Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, 5 February 2026 — Dr. Holly Hamilton, Director of the Turks and Caicos Islands Weather Service, and Mr. Damian Wilson, Deputy Director of Radio Turks and Caicos, recently represented the Turks and Caicos Islands at a landmark regional crisis communications workshop held from 20th-21st January 2026, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Port of Spain, Trinidad.
The two-day workshop brought together more than 60 professionals from across the Caribbean, including representatives from national meteorological and hydrometeorological services, disaster management agencies, government information services, and media organizations. The initiative aimed to strengthen collaboration, enhance knowledge-sharing, and promote mutual understanding to improve crisis communication during extreme weather and disaster events.
Participants examined existing gaps in regional crisis communication systems and explored strategies to ensure timely, accurate, and effective public information dissemination before, during, and after emergencies. Reflecting on the experience, Dr. Hamilton described the workshop as highly productive, highlighting discussions on effective messaging, early warning systems, and the importance of engaging the media as strategic partners.
“Media partnership is critical to successful early warning and disaster response,” Dr. Hamilton stated. “From meteorological services to disaster management agencies and the media, we all share responsibility for protecting lives and property. There is a significant opportunity for improvement in standardizing communication templates, clearly communicating potential impacts, and ensuring our messages prompt responsible public action. Hosting a similar workshop in the Turks and Caicos would
further strengthen our national preparedness and resilience.”
Mr. Wilson also emphasized the value of the regional exchange, noting the importance of evidence-based communication strategies. “This workshop provided me with an excellent opportunity to learn from regional best practices and to advocate for greater integration of social science research into communication planning,” he said. “Such research provides the empirical foundation needed to develop measurable and effective communication outcomes. I am encouraged by the strong support from our regional colleagues for this approach.”
This workshop marked the first time that weather services, disaster management, government information, and media services from across the region convened in a single forum to address crisis communications collectively. The initiative forms part of a broader regional effort to enhance disaster resilience through coordinated,
accurate, and impactful public messaging.
The workshop was hosted by the Caribbean Meteorological Organization (CMO) in partnership with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the Caribbean Broadcasting Union (CBU), the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), the CREWS Initiative, and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR).
(L-R) Damian Wislon, Dr. Holly Hamilton