Staff writer

#TurksandCaicos, August 11, 2023 – Despite the Government’s attempt to create more affordable housing for residents with the creation of the new Housing Policy, many say they left the launch feeling less hopeful than they went in.

After the event, one resident expressed it was time to speed up a government-operated mortgage scheme, and those inside the launch event had a similar lack of faith in their ability to secure bank-backed mortgages.

Marcus Samuels, Head of the Banking Association, was hit with questions about how the Association would seek to help residents secure mortgages to purchase these new government homes, considering how difficult residents on both sides of the employment spectrum (private and public)  found it to get approval for loans.

The pre-prepared question was met with applause from the ample audience who had gathered to hear about the programs.

“Homeownership isn’t rocket science, ” Samuels said, stressing that once residents came prepared with knowledge about their own paychecks and the size of the loan they could be offered they had a good chance of success.

Necessary information included:

• Level of income
• Level of previous debt

He also said the cost of housing could be lowered for buyers if the Government decided to decrease or forgo their taxes.

“There are some fees that we genuinely cannot move, like the Government stamp duties, which is usually one percent on the transaction.  Thankfully, the Premier is here— the ball is in his court.”

Zhavargo Jolly, Event Moderator, fielded concerns shared by residents, including that the proposed cost of homes in the example (just over $ 200,000) was lower than the usual market value in the country.

There was also a concern that the mortgages seemed geared toward double-income homes, which was not the case for all residents, alienating single mothers, fathers, and other single-income earners.

While Samuels came prepared with calculations for a hypothetical $230,000 home that he said proved residents could be able to own a home with a down payment as low as $12,500 the audience was unconvinced.  When he questioned them about whether residents believed they could afford a home after laying down the calculations the answer was still a resounding ‘no’.

Following the event, Bishop Coleta Williams, Chaplain to the House of Assembly, also spoke on the programs expressing concern that residents would be paying back the loans for years to come.

Residents, in the comments of the live video which was carried on Facebook, expressed being disappointed that more representatives from the Banking Association weren’t present at the meeting when arguably one of the biggest roadblocks to housing is financing.

Staff Writer 

#TurksandCaicos, August 11, 2023 – Many Turks and Caicos Islanders are spending unsustainable amounts of money on housing, according to data gathered by the Housing Department via the National Housing Needs Survey, emphasizing the need for affordable homes.

Dominique Durham, Deputy Permanent Secretary of Physical Planning and Infrastructure Development

“Respondents of that Survey provided that the majority of households spend more than 50 percent of their income on housing expenses.  Now, as a rule of thumb, especially in America, if you spend more than 30 percent of your income on housing, it is deemed not affordable,” Dominique Durham, Deputy Permanent Secretary of Physical Planning and Infrastructure Development, revealed.

He shared other significant data collected that showed the dire state of the housing market locally, including that nearly a quarter of residents live in damaged homes.

“It also revealed that 21 percent [of respondents] are living in homes in need of repair and 69 percent are looking to purchase a new home within the next five years,” Durham said.

Despite the intent to buy a home, the survey also revealed that many Turks and Caicos residents thought the housing market needed more affordable options for them to be able to bring that dream to fruition.

The majority of residents (32 percent) voted for the Government to create more options for affordable housing when asked what would best improve their housing needs.

Other popular suggestions included:

• Creating Government housing loan programs (25 percent)
• Housing subsidies (15 percent)
• Home improvement/refurbishment programs  (11 percent)

All of those suggestions voted on by residents have made their way into the Housing Policy as either short-term or long-term programs.

Jamell Robinson, Minister of Physical Planning and Infrastructure Development

“Long-term projects include inclusionary zoning, large-scale housing through public-private partnerships, and eventually, we will be establishing a National Housing Authority and Trust whereby we hope to lend at affordable interest rates.  We also are looking to roll out help-to-buy schemes in the near future as we appreciate that an issue is also access to financing,” he said.

The Government is aiming to use these suggestions, voted on by residents, to fix the gaping hole in the market, but even with these new programs, there’s one thing residents say they need to purchase homes– better pay.

Jamell Robinson, Minister of Physical Planning and Infrastructure Development, was hit with the question of whether the Government would start to pay residents more so they could have more cash to afford housing.

The minister said step one was increasing public cash flow (with a pay and grade review for the public service now being conducted), and step two was upskilling all individuals to make them more marketable in the private sector.

