By Kathy Borsuk

From the day I moved into my office in the Lucille Lightbourne Building in downtown Providenciales, I noticed a steady bustle of activity around the small office next to mine. The sign on the door said “Got-U-Covered” and “Skyjuice” and trucks bearing the same names came and went from the parking lot at all hours. I peeked through the office window and saw a small reception area filled with oddly-matched decor: a leather sofa, ornate lamps, a dinner table with a different place setting at each spot, bouquets of artificial flowers, chairs of all shapes and sizes, a silver fountain, a podium, a large-screen TV and even a karaoke machine! At first I thought an eccentric family must be living there. Potted palms would line the building’s hall one day, and disappear the next. Our shared trash area often held strange things as well: a plastic Santa statue, a papier mache dolphin, psychedelically colored garlands. I watched and wondered . . .

The mystery was partially solved one day just before Christmas. After my workout in the Graceway Sports Centre fitness room, I did a double-take at the state of the large gymnasium. Its bland, utilitarian basketball court had been transformed into an elegant winter wonderland, with twinkling lights, cloth-draped tables, a disco dance floor and evergreen boughs everywhere. The change was so remarkable, I had to discover “what’s up.” Outside, I met Vernay Robinson tersely urging a workman to bring more chairs NOW! She took a quick minute to tell me that Got-U-Covered was preparing for the Graceway IGA’s annual Christmas party, and that this was but one of many functions they were handling that week.

Ah ha! A light bulb lit underneath my sweatband. That’s why I often saw Vernay and her colleagues around the office looking harried. That’s why Got-U-Covered trucks and workers frequented resorts and auditoriums. It even explained why Homey’s Restaurant (just below my office) was often cooking up a storm even when the storefront café was closed. By the next day, I had learned that Got-U-Covered — the country’s largest and most experienced event planning, party rental and catering company — was operating right under my unsuspecting nose.

Dion Pratt

Got-U-Covered’s job often starts when an idea is no more than a vague pipe dream. Dion will meet with the clients, determine their vision, needs and budget, and put his exhaustive creativity into play to design an event that will exceed all expectations! Depending on the project’s size and scope, this can mean handling everything from booking the venue and ordering/importing all necessary supplies to coordinating temporary work permits and licenses, building sets, stages and props from scratch and handling sound engineering, lighting and landscaping. As Dion explains, “We’re always the first in and last out.”

Sandy beach and coral reef within auditorium

Grace Bay Beach wedding tent

Got-U-Covered also works with all of TCI’s major resorts on weddings, banquets, charity fund-raisers, balls, award ceremonies and every kind of special event. Although regularly purchasing thousands of dollars of party supplies for each unique function, Dion also maintains an inventory of equipment, from plain to fancy. He notes that the catering industry has somewhat standardized basic chairs, tables, glassware, china, flatware and linens, which helps with cost control and stock management. As he says, “We can supply anything from the frilly toothpicks for pigs-in-a-blanket to elaborate crystal and silver place settings. Beaches Resort regularly calls on us for rentals when they have large functions.”

This flexibility was tested this winter, when Got-U-Covered assisted with the production of a multi-million dollar wedding at The Regent Palms for which the family rented the entire resort for a week. At the same time, local holiday parties, church events, galas and concerts were in full swing. Of this exhausting season, Dion recalls, “One day we hosted 15 events. It was a true test of planning, organization and staying focused. I think at one point we went 72 hours without sleep!”

When asked as to whether the economic slowdown has affected the party business, Dion replied, “There will always be special occasions and we cater to all the Islands, from womb to tomb. About 25% of our business is local and the remainder destination events. We’ve just had to give deeper discounts to help out our clients. But truthfully, we have such a large inventory and good reputation that we probably touch 99% of all events in the TCI.”

The dynamic businessman seems to have discovered the perfect outlet for his natural talent and wealth of work experience. Dion explains, “I was always gifted in art, but my early jobs were in hospitality, working as a bartender, waiter, chef and casino croupier across the Bahamas and TCI. This was followed by stints as a welder, diesel mechanic and carpenter. I found that I loved building things and working with my hands, and was able to travel and apprentice as a contractor for nearly a decade.” He also worked briefly as a movie extra in the States, learning the stage handling skills that are so crucial to his job now. He put these skills to the test when a French game show was filmed at North West Point in 1993, working to create many of the buildings and props used.

Got-U-Covered was born in 1995 after trying to plan his mother-in-law’s 54th birthday party. Dion recalls, “We couldn’t find a venue large enough to host the event, so we bought tents, draping, tables and chairs for the occasion. After that, it seemed family and friends wanted to ‘borrow’ the stuff every couple of days. One day, my charity turned to entrepreneurship and I said, ‘Let’s make this a business.’”

Dion believes the key to his company’s success is their professionalism and determination. “We try to remember that every event is a lifetime of memories for the participants. In this industry, if you don’t take that seriously, all it takes is one failure and you’re through.” With this in mind, Dion treats each customer as his “one and only,” breaking down large projects into manageable tasks that he delegates to his staff, pulling everything back together at the end. “Never be late” is a motto and multi-tasking an important part of his day, as is ALWAYS keeping cool for the sake of an event. He explains, “No matter what, the show must go on. You might win the battle, but lose the war if you fuss over petty issues. And never let anyone see you sweat!”

Also important is following the rules. He says, “We always make sure the off-island planners and our clients understand TCI rules and regulations regarding importing goods and labor. We can take the headaches out of customs and immigrations procedures, and work closely with any government departments involved.”

What are some lessons he’s learned along the way? “I’m now a stickler for having everything in writing, after we had set up for a wedding and wondered why no one was showing up. It turns out the wedding planner was off by one day. It could have been a total disaster.” Dion also says, “The only time I’ll turn down a job is if there is too short a notice to do it well. I’ve had people calling me a day before, an hour before, during and even after an event, saying ‘I SHOULD HAVE called you.’ I’m really pleased at the level of trust I get from well-known event planners, such as Robin Rosin, the famous designer with whom we’ve been working on the Beaches Resort Martha Stewart wedding concept and David Monn, who has done several weddings at Amanyara. They appreciate my quick responses to phone calls and emails; they know we’re on top of the situation, which makes them look good.”

Got-U-Covered’s full-time employees include many who have been with the company since the beginning, including Vernay Robinson, Dion’s confessed “right hand” and Jermone Ligele. As Vernay explains, “We don’t have specific positions or titles — we all work together to get the job done.”

Dion is proud of the positive role Got-U-Covered plays in the TCI economy. “I believe the fact that we offer this service, at a world-class level, brings a lot of revenue to the country in the form of bed and meal taxes and customs duties, along with stimulating business for hotels, restaurants, florists, photographers, anyone associated with this facet of the economy. I know, for instance, that The Regent Palms has been able to increase their corporate conference sales because we can handle the work.”

Ironically, while I was writing this story, Got-U-Covered had returned full circle, making plans to cater Dion’s wife Thelma’s 50th birthday party. It was “only” going to be a few hundred guests on the beach with a jazz theme, music and skits of meaningful events in her life. But no problem, because, as Dion says, “We got you covered!”

By Kathy Borsuk

On April 9, 2010, a Friday afternoon, Turks & Caicos Islands Bank Ltd. (TCIB) was placed under provisional liquidation — basically “closed” for the time being. Thousands of small depositors, along with local and overseas business customers, no longer had access to their funds. For some, this was a minor inconvenience; for others, it meant not meeting the payroll or paying for supplies. In the worse cases, people could not buy food or gas, pay medical bills, send money to loved ones overseas and faced the potential loss of their life savings. After the shock wave subsided though, it became clear that TCI regulators are doing their job and that the country’s other banks, by virtue of their differences from TCIB, remain stable. As well, plans for deposit protection insurance have moved to the forefront of the TCI Government’s agenda in the belief that such a decision can benefit the reputation of the jurisdiction in the future.

Why close a bank?
The Turks & Caicos Islands Bank Ltd. (TCIB) was closed after the TCI Financial Services Commission (FSC), the industry watchdog, asked the Supreme Court to intervene via court order. According to the FSC, they were forced to take this action after the bank had “suffered a number of significant withdrawals which left it unable to operate normally and meet its obligations in a timely manner.” The FSC took this drastic step when it became clear that the TCIB Board could not obtain additional financial support to continue to trade. They felt the only solution was to seek a liquidation in order to safeguard the remaining assets — which included huge deposits by the country’s National Insurance Board — and to ensure fair distribution to creditors.

Anthony Kikivarakis and Mark Munnings, partners of the international firm Deloitte & Touche, were appointed as liquidators, charged by the court to quickly protect the bank’s assets and explore all avenues, including purchase by other investors, to rescue it.

FSC Chairman Sandy Lightbourne explained, “The bank’s position as a new and stand-alone operation has left it very vulnerable to the current global economic downturn. The FSC has been working closely with the bank’s current Board and management to find a solution to the difficulties, and some progress was being made. But regrettably, it seems that in recent weeks the bank suffered a growing lost of confidence on the part of some of its important depositors.”

According to statements by Ervine Quelch, chairman of the National Insurance Board (NIB), which has an estimated $22 million of public contributions to its pension fund tied up in the bank, the NIB had been concerned about the bank’s performance for some time. In the months prior to the closing, NIB assisted the bank with financial support and encouraged the bank to seek additional investments and comply with recommendations made by bank auditors, the FSC and Merchant Bank consultants to place the bank on a more sustainable path toward growth and development. These included reducing operating costs (closing the Grace Bay and North Caicos branches), strengthening management and operational practices and addressing the bank’s ever-growing non-performing loans portfolio, which continued to decline as the poor economy took its toll on local debtors.

TCIB was opened in 2006, touted as the first “nation’s” bank. (Some 10% of its shares are held by the TCI National Insurance Board, while the largest shareholder group — TCI Belongers and companies majority-owned by TCI Belongers — hold 40% of the bank’s shares. A mixed group of TCI Belongers and permanent residents own 20%, while a group of Eastern Caribbean banks own the remaining 30% of the bank’s share capital.) Many residents chose to support this “indigenous” bank, also encouraged by small queues, a commitment to customer service, Saturday opening hours, tailored loan packages and perks such as b-mobile banking. In a 2006 article published in Times of the Islands, TCIB Managing Director John Benjamin said that TCIB “strikes a balance between its dual goals of giving T&C Islanders and residents opportunities to realize their dreams of becoming significant players in the country’s economic activity and financing and providing a wide range of services to the inward investment community.” Ironically, he predicted that by June 2011, “TCI Bank projects that it will gain the largest share of banking business in the Turks & Caicos Islands.”

What about the rest?
All banks operating in the TCI must be licensed through the Financial Services Commission. There are two kinds of licences: national (for carrying on banking with locals and residents) and overseas (excludes banking business with locals and residents), although many banks hold both licenses. Currently, national (commercial) banks include: British Caribbean (formerly Belize) Bank, FirstCaribbean International Bank, International Banking Group, Royal Bank of Canada, Scotiabank Turks & Caicos and the Turks & Caicos Islands Bank (in provisional liquidation), while overseas (private) banks include Bordier International Bank & Trust and Turks & Caicos Banking Company. Hemisphere Bank is a managed overseas bank with no physical presence in the Islands, while Hallmark Bank & Trust holds a restricted license for the purposing of issuing debit cards.

With many concerned about the widespread implications of a bank closure and the health of TCI’s remaining banks, the TCI Banker’s Association (TCBA) immediately reassured the public that the remaining licensed banks in the TCI are strong, stable and well capitalized. According to TCBA President Anton Faessler, “All of TCI’s licensed commercial banks benefit from significant shareholding or complete ownership by large international institutions including the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Royal Bank of Canada, Scotiabank and Cayman National. This makes a tremendous difference in a bank’s ability to weather the storm of financial market turmoil. They also boast years of experience, a proven track record, conservative lending policies and security-backed lending.” He adds, “In the case of the private banks, which are generally not in the lending market, their capital ratios far exceed international standards. All TCI banks respect lending limits set by national legislation which do not allow one lender to borrow more than 25% of capital and ensure assigned capital to risk weighted assets is not less than 11% (3% higher than international standards).”

Kevin Higgins, managing director of the Financial Services Commission, agreed that the FSC views the country’s remaining banks as “stable, although under pressure” due to the tough economic times. Mr. Higgins notes that in May 2002, TCI’s Banking Ordinance was radically amended to reflect new standards introduced by the Basel Committee on Banking. These included provisions for the risk of weighting of assets, retention of a minimum paid-up share capital, the creation and maintenance of a reserve fund and new rules in relation to lending, all of which further strengthened the industry. He described the behind-the-scenes work done by his office to regulate all banks registered in the TCI. “Firstly, we carefully monitor quarterly, and in some cases monthly, financial statements to ensure banks are adhering to the ordinance and operating under International Best Practices. We follow up with on-site visits and audits to make sure reports reflect reality and that certain best-practice procedures are being followed.” In the current economy, he says they have intensified the frequency of on-site visits and recommended that banks set higher reserves and be more careful in making loans — steps the banks’ wise international parents have already put in place.

Mr. Higgins says the FSC is supportive of a Depositor Protection Ordinance, an idea that had been in process for some time, but is expected to be approved in the near future. Basically, this scheme would provide depositor protection for individual resident account holders up to defined limits. It would be funded by the country’s licensed banks, inevitably resulting in increased service charges.

Local banks react

Scotiabank TCI's main Providenciales branch

Anton Faessler, president of the TCI Banker's Association

TCBC caters to the private investor, focusing on wealth and portfolio management. Holding both local and overseas licenses, services include current and fixed deposit accounts, securities and precious metal trading, escrow services and foreign exchange in major currencies and markets. Conservative European by nature, Mr. Faessler outlines TCBC’s investment philosophy. “We believe the core principles of successful investment are preservation of capital, growth and income with the right mix of assets and investment vehicles depending on the goal and time horizon in mind.” His comments in an article in the Summer 2002 issue of Times of the Islands remain strikingly true today. “Historic data shows that long-term investments steadily rise. Like an ocean voyage, you must ride the waves up and down, but with cautious and careful steering, you will always reach your destination. Fear and loss of confidence are the biggest enemies of investors.” This summer, TCBC plans to move its Provo office from Caribbean Place to the popular Regent Village in Grace Bay, with room for continued expansion of its services.

International Banking Group building in Providenciales

Are Browne and IBG’s shareholders leery about opening a new bank during these unstable times? Not at all. Mr. Browne, a veteran of the Caribbean banking business for 30 years and winner of a Lifetime Honorary Fellowship in the Caribbean Association of Banking and Financial Institutes, says, “We plan to differentiate ourselves by the level of service we offer. We cater to a niche market of business and personal customers — those who look forward to spending as little time in the bank as possible and will appreciate our advanced technology, designed to facilitate accurate, safe and reliable banking. We’ll offer extensive on-line banking services — everything from managing your account to ordering drafts for pick-up later in the day. Access to Internet banking will be free for our customers and our ATMs, including our drive-through ATMs with left and right hand drive stations, will be free to customers using the IBG Visa Debit Card. We also plan to make opening accounts and applying for loans a streamlined process, letting our customers know the requirements upfront and making it as easy as possible, while still maintaining due diligence. We’ve hired our staff based on their customer service attitudes and have and will continue to invest heavily in staff training. We’ve done a lot of research on customer banking experiences in the TCI and feel we can solve many of the problems.”

With a beautiful, brand-new 15,000 sq. ft. building at the Graceway Plaza round-about and their state-of-the-art equipment in place, Mr. Browne says IBG will open as soon as every last detail is in place. “We know we have only one chance to do it right, and we want to make the best first impression possible.”

British Caribbean Bank (BCB) has as its parent company Belize Bank Ltd., the first and oldest continuous banking operation in Belize. They branched into the Turks & Caicos Islands in 1998, holding National and Overseas Bank Licenses. Both Belize Bank and BCB value a tradition of service. With more than BZ$880 million dollars in assets, BZ$147 million in capital reserves and a track record of consistent growth, the Belize Bank is a pillar of strength, stability and integrity in the Belizean economy.

BCB offers both current accounts and term deposits in US dollars, Canadian dollars and UK pounds. BCB accounts are well suited for international customers who require immediate access to their funds by wire transfer.

BCB is a leading provider of customized lending products with flexible loan terms and highly competitive interest rates. This includes tourism-related development financing, residential mortgages and service businesses throughout the TCI. Loan specialists deal one-on-one with clients and provide a speedy response to requests.

At the end of the day, TCI banking professionals sympathize with TCIB depositors who are, at press time (late May 2010) still without access to their funds and are doing everything possible to be lenient and helpful in dealings with them. They agree, though, that TCIB is an isolated case in what is otherwise a stable, sound industry and look forward to better days ahead.

By Kathy Borsuk

There’s no doubt that God has a special place in His heart for children, and, through the teachings of His Son Jesus Christ, encourages us to do the same. We can mourn along with the Father when any child is hungry, hurt, abused, or lacks stable parents or home. Thanks to a group of concerned, committed residents, a lot of work and, I believe, a touch of grace, there is now a safe haven for such suffering children. And through the love and nurturing care they receive at the Provo Children’s Home, these kids— among the most resilient of souls — can rise like eagles with hope for a better future.

