The Department of Environment & Coastal Resources (DECR) would like to remind all current, and prospective, National Park Users that a National Park License is required to undertake any commercial activity within a protected area. 

The DECR would also like to take this opportunity to remind hotel and resort establishments that under Section 4(1)(a) of the National Parks Ordinance (Ordinance 11 of 1975, as amended), an area which is designated as a national park shall be open to members of the public for recreational use, including camping, fishing (within designated fishing zones) and sailing.

 The DECR would like to urge all commercial users to ensure that their licenses are up-to-date, to avoid any penalties related to operating a business in a national park without a valid National Park License.     

Please contact the department for clarifications pertaining to the above matters at Tel. 338-4170 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Ministry of Tourism, Environment, Heritage, Maritime and Gaming as part of its compliance with International Maritime Organization (IMO) III code, are required to review and address several gaps which have been identified by the United Kingdom Maritime and Coastguard Agency UK (MCA) Gap Analysis report.

To ensure compliance with its regulatory obligation have been tasked with the implementation of two key elements coming from the report; the development of a Maritime Policy and Five-Year Maritime Sector Strategy Plan.

The Ministry has made significant progress through the recruitment of a maritime consultant, in Mr. Brent Williamson. Mr. Williamson is currently on island to commence preliminary work, to date he has concluded several stakeholder meetings and critical review of key documents.

Mr. Williamson is a maritime professional with over 25 years’ experience in the maritime industry. His professional experience includes vessel operations, port management, accident investigation, legal review and drafting, arrest of ships, port state control, environmental protection, maritime training, domestic and international ship registration and international law of the sea. His professional career has involved working along with the Nassau Port Department, the Bahamas Maritime Authority, the United States Coast Guard, the International Maritime Organization, the Regional Activity Centre for Marine Pollution and Training and the International Ocean Institute. Mr. Williamson has drafted numerous contingency plans, policies and regulations concerning the maritime industry and represented The Bahamas at numerous international maritime conferences.

Minister Higgs commented, “I am pleased to have Mr. Williamson professional expertise in this area, as we prepare for the 2020 International Maritime Organization audit.  I look forward to the outcome of this consultancy and the impact it is planned to have on our Maritime Sector”

Some of the key functions of the Maritime Department is to implement maritime laws, comply with the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea 1974 (SOLAS), maintain the shipping registry where the Turks and Caicos Islands are listed as a category 2 under the Red Ensign Group for compliance with the III Code. In addition, the Turks and Caicos Islands also has the responsibility for Port State Control (PSC) and Flag State Control (FSC) for the inspection of foreign vessels in port as well as vessels registered in the jurisdiction.

Whilst on island, Mr. Williamson had the opportunity to meet with Honorable Premier Sharlene Cartwright Robinson, Minister of Tourism Honorable Ralph Higgs, Permanent Secretary Tourism, Cherylann Jones, Deputy Permanent Secretary Tourism, Stuart Taylor, Director Actg. Maritime, Henry Wilson photo above.

The Turks & Caicos National Trust exist to safeguard the cultural, historical and natural heritage of the Turks and Caicos Islands. This mission is accomplished through the design and implementation of projects and programmes, involvement of the public and support of partners.

Two very critical 3-year running projects, in which the National Trust partners with government agencies, private sector and international conservation agencies are the ‘Securing Pockets of Paradise in the Caribbean; embedding capacity for Invasive Alien Species Management in UKOT based organisations,’ funded by the EU-Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in Territories (BEST) project, and ‘Saving the Iguana Islands of Turks and Caicos project,’- funded by the UK Government Darwin Plus Initiative.

The aims are similar in both projects, that is; working towards eradication and control of invasive alien species through public awareness, capacity strengthening in local organization partners and conservation management.

Most recent project activities occurred during mid-October through to November 2018, focusing on biosecurity trials. Activities were conducted on Big Ambergris Cay and Little Water Cay, with oversight by team specialists. The team recognizes and appreciates the support of Waterloo Investments Holdings Ltd., the company that owns Big Ambergris Cay, habitat of the critically endangered, endemic rock iguana Cyclura carinata and the endemic rainbow boa Chilabothrus chrysogatser.

Little Water Cay staff participated in the biosecurity trials which involved constructing wooden bait stations for rodents. These stations have been placed on location to determine whether rodents prefer wooden bait stations over plastic stations, and ground-based stations over raised stations. Species activities will be monitored very closely and information fed into the biosecurity plan.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is the lead agency in both projects and a long standing partner to the TC National Trust. The National Trust was also very pleased to assist in coordinating high-level meetings with key partners and with the Minister for Tourism, Environment, Heritage, Maritime and Gaming during this reporting period.

It was indeed gratifying working alongside RSPB representatives on yet another exhilarating phase of the project, and in particular to welcome Mr. Charlie Butt, Caribbean Territories Programme Manager to Turks and Caicos on his first visit. It was more of a reconnaissance mission for Mr. Butt, as he had recently taken up the position at RSPB.

The Trust looks forward to continued support from the Ministry for Tourism, Environment, Heritage, Maritime and Gaming throughout the duration of the projects and beyond in safeguarding national treasures, and will strive to forge lasting relationships with international, regional and local agencies to showcase the significance of the Trust’s work in global conservation.

The Ministry of Tourism recently signed an MOU between the Gaming Inspectorate and the Financial Intelligence Agency of the Turks and Caicos Islands. The MOU was established to encourage the exchange of information related to money laundering, associated predicate offences (which include corruption, bribery and extortion) and terrorist financing offences.

The MOU was signed by Minister Ralph Higgs and Director of Financial Intelligence Agency Mr.  Dwayne Baker. Present at the signing and instrumental in its development were, Mr. Stuart Taylor, Deputy Permanent Secretary Tourism, Mrs. Shayone Gardiner and Mr. Desmond Ewing, Actg. Director Gaming.

Commenting on the exchange Minister Higgs stated, “This MOU is a significant step forward in our quest to the detection and combating of financial crimes, and terrorism activities within our country. This alliance is certainly one which serves to strengthen our capabilities with regulatory oversight through the exchange of information”

The Financial Intelligence Agency (FIA) serves as the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) for the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) and is one of more than 150 FIUs making up the Egmont Group. The FIA is responsible for the receipt, storage, analysis and dissemination of information related to Anti Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism and connected crimes in observance of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) international standards on combating money laundering and the financing of terrorism and proliferation.