The Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) government has solidified its bilateral relations with Jamaica during the just-ended visit of Premier Charles Washington Misick to the Caribbean island.

A whirlwind four-day visit to Jamaica saw the premier, government ministers and other ministerial delegates further cementing the country’s longstanding ties. The TCI arrived delegation arrived in Kingston last Friday, August 12 and departed on Wednesday, August 17.

During their visit, the TCI delegation met with officials from the Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ); Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA); Ministry of Labour; University of the West Indies (UWI); University of Technology (UTech) and Northern Caribbean University (NCU), where Misick was conferred with an Honorary Doctor of Commerce Degree.

The TCI delegation discussed the potential for direct trade with Jamaica to reduce the cost of certain foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables in the TCI.

Visiting TCI patients at UHWI 

On Wednesday, Misick, accompanied by his wife, Delthia Russell-Misick, and Employment and Customer Service Minister Rachel Taylor, paid a visit to Turks and Caicos Islanders receiving treatment in Jamaica at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI). The TCI team was able to meet with patients available for visitation and receive an update from senior university hospital officials. 

TCI has for several years through its treatment abroad programme sent patients to the sister Caribbean Island to receive medical treatment not readily available in the territory. 

During a meeting with Jamaica’s Governor General Sir Patrick Allen and Prime Minister Andrew Holness, the TCI delegation spoke about diaspora initiatives currently underway in the territory and the importance of human capital development to give citizens of both countries better opportunities.

Sir Allen reminisced with Premier Misick on early life in Jamaica and the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, where they are both members. The TCI Premier also shared with the Governor General his family’s political history as well as his own failures and successes in business and politics.

The premier also paid a courtesy call on Opposition Leader Mark Golding.

The TCI delegation to Jamaica also included Arlington Musgrove, Minister of Immigration and Border Services; Wesley Clerveaux, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Labour, Employment and Customer Service; Althea Been, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Immigration and Border Services; Miquel Swann, Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Premier and Public Policy; Edwin Taylor, Commissioner of Labour; and Bentley Johnson, Aide De Camp.

The premier’s visits, all of which were documented on his official Facebook page, were well received locally, particularly the one paid to the TCI patients receiving medical attention in Jamaica. 

One commenter, Bertha-Lee Belle wrote of the hospital visit: “Good optics showing that the premier cares….We should not have to send our patients abroad for medical treatment in the first place as we boast about having two state-of-the-art diamond standard hospitals.”

Another, Crissy Vanessa Pratt, also commended the hospital visit, saying: “I’m glad that he visited the hospital so at least they can see that our hospital in TCI needs to be upgraded so that our love one’s can have the family support that is needed especially while you’re in hospital, am sure it’s an eye opener that TCI hospital needs to give us what we paying for (sic).”