Wilkie Arthur

Freelance Court Correspondent

#TurksandCaicos, April 25, 2024 – He was busted at the Howard Hamilton Providenciales International Airport on Friday, April 16, 2024.

He allegedly had in his luggage four (4) rounds of 6.5mm ammunition on his departure to his homeland in Oklahoma in the United States of America (USA).

Ryan Watson and his wife were arrested and placed into police lock up. Both were later granted police bail, and upon return to police station the Monday after the couple’s arrest, the husband alone was charged by detective Police Constable Kimberlee Markland for unlawful possession of the four rounds of ammunition.

Watson was escorted to court on Tuesday, April 23rd, placed before the learned Chief Magistrate Mr. Jolyon Hatmin and remanded to His Majesty’s Prison until his sufficiency hearing on June 7, this (2024) year.

His counsel, Mr. Oliver Smith KC and his junior assistant Mrs. Kimone Tennant immediately sought bail for him in the Supreme Court which was heard the following day (Wednesday April 24) before her Ladyship Ms. Tanya Lobban-Jackson and was granted bail, without hassle in the amount or $15,000.00 cash or surety.

The Crown, in the person of senior public prosecutor Ms. Tassja Mitchell did not oppose bail.

Magnetic Media can report that once again on the afternoon of the Tuesday April 24th, after the accused RYAN TYLER WATSON, 41 was remanded by the Magistrate’s court, the U.S. Embassy issued an warning to it’s citizens and travelers to carefully check their bags when traveling to Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) as TCI authorities are strictly enforcing firearm and ammunition laws and if found you could go to prison for 12 years.

A real question of great concern and public importance is: should the TCI courts sentence tourists to the full mandatory minimum of 12 years imprisonment for simple possession firearm and/or ammunition.

The succinct answer is: Yes!

The Court of Appeal, just last month said in its written judgment that “ALL PERSONS,” including tourist/visitors must go to prison if found guilty or pleas guilty to firearm and ammunition offences.

However, there remains the concern about how much time in prison a judge should give a visitor regardless of the existence of exceptional circumstances.

Should the judge imprison a visitor to the territory, who may have been wrongly informed, for example, the full mandatory minimum term or must a reduced prison term be imposed.

If TCI judges start to give less than the mandatory minimum to tourists/visitors, it is being strong and widely advocated by senior defense attorneys that the same must apply to local or residents of these Islands, who may also present exceptional circumstances.

Arguments about the equity in delivery of justice is what drove the question to the Court of Appeal late in 2023. The decision came this past February.

‘We cannot find ourselves sentencing tourists regardless of exceptional circumstances to lesser sentences, and when those same exceptional circumstances are found in local cases, it’s being ignored by our judges.’

Human Rights Attorney, Sheena Mair has on more than one occasion argued this point; including in firearm and ammunition bail applications. She would put the very same judges and prosecutors from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution on the spot by reminding the judges and the prosecutors that precedent has been set.

‘You’ve just granted bail to a tourist for firearm and ammunition but now here’s a local person, same charge but because he’s a local he can’t get bail?  He has to be remanded pending a trial that could take years before it’s heard?’

Mair has valiantly outlined the wrong in this and clearly stated this practice is “not fair” and it’s “not proper administration of justice in the Turks and Caicos Islands.”

Ms. Mair further complained that tourists would plea guilty to possession of firearm and ammunition and be released on bail pending sentencing but as for a local, he or she has to wait on remand at the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation pending sentencing.

The attorney criticizes the optics of such decisions and is on record reminding the Judge that the Court of Appeal has already set out that the law applies to everyone; visitors and locals alike.

A police statement issued Wednesday April 24 informs: “Today (April 24th), Mr. Watson appeared in the Supreme Court and, following a bail application, was granted $15,000 bail with the following conditions:

1)  Not travel out of TCI without the court’s permission.

2)  Surrender his passport and all other travel documents to the   court

3) Report to Grace Bay Police Station on Tuesdays and Thursdays between the hours of  8 am-4 pm,

4) Reside at the given address in Providenciales; any address change will be provided before the court.”

The American from Oklahoma whose story is trending in the US and has been carried by leading news networks was joined by a host of loved ones at the Courthouse.

Dana Malcolm

Staff Writer 

”At this moment I can feel the enormity of responsibility bestowed on me and the weight of accountability and expectations of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force (RTCIPF) as well as members of the wider community.”

That was the acknowledgment from Edvin Martin, new Commissioner of Police as he was sworn into his role as head of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force (RTCIPF) on Monday, April 22. 

“I also feel an unprecedented opportunity and a distinguished privilege to serve by leading the Police Force into an era of modern policing,” he maintained. 

A well-trained force that is averse to corruption and maintains the trust of the people is what Martin promised in the address that spoke to the Police, the residents and the criminals. 

Not only does the Commissioner say he understands the gravity of his role and the lofty expectations to reverse high crime which he described as a ‘tremendous mandate’, he maintains he has a good grasp of the issues plaguing the country. 

