Times of the Islands Winter 2025/26

TIMES
OF THE
SAMPLING THE SOUL OF THE TURKS & CAICOS ISLANDS WINTER 2025 /26 NO. 153
REWILDING
One backyard at a time
ONE PINK, TWO PINK
Counting TCI’s flamingos
LOST FORTUNES & FRAUD
West Caicos’ sisal industry
ISLANDS

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contents
Departments
6 From the Editor
13 Getting to Know
Learning & Leading — Yolande Robinson
By Alejandra Parnell ~ Photos By Renau Destine
18 What’s New?
How Many Flamingos?
By Jade Prevost-Manuel, VisitTCI.com
24 Creature Features
Island Alien — The Corn Snake
By Bill Rhodes
28 Christmas in the Caribbean —
The Christmas Tree Worm
Story & Photos By Kelly Currington
69 About the Islands/TCI Map
73 Subscription Form
74 Classified Ads
Features
42 Rewilding
Returning to Wildness, One Backyard at a Time
Story & Photos By Dr. Kathleen McNary
52 Purveyors of Paradise (by appointment)
The Story of S.W.A.
Green Pages
33 A Changing Palate
Threatens an Ancient Species
Investigating the Turks & Caicos Rock Iguana
By Sally C. Dowd
37 Octospy
Watching What Octopus Do All Day and Night
Story & Photos By Dr. C.E. O’Brien
TIMES
OF THE
ISLANDS
SAMPLING THE SOUL OF THE TURKS & CAICOS ISLANDS WINTER 2025/26 NO. 153
On the Cover
What could be more naturally festive than the Christmas
Tree Worm? As sedentary inhabitants of coral reefs, they
use their brightly colored radioles to filter microorganisms
from the water, which are then deposited into the
worm’s digestive tract. To learn more, go to page 28.
18
JOHN ANDERSON VIA SHUTTERSTOCK
Astrolabe
58 Lost Fortunes & Fraud
The West Caicos Fibre (Sisal) Company Ltd.
By Jeff Dodge
64 Run Aground
Shipwrecks of the Turks Islands (1822–1825)
By James Jenney
MARTA MORTON—WWW.HARBOURCLUBVILLAS.COM
4 www.timespub.tc

from the editor
MARTA MORTON—WWW.HARBOURCLUBVILLAS.COM
The harbour at South Side Marina is the site for another stunning TCI sunset captured by Marta Morton from her perch at Harbour Club Villas.
It rivals the Northern Lights seen this fall in North America.
Unique, Diverse, Precious, Fragile
Readers of this magazine are likely to note that I—reflecting the views of other residents and Heritage Islanders
alike—continue to speak up about the over-development of the Islands, especially Providenciales. It will be interesting
to hear what the snowbirds (folks who winter in the TCI) think about the changes that have taken place even over
the last year. Roads are congested, construction sites are rampant, stores, parking lots, and government offices feel
overcrowded, and people seem increasingly short-tempered, rushed, and on edge.
I feel sad because living here for three decades and being at the helm of this magazine have provided such bountiful
opportunities to witness the beauty of the natural world of the Turks & Caicos Islands. Just look at this issue!
Our Creator is so astonishingly creative! Christmas Tree worms, corn snakes, flamingos, iguanas, octopuses—each
unique and diverse and precious and so fragile.
I feel blessed to share the story of SWA Architects, a firm whose projects I have long watched take shape and
admired, not just for their graceful design, but for the philosophy behind them. And I urge you to read carefully Dr.
Kathleen McNary’s article on Rewilding, based on years of research and a lifetime of caring for the environment. It
is an important concept that could help modulate the effects of development and a guide to small steps that we can
all take to start making a difference.
Kathy Borsuk, Editor timespub@tciway.tc • (649) 431-4788
6 www.timespub.tc

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TIMES
OF THE
ISLANDS
MANAGING EDITOR
Kathy Borsuk
ADVERTISING MANAGER
Claire Parrish
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Kathy Borsuk, Kelly Currington, Jeff Dodge, Sally C. Dowd,
James Jenney, Dr. Kathleen McNary, C.E. O’Brien,
Alejandra Parnell, Jade Prevost-Manuel, Bill Rhodes,
Lisa Talbot, Simon Wood.
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
John Anderson, Kelly Currington,
Renau Destine Photography, Jeff Dodge, Sally C. Dowd,
Margaret Jones, Agile LeVin, Marta Morton, C.E. O’Brien,
Martin Pepper, Pets4Homes, Shutterstock, Lisa Talbot,
VisitTCI.com, Jimmy Wehsener.
CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS
Art Institute of Chicago, Wavey Line Publishing.
PRINTING
PF Solutions, Miami, FL
Times of the Islands ISSN 1017-6853 is
published quarterly by Times Publications Ltd.
Copyright © 2026 by Times Publications Ltd. All rights reserved
under Universal and Pan American Copyright Conventions.
No part of this publication may be
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Submissions We welcome submission of articles or photography, but
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event shall any writer or photographer subject this magazine to any
claim for holding fees or damage charges on unsolicited material.
While every care has been taken in the compilation and reproduction of
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subject to change without notice. The publisher accepts no
responsibility for such alterations or for typographical or other errors.
Business Office
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12 www.timespub.tc

getting to know
Learning & Leading
Yolande Robinson.
By Alejandra Parnell ~ Photos By Renau Destine Photography
As the owner of Learn and Lead Educational Center,
Yolande Robinson, brings a wealth of knowledge
and expertise to her work.
Learn and Lead Ltd. is more than just an educational centre. It is a beacon for hopeful students and their
parents, looking to grow and develop not only as pupils, but as individuals. As an educator for over two
decades, Yolande Robinson has made a significant impact on the lives of many students throughout
the Turks & Caicos Islands. Yolande is also a certified coach whose contributions extend far beyond the
classroom—she has used her talents and abilities to further the development of employees within the
workplace, regularly training and facilitating workshops for a wide range of institutions.
Times of the Islands Winter 2025/26 13

Yolande first arrived in the Turks & Caicos Islands
in 2008, moving for love, as her husband Hon. Jamell
Robinson is from the nation’s capital, Grand Turk. She
had just completed her Master’s degree in Educational
Psychology with a particular focus on children with
exceptionalities, particularly learning disabilities. Prior
to moving, she worked in Montreal, Canada, making her
impact with at-risk youth in inner cities. In addition to
this, she possessed a deep desire to assist children in
becoming readers. This inspired her to create a safe and
supportive space where people could learn and grow.
Upon her arrival to the TCI, education was the last
thing she expected to step away from. At that time, she
was unable to find a teaching job immediately and began
to work outside her field. She knew she wanted to pursue
a leadership role, but still desired to work within education.
Entrepreneurship had also been on the forefront of
her mind. This is how Learn and Lead Educational Center
was born—initially as a part-time endeavor, eventually
transitioning into full- time work. “I’ve always believed
that when children see themselves as leaders from day
one, they step into that role,” she explains. “Learn and
Lead was about merging my passions for education and
leadership into something practical and impactful.”
At first, the focus was one-on-one tutoring, particularly
for struggling readers. But as demand grew, so did the
scope. Word spread quickly through the tight-knit Grand
Turk community, and soon she was hiring other teachers,
developing structured programs, and expanding services.
Today, Learn and Lead Ltd. is much more than tutoring.
The organization offers coaching, training, and speaking
services, with a strong emphasis on soft skills such
as communication, conflict management, and emotional
intelligence.
“Hard skills may get you in the door,” she notes, “but
soft skills are often what keep you there.” That philosophy
is reflected not only in student learning but also
in the professional development she provides for adults
in the workforce. From business writing to leadership
coaching, she meets people where they are and equips
them with the tools to thrive.
Her voice has become a familiar one in the community
as well. For 13 years, she hosted “A Child’s Life” on local
radio, offering quick, practical parenting advice. During
the pandemic, she also launched “Shifting Perspectives,”
a podcast that connected Caribbean women across the
region in candid conversations about growth, resilience,
and sisterhood.
Yolande Robinson approaches the future of Learn and Lead with a combination of tradition, innovation, and lots of enthusiasm!
14 www.timespub.tc

When asked about her leadership style, she describes
it as transformational. “I focus on setting a clear vision,
then empowering others to innovate and take ownership,”
she says. Most of her staff are young teachers, often fresh
from college, and mentorship is central to their development.
Her approach balances freedom with accountability.
“Parents are trusting us with their children. Many sacrifice
to provide that extra support. We only have one hour a
week to make an impact, so we don’t waste time. That’s
why checks and structures are in place, but within those,
I give my staff creative freedom.”
This philosophy extends to the students themselves.
The “Success Wall,” where children track progress on
punch cards and celebrate milestones, is a simple yet
powerful tool. “Some students don’t always feel successful
in their day-to-day environments,” she explains. “At
Learn and Lead, success is non-negotiable. Every child
leaves knowing they can achieve something.”
Perhaps the most distinctive aspect of Learn and Lead
is its culture. It’s not just about skills but about belonging.
“Fitting in means changing yourself, but belonging
means there’s space for you as you are,” she says. That
ethos has fostered loyalty among both staff and students.
Times of the Islands Winter 2025/26 15

Yolande Robinson
Coach, Teacher & Trainer
Yolande is an educator with over 20 years of experience.
She is driven to support individuals in obtaining 3
intentional outcomes: learning, skills development and
positive behavioral change. These three outcomes are
also at the core of all services provided at Learn and
Lead Ltd.
Coaching
Teen Success Coaching
Parent Coaching
Personal Development Coaching
Soft Skills Coaching
Neurodiversity Coaching
Consulting
Community Organizations
Non-Profit Organizations
Educational Institutions
Business Organizations
Services
Training
Pre-Service and In-Service Teachers
Soft Skills Training
Teen Leadership Training
Speaking
Informational Keynote Speeches
Inspirational Keynote Speeches
Transformational Keynotes Speeches
Teaching
Specialized Tutoring Program (K - 8) *
Adult Literacy Programs
TSOL/TEFL (Teaching English as a
Second or Foreign Language)
Teachers who have moved on often return for advice or
encouragement, while former students frequently reconnect
years later, even as young professionals. Parents,
too, see Learn and Lead as a safe and confidential space
where they can bring concerns, ask for guidance, and
celebrate their children’s progress.
Like many organizations, Learn and Lead faced challenges
during the pandemic. But rather than stalling
growth, it became a period of reinvention. “It made me
more structured, more resourceful,” she reflects. “We had
to accelerate learning and adapt to new realities.”
Another milestone was relocating to Providenciales,
which expanded opportunities, resources, and access to
a larger clientele. It was a turning point that allowed the
organization to scale its impact.
The future of Learn and Lead is rooted in both tradition
and innovation. Locally, the mission remains to provide
a safe and empowering space for learners. Regionally,
she hopes to expand leadership and coaching programs,
especially for young people. Globally, digital platforms
are opening new doors.
Recently, she began creating bite-sized educational
videos for YouTube and TikTok, focusing on reading
readiness and summer learning. “You don’t know what
you don’t know,” she says. “Sometimes hearing just one
small piece of information can spark a change in how a
parent or teacher approaches learning.”
As for her personal journey, she acknowledges that
while she may not have planned to become an entrepreneur,
every step—Montreal’s classrooms, the radio booth,
the challenges of starting over in a new country—has led
her here. “At the core of everything I do, the teacher in me
always comes out. It’s about helping people reach their
potential and giving them the tools to move forward.”
From a small tutoring service in Grand Turk to a multifaceted
educational and coaching hub, Learn and Lead
Ltd. is more than a business—it’s a story of resilience,
vision, and the belief that every individual, no matter
their age or circumstance, has the capacity to grow. a
"Your success story begins the moment you start believing
that you are capable of creating it."
649 232 3398 / 649 946 8513
Suite 3D-a, Courtyard Plaza
yolande@learnandleadltd.com
www.learnandleadltd.com
16 www.timespub.tc

what’s new?
AGILE LEVIN—VISITTCI.COM
Opposite page and above: Flamingos are generally considered prone to disturbance and in practice, almost all birds flushed during the aerial
survey. Researchers observed that larger flocks were more readily flushed than small groups and that the small number of flamingos on
wetlands adjacent to the active runways at airports on South Caicos and Providenciales did not flush during the flyover of these sites. The
American flamingos above are at Lake Catherine, West Caicos.
How Many Flamingos?
A new study has the answer.
By Jade Prévost-Manuel, Visit Turks and Caicos Islands
Flamingos have a long history as an emblem of the Turks & Caicos Islands, but until recently, little was
known about how many of these birds call the country home. Now, new research suggests that more than
5,300 American flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber) inhabit the Turks & Caicos Islands. This accounts for
approximately 2.5% of the species’ global population.
Times of the Islands Winter 2025/26 19

