Beyoncé's Renaissance tour
For almost a year, Beyoncé's fans have been starved of visuals for her seventh album, Renaissance.
It's an unusual move for a star whose visual aesthetic has always been intertwined with her music.
From the bubblegum-popping, star-making video for Crazy In Love, to the multi-layered exploration of infidelity and black femininity in the visual album, Lemonade, she has always used fashion and iconography to enhance her songs.
So all eyes are on her new world tour. How will she depict Renaissance's adventurous exploration of marginalized black and queer club music on the stage?
The stakes are as high as the anticipation. This is Beyoncé's first solo tour in seven years, and her first concert since her historic, politically-charged headline set at the 2018 Coachella festival.
So as the lights dim and giant, stadium-width video screens are filled with sky-blue imagery, there's an equal sense of excitement and expectation from an audience that includes Dua Lipa, Frank Ocean, Kris Jenner, and Beyoncé's husband, Jay-Z.
What she unveils is an intergalactic explosion of eye-melting opulence... a trip inside a disco ball that encompasses 34 songs, a flying horse, multiple dance showdowns, and choreographed robots, all tethered to the pulsing heartbeat of Renaissance's club grooves.
But before all that, Beyoncé wrongfoots everyone.
She opens the show with four piano ballads from the start of her career - and they're not even the big ones like Halo or Irreplaceable.
Instead, the set starts with Dangerously In Love, a Destiny's Child song reworked as the title track of her first solo album, and continues with deep cuts like 1+1 and Flaws And All.
It's a tease, for sure, but it also works as a Vegas-style overture. Before the more demanding, choreographed numbers that follow, Beyoncé can walk the stage, chatting to fans and reading their signs. "It's your birthday!" she declares. "I love you!"
She also pauses to pay tribute to Tina Turner, an artist she has repeatedly called her greatest influence, after the singer's death last week.
"I want you to allow me to sing one of my favorite songs," she says, introducing a slow, gospel version of Turner's River Deep, Mountain High.
"We love you, Tina," she adds, casting her eyes toward the sky.
Before long, however, the introductions are over. The video screen shows a pair of orbiting suns and informs us that the Beyoncé we've just witnessed is no more. She's been reborn, rewired, and transformed into a chrome-plated disco diva from another galaxy—an Alien Superstar.
She emerges encased in metal, and robotic arms slowly strip away her armor-plating as she performs Renaissance's declarative opener, I'm That Girl.
From here, we're plunged into pop spectacle, as the star careers through the album's 16-strong tracklist and remodels some of her classic hits in its image.
Renaissance's best three-song sequence (Cuff It, Energy, and Break My Soul) arrives intact, turning the Tottenham Stadium into a massive nightclub.
Arms flail and drinks are spilled as Beyoncé and her dancers cavort across a circular catwalk to the middle of the audience, with the star dressed in an iridescent David Koma bodysuit, with matching knee-high boots.
Setlist
- Dangerously in Love
- Flaws and All
- 1+1 / I'm Goin Down (Mary J. Blige cover)
- I Care
- River Deep, Mountain High (Tina Turner cover)
- I'm That Girl
- Cozy
- Alien Superstar
- Cuff It
- Energy
- Break My Soul / Break My Soul (Queens Mix)
- Formation
- Diva
- Run the World (Girls)
- My Power
- Black Parade
- Partition
- Savage (Remix)
- Church Girl
- Get Me Bodied
- Before I Let Go
- Rather Die Young
- Love on Top
- Crazy in Love
- Green Light
- Love Hangover (Diana Ross cover by house band)
- Plastic Off The Sofa
- Virgo's Groove / Naughty Girl
- Move
- Heated
- Already
- America Has A Problem
- Pure / Honey
- Summer Renaissance
Source- BBC
Miami Heat beat Boston Celtics 103-84 to reach finals
The Miami Heat halted the Boston Celtics' remarkable fightback in the Eastern Conference Finals, clinching the deciding match 103-84 to reach the NBA finals.
Jimmy Butler starred, scoring 28 points, seven rebounds, and six assists, as the Heat, who led the seven-game series 3-0 before being pegged back to 3-3, reached this year's showpiece.
The first eighth seed to reach the finals since the New York Knicks in 1999, the Heat will play the Denver Nuggets in the best-of-seven finals.
Game one will be played in Denver on Thursday (01:30 BST Friday).
