News

There will be a greater British presence in the TCI

Published

9 years ago

August 3, 2017

Turks and Caicos, August 3, 2017 – Providenciales – When Colin Roberts, then Director for the Overseas Territories at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office stated that: “There will be a greater British presence in the Turks and Caicos Islands after the Elections”, meaning the 2012 Elections, many persons did not grasp the full gravity of those words or how far-reaching they would be! I would like to put those words in the context of pronouncement, real or imagined; that some nearly two thousand British troops will be descending on Turks and Caicos Islands to clean up the mess of illegal persons living within our borders.

I will start with the ominous words of Sir Robin Auld that there was “high probability of systemic corruption in government and the legislature and among public officers” in the Turks and Caicos Islands and that it must be stemmed from the root and branches. We saw the SIPT investigations and now the trials that have been ongoing for nearly two years of former Government ministers and associates for engaging in alleged acts of corruption, amongst other things. We see custom officers, immigration officials and as of late, police officers and officials being charged with corruption offences. Even though, to my recollection, no one has yet to serve a day in prison resulting from the prosecution of those offences; the mere fact that they are out there, raises the possibility of conviction and imprisonment.

Many of us may not be worried, but after I have laid out this analysis, there should be the need for greater concern in the indigenous Turks and Caicos Islander population – if, these two thousand or so British troops come to our shores. This notion might not be as farfetched as you might presume, because the Governor in his press release of 29^th July 2017 has intimated as much by his words “following recent incidents additional and specialised support (including from outside the Islands) is being put in place already”.

Let me start with the words enshrined in our 2011 Constitution which came into force in 2012. In Section 55, Qualifications of electors and entitlement to vote, reads:

“(1) (b) (ii) he or she is resident in the Islands and has been so resident for no less than twelve months, in the aggregate, out of the two years immediately preceding the qualifying date or he or she is a member of Her Majesty’s Forces…

Now, turning to the definition of Turks and Caicos Islander, under “Section 132 (2) An Ordinance shall prescribe the conditions under which a person may be granted the status of a Turks and Caicos Islander, and those conditions shall include, but not be limited to conditions set out in subsection (3). (3) The conditions referred to in subsection (2) are that – (a) an applicant is a British Overseas Territories Citizen by virtue of a connection with the Islands or a British Citizen who either – (ii) has been legally resident in the Islands for a period of at least ten years.”

With this in mind, when a number of public officers are removed by virtue of them being allegedly corrupt or charged with corruption, who better to fill the void than members of Her Majesty’s Forces. These persons would have been stationed or billeted here to clean up the immigration mess and secure our borders. By the time they would have captured and processed the illegal migrants, repatriated them as part of the exercise, a number of vacancies would have been created. The beautiful thing here is that not only will they fill these slots with members of Her Majesty’s Forces; their personnel will not be required to be in possession of work permits to work in the Turks and Caicos Islands. How egregious! More to that, they would be able to vote in the upcoming 2020 Elections! What disruptive a FORCE would these people be when they can vote for a British person who would have come to the Turks and Caicos Islands immediately following the suspension of the 2006 Constitution on 14 August, 2009?

Brexit is certainly a reality now. The British can start the draw-down of its troops responsibility to the EU, and no better place to put them, but here, as part of the resurgence of the real and true British Imperialism.

We have to certainly watch out for what will be on offered as greater ties to the apron-strings of the UK once talks begin in honest as part of the British disentanglement from Europe! What Trojan horse will they offer us in the guise of a better working relationship, when in truth and in fact, the times when we really and truly needed their help, they were absent.

We do not need any further strings to be attached for the British to live up to their Constitutional responsibilities. The current government must exact stringent terms as part of the exit strategy for the deployment of troops here to rid us of the illegal persons in our midst. We do not want to become like Jamaica when they had a snake infestation problem. The Jamaican government introduced the mongoose to eradicate the snakes, but when the snakes were gone the mongoose became an even bigger problem! If we don’t pay attention to the lessons of history – in particular Caribbean history, we are bound to repeat them!

Release: Royal Robinson

News

Invest Turks and Caicos Islands Takes Platinum Sponsor Role at Premier Hotel Investment Summit

Published

2 days ago

May 23, 2026

Deandrea Hamilton

Turks and Caicos, May 23, 2026 – Invest Turks and Caicos Islands took center stage at one of the region’s most influential hospitality investment gatherings this spring, serving as a Platinum Sponsor at ALIS CALA 2026 in Coral Gables, Florida.

Held April 28 to 30 at the Loews Coral Gables Hotel, the conference brought together more than 600 tourism, hotel and investment leaders from over 35 countries focused on the future of hospitality investment in the Caribbean and Latin America.

ALIS CALA — short for the Americas Lodging Investment Summit Caribbean and Latin America — is widely regarded as the region’s premier deal-driven hospitality investment conference. The platform emerged from the merger of the long-running Caribbean Hotel & Resort Investment Summit (CHRIS) and Hotel Opportunities Latin America (HOLA), creating what organizers describe as a high-level space where investors, developers, lenders, hotel brands and government leaders connect around major regional projects and opportunities.

The event is known for attracting senior decision-makers, with roughly one in three delegates holding titles such as Chairman, CEO, President, Owner or Principal.

Invest Turks and Caicos said its participation focused heavily on showcasing investment opportunities across the territory, particularly in the Family Islands.

CEO Angela Musgrove delivered a presentation highlighting development opportunities in the Turks and Caicos Islands to what the agency described as a full room of attendees and strong stakeholder interest.