These findings, published in a study in the Journal
of Caribbean Ornithology in October 2025 represent the
first comprehensive population estimate carried out for
Phoenicopterus ruber in the Turks & Caicos.
While American flamingos are commonly associated
with the salt salinas found in several of the archipelago’s
settlements, most flamingos the surveyors observed were
actually in natural lakes that experience little to no human
disturbance. Flamingo Pond on North Caicos was found
to be the most important dwelling site for American flamingos
in Turks & Caicos, supporting over 50% of the
country’s Phoenicopterus ruber population in surveys.
“We now have a better idea of where the flamingos are
and which habitats they use,” says Simon Busuttil, lead
author of the study and the Turks & Caicos Biosecurity
Project Manager for the Royal Society for the Protection
of Birds (RSPB), a UK-based conservation society. “[Our
findings] emphasize the need to protect these lakes from
disturbance, or perhaps to do a little more work on the
salinas to make them even more attractive to flamingos.”
Researchers also provided the first comprehensive
American flamingo data for the remote and uninhabited
island of East Caicos, counting 1,116 individuals (22%
of the local flamingo population). The highest previous
record of Phoenicopterus ruber sightings on the island
was 250.
Country-wide flamingo population data was collected
via multiple aerial surveys performed in February 2024
and May 2024. Researchers used a low-flying aircraft to
survey 49 known flamingo flock sites across the country,
covering all of the main islands and numerous small cays.
Flamingo flocks were extensively photographed from various
angles and later counted on enlarged images.
Interestingly, researchers did not find any evidence
of flamingos breeding in the Islands. This suggests that
the TCI’s American flamingo population may be breeding
in Inagua National Park in the Bahamas, approximately
81 miles (130 km) southwest of Providenciales. Inagua
is home to around 70,000 flamingos and is the largest
American flamingo colony in the Caribbean.
The new population estimate for Turks & Caicos will
act as a baseline from which future research can be done.
“[This research] is not just a matter for the Turks & Caicos
Islands,” says Busuttil. “If we understand what’s happen-
MARTA MORTON—WWW.HARBOURCLUBVILLAS.COM
The recent study to estimate the population of the American Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) in the Turks & Caicos Islands also found that
there was no evidence that breeding was taking or had recently taken place.
20 www.timespub.tc

ing with the flamingos in each country, we can understand what’s happening to the whole population globally, and
either take action to conserve them or not.”
Currently, the species’ global population appears to
be increasing, according to the IUCN Red List, which lists
Phoenicopterus ruber’s conservation status as a species
of least concern. Efforts taken in the Bahamas over the
years to conserve critical breeding habitat is likely what
has saved the American flamingo population—which
during the mid-1900s only numbered in the few thousands
globally, says Busuttil—from extinction.
The American flamingo, also known as the Caribbean
flamingo or West Indian flamingo, is found throughout
the Turks & Caicos Islands. The species is featured on the
country’s coat of arms and has inspired numerous place
names throughout the archipelago—at least five islands
in the Turks & Caicos have a wetland or pond named
after flamingos. Other research done in recent years has
shown that Turks & Caicos Islands is a globally important
habitat for several other species of bird, including reddish egrets. a
Visit Turks and Caicos Islands (VisitTCI.com) is the largest media and information website in the Turks & Caicos and
the leading source of authoritative information for residents and visitors of the country. With over 1,000 pages of
original content and 6,000 professional photographs, VisitTCI.com is the trusted brand for the more than 2 million
unique users it serves per year.
Times of the Islands Winter 2025/26 21

This aerial image captures a flamboyance of American flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber) at Flamingo Pond, North Caicos.
AGILE LEVIN—VISITTCI.COM

SHUTTERSTOCK

creature feature — land
Opposite page and above: The colorful Corn Snake is a somewhat popular pet in North America, but not suited to the TCI, as they can displace
naturally occurring species and compete for food sources. In fact, this non-native snake has been increasing in numbers in the TCI,
especially on Grand Turk
SHUTTERSTOCK
Island Alien
The Corn Snake.
By Bill Rhodes
Snakes. A lot of people simply do not like them. Unless you are my 8-year-old granddaughter. For her last
birthday she begged her parents to buy her a Corn Snake (Pantherophis guttatus). They are beautifully
colored in shades of red and orange, growing to lengths of 5 feet when mature and living more than 20
years when properly cared for. In North America they are bred in large numbers, in a variety of patterns
and colors, intended for the pet trade. It took a bit of cajoling, together with proving she knew how to
keep a baby corn snake clean, secure, and fed in an enclosure, but she prevailed and is now the proud
“parent” of a young corn snake purchased from a breeder.
While that is fine for someone living in the US (as the Corn Snake naturally occurs in the warmer southeast),
that may not be fine for someone on TCI, since they do not occur naturally here. Snakes kept as
pets can escape, and in some misguided cases are intentionally released once the owner tires of them.
Non-native species can become invasive if the environment suits them, and eventually they may displace
naturally occurring species and compete for food sources.
Times of the Islands Winter 2025/26 25

SHUTTERSTOCK
Corn snakes are not venomous and will not intentionally bite a person unless provoked with no means to escape.
The first Corn Snake identified in the Turks & Caicos
Islands was found dead in 2009 in Breezy Cay. It was
thought to be the result of either an accidental import,
as a stowaway on landscaping materials from the US,
or worse, the release of a pet snake. Beautifully marked
in red and gold, it was about three feet in length, old
enough to have reproduced — and they can lay up to 30
eggs at a time.
Since then, Corn Snakes have been increasing in
number on Grand Turk. According to a 2015 report from
the Department of Environment and Coastal Resources
(DECR), they were likely first introduced via landscaping
plants brought in from Florida.
TCI is not alone in hosting this invader. In S.
Giery’s 2013 paper, “First records of Red Cornsnakes
(Pantherophis guttatus) from Abaco Island, The Bahamas
and notes on their current distribution in the greater
Caribbean,” he wrote that non-native “Red Cornsnakes
have been found throughout the greater Caribbean
region, with records from 16 different islands and islets.”
They are not venomous and will not intentionally bite
a person unless provoked and have no ready means to
escape. They may vigorously shake their tail, mimicking
the sound of a venomous snake, as a warning when they
feel threatened. Their common name comes from the fact
that they tend to live near corn fields and grain bins, as
their primary food source is rodents, but others suggest
that it is their black and white checkered underside that
gives them the name, claiming the pattern resembles kernels
of corn.
Where they occur naturally, they are considered beneficial,
given their penchant for eating rodents. They are
a member of the rat snake family (named for obvious
reasons) and are constrictors, asphyxiating their prey
by wrapping their muscular bodies around the hapless
rat or mouse and squeezing tight enough to prevent it
from breathing. While this may sound gruesome, it is very
rapid, and their prey succumb quickly.
While they often live near grain fields, they can be
found in overgrown fields or forest openings. They hunt
during the day, preferring rodents, but aren’t all that
fussy, and will eat lizards, frogs, and toads, and even
climb trees to find and eat bird’s eggs.
Invasive species pose a threat to naturally occurring
animals and plants, which is especially true on an island.
The local flora and fauna have evolved in concert over
millennia, and the surrounding water forms a natural barrier,
preventing the incursion of new species. When a new
animal or plant is accidentally introduced into that island
environment and finds the climate suitable to support
it, it begins to reproduce and spread, often rapidly, as
there may not be any “checks and balances” limiting its
26 www.timespub.tc

growth. It may then displace naturally occurring species
by outcompeting them for resources, or worse, deplete
the natural populations of animals or plants they eat.
They may even bring disease and parasites to the island
that had not been present before, rapidly decimating
local species.
According to a 2010 paper published in the journal
IRCF Reptiles & Amphibians, “The Island Invaders:
Introduced Amphibians and Reptiles in the Turks and
Caicos Islands” by Reynolds and Niemiller, TCI has ten
native reptile species and subspecies, with eight being
endemic, meaning they are found nowhere else. But there
The longest established legal practice
in the Turks & Caicos Islands
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Turks & Caicos Islands, BWI
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E-Mail: ffdlawco@tciway.tc
PETS4HOMES
This is a baby Corn Snake sold as a pet by a UK breeding company
called Pets4Homes. It is noted that “All have been raised in a family
home and are used to being handled, surrounded by family movement,
noises, etc.”
were also seven non-native reptiles and two amphibians.
B. Naqqi Nanco, a contributor to the 2010 paper
and Assistant Director of Research and Development at
the DECR, agrees that there is potential for significant
harm caused by invasive species. Even so, regarding the
Corn Snake, he recently told me, “We have not been able
to identify or quantify impacts, particularly the most
hazardous impacts of disease and parasite transfer to
endemic species.” Consequently, there are no government
recommended eradication programs for limiting or
even removing the invasive Corn Snake from the Turks &
Caicos Islands . . . yet. a
Times of the Islands Winter 2025/26 27

creature feature — underwater
Opposite page: These flamboyant underwater “Christmas trees” are actually members of the tube worm family.
Above: The tapered “crowns” see here are radioles extending from the worms’ bodies to filter microscopic organisms from the water directly
to the worm’s digestive tract. They also serve as gills, enabling the animal to breathe.
Christmas in the Caribbean
The charismatic Christmas Tree worm.
Story & Photos By Kelly Currington
With the winter holidays in full swing already, visions of a horse-drawn sleigh trotting through a snow-covered
landscape and the smell of cinnamon and nutmeg transform my thoughts to a specific place and
time. In the Turks & Caicos, we may not have white snow, but we do have the most amazing shimmering
white-sand beaches and beautiful underwater Christmas trees to celebrate the holiday season!
How can this be true? Let’s “dive” into the Christmas Tree worm—flamboyant, colorful, and festive!
Times of the Islands Winter 2025/26 29

Christmas Tree worms are members of the tube
worm family, which are widely distributed throughout the
world’s tropical oceans, with approximately 36 species
of tube worms in the Caribbean. Of those three dozen
species, these little show-stoppers are my favorite.
Their scientific name, Spirobranchus giganteus, is a
combination of Spiro, referring to the spiral shape, and
branchus, which refers to the branches most often seen
by divers and snorkelers. Giganteus refers to their large
size in comparison to other tube dwelling worms.
These little creatures are tube-building polychaetes
(bristle worm), which are worms with segmented bodies,
and have radioles (paired fleshy paddle-like appendages
with chitinous bristles) at the anterior end, which is the
end that protrudes. The radioles are ciliated and trap
prey. The Christmas Tree worm’s radioles, or crowns, are
spiraled in a distinct tapered configuration, which gives
them the look of a Christmas tree — hence their wellknown
common name. Their robust and inconspicuous
bodies stay inside their house (tube), and their radioles
periscope out of the opening and filter microscopic
organisms and zooplankton from the water directly to
the worm’s digestive tract. The “tree” is often referred to
as the gills, because this is how the animal breathes.
Christmas Tree worms get their start in life through
what’s known as broadcast spawning and external fertilization.
This is where mature adults release eggs and
sperm into the water column, leaving them to be carried
by the currents to find a mate, which increases the
chances of successful fertilization. Once an egg is fertilized,
it develops into a free-swimming larva and will drift
in the current for anywhere from several days to weeks
before settling on a viable coral to start burrowing and
building its home. Once the hole is bored, the larva will
undergo a metamorphic change into a juvenile worm and
will start constructing a protective, calcareous wall around
the interior of the hole (tube) it bore out, equivalent to
putting up sheetrock on a framed house. Their tube can
be up to eight inches in depth, and I have a feeling their
craftsmanship is much better than any human can do!
This is a necessity because, depending on the health of
the coral, they will live in their newly constructed home
for 10 to 40 years.
If you are going to have one home for your entire life,
you need to make sure everything is exactly as you want
it, and that it’s safe and secure. Christmas Tree worms
decorate with their beautiful, colorful trees, but they
also have the ability to secure their home by retracting
their radioles, shutting the door, and blocking the opening
with their operculum (a trap door). It is the same as
you shutting the door in an unwanted visitor’s face and
another example of nature’s brilliant design . . . no trespassing
and no soliciting!
At left is a Christmas Tree worm burrow where the radioles are retracted. At right is the same “home” with the radioles fully extended.
30 www.timespub.tc

As with most creatures, even with all these safety
precautions in place, predation attempts and success do
happen. Coral reef fish, especially butterflyfish, crabs,
shrimps, and even sea urchins, prey on Christmas Tree
worms. (I guess everyone loves a Christmas dinner.)
With the continuous extending and retracting of their
radioles, damage from predation attempts, as well as
environmental conditions, the radioles can sustain damage.
However, these little magicians have the ability to
regenerate their damaged bits over time, which enables
them to live their best lives.
Every creature has an important role in the ecosystem,
and the Christmas Tree worm is no different,
fulfilling multiple roles. First off, they are indicators of a
healthy reef system. Along with being an indicator, they
also help protect their host coral. They use their operculum
to push the feet of predator creatures off the coral.
(This is really important where the crown-of-thorns starfish
is native.) The presence of these worms also helps
coral tissue recover quicker from stressful events such
as coral bleaching. Along with these important roles, by
filtering and removing small particles and plankton from
the water, they help to maintain healthy water quality.
Structurally, their tubes help the complexity of the reef
and can provide microhabitats for other small marine
organisms.
While Christmas Tree worms may not have a defined
effect on a location’s economy, they definitely have a positive
role in eco-tourism. When tourists pick a vacation
destination for water activities, they consider what beautiful
things there are to see in that destination, and these
little holiday cuties absolutely top the chart for beauty.
When you approach a reef and see the colorful landscape
of Christmas Trees, slow down and ease up to
them so you don’t create threatening vibrations. Hold
your position and just watch them. Once you understand
that they are living creatures and are functioning on the
reef, it will change the way you see them. If they happen
to retract their radioles, just be patient and wait and you
will see their tree bloom again, which is a magical event
to behold.
The Turks & Caicos may not have natural Christmas
trees on land with twinkle lights and presents underneath,
but this “Beautiful by Nature” destination has its
own Christmas wonderland beneath the stunning turquoise
water that it’s famous for. Come dive the stunning
reefs and take a stroll through the landscape of colorful
Christmas trees.
One of the things I love most about writing these
Times of the Islands Winter 2025/26 31

