RTC Director

GOVERNOR'S FAREWELL MESSAGE - OPTIMISM, A NEED TO SHARPEN THE PUBLIC SECTOR

His Excellency the Governor Peter Beckingham, is optimistic about the Turks and Caicos Islands, even as he prepares to leave the country next week, upon completion of his gubernatorial responsibilities in the TCI.
“After three happy years in the beautiful country of Turks and Caicos Islands, Jill and I will be leaving with great sadness next week, on 10 October – and with great relief that the islands were, unlike others in the region, untouched by Hurricane Matthew.  It hardly seems possible that it was almost three years to the day that we were in the House of Assembly for a memorable swearing-in ceremony.
We both count ourselves privileged to have lived in Turks and Caicos. Everyone, from Ministers and opposition leaders to resort owners and taxi drivers, have welcomed us warmly wherever we have gone, from shopping in Provo to walking in Middle Caicos,” His Excellency said.

The Governor said in his farewell address to the nation that it is important to look forward not back, something which he intends to remind himself of as he begins to work outside the Foreign Office.
“I am optimistic about TCI. Its economy is looking stronger than most in the region, and we have an international brand which is increasingly recognised from New York to London.
It is vital that TCI's leaders and population preserve its wonderful environment. There is plenty of space for development, and what has happened in South Caicos, for example, in the past three years with a completely new runway under construction and new resorts, is an extraordinary example of TCI's economic strength,” Governor Beckingham said.

“TCI's success is based heavily on the fruits of private enterprise, and in the future, as one senior public servant said to me just last week, the civil service needs to continue to raise its game. It's good that motivation and training is being increasingly recognised, but there are still vulnerabilities, for example in delivery and customer service, where we need to get sharper.

Similarly it is my hope, and that of Ministers in London, that whoever leads the country after the next election will retain and strengthen the open and corruption free government TCI has developed, and a rigorous and resilient economy. Our painstakingly achieved reputation, demonstrated by the fantastic achievement of a Triple B plus rating from one of the world's largest rating agencies over the last two years, can be dashed quickly. A return to the high spending extravagances of an earlier era could be disastrous,” His Excellency said.

by RTC Director

House of Assembly Meetings for this week

The Government will resume their business next week Tuesday in the House of Assembly.

RTC News understands that the National Security Council Bill 2016 will be moved by the Hon. Attorney General for its 1st reading along with the Supplementary Appropriation (2016/2017)( No. 3) Bill 2016
(To be laid by Hon. Minister for Finance, Investment and Trade)

•    National Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2016
(To be laid by Hon. Premier and Minister for Health, Agriculture and Human Services)

•    Tobacco Control (Amendment) Bill 2016
(To be laid by Hon. Premier and Minster for Health, Agriculture and Human Services)

•    Retiring Allowances (Former Legislative Service) (Increase) Bill 2016
(To be laid by Hon. Minister for Finance, Investment and Trade)

•    Legislative Service (Special Provision) Pension (Amendment) Bill 2016
(To be laid by the Hon. Minister for Finance, Investment and Trade)

•    Elections (Amendment) Bill 2016
(Hon. Premier and Minister for Health, Agriculture and Human Services)

•    Consumer Protection Bill 2016
(Hon. Minister for Finance, Investment and Trade) while the Hon. Opposition Appointed Member will present his Private Member’s Bill on the Service Charge (Hotel and Restaurants) (Amendment) Bill 2016.

Other matters will be conducted in the House including second and third reading of bills in addition to question time which will see close to 30 questions being presented to the Government. 

RTC will have live coverage at 10am.

by RTC Director

2nd Annual National Honors And Awards for Grand Turk

The 2nd annual National Honor and Awards Ceremony will be held on Monday in the Nation’s Capital.

There was some skepticism as to where or not the event would be held as up to this week there were no releases nor names released. RTC understands that organizers were unsure as to whether or not Matthew would have affected the arrangements.

