3 DAY PUBLIC WEATHER FORECAST FROM FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 11TH 2026
PUBLIC FORECAST FOR THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS FOR THE NEXT 3 DAYS FROM FRIDAY 11TH SEPTEMBER 2026
GENERAL SITUATION: High pressure is building across the Turks and Caicos Islands today, with a dense plume of Saharan dust expected to move into the region by tonight, bringing hazy skies and limiting shower activity.
SPECIAL WARNINGS:
A Heat Advisory is in effect for the Turks and Caicos Islands. Heat index values are expected to reach 100°F to 108°F (38°C to 42°C) during peak sunshine hours between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM.
A Dust Advisory will come into effect for the Turks and Caicos Islands by 8pm this evening. Sensitive individuals, including those with respiratory and heart issues, young children, and the elderly, should take precautionary measures to safeguard their health.
ALL AREAS
WEATHER: Partly cloudy with isolated showers possible this afternoon. Mostly fair and hazy tonight.
WINDS: East to southeast at 10 to 15 knots
SEAS: Smooth to slight with wave heights of 3 feet or less, building up to 4 feet offshore
DAYTIME HIGH TEMPERATURE 93°F 34°C
HEAT INDEX 108°F 42°C
OVERNIGHT LOW TEMPERATURE 84°F 29°C
SUNSET: 06:56 PM
NEXT LOW TIDE: 03:23 PM (0.7 FT)
NEXT HIGH TIDE: 09:29 PM (2.6 FT)
EXTENDED FORECAST: High pressure ridging and a dense plume of Saharan dust will maintain dry and hazy conditions across the Turks and Caicos Islands through the weekend.
SATURDAY: Isolated showers possible. Partly cloudy and hazy, with a high near 93°F (34°C).
SATURDAY NIGHT: Mostly fair and hazy, with a low around 83°F (28°C).
WINDS: East to southeast at 5 to 15 knots
SEAS: Smooth to slight with wave heights of 3 feet or less, building up to 4 feet offshore
SUNRISE: 06:34 AM
SUNSET: 06:55 PM
LOW TIDE: 03:46 AM (0.7 FT) 04:17 PM (0.7 FT)
HIGH TIDE: 09:58 AM (3.0 FT) 10:15 PM (2.6 FT)
SUNDAY: Isolated showers possible. Partly sunny and hazy, with a high near 93°F (34°C).
SUNDAY NIGHT: Mostly fair and hazy, with a low around 82°F (28°C).
WINDS: Easterly at 10 to 15 knots
SEAS: Smooth to slight with wave heights of 3 feet or less, building up to 4 feet offshore
SUNRISE: 06:35 AM
SUNSET: 06:54 PM
LOW TIDE: 04:28 AM (0.7 FT) 05:09 PM (0.7 FT)
HIGH TIDE: 10:47 AM (3.0 FT) 11:01 PM (2.3 FT)
TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK: Tropical cyclone activity is not expected during the next 7 days.
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The Retreat Turks & Caicos Hires Hotel Manager Ahead of October 2026 Opening
The Retreat Turks & Caicos has appointed experienced Caribbean hospitality professional Layvern Daniel as hotel manager ahead of the boutique property’s planned opening in October 2026.
Daniel brings more than 12 years of experience in the luxury hospitality industry, having worked across resort operations, guest relations, housekeeping, concierge services, sales, reservations and operational strategy.
In her new role, she will oversee preparations for the opening of The Retreat, including establishing operational and service standards, developing the hotel’s team and managing the overall guest experience.
Daniel’s background includes managing reservations and hotel operations while working with marketing teams and ownership on brand development and management strategies. She has also worked closely with travel advisors, tour operators and other tourism industry partners.
Her experience includes familiarity with international luxury travel networks and programmes, including Small Luxury Hotels of the World.
Daniel was named Manager of the Year in 2025 and was selected to participate in the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association’s Young Leaders Forum for 2025-2026.
Throughout her career, she has held a number of operational leadership positions with responsibilities ranging from staff training and interdepartmental coordination to quality assurance and guest satisfaction.
Daniel holds a master’s degree in Sustainable Management of Tourism and a bachelor’s degree from Monroe College. She is also proficient in English, Spanish and St. Lucian Creole.
The Retreat Turks & Caicos is a locally developed boutique hotel being established in Grace Bay, Providenciales.
The property was founded by Turks and Caicos Islander Trevor Musgrove and is scheduled to welcome its first guests in October.