Derrick White's dramatic buzzer-beater in game six had tied the series, giving the Celtics hope of becoming the first side in NBA history to overturn a 3-0 deficit in a play-off final.
But alongside Butler's efforts, Caleb Martin scored 26 points and Bam Adebayo recorded 12 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists as the Heat silenced a passionate Boston crowd.
Butler, 33, was named MVP of the series after averaging 24.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 6.1 assists.
"We stayed together as a group," he said.
"We talked about going to get a tough one on the road and we did just that. [My teammates] are the reason we're here. I know how good a team we are and we made it happen."
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said he never doubted his squad's resilience.
"Sometimes you have to suffer for the things you want," he said.
"This group has shown fortitude when there are inevitable let-downs and failures, but had that perseverance to pick yourself up, that collective spirit to keep on forging ahead."
The Heat are seeking a fourth NBA title and first, since 2013, while The Nuggets, who beat the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference playoffs, are in search of a maiden championship.
Source- BBC
Curfew imposed in sections of Waterford, St Catherine
The curfew began at 6:00 pm on Monday, May 29, and will remain in effect until 6:00 pm on Wednesday, May 31.
The required boundaries are:
North: Along an imaginary line from Caymanas Drive to Dyke Road, in the vicinity of the train line at the eastern boundary
East: Along the Dyke Road from the train line at the northern boundary to the intersection of Passagefort Drive
South: Along Passagefort Drive from the intersection of Dyke Road to the intersection of Caymanas Drive
West: Along an imaginary line from Passagefort Drive to the northern boundary.
During the hours of the curfew, all persons within its boundaries are required to remain within their premises unless otherwise authorized in writing by the ground commander.
Source- JamaicaObserver
After the Tree of Life synagogue shooting, can a community heal?
The trial for the alleged perpetrator of the deadliest antisemitic attack in US history is about to begin. But can the community heal while hate is still on the rise?
At Temple Sinai, in the Squirrel Hill neighbourhood of Pittsburgh, four teenagers are being confirmed into the Jewish faith.
In front of their families, friends and other members of the congregation they talk about what the Ten Commandments mean to their lives. The joyful service is lifted with prayers and singing - all under the watchful gaze of the armed security guard who sits at the entrance to the building.
"Our security budget is ridiculously high," says Rabbi Daniel Fellman from Temple Sinai, who praised the guards for keeping people safe. "It's a sad reality in modern American life that we need to do this."
"I've asked my priest friends what would it feel like for you guys to have armed security at Christmas Eve services or Easter services and they look at me like I have three noses."
But such is the way of life in one of the oldest established Jewish communities in the country, ever since October 2018, when a heavy-set, middle-aged white man entered the nearby Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh and, according to the prosecution, murdered eleven worshipers, injuring two others. The youngest victim was 54, and the eldest, Rose Mallinger, was 97.
Reports from survivors say the alleged perpetrator, 50-year-old Robert Bowers, shouted anti-Semitic, hate-filled slogans as he fired an AR-15 assault rifle and three semi-automatic handguns for almost fifteen minutes, working his way from room to room in the building, which was a place of worship for three different congregations.
It was, put simply, the deadliest antisemitic attack in US history.
Over four years on, Mr Bowers is set to appear in court Tuesday for the start of what is expected to be a lengthy and gruelling trial, where he faces 63 charges, including eleven counts of hate crimes resulting in death.
He faces the death penalty and has pleaded not guilty.
Meanwhile, the Squirrel Hill Jewish community has had to live on edge since the attack, as antisemitic incidents continue to rise across the country.
This new reality is not just confined to Pittsburgh. Figures collated by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) show that in 2022 there were around 3,700 antisemitic incidents in the United States - the highest number recorded in forty years of collecting such data, says Oren Segal of the ADL.
"This was the deadliest attack against the Jewish community in American history," Mr Segal said. "And yet, here we are about five years later… Jewish communities were reaching out to us every day, concerned about whether they should wear their yarmulke or attend their services."
Just a few days before the trial, the White House launched what it described as the first-ever national antisemitism strategy, fronted by Doug Emhoff, the husband of the vice-president, who is himself Jewish. It calls for greater awareness, improved safety and security for Jewish communities, and for others to show solidarity with those facing antisemitic activity and discrimination.
It was welcomed by several of the families affected by the Pittsburgh attack.