Some members from the Premiers office were busy today in trying to make the necessary arrangement for the staging of the awards ceremony.
Mrs. Marjorie Basden, & Mrs. Ianthe Sybil Pratt, will receive the award for ORDER OF TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS – For service with distinction in any field of discipline. Mrs. Basden Acted as headmistress on numerous occasions; assisted pupils outside hours; a disciplinarian and taught five generations of students. While Mrs. Pratt started public education in the Bight back in 1956.

THE PATRIOTIC AWARDCAYOS MEDAL – For demonstration of a keen sense of national consciousness and for rendering exceptional sacrificial service to the islands and the people will be awarded to Mrs. Elaine Clare-Brooks, Mrs. Juanita Coalbrooke, Mr. Austin Robinson OBE and Mrs. Delphine Williams Scott.
Nurse Elaine was a practitioner, supervised clinics on the Caicos Islands; delivered sterling healthcare services to the Islands for over 35 years; she was the Founder & President of TCI Diabetic Assoc. long serving President TCI Nurses Association; secured passage of the helmet law, while Mrs. Coalbrooke was the Founder of the Senior Citizens Club; she dedicated more than 16 years of sacrificial service to seniors & the challenged. Mr. Robinson served our Islands over 40 years as an Accountant at Salt Co, he joined government service, worked hard & became the Financial Secretary and later served as Speaker of the House.

 Mrs. Williams contributed 35 commendable years in the education sector; served TCI with commitment to the development of fine & visual arts; exemplary service in visual arts, inspiring young TCI artist; her sacrifice & commitment continues in retirement.

THE LONG SERVICE MEDAL – For outstanding and exemplary public service to the islands and its people will be presented to a Former Deputy Governor & current politicians now serving this country. The awardees are Mr. Aswaldo Ariza, Mrs. Beatrice Burton, Mrs. Kathleen Durham, Mrs. Elaine Forbes, Gardiner, Enos, Mr. Walter Gardiner Snr, Mrs.Valeria Houseman, Mr. Lamuel Johnson, Mrs. Lillian Jolly, Inspector Claudius Lightbourne, Ms Debby-Lee Mills, Ms. Madeline Mills, The Hon. Charles W. Misick, Mrs. Carolyn Jean Outten, Mrs. Aldora Robinson, Hon. Norman W Saunders, Mrs Sarah Simmons, Hon. Oswald Skippings, Mrs. Claudia Smith, Mrs Susan Swann,  Hon Derek Taylor, Mrs. Olga Taylor, Mrs. Almaida Wilson and Ms. Mahalia Wynns.

There are 4 awardees for the MERITORIOUS SERVICE MEDAL – For sacrificial and meritorious service in a field of service that is inherently challenging or for a brave or humane act in the islands or abroad and 7 selected for the NATIONAL YOUNG ACHIEVER'S MEDAL – this is for Turks and Caicos Islanders between the ages of twelve and twenty-five years who has performed exceptionally well on a national, regional or international level in the areas of culture, academics, performing arts and sports among others.

The spectacular event will be held at the parade grounds in Grand Turk and will be live on Monday on Radio Turks & Caicos.

by RTC Director

TCI Observes World Mental Health Day

The Department of Mental Health and Substance Dependence (DMHSD) in the Ministry of Health, Agriculture and Human Services joins the rest of the world to commemorate World Mental Health Day on Monday October 10th.

The theme of this year’s World Mental Health Day is “Dignity in Mental Health- Psychological and Mental Health First Aide for All”.  According to Dr. Alicia Malcolm, “This theme will enable us to contribute to the goal of taking mental health out of the shadows so that people in general feel more confident in tackling the stigma, isolation and discrimination that continues to plague people with mental health conditions, their families and carers”.

Training in this area is important because mental health problems are common, especially depression, anxiety and misuse of alcohol or other drugs”. According to the World Health Organization World Mental Health Surveys, there is a high lifetime prevalence of mental disorders across the globe.
As part of this year’s observance, the Department commenced the 3rd Annual Mental Health Conference which began earlier this morning at the Ocean Club Resort Conference Room, Providenciales and on Monday members of the Ministry will appear on Health Matters.