Educators Across the TCI Trained on TCI National Standards Secondary School Curriculum Implementation
Teachers across the Turks and Caicos Islands are preparing to test new national secondary school curricula in the classroom following four days of training led by the Department of Education.
The TCI National Standards Secondary School Curriculum Implementation Training brought together secondary school teachers, curriculum officers, education officials and other stakeholders as the territory moves closer to introducing national standards for secondary education.
The draft curricula cover four core subject areas — Social Studies, Mathematics, English Language and General Science.
During the training, teachers examined learning objectives, subject content, teaching approaches and assessment expectations, while considering how the proposed standards would work in actual classrooms.
The Department of Education said the curricula were developed using research, educational data, national priorities and comparisons with other education systems, while also taking into account the cultural and educational context of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Education Minister Hon. Rachel Taylor described the development of the national curricula as an investment in the future of the country’s children and said teachers will play an important role in shaping the final product.
The minister said education must continue to evolve alongside the changing needs of students, society and the economy. She added that teachers’ classroom experience and professional knowledge will be critical in ensuring the curricula are academically strong, locally relevant and practical to implement.
Head of the Curriculum Development Unit Cleon Astwood also stressed that the pilot phase is not simply about teachers following the draft documents, but evaluating how well they work.
Teachers are expected to examine whether learning objectives are clear and appropriate, whether topics are properly sequenced, whether enough instructional time has been allocated and whether there are gaps or areas requiring revision.
She said teachers will be expected to question and test the curricula, reflect on their classroom experiences and provide meaningful feedback before the documents are finalised.
Local history and culture also featured prominently during the Social Studies component of the training.
With the training now completed, participating teachers will begin piloting the draft curricula in their classrooms. They will document what works, identify challenges and submit recommendations to the Curriculum Development Unit.
That feedback will be used to make further changes before the curricula are finalised and introduced across secondary schools in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Fires Across the Nation's Capital.. Minister Talks Future Plans for the Department
A wave of fires across the country has raised growing concerns about public safety and the ability of emergency services to respond effectively. As firefighters continue to battle incidents in several communities, the minister responsible says the government is looking beyond the immediate crisis, outlining future plans to strengthen fire prevention, improve emergency response, and provide fire departments with the resources needed to protect lives and property. Our Danae Dennie has the story..
3 DAY PUBLIC WEATHER FORECAST FROM WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 9TH 2026
PUBLIC WEATHER FORECAST FOR THE NEXT THREE DAYS FROM WEDNESDAY 09TH SEPTEMBER 2026
GENERAL SITUATION: A high-pressure ridge is maintaining gentle to fresh breezes across the Turks and Caicos Islands today, however abundant atmospheric moisture could trigger isolated showers today.
SPECIAL WARNINGS:
UV Index: Members of the public are advised to wear protective clothing and sunscreen and seek shaded areas while outside during peak sunshine hours (11am – 4pm), as UV indices are expected to be in the high range.
ALL AREAS
WEATHER: Partly cloudy with a low (10 percent) chance of isolated showers and a possible isolated thunderstorm through tonight.
WINDS: Easterly at 10 to 20 knots, gusting at times
SEAS: Smooth to slight with wave heights of 3 feet or less, building up to 4 feet offshore
DAYTIME HIGH TEMPERATURE 93°F 34°C
HEAT INDEX 104°F 40°C
OVERNIGHT LOW TEMPERATURE 82°F 28°C
SUNSET: 06:57 PM
NEXT LOW TIDE: 01:31 PM (0.3 FT)
NEXT HIGH TIDE: 07:55 PM (3.0 FT)
EXTENDED FORECAST: Tropical moisture will continue to bring the chance of occasional afternoon showers and thunderstorms across the Turks and Caicos Islands through Friday.
THURSDAY: A low (10 percent) chance of isolated showers. Partly cloudy, with a high near 93°F (34°C).
THURSDAY NIGHT: A low (10 to 20 percent) chance of isolated showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 82°F (28°C).
WINDS: Easterly at 10 to 20 knots
SEAS: Slight to moderate with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet, building up to 5 feet offshore
SUNRISE: 06:34 AM
SUNSET: 06:57 PM
LOW TIDE: 02:20 AM (0.7 FT) 02:28 PM (0.3 FT)
HIGH TIDE: 08:16 AM (2.6 FT) 07:43 PM (3.0 FT)
FRIDAY: A low (10 percent) chance of isolated showers. Partly cloudy, with a high near 93°F (34°C).
