the public informed in the event of future outages and problems;

 
·         Advised His Excellency the Governor to approve the following appointments to the TCI Community College Board of Governors as recommended by the Hon. Minister of Education:

 

Shernelle Capron, Chair

Renee Fulford, Member

Lucille Campbell, Member

Radica Been, Member

Rachel Harvey, Ex-Officio

 
·         Advised His Excellency the Governor to approve the following appointments to the Education Advisory/Scholarship Committee as recommended by the Hon. Minister of Education:

 
Keno Forbes, Chair

Dawn Higgs, Deputy Chair

Maria Clare, Member

Pansy Quant, Member

Leila Rodney, Member

·         Advised His Excellency the Governor to approve the following appointments to the Physical Planning Board for 2017/18 for a one-year term as recommended by the Hon. Minister of Infrastructure:

Kendell Higgs, Chair

Max Garland, Vice Chair

Wendel Ewing, Member

Ferguson L. Williams, Member

Director of Planning, Ex-Officio

Director of DECR, Ex-Officio

Director of DDME, Ex-Officio

Toriano Williams, Secretary

 
·         Advised His Excellency the Governor to approve the following appointments to the Water and Sewerage Board for 2017/18 for a one-year term as recommended by the Hon. Minister of Infrastructure:

 
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Infrastructure, Housing and Planning, Chair

Bertram Garland, Member

Clyde Ewing, Member

Chief Environmental Health Officer, Ex-Officio

Chief Engineer (Director PWD), Ex-Officio

Director of Planning, Ex-Officio

Director of DECR, Ex-Officio

Government Chief Economist, Ex-Officio

Energy and Utilities Commissioner, Ex-Officio

 
·         Advised His Excellency the Governor to approve the following appointments to the Physical Planning Appeals Tribunal for 2017/18 for a one-year term as recommended by the Hon. Minister of Infrastructure:

 
Charles Garland, Chair

Carlton E. Ewing, Member

Derek Rolle, Member

Patrick Grant, Member

Ronald Gardiner, Member

Leonardo Glasgow, Secretary

 
·         Advised His Excellency the Governor to approve the following appointments to the Electricity Board for Licensing Electrical Practitioners for 2017/18 for a one-year term as recommended by the Hon. Minister of Infrastructure:

 
Romney Missick, Chair

Emmanuel Gardiner, Member

Marvin Simmons, Member

Menelik Astwood, Member

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Infrastructure, Housing and Planning, Ex-Officio

Director of Planning, Ex-Officio

Energy and Utilities Commissioner, Ex-Officio

Debbie Williams-Hurdle, Secretary

 
·         Received an up-date by His Excellency the Governor on plans to progress the review of the TCI Statutory Bodies;

 
·         Received an up-date by the Hon. Premier on the following matters:

 
-          The forthcoming meeting of the Board of the Caribbean Development Bank in TCI in May;

-          Progress on the capital projects programme;

-          The signing by the Hon. Deputy Premier on 25 April of a MOU between the USA and members of the Caribbean Community on Co-operation Regarding the Development of an Advanced Passenger Information System (APIS);

-          As a result of the UK election in June the pre-Joint Ministerial Council scheduled for June would be postponed until July and that other planned activity involving the UK would also be affected;

 
·         Received an up-date from the Hon. Attorney General on proposals for amendments to the Elections Ordinance.
 

Further information on these matters will be provided by Ministers in due course.

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by RTC Director

No-go zones' do not exist in the TCI, say police

THERE are not any 'no-go zones' in the Turks and Caicos Islands, said the Commissioner of Police James Smith after rumours surfaced that there were areas in Providenciales that police feared to enter.

These sentiments were expressed during a police press conference held at the police headquarters in Providenciales on Thursday (April 27).

He said: "I know that we have had many operations in Dock Yard, Five Cays and in Kew Town, along with other places. The outcome has been very positive."

Commissioner Smith added that he has even taken his wife to some of these areas identified as dangerous and they have walked around and still felt safe.

Superintendent of Police Kendall Grant elaborated on Smith's remarks, stating that he and his team have a good relationship with the people of the communities deemed as dangerous.

"We have done a number of raids in those areas and we have a good relationship with persons in those areas.

"As you said, it is only a perception. We have our officers going there on a daily basis.

"The police communicate with those persons in there and we not only go there when there are calls for assistance.

"We pass there regularly speaking with them one-on-one and so I would support that there are no 'no-go zones' in Providenciales."

Supt Grant said that the police have no fear of patrolling those areas and that the police team has an ongoing dialogue with residents of some of the mentioned communities.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Rodney Adams supported Smith's and Grant's comments.

He said: "There are no 'no-go zones' in Turks and Caicos as a whole and that is our position on that. There are no areas in this country that our staff will not be deployed to."

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by RTC Director

Southwest Airlines to begin Providenciales flights

Southwest Airlines and the Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority on Thursday announced that the airline plans to begin flights to Providenciales International Airport (PLS) in the last quarter of 2017.