"Our family has been touched by antisemitism in a very profound way, and if the federal government can create programmes to help reduce this proliferation then we offer support wherever and however we can," said Andrea Wedner, who was badly injured in the attack and whose 97-year-old mother, Rose Mallinger, was killed that day.
Concerns about rising antisemitism had begun before the attack and had intensified since a violent white supremacist rally had occurred in Charlottesville, Virginia, just a year before.
Tree of Life Rabbi Jeffrey Myers, who was on duty the day of the shooting, made one of the first emergency calls because he had taken to carrying his mobile phone on the Sabbath as a precaution, even though making phone calls on a holy day is against his religion.
"I am proud that our leaders understand the urgency and importance of countering anti-Semitism in a comprehensive way, but grieve the levels of anti-Semitism in the country that required the need for a plan in the first place," he said in a statement after the White House announcement.
Brian Schreiber, president and CEO of the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh, said some would be re-traumatised by the trial. Located just five minutes from the scene of the attack, the centre was where the FBI set up its first response, and where the families came to wait for news.
"People thought they'd feel better by now," he said. "What I've learned is that you move with it, you never move past it."
Melvin Wax, Daniel Stein and Richard Gottfried - described by community members as the "backbone of the synagogue" - were praying when they were killed in the attack. Such was their dedication to their faith that their families designed a monument in the shape of a Torah scroll to honour their loved ones. It sits in the New Light congregation's cemetery in a suburb of Pittsburgh.
Inscribed on the monument are 'our holy martyrs'. The phrase was chosen because they died for their faith says Stephen Cohen, co-president of the New Light congregation.
"I think for most of the last 60 years there has been an acceptance and integration of the American Jewish population into America. We are one and the same," he said. "I think what happened in October of 2018 shattered that security."
As the trial begins, the community will have counsellors and religious figures on hand for anyone to talk to, something that's been happening ever since the day of the attack. Much of it was organised by the 10.27 Healing Partnership, named to mark the date the Tree of Life, Dor Hadash and New Light congregations were attacked.
Lawyers for Bowers had sought previously to arrange a guilty plea in return for having the death penalty taken off the table, but prosecutors rejected that offer.
The families of those who died take differing perspectives on whether he should be put to death - some are firmly against it, but the majority published an open letter in favour of a capital sentence.
"There are multiple views on the death penalty," says Rabbi Fellman of Temple Sinai. While Jewish teaching does allow for the death penalty, he says some in the community don't believe it should be enacted in this case.
"If there is a set of statutes on the books that carry a capital sentence for these crimes, it's hard to argue that this man wouldn't be a candidate for that," says David Harris, a law professor at Pittsburgh University, who has been helping the families understand how the trial process is likely to unfold.
"This is the most horrific antisemitic act that's ever happened in the United States. It's a mass murderer. There were people who were killed who were especially vulnerable, and it was all done in a house of worship."
Squirrel Hill has a calm and resigned understanding that nothing can prepare people for the coming weeks when the events of the day will be revisited and the pain of the loss, once again, laid bare.
"This too shall pass. And the jury will make a decision as to his guilt as to what the appropriate punishment should be," said Mr Cohen, the co-president of the New Light congregation.
The site of the attack is to be rebuilt and will be home to a sanctuary, memorial and centre for fighting antisemitism.
Relatives have been to schools to speak to children about the problem; ecumenical partnerships have been forged, and the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh has a full-time security consultant in place to advise the community.
"But meanwhile, this [trial] brings back that day and every moment of that day," Mr Cohen said.
Source- BBC
Twitter engineering boss Foad Dabiri quits day after DeSantis launch glitches
An engineering chief at Twitter says he is leaving the company a day after the launch of Ron DeSantis' US presidential campaign on the platform was hit with technical glitches.
Foad Dabiri tweeted: "After almost four incredible years at Twitter, I decided to leave the nest yesterday."
Mr. DeSantis' entry into the race for the White House was hit by problems as a Twitter livestream malfunctioned.
More than 80% of the firm's workforce has been cut since Mr Musk bought it.
Mr. Dabiri did not specify why he had decided to leave Twitter or whether it was related to the problems with the DeSantis event on the platform.
He did not immediately respond to a BBC request for comment. Twitter did not provide a statement on Mr. Dabiri's exit when approached by the BBC.
