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‘You will always be in our hearts’ say TCI family still hurting over brutal killing of Dorsette Gardiner

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PROVIDENCIALES, Turks and Caicos – December 7, 2017 – It is not just an open case, but an open wound for the family of Dorsette Gardiner who was eight years ago brutally beaten and left for dead in a deserted area west of the Providenciales International Airport.

The 35 year-old man, hailed as the brilliant chief mechanic at Johnston International had gone missing, then his vehicle was found, then a rally of residents searched until his bloodied body was found. That was December 6, 2009 and relatives are still reeling from the loss, shattered because they were unable to say goodbye and shocked that after eight years, Police are no closer to solving the case and no one has ever been brought to justice in the gruesome near double homicide.

News information from 2009 revealed that TCI Police had questioned some members of the public in regard to the murder probe; it had been rumored and reported that the inquisitions included some members of the Police Force, but there was nothing more.

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Doresette Gardiner’s niece, Meshelle Cox-Pratt, reached out to Magnetic Media to remind us of the tragedy, which changed their lives.  Stunned and hurt that no one seems to have remembered the day of Gardiner’s death and the open murder investigation, Cox-Pratt just wanted to talk and to keep attention on the case, alive.

Though the case and the details of brutality against Dorsette Gardiner and his friend, Cynthia Claudette Rigby are impossible to forget, we offered an apology and an opportunity for the young woman to speak out.  She accepted and sent us these words:  There is not one day that I don’t think about you since you have been gone. It still feels like yesterday when your killer decided to take you away from your loving family.  Things happen for a reason so they say, (but) that doesn’t stop your family from missing you every single day. You will always be in our hearts rest easy, Dorsette.”

Words which were painstakingly penned in a message to us over Facebook, but that was not all Meshell had to say,  the young woman added:  “It’s now 8-years the family of Dorsette Gardiner still doesn’t have justice; we are calling on the Commissioner of Police to continue to process this case.  How much longer must the family be hurting, eight years still no justice we need a closure to this case.”

Gardiner was found bound behind the back by his own underwear, boxer shorts – he was discovered naked and laying in a pool of blood.  Claudette Rigby, Police say, was struck in the head multiple times with rocks suffering severe head trauma, she too was naked and left there to die; her survival and then fight to recover was nothing short of miraculous.

In 2011, then Police Commissioner Colin Farquhar set up a Cold Case Files unit, among their priorities was the Gardiner-Rigby case.  Farquhar had said forensic science continues to improve, therefore there was hope for even older cases.  Gardiner’s name was again mentioned in 2015, when former Premier Rufus Ewing called for a special investigative team for unsolved murders. dorsette 4

Today, our understanding is the Unit still exists within the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police; there is however no information on its progresses in the TCI’s unsolved mysteries, which includes the heinous murder of North Caicos’ Dorsette Gardiner.

 

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY GARDINER’S FAMILY

Magnetic Media is a Telly Award winning multi-media company specializing in creating compelling and socially uplifting TV and Radio broadcast programming as a means for advertising and public relations exposure for its clients.

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DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM REGULATIONS INTRODUCES “RATE YOUR RIDE” SYSTEM FOR TOURISTS VISITING THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS

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FROM THE MINISTRY OF TOURISM

 

Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, 27th March, 2024 – Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands: The Department of Tourism Regulations is proud to unveil the “Rate Your Ride” system, a new initiative designed to enhance the vacation experience for tourists exploring our picturesque islands.

The “Rate Your Ride” system empowers tourists to provide valuable feedback on the quality of transportation services they receive while visiting the Turks and Caicos Islands. Through an easy-to-use online form, tourists can rate factors such as cleanliness, comfort, safety, and professionalism of drivers, helping us to assure the highest quality of service standards across all modes of transportation.

By participating in the “Rate Your Ride” system, tourists play a crucial role in shaping the future of transportation services in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Their feedback will enable us to identify areas for improvement and ensure that every visitor enjoys safe, comfortable, and convenient travel throughout their stay in the Turks and Caicos.