Creature Features is all the detail I learn about each creature.
This makes me more aware and fascinated when I
see them on dives, and I hope it instills interest in others
to slow down and take a good look at them with re-ignited
enthusiasm.
When you first encounter a creature, you only see
superficial characteristics, but once you have more
knowledge about them, it opens your senses to see and
feel more. When you can truly “see” a creature with curiosity
and understanding, the first step has been taken to
protect them and their environment.
This is why I do these Creature Features, to bring
awareness to how important it is to understand the creatures
we encounter, the importance of their role in the
ecosystem, and how they can enrich and bring joy to our
lives. I can’t wait to share the next creature with you!
From the ocean to you . . . we’re in this together. a
Christmas tree worms help protect their host coral by using their operculum to push the feet of predator creatures off the coral. They also
help maintain healthy water quality by filtering and removing small particles and plankton.
32 www.timespub.tc

green pages
Department of Environment & Coastal Resources
web www.gov.tc/decr/
Disguised by the terrain and a rare sliver of shade, a male rock iguana rests under a shrub.
SALLY C. DOWD
A Changing Palate
Threatens an Ancient Species
Investigating the Turks & Caicos Rock Iguana.
By Sally C. Dowd
As the heat thickens and the wind subsides, biologist Jimmy Wehsener carefully steps around dozens of
cacti on the southern reaches of Big Ambergris Cay, one of hundreds of remote islands scattered in the
Atlantic that together form the Turks & Caicos. The flat turquoise sea at his back offers no relief to the
dry, rocky ground crunching beneath his boots. Movement draws his eye. Disguised by the terrain and a
rare sliver of shade, a male rock iguana bobs its head up and down.
Crouching to its level, Wehsener silently guides a pole towards the wary iguana. With only the slightest
brush along rough, layered scales, he fastens the snare over the iguana’s head and lunges forward to grab
the squirming reptile. The iguana was not expecting him. This stretch of Big Ambergris Cay remains relatively
wild compared to the bungalows and villas that line the oceanfront. Wehsener is here to determine
how the divide between natural habitat and palm-lined tourist paradise is shaping the behavior — and
future — of the island’s reptilian residents.
Times of the Islands Winter 2025/26 33

green pages
With more cars and golf carts flying through the dust, iguanas are
increasingly found as roadkill on Big Ambergris Cay.
The Turks & Caicos rock iguana, Cyclura carinata,
is endemic to its namesake islands. They arrived to the
island chain thousands of years ago, likely floating in on
clumps of vegetation. Staring into their eyes cracks open
a time portal to when they were the dominant species on
the Islands, living at the edges of wetlands and foraging
for fruits on top of untouched hills. Today they can be
spotted lounging near crystal-clear resort pools, foraging
for discarded food scraps, and scuttling across dirt
roads, finding what space they can amidst the Islands’
more recent defining fauna: humans.
Once widespread and abundant across the island
chain, these endangered iguanas now occupy just 10%
of their historic range. Development projects, cars, and
introduced predators, particularly cats and dogs, are
large threats hanging over their small triangular heads.
Before the late 1990s, “there wasn’t a dock, there
wasn’t a footpath, there wasn’t a trail,” says Glenn
Gerber, a longtime researcher on the island with the San
Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. As development took ahold,
it paved a treacherous path for the island’s ancient inhabitants.
With more cars and golf carts flying through the
dust, iguanas are increasingly found as roadkill. But perhaps
more dangerous to the long-term survival of the
species than what happens on the roads is what happens
in the resort kitchens.
Turks & Caicos rock iguanas typically feast only on
fruits, flowers, and plant leaves, making them critical
seed germinators and dispersers for native plants. But,
each year, as the white sand beaches sloping toward
vibrant coral reefs draw in more people, iguanas branch
out from their typical diet. Alongside tourists soaking up
the sun and ocean breeze, the rock iguanas indulge in a
culinary vacation of their own, snacking on boiled chicken
beneath a picnic table or picking through a garbage pile.
This altered feeding behavior comes at a cost,
decreasing the overall health and reproductive success of
the iguanas. When humans drop food — intentionally or
not — more iguanas come to the area in search of scraps.
Since iguanas are territorial, increased interactions can
lead to more fights. And while fights are largely ritualistic,
they still take a toll on the iguanas, draining their
energy and leaving behind injuries.
At the same time as human contact can make them
more aggressive with one another, it can also make
individual iguanas more docile, “break[ing] down what
they would normally be, super wary of potential predators,”
Wehsener says, “mak[ing] them more vulnerable to
threats.”
Wehsener is spending five months in paradise as
part of his doctoral research in the Blumstein Lab at the
University of California, Los Angeles, trucking through
rugged scrubland and stealthily lurking around luxurious
pools to observe the iguanas. His childhood days spent
chasing lizards in the canyons of San Diego have prepared
him well for this demanding work. To compare the
behavior of rock iguanas at sites with and without human
food, he first captures, marks, and tags each iguana so
they can be identified throughout their life. Now trackable,
he collects data on social interactions, anti-predator
response, and wariness.
Over the eight days of grueling field work that I spent
with Wehsener, we marked a total of 41 adult iguanas,
each with a tag, a number etched on in Sharpie, and colored
beads tied on to match their number. Head, body,
tail, spine, and weight measurements were taken before
releasing the iguanas back into the wild to roam free.
As development and tourism continues to expand in
the Turks & Caicos, the rock iguana population doesn’t
have to face the threats alone. Wehsener and his colleagues
are hard at work studying their populations and
collaborating with local officials at the Turks & Caicos
Department of Environment and Coastal Resources to
SALLY C. DOWD
34 www.timespub.tc

green pages
Above: Crouching to its level, Biologist Jimmy Wehsener silently
guides a pole towards the wary iguana.
Right: Head, body, tail, spine, and weight measurements are taken
before releasing the iguanas back into the wild to roam free.
SALLY C. DOWD
better protect the scaly islanders. When he works with
Wehsener now, Gerber no longer wades ashore with
camping gear as he did in 1995 when he first worked on
the island.
“The country definitely puts a big priority on keeping
their native animals safe,” Wehsener says. The iguanas
are key not only to the environment but the economy,
bringing in millions of dollars in tourism revenue each
year. On Big Ambergris Cay, officials have banned cats
and dogs, implemented strict biosecurity protocols, and
replaced cars with golf carts as the main way to cruise
around the island. Signs line the dirt roads urging people
to slow down for the iguanas. “The solution [to roadkill]
is very simple, it’s slowing down”, says Gerber.
Back at a capture site, Wehsener supports the legs of
a writhing iguana, trying to avoid their sharp claws and
strong bite. White spines crest its back, spiking above
Times of the Islands Winter 2025/26 35

green pages
the brownish green-grey
skin scarred from fighting.
Gripping this lizard is taxing
— from human feeding,
according to Gerber, many
of these iguanas “have doubled
in mass.” Wehsener
gently places the iguana,
now sporting beads and
some Sharpie marks, on the
ground while curious tourists
look on – some of the
island’s newest inhabitants
watching one of its oldest,
both looking to enjoy their
own little paradise. a
JIMMY WEHSENER
Sally C. Dowd is a graduate
student at the University of
North Carolina’s Institute
of Marine Sciences studying
marine fish and
fisheries. In addition to her
research, Dowd is a freelance
storyteller, turning
to writing, photography,
and videography to communicate
environmental
challenges and impactful
science. Her work, in and out
of the water, is highlighted
at www.sallycdowd.com.
SALLY C. DOWD
From top: Over the eight days of grueling field work that the author spent with Jimmy Wehsener, they
marked a total of 41 adult iguanas—each with a tag, a number etched on in Sharpie black marker, and
colored beads tied on to match their number.
Signs line the dirt roads of Big Ambergris Cay urging people to slow down for the iguanas.
JIMMY WEHSENER
36 www.timespub.tc

green pages
Tucked into a coral crevice is a highly intelligent, but somewhat lazy Octopus insularis near South Caicos.
Octospy
Watching what octopus do all day and night
Story & Photos By C.E. O’Brien, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Tropical Marine Ecology
School for Field Studies Center for Marine Resource Studies South Caicos
How does an octopus spend its time at home? That’s what I and two researchers from Brazil teamed up
to determine in a recent study titled “Octospy; What Octopus insularis do in their dens.” Turns out, these
octopuses are pretty lazy, and not nocturnal as previously believed. They also get harassed by their fishy
neighbors quite a bit. But more on that later.
Times of the Islands Winter 2025/26 37

green pages
The species we investigated, Octopus insularis (O.
insularis for short), inhabits the tropical waters of the
western Atlantic, including Brazil, the Gulf of Mexico, and
the West Indies. It lives for about a year, dwells mostly in
shallow water and eats a variety of crustaceans (crabs,
lobster and shrimp), bivalves (clams, mussels, scallops
and oysters), gastropods (snails and limpets), and other
invertebrates. It makes a temporary home out of conch
shells, crevices in coral, or holes in the bedrock, sleeping
and eating inside to minimize the risk from its own
predators (sharks, eels, rays, large fish), spending days
to months returning to a single den before moving on to
a new one. Like other octopuses, it is highly intelligent
and capable of changing its appearance—color, texture,
shape, reflectance—from moment to moment, making it
difficult to observe in the wild.
Luckily for me, living and working at the School for
Field Studies’ Center for Marine Resource Studies (CMRS)
on South Caicos, I have easy access to these enigmatic
octopuses. In 2020, I decided to set up timelapse cameras
outside O. insularis dens. These cameras were
programmed to take a photograph every 20 seconds and
using these I was successful in documenting “a day in
the life” of six individual octopuses for two or three days
each. There were some problems with this technique
however, as short battery life meant that cameras had
to be changed 4–5 times throughout the day, and with
20 seconds between photographs, many behaviors were
missed. It was also not possible to film during the night,
leaving it an open question as to whether the species was
at all nocturnal, or only active during the day (diurnal).
Finally, remember I mentioned that they’re smart? Several
of the individuals figured out how to open the waterproof
camera housings and tear the cameras apart!
This inspired me to build a more durable, longerlasting
recording device that would be capable of filming
at night. Based on the design of Dr. Chelsea Bennice,
another octopus researcher working at Florida Atlantic
University, I constructed two “Octopus Monitoring
Devices” or “OMGs.” Each of these consisted of a 10-inch
section of PVC pipe with a removable rubber cap on one
end and an acrylic window on the other end. Inside, a battery
pack powered a GoPro camera and a red LED light for
up to 21 hours at a stretch, while dive weights and rocks
were used to keep it anchored to the seafloor. With these
OMGs, I managed to record the 24 hour activity cycle of
10 individual octopuses during 2021.
Once these photographs and videos were collected,
they needed to be analyzed. I reached out to two Brazilian
scientists who have worked extensively with this species:
Dr. Tatiana Leite, the scientist who “discovered”
and named the species in 2008, and Dr. Sylvia Lima de
Souza Medeiros, an expert in O. insularis sleep. Under
Dr. Leite’s supervision, Dr. Medeiros and I went through
all of the photographs and videos separately, and categorized
behavior according to a set list of descriptions
(away from den, alert, active, eating, and sleeping) based
on our judgment. We then compared our interpretations,
and any disagreements that could not be rectified
through careful re-analysis were classified as “unknown.”
This is the Octopus Monitoring Gadget (OMG) showing its components (at left) and deployed in the ocean (at right).
38 www.timespub.tc

green pages
This series of images caught on camera show an octopus “punching” a passing wrasse.
We then used these data to determine how much time
each behavior was performed and if there was any pattern
as to when they sleep or leave the den to hunt.
We found that O. insularis spend most of their time
(61%) sleeping or resting, and only 15% hunting, 8%
eating, 9% alert, and 6% moving around inside the den.
(Less than 1% of the time could not be categorized.) This
coincides with the findings of previous work in Bermuda,
which showed the species to be “lazy,” spending as little
time as possible outside the den where it can be attacked
by predators, only long enough to obtain sufficient prey
for itself.
Interestingly, the time that each individual slept or
left the den was highly consistent between the two or
three days it was observed, while it varied widely between
individuals. This suggests that, like people, octopuses are
highly individualized in the amount of sleep they require
and the time they need to accomplish certain tasks (hunting,
in this case).
Plotting the number of individuals sleeping or away
from the den by hour revealed a loose “schedule” of sorts
for the species, although here too there was a great deal
of variation. O. insularis tended to sleep for long periods
during the night, and take at least one “nap” during the
day. There were up to 9 bouts of sleep per day, lasting
seconds up to 14 hours. They typically left the den 2–3
times a day for seconds up to 12 hours. Octopuses left
the den more often in the morning (6–10 AM) and evening
(4–8 PM), and never at night. This shows that the species
is diurnal, not nocturnal like many other octopuses.
Some interesting moments were caught on camera.
When they are consuming prey, octopuses are often
harassed by scavenging fish, particularly wrasses, that
try to nab bits of its meal or even the octopus itself. On
These nocturnal images caught a spotted moray trying and failing to grab a mouthful of octopus.
Times of the Islands Winter 2025/26 39