Pending regulatory approval, Southwest Airlines will serve Providenciales from its new five-gate international concourse at Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL). With the flights to the Turks and Caicos Islands anticipated to come on stream, it will become the airline’s 16th international destination.

Southwest Airlines broke the news simultaneously with the announcement of the airline’s first quarter financial performance.

Gary C. Kelly, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer reported strong first quarter profits and margins, especially considering the passenger revenue yield environment and higher fuel prices. He said that the airline’s balance sheet, liquidity, and cash flows also remained strong.

In the airline’s press statement, Keller stated, “As we continue to seek opportunities to take Southwest Customers to exciting new international destinations, we are thrilled to announce that we have filed an application with the U.S. Department of Transportation for authority to serve Providenciales, Turks & Caicos, from FLL beginning in fourth quarter 2017, subject to requisite governmental approvals.”

Chief Executive Officer of the Airports Authority John Smith said, “As we welcome the 11th international scheduled carrier to the shores of Turks and Caicos, the Airports Authority remains resolute in increasing capacity at Providenciales International Airport, while providing world-class facilities and service. Among other key indicators, safe operations remain a top priority for the Airports Authority.”  

Smith added that Southwest Airlines’ decision to operate in Providenciales came after four years of collaboration with the TCI Tourist Board and the Turks and Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association (TCHTA) to win the airline’s commitment.

Southwest Airlines operates a fleet of over 700 Boeing 737 aircraft and is the world's largest low-cost carrier.

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by RTC Director

NAGICO Insurances opens TCI office

TOP ranking regional insurance provider NAGICO officially opened its newest office during a cocktail reception last Friday, April 21, at Le Vele Plaza in Grace Bay.

The elegant opening ceremony included warm welcomes from invited guests and local government officials Delroy Williams, Minister of Home Affairs, and Portia Stubbs-Smith, Member of Parliament.

Both Williams and Stubbs-Smith welcomed the company, with Stubbs-Smith further extending thanks to the group for choosing the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Local manager Carla Blake, excited and proud to join the prestigious group, expressed that until sometime last year she had never heard of the company.

But, "it took very little time for me to realise NAGICO was where I ought to be and I'm certain that after you leave here tonight you too will be convinced that you should be connected to NAGICO," she said.

The introduction of the office in the TCI marks the insurance group's presence in 21 territories across the Caribbean region during their 35 years in business.

Established in St Maarten in 1982, the history of NAGICO is a remarkable story of dedication and perseverance, which has resulted in a trusted, reliable and strong company, executive members echoed.

Chairman Imran McScood Amjad, an original founder of the group, assured that: "The company thrives with great enterprise, belief and trust - and you are going to get that from NAGICO here in the TCI."

Centre of excellence director Vibert Williams, also urged consumers to place their trust in the firm, stating: "NAGICO sits at the head of most markets that we operate in and we would not have been there and remain there had it not been for our dedication to ensuring that when you need us most we are there.

"That's something we commit to wholeheartedly."

Boasting a highly qualified, knowledgeable team, CEO Dwayne Elgin pledges that the group brings fairness to claim settlements but most of all it will be efficient in settling claims, a record the company already holds.

He also assured that the company is strong and secure, and will provide products and services that are innovative and fairly priced.

Celebrating its 35th year in business, and displaying dedication and commitment to contributing to the community and its people, the group donated $3,500 to the Soroptimist Club of TCI and further committed to an annual donation. They also offered a 35 percent discount to their first local customer.

The ceremony concluded with a ribbon cutting and jubilant Junkanoo music which officially opened the company's door for business.

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by RTC Director

GOVERNOR VISITS MINISTRY OF BORDER CONTROL AND EMPLOYMENT

His Excellency the Governor visited the offices of the Ministry of Border Control and Employment in Grand Turk on 1 May.

Commenting on his visit, the Governor said: "I welcomed the opportunity to meet all the staff in the Ministry's offices.

I learned much about their work and was pleased to have the opportunity to underline the vital role the Ministry plays in helping secure TCI's borders.

I also took the opportunity to emphasise the importance of having an immigration control service that conducts itself with integrity, with transparency and with due regard to the many different employment needs of the country."

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by RTC Director

MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR, DDME HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS MONTH 2017

“Are You Prepared For the Unexpected?” As we approach another Hurricane Season in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI), the DDME takes advantage of this opportunity to once more urge everyone to put in place necessary preparations to reduce the impact of hurricanes. Review the location of your nearest shelter and determine the safest route to reach that shelter. Write a hurricane emergency plan and discuss this plan with your family and employees. Work out a strategy with your family on how you will keep in touch in the event of separation during a hurricane emergency. Engage your family in the preparation of an emergency kit. Make sure that your children are a part of this exercise as it will provide an opportunity for them to learn useful lessons in emergency preparedness. If you are uncertain of the contents of the kit, please visit the DDME website at www.gov.tc/ddme.  The Hurricane Season extends from June 1 to November 30 and over that period and particularly when the TCI is threatened, the DDME will issue bulletins to apprise our nation of potential dangers and response measures. Treat these bulletins with utmost seriousness because they are intended to provide you with information on which you can make decisions regarding the safety of lives and livelihoods.