FRIDAY NIGHT: A low (10 to 20 percent) chance of isolated showers and isolated thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 82°F (28°C).
WINDS: East to southeast at 10 to 20 knots
SEAS: Slight to moderate with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet, building up to 5 feet offshore
SUNRISE: 06:34 AM
SUNSET: 06:56 PM
LOW TIDE: 02:20 AM (0.7 FT) 02:28 PM (0.3 FT)
HIGH TIDE: 08:16 AM (2.6 FT) 07:43 PM (3.0 FT)
TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK: Tropical cyclone activity is not expected during the next 7 days.
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Singapore's Government Ministers Set to Get First Pay Increase in 15 Years
Singapore’s government ministers are set to receive their first pay increase in 15 years, with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong arguing that competitive salaries are necessary to attract talented people into politics.
Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday, Wong said a revised salary framework will raise the benchmark annual pay for an entry-level minister from 1.1 million Singapore dollars ($868,330) to 1.8 million Singapore dollars ($1.42 million).
The benchmark salary for the prime minister will also increase significantly, climbing from 2.2 million Singapore dollars ($1.7 million) to 3.6 million Singapore dollars ($2.8 million).
The increases will apply to government ministers who are elected lawmakers responsible for leading ministries and shaping national policy. Allowances for other lawmakers are also expected to rise.
However, political officeholders will not immediately receive the full new benchmark salaries. Beginning Oct. 15, they will instead receive a one-time adjustment of up to 9%, with individual increases determined by factors including performance and responsibilities.
Wong said he expects most ministers at the lowest grade to earn about 1.35 million Singapore dollars ($1.06 million) by the end of the current government term. Future salaries will continue to depend on performance and responsibilities rather than automatically rising to the 1.8 million Singapore dollar benchmark.
Ministerial salaries have long been a sensitive subject in Singapore, where political leaders are paid considerably more than most citizens. The prime minister is also among the world’s highest-paid national leaders.
Singapore’s government has defended its compensation system, saying competitive salaries help attract highly qualified candidates from the private and public sectors while supporting high standards of government integrity.
Wong said Singapore has chosen to handle political compensation transparently, without undisclosed salary components or benefits outside the publicly stated framework.
Saint Lucian Prison Gets New Medical Unit
Nearly 560 inmates at the Bordelais Correctional Facility in Saint Lucia will now have improved access to healthcare following the opening of a dedicated medical unit at the prison.
The new facility will provide a range of services, including primary healthcare, emergency treatment, chronic disease management and mental health support.
The Ministry of Health, Wellness and Nutrition will take responsibility for the unit’s operations and administration. Officials say the arrangement is expected to improve the quality and availability of healthcare for inmates while reducing pressure on the country’s public hospitals.
Health Minister Moses Baptiste said the size of the population at Bordelais makes having adequate medical services on site essential.
He described access to healthcare at the correctional facility as a public health, legal and ethical necessity.
According to the minister, inmates experience many of the same health issues affecting the wider population, including chronic diseases, infectious illnesses and mental health conditions.
Providing appropriate treatment, he said, not only protects the rights of inmates but can also lower costs across the healthcare system and strengthen national health security.
Director of Corrections Kerwin Albert said access to timely and professional medical treatment has been a longstanding challenge at the institution.
Albert said placing the medical unit under the Ministry of Health will give inmates access to qualified healthcare professionals and ensure treatment is delivered in line with national health policies.
2026 Wanda Diamond League Concludes in Brussels, Belgium
The 2026 Wanda Diamond League season came to a spectacular close in Brussels, Belgium, where the world’s best track and field athletes gathered for the Wanda Diamond League Final at the Allianz Memorial Van Damme.
Held over two days on September 4–5th, the season-ending showdown saw 32 Diamond League champions crowned across the sport’s premier disciplines.
The sporting final delivered everything fans could have hoped for: record-breaking performances, dramatic finishes, surprise winners, historic national breakthroughs, and the end of several impressive winning streaks.
The final produced several landmark moments for nations making their mark on the Diamond League stage
Jamaica’s Rajindra Campbell produced one of the standout performances of the competition, throwing a national-record 23.08 meters in the men’s shot put. The effort made him only the fifth man in history to surpass the 23-meter mark.
In the men’s javelin, Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage delivered a historic victory for Sri Lanka, winning the country’s first-ever Diamond Trophy.
