AGP Executive Report

Marine Conservation: Turks and Caicos has joined the Bahamas and Cayman Islands in signing the Hamilton II Declaration to strengthen protection of the Sargasso Sea. The initiative seeks support for legally binding safeguards under the UN High Seas Treaty, with countries set to discuss next steps in January 2027. Coastal Protection: Cabinet has approved a Caribbean Development Bank appraisal of a proposed shoreline protection project. The government has not yet announced locations, costs or a timeline; earlier planning covered Grand Turk, Providenciales and Salt Cay, where erosion and climate hazards threaten communities and infrastructure.

Sargasso Sea Protection: Turks and Caicos joined the Bahamas, Cayman Islands and other partners in signing the Hamilton II Declaration, backing efforts to secure legally binding protections for the biodiverse North Atlantic ecosystem under the UN high-seas agreement. Support will be sought at the agreement’s first conference of parties in January 2027. Coastal Protection: Cabinet has approved a Caribbean Development Bank appraisal of a proposed shoreline protection project for TCI. The step will help assess investment needs; costs, locations and a construction timetable have not been announced.

Ocean Protection: Turks and Caicos has joined the Bahamas, Cayman Islands and other partners in signing the Hamilton II Declaration to strengthen protection for the biodiverse Sargasso Sea. The initiative aims to build support for legally binding conservation measures under the UN high-seas biodiversity agreement, with its first conference of parties set for January 2027. Coastal Resilience: Cabinet has approved a Caribbean Development Bank appraisal for a proposed Coastal Protection Project. The assessment is a step toward shoreline protection, but costs, locations and a construction timetable have not yet been announced. Weather Preparedness: Caribbean countries are improving observations, forecasts and coordination between weather and emergency agencies so alerts better explain hazards and what people should do. The regional effort targets risks including tropical cyclones, heavy rain and flash floods.

Ocean Conservation: Bermuda and the UK launched the Hamilton II Declaration, seeking international support for legally binding protection of the Sargasso Sea under the UN High Seas Treaty. Coastal Protection: TCI Cabinet approved a Caribbean Development Bank appraisal for a proposed shoreline-protection project. The move advances assessment, but locations, costs and a construction timeline have not been announced. Early Warnings: Caribbean countries are strengthening weather observations, forecasts and emergency coordination to help communities respond faster to hazards such as floods and tropical storms.

Ocean Conservation: Turks and Caicos Environment Minister Jaché Adams signed Bermuda’s Hamilton II Declaration, backing international cooperation to protect the Sargasso Sea under the UN High Seas Treaty. Coastal Protection: Cabinet approved a Caribbean Development Bank appraisal for a proposed shoreline protection project. Earlier planning focused on Grand Turk, Providenciales and Salt Cay, where erosion and climate hazards threaten communities, infrastructure and tourism sites. Climate Readiness: Caribbean countries are strengthening weather observations, forecasts and emergency coordination so warnings better explain risks and prompt action. A recent regional exercise tested responses to flooding, landslides and blocked roads.

Coastal Protection: Cabinet has approved a Caribbean Development Bank appraisal for a proposed shoreline protection project in Turks and Caicos. No locations, costs or construction timetable have been announced. Earlier CDB-supported planning focused on Grand Turk, Providenciales and Salt Cay, where coastal erosion and climate hazards threaten communities, infrastructure and livelihoods. Weather Warnings: Caribbean countries are improving weather observations, forecasts and coordination between meteorological and disaster agencies to help people act on warnings. The regional effort targets threats including tropical cyclones, heavy rain and flash floods. Tourism Pressures: Stayover visits across the Caribbean grew just 1.9% in the first half of 2026, while cruise visits rose 11% to a record 21.7 million. Turks and Caicos was among destinations with above-average visitor growth, adding to the importance of managing development and pressure on the islands’ natural assets.

Climate Preparedness: Caribbean countries are strengthening weather observations, forecasts and coordination so warnings better explain the danger and what people should do. Nine countries now meet key global observation standards, up from five. Sustainable Communities: Governor Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam says TCI’s rapid growth is straining access to affordable homes, land and infrastructure. She called for housing plans that include roads, utilities, schools and other services—not simply more buildings.

Weather Readiness: Caribbean countries are strengthening forecasts and emergency coordination after a storm exercise in Saint Vincent exposed the challenges of flooding, blocked roads and misinformation. The number of countries meeting key weather-observation standards has risen from five to nine, supporting more reliable warnings and faster action. Tourism Pressures: Stayover visits across the Caribbean grew 1.9% in the first half of 2026, while cruise arrivals jumped 11% to a record 21.7 million. Turks and Caicos was among destinations growing faster than the regional average, adding to the need to manage tourism growth responsibly. Housing and Infrastructure: Governor Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam says TCI’s rapid growth is squeezing working residents, with high costs, limited land and strained infrastructure making affordable housing harder to secure. She called for communities planned with the roads, utilities and public services needed to support them.