“Our Job– is to ensure that our citizens as Turks and Caicos islanders can add value to themselves so they can participate more in the open market, and one of those ways is by making the community college free so you can access higher education– in a free open market which we have here, it’s hard to dictate to the private sector what they can pay a specific individual so we want to grow our individuals to make sure that they can level up,” he explained.

The Housing Policy launched on July 27th in Providenciales.

Staff Writer 

#TurksandCaicos, August 11, 2023 – Another Member of Parliament in the Turks and Caicos Islands is being called on to communicate more after a shooting in Blue Hills over the weekend, injuring two people.  Randy Howell, MP to Blue Hills released a newsletter to his constituents on August 6th regarding the incident from two days prior.

The statement, eventually shared on social media, was met with frustration from the residents.

Though comments were few, many expressed frustration at his silence over the past two and a half years since winning the seat.

“All the crimes took place since the PNP gain government you never said a word NOW YOU COMING OUT TALKING GARBAGE!!!” said one particularly heated resident.

Another resident was concerned that the statement took so long to be delivered, a full two days after the shooting in which at least ‘49 rounds’ were fired into the community.

“A few days late…,” they said.

Others were critical of the lack of opportunities for young men and reminded Howell of his slim margin of victory.

“Well they [weren’t] encouraging the young people to join the police Department so they will find whatever jobs they find easier to get money to buy guns and hard drugs,” a resident expressed.

“The people of the affected area [are] still waiting on your promises and visit, just remember 333 to 318 you only won by 15 votes,” said another.

Howell, for his part, denounced the violence which he said left the community disoriented.  He also thanked the police for their own work but called for them to move more quickly.

“We note, however, that the residents affected would have desired a shorter response time.  I have done previously and will continue to advocate for the return of an outpost/station in the Blue Hills settlement that would provide prompt service to both High-Rock and Wheeland and that will narrow the response gap that we now endure,” he maintained.

Overall reception to the message via Facebook was poor with residents expressing disbelief and disappointment in the situation.

Staff Writer  

#TurksandCaicos, August 11, 2023 – DNA testing will now be a requirement for certain residents applying for status via family members.  The provision was signed into law on July 19^th and government leader of business in the House of Assembly, Washington Misick, TCI Premier, explained the rationale for this now approved pathway to Turks and Caicos citizenship.

“This provision will allow for DNA testing to establish parental relationships in the Turks and Caicos Islands for the purpose of TC Islander status.  By incorporating these criteria we ensure a robust and reliable method of determining familial connections if and when necessary,” he said.

During initial debates, Members of the House of Assembly had raised instances where parents could not provide the proper documents for their children to prove parental rights, for whatever reason.  DNA testing was introduced as a swift and reliable solution in these cases.

“This is very important, I think we all know that claims have been made both by Turks and Caicos Islanders and by others claiming to have kids that are not theirs but also making sure that children who have a right to status are not denied by parents who may want to abandon them,” Misick insisted.

The measure was wholeheartedly supported by Edwin Astwood, Opposition Leader.

Also accepted, that Great-grandchildren of TC Islanders will now be able to claim status following the passage of the anticipated Turks and Caicos Islanders Status Amendment Bill.  It was one of many changes, altering how residents can get status and rights to long-term stay in the country.

Tabled by Washington Misick, TCI Premier, it:

• Extends acquisition of status to persons born outside the islands with family links through a great-grandparent – Misick said this recognized the importance of family ties. “It may seem distant, but here in this House, we have examples that could mean our offspring could find themselves disenfranchised. Just about every family has a similar situation,” he continued, “if we are truly interested in growing the franchise and maintaining control of it, then we have to ensure we put provisions in place for [it] to be extended through our own bloodline.”
• Extends automatic status to the dependent children of residents who are awarded status by grant, ONLY if they are living in the country at the time of application. The Premier indicated this was to remove the undue burden from families with qualifying dependents;
• Creates separate forms for residents applying for status through marriage and grants and legalizes electronic applications. Misick said this clause focused on making sure that families who legitimately have a right to be in the islands are not discriminated against;
• Removes the Attorney General from the Status Commission and appoints an external attorney. This attorney must have 15 years of experience and a background in public law, thus ensuring that the commission benefits from legal expertise. Misick said that the removal of the Attorney General was to reduce the opportunity for legal challenge and to ensure that there is no claim of the Governor or AG having their ‘finger on the scales,’ bringing more integrity and transparency to the process.
• Sets out parameters for qualification and disqualification of Status Commission Members. “The grant of status is an extremely important offer, and it is important that people have the skills, the background, and qualifications to understand the implications of their decision,” the Premier explained;
• Authorizes DNA testing. To establish parental relationships for status/make sure that children with the right to status are not abandoned by parents and;
• Extends the year’s application period to December 2023. This is to residents the opportunity to fully understand the changes prior to applying.

