Thinking about the stars, without wondering about them A return to writing, Salt Cay and tranquillity

In the end, it was the readers. Readers from all walks of life, readers in Salt Cay, Grand Turk, Providenciales, and indeed from all over the Turks and Caicos. Readers like a certain cashier in a Grand Turk grocery store, the head of the water sports department of a major resort on Provo, a civil servant in one of the many government offices — all of them, week after week, in texts, emails and conversations had been urging me, in some cases positively nagging, to write again. The final push to get me back behind the keyboard (I was almost tempted to say typewriter) came from my daughter Elphina who encouraged me during one of our evening walks along Salt Cay’s Victoria Street to start writing again. And with that, the decision was made.

So now it’s back to the notepad with new ideas for various columns which will hopefully bring a smile on people’s faces, on occasion be thought-provoking, and perhaps pique their interest in a theme they may not have thought about before. As before I encourage readers to contact me with ideas for the column. So, if you, dear reader, have any suggestions for a

BY TITUS DE BOER

Titus de Boer was born in Hamburg and spent his formative years in the West Indies. After a formal education in Germany and subsequent training as a journalist, he moved to the TCI in 1989. These days he works as a residency consultant for Titan Services. (www.titanservices.biz). Readers wishing to contact Titus with ideas and/or suggestions for columns, can to so on tdbtci@aol.com.

column, feel free to drop me a line to tdbtci@aol.com.

There’s lots to write about. On the international scene, the war in Ukraine has entered its second year (9th if you consider the 2014 invasion of Crimea). Although we in the Turks and Caicos Islands may consider ourselves blissfully detached from war zones, it will continue to be interesting to discern what impact the war and its effect on the world economy will have on us. Closer to home is the increasingly worrying situation in Haiti, which most analysts would define as a “failed state”. The effects of the collapse of the rule of law and a cohesive society can be witnessed by residents of the Turks and Caicos Islands on a regular basis as the influx of economic migrants continues to put a strain on our archipelago’s resources. A new governor will assume office soon and it is the hope that she will continue to focus on this issue as unflinchingly as her predecessor. Time will tell.

On our own doorstep, there are several stories that I have drafted and that I look forward to publishing. Starting with Salt Cay, the “charmed isle”, which will have to decide how a development project can finally be realised to avoid a further exodus from the island. By all accounts, the last season wasn’t bad, but neither was it brilliant. And as the last tourists and the few remaining ‘winter residents’ head home, Salt Cay will soon slip back into a long slumber. Peaceful yes, some, including me, might even say blissful — but it’s not economically sustainable. Another story I am contemplating will be in the form of an interview with a man whose dedication to the island, both personal and professional, many of us often took for granted – until he recently retired. The story of Salt Cay is ongoing and through this column, it will be ceaselessly told.

Just north of us, in the Nation’s capital, a story that has certainly grabbed my attention is that of a group of over 30 dedicated volunteers, comprising of Turks and Caicos Islanders, expats, government officials and members of the Grand Turk private sector who seek to finally bring proper care and shelter to Grand Turk’s donkey population. Theirs is a pro-active approach which, when implemented, could be a workable concept not just for Grand Turk and its donkeys but indeed the entire country and other animals in need of protection.

Finally, it is Easter and I am back in Salt Cay after a prolonged stay in Grand Turk where I had relocated to just after Christmas. The move was necessitated by the ongoing challenges that come with trying to run a business in Salt Cay or in my case from Salt Cay. Aside from the comparative ease with which one can get things done, when not having to constantly worry about ferry schedules and “rough seas”, it was also a real joy to rediscover Grand Turk, renew friendships and see the island not just as a place where one spends a few rushed, irritating hours before returning to Salt Cay. But perhaps most importantly, it made me realise what it is I missed most about Salt Cay and what I didn’t.

In his novel, Islands in the Stream, Ernest Hemingway writes, “He thought that he would lie down and think about nothing. Sometimes he could do this. Sometimes he could think about the stars without wondering about them and the ocean without problems and the sunrise without what it would bring”. To me, this pretty much sums up my Salt Cay experience. It’s good to be back.