Greater Kew Town Region (GKR) Providenciales
The Greater Kew Town Region (GKR) is a term that loosely describes an area of central Providenciales located between Kew Town, Millennium Highway, and Wheeland. It includes western parts of Kew Town and a few recognized settlements, such as Stammer's Run, as well as several informal settlements, such as Dook Yard (also known as Dock Yard or Duck Yard) and La Tortue.
Walter Cox Drive in Kew Town, near the Providenciales International Airport (PLS), is generally considered the region's rough southern boundary, and Millennium Highway the northern boundary.
Many informal businesses, such as small restaurants, bars, and salons, are located in the area.
Police presence and Government and planning oversight are very limited in the GKR, and more so than in most other areas on Providenciales. Few roads lead into the region’s informal settlements, where many of its residents are undocumented migrants.
History
Historically, the GKR was primarily agricultural land. Tucker’s Hill, the ruins of a former plantation that overlooks Kew Town, likely dates back to the Loyalist era of Providenciales.
During the island’s more recent history, land in this area was the site of subsistence farming by residents of Blue Hills, one of the three original settlements on Providenciales.
The current parcel division of the GKR, which consists of lots with irregular borders and of varying sizes, reflects the area’s past farming culture—land in this area was likely divided based on land claims predating the Land Registry.
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Dook Yard (often called Dock Yard/Duck Yard)
Dook Yard is a densely populated informal settlement located in northern Kew Town. It largely consists of lean-tos built on adjacent structures and continuous concrete buildings with no or minimal setbacks (similar to the favela-style neighborhoods in Brazil).
The main access to Dook Yard is the northern road leading from the Kew Town roundabout.
Population estimates suggest that the community is home to around 3,000 people, many of whom are Haitian migrants.
La Tortue
La Tortue is a moderately populated informal settlement off Millennium Highway near the Wheeland area and south of Blue Hills. Many dwellings in La Tortue were demolished in August 2025 by the Turks and Caicos Government and Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force as part of Operation Dragon, which targeted crime and illegal activity in high-risk areas.
Stammer's Run
Stammer's Run is a small subdivision located northwest of the Providenciales International Airport. It runs inland to the Chalk Sound Lagoon.
Geology
Several interesting cave systems can be found throughout the GKR, including Snake Hill Cave and Airport Cave. Airport Cave is home to several bat species, and at one time supported most of the bat population on Providenciales.
Crime and Police Presence
Police presence in the Greater Kew Town Area is very limited, due in part to the density of development and the lack of proper roads into many settlements.
Crime in this area is disproportionately high compared to most areas of Providenciales, and the region is the known headquarters of numerous criminal gangs. In 2025, the area was placed under Government curfew due to crime.
Tourists are strongly advised to avoid venturing into these areas to reduce their risk of being a victim of serious crime.
Deforestation
Deforestation is an ongoing problem in the western edges of the GKR and beyond. Since 2016, approximately 600 acres of tropical dry forest (approximately 2.4% of the island's area) have been cut and burned by charcoal burners. Most of this activity is occurring on private land and in violation of planning laws, which prohibit the large-scale clearing of land without planning approval.
Real Estate
The overwhelming majority of the GKR is privately owned land, and not Government (Crown) land.
While some of the lowest real estate prices in the country are found in the Greater Kew Town Area, be advised that many of the parcels for sale have been illegally subdivided and lack proper roads, power, running water, and electricity. People selling real estate in this area may hold no legal title to the land in question, or may have purchased land themselves that was fraudulently sold.
Huge numbers of structures in the area have been built without planning permissions, and are occupied by renters and squatters, not owners.
It’s strongly recommended that you use a local lawyer who performs all due diligence before purchasing real estate on Providenciales, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the island and its districts. Land titles can be verified at the Turks and Caicos Islands Land Registry for a nominal fee.