In a statement following the conference, Invest Turks and Caicos said discussions centered on tourism expansion, sustainable development and long-term investment partnerships designed to position the Turks and Caicos Islands as a leading investment destination in the region.

The agency added that it looks forward to continuing conversations started at ALIS CALA and building new partnerships with investors, developers and strategic stakeholders interested in growth opportunities throughout the islands.

The conference itself focused heavily on capital access, hotel development pipelines, mixed-use tourism projects and investment confidence throughout the Caribbean basin — sectors where Turks and Caicos continues to attract increasing international attention.

Bahamas News

From Hollywood to Parliament

Published

2 days ago

May 23, 2026

Deandrea Hamilton

The Rick Fox Political Timeline

“Are You Thinking About Politics?”

Fox publicly acknowledged growing calls for him to enter Bahamian politics, saying he had been hearing from women, youth, business owners and everyday Bahamians who were “ready for something different.”

October 19, 2025

“Then Jump, Man.”

Fox revealed a conversation with NBA legend Michael Jordan, who encouraged him to enter politics after asking whether he believed he could help young Bahamians.

November 24, 2025

“The Bahamas Must Be First”

Fox officially announced his intention to run in the 2026 General Election, promising transparency, affordability, opportunity and a modern Bahamian economy.

February 4, 2026

“Officially Picked”

The Free National Movement formally ratified Fox as its candidate for Garden Hills, instantly making him one of the most talked-about figures in the election cycle.

March 20, 2026

“From Courtside to Campaign Stage”

Fox mounted the national campaign stage for the first time at the FNM’s major campaign launch at Baha Mar Resort in Nassau.

March 30, 2026

“I’m Giving The Salary Back”

Fox announced he would not take a parliamentary salary if elected, saying the funds should instead go back into helping the people of Garden Hills.

April 14, 2026

“Nomination Eve Goes Viral”

A heated confrontation involving Fox and PLP supporters outside the Parliamentary Registration Department exploded across social media after video captured the tense exchange.

April 16, 2026

“Pick Rick” Officially Launches

Nomination Day cemented Fox’s candidacy and formally launched the now-famous “Pick Rick” campaign branding.

April 19, 2026

“Vote and Win”

Jamiah Burrows won a vehicle through Fox’s civic participation challenge, part of a campaign effort encouraging voter engagement and turnout.

April 20, 2026

“The Wealthiest Candidate”

Financial disclosures revealed Fox as the wealthiest candidate in the 2026 election cycle, with reported assets exceeding $469 million, ending speculation about his financial standing.

April 25, 2026

“The Garden Hills Blueprint”

Fox unveiled detailed policy graphics outlining plans for:

youth development,
healthcare access,
infrastructure upgrades,
environmental restoration,
entrepreneurship,
and a proposed $10 million investment fund for Garden Hills.

May 4, 2026

“The Numbers Don’t Lie”

Fox’s campaign highlighted more than:

20 community clean-ups,
16 streets and locations served,
and 13 solar lights installed across Garden Hills during the campaign.

May 6, 2026

“Shaq Steps In”

NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal publicly endorsed Fox, helping elevate international attention surrounding the campaign.

May 8, 2026

“Buju Backs Rick”

Jamaican reggae icon Buju Banton threw his support behind Fox ahead of Election Day.

May 10, 2026

“Vanessa Williams Endorses”

Fox’s former wife, actress and singer Vanessa Williams publicly endorsed his campaign.

May 11, 2026

“Magic Joins the Campaign”

NBA icon Magic Johnson became the latest major celebrity to endorse Fox just one day before Bahamians went to the polls.

May 12, 2026

“Election Day”

Fox contested the Garden Hills constituency seat against PLP incumbent Mario Bowleg in one of the country’s most closely watched races.

May 13, 2026

“Grace in Defeat”

Fox publicly conceded the race and congratulated Bowleg on his victory in Garden Hills.

May 18, 2026

“We Pick Rick”

Despite losing at the polls, Fox officially entered Parliament after being appointed to the Senate by the FNM — with the party itself declaring:

“We Pick Rick.”

The appointment made Fox one of the most internationally recognized figures ever to serve in the Bahamian Senate.

Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.

News

Multi-Agency Enforcement Action Conducted in Lower Bight

Published

2 days ago

May 23, 2026

Deandrea Hamilton

Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands — The Informal Settlements Unit (ISU), in coordination with the Planning Department and key partner agencies, conducted a multi-agency enforcement exercise on Thursday, May 7, 2026, in the Lower Bight area in Providenciales. The exercise resulted in the complete removal of a total of eight (8) unauthorized structures and all associated debris from a privately-owned parcel of land.

The operation was led by the Planning Department, with coordination by the ISU and support from the TCI Border Force, the Crown Land Unit, and Pelican Energy. Security for the exercise was provided by the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force. All agencies worked collaboratively to ensure the exercise was carried out in a safe, orderly, and controlled manner.

The enforcement action followed a structured and lawful process in accordance with the Physical Planning regulatory framework of the Turks and Caicos Islands. Section 45 Enforcement Notices were first issued on the affected parcel in December 2024, identifying unauthorized structures erected without the requisite approvals. This was followed by the issuance of Warning Notices on April 16, 2026, which advised occupants that they were in breach of planning and land use regulations and provided notice that demolition activities would proceed following the prescribed compliance period. Despite these notices and the time afforded for compliance, the unauthorized structures remained in place.

This exercise represents part of an ongoing commitment to ensuring that development within the Turks and Caicos Islands is lawful, safe, and aligned with national standards.