Provo Children's Home

The recently completed Provo Children’s Home (PCH) is a residential facility designed for 20 children and 4 adult caretakers. The lovely building sits atop a low hill in Chalk Sound, just across from the police sub-station. The morning we visited, a cool breeze swept through the foyer and the large, open-plan kitchen/dining/living area — all spotlessly clean — was comfortable and inviting. The central area also includes a play room, library/study/ computer lab, laundry and lots of storage space, along with two overnight rooms for children in emergency situations and a meeting room for caseworkers and parents. Separate girls’ and boys’ dormitory wings flank either side, with kids doubling up in each bedroom and two spacious bathroom/shower areas for each gender. (I was envious of the ocean view from the girls’ bath!) Far from institutional, rooms are bright and cheery, outfitted with quality materials and soothing colors. I remained impressed with how tidy it all was — House Manager Kelly Hedges assured me this is the result of the daily chore list! Besides the paved driveway which doubles as a basketball court/roller skating rink, children can enjoy the outdoors on the breezy patio out back, which will soon be the site of a home-grown salad garden. The entire one-acre site is fenced, gated and alarm-protected for safety, with a back gate leading to the beach at Sapodilla Bay.

Only open since January 22, 2010, PCH is already nearly full to capacity, with 17 children. Its purpose, Kelly explains, is to serve as a warm, loving “temporary” home for children between the ages of 4 to 16 who need care and protection. Not designed as a long-term facility, the goal is to return children to their family or relatives when the situation improves or find a foster home or permanent adoption. The average stay is from six months to a year. Within that time, PCH staff tries to envelop the children in a nurturing environment, with plenty of opportunities for learning, developing social skills, and experiencing activities that may be totally new to them — in effect, opening their eyes to a world of possibility.

PCH staff members exude empathy and love, seasoned with a backbone of discipline and structure. Children are expected to do chores, attend school, complete their homework and get along with the other kids. Many attend counseling sessions with TCI’s social service psychologists (as do their families when necessary). But there’s plenty of time for fun and casual learning, too. The children partake in all that Provo has to offer for kids, from ballet to soccer, including classes, tutoring and activities at the Edward Gartland Youth Center. During holidays and summer breaks, they participate in various kid’s camps, in most cases at little or no charge.

From there to here
PCH was born in March 2006 as a private, long-term orphanage called Nissi House, in Thompson Cove. In mid-2007, the focus was changed to include all children in need of a safe environment. After Hurricane Ike damaged Nissi House in September 2008, the children and caretakers had to live in two separate, temporary locations until a better solution could be found.

In December 2008, a group of concerned TCI residents, led by Chairperson Tanis Wake-Forbes, formed the PCH Build Group, a private charity. Their idea was to work with TCI government to secure Crown Land for a proper 20-child facility, then raise $1 million to build it. Their lofty goal was to complete the facility within six months of breaking ground, by imploring the community to contribute towards the cause of making a difference in many children’s lives.

This seed of an idea blossomed as PCH Build Group members — 17 accomplished professionals — led the way. Belonger architect Shane Outten provided plans for the new facility; Projetech stepped up as builders, led by owner David Hartshorn and Steve Thompson; engineering support came from Peter Kerrigan’s firm EDS Ltd., Graham Shaw’s design practice BSD Ltd. and John Lawson. Tanis’s interior design company, Finishing Touch, and her designer Lauren Brown took charge of finishes and furnishings procurement, while Art Forbes wrangled with legal issues and Star Management’s Jenny Douglas handled accounting. Belongers Lucille Wilson and Roxann Wake-Forbes (also the PCH psychologist) served as government liaisons for policies and procedures, while Monique Davies, Karen Lawson, Bonnie Voynovich, Stephanie Fitzgerald, Angela Belvin and Kelly Hedges teamed with Tanis and her daughter Roxann to raise funds. PR support was led by Lynn Bengtsson of Grace Bay Resorts, while Tanis’s sister Tracey Wake of Adventurescape provided web site design.

With lots of elbow grease and not a little arm-twisting, the Build Group’s combined determination spread through the community. Resorts, businesses, community organizations, residents and even visitors either donated funds directly, took part in numerous PCH-targeted fund-raisers, or gave of goods or services. A glance at the PCH web site (www.pch.tc) Wall of Fame shows a list of those who made large Founder’s Donations and other contributions. In a touching gesture, students at Enid Capron Primary School took special notice of the kids and contributed their April “Jeans Day” money to help build the home. The teachers added their own contribution and plan to continue the donation every year.

Ground broke on July 2009, and, with almost supernatural speed despite many setbacks, six months later — right on target — the children had a new home.

Keeping it running
“If it could only be that simple,” Tanis Wake-Forbes bemoans. Tanis is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to getting something done for PCH, and she, more than anyone, knows there is still a long road ahead. She explains, “At the end of the day, we raised a 1/2 million dollars, and took out a loan for the other 1/2 million. Now this loan has to be paid back and ongoing operating costs must be met. Government is currently not in a position to provide the original funding as promised so we still need to find innovative ways to raise operating costs.”

And that’s where each reader of this story can step in now. PCH’s web site, www.pch.tc, reveals several pledge plans, including pledging $1/day ($365/year) for three years as an individual or through a company, church or community group pledge of $10/day ($3,650/year) or purchasing a room through the “Donate a Room” pledge.

PCH Wish Lists for day-to-day food and supplies are also posted on the web site. This makes it easy to buy a little extra when you shop and bring in your donation to help fill the large pantry. Other suggestions include donating kid-friendly gift certificates (mini-golf, cinema, bookstore, ice cream or pizza parlor, barber shop or salon), toiletries, household items, clothing and shoes, school/office supplies, games and toys, crafts and just about anything you would use in your own home. Just be sure to contact PCH before dropping off supplies. You can also choose to sponsor a meal plan; some local restaurants already donate food, which is very welcome.

If you like to organize or participate in events, be sure to support one of the annual PCH fund-raisers (organized by either PCH or others), including the “Race for the Conch” Eco-Swim on July 10, annual Champagne & Sushi Cruise in September, Wrightfully Fit Fitness Fun Run in November, Thanksgiving Dinner at Sharkbite, and a Seventies Disco Dance at Christmastime. One generous and creative set of newlyweds requested that relatives and friends make donations to PCH in place of wedding gifts. PCH will also be selling logoed beach bags and a limited edition jewelry piece to add to the kitty.

If funds are tight or you prefer a more meaningful experience, PCH needs your time and talent! Tanis explains, “We encourage residents and even visitors (especially child-care professionals) to volunteer a minimum of two hours/week, at a set day and time (after-school and weekends are best).” Kelly says the list of possibilities is unlimited, “We need homework tutors and reading instructors, along with folks to share skills in cooking, sewing, art & crafts, creative writing, budgeting and money management, gardening, sports, fishing, or simply mentoring.” Volunteers are asked to complete a form, provide a current police record and maintain confidentiality.

Finally, there is need for the ultimate gift of love: opening your home as a foster parent or adoption. Sadly, some of the children at PCH simply have no parents or no suitable family environment to return to.

Hope for the future
Landscaping of PCH grounds is underway, with each of the island’s landscaping companies doing their part. Tanis says with the Rotary Club’s help, plans are underway to prepare ground and lay an irrigation system for a large vegetable garden, enough for PCH consumption with hopes of selling any surplus in the Provo Farmer’s Market.

The future of this haven of compassion is in the hands of the newly elected PCH Board (Chair Bloneva Greene-Williams, Clayton Greene, Matt Trayler, Angela Musgrove, Adelle Elliott Edwards, Hopeful Campbell and Irene Butterfield), who are advised by the newly formed PCH Advisory Committee (Tanis Wake-Forbes, Roxann Wake-Forbes, Melinda Mensen, Denise Saunders, Doreen Quelch Stubbs and Dawn O’Sullivan) that ensures that all works together to serve the children’s best interests. As Tanis states, “There are policies and procedures delineated in the manuals to make sure the home is used for its stated purpose and we work closely with the TCI Social Development Department to ensure these are met and to assure the safety and security of the children.

Provo Children's Home staff

House Manager Kelly Hedges and Carers Leon Williams and Ingrid Dean and Housekeeper Irma Joinville have been working at PCH since its re-creation in 2007, while Assistant House Manager Pamela Stubbs joined the staff in May, 2010. They all share deep wells of patience and perseverance, along with a boundless enthusiasm and optimism not only for PCH’s future, but for the future of the children they work with. Kelly explains, “No doubt most of our kids come in a bit ‘rough around the edges’ because they have not been in the ideal family situation. But their successes are monumental. We had one girl who had flunked kindergarten; after a short time of care, attention and tutoring, she came out on top of the class in first grade. We had a 12 year old who could not even spell his own name; two years later, he was on the honor roll.” She adds, “We also love seeing a child react when they are introduced to something like dance or hockey for the first time, you can see their eyes light up with this exciting new thing. We encourage each child to learn to swim — even though it’s a pretty slow process! One of my best days was when an older kid I had spent lots of time teaching turned around and start instructing one of the younger kids. It’s a step towards sharing and having compassion for others.” Kelly says the ongoing success stories they witness, even after children have left PCH and returned home, are what keep her and the staff going during the challenging times.

In spite of the optimistic reports, all agree that the truth is that no child should have to be at PCH. Unfortunately, for every kid who landed there, there are dozens more that might need such a safe haven. Tanis encourages anyone to report suspected physical, sexual or emotional abuse to the government social development agency or the police. They have the authority to remove children from homes via the courts and order that families get the help or counseling needed.

I caught a glimpse of what drives Tanis and the other members of PCH Build Group and Board during our interview. Tanis stated emphatically, “There is NO REASON these children should not have a place where they can be safe, nurtured and cared for! And there’s no reason they shouldn’t feel proud of where they’re living. We all have to work together to ensure that PCH continues to succeed.”

Let’s all find that special place in our hearts and do what we can.

Can “green” development and cultural conservation resurrect Salt Cay?

By Kathy Borsuk ~ Photos Courtesy Salt Cay Devco Ltd.

Just as the Turks & Caicos’ national flower Island Heather, national plant the Caicos Pine, and the endangered Turks & Caicos Rock Iguana are found nowhere else in the world, the same can be said about Salt Cay. The country’s smallest inhabited island can be compared to unpolished amber — rich in stunning natural beauty, fascinating history and cultural depth, but needing expert attention and care to stop its history and culture from near extinction.

Aerial view of Salt Cay

Salt Cay snapshot

Salt Cay’s story is no secret. It’s been well documented in this magazine over the years, primarily by part-time Salt Cay resident Michele Belanger-McNair via her superb photographs and features about the island’s salty past (and saltier residents!) and in history-focused articles in the Astrolabe. Local development company Salt Cay Devco recently produced an intriguing two-part documentary, narrated by 20-year Salt Cay resident Candy Herwin, that traces the island’s history, culture and current situation — a must-view for devotees.

To bring the uninitiated up to speed:  Salt Cay is a tiny island (2.5 square miles) located southwest of Grand Turk. Although fairly flat and unassuming in topography, it is ringed by exquisite turquoise seas, pristine white sand beaches and rocky limestone headlands. The interior is laced with freshwater ponds and saltwater creeks with flourishing mangrove banks.

Salt Cay is home to many examples of the TCI’s natural flora and fauna, ranging from patches of rare island heather surrounding the salinas to soaring seabirds scanning the coastline. Humpback whales regularly pass through the Turks Island Passage during their seasonal migration, while the nearby undersea walls and coral reefs offer scuba divers an unrivaled experience. Fishing along the shore is superb and rarely fails to supply a meal, supplemented by whelks and clams harvested from rocks and ponds.

Development on Salt Cay actually began in the late 1600s, when Bermudian saltrakers capitalized on the naturally occurring inland salinas. The early entrepreneurs walled these “salt ponds,” added windmills to pump the sea water through a series of evaporation pools, and imported slaves and donkeys to do the hard, hot work of raking, bagging and transporting the resulting salt crystals. Small sailboats ferried sacks of salt to larger boats waiting offshore and for nearly 300 years, Salt Cay was an important provider of this “white gold” to the world.

The historic artifacts that remain today include salt barons’ estates, salt rakers’ homes, salinas, ancestors of the working donkeys and a rapidly aging population of elderly natives that remember the toil, tribulations and joys of a nearly forgotten era. For although life was hard for the ancestors of folks with such surnames as Smith, Talbot and Simmons, the island birthed a colorful cultural tapestry, a weave of food, festivities and faith, rich in stories, song and dance.

With the demise of the salt industry in the 1960s, life changed on Salt Cay. Many of the younger folk moved off-island to find work. A very limited tourism industry sprouted around a quaint resort, several guesthouses, dive operations and local restaurants, attracting visitors who didn’t mind straying off the beaten path. In the late 1990s, a small number of solitude-seeking expatriates built vacation homes on the island; by 2000 several of the historic homes had been renovated. Yet expanding beyond this was difficult, with the island plagued by erratic air service, little government support for infrastructure and the slow demise of its senior residents and historic remains.

The ravages of Hurricanes Hannah and Ike in 2008 intensified Salt Cay’s problems. Besides destroying electricity and telephone service, it caused extensive damage to most of the existing homes, public buildings and historic structures. The tiny airstrip was badly damaged, along with the island’s two docks, and getting supplies (and people) to and fro became even more difficult. However, with the combined support of individuals, organizations and companies, the community pulled together and restored some normalcy to the island within a few weeks.

Behind the scenes

Mario Hoffman is a successful Slovakian banker who first visited the Turks & Caicos Islands in 1997, soon afterwards purchasing a home in Providenciales and land on Salt Cay’s spectacular North Beach on which to build his dream residence. Enamoured from the start with the country’s charm and stunning raw beauty, he also sensed the possibilities for “polishing” the hidden jewel that was Salt Cay. In 2005, he started the development company Salt Cay Devco Ltd. (SCD) and purchased 40 acres of land in Salt Cay to build a small boutique hotel and villa residences, with the vision of keeping it a low density, environmentally and culturally sensitive project. His idea expanded to include a golf course, and he leased an additional 220 acres of land in 2007, following extensive discussions with the TCI Government. To further protect and enhance his mission of creating a sustainably developed, “green island,” government approved Devco’s control of approximately 1,200 acres of land on Salt Cay, with 95% of that total slated to remain unbuilt upon.

From the early days, and under the guidance of Hoffman and SCD’s Chief Executive Officer Stefan Kral, an extensive and expensive series of environmental, social and economic impact studies were undertaken, complemented by discussions with Salt Cay civic leaders and the remaining fragments of the community. The goal was to carefully hone a project that would “fit” this special nook of the world, with long-term sustainability the guiding principle.

Salt Cay's public cemetery

The development vision had always included the idea of working with local partners (including the TCI National Trust, Department of Environment & Coastal Resources, T&C National Museum) to renovate, restore and re-energize the historic areas of the island — the North and South Districts, Town Salina, Grey Salina, Taylor Hill, Whale Island and public cemetery — including specific buildings such as the White House, Government House, churches, salt sheds, Bermuda kitchens and Taylor Hill ruin. Also identified as needing protection were key ecosystems such as the dunes, mangroves, coral reef, freshwater ponds and tropical dry forest. It was similarly determined that the rich cultural heritage of Salt Cay’s people be documented and preserved before it disappeared.

From the beginning, the project’s ambitious master plan offered the lowest density of any resort in the Caribbean, with a scale and scope designed to enhance and not overwhelm the existing community. Of the new “developed” area, less than 2% would be buildings (none over two stories, and 90% only one-story) and 3% infrastructure. To improve the existing infrastructure, SCD earmarked $15 million to upgrade the airport and build a government dock, which will make Salt Cay more accessible for all. Also planned are enhancement of public services such as the school, a new clinic, and customs and immigration operations. Banks, shops, restaurants, an open-air auditorium and other services to follow will allow Salt Cay residents to partake in a higher quality of life.

Early efforts in 2007 included groundbreaking for the new dock and jetty wall, as well as ongoing impact studies, community discussions and extensive planning sessions, designed to take into account research results and residents’ concerns. After the 2008 hurricanes, SCD donated nearly $400,000 towards emergency relief supplies, along with labor and materials to rebuild the roofs of over 30 residences. SCD also matched funds donated by the Hurricane Relief Trust Fund which helped repair many homes’ interiors.

Around the same time, politics reared its head. A Commission of Inquiry into possible government corruption wreaked havoc on SCD’s plans by calling into question the former Premier Michael Misick and other top government ministers’ roles in the project. While Mario Hoffman continues to deny any deliberate wrongdoing, the project languished in the climate of uncertainty during 2009.

A reawakening

Early in 2010, Mario Hoffman and Salt Cay Devco announced plans to move forward with the project. Governor Gordon Wetherell, now leading the country during a two-year constitutional suspension of ministerial government, stated publicly via the Attorney General’s chambers that TCI’s Planning Department should treat the project “in the normal and usual manner” when it came to approving permits and plans. Concurrently, SCD proudly reported that the Six Senses Resort and Spa Management and Development Company has agreed to establish and operate Six Senses Salt Cay as the first Six Senses Resort and Spa in the Caribbean.

