Dana Malcolm  

Staff Writer  

#TurksandCaicos, March 27, 2023 – Following the announcement that several women had been robbed and assaulted in Blue Hills in the past weeks, Magnetic Media queried why the Police would wait until they had a man in custody to release an alert. 

TCI’s newest addition to the top brass Detective Superintendent Dean Holden, Head of Crime, Safeguarding and Public Protection, told us that it initially appeared to be an isolated offence and not part of a series of incidents. 

“The full circumstances needed to be investigated to ascertain the facts before a public alert could be considered. Misinformation in such a case would only cause unnecessary public concern and confusion and could adversely impact the investigation and the safeguarding of persons involved—” he said. “Even now there is no definitive information that these offences are linked, and investigators remain open-minded.”  

Holden claimed an early alert with limited information could have hindered the investigation and they were trying to protect the women who may not have wanted to be identified based on where they lived.  

As it turns out, the public concern was very much warranted, because there have been more violent sexual attacks, and more victims got hurt, forcing their hands.  

“When further similar offences were committed, the overriding principle of sustained public protection was considered, hence the alert/release issued,” he said. 

That alert was coupled with the news that a man had been arrested. Whether those further similar incidents could have been prevented if the public was informed earlier and taken extra precautions, is the underlying question. To date, we don’t know how many victims there are. 

Police have increased patrols in the Blue Hills area and condemned the crimes as unacceptable. They have not indicated if anyone was charged for the offences yet.  

#TurksandCaicos, March 27, 2023 – After a festive three days of competition, the TCISS Inter-High Track & Field Championships 2023 have concluded with the A. Louise Garland Thomas High School reigning as Champions. Featuring a great turnout, eleven schools from across the Turks and Caicos Islands met to compete at the National Stadium March 9-11, 2023.

The competition was stiff among athletes, who were all competing for top spots and by extension a spot-on Team TCI’s CARIFTA 2023 team. From high-spirited invitationals to entertainment by DJ Shakes, spectators enjoyed the best Nationals competition yet.

Overall results:

•     1^st Place: A. Louise Garland Thomas High School
•     2^nd Place: Clement Howell High School
•     3^rd Place: Marjorie Basden High School

Twenty athletes have been selected for Turks and Caicos Islands National CARIFTA Team, some who would have competed in the TCISS Inter-High Track & Field Championships 2023 and some living abroad.

Here are the athletes:

1. Roniesha Johnson U-17 Girls CHHS
2. Branary Delancy U-17 Girls LGTHS
3. Krysann Williams U-20 Girls LGTHS
4. Anesha Varus U-20 Girls CHHS
5. Lynn Antoine U-20 Girls Unattached
6. Chyna Simmons U-20 Girls BWIC
7. Rayvon Black U-17 Boys Denbigh/Jam
8. Renaldo Registre U-17 Boys RGHS
9. Jarmal Missick U-17 Boys HJRHS
10. Melique Evans U-17 Boys CHHS
11. Love Joseph U-17 Boys LGTHS
12. Kaeson Garland U-17 Boys MBHS
13. Shamar Garland U-17 Boys HJRHS
14. Alieandio Durham U-20 Boys CHHS
15. Bernard Hyde U-20 Boys CHHS
16. Markey Zepherin U-20 Boys CHHS
17. Rayvon Walkin U-20 Boys KC/Jam
18. Anthon Walkin U-20 Boys KC/Jam
19. Alidavidson Higgs U-20 Boys JC/Jam
20. Darvioun Rigby U-20 Boys Keiser/USA

Dana Malcolm

Staff Writer

#TurksandCaicos, March 27, 2023 – The Turks and Caicos recently hosted the head of the British Army who has now been made a member of the local regiment.  

Patrick Sanders, Chief of the General Staff  (CGS) spent a mid-March weekend in the country and it’s a visit Governor Nigel Dakin hopes will be rewarding for the TCI Regiment in the future.  The Governor said as much in the Instagram post announcing the visit.  

“He is now an Honorary Colonel of our Regiment.  That’s an enormously important step for us because it gives our Regiment a champion working at the very top of UK Defence,” Dakin said. 

The visit also included Lord Mark Lancaster, Former Minister for UK Armed Forces who Dakin acknowledged had championed the petition for OTs to even have their own military forces. 

The men met cordially with the Regiment and then saw them in action officially.  The Premier was also part of the meetings, so too the Maritime Police and Radar, the Tactical Firearms Unit and National Security Secretariat Dakin explained.  The top man was impressed with the regiment as he told Dakin how proud he was to be associated with the troupe.

One stop in the tour was Dockyard, the Providenciales community where so much grief was felt and caused over the past year.  Also a suspected have for illegal migrants and contraband. 

“Very pleased to see this relationship established before leave. It says much about the distance already traveled and it bodes very well indeed for the Regiment’s future.”  He said.  Fitting that Dakin’s last guests should be Britain’s security experts considering his investment in Border security in the TCI during his tenure.

Dakin will bid the country farewell by the end of March.