TCI News
Improved youth programs, more Police presence and encouragement to ‘walk away’ from TCI House members
#Providenciales, November 5, 2018 – Turks and Caicos – The shocking level of violence and crime within 
in the past 90 days turned recent house of assembly meeting into a session bemoaning the damaging effects of crime.
Among those lamenting on the gun violence and offering condolences following the eighth murder in Grand Turk on October 27, 2018 was Member from the Bight, Porsha Smith.
“The gun violence in the Turks and Caicos is really beginning to give me a sore tummy and I just want to appeal to some young people who hopefully are listening, whom I hope are listening. Back in our day it used to be stones and sticks, and I don’t even want to resort to that but for those persons who are imposing it upon you walk away from it and report it; don’t take it up, it ends lives, it destroys families and I just want to appeal to them this morning that that is not the way to go, there is always a better way to work out a conflict,” said the Member during the opening of the meeting on Monday October 29, 2018.
Hon Porsha Smith was not alone in her concern as from the Member for South Caicos, there came a call for individuals to stop burning abandoned buildings, to cooperate with Police in their investigations of the alleged cases of arson, for the Border Control Minister to look into reports of strange vessels anchoring off South Caicos and for the Police to bring a stronger presence on the island, considered the fishing capital of the country.
“In terms of law and order, we need to see more of the police, we need to see more visibility more signs of the police on the streets of South Caicos. The people are asking for it and the people are asking for that matter be looked into,” expressed Hon Ruth Blackman who directed a special request from her constituents to the Premier and the Governor, among the leaders who comprise the National Security Council.
The Governor’s appointed member, Hon Temard Butterfield steered his remarks to country, civic and church leaders as he asked that more keen attention be paid to the plight of the youth and ex-offenders as they aim to re-insert themselves into regular life after prison.
“I believe that the programs that we have in place right now – not knocking them to say they are not effective – but we need to revisit them to ensure that they are carrying out or doing the right things that we established it for. I am saying this in particular towards our juveniles, I do not believe we are paying keen attention to them and we are not paying keen attention to those who have left prison and are now trying to fit into their communities.”
Butterfield added that, “I have had the opportunity to sit with them under the tree and they are expressing concerns… It is important that we pay keen attention to our young people.”
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Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, 20 February 2026 — The Informal Settlements Unit (ISU), in collaboration with key
government agencies, coordinated a multi-agency enforcement exercise on Thursday, February 5, 2026, at Block and Parcel 60609/33 in the Five Cays area.
The exercise was led by the Crown Land Unit, pursuant to its statutory mandate under the Crown Land Ordinance to prevent squatting and encroachment on Crown land. The ISU coordinated the operation, with support provided by the Planning Department and the Turks and Caicos Islands Border Force, while the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force ensured security throughout the activity.
The enforcement action followed a series of inspections conducted by the Crown Land Unit throughout Five Cays, which identified several illegally constructed buildings made of concrete and timber on sections of the subject parcel. In keeping with the provisions of the Crown Land Ordinance, occupied structures were served Letters of Illegal Occupation, delivered by hand to occupants and
posted on structures where individuals were absent. Incomplete and unoccupied structures were served Notices of Unauthorized Occupation pursuant to section 22 of the Ordinance. A total of ten (10) Letters of Illegal Occupation and three (3) Notices of Unauthorized Occupation were issued during the exercise.
The Informal Settlements Unit reiterates that these coordinated enforcement exercises form part of the Government’s ongoing efforts to uphold the law, protect Crown land, and manage informal settlements in a structured and lawful manner. Members of the public are reminded that unauthorised occupation and development on Crown land is unlawful and subject to enforcement action.
Almost two million visitors recorded in 2025
PROVIDENCIALES, TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS – The Turks and Caicos Islands saw an increase in stayover arrivals in December, seven percent higher than the corresponding period in 2024.
Preliminary data suggests that stay over arrivals by air for the month of December was 66,427 in comparison to 62,610 in December 2024.
From January to December 2025, preliminary visitor arrival numbers totalled 640,754; on par with the number recorded for the same period of 2024.
Stay Over Arrivals YTD December 2024/2025
The first quarter of the calendar year attracted the largest number of arrivals with visitor arrivals three percent higher than the first quarter of 2024. Reduced airlift from the United Kingdom and the United States, most notably the Virgin Atlantic and JetBlue services, was however felt from the second quarter (April to June). As a result, visitor arrivals dropped three percent in the second quarter.
By the third quarter of this year (July to September), geopolitical and economic conditions in the key source markets, namely the United States, led to further contraction of arrivals. In the last quarter of 2025, arrivals were impacted in October due to the passage of Hurricane Melissa but additional airlift from the USA and Canada resulted in an increase in arrivals in November and December.
Mr. Paul Pennicook, Interim CEO Consultant of Experience Turks and Caicos, said December’s increase in stayover arrivals is an encouraging indicator of the sustained interest in the Turks and Caicos Islands as a premier destination.
“While we note and continue to monitor geopolitical shifts that affect us, Experience Turks and Caicos is focused on increasing marketing initiatives in our primary source markets. We have spent the last two years investing in groundwork such as crucial travel advisor training to assist them in selling the destination more effectively. In the next fiscal, we will be building on those initiatives with co-op activities with partners as well as out of home advertising to increase visitation to our destination,” he said.
In Cruise, the preliminary count of passenger arrivals for the month of December 2025 was 129,346, a 22 percent increase over last December. This growth follows the berthing of 11 additional ships in Grand Turk this month.
From January to December, the cruise sector continued to outperform the same period last year, as the 1.3 million total cruise passengers recorded, marks a five percent Year-on-Year increase. 
The cruise sector experienced significant growth in the first quarter of 2025, with passenger arrivals surpassing last quarter by 53 percent. In the second and third quarter however, several cruise lines adjusted their itineraries as vessels were pulled from the fleet or from the Caribbean region, which resulted in fewer passengers.
Arrivals dropped seven percent and 10 percent in the second and third quarters, respectively. Double digit growth was recorded in the last two months of Quarter 4. This growth however, was not sufficient to outweigh the drop in arrivals experienced in October, following the cancellation of cruise calls due to the passage of Hurricane Melissa. Despite the late-quarter rebound, arrivals for the final quarter of 2025 closed six percent below the same period in 2024.
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