According to Stefan Kral, negotiations with the exceptional and exciting Six Senses group have been in the work for some time, as their philosophy of “intelligent luxury” in resort design and management fits SCD’s plans like a second skin. Established in 1995, Six Senses successfully operates resort properties in the Maldives, Vietnam, Oman, Jordan, Thailand and Spain, successfully combining luxury lifestyle with environmental responsibility. Their goal is to “fuse together nature with the ultimate guest experiences within luxurious destinations that speak for themselves.”

Plans are to introduce the Six Senses SLOW LIFE philosophy (Sustainable – Local – Organic – Wholesome – Learning – Inspiring – Fun – Experiences). The Salt Cay property will also be part of Six Senses’ “20/20 Vision,” which is to make each resort in its portfolio not just zero carbon emissons by 2020, but to implement programs that will result in net CO2 absorption.

Moving forward

Pending TCI Government Planning Department approval and clearance via the Commission of Inquiry’s special investigation, the Salt Cay project will be built in three phases. The first will focus on the dock, roads and basic infrastructure and is simply awaiting approval to move forward. The second phase (expected to be completed in 2013) will include the Six Senses Resort, encompassing 40 one, two or three bedroom villa suites/retreats, 13 residential villas (each on a minimum two acre lot) and the spa, as well as the Audubon International Gold Signature Program golf course. The final phase will encompass additional hotel rooms, villas and a scaled down marina/fishing harbor. SCD promises that “each phase will incorporate the experience from the previous, use the latest knowledge and be the subject of proper discussion with the community.”

Salt Cay Donkey

Environmental protection for the Salt Cay project encompasses several key elements, including the use of appropriate landscaping, re-establishing native vegetation and improving water quality to allow for increased flora and fauna populations. In actuality, this means minimal clearance of existing vegetation and tasteful landscaping using indigenous plants (with the added bonus of naturally reducing the need for pesticides and fertilizers).  ”Green and sustainable” architecture is another project principle and buildings will be required to comply with LEED or BREEAM requirements, the global benchmarks. Designs for the proposed villas, hotel buildings and marina village will be “unique, timeless and appropriate to place,” creating an elegant feel without high maintenance applications. Buildings will nestle into their environment, and be carefully oriented to maximize natural breeze and shading areas, reducing energy costs. When possible, indigenous materials will be used inside and out, with the tandem goal of providing local employment opportunities and minimizing energy use in shipping. Whenever possible, materials will come from environmentally sensitive sources, reducing the use of non-renewable resources.

SCD’s master plan incorporates a minimal $65 million investment in environmentally sound infrastructure enhancements that will benefit the local community as well. This includes the primary use of wind and solar power to power the development and supply energy to the island. State-of-the-art wind turbines are planned to be strategically located just offshore, with solar panels placed with a “green energy park.”

With fresh water an extremely limited resource, rainwater harvesting and the re-use of storm and “grey water” for irrigation are givens. The reverse-osmosis plant will be managed according to best practice principles, enhanced by wise water use. Prudent waste management is also a key component of the plan, with the overall goal of minimizing waste generation during construction and operation by choosing recyclable materials with minimal packaging, recycling of green waste into compost and proper incineration of unseparable waste.

Audubon International is another SCD partner dedicated to sustainable development. They are providing assistance in planning an environmentally sensitive golf course. Key components of this course include using natural topography to create a link-style design that minimizes the need for land clearing; use of drought resistant grass to reduce the need for irrigation and using organic pesticides and other chemicals whenever possible to help keep the ground water clean and safe.

As a result of input from Salt Cay residents, environmental studies and land surveys, the original idea for a marina has been re-worked extensively. The current proposal will create a central harbor for use by incoming boaters, sailors and fishermen, with a pedestrian-friendly village in the historic heart of Balfour Town. The location reduces the need for excessive dredging, with the use of silt nets to capture debris so as not to harm the sensitive coral reef. Victoria Street will be paved and run through the historic district of Salt Cay, which will feature renovated buildings and properly maintained salinas and working windmills. Visitors will use this to enter the marina community, to include a small restaurant, bar, cafe, shops and more, all open to the public.

The slow life

Visitors drawn by the Six Senses SLOW LIFE philosophy will find much attractive about Salt Cay beyond the sustainable development theme and natural “feel” to the property. A key element of the program is immersion into local culture. On Salt Cay, this could include demonstrations of fish, conch, and whelk harvesting and cooking, tours of a working salina/salt home (with the salt used in the resort’s holistic spa treatments), gatherings to learn about Salt Cay history, hear residents talk “old tales” and perform traditional song and dance . . . the list is long.

This philosophy, if combined with careful employment practices and the minimal use of imported labor, can provide a desperately needed economic boost to Salt Cay. The development can only create new employment, training, education and business opportunities for Belongers, with an estimate of 200 jobs during construction and 1,000 new jobs by the time the project is complete. By integrating the community into the development, protecting the history, culture, tradition and atmosphere of Salt Cay, all can benefit, including vacationers, homeowners and residents.

At the end of the day . . .

Feelings about Salt Cay are rarely lukewarm when it comes to development. Perk up an ear during a community gathering or round the domino table and you’ll hear the pros and cons loud and clear. Many of the current or former residents, along with sons and daughters who grew up in the close-knit community, feel abandoned by the rest of the country. They see Providenciales’ glamorous beachfront resort condominiums, Grand Turk’s bustling cruise ship port and North Caicos’ full-size airport runway and wonder when opportunity will visit Salt Cay. On the other hand, expatriates and residents who appreciate Salt Cay’s quiet capture of a forgotten era are afraid that development will overpower and destroy a place like no other in the world.

I must admit a natural bent towards the latter opinion. Over the last two decades, I’ve seen Providenciales grow from an Edenesque Caribbean outpost to a busy tourism mecca and I can’t say that all the changes have been for the good. However, after carefully reviewing the philosophy and plans of Salt Cay Devco, I’m inclined to suggest that this development might be Salt Cay’s best hope. SCD’s apparent interest and care in carefully managing their ambitions to protect Salt Cay’s environment, history and culture appear to be well thought out and timely, underscored by the partnerships with other innovative and forward-thinking companies. Many of Salt Cay’s historic structures are on their last legs, the resident population continues to struggle and alternative plans looming on the horizon could be of greater impact.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years in TCI, it’s that time will tell. The country has a way of self-adjusting that often seems Divinely led. Let’s see what the Master Planner has in store for Salt Cay.

This Loyalist likely lived on North Caicos and helped build Ft. St. George.

By Dr. Charlene Kozy, former professor and president of  Cumberland University, Lebanon, Tennessee

The master's house at Wade's Green, North Caicos.

In my previous article, “Follow the Chimneys”  (Spring 2009 Times of the Islands), local plantations were described as to content and their relation to a new community. To further learn and understand this early history, the individuals that immigrated  and built the community should be studied. Each has an unique and fascinating story. Let’s begin with Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Brown of His Majesty’s Kings Rangers.

Thomas Brown was born in the seaport town of Whitby in Yorkshire, England. His father Jonas Brown was from a distinguished and titled family and his mother was the granddaughter of Isaac Newton. He received a classical education and sailed on his father’s ships to the New World transacting business from Nova Scotia to Barbados. He spoke of the cordial treatment from the American colonists and decided to settle there, specifically in Georgia.

Unfortunately for Brown, he arrived in America when a movement for independence from England was strong, although it seemed far away in Boston. Brown attended one of the “Sons of Liberty” meetings where he spoke freely of allegiance to the King and refused to sign a document known as the “Continental Association” which declared allegiance to a rebellion. Brown had been honored with a magistracy appointment and had taken an oath to uphold British law.

After the meeting, he was followed home by “a hundred or so” men. After a vigorous defense, he was brutally assaulted, tarred and feathered, partially scalped and tied to a tree with fire under his feet that caused the loss of toes. The greatest harm was a blow to his head that came from behind and left him unconscious for two days and  with headaches for the rest of his life. He even submitted to brain surgery to remove any bone fragments that might have lodged in his brain. Nothing stopped his headaches. His feet were so damaged that he was known as “Burntfoot Brown” throughout the war.

The mistreatment of Brown brought the Loyalists one of their ablest leaders who would repay the “Sons of Liberty” in full measure. In a letter to his father he said, “I do not wish to take up arms against the country that gave me being.” He understood commitment and his five years in the American Revolutionary War gave him experience.

A new home on North Caicos

Following the unsuccessful war in America, the British government began aiding the banished Americans in finding new homes. Surveys in 1782 and 1783 established which islands in the Bahamas were uninhabited and the kind of soil each had. The Caicos Islands were found as uninhabited and “having the best soil.”

Claims were made systematically relating to losses in America. Considerations were given to those who had performed “exceptional services,” and those who had borne arms. The total acreage granted on North Caicos was 10,090 acres and on Middle Caicos 4,814 acres.

The military grantees were obviously favored over the non-military grantees and were high-ranking commissioned officers. Although the number of actual grants to the military was approximately one in four, the average acreage per grant was approximately 680 for military and 189 for non-military. The largest percent of the grantees were from Georgia, South Carolina and East Florida with the exception of Stephen De Lancey, a high ranking officer from New York. His plantation is noted on present day maps by its name “Greenwich” on North Caicos. William Farr was the only grantee who was originally from the Bahamas. The grants were issued between 1789 and 1790. The planters built homes, roads, planted crops and were beginning to be a community.

Thomas Brown received eight grants of land in 1789 and one in 1790. The grants totaled 4,560 acres and some sources have his acreage as high as 8,000. Many grantees named their plantation as Brown named Brownsborough in Georgia. The location of his plantation home has not been identified since no appraisal was made and a name not recorded. A clue might be that his future father-in-law, William Farr, received 380 acres “on the southward of the salt pond between Pumpkin’s Bluff and three rocks bounded on the north by the said salt pond and on the east by Thomas Brown’s.” Farr called his plantation “Cottage.” Mr. Farr died in l800 and it is likely that Brown’s house was nearby since it became a familial household with widow Farr, her sister and Charles Fox Taylor (an Indian Loyalist from Georgia) living there. The coastal town of Whitby, North Caicos was undoubtedly named for Brown’s birthplace, Whitby, England.

The West Indies had been described as a virtual money-box to both the British and French for over 100 years. After a short ten years of peace, the humiliated British Navy set out to re-establish sea power and acquire the entire French possessions in the West Indies beginning in 1793. The proximity of the Caicos created a threat to the fledging Island settlement.

Protecting Fort St. George

“The water is clear and cannons are easily seen lying partially buried in the sand.”

Dr. Donald Keith,  2007

Crumbling remains of fort on Ft. George Cay

This is what we see now, but let’s drift back in time to the 1790s and visualize Fort St. George Harbor. In letters written in 1805 by Thomas Brown to the Earl of Camden and the Under Secretary of State he tells how he met the threat of a French invasion in an area “totally out of the protection of government and is daily exposed to capture or destruction.”

With this daily reminder of what could happen, he states that “he (the petitioner) also constructed two forts,  barracks for soldiers at his own expense and provided the same with fourteen cannons, ammunition, and other military stores for the defence of the Island and provided the same with and equipped and manned 14 guns from the last war for the defence of Saint George Harbor.” He mentioned in the last paragraph that a furnace was constructed for “the heating of shot.”

The letter continues, “that for the security of his  property on the Caicos, as will be more fully appear by documents delivered to the Lord of the Treasury, he armed, clothed, and disciplined . . . all of his Negro men during the whole of the last war and never had a cause to repent of the trust in their fidelity.”

There is no account of the fort being tested by a French invasion but one rousing activity was reported in the Bahama Gazette of August 21, 1798:

“A ship bound for Grand Caicos was wrecked on West Caicos. Brown and other planters sent their boats to retrieve goods belonging to them. As the supplies were being transferred into the small boats, a French privateer came up under full sail. Four vessels made a run for it, but Brown’s men decided to fight for their possessions. The all-black crew was armed with only a two-pounder cannons and muskets, but they drove off the Frenchmen repeatedly. The heavier armed privateer stayed out of range of Brown’s defenders and used its cannons to sink Brown’s boat. The valiant crew swam ashore.”

A letter from Brown to his father Jonas Brown in Whitby, England told of the battle and wrote, “I was so proud of my men, I did not mind the loss of the goods.” For slaves to be armed without fear of a rebellion or running away is more than unusual, it is unheard of on American plantations. The attitude of slave owners was to keep watch and severe punishment was inflicted for any suspicion of disloyalty.

He shows his understanding of the efforts in the West Indies by suggesting that the troops going to Jamaica be sent to the Caicos “for seasoning” to reduce the mortality rate. He further proposes the establishment of “a naval and military camp hospitals on Pine Key . . . For the people with contagious disorders might have a chance of recovery in pure air.”

In a later letter Brown offers to “with pleasure (if deemed necessary) embark with 100 armed Negroes . . . or any service I am capable from my local or military knowledge” to aid in the war.

In the several letters recorded in the Colonial Office, Brown repeats his concern for the safety and welfare of the inhabitants of the Caicos Island and that Ft. St. George was a vulnerable place because of its deep harbors, and urged that it be strengthened to withstand any attack.

Happy days

Thomas Brown’s ten year stay on North Caicos was perhaps the happiest time in his life. He received land in March, 1789–90 and in October 1789, the Gazette announced his marriage to Ester Farr of Nassau, the 16-year old daughter of Captain William Farr and his wife Sarah “on the Caicos.” Projecting, it is possible that the two met in Nassau, fell in love and with Brown’s influence, Farr received land on the Caicos. Her young age would support the desirability of her parents moving with her. Thomas and Ester (Hetty) had four children born on the Caicos. Mary Frances, Thomas Alexander Murray, Charles Susan Baring, and Susan Harriet — who was her father’s favorite.

Since there was no appraisal, the contents of his household are not known as it is with other plantations;  however, the structure of property and management of the plantation is known and in comparison to other plantations is most unusual.

In a petition written to the Earl of Camden requesting land on St. Vincent, Brown describes his plantation as having 643 Negro slaves (he did not own slaves in America, his servants were white indentured) and 15 white overseers and their families situated on 13 cotton plantations and one sugar estate. He allowed each slave (or family) to live on an acre of land. Mathematically, this would encompass at least 300 acres and would spread the slaves’ living quarters instead of slave row houses found on other plantations.

With the acreage he owned, he could support these large numbers and still show a profit. He recorded, as being cultivated, 3,000 acres in cotton, 1,000 in grapes, and 700 in corn to feed his people. Trees were used as wind barriers and fences. This eliminated the laboriously built stone fences found in other plantations. For profit, he claimed his estate made 20,000 pounds each year.

A unique feature of Brown’s plantation goes beyond “arming and disciplining” his Negro men. It is the total lifestyle he created for “his people.”

He wrote more than once about the treatment of his slaves; i.e. not asking his people to do tasks that animals could so such as turning heavy wheels of grist or sugar mills. He would buy a slave from another plantation for marriage at his plantation and his policy was to not sell his people. His relationship and trust in his slaves are exemplified in the arming of the men, allowing them to have land of their own and respecting their tasks performed and family life.

The death of his father on March 28, 1799, the proximity to rebellious islands, and the slowing of profit on the Caicos caused Brown to return to Whitby, England. The danger of the seas and an illness delayed his departure until June 1802. He gathered his children, now age 11 and younger, Hetty’s mother Sarah Farr and Black Nancy, the housekeeper with her mulatto son George to make the trip.

It is speculated that George was Thomas’s son. In his will that was written at St. Vincent he gave a certificate of freedom for some “faithful Negroes who had given unequivocal proofs of affection for him and pay to Nancy  Browne, his eldest and most faithful servant £10 annually during her life and give her a house and grounds upon his estate and in case of sickness or any casualty to demand the plantation allowance and medical attendance.” Cyree Browne and Maurice Moore Browne of the Caicos were mentioned in the will with similar gifts. They stayed on the Caicos to manage the cattle ranch when Brown moved to St. Vincent. (The will is courtesy of Joan Leggett, great-great-great-great  grandaughter of Thomas Brown.)

In Yorkshire, Brown bought Newton House from family members and moved his family there. A fifth child, George Newton Brown. was born at Yorkshire. Brown’s war record and fortune opened society’s doors and he was generally welcomed as a hero.

Brown’s plantation on the Caicos operated for a few years with overseers until he could clear his way to St. Vincent. King George III granted Brown’s request for 6,000 acres on November 10, 1804. He moved his family (with the exception of the younger children in school) to St. Vincent and in 1805 he procured a ship to transport his 643 Negroes and 15 white overseers. It was estimated that four or five trips would be necessary. It was in 1806 before the transition was complete. Brown returned to England and stayed until 1817 due to legal problems. The estate in St. Vincent would operate under the management of Tom Cayley, Brown’s nephew.

Upon returning  to St. Vincent, he built a mansion for his family. It was at this time that he added an “e” to change the spelling of his surname to Browne. He  named his house Montague House, honoring his ancestor Sir Anthony Browne, Viscount Montague, master of horse for King Henry VIII. Thomas Browne died on St. Vincent  on August 3, 1825 at the age of 75.

Conclusions

The only visible legacy of Thomas Brown on the Caicos Islands would be Fort St. George at St. George Harbor. Evidence of British soldiers has been found, which leads us to question the authenticity of Brown’s claim of constructing the fort. A study of the war with France which began in 1792 and was fought bitterly in the West Indies is necessary, along with the capability of Thomas Brown.

