It hardly seems possible that it was a year ago this October that Jill and I flew into Provo airport, took a connecting flight to Grand Turk, and 24 hours later were in the charming House of Assembly building for my swearing-in ceremony as the Governor of Turks and Caicos Islands.
I said in my short speech then that I had a number of emotions about arriving in TCI, including humility about the challenges which lay ahead, and excitement about the prospect of working in one of the world’s most attractive destinations.
Those feelings still persist, as they should, but they are now mixed with gratitude and appreciation for the warmth of the welcome we continue to receive from all the islands, and a much greater awareness of how fortunate we are to be able to share this extraordinary environment of natural beauty.
Challenges of course continue, and I would be amazed if some don’t remain throughout the time I live here. I saw the physical challenges for many of us with the 48 hours of continuous rain from Tropical Storm Cristobal, the tragic death of a Grand Turk citizen recently was another reminder of the risks from our environment, and we’ve been fortunate to avoid Category Three Hurricane Gonzalo.
Everyone I have met, without exception, looks forward to the time when the forthcoming “Sipt
” trials are over. I hope that they will be concluded by next year, and that TCI can move ahead from them with confidence and self-belief, whatever the outcome.
It is the enormous success of our resorts in attracting hundreds of thousands of well-off, and in some cases super- rich visitors that has been the biggest success over the last twelve months. Frankly, although I thought I knew a good deal about the islands before I arrived, the up-market appeal they have to our US and Canadian visitors surpassed my expectations. Parrot Cay, Amanyara, Beaches and the Grace Bay Club are brands which resonate in North America (and increasingly in the UK), and have helped the Tourist Board to position Turks and Caicos as one of the most alluring destinations in the Caribbean.
Its a cliché, but none of us from immigration staff to resort owners and bar attendants and taxi drivers, can take any of this for granted: it only takes a few minutes of hostility at the airport, weeks of crime, or freak hurricanes, to wipe out the positive image of our destination built up painstakingly over years.
Instead I hope that we can polish our reputation. I aim to continue to ensure that our existing, as well as new, investors, realise that this is a business-friendly country welcoming more environmentally-friendly developments. I regard my links to those investors, backing up the work of the Government and Public Service, as of first-order importance.
Additionally I am determined to support business and the government in their plans to make Turks and Caicos a more energy sustainable place to live and work. Our position of having among the most expensive energy costs in the world is not one to be proud of. I’m delighted that the Premier, Minister of Government Support Services George Lightbourne and I were able to welcome this month to Turks and Caicos the Carbon War Room initiative of British entrepreneur and billionaire Richard Branson to bring more alternative energy to our homes and resorts. That has to be a priority for all of us.
I hope that I can continue to convey my sense of excitement and pleasure to be working here to everyone who lives in Turks and Caicos, and to our visitors. There are many other challenges and opportunities I could have mentioned – healthcare costs, illegal migration and constitutional reform, for example – and can consider them in future blogs and meetings. For now, my thanks to every man, woman and child who has given Jill and me such a warm welcome and memorable year. We look forward to more: and please continue to come and say hello in that friendly manner when we do our weekly shopping in Grand Turk or Provo, or visit again one of the other beautiful islands every Turks and Caicos Islander should be proud to be a part of. I’m delighted many more of our friends and family will continue to visit the islands over the next year.