green pages
Here, an octopus turns half light, half dark, in a pattern known as
“half and half,” which occurs periodically during sleep, but also when
the octopus is awake.
several occasions, octopuses lashed out and “punched”
one of their “ha-wrasse-rs,” which seemed a fairly effective
deterrent. Punching has been seen in other species
of octopus, which are often followed by an “entourage” of
several fishes as they hunt for prey.
On two occasions, both at night, octopuses were
attacked by hungry spotted moray eels. But these eels
seem to have really bad aim, since on both occasions
their strikes missed the octopus and left the eel with a
mouthful of rock instead. These octopuses were lucky,
though: many octopuses of this species and others living
in the Turks & Caicos can be seen missing parts of their
arms or with arms growing back due to attacks by these
morays.
Another interesting phenomenon our camera documented
was rapid color changes and movements during
sleep. After dozens of minutes sitting quietly with pupils
narrowed and breathing slowed, octopuses would twitch,
change colors, and open their pupils wide for several
seconds before narrowing them again. One particularly
striking color change consisted of turning light on one
side and dark on the other for several seconds, and then
reversing the pattern.
These phenomena were first documented in this
species by Dr. Medeiros during laboratory trials. The
photos and videos taken in this study demonstrate
that these behaviors aren’t restricted to, or somehow
caused by, captivity. And if it sounds to you like the octopuses
are dreaming, you’re not alone in your thinking.
Unfortunately, there is currently no way to scientifically
evaluate the inner experience of an octopus to definitively
determine if it is having a “dream,” so whether that
is what is actually what is going on will stay a mystery for
now.
While the remote cameras utilized in this study are
among the least invasive ways to observe wildlife, the
octopuses were definitely aware of them. Almost every
octopus touched the camera or OMG with the suckers
on their arms at some point during the observation periods.
Octopus suckers are amazingly versatile: not only
can they feel the way our hands do, but they can taste as
well, in addition to being able to grasp objects with great
force. Octopuses use their suckers to grope around on
the sea floor in search of prey, so they were likely trying
This compilation of photographs shows octopuses touching the cameras or OMGs.
40 www.timespub.tc

green pages
Protecting, Preserving, and
Restoring the Coral Reefs of the TCI
This Octopus is holding a shell as a shield against harm!
to figure out if these strange objects were food or some
type of threat.
Our study is the first to document the 24 hour activity
cycle of this species in its natural habitat. Our findings
give ecological insight into this important species, such
as the fact that is diurnal, not nocturnal, which will help
scientists better plan future observations and experiments.
Our study also shows that remote cameras are
a great way to study marine animals. With them, a great
deal of information can be collected with minimal stress
to the animal. Our work is published open access (free to
everyone) in the journal Marine Ecology [https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/maec.12763].
a
Come visit our Coral Growing Facility
and get your TCRF merchandise!
Located at South Bank Marina.
We are open 1-5pm
Monday - Friday
Rashguards, Stickers, BCD tags and more!
All proceeds go to our environmental
projects in TCI.
Times of the Islands Winter 2025/26 41

feature
Opposite page: Native and near-endemic Mimosa bahamensis is both beautiful and functional. As a nitrogen-fixing species, Mimosa enriches
soil, and its practically impenetrable thorny branches can be incorporated along boundaries as an added security measure.
Above: This photo shows the author’s rewilded driveway—trafficked areas can be kept to a minimum and still provide functionality.
Rewilding
Returning to wildness, one backyard at a time.
Story & Photos By Kathleen McNary, BSc., ALM, PhD
“It is not the Land that is broken but our relationship to it”
Robin Kimmerer, 2013
Times of the Islands Winter 2025/26 43

Habitat and biodiversity losses ravage the planet. In
fact, a group of researchers and the Nature Conservancy
(Freedman, 2019) now estimate that as much as 95% of
Earth’s land area has been impacted by human activities.
For example, the Brazilian rainforest is being lost at rates
not seen since the colonial era (Anonymous, 2022), and
leading scientists worry that the Amazon rainforest ecosystem
may soon collapse (Lovejoy & Nobre, 2018). In
recent decades worldwide, 178 million hectares of forest
have been cut down, burned, or otherwise compromised
to satisfy the needs (and often unnecessary wants) of
western human societies (FAO & UNEP, 2020). Fifty percent
of the ocean’s fish have been trawled, netted, or
otherwise lost from the seas (WWF & ZSL, 2015), and
three billion birds have disappeared from North American
skies (Rosenberg et al., 2019). Since the year 1500 C.E.
(current era), approximately 13% of Earth’s species have
disappeared forever into the deep time of extinction
(Cowie et al., 2022). Earth’s web of diversity, crafted by
divine intelligence over billions of years, now unravels
with an extinction rate at least 1,000 times higher than
preindustrial human levels (Balasubramanian, 2019).
Recognizing how dire the global environmental crisis
is, the United Nations General Assembly declared
the decade spanning from 2021-2030 as The Decade on
Ecosystem Restoration, seeking “to promote the recovery
of degraded, damaged, and destroyed ecosystems and to
regain ecological functionality and provide the goods and
services that people value” (MARN, 2018).
However, the UN has made numerous environmental
declarations, conventions, and international agreements
in the past, but each of these efforts eventually fails to
achieve their stated goals. Perhaps this is because the
ecological conservation and restoration methods the UN
espouse employ the same recommendations and methods
that have failed in the past. By valuing Earth only as a
resource to serve humankind, the UN and other agencies
reinforce the underlying attitude that has caused global
ecocide in the first place. Namely, failing to recognize the
intrinsic values of living beings that have their own right
to exist.
An unnatural history
Those of us who live in the Turks & Caicos Islands (TCI)
now recognize that these unfortunate trends no longer
just plague the developed western world, and the
Above: Clearcutting land destroys all ecological value, is often unnecessary, and can be costly in terms of re-planting.
Opposite page: Lantana involucrata is a TCI near-endemic floral species that has deep cultural ties for medicinal use and serves as an important
species for native pollinators.
44 www.timespub.tc

unspoiled, beautiful-by-nature ecosystems that first
attracted visitors to these islands decades ago now succumb
to bulldozers, pulverizing TCI’s remaining wild
places into smithereens almost every single day.
When I first moved to TCI 35 years ago, I fell in love
with this place. Awestruck by diverse assemblages of
ancient hardwoods, dripping with orchids and epiphytes;
birds and lizards, many of whom exist nowhere else on
Earth; and windswept shorelines disappearing into a
horizon devoid of any signs of human impact, I lost and
found myself within TCI’s seamlessly crafted ecological
magic.
The TCI Government at the time had implemented
some of the most progressive environmental legislation in
the region, including a vast national parks system (TCIG,
1997) and a physical development plan that proposed
improved infrastructure for Providenciales’s settlements,
plans for appropriate-scale development within existing
subdivisions, and broad protection of undeveloped lands
into the foreseeable future (TCIG, 1987).
However, soon after tourism development interests
began flocking to the country, TCI succumbed to
the western economic imperative of infinite growth—an
impossible eventuality for an island nation where land
and resources are precariously finite. For the past 35
years, I have applied my skillset in environmental science
in an effort to contribute to the sustainable development
of these islands to little avail. The development model
forced upon the TCI people and their environment suffers
from an imposed colonial heritage, based on the fallacy
that flourishing comes from a material wealth that is
more important than the ancient breath of the universe
that radiates forth in this rare refuge.
Eschewing the master’s tools
Civil rights activist Audre Lorde (2003) famously postulated
that the master’s tools can never be used to
dismantle the master’s house. The same is true for
ecological conservation and restoration. A system of
environmental protection, devised by those who would
simultaneously exploit the natural world for profit, is
doomed to fail. I propose that we need new ways of thinking
about restoration science, including fostering a new
vision of what restored ecosystems should look like and
how we should go about restoring them.
In sharp contrast to the UN’s declaration that casts
the natural world as “goods and services,” the ecological
restoration approach known as “rewilding” relies on
a belief that the natural environment (which includes
humans) is sensate and that almost four billion years of
ecological evolutionary intelligence uniquely qualifies the
world to self-will toward ecological wellness (Foreman,
2021; Gammon, 2018). By partnering with environmental
systems rather than trying to control them, rewilding can
serve to heal and resolve many of the ecological challenges
of our time.
Rewilding was first conceived in the United States in
the 1990s (Soulé & Noss, 1998) and originally referred to
returning apex predators into degraded landscapes, such
as the reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone National
Park (Monbiot, 2017). Such rewilding strategies work in
large-scale wilderness areas; however, in places such as
TCI, habitat and biodiversity losses do not occur on large
levels and instead arise from piecemeal land clearance
resulting from inadequate planning, illegal land use, and
sprawl. Furthermore, the realities of the need for economic
development, a burgeoning global population
of more than eight billion humans, and global climate
change trouble ambitions to create ecological utopias.
Such realities can be overwhelming, and as private citizens
there is little that can be done to resolve them.
However, backyard rewilding empowers us as individuals
to help heal the Earth by restoring land one small patch
at a time.
New tools and individual action
Ecology is the study of relationships, yet conventional
scientific practices demand that researchers remain
detached and objective. I believe this rupture between
humans and their environment is at the heart of many of
Earth’s ecological woes. As Robin Kimmerer says, it is our
relationship with the environment that requires healing,
and only then will the world be able to heal.
The first step to healing our relationship with the
world is to embrace the idea that humans are not exceptional
and that the land where we live is also home to
myriad other beings who also have a right to exist. By
adopting this humble attitude and inviting all land’s residents
to participate in the rewilding process, we create
the relationships that are needed for cooperative stewardship.
Rewilding differs from traditional restoration methods
because it allows land to actively participate in its
own recovery. Seeds will sprout and plants will grow in
places ideally suited for their own flourishing, thereby
reducing the need for extensive maintenance and care
over the long-term. With rewilding, the most important
thing humans can do in helping their land to heal is to
46 www.timespub.tc

Native Bourreria succulenta provides nectar for
Hummingbirds and berries for Mockingbirds and other
birds in the Thrush family.

be patient, watch, do nothing, and allow the land to
direct the process. This approach challenges all modern
approaches to landscaping design and development in
general, which is exactly the point.
Simple steps to rewilding
The beauty of rewilding one’s backyard is that anyone can
do it. No expertise or scientific knowledge is necessary,
just a willingness to be humble, watch, and learn. Here
are some basic simple steps to get the process going:
1. Avoid destroying what already exists.
Limit land clearance to the minimum necessary. By leaving
as much land as possible intact, the rewilding process
can begin with resident plant and animal partners who
will speed up and facilitate the process.
2. Encourage wildlife, especially birds.
If land has already been clear-cut, begin to reintroduce
some structural plant species to kickstart the process.
Birds are important seed carriers, so create a welcoming
environment for them by providing fresh water and planting
their favorite native food trees and shrubs, such as
Gumbo Limbo (Bursera simaruba), Sea Grape (Coccoloba
uvivera), Bahama Strong Back (Bourreria succulenta), and
many others. The non-profit organization Birds Caribbean
(www.birdscaribbean.org) provides planting recommendations
and other ways to attract and protect birds in
our region. One study found that birds and bats were
responsible for 94% of the floral species introduced to a
land area formerly grazed by cattle (de la Peña-Domene
et al., 2014).
3. To begin with, don’t do anything.
Rewilding begins with allowing the land to direct the
process, so the most critical part of the process—and perhaps
the most difficult—is to do nothing. The land knows
how to restore itself, and we must learn how to understand
its teachings. What kinds of plants are growing?
Where are they growing? The clues land provides should
inform later decisions and actions. If necessary, plants
can be removed from trafficked areas, such as driveways
and footpaths, and these plants can be potted for later
re-use as cost-free landscaping.
4. Resist the temptation to kill anything.
Rewilding challenges comfort zones, and getting used to
sharing space with wasps, “weeds,” lizards, snakes, and
other creatures that are often considered “vermin” (by
From top: Birds, such as this Yellow Warbler, are critical partners in
rewilding, as they can introduce as many as 94% of all floral species
to a site.
Non-native species are not all bad but must be watched to ensure they
do not become invasive. The Yellow Elder Tecoma stans can provide
beauty to a landscape and nectar for Hummingbirds and other pollinators
but tends to overgrow in some areas.
48 www.timespub.tc

some domesticated humans) takes time and a change of
mindset. Ultimately, a backyard ecosystem requires all
these participants, so leave them alone and learn from
them.
5. What about non-native species?
Non-native species are now part of TCI’s natural history,
and they are here to stay. It’s important to understand
that not all non-native species are bad. Some provide
important habitat for birds and pollinators, while others
can serve to provide food for humans and other
beings.
As with all aspects of rewilding, if you discover
non-native species growing, watch and wait to see how
they behave. If land has been entirely clear-cut, non-native
species might be the only plants to grow in the
beginning, but these can still be a beneficial part of the
process. For example, when I first started rewilding, the
land I was working with was dominated by more than 50%
non-native species. By resisting that urge to kill those
plants, I noticed that birds depended on the fruit provided
by some of them and that others were serving as
nitrogen-fixers, improving the soil conditions for other
plants to move in. By removing these plants, I would have
reduced the land’s capacity to rewild. Furthermore, clearing
non-native species may be futile because it creates
precisely the conditions that attract them—vacant land.
Of course, it may become necessary to remove non-native
species if they become invasive, but removal should only
take place when other plants are available to take their
place.
6. Last but not least, take action.
After plants begin to naturalize, it could be time for
human assistance. The principles of the sustainable
agricultural practice known as “permaculture” lend
themselves ideally to rewilding. Permaculture focuses
on creating and enhancing ecological alliances between
plants and wildlife by creating symbiotic guilds of floral
species that include wildlife and pollinator-friendly species,
nitrogen-fixing species, such as those in the legume
(bean and pea) family, structural species (e.g. trees), and
Times of the Islands Winter 2025/26 49