Thomas Brown was a soldier, a British soldier. He entered service for His Majesty George III when he was 25 years old in America. He fought with Cornwallis against George Washington in the southern arena during the American Revolution. He developed the “Southern Strategy” that lengthened the war. Thomas Brown took part in all the major engagements and many minor skirmishes over a five year period and lived to tell it.

History chronicles the bloody war in the South with Brown a major player. General Henry Lee asked Brown to surrender at Fort Cornwallis which stood near a river. Lee described it as “judiciously constructed, well finished and secure from storm.” The second fort was Colonel James Grierson’s house or Fort Grierson. The Americans attacked Fort Grierson and Brown covered the men there with a cannonade and led them to Fort Cornwallis. The ability of Thomas Brown to construct and properly man  them is supporting evidence of his construction of the fort with possibly the help of other inhabitants of the Island.

The war in the Caribbean and the British need to win there must be considered. The Caicos Islands were uninhabited until the land grants were made in 1789–1791. The war between the French and English began in 1793. Three years was not enough time to establish the importance that the sugar plantations in the West Indies had.

In addition, the old rivalry between the French and English heightened after the French and Indian War in America when the French lost all their lands to the English. The French were not hesitant to support the rebellious colonies in America in getting their freedom from England.

The renewal of war after only a ten year peace alerted the British to protect their maritime and commercial interests. It was decided by the British Secretary of State for Home and Colonies that the West Indies was “the first point to make perfectly certain.” The main crops were sugar, coffee and cotton, with sugar by far the largest commodity for over 100 years. France enjoyed the same productivity but on a slightly smaller scale. England was addicted to tea with sugar added.

Thus, the mission in the West Indies was to re-establish British sea power and a hope of acquiring the entire French overseas empire. In May 1797. Britain’s offensive military resources were exhausted. At least 20,000 deaths in the army in the Caribbean were recorded in 1797. By 1801, it is reasonable to assume that 43,750 white men died both in the Caribbean and en route. Men ready to fight were demoralized by diseases of malaria and yellow fever more than by the French soldiers or rebel slaves.

The British changed their strategy in 1796–97 to safeguard their possession admitting “the climate of the West Indies . . . has destroyed the armies of Great Britain.” After 1797, military operations in the Caribbean were subordinate in nature.

It was after 1797 and the evacuation of British armies in Saint Domingo that Thomas Brown made the plea for protection of the Caicos Islands and the description of  forts built by himself/inhabitants of the Caicos Islands. At the same time it is documented that

“young Neil Campbell entered the Army in 1797 . . . and in October 1798 we find him stationed at Jamaica as ensign in the 67th Regiment. In consequence of evacuation of St. Domingo by the British at that period and its delivery to Toussaint L’Ouverture the Negro Chief, the colonist of the Caicos, or Turks’ Islands, were apprehensive that an attack might be made upon them by the Blacks . . . a small detachment of the 67th Regiment, and a party of Artillery with guns and stores under the command of Ensign Neil Campbell. . . . the whole encircled by a reef of coral excepting in one part. Where there is deep water and anchorage within the reef.  . . . on a small bank opposite to this anchorage, Ensign Campbell placed his detachment and then proceded to construct fences, barricades and storehouses. . . . Neil Campbell returned to England in 1800.”

No mention is made of cannons or furnace for heating shot in the documentary. It is logical to assume, since his stay was barely one year, that he refurbished the living arrangements for soldiers in the existing fort.

In view of the global situation with England and France and a careful study of the encounters between the French and English in the West Indies exacerbated by malaria and yellow fever, logic and fact would strongly suggest that the British government did not build the fort (or two forts) on St. George Harbor; however, they did occupy it when Neil Campbell was sent as a reinforcement after Brown’s plea for support at the existing forts.

Sources

PRIMARY SOURCES

Bahama Registry

Colonial Office, British Public Record Office, 260/19

Letters from Thomas Brown to his father Jonas Brown

Joan Leggett, private collection

BOOKS

Cashin, Edward. The King’s Ranger. Thomas Brown and the American Revolution on the Southern Frontier.

Duffy, Michael. Soldiers, Sugar and Seapower. The British Expeditions to the West Indies and the War against Revolutionary France.

The Bahama Almanac and Register for the Year 1801. Memoir of Sir Neil Campbell.

NEWSPAPER

Bahama Gazette. Nassau, Bahamas. 1784–1800.  Microfilm copy in P.K. Yonge Library of Florida History, University of Florida.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Terry Smith

Lee Smith

Dr. Donald Keith

Editor’s Note: Dr. Donald Keith from Ships of Discovery and Dr. Neal Hitch of the TCI National Museum plan an expanded archaeological exploration project on Ft. George Cay from October 23 to November 6, 2009. We’ll keep you informed of the results.

Middle Caicos proves itself as “the little island that can.”

By Sara Kaufman ~ Photos By Claire Parrish

View of Mudjin Harbour from top of bluff in Middle Caicos

It has been a year since Hurricanes Hanna and Ike rampaged through the Turks & Caicos Islands, and despite the physical reminders of debris, broken infrastructure and fallen trees it seems a long time ago. Middle Caicos was comparatively fortunate, with damages to houses minimal and no injuries to residents — but the causeway between North and Middle Caicos was almost ruined. Memories of the storms are distant now, but the energy at the time was blazing!

Oddly, although Middle Caicos is the largest island in the Turks & Caicos at 48 square miles, the population is only about 300 people which makes for a very familiar and close community. Both during the storms and afterward, everyone pulled together to make sure supplies were available to those in need. In the pause between the two storms we had two days to ensure everyone was in shape to handle Category Five Hurricane Ike bearing down on us.

Hurricane Hanna had pummeled us with rain for days, trapped us in our homes for most of a week, ripped apart the asphalt, guardrails, lights and much of the causeway surface (making the causeway connecting Middle Caicos and North Caicos totally useless), toppled trees and flooded all the ponds and low areas. The rain and tidal surges turned the channel between North and Middle Caicos brown with runoff and bottom churn, showing a power none had expected from Hanna! On Thursday morning we hurried to take advantage of the respite before Ike was due Saturday afternoon, repairing leaks, hustling those stuck on Middle back to their islands, checking supplies, and ensuring neighbours were safe. Hanna had been long but kind in a strange sort of way, with no one hurt, no homes lost and no vehicles swept away.

Without the causeway — to which we had all grown quite accustomed — we were an isolated island once again and back to the old routine of trucks to the Pine Barrel ferry landing on Middle Caicos, across to Toby Rock landing on North Caicos by small boat, then trucks on the other shore to run up to Bottle Creek for food, propane, water and other supplies . . . then all in reverse to get the goods home to Middle Caicos. This shuttle system ran non-stop in the quiet two days after Hanna and before Ike.

Although flooding from Hanna’s monstrous rains cut off each village for normal vehicles to pass, major construction equipment could travel through the flooded road areas and keep us all in touch. While many residents were in the shelters, most preferred to remain at home, so ensuring all were taken care of in that short time span was a huge task. But by Saturday afternoon everyone was huddled down safely as Ike slammed into the country. Throughout the endless night the cell phones continued to work, making for heartbreaking conversations with folks in Grand Turk as their roofs lifted off and ours creaked ominously. Everyone was awed by the power of the storm.

Walking out of our burrow on Monday morning, peering through my fingers to see how much was left of our restaurant and office near the shore, afraid maybe all had been blown away, sent me to my knees when I saw all the buildings intact. Amazingly, the combination of Hanna with major rain and low winds, then Ike with major wind and no rain kept damages down for all.

One of our best advantages on Middle Caicos is the little power plant based there. Whereas normally electricity comes all the way from Providenciales, the local plant can run all power for Middle Caicos by itself. This emergency power plant ran flat out for weeks, keeping us in light, with running water and working refrigerators. As the causeway remained unusable for weeks, a steady stream of barrels of diesel fuel had to be manhandled across the water in small boats by volunteers, then hand pumped into the tanks at the plant — a fantastic effort.

Each day we moved forward, reaching out to each other and to friends and family in trouble on other Islands, offering whatever we could. Middle Caicos has five churches and a very devout population. Praise and thanks to a loving God echoed constantly in conversation, and an earnest appreciation of the simple life we share was much in evidence.

By early October the worst of the flooding was over, shingles had been replaced, schools reopened, the causeway debris bulldozed away and a rough bumpy roadway re-connected us to North Caicos. The fall passed as momentum was slowly regained for projects underway on Middle Caicos. Remarkably, these projects included four residential homes, two private commercial buildings, the ongoing government complex, a major study of the “pine yard” and the revival of a development agreement in Half Creek. We had four different contractors on their jobs, workers coming in from North by day and a current of optimism palpable as the projects grew toward completion. The local cable company restrung lines and the local realtor office remained open throughout! While the world economic outlook grew dim, great activity was in progress on Middle Caicos, the “little” island that can!

Daniel's Cafe in Conch Bar, Middle Caicos

As the 2008/9 tourist season moved forward, we met it head-on. The annual Valentine’s Day Cup festival in February proved the point — life on Middle Caicos was vibrant, healthy and happy. Day trips were promoted including the unique Conch Bar caves, local lunches, traditional handcrafts and a dazzling day of wide open scenery. In March, 2009 a well beloved eatery re-opened in brand-new premises on the seashore, and Daniel’s Café continues to serve mouthwatering cracked conch to those in the know. In April, 2009 the Middle Caicos Co-op opened its own shop, returning to Conch Bar ten years after it began! (The hurricanes had destroyed the shop in Providenciales and the co-op used the opportunity to re-claim its original home.) Middle Caicos, now and always, offers much to explore, along with a literal “breath of fresh air” and aura of peace, whether for a day or for a week and both tourists and TCI residents find a warm welcome.

Middle Caicos is a unique place, with those choosing to live there following their own rhythm, their own drummer, their own dreams . . . and building a modern lifestyle and sustainable economy in their own way. The future path of Middle Caicos is firmly in their capable hands.

The Middle Caicos Co-op Studio and Outlet sells traditional straw-work, modern art and a variety of handcrafts from a network of 60 island artisans. Wholesale, retail and custom orders are welcome. The store in Conch Bar is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10 AM to 4 PM.

For more information, call 946-6132 or 231-4884 or visit www.middlecaicos.biz.

Historic restoration plays a part in preserving the Islands’ rich heritage.

By Kathy Borsuk ~ Photos Courtesy Lee & Astwood Architects

Bermuda chimney salvaged from Roberts House restoration in Grand Turk

Anyone who is familiar with the Turks & Caicos Islands knows that this tiny archipelago holds a rich history. Most apparent when you visit the “Salt Islands” of Grand Turk, Salt Cay and South Caicos is the impact of the Bermudian salt raking industry and British Colonial government on the architecture of the historic buildings that remain.

Although sturdily built, as time, corroding sea air, hurricanes, development and, in some cases, indifference or lack of funding take their toll, these remnants of TCI history are crumbling before our eyes. Will we lose this valuable and rare link to the past?

Looking back

In the days before refrigeration, salt was an important preservative, and the shallow seawater ponds of Grand Turk, Salt Cay and South Caicos were rich in naturally forming crystals. From 1678, Bermudian salt rakers were dispatched to harvest this “white gold.” They built salina systems to control water flow through windmill-powered sluices and create sea salt through the evaporation.

Slaves were brought in to rake and bag the salt, which was carried by donkey cart to dockside storage sheds. Small “lighters” ferried the salt across the shallow bays to larger ships anchored in deep water. The industry provided the basis for thriving communities, with homes, churches, schools, commercial buildings, salt warehouses and docking facilities. Remains of the salinas, windmills, salt houses and other buildings still exist, although they are deteriorating rapidly.

During this early history, ownership of the Turks Islands was claimed variously by Bermuda, the Bahamas, Spain and France, until they were ultimately restored to Britain in the mid-1700s. As the nation’s capital, Grand Turk’s architecture also encompasses historical government-related structures, such as the Government House at Waterloo, the Treasury building, House of Assembly, post office and prison.

Wherever you travel in Grand Turk, South Caicos’ Cockburn Town or Salt Cay’s Balfour Town, you’ll see historic buildings, most unfortunately in various states of disrepair and decay. Some still hold their own along main streets; others are tucked away behind more modern structures or surrounded by bush.

Turks Island vernacular

For those with an eye for architecture, however, a number of common elements help define a distinctive “Turks Island” vernacular, although it varies subtly by island. These can include such features as a separated stone kitchen shed or building, stepped roofs of shingles or corrugated iron with large overhangs to create shade, wooden shutters, stone fence posts and wooden gates.

Duke Street, Grand Turk home only appears to be a restoration

In Grand Turk and Salt Cay, for example, the local vernacular includes hip roofs, while in South Caicos gable end roof structures are more the norm. Roof cladding varies widely, with Grand Turk style having switched over the years from the Bermuda roof and wood shingles to the current trend to metal roofing. The ubiquitous covered porch is seen throughout the Islands in varying styles, with the oldest buildings, particularly in Salt Cay, retaining the exterior walk-around louvered porch.

The need for protection

As the Islands took a pro-active stance towards preserving their unique and pristine natural environment through the establishment in 1992 of a comprehensive national parks ordinance, the need to preserve built history was recognized. The National Trust was created to safeguard the cultural, historical and natural heritage of the Turks & Caicos Islands and given authority to create and maintain a Heritage Register of areas, sites, buildings, structures or objects of cultural, historical or natural significance. Unfortunately, some bona fide historical buildings were demolished prior to the ordinance taking effect. The elements, especially the destruction wrought by Hurricane Ike in 2008, are taking their toll on those still standing.

Dr. Neal Hitch, director of the Turks & Caicos National Museum, has for years trumpeted the importance of properly restoring the country’s one-of-a-kind treasures. In early 2008 he commented, “I have seen many historic places, but Grand Turk is special. Its historic core is as intact with its original character as anywhere I have been in the world. It is, however, on a very thin line where it can easily be lost.” By late 2008, Hurricane Ike had proved the point, destroying a number of the historical structures including Woodville, a beautiful restoration that had been in process prior to the hurricane.

Dr. Hitch notes, “Historic places have a sense of place that people enjoy. This can attract visitors who typically stay longer and spend more money than those going to a new vacation destination.” He adds that the investment to restore an existing structure is typically less than constructing the same building new. The investment lasts longer, as the quality of space in a historic area does not come and go like the trends of the typical leisure destination. Dr. Hitch believes that either restoring or losing 10% of a historic district can make or break its sense of place, and urges the ongoing protection and preservation of Grand Turk and other such areas in TCI as the keys to a sustainable tourism product.

Well-schooled in the field of historical architecture, Dr. Hitch differentiates between restoration, renovation and preservation. He says, “No one really wants to live in a strictly ‘restored’ house, as it is not conducive to modern living. A renovation allows modern life to happen. A preservation is keeping enough of the original structure of the home so you could, if you wished, take it back to the original nature. It involves selective decisions on keeping appropriate older aspects. In doing restoration work, there is a fine line between making something in which you can be comfortable and preserving the original character.”

Putting policy into practice

One of the country’s most well-known historical renovations was that of Guinep Lodge, home of the Turks & Caicos National Museum. Built about 1850, it is among the oldest private residences on Grand Turk. When the graceful, but somewhat time-worn lodge was acquired in 1990 to house the museum, an extensive rehabilitation program began. To accommodate the weight of the museum exhibits (including a one-ton cannon!), the entire ground floor was taken up, revealing that the first piece of Guinep Lodge was a ship’s mast.

Because dismastings and wrecks were common in the days of the great sailing ships, it would be natural for local builders, such as shipwright Jonathan Glass, who built several structures on Grand Turk in the 1800s, to make use of these free materials. In fact, many of the lodge’s rafters were found to be ship’s timbers, while ship’s “knees” were used to support the roof. Museum officials decided to share this unique style with visitors via a “window” in the floor through which these unusual building materials can be displayed.

The Government House “Waterloo” in Grand Turk was restored in 1993. Built in 1815 and named after the famous battle that took place that year, it was originally the home of a wealthy Bermudian salt merchant and his family. At that time, it consisted of just one modest wing with an open air kitchen. Since then, the house had undergone many modifications, modernizations and additions according to the needs of its succeeding residents.

The well-established local architectural practice of John Redmond Associates served as project architects, with the goal of restoring, as far as possible, the original features of the residence. With termites being a major structural problem, the original wooden structure was supported by new works in concrete and masonry, with the use of timber restricted to claddings, floors, trim and roof. As much as possible of the original fittings and fixtures were retained, and where new ones were required, they were chosen to match their original counterparts. The existing back windows were re-used and the unusual guttering was restored.

Where original details were lost, new ones were based on similar examples found in other Grand Turk houses of the same vintage, as it is quite likely they were all made by the same craftsmen. The end result was a comfortable residence for each succeeding governor, conservation of an important part of the island’s heritage and a building that still stands today.

Making renovation a specialty

I recently met with Jeff Lee and Ian Astwood, principals of the architectural firm Lee & Astwood Architects Ltd. Both have a keen interest in historic renovation, have completed much of the historical renovation and refurbishment done in Grand Turk and Salt Cay, and have acquired an expertise and reputation for the craft. Jeff Lee is a TCI citizen, and has lived and worked in the country for 25 years. Since his early years as partner in the Turks & Caicos branch of OBM Ltd. he reflects his deep respect and admiration of the country’s heritage on the drawing board by incorporating key architectural elements in most of his designs.