Disaster Readiness: Caribbean countries are improving weather observations, data-sharing and forecasts so warnings give people time and clear guidance to act. A regional storm exercise tested responses to flooding, landslides, blocked roads and misinformation. Sustainable Communities: Governor Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam warned that rapid growth, finite land and strained infrastructure are making affordable housing harder to secure in the Turks and Caicos. She called for planning that provides roads, utilities and public services alongside new homes. Tourism Pressure: Turks and Caicos recorded visitor growth above the Caribbean average in the first half of 2026, while regional cruise arrivals hit a record. The figures underscore the need to plan for growth alongside community needs and infrastructure limits.

Weather Readiness: Caribbean countries are strengthening forecasts, observation networks and emergency coordination so alerts explain the danger and what people should do. The number meeting global observation standards has risen from five to nine, supporting warnings for storms, floods and other hazards. Land and Housing: Governor Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam warned that TCI’s rapid growth is straining access to affordable homes, land and infrastructure. She called for planned communities with reliable roads, utilities and public services. Tourism and Resilience: TCI recorded stayover visitor growth above the Caribbean average in the first half of 2026, while regional cruise arrivals surged 11% to a record 21.7 million. At a regional tourism conference, TCI joined discussions on sustainable growth and climate resilience.

Housing and Land Use: Governor Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam warned that rapid growth, finite land and strained infrastructure are making affordable housing harder to secure. She called for communities planned around essential services, not just more homes. Tourism Growth: Turks and Caicos recorded visitor growth above the Caribbean average in the first half of 2026, even as regional stayover growth slowed and cruise arrivals surged. Disaster Preparedness: Caribbean countries are strengthening weather observations, forecasts and emergency coordination to make warnings more reliable and help communities act sooner.

Housing and Land Pressure: Governor Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam says rapid growth, high costs, finite land and strained infrastructure are making affordable homes harder to secure, calling for communities planned around essential services. Sustainable Agriculture: The Turks and Caicos Islands Community College won international recognition for an Island Smart Utility Platform project that uses affordable technology to support sustainable agriculture and give students hands-on experience. Disaster Readiness: Caribbean countries are strengthening weather observations, forecasting and emergency coordination to make warnings more reliable and help communities act sooner. Tourism Growth: Turks and Caicos recorded visitor growth above the Caribbean average in the first half of 2026, even as regional stayover growth slowed and cruise visits climbed to a record—adding pressure to plan tourism alongside infrastructure and community needs.

Housing and Land: Governor Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam says rapid growth is making affordable homes harder to secure, with finite land, high costs and strained infrastructure adding pressure. She called for communities planned with essential services, not just more housing. Sustainable Agriculture: Turks and Caicos Community College won an international award for its Island Smart Utility Platform, which uses low-cost technology to support sustainable farming and give students hands-on experience. Queen Conch: A veteran aquaculture scientist’s career profile recalls her decade helping run the world’s only production-scale queen conch farm in the Turks and Caicos, and her ongoing work on hatcheries across the region.

Housing & Growth: Governor Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam warned that housing costs, limited land and strained infrastructure are squeezing working residents. She called for affordable homes planned alongside roads, utilities, schools and other services. Tourism: Turks and Caicos visitor growth topped the Caribbean average in the first half of 2026, even as regional stayover growth slowed and cruise arrivals surged. TCI joined a CTO discussion on making tourism more sustainable and inclusive, with stronger community benefits and climate resilience. Sustainable Agriculture: Turks and Caicos Community College won international recognition for an Island Smart Utility Platform that uses affordable technology to support sustainable farming and give students practical experience. Marine Stewardship: Aquaculture scientist Megan Davis reflected on her work co-founding the world’s only production-scale queen conch farm in TCI and developing hatcheries across the region, supporting research into sustainable seafood.

Housing & Land: Governor Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam says rapid growth, finite land and strained infrastructure are making homes harder to afford. She called for housing plans that include roads, utilities and other services to build sustainable communities. Sustainable Agriculture: Turks and Caicos Islands Community College won an international award for its Island Smart Utility Platform, which uses affordable technology to support sustainable agriculture and give students practical training. Queen Conch: Aquaculture scientist Megan Davis began her career in the Turks and Caicos, co-founding a production-scale conch farm. Her decades of hatchery work continues to support research into the region’s iconic species.

Housing and Land Use: Governor Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam says rapid growth, limited land and strained infrastructure are making affordable homes harder to secure, and calls for communities planned around services as well as housing. Sustainable Agriculture: Turks and Caicos Community College won international recognition for an Island Smart Utility Platform that uses affordable technology to support sustainable farming and give students hands-on experience. Food Resilience: With the Islands importing about 90% of their food, a renewed CARICOM drive to expand regional production could diversify supplies and reduce exposure to overseas disruptions, including through climate-smart agriculture. Water Technology: Miranda Water Technologies and Rainmaker Holland have expanded a partnership covering atmospheric water generation and wastewater treatment systems; no Turks and Caicos project was announced.