TCI News
Human Traffickers of Haitian refugees warned by TCI Police, Law enforcers expecting public help to catch perpetrators
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos – March 16, 2018 – Human Traffickers are making a fortune out of the misfortune of the people of Haiti, who are paying thousands of dollars per person to migrate illegally to the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Acting Commissioner of Police says, this is having a big impact on the social welfare and national security of the country.
“It’s my view that the illegal migration of people into the TCI is highly organized and they are committing criminal offenses and not people necessarily entering, though of course they are entering illegally, but we have people who are facilitating and managing moving people to the TCI. Those people are making a fortune out of other people’s misery and desperation and then causing problems and risks and security issues for us here in the TCI,” Trevor Botting, Actg Police Commissioner. 
The Acting Police Commissioner, Trevor Botting was speaking at a press conference called by Premier Sharlene Robinson on Friday at her office in Providenciales to address the vexing matter which ignited a firestorm of public concern after five illegal boats successfully landed on Turks and Caicos shores in just one week.
Accompanied by Assistant Commissioner of Police, Wayne Jones, AC Botting confirmed that the Police is ready to arrest and charge anyone caught encouraging or masterminding this globally reprehensible behavior.
“Anyone caught facilitating or helping or being involved in any sort of organization of illegals in the TCI they will be arrested and we will throw anything we can at them to get them prosecuted. They are causing great harm, not only to those they are trafficking but also to this territory and the people and the community.”
The Police Commissioner called for public support. 
“We need eyes and ears and we need information, I have absolutely no doubt that people who will hear this press conference will know who is involved in people smuggling and getting people into this island, said the Acting Commissioner who continued with what can be done and what residents should look for, “They wanna help, they need to tell us who they are, they need to tell us what they suspect and we can investigate and have a look at it. This is having a big effect on the TCI.”
The AC completed his prepared remarks with a plea “to help us protect the borders, that’s what we need from you now.” 
It was announced that the Turks and Caicos Police are the main partner in the Immigration Department led, Operation Guardian, which was lightly re-booted and rolled out fresh in February 2018.
TCIG knew from April that fuel factor could surge almost 80%; Minister says $500 cost-of-living payment was part of Government’s response
PROVIDENCIALES — The Turks and Caicos Government knew months before July’s shocking electricity bills that consumers faced a potentially massive increase in the fuel factor.
Minister of Information Technology and Energy E. Jay Saunders revealed Friday that Pelican Energy warned his Ministry in April that generation fuel costs were projected to rise from $3.09 per gallon in May to $4.79 in June and July.
That translated into a projected fuel factor jump from about 17.5 cents to 31 cents per kilowatt-hour — an increase of almost 80%.
Saunders said he personally advised Cabinet of the projected increase and presented options for cushioning the impact.
He characterised Government’s $500 cost-of-living payment as its “initial response” to rising fuel costs, before a separate fuel-factor subsidy was approved.
Cabinet records show Government agreed on June 24 to provide funding to mitigate the fuel-factor impact, with the relief programme approved July 8.
Eligible residential customers — those averaging less than $1,500 monthly over the previous three bills — are capped at 22 cents per kWh from July through October.
Pelican confirmed Friday that Government’s contribution was already applied to July bills, meaning the bills now triggering widespread public outrage would have been even higher without the subsidy.
Saunders did not disclose the programme’s total cost.
His admission that Government knew since April, however, raises another question amid the backlash: why were consumers not directly warned by Government about the scale of the approaching increase?
PROVIDENCIALES — New commercial Crown Land applications are facing a six-month pause as the Turks and Caicos Islands Government takes inventory of its holdings.
During Cabinet meetings held July 15 and 16, an immediate six-month moratorium was approved on the acceptance, processing
and approval of new applications for commercial Crown Land grants, leases and allocations.
The pause will remain in place pending completion of the Crown Land Inventory Review. Cabinet’s summary did not state what prompted the review or indicate whether availability of commercial Crown Land is a concern.
The two-day meeting also advanced major consumer legislation. Cabinet approved the National Fair Competition Policy 2026 and drafting instructions for a Fair Competition Ordinance, moving TCI toward stronger consumer protection and fair competition rules.
In Grand Turk, Cabinet approved rezoning land in the North West Suburbs from low-density to medium-density residential use to facilitate a new apartment development.
Cabinet also advanced fisheries reforms, water legislation allowing private and public-private investment, minerals legislation and appointments across tourism, health and finance.
Progress toward establishing a TCI Credit Union was also noted.
PROVIDENCIALES — Major development projects outside Providenciales received Cabinet attention on July 8, with Government approving agreements connected to the redevelopment of Dellis Cay and a resort development in North Caicos.
Cabinet approved a Development Agreement between the Turks and Caicos Islands Government, Desarrollos Hotelco DC Ltd. and
Desarrollos Hotelco Astoria Ltd. for the redevelopment of Dellis Cay.
The long-discussed private island development sits between Providenciales and North Caicos and its return to Cabinet signals another step toward redevelopment.
Cabinet also approved amendments to an agreement involving SPR LND Ltd. (Royal Reef) and TCIG Development Agreement for a resort/hotel development in North Caicos.
Other decisions included approval of the First Supplementary Appropriation Bill 2026 for onward transmission and the appointment of Cindy Ewing as Chair of the Invest TCI Board, effective August 1 for three years.
Cabinet also noted consultation outcomes concerning changes to business licensing, approved professional membership expenses for qualifying Telecommunications Commission staff and approved advice relating to the Interim Clinical and Estates Services PPP.
The July 8 meeting was chaired by Acting Governor Anya Williams.
Photo Credit: Royal Reef (Keith)
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