Mr. Dabiri, who was the engineering lead for Twitter's Growth organization, said in a tweet he had "experienced two distinct eras" at the company, before and after it was acquired by the multi-billionaire last year.
In another post, Mr. Dabiri said the transition into Twitter's "2.0" was "massive and rapid".
He added: "To say it was challenging at the outset would be an understatement."
However, Mr. Dabiri said: "Working with @elonmusk has been highly educational, and it was enlightening to see how his principles and vision are shaping the future of this company."
Issues with a Twitter live stream meant that an event to launch Mr. Desantis' bid for the Republican presidential nomination got underway 20 minutes late.
By the time Wednesday evening's Twitter talk had begun in earnest, hundreds of thousands of Twitter users had left the platform.
The Florida governor is viewed as former President Donald Trump's chief rival to be their party's candidate in the 2024 general election.
Mr. Musk, who also runs car maker Tesla and rocket firm SpaceX, bought Twitter for $44bn (£35.4bn) in October.
Speaking to the BBC last month, he said that cutting the workforce from just under 8,000 people at the time he bought the firm to about 1,500 had not been easy.
Since Mr. Musk took the reins at Twitter, he has laid off thousands of employees, including engineers responsible for the site's operations and technical troubleshooting.
Mr DeSantis' team worked quickly to spin the technical stumbles, writing on Twitter that the announcement had broken "the internet with so much excitement", and posting a link to the campaign website.
His press secretary Bryan Griffin claimed the online event had raised $1m in an hour.
At one point, the Twitter event drew more than 600,000 listeners, according to Reuters news agency figures, but by its conclusion, there were fewer than 300,000.
Once the live stream began, Mr. DeSantis turned the conversation to his conservative credentials and touted his handling of the Covid-19 crisis in his state - an anti-lockdown approach applauded by many Republicans.
Source- BBC
TURKS AND CAICOS WEATHER FORECAST
FORECAST FOR FRIDAY
WEATHER: CLOUDY TO OVERCAST WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS.
WINDS: SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS FALLING LIGHT AND VARIABLE AT TIMES.
SEAS: 2 TO 4 FEET WITH LIGHT NORTHEASTERLY SWELLS
FORECAST FOR SATURDAY
WEATHER: VARIABLE CLOUDINESS WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS.
WINDS: SOUTH-SOUTHEAST TO SOUTH-SOUTHWEST AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS FALLING LIGHT AND VARIABLE AT TIMES.
SEAS: 2 TO 4 FEET IN LIGHT NORTHEASTERLY SWELLS
TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK: A NON-TROPICAL AREA OF LOW PRESSURE IS EXPECTED TO FORM ALONG A FRONTAL BOUNDARY OFFSHORE OF THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES COAST DURING THE NEXT DAY OR TWO. THIS SYSTEM HAS A LOW 10% CHANCE OF FORMATION THROUGH SEVEN DAYS. RESIDENTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO COMPLETE THEIR SEASONAL PREPARATIONS BEFORE THE OFFICIAL START OF THE HURRICANE SEASON, WHICH BEGINS JUNE 1 AND ENDS NOVEMBER 30TH.
Court says Hugh Grant's lawsuit alleging illegal snooping by The Sun tabloid can go to trial
A London court on Friday rejected an attempt by the publisher of The Sun tabloid to throw out a lawsuit by actor Hugh Grant alleging that journalists and investigators it hired illegally snooped on him.
Justice Timothy Fancourt said a trial in January will have to determine whether The Sun had carried out unlawful information gathering that included tapping his landline and bugging his car and breaking into his home.
News Group Newspapers, which owns The Sun, had argued that Grant didn't bring his claims within a six-year time limit. The judge dismissed Grant's phone hacking claims on time limitation grounds but said the case could proceed on the other allegations.
“It was only on seeing invoices disclosed ... in 2021 that Mr. Grant believed that private investigators (PIs) had been instructed by The Sun to target him in various ways, particularly in 2011," Fancourt wrote.
The case was argued during a hearing last month that also included phone hacking allegations by Prince Harry against News Group, Rupert Murdoch's British newspapers.
Fancourt's ruling didn't address the Duke of Sussex's case because he wants to hear more about Harry's allegations that he was prevented from bringing his claims much sooner because of a “secret agreement” between Buckingham Palace and Murdoch's papers.