During the opening of this morning’s workshop, Premier & Minister of Health, the Hon. Dr. Rufus Ewing brought brief remarks.

Areas that are up for discussion includes preserving life where a person maybe at risk of harm, providing help to prevent the mental health problem from becoming more serious, promoting recovery of good mental health and providing comfort to a person with a mental health problem.

by RTC Director

PDM Leader on the passage of Matthew

Leader of the Opposition People’s Democratic Movement (PDM), Hon Sharlene Robinson, in a press release, while expressing thanks that the Turks and Caicos Islands have been spared the wrath of hurricane Matthew, expressed the need for residents here in the TCI to render assistance to our neighbors when relief efforts do begin.

“We are indeed grateful that we have by God's mercy been spared the dangerous Hurricane Matthew that has left a trail of damage in the Caribbean.

We are ever thankful to the Staff of DDME for their updates and management and we are equally thankful to the many volunteers who stood ready to assist,” she said.

“Whilst we have been spared and rightly ought to celebrate, we must be mindful of the tragic loss of life and property and other damage in our sister countries after the passage of Hurricane Matthew. We especially think of Haiti, Cuba, Jamaica and countries in the eastern Caribbean. We also pray for the safety of residents of Florida (where we have many relatives and friends) as they brace for what their Governor has repeatedly called "a deadly killer storm" as he urged for mass evacuation from coastal areas,” said Hon Robinson.

“We are currently receiving and sharing videos from our sister country, the Bahamas, again where many of our relatives and friends reside. We are saddened by what we have seen thus far and encourage us all to pray for the residents and Government even now as many continue to feel the impact of this storm. We wish to also call on the Government to favorably consider the possibility of allowing a team from TCI to lend assistance in their recovery efforts. We must indeed be our brother's keepers in meaningful ways.

We trust that when relief efforts do begin that we as residents will recall our not too distant past experience when we too needed assistance and how our neighbour did come to our aid. I trust we consider the needs of those who in time past assisted us and will reciprocate such behavior.

May God continue to bless us and be merciful to us all,” Hon Sharlene Robinson added in her press release.

by RTC Director

Police Investigates Two Gun Related incidents in Provo

Members of the press met with the Senior Officers of the RTCIPF today for an update on the death of Gary Mead which occurred on Friday September 30th 2016.
During the press conference, the media corps was not provided with any new information.

Supt. Clifford Ashton however did add that the public’s help is needed in piecing the puzzle together.
Mead was leaving the Slots-O-Fun Casino when he was approached by two men who shot and killed him before making off with undisclosed goods that was in his possession.

In a separate incident one week later, RTC news understood that gunshots were fired in the vicinity of Chicken Shack formerly Lamont’s in Providenciales.

At that time, Police were on the scene conducting investigations.

Unconfirmed reports reaching our newsroom the male individual who was nursing a gunshot wound at the Cheshire hall Medical Complex, later died from his injuries.
No word yet from our sources if this was an attempted robbery of the male or the establishment.

This is the 7th homicide for the year 2016.

by RTC Director

FORTIS to upgrate polls on Leeward Highway

FORTIS TCI to undertake a major transmission line relocation and upgrade project, beginning this month.

The utilities company FORTIS TCI, has announced that it will undertake a major transmission line relocation and upgrade project, beginning this month October.

According to the Company, the project, which will last for up to eight months, includes the installation of more than one-hundred poles at various locations along Leeward Highway westbound in Providenciales between the Tropicana Plaza Roundabout and the FORTIS TCI Provo Generation Site.

Phase 1, the company noted, is scheduled to continue through the end of December 2016 and will have traffic implications from Tropicana Plaza to Beaches Roundabout. As a result, motorists are being asked to take caution while driving on the roadways and reduce speed in the dedicated work zones that are marked by traffic cones and barriers.

FORTISTCI says it will issue regular public updates throughout the duration of the project and expresses thank the public in advance for their understanding and cooperation.

by RTC Director