TCI: Mighty Multi-Agency initiative means new era for safeguarding special crime victims

#Providenciales, December 18, 2018 – Turks and Caicos – A massive and mighty team of organisations have amalgamated in a way that is historic for the Turks and Caicos and the Caribbean region and their motive is our children and their mission is safeguarding each and every one of them.

A new center ushers in a new concept in how offenses against children and yes, even adults will be dealt with in the islands and the site is named in honour of the first woman police officer for the Turks and Caicos, once a champion of children herself the late Ethel Ingham.

The Turks and Caicos Police, the TCI Hospitals, Social Development, Youth and Health Departments, the UK’s Safeguarding Unit of the National Crime Agency and UNICEF fused forces and resources for what Deputy Police Commissioner Trevor Botting calls a breakthrough model of coping with delicate crimes.

“It provides a single location in which victims should feel safe, protected, and where they can give their account, and where any medical and forensic examinations can be done, and where they can be treated in confidence, with dignity and privacy.”

The Ethel Ingham Center, which has taken over what was once the Police Canteen, births an improvement and includes a video interview suite, a medical care center, offices and desk to desk system of communication with the partner agencies accommodated.  Premier Sharlene Robinson offered commendation from her administration and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

“On behalf of the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands, who are the beneficiaries of this pioneer collaborative undertaking, I extend immeasurable gratitude to the leaders of the various agencies and the Turks and Caicos Islands Government Ministries who strive to provide the facilities and resources to protect the vulnerable members of our society.”

Governor Dr John Freeman was unable to attend, but sent his congratulations with the Attorney General, Rhondalee Knowles.

“Children have rights, which are not only enshrined in not only the International Convention such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child, but also in our constitution, and as such each individual one of us has a duty to respect those rights and to do what we can to protect them.”

The official opening included a tour, with ribbon cut by Ethel Ingham’s daughter Bernadette.

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