Harry alleged that the royal family had agreed to settle their cases with NGN, publisher of the defunct News of the World, out of court after related litigation died down. He said the deal called for an apology from the newspapers.
In court papers, Harry said that he only brought his lawsuit when efforts to expedite that settlement failed. He said his brother, Prince William, heir to the throne, subsequently received a “huge” settlement over phone hacking allegations against News Group.
NGN has denied there was a “secret agreement.” The palace hasn't responded to messages seeking comment on that or William's alleged settlement.
A spokesperson for News Group issued a statement Friday saying that it was pleased that the court threw out Grant's phone hacking allegations.
“NGN strongly denies the various historical allegations of unlawful information-gathering contained in what remains of Mr. Grant’s claim,” the statement said.
Source- ABC News
Boston Celtics continue comeback against Miami Heat with dominant win
Jaylen Brown said the Boston Celtics "set the tone from start to finish" as they continued their comeback in the Eastern Conference finals with a second straight win over the Miami Heat.
They scored 16 three-pointers in a dominant 110-97 win to cut their deficit in the series to 3-2.
No NBA team has ever previously rallied from 3-0 down to win a best-of-seven playoff series.
"The only thing that can stop us is us," said Brown.
With 21 points, Brown was one of four Boston players to score in double digits with Derrick White top-scoring on 24. Marcus Smart added 23 while Jayson Tatum also made 21.
"Tonight we were the tougher playing team," Brown added. "We set the tone from start to finish."
Duncan Robinson made 18 points for Miami but talisman Jimmy Butler struggled to find his rhythm, contributing only 14 points and sitting out most of the fourth quarter.
Three-time NBA champions Miami need only one more win to reach a seventh NBA Finals and a first since 2020 and will have the opportunity in game six on their home court on Saturday.
"We've just got to play better," said Butler. "Start the game off better, on the starters, make it more difficult for them.
"They are in a rhythm since the beginning of the game. But we are always going to stay positive, knowing that we can and we will win this series. We'll just have to close it out at home."
The Denver Nuggets await the NBA Finals, which are expected to start on 1 June.
Source- BBC
Invest Turks and Caicos’ Business Support Unit partners with the Department of Trade to deliver Export Opportunities for MSMEs Training
On Thursday, May 11th, 2023, Invest Turks and Caicos’ Business Support Unit (BSU); partnered with the Department of Trade, Industry, and Fair Competition to host the Export Opportunities for MSMEs Training. In attendance were nineteen business owners; who participated in the free, interactive training held at Blue Haven Resort from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm.
The training was facilitated by Ms. Lisandra Colley, Director of Trade, Industry, and Fair Competition. During the training, the participants learned the following:
- Essentials of Accessing the international market
- Basics of exporting and the benefits of exporting for MSMEs
- Export opportunities to access the Canadian and UK markets
- Requirements and procedures for the exportation of goods to Canada and the UK
- Understand how to use Canadian and UK government interactive tools to export
Commenting on the Training, Director of Trade, Lisandra Colley expressed, "Bolstered by its trade-related technical assistance pillar, the Department of Trade, Industry, and Fair Competition (DTIFC) aims to provide capacity building training and seminars to equip businesses across the TCI to fully participate in the domestic and international trading systems. The partnership between the DTIFC and Invest TCI to host the Seminar 'Export Opportunities for MSMEs' epitomizes our shared commitment to empowering micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises.
Through this collaborative effort, we provided participants with the essential knowledge and tools needed to access international markets and leverage preferential trading arrangements. By understanding the benefits of exporting, identifying potential markets, and grasping the requirements and procedures for a successful export, participants are better equipped to seize opportunities in the Canadian and UK markets and worldwide."
Anissa Adderley, Director of the Business Support Unit, also provided her feedback on the training “To strengthen the awareness of trade opportunities for MSMEs, the BSU will continue its partnership with the Department of Trade. We invite all entrepreneurs and small business owners to participate in our next collaborative training, to be held Thursday, September 12th, 2023, titled Incorporating Product Standards for Sustainable Trade.
Additionally, we welcome all businesses to take advantage of the free services offered by the Business Support Unit, namely Business Planning, Training, Counselling, Administrative Services, and MSME Programme Recipient Support. We provide the support you need to ensure your business is resilient and sustainable. Let us help you take your business to the next level.”