I recall interviewing him in 1994 about a boutique hotel he had designed for Governor’s Beach in Grand Turk. The preliminary sketch spoke strongly to the past with its corrugated tin roof, shaded verandas and wrought iron balconies. It was graceful, scaled to the island’s size and appropriate to a sense of place. Unfortunately, the project never came to fruition.

Jeff’s first historical renovation was rather unusual. He was commissioned to design a residence for a Canadian couple on a small 1/3 acre beachfront lot on Duke Street. The goal was to design a residence that, when complete, had the appearance of a renovated 150 year old structure. In fact, of what had existed prior, only the cistern remained!  By studying old photographs, existing buildings and descriptions of the structure by the owner, the firm managed to design and build a brand-new house that looked 150 years old! The proof lies in the published articles that refer to the house as a “recently renovated old Duke Street house.”

Ian Astwood grew up surrounded by history. He spent the first dozen years of his career in the TCI government public works department in Grand Turk. He says that while his team worked to repair various government buildings  — including the post office, legislative council and treasury — to keep them functional, they were not proper nor accurate historical restorations. Ian left TCI to study Historical Preservation in college, earned a Master’s Degree in Architecture and wrote his thesis on “Preservation and Restoration: The Essence of Place in Architecture.”

In 2004, the newly formed Lee & Astwood’s first historical renovation was the Methodist Manse in Grand Turk. Originally built in the 1860s, this spacious, historic, oceanfront home on Front Street typifies the character of the stately British West Indies architectural style. It now operates as the Grand Turk Inn, a popular guesthouse.

The firm’s next project was the renovation and preservation of the Brown House (originally named Sunnyside) in Salt Cay. Built in the early 1800s, the home was later purchased by the Harriott brothers of salt proprietor renown. It was resold upon their death and successively served as a private home and guest house and restaurant. By 2003, the house was in danger of collapse. It was purchased by Helen Krieble, a professional art historian and Salt Cay preservation devotee, who commissioned the extensive renovation.

According to Jeff and Ian, the most important part of the project was the complete rebuilding of the basement and core structure of the house. Jeff comments, “We discovered that the beams in the basement were old ship’s masts and we needed to import large timber replacements to support the house’s structure, with new cement footings to support the posts. Much of the upper living level plank floor was replaced and extensive work was completed on the simply operating porch wooden shutter system.”

Upstairs, the house is surrounded on three sides by a veranda, with  wooden jalousie windows to let in light and breezes. Bedrooms, now with modern baths, line the hall and a refurbished, modern kitchen and dining area enjoys the western exposure. Lemon cypress pocket doors still work and have been restored to give many more years of service.

It was the Roberts House on Duke Street in Grand Turk, however, that posed Lee & Astwood’s biggest challenge. Because of termite and ant damage, the home was literally falling down. The firm petitioned the Planning Department to proceed with an ingenious proposition: survey and measure the building, knock down everything with the exception of the Bermuda kitchen structure and chimney, and build it back with a modern reinforced concrete structure, clad with wood to return the house to its original appearance. The work was time-consuming, with the Lee & Astwood team meticulously measuring every dimension of the house inside and out, translating this into drawings with section details which could be refined into construction documents.

The restoration of Government House on Salt Cay is a work in progress. Situated in the South District of Salt Cay, the house was built in the early to mid-1800s and served as the center of social, governmental and business life on Salt Cay. The two-story home, which served as the primary residence of the government officer, was built entirely of wood, with a separate, stone Bermuda kitchen off the back of the house. The front displays large cement and stone Bermuda posts and wooden gates.

The home has stood empty since its last official function — a wedding reception in 1976. In 2008, TCI National Trust Executive Director Ethlyn Gibbs-Williams and Helen Krieble formed the Turks & Caicos National Preservation Trust, both to raise funds for the renovation and to help the trust secure a 99 year lease on the property.

Although severely affected by Hurricane Ike, the original center part of the house has been refurbished, along with the distinctive front porch. The roof has been completed, closing in the structure, and the exterior wall cladding is now in place, further strengthening the structure. When completed, plans are for the property to serve as a visitor’s center, featuring displays of Salt Cay artifacts and photos and cultural demonstrations including how to cook in the working Bermuda kitchen. Upstairs, the building will be made available for meetings, receptions and other gatherings.

A labor of love

Although Lee & Astwood’s renovations are a labor of love and satisfying in themselves (especially to Ian, who enjoys the delight of older Grand Turk folk when they see restored a building they remember from childhood), they are not without challenges. Jeff says, “The hardest thing about this sort of work is that there are so many unknowns. You don’t know what’s behind the wall or under the floorboards until you’re well underway. That makes it hard to establish a budget or define a timeline for the owners and builders.”

In this type of project, an architect’s job is to draw plans and detail the building, specify the materials, create a project manual and manage the construction, ensuring that the work is done properly and on time. Ian explains that sourcing materials to match existing items is like a scavenger hunt, “We have to research, hunt for and find these materials, then get them to the island! This may mean searching an old barnyard in the US or a dealer specializing in antique hardware to find hinges and knobs for doors.”

Plans for the future may include working with Salt Cay Devco Ltd. on a Salt Cay Historical Preservation Plan encompassing their vision of restoring and renovating the tiny island’s tattered historical center. Jeff and Ian would also like to see restoration expanded to include buildings in South Caicos, such as the venerable District Commissioner’s house, and on the Caicos chain, whose architecture dates back to the Loyalist cotton plantation era. They concur, “There’s so much work to be done and the time window in which these buildings can be saved is steadily shrinking. Without visible reminders of heritage, a country loses sight of itself.”

For more information about TCI historic restoration, contact Jeff Lee and Ian Astwood at Lee & Astwood Architects at 649 946 5210 or  visit www.leeastwoodarch.com.

A sampling of Providenciales’ sybartic – and healthful – spa pleasures.

By Kathy Borsuk & Claire Parrish ~ Photos By Claire Parrish

When Claire and I decided to visit many of the spas in Providenciales for this feature, I inwardly cringed. I’m a wash ‘n’ ready, no-frills gal who was brought up to believe that hard work and deprivation build character and self-indulgence is morally wrong! (I also don’t like strangers invading my personal space.)

Ironically, my sister is a successful massage therapist and esthetician. Her views on the subject started to change my opinion of the virtues of spa therapies, as did Claire’s obvious enthusiasm for the project. But it was this fall’s tour of Provo spas — and their rejuvenating effect on my exhausted body, blotchy complexion and stressed-out mind — that turned me into an advocate, especially as to their long-term benefits for health.

Massage at Thalasso Spa beachfront treatment room

As an upscale resort destination, the Turks & Caicos Islands boast a large number of exceptional spas. We focused our attention on spa services available on Providenciales, where most tourists visit and most residents live. The locations are as varied as the list of treatments available, ranging from seaside palapas tucked behind a private dune to a large wellness center with personal treatment rooms that seem to float upon a reflective pond. You can visit luxurious sanctuaries filled with aromatic essence and the sound of a waterfall or take your treatment by the beach, in a garden or on a sun-drenched patio overlooking the sea.

What we found to be universal were a commitment to excellence and professionalism; a sincere enjoyment in pleasing clients by spa management and staff; and spotlessly clean treatment rooms with decor that invited us to take a deep breath, relax and enter a world of peace and tranquility.

But what about the recession? Is there a place for pampering during these hard times? One spa manager I talked to put it best, “When you’re working hard to manage your business or do your job, taking care of your family, and probably worrying about the economy on top of it all, you need to remember to set aside time to keep your body and mind healthy. Stress takes its toll in more ways than you can imagine, starting with high blood pressure and heart disease and ranging to insomnia, headaches and skin problems. And when you’re continually rushed and anxious, you’re more likely to argue with family and friends or fall into depression. When you consider that a massage, facial or other spa treatment can help alleviate a great deal of stress, I would say it’s well worth the money.”

Spa managers also agreed that tourists expect pampering to be an important part of what may be their only vacation of the year. Many make spa visits a daily part of their resort stay, taking advantage of spa packages. An oft-noted trend is the increase in couples coming to the spa together, especially among honeymooners, and men taking advantage of spa services more than ever.

A number of the spas we visited had recently offered discounts and promotional specials, especially during the slower months of the year. Also available were resident’s discounts. It’s worth asking if any promotions are available when you make your reservation, or check out the spa’s website ahead of time.

As we visited the various spas, Claire and I (who work out of separate offices) kept in touch via email. What follows includes extracts of our “spa chat.”

Exhale® at the Gansevoort Turks + Caicos

Hi Claire: I went for my first spa treatment today at your favorite place for core fusion classes: Exhale® Spa at the Gansevoort. The resort is so chic and trendy — there always seems to be a “buzz” about the poolside and I know you’ve spotted several celebrities there. I was a little intimidated, but felt right at home as soon as I met Tami Norris, the spa manager, and my esthetician, Tamika Thompson. Both were so friendly and down to earth!

They welcomed me into the beautiful reception area — I loved the clean, minimalist lines and combination of dark wood and dusky gray and have you noticed that amazing sand art piece on the front of the desk? We sipped some water and tea while a lot of people — several couples — came in and out to make reservations. But as soon as we entered the treatment room, it was like being in another world: quiet, soothing, scented with a refreshing botanical and just the right temperature. I snuggled into the comfy spa gown and braced myself for the verdict as Tamika analyzed my skin in preparation for a 60 minute ”true” facial.

Age, sun damage, dryness and an annoying predilection for acne led to Tamika’s diagnosis of mature, combination skin and she expertly selected the appropriate lotions and formulas. The first step was a warm and wonderful steaming, followed by a cleanser and a tingly, exfoliating Z-peel. Then came the torture — a.k.a. “extraction.” This involved Tamika squeezing the life out of my every whitehead, blackhead and anything else on my face that didn’t belong. It hurt! But I endured, all in the name of beauty! Tamika explained that this was the proper way to “pop a pimple” and that childhood admonishments against this were because dirty fingernails can cause infection. Yuch!

I was more than ready for the soothing facial massage that followed, along with a rejuvenating mask made of Oriental mushrooms, with a serum applied to my eye “squints.” The final steps were application of moisturizer and a sunscreen that actually treats and protects at the same time. What I especially enjoyed were Tamika’s luxuriant hand and foot massages while the peel and mask did their work.

Tami had told me that Exhale® chooses their product line because “you can see results right away,” and she was right. Although my face was slightly irritated from the extractions, by the next day it was noticeably smoother and less “bumpy” and it did seem that a few wrinkles had vanished. Of course, regular treatment is the key to long-lasting results.

Exhale's outdoor couples shower

Exhale® is an extension of the popular “mindbody” spas that started in New York City in 2003; over 20 in the line are expected to open internationally. Exhale® is the only Condé Nast Johansen recommended spa in Providenciales. Spa manager Tami Norris notes that the most popular services here are massages, especially the fusion massage which make use of aromatherapy for relaxation and healing. Afterwards, many clients enjoy the outdoor garden shower, under which you can rinse in your own private paradise of sunlight and tradewinds.

Besides a variety of facial treatments, including the popular g.r.n. product version, clients can enjoy grn manicures and pedicures in the Islands’ only pedicure chairs! Budding brides and honeymooners often partake in the brow and body waxing services.

For the ultimate in luxury, Tami suggests an “escape” spa package, which combines a deep flow massage, true facial, glow body scrub and unlimited mind body classes during your stay at the resort. (In fact, their trademark Core Fusion® classes, which fuse the disciplines of core conditioning, Pilates and yoga and are transformational in themselves, are very popular among residents and guests.)

Exhale® uses several results-oriented exclusive product lines, including their own grn products, Actifirm, 302, jimm harrison and IS clinical, which is of dermatologist quality. A variety of these products, along with spa wear, can be purchased in the reception area.

This winter, Tami says you can expect several brand-new offerings, including special sunburn body wrap and de-tox therapies. The “de-tox” will encompass exfoliation, a purifying mud masque and scalp massage, all designed to relieve the effects of holiday excess.

Visit www.exhalespa.com or call 649 941 7555.

Thalasso Spa at Point Grace Resort

Hi Kathy: I have just visited tranquility near the beach! I think I’d like to live there!

I have been surrounded by flowers, grasses, sea breezes, a view of the ocean and pretty white-washed buildings full of eclectic keepsakes. There is Asian music in the air and I already feel relaxed. Having arrived at Point Grace Thalasso Spa, Merna Alcandsado from the Philippines showed me a wide ranging menu of all the treatments offered. I could have taken all day choosing! She knew me a little already and I being a sporty working mum of two she was quick to suggest her signature massage, the Fusion. It brings together Swedish and Thai massage techniques to strengthen the body’s energy.

I inhaled a bracing peppermint aroma while my therapist set to work to improve my flexibility, promote my circulation and stimulate the release of toxins. Using a mixture of olive oil and peppermint, she eased every possible muscle or joint tension . . . every toe, every finger, no joint was left out. She was gentle yet firm and added more massage pressure as requested. The added pleasure with this massage was the soothing extensions and flexions of joints. I have often drifted off to sleep during other massages, coming to with a feeling of, “What have I missed?” This massage was just right for me as it made me listen to my body as Merna enhanced my flexibility . . . I only snoozed a little! I blame that on the luxuriant effects of the beautiful natural scenery around me — I think I was dreaming about how I could set up home in this spa.

Point Grace has a special location on the point of world-renowned, 12 mile Grace Bay Beach. It has won for four consecutive years the World Travel Award’s “Caribbean’s Leading Boutique Hotel” designation.

Whether in the hotel or the spa you get a sense of being untouched by modern time. This authentic Caribbean spa so close to nature specialises in preparing facial and body wrap mixes using fresh Neem leaves from trees on the grounds or aloe grown in their gardens. Luxury here comes in the form of marble sinks paired with open-roofed showers, and of course the feeling of freedom when de-robing while looking out to sand dunes and the turquoise sea!

Appropriate to its location, the spa also highlights Thalassotherapy — using the properties of sea water as well as applications of sea mud and select seaweed by specialists trained in these European techniques. These treatments contribute to naturally restore vital energy.

And everyone can benefit — I loved the fact that the comprehensive spa menu includes options not just for men and women, but also for kids. They have “kids at the spa” selections for children between 5 to 12 years old, including a mini massage, mini cooling wrap and mini manicure/mini pedicure. In fact, I shall be giving my six year old (who likes the finer things in life as much as any of us) a special treat for Christmas — a mini-massage at Thalasso Spa.

Visit www.pointgrace.com or call 649 941 7743.

The Regent Spa at The Regent Palms Resort

Good morning Claire: I decided to send Gary for a men’s facial at The Regent Spa. Spa Development Manager Sara Codner says more men are coming in for treatments these days and they even have an old-fashioned barber’s chair for traditional shaves.

At 28,000 sq. ft. and with 17 treatment rooms, The Regent Spa is the island’s largest. It’s a separate facility well away from the resort, and as soon as walk up the path to the spa, shoulders relax and calming music urges you to enter a private sanctuary dedicated to pleasure. The first thing you see is a calming reflecting pool, very oriental in appearance, surrounded by pillars and bamboo plants. Everything is white, with wrought iron accents and a touch of colorful flowers.

We checked in at the beautiful, high-ceilinged reception area, which doubles as a boutique from which to purchase custom apparel, unique organic jewelry, and products from the spa’s various lines. Elder, Gary’s personal spa attendant, led him to the men’s dressing room to change into a robe and slippers.

Besides housing separate men’s and women’s dressing areas, this “outer chamber” also includes a high tech fitness center and a dedicated manicure/pedicure room. I passed through the yoga pavilion to check out the spa’s main treatment area. Here, eight private, stand-alone rooms line the palm-flanked signature pool — each seems to float above the water in its own tranquil aura. There is a quiet area with padded loungers on which to relax before or after treatment and a garden on the opposite end, with a waterfall flowing down the bordering rock wall. Its quiet murmur, along with the bubbling of fountains, served to further separate this elegant oasis from the surrounding world.

Janice Thompson was Gary’s esthetician. After helping him get comfortable on the padded table, she diagnosed discoloration, skin damage and dryness, and set to work with the 80 minute Signature Red Carpet Facial. I left and came back when it was done.

Amazingly, his skin looked fresh and smooth and I could tell he was pleased. Of course, men tend to space out the details, but Janice explained the customized steps she followed for the Sonya Dakar “Fitness Facial.” She began with a Mud Eucalyptus Wash, using actual mud from the Dead Sea to throughly cleanse his skin, while eucalyptus and lemon extracts did more deep cleaning. The next step was an organic scrub to decongest and exfoliate, then a toner to prepare his skin for the next step — seaweed lipsome gel, a “power shake” packed with anti-oxidants and vitamins. One reason he looked so much younger afterwards was probably due to the enzyme peeling cream, which used pumpkin and cardamom extracts to gently remove dead skin, and the lightening mask, combining wheat grass and lactic acid. The final applications were an eye cream to reduce wrinkles, hydrosoft lotion to rebalance his skin’s pH level, and Sport SPF 30 sunscreen (which she urged him to apply daily). I was envious! He had obviously had top-notch care from a “skin expert” and I’m thinking of checking myself in next.