The amendments were debated by residents, with a survey on the bill opening in June and closing later that month. The proposed changes by the Government all made it into the finished legislation with the addition of the clause granting status to great-grandchildren.

The bill passed with general support from both sides of the House of Assembly with the Opposition and Government acknowledging the gravity of the changes, without which Turks and Caicos Islanders would become outnumbered four-to-one in a few decades.

The premier maintained that they would continue to carry out public education seminars and give residents time to settle into the new changes fully.

Those meetings commenced with the business community last week.

The introduction of mandatory DNA results follows as a way to end forgery and conniving by applicants.

“It’s no secret that people get paid to say children are theirs in the Turks and Caicos— so I am very happy to see this here concerning DNA testing. It cannot only be used to disqualify, but as the Premier so rightly said to qualify.”

Residents had been asked to vote and give their opinions on the proposed change to Section 23 of the Islander Status Amendment Bill in June. With the new provision the Turks and Caicos joins a myriad of other countries including the United States who employ DNA testing to establish paternity before status can be granted to applicants.

We undertook to keep you informed on the steps we are taking to support the operational policing response, to ensure the threats to our safety are gripped and effectively tackled, in both the immediate and longer term.

The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force Tactical Unit remain in active deployment in addition to strengthened patrols by our Community Policing Units. You will see more operational police officers across Providenciales as the RTCIPF continue their investigative and enforcement operations.

In support of these operations, the following capability has been put in place to date:

• –  The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service (RCIPS) has deployed of one of its H145 helicopters. The helicopter and crew arrived on Sunday. Since their arrival, the crew have been working with RTCIPF on planned operations to provide critical aerial support as part of our operational response measures. The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is funding this deployment.
• –  In tackling our shared threats, the HMBS Bahamas, the flagship of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, is currently in our jurisdiction, working in collaboration with our maritime partners to patrol our territorial waters against any illegal activities occurring at sea. Members of the RTCIPF and TCI Regiment are on board the HMBS Bahamas as part of this joint operation.
• –  The Turks and Caicos Islands continues to work in partnership with our colleagues from US Homeland Security Customs and Border Protection (CBP). CBP assets are supporting the surveillance of our waters and those further afield, enabling early warning of suspicious vessels and acting as a deterrent to those who want to reach our islands undetected.
•  – To ensure the ongoing investigative capacity of the RTCIPF, the FCDO has allocated additional funding to extend the timeline of the serious crime team deployment.

This immediate package of measures seeks to provide substantial capability to our operational response, co-ordinating efforts on both land and sea. It will allow us to continue to investigate vigorously and bring to justice those who are causing harm and threatening our peace and security. We are particularly grateful to the Governments of the Bahamas and the Cayman Islands for their steadfast support at this critical time.

We will continue to assess threats and keep you informed of our efforts to ensure the safety and security of our communities.

To assist our police investigations, we kindly ask for your cooperation. If you possess any information, regardless of its significance, please speak to someone you trust or contact TCI Crime Stoppers at 1-800-8477 to provide information anonymously and with confidence, for the safety of all.

Editor

#TurksandCaicos, August 5, 2023 – The PDM’s appointed member to the House of Assembly may have been a bit more satisfied by Friday evening with the release of a strong statement from the president of the Turks and Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association; firmness is what everyone expects in the aftermath of another wild shooting – on Wednesday – in Grace Bay.

“We have had seven or eight murders since June 5th. We saw days where there were two murders in 24 hours. In these past two months, we have seen a shooting incident that saw 3 or 4 persons shot and by all accounts intentionally. We are seeing brazen day murders and now in the heart of Grace Bay.