In its ongoing efforts to enhance the resiliency capacity of our nation, the DDME maintains a constant state of preparedness for all hazards, but at this time the state of our preparedness for hurricanes goes into high gear. Expert predications for this year’s Hurricane Season are currently mixed but as we draw closer to the start of the Hurricane Season greater alignment of predictions is anticipated. The current debate is that an anticipated active El Nino will reduce the available thermal energy for hurricane formation, thereby reducing the frequency and intensity of storms. Let us remember though, that it takes a single hurricane to wreak havoc on our social, economic and environmental landscape, so irrespective of these predictions, let us do our utmost as a nation and as individuals, to be prepared. Let us strive not to be complacent and let our reflections on past events such as Tropical Storm Hanna and Hurricane Ike in 2008 and other events in neighboring nations such as the Bahamas and Haiti, inform our call to action for this Hurricane Season

The Turks and Caicos Islands Government (TCIG) has continued commitment in fulfilling the obligations of the Disaster Management Ordinance 2015. In addition to monthly National Sub-Committee meetings, chaired by His Excellency the Governor, Dr. John Freeman along with the Deputy Governor, Honourable Anya Williams and Minister with responsibility for Disaster Management Honourable Vaden Delroy Williams, to monitor levels of preparedness of all key stakeholders, critical initiatives such as exercises and training programmes have been conducted over the past four months. In fact, there has been a recent partnership with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction and the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency to embark on a Safer Schools Building Programme, not only to inform the continuity of the business of education in the aftermath of hazard impacts, but also to facilitate the safety of evacuees in cases when our schools are used as shelters.. Initiatives of such nature will promote a culture of readiness island-wide.  As natural resources such as, mangroves, strengthen our resistance to natural hazards, the Government’s drive to prepare a National Physical Development Plan that is hazard-sensitive is also significant. This Development Plan will ultimately aim at reducing vulnerability through appropriate land use practices and by extension, promotes sustainable development across the nation. As the challenges of climate change become more indelible on our development thinking the national Physical Development Plan will endeavor to preempt adverse effects in the interest of the sustainability of our developments.

Consistent with the ‘bottom up’ approach, led by the TCIG, the DDME has designated May 2017 as ‘Hurricane Preparedness Month.’ Subsequent to the launch of this initiative on May 1, 2017 in North Caicos, a series of engaging events and activities have been planned involving individuals and specific target groups within local communities. It is the aim of the DDME to successfully host an Art & Poetry Competition, Inter High-School Debate and a Family Plan Preparation Training Seminar, in collaboration with the Education and Community Development Sectors.

The DDME wishes to reemphasize some basic safety tips. If you are living in areas which are vulnerable to coastal or other types of flooding, strong winds or other kinds of hurricane impacts endeavor to be better prepared by predetermining your evacuation route, testing your emergency plans and keeping informed. Rest assured the DDME will continue to execute its mandate and communicate pertinent and accurate information throughout the season on all media platforms, including social media. Let us remember that lives and property are saved through awareness and preparedness.

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by RTC Director

The Turks & Caicos Benefits from OCTA Innovation Exchange

TCI Innovation Manager and Vice President of the MSME Programme at Invest Turks & Caicos, Alexa Cooper, recently returned from attending the Overseas Countries and Territories Association (OCTA) ‘International Innovation Conference’, held in The Azores, Portugal; where she exchanged strategies to enhance sustainable development through innovative solutions.

The five-day conference brought together Innovation Managers from 20 OCT countries. It gave participants the opportunity to meet and discuss with their counterparts from other territories and innovation experts from the European Union.
Ms. Cooper said that: “My attendance at the OCTA Innovation Conference was very fruitful, as it gave me a fantastic opportunity to dialogue face to face with colleagues from other countries. The exchange of information and ideas were very rich. Discussions centered around several goals, including steps for implementation of systemic innovation in OCTs; strategies and their implementation, implementation of different pilot projects, and exchange of information on the best available practice in innovation in the EU and the opportunities of different EU funding.”

Ms. Cooper went on to say, “I think the exchange will help me greatly as I move forward in my role. Entrepreneurs in the TCI are not short on great ideas, but any way wherein we can help them enhance those ideas and make them more innovative and creative is definitely a move in the right direction. Proof of this is the BIC Award won by our nominee SafetyNet, founded by Mr. E. Jay Saunders. Presentation of the BIC Award, to Mr. Saunders is currently being planned”.

The BIC (Business, Innovation, Creativity) Award ceremony took place in the Igreja do Colégio dos Jesuítas (Church of the Jesuit College) in Ponta Delgada. The BIC Awards promote innovation, gives recognition to good examples, and stimulates multiplication of good initiatives. The Award is given to organizations and persons from the OCTs that excel in business, innovation, art and creativity. The nominations, selection process and the awards ensures a prestige for businesses originating in the OCTs by giving the winners an EU-wide visibility and recognition of the OCT.

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by RTC Director