To the residents, Martin called on them and all stakeholders to form an anti-crime coalition with an all-hands-on-deck approach. 

“There should be no bystanders in addressing the carnage in our communities,” he said. 

Even as Martin listed the threats of immigration, terrorism, cybercrime, transnational organized criminal activity, and the associated gang violence, illegal firearms and drug trading, he assured: 

”I urge you listening to me today, do not despair, for while these threats may be challenging, they are not insurmountable.”

The process for tackling them will need a tightened-up RTCIPF, according to the commissioner, one that is focused, well trained and adequately resourced. 

For Martin this means the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force (RTCIPF) must retool, restructure and reengineer its responses.

In this vein the top cop spoke directly to officers during his address, maintaining that the public deserves an accountable Police Force.

“As a service organization there will be allegations that cause the public to question our integrity; we must seek out and purge the organization of any semblance of bias, corruption and malfeasance,” he said. 

Martin maintained the top brass now has a mandate to work to ensure fairness in work and promotions.

“Anything less than this will be an injustice— we must do everything possible to inspire confidence in our force and improve our legitimacy as gatekeepers of law and order,” said the new Commissioner. 

As part of the crime fighting plan several immediate actions are to be taken:

• The immediate and aggressive addressing of the spate violent crimes 
• Collaborating with stakeholders to address safety challenges in the tourism industry
• Redefining the Police Force image to become the pride of the TCI
• Greater technological innovation
• Restructure the force to better align with contemporaries 
• Frequent Town Hall meetings
• Increased safety at police stations. 

Martin had words for the mayhem causers and their ‘glaring disregard for human life and safety’ too. 

”Under my watch I can assure you that the RTCIPF will not sit idly by and observe this unrelenting rampage and havoc. Today I call on you to put down your weapons of destruction and change your criminal ways,” he said. 

Martin, who recently retired as Grenadian PC is credited with being lead of his home force for five years, serving a total 37 years before bowing out and moving on to head the CARICOM Crime Gun Intelligence Unit. 

Only months into that CARICOM job, Edvin Martin was approved and announced as police commissioner designate for the Turks and Caicos Islands, succeeding Trevor Botting. 

“My first order of business ladies and gentlemen, this morning, is to give a special thanks to God, as He directs my path in every single thing that I do. I am grateful for His blessings and His guidance,” started Mr Martin when delivering his inaugural remarks at the outdoor ceremony. 

The acknowledgment of God was a distinctive moment that many are hoping will auger well for the mission of newly installed policing leader for the TCI. Soon after his bold remarks, Martin, with his wife looking on from the audience took the oath of office and oath of allegiance in a live streamed event. 

Also giving remarks at the swearing-in ceremony staged at the Gustarvus Lightbourne Sports Complex were Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam, TCI Governor and Washington Misick, TCI Premier.

PROVIDENCIALES, TURKS AND CAICOS, APRIL 24th, 2024 – Flow Turks and Caicos, leading telecommunications provider, is excited to announce its latest endorsement of daughter of the soil and TCI’s most formidable local and international female sports administration icon, Sonia Fulford. She also serves as President of TCI Football Association (TCIFA), Female Member of the Concacaf Council, and Member on the FIFA Council, within the highest ranks of football governing worldwide.

FLOW TCI Country Manager, Joanne Missick shared: “Sonia’s journey continues to inspire women such as myself leading in male dominated industries, and she continues to make our country proud both on and off the global stage. It is with great pleasure that we welcome her to the Fibre Federation, as our brand ambassador, and we look forward to the many positive outcomes this partnership will reap for our brand and for Flow customers around the Turks and Caicos in the very near future.”

Sonia, a native of the Nation’s Capital of Grand Turk embarked on her career as a multi-sport athlete for TCI, which included a long tenure as Captain of the TCI National Women’s Football Team. After a successful 14-year career in the legal field, she made a significant career shift, joining the TCIFA as General Secretary in 2006 – a decision that would lead to her becoming a sports administration icon and global ambassador for football, championing the cause of girls and women around the globe, in addition to, women in sports.

During her tenure within the FA, Sonia, a decorated leader with a plethora of local and international accolades, ascended the ranks to become the President of the FA. However, the most noteworthy appointment of her career to date, was reached in May 2013, when she etched her name into the history books as one of the first Female Member representatives to be elected to the prestigious FIFA Council, a testament of her unwavering dedication and leadership.

“I am thrilled to be aligning my brand with a company that has been an integral part of the Turks and Caicos Islands for more than 125 years. Flow/C&W TCI’s mission to empower and provide opportunities to young people in the local community and region through education and sports resonates deeply with my personal mission. Therefore, I am happy to announce today that I will be joining the Fibre Federation, Flow Turks and Caicos”, declares Sonia Fulford, Flow TCI’s newest brand ambassador and TCIFA President.

Follow Flow TCI on Facebook & Instagram for the last updates on this partnership and for more exciting announcements.