Times of the Islands Spring 2017

The Hon. Paul Stephenson Higgs was born in Bottle
Creek, North Caicos on February 2, 1898. He was married
to Brenetta E. Williams of Bottle Creek and the father of
four sons and four daughters.
Early life
Paul Higgs attended the Bottle Creek Primary School (now
Adelaide Oemler Primary School). As a young man, he
engaged in many of the activities preferred by his age
group. These included fishing, boat building and eventually
construction. He was an incredible sailor and
fisherman. He enjoyed fishing so much that he spent
long hours in the boat. Many times, his family would
worry about him because of the length of time he spent
at sea. He would return home sometimes long after ten in
the evening with a huge catch, some of which had already
begun to rot! He lost most of his catch because of this but
he did not worry about that. He was enjoying something
he loved.
Honourable Paul Higgs was one of the first political
representatives for North Caicos. During his tenure, the
island experienced many benefits. He was instrumental
in securing scholarships for several persons to pursue
studies in Teacher Education, Nursing and Agriculture in
Jamaica. He had a passion for education. He believed that
if the people of North Caicos were to assume responsible
positions within their country, education must play a pivotal
role. Some of the persons who received scholarships
at the time in North Caicos include Claudius and Carlton
Williams, Cecelia Gray and Raymond Gardiner. These individuals
went on to become prominent citizens in the TCI
due to efforts that were made by Hon. Higgs to ensure
overseas training for them.
The commencement of the popular road works programme,
which involved ensuring that the roads and
roadsides were properly maintained, was started under
Hon. Paul Higgs’ watch. This programme provided
employment opportunities for several persons on the
island who, under ordinary circumstances, would not
have been able to support themselves and their families.
Ironically, despite the progress we claim to have made
today, some political figures are still seeing this initiative
as the way to stimulate the economy in the Caicos Islands.
Paul Higgs was a hard-working, trustworthy, dedicated
and determined man. He was very bold and outspoken
and would give you a piece of his mind in a heartbeat.
He once told a renowned politician at a public meeting in
North Caicos to shut up because he “would not know ‘A’
if it was as big as the rafters in the building” where the
meeting was being held. He was alluding to the fact that
uneducated persons should not be in the forefront of politics.
At the same meeting, he also reprimanded the new
leader of the PDM Party, Hon. JAGS McCartney, referring
to them as the “Black Power Boys” and that there was no
need for that kind of movement in North Caicos. This was
because of the perception of the party at that time.
He was also a very religious man. He was not only a
Senior Deacon in the local Baptist Church, but he was the
person in charge of the church. One had to “tow the line”
under his leadership. He did not tolerate marital indiscretions
and laziness. He frowned on persons who could not
work due to minor illness such as the flu. He would often
be heard reminding workers that only lazy people had
time to be sick. He was never sick—not even on the day
of his sudden death.
Paul Higgs was a confidante and the local people who
lovingly referred to him as “Con Paul” (Cousin Paul) relied
on him regularly for advice. He also served in the very
sought after and important role of Justice of the Peace
and Marriage Officer in the island of North Caicos.
Hon. Paul Higgs played a pivotal role in the day-to-day
life of his people. In addition to his religious role, he also
represented the poor and downtrodden in the courts. He
sought justice, pro bono, for those who could not defend
themselves, despite not having any formal legal training.
This was a clear testament of his interest and concern for
his people.
A man with vision
Hon. Paul Higgs was a man with a vision. He envisioned
the demise of the salt and the sisal industries and argued
that although salt brought some prosperity to the TCI, he
believed that it was the main factor that contributed to
the country’s division—Turks against Caicos. At the time,
salt was only being produced in the Turks Islands (Grand
Turk, Salt Cay and South Caicos) and most of the commercial
activity took place in Grand Turk. This made the Salt
Islands residents, particularly those on Grand Turk, to feel
that they were superior to people in the Caicos Islands.
“Caucus people” (as they were called by Salt Islanders)
had to travel many days in sloops to Grand Turk to trade
their ground provisions and sisal products. Although their
farm produce was badly needed in Grand Turk, these
hard-working and ambitious people were, in many cases,
mistreated and scorned during their visits. At that time,
there was a buoy placed in the waters to clearly demarcate
the separation between the Turks Islands and the Caicos
Islands. This was responsible for the phrase “West of the
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