plants that create biomass for mulch and soil enrichment.
Keeping guilds in mind when adding plants will allow the
land to continuously improve in health and biodiversity
toward ecological healing.
When making any decisions on rewilding, I find Aldo
Leopold’s (1949) land ethic provides the best guidance.
He said, “A thing is right when it tends to preserve the
integrity, stability, and beauty of the biotic community.
It is wrong when it tends otherwise.” This sentiment
embodies the spirit of rewilding.
Trying to convince some humans to give up their
manicured lawns and exotic landscaping in exchange for
bugs and snakes would likely be futile. For the rest of
us, the possibilities for rewilding are as infinite as the
diversity of life, and every rewilded space heals a little
piece of the world’s ecosphere. While not perfect, that
might just be good enough to sustain this messy muddle
of existence on Planet Earth. a
Kathleen McNary (BSc. ALM, PhD) is a dual US/TCI citizen
and has worked within environment-related fields
for more than 35 years, specializing in transdisciplinary
and transformative approaches to environmental conservation.
She has designed, coordinated, and implemented
more than 80 environmental impact assessments and
independent research projects and is also the author
of several publications including The Flowers of the
Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands (2003) and “A
Year of Rewilding: A co-operative scholarly interspecies
narrative to deconstruct orthodox conservation science
toward a truly restorative ecology” (PhD Dissertation,
2025). Her current research focuses on transforming traditional
conservation science through fostering reciprocal
relationships between people and their environments.
References
Anonymous. (2022, July 11, 2022). Amazon Sees Record
High Deforestation in First Half of 2022. Retrieved 3rd
October from https://e360.yale.edu/digest/amazon-record-deforestation-2022
Balasubramanian, A. (2019). Branches of Ecology.
Unpublished.
Cowie, R. H., Bouchet, P., & Fontaine, B. (2022). The Sixth
Mass Extinction: fact, fiction or speculation? Biological
Reviews, 97(2), 640–663. https://doi.org/https://doi.
org/10.1111/brv.12816
de la Peña-Domene, M., Martinez-Garza, C., Palmas-Perez,
S., Rivas-Alonso, E., & Howe, H. F. (2014). Roles of birds
Every rewilded space heals a little piece of the world’s ecosphere. Here, the author’s rewilded backyard 10 years after the construction of her
house, is no exception.
50 www.timespub.tc

and bats in early tropical-forest restoration. PLOS one,
9(8), e104656.
FAO, & UNEP. (2020). The State of the World’s Forests
2020. Forests, biodiversity and people. https://doi.
org/10.4060/ca8642en
Foreman, D. (2021). The Wildlands Project and the
Rewilding of North America. Denver Law Review, 76(2),
535–553.
Freedman, A. (2019). Just 5% of Earth’s landscape
is untouched. Axios. https://www.axios.
com/2019/01/11/earth-surface-human-activity-landscape-1547164584
Gammon, A. R. (2018). The Many Meanings of
Rewilding: An Introduction and the Case for a Broad
Conceptualisation. Environmental Values, 27, 331–350.
Leopold, A. (1949). A Sand County Almanac: With essays
on conservation from Round River. Oxford University
Press.
Lorde, A. (2003). The master’s tools will never dismantle
the master’s house. Feminist postcolonial theory: A
reader, 25, 27.
Lovejoy, T. E., & Nobre, C. (2018). Amazon Tipping Point.
Science Advances, 4(2), eaat2340. https://doi.org/
doi:10.1126/sciadv.aat2340
MARN. (2018). UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration
2021 - 2030: Initative proposed by El Salvador with
the support of countries from the Central American
Integration System (SICA) - Concept Note. https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/26027/
Ecosystem_decade_Salvador_Initiative.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
McNary Wood, K. (2003). The Flowers of the Bahamas and
Turks and Caicos Islands. Macmillan Caribbean.
Monbiot, G. (2017). Feral: Rewilding the land, the sea,
and human life. The University of Chicago Press.
Rosenberg, K. V., Dokter, A. M., Blancher, P. J., Sauer, J.
R., Smith, A. C., Smith, P. A., Stanton, J. C., Panjabi, A.,
Helft, L., & Parr, M. (2019). Decline of the North American
avifauna. Science.
Soulé, M., & Noss, R. (1998). Rewilding and biodiversity:
complementary goals for continental conservation. Wild
Earth, 8, 18–28.
Providenciales Physical Development Plan, (1987).
National Parks Ordinance of the Turks and Caicos Islands
and Subsidiary Legislation, 41 (1997).
WWF, & ZSL. (2015). Living Blue Planet Report: Species,
habitats and human well-being. http://assets.wwf.org.
uk/downloads/living_blue_planet_report_2015.pdf
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feature
Sea La Vie (opposite page) and Sea Breeze (formerly Amazing Grace) above are two of the many distinctive villa projects designed by SWA
Architects that helped shape the look and feel of the world-famous Grace Bay corridor.
PURVEYORS OF PARADISE
(by appointment)
For three decades, the name SWA Architects has quietly threaded its way through the story of the Turks
& Caicos Islands. Ask anyone involved in building, planning, or development on Providenciales and odds
are, the initials “SWA” will draw a nod of recognition—not because the firm has ever shouted the loudest,
but because its work is everywhere, shaping the island with a steady, thoughtful hand.
Times of the Islands Winter 2025/26 53

Their story begins in 1995, when after falling in love
with these islands and choosing to make them home,
British architect Simon Wood took the bold step of founding
his own practice, Simon Wood Associates Ltd. Grace
Bay in those days still had wide-open stretches of pristine
natural beachfront property with very little built.
Development was beginning to stir, but the vocabulary
of “modern Provo” had yet to be written. Simon and his
team became an integral part of writing it.
Projects came quickly. Ports of Call in 1996 brought
Grace Bay its first real commercial center. By 1999, Point
Grace—still one of the island’s most charming boutique
hotels—set a new tone for luxury in the Turks & Caicos:
elegant, timeless, human in scale. Over the years, the
list grew with names many residents know by heart: Villa
Renaissance, The Regent Grand and Regent Village, West
Bay Club, Gansevoort (now Wymara), and a long string of
villas and hospitality projects that helped shape the look
and feel of the world-famous Grace Bay corridor.
Yet for all their high-profile work, SWA’s influence
reaches just as meaningfully into community spaces.
Their hands are on The Bight Children’s Park and the
Graceway master plan (home to the Turks & Caicos Islands
Football Association [TCIFA] National Academy, to which
they have always provided design services, support, and
sponsorship) and on many of the everyday commercial
places—law offices, banks, retail and professional centers—that
form the backbone of island life. These are the
sorts of projects that rarely make the glossy magazines
but matter just as much to the people who live here.
Three principals steer the company: Simon Hutchings
and Rory Stevens, equally talented and highly experienced
architects, joined Simon Wood early in the firm’s
life and together they have built the now internationally
renowned practice we have all come to know. Between the
three of them, there is a remarkable continuity of vision.
They speak often about their four founding principles:
Integrity, Imagination, Appropriateness, and Attention
to Detail. It might sound like a slogan, but anyone who
has worked with the SWA team knows these ideas genuinely
guide their process. They believe architecture
should fit its setting—not dominate it. They believe luxury
doesn’t need to be loud. And they believe that good
design is as much about restraint as it is about expression.
1996
2009
2007
At right: SWA Architects’ work is “everywhere” throughout
Providenciales. These early projects include (from top): Ports of Call
(Grace Bay’s first commercial center); the stylish Gansevoort (now
Wymara); The Regent Grand; and the iconic Provo Golf Club (now
Royal Turks & Caicos Golf Club) Clubhouse.
1995
54 www.timespub.tc

2020
Three principals steer SWA Architects: Simon Wood, Simon Hutchings,
and Rory Stevens, all sharing a similar philosophy.
2021
2019
2023
From top: Besides a number of private villas such as Beach Enclave
and La Mer Villas, SWA Architects designed various smaller hospitality
projects including the simply elegant Meridian Club hotel suites on
Pine Cay and the Marine Room restaurant in The Bight.
That philosophy has become increasingly important
as the Turks & Caicos Islands have entered a new era
of development. The last decade has seen extraordinary
growth, accompanied by rising pressures on land, view
corridors, infrastructure, and natural resources. SWA’s
work during this period—projects like Beach Enclave,
Long Bay Beach Club, La Mer Villas, The Point (currently
under construction), and the forthcoming Bight Hotel
and Kempinski Grace Bay—demonstrates how large-scale
development can still be achieved with sensitivity. This
involves designing buildings oriented for breezes, sites
shaped around natural topography, materials chosen for
climate and context, and an overall approach that tries to
preserve what makes these islands feel like the Turks &
Caicos.
Working in parallel with SWA Architects, SWA
Environmental (an independently operated business)
has also become a trusted name in the Turks & Caicos,
thanks in large part to the steady leadership of its principal
and founder, Dr. Kathleen McNary, whose 35-year
dedication to protecting these islands’ natural heritage
continues to guide the firm’s work. With an impressive
CV that includes being a Dean’s List Harvard Extension
School graduate in Environmental Management, a PhD in
Transformative Studies, and serving as a former Director
of Environment for the TCI Government, Dr. McNary
brings both expertise and heart to every project. Under
her management, SWA Environmental has set the standard
for environmental research and impact assessment,
having conceived, designed, implemented, and completed
more than 85 environmental research projects in
the Turks & Caicos Islands and wider West Indian region.
Times of the Islands Winter 2025/26 55

2026
2026
From top: The SWA team’s most recent projects (shown as renderings) include
The Point (a major expansion to Point Grace Resort) and Kempinski Grace Bay,
a low density resort/residences project on the eastern end of Grace Bay Beach.
As an environmental systems analyst,
Kathleen explains her experience “encompassing
a broad and transdisciplinary range of
biological, physical, and human sociocultural
and economic environmental research.” She
passionately describes the guiding principle for
SWA Environmental being based on “an underlying
conviction that ecology and social science
are integrated and inseparable, and we are,
therefore dedicated to advancing the causes of
social justice across human and more-than-human
worlds for more equitable and sustainable
futures.”
Spend time with the SWA team and it’s
clear that this commitment to sustainable,
appropriate design is not an industry trend for
them; it’s a long-standing ethos.They’ve been
championing “low-impact,” “locally sensitive,”
“climate-responsive” design since long before
those terms entered the planning vocabulary.
And yet, if you speak with founder Simon
Wood today, you’ll sense a growing concern
56 www.timespub.tc

beneath his usual calm enthusiasm. The Islands are
changing—fast. Planning policies have shifted in recent
years, doubling allowable building heights and densities
in several key areas. For Simon, this isn’t merely a professional
frustration, it’s a deeply personal worry about the
future of the Islands he calls home.
“Bigger is not better,” he says with a candor that
comes from decades of watching the TCI evolve. “We
must aim for quality rather than quantity. Less really is
more.” He explains that without careful limits, the country
risks losing the very character that drew so many here in
the first place. Taller buildings change the skyline; higher
densities strain roads, utilities, and beaches; unchecked
development chips away at natural landscapes and social
fabric alike. It’s not an anti-development perspective—it’s
a call for balance.
But at the same time, Simon is not pessimistic. “It’s not
too late,” he insists. “We can turn the dial down. We can
choose a more sustainable path. Lower densities, thoughtful
planning, controlled growth; these choices are still
available to us. And if we make them, the Islands will be
better for it. Not just for visitors, but for all who live here.”
Listening to him, you get the sense that SWA’s story is
still very much unfolding. The firm’s past is woven through
the history of modern Providenciales, but its future—and
the future of the Turks & Caicos Islands—may well depend
on the values it has championed from the start. Integrity,
Imagination, Appropriateness and Attention to Detail.
Simple ideas that, if embraced widely, could help
ensure the Turks & Caicos remain not just prosperous,
but truly special—for generations to come. a
For more information or to make an appointment visit
www.swa.tc. See ad on inside back cover.
Times of the Islands Winter 2025/26 57

astrolabe
newsletter of the Turks & Caicos National Museum
Front Street, PO Box 188, Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos Islands, BWI TKCA 1ZZ
tel 649 247 2160/US incoming 786 220 1159 • email info@tcmuseum.org • web www.tcmuseum.org
Found at West Caicos are the remains of the 3-speed Burrell Road
Locomotive. It was capable of hauling 15 tons of agave leaves to the
fibre extraction station at Yankee Town. The Pita Limited company
purchased it in late 1904.
MARGARET JONES
Lost Fortunes and Fraud
The story of the West Caicos Fibre (Sisal) Company Ltd.
By Jeff Dodge
A species of the agave fibre plant was introduced to the Caicos Islands in the mid 1800s. At first it was
hoped fibre production would replace the cultivation of cotton, which ended around 1813 due to pests,
diseases, and worn out soil. The cultivation of the sisal fibre plant was also looked upon as an adjunct
to salt production, which was dependent on the weather—one day’s rain during the raking season could
reduce the salt crop by 1/4. The agave fibre plant was not affected by rain or drought.
There are hundreds of species of agave plants and all have fibrous leaves to some degree. However,
their quality and usefulness differ. Species such as Agave sisalana (sisal) were specifically cultivated for
their high quality fibres which were used for producing rope, twine, paper, etc. It was the Agave sisalana
that was generally grown on the Caicos Islands.
58 www.timespub.tc