The Regent Spa private treatment rooms encircle a tranquil pond.

Although The Regent Spa exudes an aura of casual five-star elegance, it’s the result of lots of hard work over the last four years by its talented manager Sara Codner and her staff of 28. With a strong background in managing upscale spas (she started-up The Spa at Pennyhill Park in Surrey, England), Sara has used her expertise to refine The Regent Spa to sheer perfection. She says, “We create our own trends and take pride in our authenticity. For instance, since we offer Thai massage on the menu, we make sure it’s done by an experienced masseuse from Thailand. We have a Balinese therapist who begins her traditional meditative massage with a terrific coconut body scrub and incorporates fragrant oils. For our signature Zareeba herbal steam detoxifying ritual, we have a woman in Jamaica who handpicks and mixes our therapeutic herbal blend. We also offer a Mother of Pearl body exfoliation that uses a blend of hand-crushed local queen conch shells to polish your skin to perfection.”

On the other hand, their product line reflects sheer sophistication. Sara explains, “Sonia Dakar is a Beverly Hills favorite, the Somme Institute products are popular among New York City’s elite and this is the only place outside of the US where you can get The Art of Shaving line.”

As a qualified massage therapist and esthetician herself, Sara knows what to look for when selecting staff. She explains, “Of course I look for credentials and experience, but I also personally try out each applicant and I can tell almost immediately if they have that special touch and healing energy the makes for a good spa therapist.”

Massages make up about 70% of The Regent Spa’s business, and their menu includes many varieties, ranging from aromatherapy and deep tissue to Swedish and Shiatsu, with an interesting sea massage which takes place on a warm flotation bed.

Other salon services include make-up application by professional artists, luxury manicures and pedicures, hair cuts and styling for men and women and depilatory services using Lycon wax treatments.

This summer offered were fabulous $1 per minute massages and 50% off facials. Residents always receive a 20% discount and other specials are available throughout the year.

Visit www.regenthotels.com/thepalms or call 649 946 8666.

Beauty & the Beach: Maxime salon & day spa at Caicos Café Plaza

Hey Kathy: Countless friends make regular visits to Mercy (Mercy Garcia, massage therapist at Beauty & the Beach) and now I can say I’ve had the Mercy experience!

Mercy’s choice for me was Swedish massage with, as she put it, added movements of arms, legs, feet, back and neck to aid flexibility. Whew! With relaxing Enya music in the background, I soon felt very much at home listening to my body again. After some warming up massage, Mercy put her whole body behind the movements, whether massage or flexing joints. This included considerable weight on specific areas of my back – enough to make me exhale involuntarily! She comfortably went beyond the elongations I had previously experienced, one example being legs firmly held to one side and head to the other, giving a great back stretch, and somehow Mercy found a way of adding to that stretch with pressure on my back too. How many hands has she got? This experience was all about energising and stress relieving. Again every joint area was targeted and of course my head too.

Both of my massage visits have made me realise that regular massage gives health benefits to the whole body and I need to rethink the way I have viewed massage. Whether it’s easing cramps and muscle tension, stimulation of circulation or lymph systems or a feeling of well being – the health benefits could come into play far more often than just my birthday or Mother’s Day treat. I used to view a spa visit as simply relaxing time away from work or children, when really it’s a more serious health benefit that accumulates the more you do it.

Beauty & the Beach day spa has been operating for nearly 12 years and is hugely popular with residents who also frequent Maxime’s hair salon on site. In the heart of Grace Bay at Caicos Café Plaza, access is easy and the small team here is extremely approachable and friendly. Walking into Maxime’s/Beauty & the Beach feels like walking into a true neighbourhood shop — there are always people you know having a cut or treatment! And yet there is complete confidentiality within the two beauty rooms —the site may be small but the layout works perfectly.

Ann Clift Northcote, an esthetician and owner/manager, continues to keep herself updated on cutting edge ingredients and techniques to provide the services people would like. She says her partnership with Sothys Skincare Paris located in Miami keeps her on her toes, whether it’s eyelash perming to reflexology, or stone massage to glycolic peelings, to name a few. Over the past few years the wedding market has taken off and Ann has worked hard with hair stylist Geraldine Burtschi to create a great name for themselves amongst clients, wedding planners and photographers.

Call 649 946 5093.

Anani Spa at Grace Bay Club

Hi Claire:

I just returned from one of my most relaxing massages yet, at the Anani Spa at Grace Bay Club. Sonia Heastle, spa manager, says Anani is one of the best-kept secrets on the island. Although open since April 2006, a lot of residents aren’t aware that it is tucked into an enclave on the resort grounds. In fact, I loved its warm, intimate aura; I felt embraced in care and comfort as soon as I walked through the doors. The walls are honey-toned, with golden oak floors, warm wicker furniture draped with Balinese sarongs and the fragrance of lemon grass fills the air. Anani is an ancient Lucayan name for “water flower,” and the theme is carried out in the decor, with fresh flowers everywhere — even under my face cradle! Both Sonia and my massage therapist, Sharon Myburgh, clearly take a genuine interest in each client. They explained that many of the staff are veterans of the former Serenity Spa (one of the island’s originals) and take the “healing power of touch” quite seriously.

Sharon gave me a 75 minute Elemis Well-Being Massage. Anani specializes in Elemis treatments and products, and this is one of their specially “choreographed” massages (although Sharon says their client-customized massages are also popular, where the therapists’ creativity can really shine). I inhaled four essential oils and chose the “Muscle Melt” blend of warming Rosemary, Juniper, Thyme, Birch and Chamomile, designed to ease tired, aching muscles. This massage incorporates ten cultural touches from around the world in a smooth, flowing rhythm from start to finish. It started with a Thai foot ritual with warm lime mitts, which stretched the muscles of my feet and legs, and a brisk body brushing to exfoliate and improve circulation. Then, I started my journey into bliss. Using a variety of sure, long strokes, interspersed with pauses at pressure points and to flex joints, Sharon massaged the warm, fragrant oil into my ever-so-willing body, from one side to another, top to bottom.

When I was putty in her hands, she gave me a mini facial, including a cleansing followed by lavender compresses and face massage with Moringa oil, one of Elemis’ “miracle” products, a strong anti-oxidant designed to repair my aging skin. Her final touch was a blissful scalp massage; it felt like my every worry of the week flowed out through her fingers. The tincture bell sounded the end of the treatment all too soon. I re-donned my robe and slippers and padded into the dressing room to shower, dress and prepare to face the world again. Next time, I plan to spend time relaxing in the cozy lounge area, sipping tea or water, to ease my transition into reality.

The Anani Spa encompasses six treatment rooms, including a large couples suite with private double shower and a dedicated manicure/pedicure area. Each room opens to an outdoor treatment area with shower, and on into a private, enclosed garden. Massages on the beach under a tent are another option.

Five experienced, trained therapists offer a variety of treatments using all-natural Elemis products and techniques, a highly successful line, Sonia says, which is extremely results-driven and backed by extensive clinical and scientific studies. (In fact, Elemis sends representatives to the spa each year to introduce their ever-expanding product line and train therapists in new techniques.)

Massages also include deep tissue, aroma stone therapy and a nurturing pregnancy massage. Facials can be specialized to any skin type or problem, and always include luxurious neck, shoulder, hand, arm and foot massage and de-stressing scalp therapy. Body scrubs and wraps are an exotic option, utilizing natural ingredients  such as seaweed to detoxify and deep cleanse inside and out. Spa packages combine treatments for a day of luxury, especially popular among wedding parties.

Sonia and Sharon explained that at Anani, time moves slowly and they are never in a rush to hurry clients in and out. Elemis is a lifestyle brand, offering specialized treatment series. A popular program among Anani’s strong resident following is the weekly body sculpting treatment, combined with Elemis body enhancement supplements. They also say that residents love their pedicures, a.k.a. “facials of the feet,” which can transform a foot in one treatment! In 2010, Anani Spa will release a new “resident’s spa menu” to complement their 10% resident discount.

Sonia calls spa therapy “luxury with a purpose.” She says, “Treatment helps remove stress, aches and pains and improve your quality of life. In fact, we notice that many of our clients are making spa treatments a lifestyle choice. It’s like giving yourself the gift of health.” Sharon concurs, explaining, “Anani is much more than just a resort spa. We’re dedicated to people. We listen to each person and deliver results. We want each client to leave as a better person, and know that they’ve made a new friend.” That’s exactly how I felt when I left.

Visit www.gracebayclub.com or call 649 946 5050x 1045.

Faces & Fingers

Hi Kathy:  Another day, another treatment . . . this is fun! Today I went to Faces & Fingers and it lived up to all I was led to believe. My face feels tight and sparkling clean – I daren’t touch it for the rest of the day!

Very quickly I found myself experiencing the extreme professionalism I had expected in decisive suggestion of treatment for my skin, organisation of treatment room, the no-fuss process of applications with simple, gentle advice throughout, yet still with a clear message that I was here to relax. I totally felt that “an expert” was in charge and it was nice to know that I had to do absolutely nothing whilst much was being done around me. Even my bed had a means of raising my head as needed — I didn’t need to move a muscle.

For my Scientific Facial, I enjoyed the sensations of cool, smooth, warm and cool again while my face was being cleansed, creamed, steamed, viewed, gently extracted, and toned. It was while the toning mask was on and I was being treated to hand, foot, head, neck and shoulder massages that my attention strayed to the outer waiting/open treatment area. It wasn’t that voices were intrusive, they were fun to hear. There was a very nice older man catching up with some of the staff. I could tell he was here for a regular treatment and I thought “good for him – a treatment and a chance to catch up with some sweet younger ladies!” Soon there was a gentle hum of more regulars telling their latest tales, yet in the privacy of my own booth I could still drift off to the sound of Asian music and the smell of lavender.

Faces & Fingers used to be found on Airport Road, but has now taken an upfront location in the new Courtyard Plaza on Leeward Highway. It has long been well known for its loyal clientele, based on its professionalism and excellence in service.

Eyebrow waxing at Faces & Fingers

Owner/director Georgia Wint started out with her shop in Jamaica 20 years ago and brought its sister shop to TCI 4 1/2 years ago. Patrice Elliott-Wint manages the shop here. Faces & Fingers provide a full treatment menu for men and women, very much specialising in scientific skin care, but also offering treatments such as laser hair removal (popular with the men), permanent makeup and nail artistry. The shop is definitely a Caribbean/European experience!

Call 941 4411.

The Spa at Seven Stars

Well, Claire, I made it through with flying colors – my first massage by a male therapist! You know how apprehensive I am about massages in general; but when Jennifer McLennon, spa manager of The Spa at Seven Stars told me my “Island Dream” treatment would be done by a man, I stood in dread all weekend.

Craig turned out to be her husband, they run the spa together, and both are very experienced professionals. Originally licensed and certified in Canada, they not only were employed in massage and physiotherapy clinics there, but have also worked in several upscale locations in the Caribbean, including Peter Island in the British Virgin Islands and The Four Seasons Spa in Nevis. What I’m trying to say is that it was clear from the beginning that I was in good hands.

Both the reception area and treatment rooms are in a building separate from the large Seven Stars resort. Both aura and aroma were clean and calming, emphasizing light earth tones in the decor with bamboo floorboards, lemon grass wallcovering and unique wave fans. Each of the four treatment rooms has a private shower and opens in the back to an outdoor patio.

Although I was pretty nervous at the beginning, Craig’s comfortable manner and strong, sure strokes soon emptied my mind of embarrassment and turned it to relaxation and pleasure. As requested in our consultation beforehand, he focused on my always-aching back, shoulders and neck, besides spending plenty of time on legs, calves and arms. Using a combination of Swedish and deep tissue techniques and a lovely rosemary massage oil, Craig managed to loosen each muscle and amazingly, make vanish a hard knot that often hurts in my upper back. I could feel it disappear! I also noticed that his movements worked to encourage lymphatic drainage towards the center of my body, a fact he confirmed afterwards by encouraging me to drink lots of water to wash away released toxins. He also seemed to stop at various pressure points and bend my joints to and fro, both designed to ease muscle tension.

All too soon the massage was over and the mini-facial treatment began. And yes, men do know how to give good facials! It began with a cream cleansing with a milk-based product, followed by toner and a clay purifying mask with a firming eye treatment. Even waiting time was pleasurable, as Craig massaged my feet (ah, sheer indulgence!) and hands while the mask was drying. A touch of moisturizer for my face and hot towel compresses for my feet were the finishing touch.

Treatment rooms at The Spa at Seven Stars

Afterwards, I had a chance to chat with Jennifer and Craig, a lovely, friendly couple who are obviously enthusiastic about their recently opened spa, and set very high standards. Jennifer explained that besides offering a good selection of massages, facials, body treatments, manicures and pedicures at very reasonable prices, the Seven Stars Spa is eager to customize treatment for clients. This means you can pick and choose among your favorite treatments and body parts, so, as Jennifer says, “You will enjoy every single second. After all, it’s all about you!” In-room, beachside and couples massages are also available.

Body treatments, including scrubs and wraps, and facials make use of Yon Ka products, a high-end line of all-natural ingredients imported from Paris. One interesting specialty was a “How To” massage, in which couples can learn how to give each other a full body relaxation massage. (Or is that too much work when spas are available???)

The Spa at Seven Stars offers a 15% local discount and a free treatment after you have five. They also have lots of fun specials planned for the holidays, include a Peppermint Body Polish for Christmas, which includes fresh peppermint leaves macerated with sea salt for a body scrub, peppermint oil for a massage and a cup of peppermint tea to follow.

Visit www.sevenstarsgracebay.com or call 649 333 7777 x 7740.

Spa Sanay

Hi Kathy: I got a bit carried away looking through the full spa menu at Spa Sanay, but was led in the right direction – my face is consolidating its education in “tingling!”

Just as with massage, it’s a learning curve to put into practice taking a regular facial and carrying on the good work at home to keep your skin healthy and glowing. I’m really pleased I had a facial suited to my age and skin type. Doing so compounded the reasons to keep the practice up!

This facial was called a Resurgence Renewal with Eye Renewal Mask. It followed all the steps I was now becoming accustomed to. My esthetician, Verona Mellis, explained to me what she was doing step by step and also told me about some of the things I could use at home if my skin care supplies were running low, like honey for toning and tightening as well as healing the skin. Honey kills bacteria and is a great remedy for skin blemishes. Avocado triggers the production of collagens, toughening and toning the skin. Her advice led me to look for more information on the Internet and there’s a lot to learn about natural remedies.

My problem areas were targeted with their own mask and then a cooling, calming, all-over mask of papaya and pineapple was pasted on. After the eye treatment I was ready for a most relaxing massage to my arms, hands, lower legs, feet, head and neck. Just as I am learning to expect, the foot massage was amazing! My mind was overcome by the reward of knowing that my face was getting extreme nourishment while my whole body was being further eased, all to the sound of calming music.

I was very pleased to leave the spa with a sizable purchase of products targeted to my needs, feeling I owed it to my skin to maintain a good simple routine. For the whole of that day my skin did feel tightened and tingling fresh, and I think it still does today, give or take the odd late night out!

Spa Sanay was started by owner/managers Sandy and Fay Lightbourne in 2003 in the Grace Bay Court Plaza opposite Sunshine Nursery, and they now also have a small spa at The Alexandra Resort which caters to both visitors and residents. As Fay tells me, Sandy, a banker by trade, likes to keep a close eye on his spa and is highly involved, doing all the purchasing of products, for example. Amongst his staff Georgette Dallas is key, overseeing things in his absence.

As their menu suggests, the range of treatments is all-encompassing including a full selection of hair services. Because these well known locals are devoted to their spa and their staff they have a great following, as I witnessed when two visiting gentlemen arrived with recommendations to take a Spa Sanay massage.

Email spasanay@hotmail.com or call 649 946 8212.

Spa Tropique

Hi Claire: I thought I’d forward you the report from my friend Charmaine Thomas. She visited Spa Tropique’s outlet at West Bay Club and received much more than she expected!

Hi Kathy:

I must say that I feel flattered to have been chosen as one to enjoy a Spa Tropique treatment. Located in the quiet tranquility of West Bay Club resort, the seaside spa is surrounded by luscious greenery which further emphasizes its serenity.

After describing my skin type, my therapist, Olive Fletcher, suggested that I receive a Papaya Pineapple Scrub followed by a body massage.

The body scrub was in a class of its own. Formulated with papaya and pineapple enzymes, it smells heavenly and both exfoliates and moisturizes, leaving my skin glowing and smooth.

My massage therapist was very knowledgeable in her job and I felt quite confident when observing her skills and caring spirit. The room was filled with soft music which mellowed my mind, placing me in a relaxing mood. Warm therapeutic oils were graciously and generously rubbed onto my body from neck down to my heels, and by the end of the massage, all my tight muscles seemed to have unwound.

I enjoyed every minute I spent in this spa and can’t wait for my next visit!

Spa Tropique is made up of a friendly, caring, professional group of therapists who work from many of Providenciales’ upscale resorts . . . and just about anywhere else you’d like a spa treatment! It reflects the customer-service oriented outlook of its owner/manager Meryl Cooper, who grew up in a family business and has it bred into her genes to please her clients. She explains, “Our goal is to be a wonderful part of the vacation experience. We want to make every customer feel like they are part of our family. We want everyone to leave happy.”