The code will also be publicly accessible through the cooperation of volunteer drivers who will make the rating code available in their vehicles. Flyers and stickers displaying the code will be distributed at hotels, resorts and airports. The mandated display of these codes is expected to align with the rollout of our tourism regulations in 2025.

For more information about the “Rate Your Ride” system and other initiatives by the Department of Tourism Regulations, please visit gov.tc/tourismregulations/or contact us via telephone at 946-4970 and email at tourismregulations@gov.tc.

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THE DEPARTMENT OF BEHAVIOURAL HEALTH SERVICES CONDEMNS RECORDING OF PERSONS WHO ARE IN CRISIS

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FROM THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

 

Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, 27th March 2024– The Department of Behavioral Health Services is appealing to the general public to refrain from recording and circulating videos of persons who may appear to be experiencing a mental health crisis. Anyone can experience a mental health crisis at some point in their life. According to the World Health Organization, 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem in any given year. Persons may struggle with very common conditions such as Anxiety and Depression or be diagnosed with more serious conditions like Bipolar Disorder or Psychosis.

“There are a lot of misunderstandings about various mental health conditions and how they may manifest. In addition, there are a number of negative perceptions and misconceptions that society exhibits towards people with mental health problems. However, just as we would show care and concern for someone diagnosed with Cancer, or any other physical illness, in the same way, we need to be as caring and helpful to persons with mental illnesses”– stated Director of the Department of Behavioral Health Services, Dr. Alicia Malcolm.

The Department is urging the public to call the following numbers if you see someone who appears to be experiencing a mental health crisis:

338-5473/338-3616: Providenciales, North or Middle Caicos

338-3614/338-3612: Grand Turk, South Caicos, Salt Cay

338-6301: Nights and Weekends

If someone is putting themselves or someone else in immediate, serious risk of harm, call 911.

The Department of Behavioral Health services is here to help and provides the following services which are free and confidential:

Location of above services:

o             Sam Harvey Building, Down Town, Providenciales,

o             Primary Health Care Department, Cheshire Hall Medical Center, Providenciales 

o             Department of Behavioural Health, Duncombe Alley, Grand Turk

 

Let’s all do our part in creating a community where people with mental health problems feel respected, supported and cared for. 

For additional information, please visit the Ministry of Health’s Facebook page on https://www.facebook.com/tciministryofhealth/ or the Department of Behavioral Health Services Faceebook on https://www.facebook.com/TCIDBHS/.

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Breaking Ground: TCI Could Lead in Regional Communication Standards

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Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom, 27th March 2024: The PR, marketing, and communications sector is poised for potential growth and could lead the Caribbean region in terms of industry standards says Damian Wilson. Wilson’s suggestion comes after the release of a new research report into the current trends and future direction of the sector as a possible emerging industry in the Turks & Caicos Islands (TCI).

Wilson is the report’s author, which conveys the findings of research which he initiated. “One of the key research results is the considerable optimism by industry practitioners and government alike, with persons seeing growth potential. I believe that we can become regional leaders in this field. I believe that one of the initiatives that could be used to do this is by establishing a ‘TCI Centre of Communications Excellence’ within the TCI Community College. Such an institute would be dedicated to communication and media innovation with a particular focus on digital communications and ICT,” says Wilson.

He further explained, “I believe that the PR, marketing, and communications sector, like much of the country, is at a crossroads and could have an even greater impact on our socio-economic fabric. Some may have concerns about our small size, but I believe this makes us far more agile than our neighbours. All in all, any potential growth must be underpinned by new investments, professional development, and a strategy to integrate the sector into the broader economy.”

Wilson also said that he sees his research as a first step in understanding our own industry sectors in the TCI and would love to see more profound research and analysis conducted. He’s hoping that the report will spark discussion along those lines. The report is entitled ‘Current Trends and Future Direction: A Preliminary Report on the PR, Marketing, and Communications Sector in the Turks & Caicos Islands’. Anyone wanting a copy of the report can contact Damian Wilson via his email, damian.wilson.pr@gmail.com.

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