UK GIVES GREENLIGHT TO HOWARD HAMILTON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT
A critical step toward the construction of a new passenger terminal at the Howard Hamilton International Airport (formerly Providenciales International Airport) has occurred with the United Kingdom’s Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (“FCDO”) giving its approval for the redevelopment of the Airport as outlined in a Business Case recently presented by the Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority (“TCIAA”) requesting permission to proceed with the project through a Public Private Partnership (PPP) program. In addition to constructing a new passenger terminal, the redevelopment project includes expansion works to the airside of the Airport - increasing the current apron, extending the existing runway, and adding a taxiway.
On Tuesday, 23rd May 2023, Paul Chandler, Director of Overseas Territories & Polar Directorate for the FCDO, wrote to the Premier, Hon. Charles Washington Misick, to communicate the UK’s approval of the project. In his letter, Mr. Chandler noted, “It’s clear that a lot of time, effort, and expertise has gone into it for which I commend you and the team…We fully recognize and support the urgency of the project. We are also aware, however, of the risks surrounding major infrastructure projects and want to ensure that these are mitigated as far as possible. To that end, FCDO officials have been liaising with TCIAA since we received your letter on a few outstanding issues, all of which have now been resolved.”
On 4th May 2023, the TCIAA wrote to Lord Zach Goldsmith, Minister of State (Overseas Territories, Commonwealth, Energy, Climate and Environment to formally request written approval for further consideration and pursuit of the redevelopment of the Howard Hamilton International Airport through a Public Private Partnership (“PPP”) program. A copy of the business case justifying and outlining the proposed project was enclosed. The Hon. Premier, accompanied by Her Excellency Anya Williams, the Governor (Acting), then met with His Lordship on 9th May 2023 in the UK to further discuss the project and formally request approval.
Noting the approval with favor, Premier Misick reiterated his Government’s commitment to redeveloping the Howard Hamilton International Airport with a relevant life cycle of at least 40 years. The Premier commented, “The need for the redevelopment of the Airport has been classified as critical, necessary, and long overdue by the Government. Though the process has been long to get to this point, it was a necessary and responsible one. The TCIAA has spent the past year engaged with international expert consultants conducting the relevant studies, doing the necessary market testing, and developing what, in the end, was a very highly technical, meticulously prepared, and strong business case that the UK has now endorsed. The next step is for the project to be appraised by the House of Assembly to allow the TCIAA to proceed with its planned Pre-Qualification of Interested Bidders Stage. The Government is committed to progressing this quickly.”
Hon. Arlington “Chuck” Musgrove, Minister with responsibility for the Airports Authority, praised the TCIAA for its achievement noting, “Several people fail to understand that the work the TCIAA has been doing over the past year to reach this crucial point in the redevelopment of the Airport is commendable. Many across the region have done similar projects and have responded to the TCIAA’s process with admiration and expressed the sentiment of wishing they had taken a similar approach with its research and stakeholder engagements to establish a project of integrity and with the execution of good governance. Since the decision was made to pursue a PPP in the summer of 2022, on a nearly weekly basis, the Hon. Attorney General and her team, assisted by the UK Firm, Ashurst, along with the Director of Contracts, the Chairman and Legal Counsel for the TCIAA, and a legal team (GIDE) acting for the Consultants and the TCIAA, have been meeting to review and consider the necessary measures to be taken and adjustments needing to be made to not only facilitate the project but to secure good governance.”
“The TCIAA and TCIG want the public to know that the decision to pursue a PPP program for the redevelopment is not premised on a situation where the TCIAA and/TCIG cannot self-fund the project,” said Hon. Musgrove. “The decision to pursue a PPP is premised on a ‘big picture’ understanding and approach to value for money and the benefits which can be achieved for the greater social good of the investment need through a PPP. Together, the TCIAA and TCIG are working to develop a program delivery that improves the infrastructure and service quality and increases capacity in local skills development and business opportunities.”
In the last quarter of 2021, the Government received various unsolicited presentations for the redevelopment of the Airport, all of which varied in size of scope and proposal, making it abundantly clear that a consultancy was required to present the best options for the life of the redevelopment based on TCIG’s goals, preferred funding, and managing mechanism. In May 2022, the TCIAA contracted ALG Transport & Infrastructure Advisors PLC (“ALG”) as feasibility and transaction advisors for the Howard Hamilton International Airport Redevelopment Project. The scope of the engagement includes:
defining an appropriate scope, structure, and risk allocation for the Public Private Partnership (PPP) or Public Finance Initiative (PFI) transaction through the required technical and legal studies to ensure maximum value for the use of public resources for the modernization and operation of the Airport;
developing a comprehensive Invitation to Tender for the tendering process;
conducting a transparent tendering procedure to attract a private investor to finance, design, expand, operate, and maintain the Airport; and
leading in the implementation of the PPP.
