Dear Guests,
This notice is to update you on the situation at CORAL GARDENS RESORT after Hurricane Irma, if you have already contacted us, I apologize. This has been an overwhelming event, but we are all forging forward and cleaning up.
In short we made it through the worst Hurricane on record “Hurricane Irma”.
Verne, Jamy & Prince ensured that we were prepared as he has dealt with many storms and hurricanes over the years. We escaped any building damage and/or broken windows, flooding into the suites and we only had minor internal damage which we are fixing now. We did have some flooding in the walkways and the vegetation needs some TLC; however, there a crew working on that as we speak. We are so lucky and grateful that it was primarily cosmetic damage which is not difficult to fix.
SOMEWHERE CAFÉ WILL BE OPEN OCTOBER 15
CORAL GARDENS WILL REOPEN OCTOBER 16
The power company (FORTIS) has been amazing in updating us with information about the power on the island and we currently have 3 resorts along the Grace Bay Beach with power, and Provo water is delivering water to multiple areas on the island. It is so amazing to know that our infrastructure providers are so professional and fastidious. They are flying in crew from Canada and other areas to support the delivery of services to the island.
FLIGHTS ARE COMING IN AS PLS REOPENED SEPT 11, 2017
DDME ADVISES
FLIGHTS RESUMES: TCI IS OPEN TO RECEIVE GUESTS PROVIDENCIALES, Turks and Caicos Islands; Monday, September 11th, 2017 - The Turks and Caicos Islands Airport Authority (TCIAA) announced the reopening of the Providenciales International Airport (PLS) for scheduled flights as of 11AM today, Monday, September 11th.
“The Airport Authority remains committed to the safety of aircraft, passengers, staff and other uses of the airport,” said Lavern Skippings- Reynolds, its Terminal and Marketing Manager. “We regret any inconvenience caused and passengers are asked to contact their respective airline for flight scheduling.”
It was only last Thursday, through to the early hours of Friday, 7th and 8th September respectively, when Hurricane Irma, a Category Five Hurricane hit the Turks and Caicos Islands. As a result, the Islands experienced extreme winds, heavy rainfall and intense storm surge. Irma was the most powerful storm to make landfall.
Initial reports from the Department of Disaster Management and Emergencies (DDME) indicated localized flooding, damages to property (chiefly roofs) and landscaping, along with electricity and communication outages; however, teams are currently rectifying them at a speedy pace. Fortunately, there have been no reports of deaths or serious injuries.
Numerous guests since today's announcement were seen at the airport today following the arrival of Air Canada.
Following the reopening, Mr. Ramon Andrews, Director of Tourism said: “Destination Turks and Caicos remains strong in the face of this storm. Our product is resilient. We pride ourselves on making every effort to return to normalcy as a country. Our relationship with our guests is a symbiotic one, one which we respect and cherish. It is indeed our pleasure to welcome you back to ‘Beautiful by Nature’ Turks and Caicos. Please do holiday with us soon”. During the months of September and October, many hotels and resorts are historically closed annually for refurbishments. Owing to Irma’s passage, some properties have now elected to close to assess any damages that may have occurred and are expected to reopen at the beginning of October 2017. The travelling public is asked to contact properties directly for updates. Additionally, villa properties are expected to be operational in the short term and persons are invited to contact them directly, to determine their availability.
For Visitors to the Islands in need of further assistance, kindly contact the Turks and Caicos Tourist Board at:
- New York Office: 1.800.241.0825
- Canada Office: 1.866.413.8875
- London Office + 44 (0) 207 034 7845
Lavern Skippings Reynolds, MBA
Terminal & Marketing Manager
Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority
The Red Cross and the UK are sending over ships and support to help everyone.
We want to let you all know that we will be back in business in short order and you will be able to enjoy the property, suites and beach as it was before the storm. We just have less large palms than we did before.
WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU SOON!
Thank you for your business and we will update you all with news next week! We will also be posting updates on our website www.coralgardens.com.
The sad side of this is that many wood frame buildings did not fare as well. Many residents have lost roofs and the siding off their homes and many renters have lost the roofs off their rental properties. We are doing whatever we can to support our staff with accommodations as they are like family to us and need support right now. We are setting up a relief fund for the staff that have been impacted by this hurricane. If you would like to donate please email me and we can process a donation on your credit card and provide a receipt.
Please email us if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Management and Staff at Coral Gardens
Leanne Karnehm
leanne@coralgardens.com
1-800-532-8536 RESERVATIONS
604-269-0033 Office