To promote the cultivation of the “sisal plant” on the
Caicos Islands, Commissioner Henry Jackson wrote in his
1889 annual report that “the cultivation of the sisal plant
(Agave sisalana) was not dependent on the weather as
was salt raking.”
In 1890, two companies were forming and acquiring
land for the production of sisal fibre—the East Caicos
Company, Ltd. and the West Caicos Fibre Company, Ltd.
(Note: The word “sisal” does not appear in the name of
either company.) Both companies were registered under
the Companies Ordinance in 1891. The East Caicos
Company, Ltd. will be the subject of a future article.
Creation of the West Caicos Fibre Company
On September 26, 1890, Daniel and B.C. Frith (Frith Bros.
& Company) leased 3,768 acres of Crown Land on West
Caicos from the government for seven years at a cost of
£150 per year. The agreement stipulated that the land
could be purchased fee simple for £300, plus the rents
already paid, once 2,000 acres were planted with fibre
plants or at the end of seven years. (Note: Back in the
day, Frith Bros. & Co. were major producers of salt on
Grand Turk, operated retail businesses on Grand Turk,
and mined guano on Middle Caicos).
The West Caicos Fibre Company, Ltd. was officially
established on May 23, 1891 when the Memorandum of
Association and the Company’s bylaws were signed by its
shareholders. Shareholder names are listed in the minutes
of the first shareholders meeting which was held on May 25, 1891.
According to the 1891 shareholder meeting, George E. Frith of Frith Bros. & Co. was the manager of the West
Caicos Fibre Co. The nine shareholders included four Frith brothers, four members of the Harriott family, and Donald
S. L. Lee, a New York merchant. There may have been other investors in the newly formed company who were not
shareholders.
On June 6, 1891, B.C. and Daniel Frith assigned the
3,768 acre lease they acquired from the government in
1890 to the newly formed West Caicos Fibre Company,
Ltd. The Fibre Company agreed to take over the lease and
pay all monies due and payable. According to the lease
agreement, the Fibre Company would own the 3,768
acres of Crown Land outright no later than 1897 upon
payment of £300—seven years after the lease agreement
was signed.
Agave sislana was the primary species cultivated on the Caicos Islands
in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. According to Commissioner
H. Jackson, “sisal plants were unhurt by storms, rain or drought.”
MARTIN PEPPER
Development of Yankee Town
Yankee Town was built on the west side of West Caicos
Island by the West Caicos Fibre Company, Ltd. circa 1891
to support the company’s fibre production operations.
Yankee Town consisted of buildings to house staff, two
fibre extracting stations, and barracks for laborers. Staff
The first shareholders meeting was held on May 25, 1891. Shareholder
names are listed in the minutes.
Times of the Islands Winter 2025/26 59

astrolabe newsletter of the Turks & Caicos National Museum
included a manager, an engineer, two overseers, and
about 70 workers—mostly from Blue Hills (Providenciales).
The West Caicos Fibre Company opened a store at
Yankee Town in the early 1890s. To insure their workers
bought their necessities at this store, they were paid
with tokens—good nowhere else (the truck system). The
“W.C.S.CO.” stamped on the reverse side of each token
stood for the “West Caicos Sisal Company,” as the fibre
company was sometimes called.
The West Caicos Fibre Company brass tokens were issued in half
penny, one penny, three pence, and six pence (shown above) denominations.
One and two shilling tokens were made of Copper-Nickel.
Financial woes begin early
On December 31, 1895, the Assistant Commissioner,
Cockburn Harbour, wrote the following to Edward J.
Cameron, the Commissioner of the Turks Islands: “Of
the sisal industry, I cannot say much. At West Caicos,
it would seem, if output be the criterion, much is not
being done.” Apparently, by 1894, the West Caicos Fibre
Company needed more operating capital, because it
entered into an agreement with Clifford L. Middleton and
shareholder Donald S. L. Lee (both doing business as
Middleton and Company, a New York trading company)
for a line of credit of as much as $20,000. The loan was
secured by the assets of the West Caicos Fibre Company,
including 3,768 acres of land and all appurtenances and
fixtures belonging to the company. All borrowed money
from Middleton and Co. was to be repaid plus interest by
December 31, 1897.
The shareholder meeting on April 2, 1896 listed
Clifford L. Middleton of Brooklyn, NY as a new shareholder
of the company and noted that Alice Harriott,
Edmund Harriott, Daniel Harriott, and Howard Harriott
ceased to be shareholders.
Rescue?
According to the government’s 1898 Colonial Report,
operations at the West Caicos Fibre Company, Ltd. shut
down in late 1896 or early 1897. Albert Stubbs rescued
the company on December 13, 1897 by purchasing it
for £12,000 (about $50,000). This transaction occurred
just 18 days before the debt to Middleton & Co. was due
to be repaid. Alfred Stubbs was the owner of Haulover
Plantation on Middle Caicos and the Victoria Salt Works
at Cockburn Harbour, South Caicos.
Things didn’t go well for Alfred Stubbs on West
Caicos and in 1901 he authorized Forbes, his London
attorney, to sell the company’s assets including the 3,768
acres on West Caicos and the “cultivation equipment.”
On July 11, 1901, Herbert Spicer, a paper manufacturer
in Surrey, England, bought the West Caicos Fibre
Company from Alfred Stubbs for £12,000, becoming manager
of the company and its third owner. Unfortunately,
Herbert Spicer had a questionable track record as a business
owner. He appeared in bankruptcy court in August
1894 with liabilities of over £54,000.
This newspaper notice details Herbert Spicer’s London bankruptcy
hearing in August 1894.
In November 1898 it was reported that Herbert Spicer,
trading as Herbert Spicer and Co., Catteshall Mills, paper
manufacturer and merchant, had unsecured liabilities of
£22,942. Less than a year later, a company calling itself
Surrey Paper Mills, Ltd. acquired the Catteshall Mills from
Spicer’s creditors. One might ask then, how did Herbert
Spicer finance his purchase of the West Caicos fibre business
from Alfred Stubbs in 1901?
Spicer entered into various financial obligations to
purchase the fibre business from Stubbs. For example,
he secured funds by promissory notes payable to Robert
G. Lee, a London-based agent or attorney with close ties
to Middleton & Company. Spicer also borrowed money
from two of his financially successful brothers, Henry and
Edward. These obligations were subject to Spicer’s right
60 www.timespub.tc

astrolabe newsletter of the Turks & Caicos National Museum
This aerial image shows the remains of Yankee Town, a late 19th-century abandoned and ruined settlement on the central west coast of West
Caicos. Established by the West Caicos Fibre Company Ltd. in 1891, this site was the base of operations for sisal planting.
AGILE LEVIN—VISITTCI.COM
to create, or to have created, a prior first mortgage on the
West Caicos Fibre Company’s assets for additional funds.
The first mortgage was held by Anthony Gibbs & Sons—a
London investment and trading company—for funds they
loaned Spicer.
Operations stop on West Caicos
The West Caicos Fibre Company, Ltd. ceased operations
just two years later. Spicer claimed this was due to the
withdrawal of financial assistance and the failure of the
firm to meet its financial obligations. In 1904, Spicer
appeared in Bankruptcy Court again. During the hearing,
he said he went to West Caicos in May 1901 for the purpose
of “prospecting the Island of West Caicos.” Spicer,
unable to repay his debts, lost the assets of the West
Caicos Fibre Co. to Anthony Gibbs & Sons—the holder of
the first mortgage on the fibre company.
Co. investment. She blamed “the fraud ‘practised’ on Mr.
Stubbs in London while negotiating the sale of the West
Caicos Fibre Co. to Mr. Spicer.” Emilie’s brother, Lewis St.
George Stubbs (law student at Manitoba University) wrote
Emilie on December 28, 1904 saying, “I am afraid he (our
father) has been swindled out of West Caicos, and is left
with a heavy debt to Middleton & Co. on his shoulders.
Fraud claims
According Emilie Jane Stubbs, Alfred Stubbs’ daughter,
her father lost about $50,000 from his West Caicos Fibre
A Daily Telegraph newspaper article reported that during Herbert
Spicer’s 1904 bankruptcy hearing, Spicer said he paid £12,200
(he actually paid £12,000) for the assets of the West Caicos Fibre
Company Ltd. in 1901.
Times of the Islands Winter 2025/26 61

astrolabe newsletter of the Turks & Caicos National Museum
That arch fiend R. G. Lee is mainly responsible. He is the
chief villain in the plot. He and Forbes, the lawyer who
acted for father, were in collusion with Spicer and his lawyer.”
(Note: Robert G. Lee had considerable connections
to Middleton & Co. His brother was Donald S. L. Lee and
his wife was Helen Middleton.)
In 1905, Lewis wrote his father regarding the fraud
carried out against him. Lewis explained that the mortgage
he (Alfred) received from Spicer in lieu of cash
payment for the West Caicos Fibre Co. was written so that
he did not have the first right to reclaim the fibre company
if Spicer defaulted on his debt—Alfred was a junior
lienholder (2nd Mortgagee).
The only avenue open to Alfred Stubbs to recover
the money Spicer owed him was to go after him in
court—a futile undertaking since Spicer was broke. At
the time of Alfred’s death in 1913, he owed Middleton
& Co., $34,331.35—the unpaid debt remaining from his
purchase of the West Caicos Fibre Co. His debt was eventually
paid by his estate.
Changing hands again
Anthony Gibbs & Sons sold the West Caicos Fibre
Company to Mr. Giles Carr Randall Harvey for £5,600 on
October 15, 1904. Harvey was a British stock exchange
clerk at the time. Why he bought the company is a mystery
because he sold it a month later to Pita (a synonym
for sisal) Limited for a loss. One possibility is that Harvey
acted on behalf of a group of investors who a month later
formed the Pita Limited company.
Pita Limited paid Giles Carr Randall Harvey £5,000
for the fibre business on West Caicos on November 9,
1904. Seven days later, they ordered a Burrell Steam Road
Locomotive from the Charles Burrell and Co. in Thetford,
England. They intended to use it to haul Agave fibre
leaves from the fields on West Caicos to the extraction
stations at Yankee Town.
In 1907, Pita Limited leased 600 acres of Crown Land
on the eastern side of West Caicos from the government,
increasing their holdings on the island to 4,368 acres.
Two years later, Pita Ltd. paid the government for an
option to lease Crown Land at Blue Hills (Providenciales)
and North Caicos.
This is part of the Colonial Fibre Planting and Trading Company’s
prospectus seeking investors in their venture on West Caicos.
Pita Limited Sells Their West Caicos Holdings
Pita Limited sold their holdings on West Caicos and their
options to lease land at Blue Hills and North Caicos to the
Colonial Fibre Planting and Trading Company, Ltd. for
£65,000 on November 1, 1909.
The Colonial Fibre Planting & Trading Co. Ltd. prospectus
listed the following assets of the Company:
simple;
(1) 3,768 acres of land on West Caicos held in fee
(2) A lease for an additional 600 acres of Crown Land
on West Caicos;
(3) An option to lease government land on Blue Hills
and North Caicos.
The prospectus also stated that “out of the 4,368
acres (on West Caicos), 1,600 were planted with
1,088,000 mature (fibre) plants.” The prospectus went
on to say that the Colonial Fibre Planting & Trading Co.
expected the West Caicos fibre business to yield about
3,500 bales of fibre in 1910 for a total profit of about
£8,750 after expenses.
This is a portion of the order form for the Burrell Road Locomotive.
Note that Pita Limited was the buyer and it was marked “shipped to
West India.”
Money woes begin early
Just four months after purchasing the fibre business
from Pita Limited, the Colonial Fibre Planting & Trading
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astrolabe newsletter of the Turks & Caicos National Museum
Company (hereafter called “the Company”) signed an
Indenture (agreement) to borrow £30,000 from the
Viscount of Galway, George Monckton-Arundell of Bawtry,
Yorkshire and businessman Robert Whitehead of Millers
Dale, Derbyshire. The Company raised these funds by
issuing First Mortgage Debentures totaling £30,000 carrying
interest at 6 percent per annum. The first mortgage
was against all appurtenances and fixtures as well as land
leased or owned belonging to the Company.
According to the Government’s Colonial Report of
1910, the Colonial Fibre Planting & Trading Company
exercised the option they acquired from Pita Limited to
lease government land on Blue Hills and North Caicos.
One might assume that the Company intended to use the
£30,000 they borrowed to begin fibre production on this
newly acquired land, but its actual purpose or need is
unknown.
Chaos on West Caicos finally ends
The Colonial Fibre Planting and Trading Company, Ltd.
became the final company to succumb to incompetence
and financial troubles when it was officially dissolved
in 1916. However, according to the 1912 Government
Report, “no work at all was carried on during the year
(1912) at West Caicos, the Colonial Fibre Planting and
Trading Company being in liquidation.” (Author’s underline.)
Let’s not forget the Viscount of Galway and Robert
Whitehead, the two gentlemen who loaned £30,000 to the
Company in 1910. What transpired after the Company
went into liquidation? Did they acquire ownership of the
Company’s assets as per their First Mortgage agreement?
We may never know.
The Turks and Caicos Islands Report for 1921 included a summary of
the West Caicos fibre industry fiasco.
The author thanks Linda Abend of Bermuda for her
work locating and copying original Turks & Caicos documents
held in the Bermuda Archives. This article could
not have been written without her help. Thanks also to
John Adams, former Bermuda Government Archivist, and
Charles Hopkins, both of the United Kingdom, for providing
copies of Turks & Caicos Colonial reports from the
National Archives UK; and Deborah Dodge for valuable
editorial suggestions.
A final summary
Commissioner George W. Smith in his Turks and Caicos
Islands Report for 1921, best summarized the complete
fiasco that occured under the guise of a fibre industry on
West Caicos Island in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
[Note: Commissioner Smith included the failure of
the Belle Isle Salt Manufacturing Company, a salt production
undertaking on West Caicos in 1859/1860, when he
wrote “during the past 60 years.”] a
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astrolabe newsletter of the Turks & Caicos National Museum
ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO
A stark reporting of the facts of a shipwreck doesn’t adequately portray the fear and desperation felt by the sailors involved as does this oil
painting by French painter After Eugene Isabey.
Run Aground
Shipwrecks of the Turks & Caicos Islands–The Turks Islands (1822 – 1825)
64 www.timespub.tc
By James Jenney, Director of Research, The Bahamas Lost Ship Project
During the first quarter of the 19th century there were 106 vessels that were totally lost in the waters
around Turks Island. After that, the number of wrecks actually begins to diminish. Perhaps due to the
increasing number of alternative sites to obtain salt or perhaps due to improvements in the aids to navigation
or a combination of those, the loss numbers show improvement; but the size of the vessels and
the intensity of the incidents did not.

