Cabinet approves three-year lease for TCI’s diaspora office in the Bahamas

The Turks and Caicos Islands government has inched one step closer to opening a diaspora office in Nassau, Bahamas by signing and approving a three-year lease with FINCEN Ltd.

Her Excellency the Governor (ag) chaired the 14th meeting of Cabinet on Wednesday 24 May 2023 at the Governor’s Office on Grand Turk, where the approval was granted for the rental.

The approval of the lease agreement signals the government’s commitment to strengthen relations with the largest concentration of the Turks and Caicos diaspora.

Once opened, the office is intended to provide a more structured engagement hub to advance relations and dialogue that will in turn foster national development.

It will also provide a number of services and assistance to persons wishing to connect and reconnect with their Turks and Caicos roots.

The office will also support the government’s plan to establish a diaspora database which will collect and utilise accurate data as part of its efforts to help members of the TCI diaspora contribute to the development of the territory.

The government had announced its intention to open an office in Nassau, Bahamas during a diaspora meeting in February this year.

Premier Hon Charles Washington Misick at that meeting stressed the important role and the contributions that the overseas Diaspora can make towards aiding the Turks and Caicos Islands in achieving its development goals.

He said: “As part of the Turks and Caicos development goals it is important to leverage the broad contribution that our kin and kind offer to the homeland.

“While we are reaching out to our global diaspora family it is generally believed that the largest proportion of Turks and Caicos Islanders live throughout the Bahamas: for that reason, it is only fitting that we start by establishing an office there.”

Misick explained that although the office will not have consular status, its operations will be under the purview of the Governor’s office and it will liaise with the British High Commission in Nassau whenever necessary.

Following this announcement, the TCI Government appointed Andrea Vernay Mills and Canon Curtis Robinson as diaspora liaison officers for the islands of New Providence and Grand Bahama, Bahamas, respectively.

The initiative is geared towards restoring links to the diaspora and opening a line of communication to gauge interest in returning home, to invest and contribute to the development of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Alpha Academy’s Tianna Kerr is 2023’s Champion Speller

Stiff competition between Tianna Kerr and Ruth Lormine marked the ten rounds of the national primary school spelling bee competition this year, bringing it to a tie.

But after round 11, Tianna scored 42 points, and Ruth 41. Ruth, a student of Oseta Jolly Primary was determined to return the title to her school, which won in 2019 and 2022.

The annual event was held on May 25, at Beaches Resort and Spa, with 12 talented spellers from across the territory competing for the coveted title.

The spellers and their coaches were: Adelaide Oemler Primary –student Darius Bassett and coach Stafford Salmon; Alpha Christian Academy – student Tianna Kerr and coach Heather Robertson; BEST Institute – student Sydney

Kay Brisbane and coach Mrs.

Tanisha Rigby; Enid Capron

Primary – student George Williams and coach Ms. Sacha Deans; Ianthe

Pratt Primary – student Mark

Morrison and coach Ms. Natalia Butterfield; International School of the TCI – student Lola Jimenez and coach Ms. Iman Rudi-Bonotti.

MILLS Institute – student

Nathan Forbes and coach Mrs. Denesha Robinson; Ona Glinton

Primary – student Joneil Belzi and coach Ms. Jacqueline Henry; Oseta Jolly Primary – student Ruth Lormine and coach Ms. Tevynn Lewis; Providence International Academy – student Kian Jules and coach Ms. Karla Williams; Provo

Christian Academy – student

Marbelli Castillo and coach Ms. Crystal Glinton and the Thelma Lightbourne Primary – student David Lawrence and coach Ms. Alexa Greene.

The other two top spots went to Ruth Lorime of Oseta Jolly Primary in second place, and Joneil Benzi of Ona Glinton Primary in third.

Prizes were sponsored by F Chambers and Island Printing: the grand prize winner received a MacBook Air, second place an Apple iPad Mini and third place an Apple iPad Mini. Prizes for the top seven spellers were a Galaxy Tablet A7 Lite each, and the remaining participants received $50 gift certificates.

Champion trophies were awarded to the three top spellers and Tianna’s coach Heather Robertson, while each participating speller received a complimentary trophy.

Minister of Education, Youth, Sports, and Social Services, Hon. Rachael Taylor has congratulated Miss Kerr, her parents, and Heather Robertson, a veteran coach who also coached the 2005 champion speller.

“I congratulate all the champion spellers of 2023 who are indeed winners and who represented their schools well at the Bee. We are proud of you. I especially want to congratulate our winner, Tianna Kerr, and the Alpha Christian Academy Family. These events confirm that our children are indeed dedicated and committed students.” School principals, coaches, teachers, and parents were also thanked for their commitment to the event.

Volunteering their time to the event were chairperson Sophia Garland; scorers Evadne Williams and Hugh Adams; judges Jasmine Malcolm, Latoya Simpson, and Pastor Pedro S Williams; pronouncers Cherylann Foreman and Kawanza Morley and timekeeper Christopher Foster.

Others who gave of their time were Orville Morgan as the photographer; Gary Andrew, Technician; Tanya Swann, director of sales, groups, and conventions at Beaches Resort and Spa for coordinating the hosting of the event at the resort and providing complimentary snacks; Greg Been, Zoia Fessler and Chris Jarrett of RTC for live coverage on Radio Turks & Caicos.

Sponsors of this year’s event were Mark Fulford, managing partner of F Chambers; Ava Fulford, founder and managing director of Island Printing; and long-term sponsors Flow TCI and The Sandals Foundation.