In the past two years we have seen at least two beheadings and maybe a third. We have seen a trial witness killed in close proximity to CID. These historic events have whisked by without matching attention,” said Alvin Garland, Opposition Appointed member to the House of Assembly.

Garland expressed being incensed by the silence and the method of communication as violent crime grows in frequency and boldness.

“The PDM and I are calling on the Premier to address his people other than through a Press Release. The TCI has turned the corner and the question is how much more has to happen before we act decisively again?

The Minister of Tourism and TCHTA can no longer remain silent and must regain their voices to address our country’s visitors. In times when things were not as extreme, they were indeed vocal. We need leading voices and stakeholders on the record.

It is important to measure our comments in times like these but the silence must stop and the call for help must be urgently sent out,” said Garland.

Coming from the TCHTA was this, “Over the past two months, our Board of Directors has met with the Police Commissioner and the Governor’s Office to voice these concerns as we saw a serious trend starting once again of extreme violence not common to our islands.

We are concerned as an industry and as the nation’s largest employers that our citizens and guests must believe Turks & Caicos is a safe place to live and to visit.”

There has been no comment from the Minister of Tourism, however on Friday the TCHTA released its position on the shooting incident which forced a temporary road block following a barrage of bullets which left a 26-year-old man dead near a popular Grace Bay Beach access.

Hon Garland said this group was more vocal when the crime situation in the country was less serious.  Garland’s other advice, get outside help.

“We need outside help, not because we have no faith in our own, but because we need the extra skills and manpower, but this cannot be our fall back each time these acts are threatened or committed. The Bahamas assisted us greatly in stemming the violent tide and whilst we are aware that they too have their challenges, one more stint maybe warranted. But after this, we must have an ongoing plan that sees capacity built in in our own Police Organisation.”

Staff Writer

#TurksandCaicos, August 5, 2023 – Evidence of a sustained push for military upgrades is emerging across the Caribbean as the region continues to invest in its military arsenal and increase personnel skills.  Large and small nations are investing in training with help from the United States and other overseas countries.

The most recent event saw Turks and Caicos’ Regiment Members leave for an intense annual three-day training exercise in Guyana, dubbed Exercise TRADEWINDS 2023.  Also on site were the US, Canadian and French Armies and several countries, including those with established military forces like the Royal Bermuda Regiment, Jamaica Defence Force and the Surinamese Defence Force.

South America, where criminals smuggle large amounts of drugs to North America, where the drugs are often destined for the Caribbean, has been subject to bouts of violence relating to the illicit trade of both contraband and people.

The recent near collapse of democratic processes in Haiti and the announcement of a potential new Chinese and Cuban military base in Cuba have increased tension in the region prior to the 2023 event.

Turks and Caicos Islands Regiment Marine Ronica Ewing described the event:

“TRADEWINDS has been challenging but it’s been fun as well…I get to meet people from different backgrounds. Some people from the different regiments as well.  So I learned how each regiment operates.  So I can take things from each one and take it back home to improve the regiment that we now have, which has only been in operation for about three years now.  The best thing is learning about the different weapons that they use and also getting that more hands-on military experience… what to expect and so forth.”

The longtime training exercise has garnered scrutiny and prompted think pieces from several publications about the US increasing its allies’ military capacity in case an all-out military offensive becomes necessary, though the US has not mentioned anything to confirm this.  The exercise has been held annually for over three decades.

The US is also increasing humanitarian efforts in the Caribbean military.  The US Navy continues to liaise with the Caribbean on climate change and other issues.  The country has also promised 100 million dollars to help disrupt arms trafficking and help restore Haiti this year.

Staff Writer

#TurksandCaicos, August  5, 2023 – Fuel Factor Rates in the Turks and Caicos Islands continue to decrease, taking some of the energy burden off of consumers; similarly, gas prices are going down.

Fortis TCI made the fuel factor announcement via their Facebook page recently, indicating rates had decreased by 10.42 percent in July.

Residents in the Turks and Caicos became even better acquainted with their fuel factor rates than usual last year when the rising fuel costs globally resulted in skyrocketing bills.  The continued decline is a welcome relief for residents.