astrolabe newsletter of the Turks & Caicos National Museum
March 19, 1822 — MERRIMACK
The American brig Merrimack, Capt. Andrew W. Miltimore,
was southbound from her homeport of Newburyport,
MA headed to Port-au-Prince, Haiti when she was lost.
According to a report weeks after the disaster, “Schooner
Prospect, Perkins [arrived] 10 days from Turks Island.
Passengers . . . J. Cook and one other of the crew of brig
Merrimack, Miltimore, of and from Newburyport for Portau-Prince,
which was wrecked in the NW reef of the island.
Vessel totally lost – part of the cargo and crew saved.”
No further details regarding the wreck have been found.
October 17, 1822 — WASHINGTON
The brig Washington was nine years old when she was
lost in a disaster off Turks Island. Measuring 81 feet in
length and displacing 172 tons, the merchant vessel was
southbound for Haiti under the command of her owner,
Captain Benjamin Berry, Jr. The New York Shipping
& Commercial List reported the following, “The brig
Washington, Berry, of Machias, from New York for Portau-Prince,
with provisions, was wrecked on the south side
of the island [Grand Turk] on the night of the 17th of
October, in a severe gale — vessel and most of the cargo
totally lost — captain and crew saved.”
December 1, 1822 — HARRIET NEWALL
In the Ship News/Port of Nassau for December 18 it was
reported that, “The brig Harriet Newall, of Montego Bay,
Jamaica, Thomas Caulfield master, on a voyage from St.
John, New Brunswick to the above port, was wrecked on
the 1st inst. at the N.E. Reef, of Turks Island. Cargo saved
in a damaged state and carried to Turks Island.” The
brig was built and launched in New Brunswick, Canada
in 1817 and displaced 191 tons. Although the Nassau
newspaper does not mention the outcome of the disaster
for the captain and crew, it was reported in Lloyd’s List
of February 11, 1823, that they were saved along with
part of the cargo. There is no report of any subsequent
salvage above what was already mentioned.
December 2, 1822 — UNIDENTIFIED
It is not unusual for a master to bring news of disaster
from a port that he has recently visited. Sometimes
the information is complete; at other times the details
are lacking as in the following report, “Georgetown,
December 7 — Arrived schooner Betsey, Briggs, 7 days
from Turks Island, with sugar and spice. One brig and a
schooner, both Americans, were lost on Turks Island —
their crews were saved.” It is clear that the losses took
place on or before December 2. The brig was, undoubtedly,
the Harriet Newall already noted. The identity of the
schooner, however, along with the details of her loss, is
unknown and at this point must only be considered an
Unidentified wreck.
February 1, 1823 — KITTY & SUSAN
The schooner Kitty & Susan set out on a voyage to
Kingston, Jamaica from Baltimore, MD but was destined
to end the trip far short of her destination. According
to an account in a Charleston newspaper of March 14,
“NORFOLK, March 7 — Arrived British brig Beaver with as
passenger, Captain John Casson, of the schooner Kitty
& Susan, of Oxford (east shore of Maryland) whose vessel
was stranded at Turks Island on the 1st February.”
Although the captain leaving the ship was normally an
indicator of her loss, one source implies that the vessel,
with a severe leak, may have made it to the landing there
and sold her cargo at a good price.
August 11, 1823 — RICHARD
Although some sources called this vessel the Richard
Harvey (a common mistake caused by leaving out the
comma between the name of the vessel and the captain’s
name) it was actually the Richard. The Baltimore
news filed the following report about a month after the
disaster, “SHIPWRECKS — The schooner Richard, Harvey,
of Darien, from New York for Jamaica, was cast away
on the night of the 11th ult. on the N.E. end of Turks
Island. Nearly all the cargo was saved. The captain and
crew arrived at this port [Baltimore] yesterday in the ship
Concordia.” There was no other news regarding the completion
of the salvage effort or whether or not the vessel
was stripped of her materials.
August 15, 1823 — LAUREL
The news article that announced the loss of the schooner
Richard also had a short paragraph relating to this wreck.
It reported, “The schooner Laurel, of and from Boston, for
Musquito Shore, was cast away near the same place [the
site of the wrecked schooner Richard] on the night of the
15th ult. Most of her cargo was saved. One of the crew
has come home in the Concordia.” As in the case of the
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astrolabe newsletter of the Turks & Caicos National Museum
earlier wreck, there were no specifics about any further
salvage efforts made to retrieve the ship’s material or the
hull itself of the Laurel. At least one newspaper source
reported the name of the later wreck to be Laura, but it
is believed that the name used in this report is correct.
March 2, 1824 — FRANKLIN
The brig Franklin was southbound from Boston, headed
for Haiti when she found herself in trouble just south of
Turks Island. The reported location of her loss suggests
that she was traveling through the Turks Island Passage
at the time but that is not confirmed. The most detailed
account of her loss reads as follows, “Brig Franklin, I.
Seabury, of Duxbury, which sailed from this port [Boston]
February 9 for Port-au-Prince, struck upon a ledge of
rocks about March 2, four miles south of Grand Turk,
knocked a hole through her bottom, and capsized. The
crew took to their longboat, (saving only a small quantity
of biscuit and water, and what clothes they stood in) and
after hours of bailing and fatigue, reached a rock, from
where they made signals, and boats came and took them.
The captain writes from Turks Island, March 4, that the
vessel and cargo were entirely lost; but in a P.S. adds
that some of the property had been saved. The Franklin
carried a cargo of codfish, flour, cheese, pork, pepper,
soap and several cases of silk umbrellas— value upwards
of $7000.” No further reports of salvage on the vessel
have been found.
December 25, 1824 — PANOPEA
Captain Thomas Boyle departed from Richmond, VA on
his final voyage on December 5, 1824. After passing
through Hampton Roads, he turned his bow southward.
He had a planned stop at Charleston, whether to pick
up additional cargo or leave some there is not clear but
setting sail once more he headed his brig, the Panopea,
to her final destination, Kingston, Jamaica.
It is unclear whether he was travelling through the
Turks Island Passage to the west of that island, or through
the Mouchoir Carré Passage off the eastern shore. He was
sailing at night, not the wisest decision for those waters,
and ended up ashore on the North Reef at Grand Turk
Island. Just weeks after setting sail the following report
was posted in a newspaper in his home port of Baltimore,
“Captain Boyle and crew, late of the brig Panopea, of
Baltimore, from Richmond bound to Kingston, Jamaica,
came passengers [in the brig Brutus], The P. sailed from
Hampton Roads 5th ult. and was cast away on the North
Reef of the Grand Turk Island — upwards of 1100 barrels
of flour were saved — vessel lost.” According to knowledgeable
sources, a sailing vessel of 205 tons could carry
about 4,666 barrels of flour, each weighing about 100
pounds. This would suggest a salvage success of about
25% of the cargo. There was no report of salvage of any
of the vessel’s materials or the hull itself.
December 30, 1824 — JEROME MAXIMILLIAN
In the early years of the Alexandria Phoenix Gazette
the newspaper was printed three times every week. In
the January 25 edition, the following report was filed
under the heading of SHIPWRECK, “Captain Boyle of
the brig Panopea, of Baltimore, who came passenger
in the brig Brutus, has politely handed us the following
Consular Notice, respecting the wreck of the ship
Jerome Maximilian, Capt. Marre, on her voyage from New
York to Port-au-Prince, which he received from Thomas
Wynes, Esq. American Consul at Turk’s Island, just before
he sailed, with a request that he would give it publicity
immediately on reaching the United States.”
“On or about the 30th of December last a vessel
drifted on shore near Sand Key, the southernmost of
these islands, which has been discovered to have been
the ship Jerome Maximilian, Capt. Marre, from New York
bound to Port-au-Prince, having left the former port about
the 2nd December, as appears by bills of lading and other
papers found on board. Considerable property has been
saved out of her, which coming under the denomination
of ‘derelict,’ will be dealt with according to law. Shippers
in the United States, and others concerned, are, therefore,
hereby advised accordingly. Thomas Wyans, U.S.
Agent. January 5, 1824.” Although other accounts of this
disaster have been found, none of them gives any hint as
to the fate of the crew or the vessel beyond the salvaging
of part of her cargo.
July 27, 1825 — RACHEL
The story of the loss of the brig Rachel was reported in
several, sometimes confusing reports, after the hurricane
of late July struck the Turks & Caicos Islands. With that
in mind, the report from a newspaper at their home port
seems a good place to start the story. That report reads
as follows, “Brig Rachel, Capt. Moody, last from Portland,
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astrolabe newsletter of the Turks & Caicos National Museum
disappeared from the Hawk’s Nest harbor on the evening
of the 27th ult. Part of a chain and the chain anchor
belonging to said brig have been found and are in my
possession; the other anchor and a small bit of the hemp
cable, I am told, is to be found. Reports from Salt Key
state that six of the men and the pilot have been picked
up dead.”
Additional information comes from the Royal Gazette
of Nassau, in the Bahamas. That article, printed on August
24th states, “ . . . that the brig Rachel, of Portland, arrived
at Turks Island on the day previous to the late gale and
in consequence of the severity of the weather put into
the Hawk’s Nest but soon after dragged her anchors,
beat over the reef, filled with water, and the crew took to
their boats; afterwards, [the crew] touched at Mayaguana,
where they found an American schooner onshore, which
was from Charleston bound to a port in the West Indies.
The master and crew of the Rachel went off in the schooner
from Jeremie [Haiti].” At first it appears that these
are conflicting reports, but a close reading of the Nassau
account says that “the crew took to their boats” which
suggests that the crew were split into two groups, one
group making their way to Mayaguana Island and the
other lost to the ravages of storm and sea.
September 7, 1825 — ABIGAIL
When Thomas Holmes, master of the schooner Abigail,
left Saint John, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia in early
August of 1825 he could never have imagined what lay in
store for him and his crew on their voyage to Jamaica. As
they made their way southward, they fought heavy seas
and tempestuous winds from one day to the next as an
unforeseen hurricane was making its way northward from
warm tropical waters and along the eastern seaboard of
the United States. The captain chose to pass through the
Turks Island Passage, between the Turks and the Caicos
Islands, and ran into the full force of the storm in a channel
that was far too narrow for quick maneuverings.
A report published in one of the New York papers
after the loss read as follows, “Passengers in the P. [brig
Peruvian] included Capt. Thomas Holmes and two of the
crew of the British schooner Abigail, of St. John, N.B.
wrecked September 7 on the Northeast Reef of Turks
Island. She was 37 days from St. John for Jamaica with a
cargo of fish and lumber — crew and part of the cargo
saved — vessel totally lost.” No other information rela-
tive to salvage of either the vessel or its cargo has been
found.
November 13, 1825 — DINGLEY
There were several news articles about the loss of the
brig that ran aground at Turks Island on the night of
November 13, 1825. Each differed a bit in the details, but
all shared a common error — they spelled the name of
the brig to be Dingleys when, in fact, there was no “s” in
her name; the vessel’s name was simply Dingley, appropriately
but not unique in being named after its original
owner, Nathaniel Dingley.
The 106-ton brig was northbound from St. Thomas, in
the Virgin Islands, and it is most likely that her final destination
was a port in the United States. The news reported
in Boston, “The brig Dingleys, Gray, of Bath, from St.
Thomas was wrecked on the reefs off Turks Island, Nov.
13, and totally lost — crew saved. The sails, spars, &c.
were also saved and sold.” Another report clarified that
she was lost at night and yet another report specified that
her final resting place was “on the north side of Turks
Island.” The fact that she was lost on the northeast reef
off Grand Turk strongly suggests that she was attempting
to pass through the Mouchoir Careé Passage, off the east
side of the island. The narrowest width of the passage is
about sixteen miles but when navigating at night there
might not be sufficient maneuvering space for the sailing
vessel, possibly the cause of her loss. a
James Jenney is the director of research for the Bahamas
Lost Ships Project, which is working in collaboration with
the Bahamas Maritime Museum and Carl Allen of Allen
Explorations. For more information, visit https://www.
bahamasmaritimemuseum.com.
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astrolabe newsletter of the Turks & Caicos National Museum
Museum Matters
Grand Turk Children’s Club
Mosaic class
A vibrant mosaic created by the imaginative hands of
our youngest artists now graces the Museum wall. The
mosaic depicts an underwater scene with all of the sealife
creatures created by the Museum Children’s Club.
This joyful artwork celebrates the spirit of Turk & Caicos
through playful colors and heartfelt designs, transforming
the wall into a lasting tribute to youthful expression
and our beautiful by nature ocean that surrounds us.
Special thanks to Lisa Wandres and the volunteers who
assisted with the Children’s Club and the mosaic. a
Painting Salt’s tail — a splash of inspiration
During a special museum painting class, children dove
into the story of Salt, a beloved humpback whale known
for her distinctive tail and decades of ocean journeys.
Guided by local artist Aysha, the children’s imagination,
and marine science, each child painted their own version
of Salt’s iconic fluke—celebrating her legacy as one
of the most famously tracked whales in the Atlantic. The
activity blended art and education, connecting young
artists to the wonders of the sea and the importance of
conservation. The Children’s Club is sponsored by sales
of the Where Is Simon, Sandy? and Satchi and Little Star
books written by Donna Seim. a
Community care in action
The Museum was proud to once again host a free
TCSPCA veterinary clinic, bringing compassionate care
to the island’s beloved pets and their families. This
partnership reflects the museum’s deep commitment
to community well-being—not just through preserving
history, but by supporting the lives and stories unfolding
today. a
Irish music night
The Museum recently hosted a spirited Irish Music
Night, drawing locals and visitors together for an
evening of toe-tapping tunes, laughter, and cultural
connection. Set against the charming backdrop of the
museum’s courtyard, the event featured live performances
of traditional Irish folk music and lively jigs. A
group of Irish musicians visit Grand Turk each year and
always include an evening at the museum as a fundraiser.
Proceeds from the event directly support the
museum’s educational programs, exhibit development,
and community outreach initiatives. a
Providenciales fund-raising
We are in process of a large fund-raising initiative for
a new building on Providenciales. The goal is to build
a social institution and venue that is not only a history
and cultural museum but a place for celebrating, educating,
and engaging visitors. a
Current days & hours of operation:
Grand Turk (Front Street): Hours vary daily, but in general
open on all cruise ship days 9 AM to 1 PM. When
a ship arrives on or after 9 AM, we will open one hour
after arrival for four hours.
Providenciales (The Village at Grace Bay): Open
Tuesday and Thursday, 10 AM to 2 PM.
Story & Photos By Museum Director Lisa Talbot
The end result of the Children’s Club mosaic workshop is a beautiful creation that now graces the Museum wall.
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about the Islands
Map provided courtesy Wavey Line Publishing. Their navigation charts and decorative and historic maps of the Turks & Caicos Islands, The
Bahamas and Hispaniola are available in shops throughout the Islands. Visit www.amnautical.com.
Where we are
The Turks & Caicos Islands lie some 575 miles southeast
of Miami — approximately 1 1/2 hours flying time —
with The Bahamas about 30 miles to the northwest and
the Dominican Republic some 100 miles to the southeast.
The country consists of two island groups separated
by the 22-mile wide Columbus Passage. To the west are
the Caicos Islands: West Caicos, Providenciales, North
Caicos, Middle Caicos, East Caicos and South Caicos. To
the east are the Turks Islands: Grand Turk and Salt Cay.
The Turks & Caicos total 166 square miles of land
area on eight islands and 40 small cays. The country’s
population is approximately 47,000.
Getting here
There are international airports on Grand Turk,
Providenciales, and South Caicos, with domestic airports
on all of the islands except East Caicos. At this time, all of
the major international carriers arrive and depart from the
Howard Hamilton International Airport in Providenciales,
with a twice-weekly flight from Miami to the Norman B.
Saunders Sr. International Airport in South Caicos.
Language
English.
Time zone
Eastern Standard Time (EST)/Daylight Savings Time
observed.
Times of the Islands Winter 2025/26 69