Senegal also celebrated its first Diamond League title after Saly Sarr triumphed in the women’s triple jump.
American hurdler Masai Russell, the world-record holder in the 100m hurdles, captured her first Diamond League title in Brussels.
Her victory was particularly impressive because it marked her seventh meeting record in seven consecutive Diamond League races during the 2026 season, underlining her dominance throughout the campaign.
One of the biggest surprises of the final came in the women’s 100m, where Jamaica’s Tina Clayton defeated a stacked field to claim the Diamond Trophy.
Clayton clocked 10.93 seconds, finishing ahead of several high-profile rivals and adding another major achievement to her rapidly developing career.
In the women’s 200m, Julien Alfred continued her remarkable run of success, securing her third consecutive Diamond Trophy in the event.
The four-month Diamond League campaign traveled across 15 cities and four continents, featuring 14 qualifying meetings before the season-ending final in Brussels.
The 2026 Wanda Diamond League Final provided a fitting conclusion to an action-packed season. From historic firsts for Sri Lanka and Senegal to record-breaking throws, sprinting upsets, and dominant winning streaks.
With 32 champions crowned and several athletes etching their names into the record books, the 2026 Diamond League season closed with a clear reminder of why the series remains one of the highlights of the global athletics calendar.
Sweden’s Education Reset: Less Screen Time, More Books, Paper and Handwriting
After years of embracing digital learning, Sweden is rethinking the role of screens in education.
One of Europe’s most digitally advanced countries is putting renewed emphasis on printed textbooks, paper, handwriting, and traditional reading.
The shift follows growing concern among educators, researchers, and government officials that heavy reliance on tablets and laptops may not always produce better learning outcomes—particularly when it comes to reading comprehension, concentration, and foundational skills.
Swedish schools were early adopters of digital technology, with computers and tablets becoming an increasingly common part of everyday instruction. But concerns intensified as student performance and reading results showed signs of decline.
Researchers and education experts also questioned whether replacing physical books with screens had gone too far. The debate prompted Swedish authorities to invest more heavily in printed textbooks and reconsider the assumption that digital learning should automatically be the default.
Some research suggests that reading longer or more complex material on paper can support deeper concentration and comprehension. Physical books also provide visual and spatial cues—such as remembering where information appeared on a page—that may help some students retain information.
Handwriting has received renewed attention as well. Writing by hand requires different motor and cognitive processes than typing, and educators have raised concerns that students who spend most of their time using keyboards may have fewer opportunities to develop handwriting and fine motor skills.
Sweden’s approach is not necessarily about eliminating technology from schools. Instead, the goal is to use digital tools more deliberately.
Computers and tablets can still play an important role in research, communication, accessibility, creativity, and digital-skills development. But rather than treating screens as the automatic foundation of learning, Swedish schools are placing greater value on choosing the medium that works best for a particular task.
Sweden is also part of a wider European debate about children’s screen exposure and the appropriate role of technology in education. Governments and schools in countries including Finland, Norway, France, Italy, and Denmark have considered or introduced measures limiting certain uses of digital devices in schools.
The emerging lesson from Sweden may therefore be less about choosing books over technology and more about finding the right balance.
Government of Saint Lucia Reintroduces One Laptop Per Child Program
The Government of Saint Lucia provides free laptops to all students entering Form One at secondary schools across the island through its reintroduced One Laptop Per Child Programme.
The initiative is designed to promote equal access to technology, strengthen digital learning, and help bridge the digital divide among students.
Under the programme, every incoming Form One student is eligible to receive a device at the beginning of the school year.
The Ministry of Education coordinates the distribution through secondary schools, generally during the first week of the academic term.
The devices provided include laptops such as Chromebooks, which support students with school assignments, online learning platforms, virtual labs, curriculum resources, and other educational activities.
In addition to receiving a laptop, incoming Form One students benefit from a $500 bursary intended to help families meet back-to-school expenses.
The programme is implemented on a nationwide basis, targeting Form One students across Saint Lucia’s secondary schools. Although an exact enrollment figure for the current distribution has not been publicly specified, the annual initiative benefits hundreds of new secondary school students.
More broadly, the One Laptop Per Child Programme forms part of the Government’s continuing investment in digital education. Since the current administration took office, more than 14,000 laptops have reportedly been distributed to students across Saint Lucia, expanding access to digital tools and supporting technology-enabled education.