“Factors that influence your electricity costs include the amount of energy you consume every month and the price of fuel,” Fortis reminded.  “The fuel factor rate on July’s electricity bill for Providenciales, North Caicos, and Middle Caicos customers has decreased by 10.42 percent from the prior month’s $0.1986 to $0.1779 per kilowatt hour (“kWh”).  Grand Turk and Salt Cay customers’ fuel factor rates also reflect a significant decline, with a 9.4 percent reduction from the prior month’s $0.2019 to $ 0.1829 per kWh.  This month’s fuel factor rate for South Caicos will become available soon.  It is worth noting that South Caicos fuel factor rate for last month (June) decreased by 8 percent from the prior month’s $0.2109 to $0.1941 per kWh,” the company indicated.

The cost of oil has continued to fall globally, affecting not just energy but gasoline as well.  A look at the July fuel prices across the Turks and Caicos reveals that Providenciales residents are now paying less than they did in March 2022, before the inflation spike, as has become the trend in the last several months.  The cheapest stations were grants on Leeward Highway and K&T Gas Station (Regular Gas) and Caicos Oil (Diesel).

In Grand Turk, prices were still higher than in March 2022 for the most part.  The cheapest stations were Sunset Marina  (Ed Dickenson Gas Ltd.) at $6.50 and Fulford Gas Station (Alonzo Malcolm Gas Station) at $7.10.  In North Caicos, of the three stations, Core Resources was cheapest at $ 6.99 per gallon.

South Caicos residents have seen no change in fuel prices and continue to pay $11 per gallon for gas.

We are seeing some startling times in TCI and we need help to not only suppress what seems to be brewing again, but to carry out real operations to remove guns from the streets that would otherwise not be removed.

The PDM and I are calling on the Premier to address his people other than through a Press Release. The TCI has turned the corner and the question is how much more has to happen before we act decisively again?

We need outside help, not because we have no faith in our own, but because we need the extra skills and manpower, but this cannot be our fall back each time these acts are threatened or committed. The Bahamas assisted us greatly in stemming the violent tide and whilst we are aware that they too have their challenges, one more stint maybe warranted. But after this, we must have an ongoing plan that sees capacity built in in our own Police Organisation.

We have had 7 or 8 murders since June 5th. We saw days where there were 2 murders in 24 hours. In these past two months, we have seen a shooting incident that saw 3 or 4 persons shot and by all accounts intentionally. We are seeing brazen day murders and now in the heart of Grace Bay.

In the past two years we have seen at least 2 beheadings and maybe a third. We have seen a Trial witness killed in close proximity to CID. These historic events have whisked by without matching attention.

We saw our deadliest and bloodiest month last year September and regrettably we maybe on the verge of a repeat. Truth be told, we must all have known that this cycle of violence was only on pause. We must get ahead.

The Minister of Tourism and TCHTA can no longer remain silent and must regain their voices to address our country’s visitors. In times when things were not as extreme, they were indeed vocal. We need leading voices and stakeholders on the record.

It is important to measure our comments in times like these but the silence must stop and the call for help must be urgently sent out.

Under the Leadership of Hon Edwin Astwood we the official Opposition stand ready to assist as this is a national threat. We encourage our people to be diligent and careful in their movements while we know tempers are raging among those who have suddenly found themselves grieving.

Opposition Appointed Member

Hon Alvin K Garland

Ms. Adams holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Science from Keele University in the United Kingdom (UK) (2019), where she won the Environmental Science Dissertation Prize for her Dissertation: “The Evaluation of Waste Management Strategies of an Island Nation. The Turks and Caicos Islands as a Case Study”. Ms. Adams also holds a Master’s in Environmental Engineering and Project Management from Leeds University UK (2020).

In 2021 Ms. Adams officially joined the Turks and Caicos Islands Environmental Health Department as an Environmental Health Officer and is now being appointed to the post of Deputy Chief Environmental Health Officer.

Commenting on her appointment, Ms. Adams stated:

“I am honored and humbled to have been given this opportunity to demonstrate my ability to take on this role as Deputy Chief Environmental Health Officer.

The Environmental Health Department is developing and transitioning into a more modern era of operations. I am committed to the growth and success of my department, and I look forward to contributing to this process of securing a safe and healthy Turks and Caicos Islands.”

Deputy Governor and Head of the Public Service, Her Excellency Anya Williams, in extending congratulatory remarks to Ms. Crivanne Adams, stated:

“It gives me great pleasure to officially announce and congratulate Ms. Crivanne Adams on her appointment to Deputy Chief Environmental Officer in the Ministry of Health and Human Services.”