Abstract

The Turks and Caicos Islands are anchored in a tourism-based economy. The pristine and unspoiled white-sand beaches and coral reefs are among the main tourist attractions that require management strategy where the support of stakeholders is paramount. The Department of Environment and Maritime Affairs (DEMA) is the TCI government agency mandated to manage the terrestrial and marine resources, including the Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). With limited government resources and huge obligation to maintain the environmental integrity of the MPAs, the DEMA entered into several Memoranda of Agreements (MOA), under the Community Conservation Partnership Program (CCPP), with non- government organization and private entities to ensure that basic management services are delivered. The DEMA believes that private sector investment, innovation and skills play a significant role in the delivery and implementation of basic MPA infrastructure and services. There are a number of ways in which the private sector delivers public infrastructure and services in TCI. The MOA allows the partner organization to raise funds that are necessary to procure the needed supplies and services such as buoys, small and big vessel moorings, signage, vessel rentals, among others and subsequently their installation and maintenance. The government provides letter of support to solicit and gather voluntary contributions, issue request letters to Customs Department for duty-concession for imported materials needed for the MPAs. This arrangement brings significant environmental benefits to the MPAs that contributed immensely to the ecotourism business, watersports activities, sustainable fisheries, and most of all the proper management of the MPAs.

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