It would be nearly impossible not to be, with Spa Tropique’s extensive and creative list of spa services, whimsically described on their new menu. Ranging from Knotty but Nice classic Swedish massage to the Blemish Buster facial, Magical Mud Pie mud wrap, and Tootsies and Footsies foot and hand treatments, each selection seems an adventure into fun and relaxation.

Meryl says the most popular treatments are those that symbolize Caribbean flair, including the Margarita Body Glow scrub using Turks Island sea salt, and Caribbean Wrapsody, a papaya-pineapple créme fraiche body wrap, “the most delicious in history.”

Besides their home base Ports of Call location, Spa Tropique runs spas in a number of popular resorts, including both Ocean Clubs, The Sands, West Bay Club, Windsong and Reef Residences. They also handle out-call services for The Somerset, Coral Gardens and Royal West Indies. As a result, Meryl maintains a large, flexible staff that can be quickly mobilized to handle large parties (such as weddings and reunions) and corporate gatherings, as well as visit private residences or hotels. Meryl recalls among the most unusual “gigs” being when her staff dressed as pirates for a 50th anniversary party or when they set up their massage tables on the deck of a yacht — right next to the helicopter!

Meryl’s warm, outgoing personality makes her a natural for this people-pleasing business. Born and raised in New York City, Meryl began her career in retail and is a born actress, voiceover talent and stand-up comic, as well! She met the spa’s former owner during a trip to Little Cayman several years ago and shortly afterwards was living in Provo, running Spa Tropique and, along with her talented staff, on a mission to spoil you rotten.

Totally hands-on 24-7, Meryl hand-picks her staff from the many resumés that come her way. It currently includes certified, experienced therapists from the US, the Philippines and Jamaica — each one, like Meryl, thoroughly convinced that they’re doing “something good in the world through the power of touch.”

Spa Tropique also makes and packages a number of retail products, including salt scrubs and foot scrubs using indigenous ingredients. They are sold in the spa’s various outlets.

Visit www.spatropique.com or call 649 331 2040.

Teona Spa

Claire:  I just came back from my massage at Teona Spa and I was almost too relaxed to climb the stairs to my office. Edmonde Sidibe-Jones is the spa director (as well as its heart and soul) and I was glad to be in such capable hands. Last week, I had moved nearly seven tons of magazines around the island and into the storage locker and every muscle in my body was tight and sore. Edmonde treated me to one of her signature massages, in which she used a special blend of herbs, plants and fruits, including turmeric, lemon grass, ginger and mango, steamed together in fist-size bundles. Throughout the massage, she would take one of the hot bags and press and rub it over various meridian points on my body, an interesting sensation that was wonderfully warm and relaxing. As soon as I turned on my back, I could smell its spicy scent in the air.

Edmonde is a person who exudes beauty, warmth and love even when she is simply booking a treatment over the phone. During a massage, it positively flows from her spirit. She utilized a top grade olive oil, and plenty of it. She also used her elbows and forearms along with her strong hands and fingers to give the most personal, loving massage I have ever experienced. With a combination of long, smooth strokes, rocking, joint rotation and pressure, she slowly worked her way over my knotted back and shoulders, legs, feet, arms and neck, introducing each new area with the hot plant rub. Then I turned over and she started on the other side, including a stomach massage and ending with a scalp rub that included a tug or two on my hair.

As I slowly relaxed to the quiet music playing in the background, I could hear pops and clicks as my knots unknotted and my tensions unreeled. All too soon, the massage came to a close with two warm balls of the steamed blend tucked on either side of my neck, releasing for my deep inhalations their purifying scent. I will take Edmonde’s advice when she says I need to do this more often!

Teona Spa is tucked away in a shady grove in a building just south of Villa Renaissance. It serves as the resort’s dedicated spa, as well as for its sister property The Regent Grand. Its name “teona” means “a spirit of peace” and from the time you step into the African-themed waiting area and breathe in the rich scent of patchouli, tranquility begins to flow. Edmonde was born in Senegal; her father was African and her mother French. As a result, her spa bring to the Turks & Caicos an exotic blend of cultures that well suits the Caribbean. Her extensive training was primarily done in France, and this European influence can be felt in both her professional approach and sophisticated techniques (as well as her lovely French accent). She explains, “In Europe and throughout the Old World, spas have a rich heritage and a deep philosophy. It is not just somewhere you go for pampering, but a process of holistic healing. It involves body and mind, and can be spiritual as well.”

Open since November 2007, Teona welcomes all TCI visitors and has a strong resident clientele, many of whom believe in the value of long-term spa treatments on their health. (They also seem to enjoy her slimming therapy and de-tox programs, which, like most of Edmonde’s treatments, deliver results.) Teona’s extensive menu includes an array of facials, body wraps and scrubs and a wide variety of massages gleaning rituals from around the world. Signature treatments were created to utilize Edmonde’s 25 years of experience, and Master’s level knowledge of spa techniques. What looked especially appealing to me for next Valentine’s Day was “Two Hot to Handle,” a couple’s treatment involving a Boreh mask, a spiced bath and a Mediterranean hot oil massage. Edmonde says many of the treatments can done in your hotel room (or balcony), villa or home, including the ultimate four-hand massage in which two therapists work simultaneously. Teona also offers complete manicure, pedicure, depilatory and make-up services.

Edmonde’s product line includes Thalgo marine-based cosmetology (especially appropriate to our sea-surrounded island), as well as Phytobiodermic and Rhonda Allison products.

For 2010, Edmonde is anticipating a total remodel of the existing building. The interior space will be tripled, with the reception separated from the quiet treatment room area. There will also be a large outdoor facility encompassing a garden, waterfall, outdoor shower and relaxation area with two bungalows tucked in the dunes overlooking the beach. She plans to introduce several new technologies, including light therapy, corrective baths, a sauna and Turkish bath and a hair salon.

Visit www.www.villarenaissance.com/Teona_Spa or call 649 941 5051.

Searching for the TCI’s National Flower.

Story & Photos By Sophie Williams

This species of the Heather plant is found only in the Turks & Caicos Islands.

As a botany student in the UK, I regularly see the beautiful purple heathers covering the hillsides and dominating the landscape. When I was offered the opportunity to study the Turks & Caicos heather, I was excited and eager to see an endemic species of heather, occurring nowhere else in the world. I have now learnt that this heather, the national flower of the Turks & Caicos Islands, is a rather elusive and mysterious plant.

One of the aims of my research in the Turks & Caicos is to map the distribution of the heather and three other endemic plants. This requires finding the plants and taking GPS co-ordinates on a handheld computer. From this information I will then be able to draw maps that explain where the plants are found. This will allow the conservation status of the plants to be assessed and we will be able to see just how rare they are. The hardest part of this research is initially finding the plants. With only eight weeks to locate as many as possible, this was going to be quite a challenge — especially for a heather that is only known from a few locations!

Description

Botanically speaking, the heather is called Limonium bahamense. There are many species of heather in the Caribbean that are related to L. bahamense but this species is endemic to the Turks & Caicos and it may be restricted to just a few of the islands. Past botany expeditions undertaken by the Turks & Caicos National Trust and the Royal Botanic Garden, Kew had elucidated that the heather likes to grow around the edges of salinas. A few photographs taken from these trips show that it is a small herbaceous plant, up to 30 centimetres tall. It has tiny purple flowers, surrounded by a white sheath clustered together around the end of red stem. The mature plant lacks true leaves but has a green stem that it uses for photosynthesis. It is likely that this adaptation is to reduce the surface area of the plant and so reduce water loss. Interestingly, when the plant is a juvenile, it forms a small rosette of spoon-shaped leaves that are subsequently lost as the plant develops.

Plant hunting

After weeks of searching throughout Middle and North Caicos, a team of National Trust staff, Kew scientists and students (me included) set off towards Big Pond on Middle Caicos in hunt of the elusive heather. The rain had been heavy for the previous few days making the trek more interesting as the trail was flooded. Within the first minutes of what was going to be a long day’s hike we all had wet feet from wading through the flooded swampy lands. At some points during the day we were up to our stomachs in water — all so we could get a glimpse of the heather!

It was well worth the difficult walk as on arrival to the Big Pond salina a colony of heathers was spotted. This was my first sighting of the beautiful plant and I was not disappointed. Around 20 heathers were flowering, grouped together in a patch of salina only a few metres square. It seems that this clustering of plants in a small area is a habit of the heather and it is not known why, when there is suitable habitat all around, they do not colonise bigger areas. This mystery is one of the aims of my research; to ascertain what are the key environmental factors that control the distribution of the species.

Expedition to the Turks Islands and Cays

A week-long expedition, travelling to Big Ambergris Cay, Little Ambergris Cay, South Caicos, Grand Turk and Salt Cay, was planned for our team. My aim for this trip was to find more heather populations. Our first stop, Big Ambergris Cay, resulted in the discovery of a small meadow bursting with heather. This area was previously part of a large salina that has been modified by development, leaving just a small area suitable for the heather.

The visit to Salt Cay was by far the highlight of the trip for me as we found the heather growing in exuberant abundance. The old salina walls, left un-worked for so many years, has provided the ideal habitat for the heather to colonise. It is clear from my travels around the different islands that the single meadow at Big Ambergris Cay and the whole island of Salt Cay are the two most important sites for the heather. These areas are the world’s stronghold for this species and so need urgent protection.

Conservation

An initiative lead by the organisation Plantlife International aims to identify areas across the world that are important for plant diversity. Areas that hold a significant number of endangered or endemic species are identified and then recognised globally as “Important Plant Areas.” The Turks & Caicos could join the global community in this initiative and specify the few locations of heather as Important Plant Areas. The protection of these sites would ensure the long-term persistence of this species. The isolated populations of heather are extremely vulnerable to changes in their habitat. Destruction of just one population would have a significant impact on the survival of the entire species.

Conclusion

My short trip to the Turks & Caicos has been a fantastic adventure and I feel very privileged to have visited so many of the diverse islands. The challenge of locating the heather across the Islands has shown me that this plant is a very rare species. The sites on Big Ambergris Cay and Salt Cay would certainly qualify as globally Important Plant Areas. It is up to the people of the Turks & Caicos to decide whether they feel the national flower is a worthwhile candidate for conservation action.

The author is researching the endemic plants of the Turks & Caicos as part of her MSc in Conservation Science. She would like to thank the Turks & Caicos National Trust, Royal Botanic Garden, Kew and Imperial College London for making this trip possible.

Story & Photos By Dr. Charlene Kozy, former professor and president of Cumberland University, Lebanon, Tennessee

My Winter 2008 Times of the Islands article, “Hidden History,” gave an introduction to the task of uncovering the mysteries of the Caicos Islands plantations. Yet the maps plotting the plantations on North and Middle Caicos were merely a start in finding the hidden and lost history of the plantation era. Some tracts were sold to other grantees and some were never exercised. The dilemma was how to find and identify the ruins in the heavily overgrown area. Through the hospitality and knowledge of residents of Bambarra on Middle Caicos, I was able to plan field schools with students from Cumberland University in Lebanon, Tennessee, where I served as a professor.

Alton Higgs led me and my husband, Steve, through the brush to Haulover (making small fires to mark our way back). Mrs. Constance Hall showed me Ferguson Plantation, where she was born and lived until storms damaged it. Emmanuel Hall (deceased husband of Constance Hall) provided a place for relaxation and sold soft drinks at “the store.” Valerie Hamilton, a young school teacher, gave support and knowledge of the island. And, lastly, Ernest and Elizabeth Forbes opened their home to house the students. Mr. Forbes became my guide throughout the time of investigations and continues to look for ruins that can be identified. His life spans enough time for him to have seen changes and be told of changes by his elders. While matching land grants to actual locations is difficult, he disagreed: “It’s easy, just follow the chimneys.”

The use of chimneys was brought to the Bahamas by the Loyalists. Johann David Schoepf, a German, reported in his work Travels in the Confederation (1783-84) that no chimneys were found in Nassau but cooking was done over round fire pits outside their houses. In the U.S. Colonial South, kitchens were generally built apart from the main residence to minimize the danger of fire. Thus, this is one way to ascertain that plantation ruins did indeed belong to a Southern Loyalist. Haulover has two chimneys still standing – one is in the kitchen just outside the main house and the other is in the secondary residence. Bonaventure’s chimney in the kitchen is the best preserved part of the ruins. The cooking area of the chimney at Increase is the best preserved. Other chimneys on the Caicos Islands reach above the brush, announcing another plantation ruin.

It was logical to investigate the plantations where appraisals, wills, and other documents were found in the Bahama Registry. Two detailed appraisals were selected, Bonaventure and Increase. Local oral history and documents are available for the third plantation, Haulover.

The three plantations chosen on Middle Caicos lie on the northeast coast and spread southward along Whole Grown Creek and Windward Going Through. This area has the best soil on Middle Caicos even today, and there is more rainfall than on other parts of the island, as evidenced by bananas growing there.

The grantees of these three plantations had very little in common in America. Dr. Lorimer was a military surgeon in the British garrisons in Pensacola, Florida;  John Mulryne Tattnall was a large property holder in Georgia and John Bell was referred to in the appraisement as Dr. John Bell from East Florida. None of these grantees were enlisted in the military, although 25% of the grantees served in the military with the King’s Rangers. They were banished from America because of their loyalty to the King, and resumed their life by chance as planter neighbors on Middle Caicos.

The information from appraisals brings the image of real people living on these plantations. While personal  information such as diaries and letters are lost, documents such as wills, appraisals, sales of property, etc. illustrate the daily life of the Loyalists.

We usually give the 1830s as an end to the plantation era; however, letters written by Alice Coweles Harriott (married to Alexis Harriott) in the 1860s from Salt Cay mentions that her children, Missie and Jim, will “be two weeks at Grand Cay (Middle Caicos).” The conclusion is that relatives or friends lived on Middle and entertained visitors at this time. In her letters she gave insight to the shortage of small things like needles, cloth and “any pretty little new novelties,” and asked her mother and aunt to send them to her. She spoke of an abundance of bananas and coconuts but she missed having milk. She wrote of the relentless heat (in December) and mosquitoes, but added a vivid description of oleander flowers that her aunt “would go out of her skin if she could see them . . . the buds open almost like rose buds.” This was written some 30 years after the period of prosperity on the Caicos Islands, but it was probably a fair sample of  life at Bonaventure, Increase, and Haulover Plantations.

Bonaventure Plantation

John Mulryne Tattnall’s outspoken loyalty to the British Crown resulted in his being one of the first Georgians to be banished. He was from a wealthy family (the name Tattnall can be found on street names in Savannah, Georgia today). His first move from Georgia was to British East Florida and he immediately began working for the rights of Loyalists. He petitioned for their aid while in East Florida and became an active member of the Board of Loyalists in the Bahamas. He applied for a position in Nassau as Searcher of Customs, but Governor Maxwell viewed Tattnall as an extremist, “trying to overthrow the government.” A letter from Tattnall was published in the Gazette countering the charge, explaining that he had “sacrificed fortune and dearest connections to the interest of his country and attachment to his Sovereign.” He did not get the appointment.

Two grants were made to John M. Tattnall:  300 acres on North Caicos and 750 on Middle Caicos. The appraisal of his estate made at his death in 1796 and description of the ruins investigated in 1991 places Bonaventure on the land described below in the original grant.

D/1, 155 (reel and page number in the Bahama Gazette)

John Mulryne Tattnall         14 April 1790

750 acres upon the Grand Caicos, bounded northwardly by Whole Grown Creek and Windward Going Through, southerly by a marsh, eastwardly by John Bell’s Land and westwardly by John Dickson’s land.

John McIntosh, Thomas Armstrong and Charles Fox Taylor (all grantees) witnessed  and signed the appraisal on 16 December, 1796 listing his property and “sundry articles.”

Approximately 120 acres were under cultivation of cotton and about 30 in pasture. Stone buildings were equipped with the latest invention to clean cotton, the wind gin. Slave houses with an overseer’s house indicates the organization of labor on Tattnall’s plantation.

His dwelling was a two-story house with a wide entry, dining room, and two parlors on the first floor. A back entry, with furnishings, probably connected the main house to a kitchen to the rear of the house. The house was well furnished with mahogany furniture and silver serving utensils.

The two parlors were furnished with a mahogany dining table with ends to match, round tea table, six mahogany chairs, mahogany secretary with drawers and glass,  mahogany side board, bookcase, white, ivory-handle table knives and forks, a set of tea china and six mahogany chairs with cane backs.

The bedrooms (chambers) were equally well furnished with a mahogany bedstead for two mattresses, chest of drawers, chairs, mahogany basin stand, night table and a bed chair (stuffed). The western chamber also had a bedstead, feather bed-pillows, a small child’s bedstead, a cedar crib, a small chair, a trunk with bed linens and table.

The kitchen was stocked with: silver spoons, fish knives, ladel (sic), butter knife, 14 silver table spoons, 12 teaspoons, 8 cups, 1 tankard, coffee pot, sugar dish, cake holder, candlesticks, snuffer stand, egg frame and cup, toast trays, tureen ladel (sic), rice dish, spice box and 2 pairs of plates.