Under the proposed program, the TCIAA will retain ownership of the Airport with a maximum 30-year period for the funding/payback arrangement. It is envisioned that through a meticulously designed and executed procurement exercise involving a pre-qualification stage, a renowned international airport operator could be engaged for the operation and maintenance of the Airport, while the construction of the terminal will be via a local investor or a consortium thereof, who would in the process of preparing themselves for construction of the project contract the requisite skills and project experts experienced in the construction of airports within the similar scope contemplated. Another feature of the redevelopment project is that there will be no impact on TCIG’s debt status. TCIG’s remuneration would result from a structured revenue share scheme or dividend repayment policy depending on whether the project is structured as a PPP or developed with Public funding/financing.
Godfrey Smith, CEO of the TCIAA, commented, “With the approval now given by the UK, it is important to know that the Business Case continues to develop. As the project progresses, we will need to continuously assess our data, measuring our risks and opportunities, to procure a contract and development that we can remain proud of and have confidence in a decade from now.” Mr. Smith and the Chairman, accompanied by the Permanent Secretaries for Finance and Border Control, will attend the Global Airport Development (Americas) Conference next week, where the TCIAA will be presenting a session on the TCI, the project, and the significance of airport developments on reflecting and enhancing the Islands’ identity. The following week, other members of the Board and the Management Team members will attend an IATA-sponsored Master Planning Course aimed at improving local skills in the planning and project management of Airport Master Plan development. Developing a Strategic Master Plan covering all of TCI’s airports is a priority project for the TCIAA during the 2023-2024 fiscal year.
The TCIAA is committed to a timeline in which it hopes to complete the procurement exercise within the current calendar year. With UK approval now given and local Government approval now imminent, the TCIAA has now shifted its attention to the preparation of data and documents related to the tendering process for the assignment of the concession of the Airport, including Project Information Memorandum, Invitation for Pre-qualification (IFP), Invitation to Tender (ITT), legal/tender evaluation criteria and Draft PPP Contract. With swift approvals as desired, TCIG and TCIAA could commence the procurement stage of the project as early as late June 2023/ early July 2023.
As a further observation of the project, Premier Misick commented: “The current approach to the project is a process aimed at striking a balance between four internationally established principles around what amount to value for money. The process and development must be economical, efficient, effective, and, most importantly, equitable. To this end, the success of the deliverables intended under the redevelopment project will be measured beyond the product output (i.e., the airport terminal). What matters most in the project’s success is its social and economic impact on the people of the TCI and our ability to design a program that effectively monitors and manages it to the advantage of the TCI.”
Information about the Airports Authority
The Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority Ordinance (“TCIAA”) was established in 2005 under The Airports Authority Ordinance (Ord.11 of 2005) for constructing, controlling, and managing airports, and providing and maintaining runways, taxiways, and terminals for the efficient operation of airports in the Turks and Caicos Islands. It is further responsible for providing Border Control facilities (i.e. Customs and Immigration Services) and for Health and Security Checks. Since its establishment, the TCIAA has been instrumental in the development and improvement of the Turks and Caicos Islands’ six (6) public airports:
The Howard Hamilton International Airport/ Providenciales International Airport (MBPV)
The JAGS McCartney International Airport / Grand Turk International Airport (MBGT)
The Norman B Saunders International Airport / South Caicos International Airport (MBSC)
The Clifford Gardiner International Airport/ North Caicos Airport (MBNC)
The Eric Arthur Airport/ Middle Caicos Airport (MBMC)
The Leon Wilson Airport / Salt Cay Airport (MBSY)
The TCIAA continues to operate as a focal point on the national agenda for economic and social development. The TCIAA Board consists of eight (8) members with a broad spectrum of experience in airport management, aviation, security, development, investment, law, and other industries, as well as public policy and government.
The goal of the TCIAA is to provide world-class airport operations through high-standard safety, security, quality, efficiencies, and customer service, recognizing its importance to the overall economic development and strategic growth of the Turks and Caicos Islands.