Currency
The United States dollar. The Treasury also issues a Turks
& Caicos crown and quarter. Credit cards are widely
accepted on Providenciales and international credit cards
such as Visa, Mastercard, and American Express can be
used to make most purchases, as can Cirrus and Plus
bank cards. It’s a good idea to exchange foreign currency
before arriving in the Islands.
Climate
The average year-round temperature is 83ºF (28ºC). The
hottest months are September and October, when the
temperature can reach 90 to 95ºF (33 to 35ºC). However,
the consistent easterly trade winds somewhat temper the
heat and keep life comfortable, in spite of high humidity.
Casual resort and leisure wear is accepted attire for
daytime; light sweaters or jackets may be necessary on
some breezy evenings. It’s wise to wear protective clothing
and a sunhat and use waterproof sunscreen when out
in the tropical sun.
Entry requirements
Passport. A valid onward or return ticket is also required.
Customs formalities
Visitors may bring in duty free for their own use one carton
of cigarettes or cigars, one bottle of liquor or wine,
and some perfume and gift items. The importation of all
firearms including those charged with compressed air
without prior approval in writing from the Commissioner
of Police is strictly forbidden. Spear guns, Hawaiian
slings, ammunition, controlled drugs and pornography
are also illegal.
Returning residents may bring in $1,000 worth
of merchandise per person duty free. A duty of 35% is
charged on most imported goods along with a 5% customs
processing fee and forms a major source of government
revenue.
Transportation
A valid driver’s license from home is suitable when renting
vehicles. A government tax of 12% is levied on all
rental contracts. (Insurance is extra.) Driving is on the
left-hand side of the road, with traffic flow controlled by
round-abouts at major junctions. Taxis and “jitneys” are
abundant throughout the Islands and many resorts offer
shuttle service between popular visitor areas. Scooter and
electric bicycle rentals are also available.
Telecommunications
FLOW Ltd. provides land lines, mobile and fiber Internet
service, and digital TV. Most resorts and some stores and
restaurants offer wireless Internet connections. Digicel
provides a range of cellular telephone services, digital
TV, mobile home broadband, fiber internet, and other
consulting services. Both offer GSM coverage, but you
may need to activate international roaming before you
arrive. You can buy a local prepaid SIM if you’re primarily
interested in data access and local calls.
Electricity
FortisTCI supplies electricity at a frequency of 60HZ,
and either single phase or three phase at one of three
standard voltages for residential or commercial service.
FortisTCI continues to invest in a robust and resilient grid
to ensure the highest level of reliability to customers. The
company is integrating renewable energy into its grid and
provides options for customers to participate in two solar
energy programs.
Departure tax
US $35. It is typically included in your airline ticket cost.
Courier service
Delivery service is provided by FedEx, with offices on
Providenciales and Grand Turk, and DHL. UPS service is
limited to incoming delivery.
Postal service
The Post Office and Philatelic Bureau in Providenciales are
located downtown on Airport Road. In Grand Turk, the
Post Office and Philatelic Bureau are on Church Folly. The
Islands are known for their colorful stamp issues.
Media
Multi-channel satellite television is received from the
U.S. and Canada and transmitted via cable or Internet.
There are a number of local radio stations, magazines
and newspapers.
Medical services
There are no endemic tropical diseases in TCI. There are
large, modern hospitals on Grand Turk and Providenciales.
Both hospitals offer a full range of services including:
24/7 emergency room, operating theaters, diagnostic
imaging, maternity suites, dialysis suites, blood bank,
physiotherapy, and dentistry.
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In addition, several general practitioners operate in
the country, and there is a recompression chamber, along
with a number of private pharmacies.
Immigration
A resident’s permit is required to live in the Islands. A
work permit and business license are also required to
work and/or establish a business. These are generally
granted to those offering skills, experience, and qualifications
not widely available on the Islands. Priority is given
to enterprises that will provide employment and training
for Turks & Caicos Islanders.
Government/Legal system
TCI is a British Crown colony. There is a Queen-appointed
governor, HE Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam. She presides
over an executive council formed by the elected local government.
Hon. Charles Washington Misick is the country’s
premier, leading a majority Progressive National Party
(PNP) House of Assembly.
The legal system is based on English Common Law
and administered by a resident Chief Justice, Chief
Magistrate, and Deputy Magistrates. Judges of the Court
of Appeal visit the Islands twice a year and there is a final
Right of Appeal to Her Majesty’s Privy Council in London.
Taxes
There are currently no direct taxes on either income
or capital for individuals or companies. There are no
exchange controls. Indirect taxation comprises customs
duties and fees, stamp duty, taxes on accommodations,
restaurants, vehicle rentals, other services, and gasoline,
as well as business license fees and departure taxes.
Economy
Historically, TCI’s economy relied on the export of salt.
Currently, tourism, the offshore finance industry, and
fishing generate the most private sector income. The
Islands’ main exports are lobster and conch. Practically
all consumer goods and foodstuffs are imported.
The Turks & Caicos Islands are recognised as an
important offshore financial centre, offering services
such as company formation, offshore insurance, banking,
trusts, limited partnerships, and limited life companies.
The Financial Services Commission regulates the industry
and spearheads the development of offshore legislation.
People
Citizens of the Turks & Caicos Islands are termed
Times of the Islands Winter 2024/25 71

“Belongers” and are primarily descendants of African
slaves who were brought to the Islands to work in the
salt ponds and cotton plantations. The country’s large
expatriate population includes Canadians, Americans,
Brits, and Europeans, along with Haitians, Jamaicans,
Dominicans, Bahamians, Indians, and Filipinos.
Churches
Churches are the center of community life and there
are many faiths represented in the Islands including:
Adventist, Anglican, Assemblies of God, Baha’i, Baptist,
Catholic, Church of God, Episcopal, Islam, Jehovah’s
Witnesses, Methodist, and Pentecostal. Visitors are always
welcome.
Pets
Incoming pets must have an import permit, veterinary
health certificate, vaccination certificate, microchip, and
lab test results submitted at port of entry to obtain clearance
from the TCI Department of Agriculture.
Potcake Place is a non-profit dog rescue charity based
in Saltmills Plaza on Providenciales. They adopt out 100%
of all rescues to approved, screened homes throughout
the Turks & Caicos Islands and North America.
National symbols
The National Bird is the Brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis).
The National Plant is Island heather (Limonium
bahamense) found nowhere else in the world. The
National Tree is the Caribbean pine (Pinus caribaea var.
bahamensis). The National Costume consists of white cotton
dresses tied at the waist for women and simple shirts
and loose pants for men, with straw hats. Colors representing
the various islands are displayed on the sleeves,
sashes, and hat bands. The National Song is “This Land
of Ours” by the late Rev. E.C. Howell. Peas and Hominy
(Grits) with Dry Conch is revered as symbolic island fare.
Going green
TCI Waste Disposal Services currently offers recycling services
through weekly collection of recyclable aluminum,
glass, and plastic. Single-use plastic bags are banned
country-wide. There is also a ban on importation of plastic
straws and some polystyrene products, including cups
and plates.
Recreation
Sporting activities are centered around the water. Visitors
can choose from deep-sea, reef or bonefishing, sailing,
glass-bottom boat and semi-sub excursions, windsurfing,
waterskiing, parasailing, sea kayaking, snorkelling, scuba
diving, snuba, kiteboarding, stand up paddleboarding,
mermaid encounters, and beachcombing. Pristine reefs,
abundant marine life, and excellent visibility make TCI
a world-class diving destination. Whale and dolphin
encounters are possible, especially during the winter/
spring months.
Tennis and golf—there is an 18 hole championship
course on Providenciales—are also popular.
The Islands are an ecotourist’s paradise. Visitors can
enjoy unspoilt wilderness and native flora and fauna in
33 national parks, nature reserves, sanctuaries and areas
of historical interest. The National Trust provides trail
guides to several hiking trails, as well as guided tours of
72 www.timespub.tc

major historical sites. Birdwatching is superb, and there
is a guided trail on Grand Turk.
There is an excellent national museum on Grand
Turk, with an auxillary branch on Providenciales that
includes the Caicos Heritage House. A scheduled ferry,
flights to North Caicos, a causeway between North and
Middle Caicos, and a selection of tour operators make it
easy to take day trips to the outer islands.
Other land-based activities include bicycling, horseback
riding, and football (soccer). Personal trainers are
available to motivate you, working out of several fitness
centres. You will also find a variety of spa and body treatment
services.
Nightlife includes local bands playing island music at
bars and restaurants and some nightclubs. There are two
casinos on Providenciales, along with electronic gaming
parlours. Stargazing is extraordinary!
Shoppers will find paintings, T-shirts, sports and
beachwear, and locally made handicrafts, including straw
work, conch crafts, and beach jewellery. Duty free outlets
sell liquor, jewellery, watches, perfume, leather goods,
crystal, china, cameras, electronics, brand-name clothing
and accessories, along with Cuban cigars. a
SEE
THE
DIFFERENCE
OPHTHALMOLOGY CLINIC
Ophthalmologist Dr. Sebastian Guzman is now available
for consultation in the Turks & Caicos Islands.
Dr. Guzman and his team are a group of doctors
representing three generations of ophthalmologists.
They specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of eye
diseases and those linked to the throat, nose, and
ears. At MD OJOS, we have our own equipment,
with all the advantages of a private clinic. We offer
a fast, complete, and comprehensive response to our
patients. We are trained in the application of the
latest technological advances for the correction of
different visual dysfunctions.
NOW OPEN IN REGENT VILLAGE
CALL 809 880 2020
WWW.OJOS.COM.DO
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Times of the Islands Winter 2025/26 73

classified ads
SCOOTER BOBS_Layout 1 8/8/18 10:57 AM Page
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