Personal items listed were a gentleman’s saddle, a pair of silver mounted pistols with holsters, a mahogany gun case and a swinging lamp. Also listed were a thermometer, spy glass, fiddle (Mr. Tattnall’s fiddle), clarinet and a picture of General Woolfe.

Other unusual furniture and items were 14 Iapan’d  (sic) cane sear chairs, 2 mahogany card tables, 2 pair of glasses in good frames, 1 sofa with furniture, 1 printed floor cloth, 1 set tea china, tea urn, tea trays. Also listed were an Iapan’d half circle table and 2 pairs of India shades. (Iapan’d was a popular style which involved painting the furniture black and using gold or white Japanese decoration on it.)

The ruins and the landmark chimney were found with the help of Mr. Forbes. The students scraped dirt from the foundation and using the appraisal description, found the floor plan and additional buildings described. Stone and mortar (sand and crushed shell) held the walls of the kitchen and the chimney. The main house was described as a two-story frame house, but only the foundation survived. Rubble piles, possibly indicating poorly built slave houses, were present on the site. Using careful measurements, a plot of the plantation was made showing distances between buildings and fences.

The appraisal listed farm animals, i.e., 3 horses, a cow and calf,  25 sheep, 30 turkeys, 18 ducks, fowl, hogs and geese. Ten slaves were acknowledged by name. Evidently it was a working plantation at the time of Tattnall’s death in 1796.

We sat and pondered the family and their lifestyle. Although there is no mention of a wife and children, it is clear there were small children living there at the time of Tattnall’s death or that had lived there and grown up. What would it be like to be moved away from “what you call dear” and live in virtual isolation? Even with the obviously expensive and elegant items they brought with them and available labor, it would not be ideal.

Our guide, Mr. Forbes, pondered the hard work of the slaves that built the expansive stone fences, houses and the main house. He imagined the labor involved in carrying, cutting and securing the stone which has stood for over 200 years and we commiserated with him. We all were amazed at the thought of cultivating 120 acres of cotton and  it growing  “in tolerable condition” in the thick brush that now covered the fields, understanding that  hoes were the primary tool used in the Islands at this time.

The appraiser’s conclusions were that the plantation  was “at considerably less in value than it would be otherwise due to the precarious situation in the West Indies.” The “precarious situation” could have been wars, insects, depleted soil or the lower price for cotton.

Increase Plantation

Mr. Forbes knew the exact location of Increase Plantation. It is on the southeastern part of Middle Caicos. It was used as a point to travel by boat to South Caicos before modern transportation, and reached by foot.

A decision to conduct a field school required access to the plantation. With housing in Bambarra, we traveled by truck to Lorimers after which the road became impassable for a vehicle and we went on foot thereafter. I realized we were on the Royal or King’s Road, as it is interchangeably known. The road was lined with stone and easily followed. Scrubby growth had overtaken parts but it can be easily seen how carriages could travel from Haulover, Bonaventure, and other plantations in that area to the last point of the island, Increase. I could imagine the bumpy ride experienced in a Loyalist’s carriage.

In the interest of time lost walking, Mr. Forbes was convincing when he suggested traveling by boat from Bambarra Landing through Windward Going Through to Increase. The investigation was a “go.”

The boat trip itself proved to be an adventure. We traveled with the tides and sometimes had to “lighten up” when we hit sand and wade until deeper water was found. The team left the boat on the southeastern part of the island and walked to the back of the plantation. Although its location is known throughout the island, its isolation and difficulty of access probably made it undesirable to live there after it was abandoned; however, through the ages, the plantation was stripped of any of the original planter’s valuables.

The owner of Increase, John Bell (referred to as Dr. John Bell in the appraisal) was granted over 1,000 acres of land in 1791 on Grand (Middle) Caicos and apparently lived there until his death in early 1800. He established two plantations, Increase and Industry. Dr. Bell was obviously a man of wealth, as he did not depend on the British government for transportation to resettle in the Bahamas. The Bahama Gazette carried a story on January 5, 1789 about ” Dr. John Bell, from East and West Florida” and his troubles at sea. It appears that one of his sloops sprung a leak and was forced to put in port in St. Eustasia “on his way to settle on an island.” The Gazette reported that the sloop carried 180 of his Negroes along with other possessions.

The land grants are as follows: (reel, page numbers in the Bahama Registry)

F/1, 127

12 February 1791    John Bell

720 acres on Grand Caicos, bounded on the north by the Windward Going Through on Grand Caicos, bounded on all sides by marshes and creeks.

F/1, 128

12 February 1791    John Bell

300 acres upon a key or point to the eastward of the Windward Going Through on Grand Caicos, bounded on all sides by marshes and creeks.

F/1, 142

16 February 1791    John Bell

Acres on a key to the westward of the Windward Going Through on Grand Caicos, bounded on all sides by the sea.

E-2, 290

Inventory and appraisement of goods and chattel of Dr. John Bell, deceased, taken at Increase Estate, Middle Caicos in the Bahamas, 26 February 1800.

Increase plantation – about 1,470 acres of land. 300 of which is in cotton, highly cultivated, 200 in pasture, properly subdivided with stone walls remainder in standing woods together with the buildings thereon consisting of a frame dwelling house 28 feet long, with sash and glaze, a hall, two bedrooms, pantry on one floor and cellars under the whole. Cotton house of pitch pine, 39 feet long by 16 with a piazza on one side, 11 feet wide with a room in one end of it. A stone kitchen, a corn house built of stone 40 ft. long by 12 ft. A stone house of stone 46 ft. by 15 (ft.). 13 large Negro houses built of stone besides others walled and plastered. Estimates this land at a guine per acre and improvements at 1000 currency.

A small key opposite Increase plantation. A tract of land on East Caicos, about 300 acres. Industry plantation about 1000 acres with improvements.

The appraisal listed 90 Negro slaves by name and age. They were grouped by families, and illnesses and positions were mentioned. Two examples are:

Jamie/ Driver. Belinda his wife.

Francois     13

Silverlec     5

Philip     7

Harriet     3

Sara, grandmother

Caesar, his wife Nanny, afflicted with cancer

Medina     3

Few household items were mentioned. But a “parcel” of medicine was listed. A total of 12 horses, 9 cows, 5 calves, 3 bulls, 2 steers, 4 heifers and 39 sheep probably populated the 200 acres of pasture.

An extensive list of tools and equipment needed for this large plantation was listed, i.e.: “5 foot gin compleat (sic), cotton cleaning machine, mill stones, grind stones, 2 hand corn mills,” along with hammers, nails, 14 hoes, 16 pick axes, 6 whip cut saws, hand saws, iron squares, hunting knives, 9 space shovels, 6 iron wedge, 6 trowels, new rope, etc.

A barrel of chalk, 3 new sash windows with frames, 500 bushels of corn, one-half barrel of beef, a quantity of black soap, one keg of white paint, a small boat and a harness with carts was found.

The “yard” was in common usage and separated the main house, kitchen, and workhouses from the slave houses known as the “quarters.” The “yard” at Increase consisted of the main house, kitchen, three industrial buildings and a circular structure of stone and was located between the west gate and the first east gate.

The main house was approximately 120 feet from the west gate, which opened to King’s Road. The appraisal described the house as being a frame dwelling, which would account for the structure being in ruin and overgrown with extensive bush, cactus and trees. No walls remain standing, nor are there any floors or interior partitions; however, the foundation for the cellar (basement) is intact and the doors leading to the cellar are easily discerned. A support pillar is in place in the center of the foundation, which follows the appraiser’s description of a two-story house. Two bedrooms and an 11 ft. piazza are described in the appraisal. These were located and measured. Steps lead to the first floor, thus, the cellar was not dug but built at ground level. The house was located on an elevated area making it possible to view the surrounding fields. Sixteen feet of “sash and glaze” (windows) are described in the appraisal but were not located on the structure. The house faced the southwest.

The kitchen was approximately 60 feet southwest of the main house. It is a 14 ft. square building made of stone with wooden frames still in the windows and door. The chimney is in ruin, but stood 9 ft. 5 1/2 in. tall by 12 ft. 3 in. wide, the fireplace is intact. A well-built hearth lies outside the fireplace. A circular stone, hollowed out, is outside the kitchen door. Mr. Forbes recognized the stone as a container used to collect rainwater for animals (or people) to drink.

A dome-shaped mortar and stone structure was found in the “yard” area.  An iron ring lay at the top of the dome. A similar structure was reported by Kathy Gerace on the Farguharson Plantation on Watling Island leading to the conclusion that it was a ginning circle. Farguharson mentioned in his journal that he borrowed a mule from a neighbor to gin his cotton. Ms. Gerace assumed the animals walked around the perimeter of the circle, which held the cotton gin. Cotton cleaning machines are mentioned in the Bell appraisal along with gins.

“Rubble” of rocks lay next to the circular structure, which could have been a storage building for cotton. It is speculated that a thatched roof held in place by wooden poles covered this whole area. With 300 acres of cotton  found in good condition by the appraiser, mechanisms  to clean and store cotton are certainly logical.

A two-room building is located 10 feet north of the kitchen. It measured 36 ft. x 14 ft. with a stone wall between the rooms. It could have been slave quarters or a storage house, but most likely slave quarters for “kitchen help.” The rooms were separated by one 3 ft. door.

The appraisal states that “13 large negro houses build of stone, walled and plastered” were on the plantation.  The houses were identified by piles of “rubble” of unshaped rock just outside the first east gate and measured 13 1/2 ft. square. Ms. Gerace found a similar description of slave houses at Sandy Point Plantation on San Salvador.

In this area, a circular man-made well built of stone and mortar was found. Approximately 30 feet away was an opening in the ground that appeared to be a natural spring. It could have fed the well.

Five gates were found southwesterly toward Windward Going Through. Stone water bowls were found near the gates. Two hundred acres were reported in pasture. It is logical that these gates separated animals in pasture and the bowls furnished water for them.

Matching 200 year old documents with 200 year old ruins was a challenge for the team. It was successful in that physical evidence of a well-developed plantation did exist and was matched to the historical documents.

Haulover Plantation

Haulover, presently known as Haulover Fields, is located on the ridge overlooking the Atlantic Ocean on the northeastern end of Middle Caicos. It lies just below Gamble’s Point and close to Half-Creek Landing. A view of Bambarra is to the west and the village of Lorimers is nearby.

The first document that identifies the plantation is the land grant recorded in the Bahama Registry as follows:

23 February, 1791 (F/1 p.163)

John Lorimer

504 acres upon Grand Caicos, bounded southwardly by Whole Grown Creek, eastwardly  by Robert Cunningham’s land, westwardly by William Gamble and southwardly by a marsh.

Dr. John Lorimer is first found in records as receiving a commission as a military surgeon to the British garrison in Pensacola, West Florida “at the command of his majesty, George III, 14 March, 1765.” He was also elected a member of the House of Assembly from Campbell Town, West Florida and was elected temporary speaker. By 1776, he had obtained several grants of land on the Mississippi River.

On March 22, 1779,  he requested an appointment as Chief Surgeon and Purveyor of the hospital in West Florida. The request was made to “Brigadier General John Campbell, commanding his majesty’s forces in West Florida, from John Lorimer M.D. Surgeon in the hospitals for His Majesty’s Forces at Pensacola.”

When West Florida surrendered to the Spaniards, Dr. Lorimer was among the prisoners sent to New York. Problems involved in identifying Loyalists are insurmountable. The records are scattered as in the case of Dr. Lorimer. His birthplace has not been found. There is no evidence of a wife or children. He mentions brothers and sisters in his will that was written on Middle Caicos in 1807. Present day inhabitants know the location of his grave.

Dr. Lorimer’s will was recorded in the Bahama Registry. He gave specific instruction concerning his property and even his funeral. His brother Thomas received 1/3 of his property and his other brothers, Charles and James, and sister, Jeanett Sowers, received the balance. The will read as follows: “I wish my body to be carried to the grave by six of my Negroes (if I have any left) dressed in white. For long services rendered me by my Negro woman, Rose, I leave her free . . . and any two of my young Negroes born and raised at the Caicos or Turks Islands which she may choose. Also that the Negro woman Betty and her issue be the property of said Rose bought for her from Robert Darrell.”

What his life was like on the Caicos lies in the ruins of his plantation. We know that he was respected in his community because his name has survived to the present day

as the village Lorimers on Middle Cacicos. He is the only Loyalist so honored.

The ruins of Haulover are easily found today and it  was mentioned in Emile Stubbs Kursteiner’s will, written  April 1954. She inherited the plantation through her great grandfather, Henshall Stubbs, and father, Alfred Stubbs, who inherited it from Henshall’s uncle, Wade Stubbs, an original Loyalist planter on Turks & Caicos. According to H.E. Sadler, the Stubbs family expanded Haulover and two later attempts were made to cultivate cotton, one in 1898 and the other in 1920.

The investigation of Haulover was exciting from the very beginning. The team led by Mr. Forbes was slashing brush while following a stone fence through a field when they uncovered a very unusual well. It was a finely finished circular hole with steps leading down to the water. Finding a well finished to this perfection encouraged the team to disregard the exertion required to continue to the plantation.

The main house is the dominant structure found. It has a stone and mortar foundation that measured 73 ft. wide by 55 ft. deep, divided into 6 rooms. The foundation walls varied from 23 to 25 inches in width and were, in general, in good condition. The structure is laid out perfectly on a square, indicating precise construction techniques. On top of the foundation wall, approximately two inches in from the outside and five inches in from the inside, a second course of rock and mortar indicate the structure above the foundation was material other than stone. Wood was plentiful at this time on the island and the house appeared to be finished in that material. The secondary stone course had three openings in the north wall: a 3 ft. 7 inch opening in the center of the wall and 3 ft. 6 inch openings spaced on either side of the center opening. Apparently, a front door and windows on either side existed.

An 8 ft. decorative circular stone platform lay approximately 30 ft. from the front door/window openings. A second circular tier 5 ft. in diameter with a 6 x 6-inch hole in the center could have supported a flagpole.

Numerous fences divided small areas and fields outside this main house structure. Piles of “rubble” stone lay to the north of the main house. As in other plantations, they were probably poorly built slave houses that collapsed in time.

This kitchen is located about 2 1/2 ft. off the rear of the west wall of the main house. It is a 15 ft. square mortar and stone structure, dominated by a 5 ft. wide, open fireplace on the south wall. The walls were 6 ft. 6 inch high at the roof’s eve. A 4 ft. wide door on the east wall and a 3 ft. x 2 ft. window on the west wall are in fair shape. The fireplace opening is 38 inches deep and 52 inches wide and leads into a 20 ft. high chimney and is in better than fair condition. Sill beams are in evidence in the fireplace and window. Wooden pegs were found in the windowsill.

An 8 x 8 ft. stone and mortar structure is located approximately 60 ft. west of the kitchen. A trough is located inside the building with a 2 ft. x 6 inch high drain to the outside at the bottom of the trough. Beams may have spanned the trough. This could have been a latrine.

A well-built platform with an 18 inch high, 11 inch thick wall surrounded the platform of tamped mortar and stone. This could have been a part of the ginning process of cotton.

A second stone and mortar house was found approximately 70 yards southeast of the main house and outside the main stonewall. This house measures 15 ft. 6 inches x 10 ft. 6 inches and is dominated by a large interior fireplace and chimney. It has two doors and five windows and appears to be a dwelling house, perhaps for an overseer. The walls and chimney are standing in fair to poor condition. Broken pottery and bottles were easily found outside this house. A circular stone platform was found close by but not as elaborate as the one in front of the main house.

No doubt that this was an elegant plantation. Mr. Forbes concluded that the wood, door hinges and anything that could be used elsewhere were probably removed after it fell vacant. The romantic students called the second residence “Rose’s” house. She could have been Dr. Lorimer’s love and mistress, since she was especially remembered in his will.

Conclusions

Of the three plantations investigated on Middle Caicos, Haulover offers the most potential for tourist attraction and  a view of plantation life. The foundation of the main house is easily viewed, with a layout of rooms, doors and windows evidenced. A 75 ft. long foundation is intact. The kitchen, platforms, and secondary residence are in fair condition. Other residents during the years after Lorimer’s death probably stopped the decay that Increase and Bonaventure suffered. Wade’s Green on North Caicos likewise is in good condition due to use through the years. An attempt to give access to Haulover is being made by the National Trust. A path is cleared, a viewing platform is in place and Mr. Forbes is an able guide.

The plantation era is of great value in understanding the history of the Turks & Caicos Islands. These American planters were the first inhabitants since the Spaniards found the Taino Indians in the late 1400s. That culture disappeared and the Islands lay barren until the late 1700s. Viewing the Islands now, it is difficult to visualize the bustling period with hundreds of acres of cotton growing which supplied industry and a social life for the planters and their slaves. Wars, insects, depletion of land and no capital worked against the continuing success after the planters either died or left the Islands. A bare thread (if any) of the planters’ descendants remains but the surviving slaves’ descendants are now ready to reap the benefits of their ancestors’ struggles and hardships.

To reach a better understanding of the pattern of life in the plantation era, further excavations need to be undertaken on both North Caicos and Middle Caicos, particularly of the slave quarters. This would assist in uncovering the social structure at work during the Loyalist Period. The undertaking is great but with leaders on the Caicos Islands like Ernest Forbes, we will continue to “follow the chimneys.”