TCI News
TCI: Apology for Bloody scene left at bank
#Providenciales, August 24, 2019 – Turks and Caicos – The crime was outrageous and the scene left behind caused an outrage as residents wrote to Magnetic Media about the bloody mess left at the largest ATM center of CIBCFirstCaribbean.
A cell phone video captured the blood of a victim, spilled on the floor after he had been shot and robbed while using the facility on August 7, 2019 around 12:33 am. There are blood drops and splatters stretching from the door to the machine and though the crime had occurred the in the wee hours of the morning according to the police report, the blood was still there when the sun came up – unsightly, undignified, unhealthy and uncleaned.
Magnetic Media has been trying to get a statement to explain why the site was not cleaned up before customers were allowed to enter the area for weeks now from CIBCFirstCaribbean Bank.
This week, the comment came in.
‘The scene you described contained evidence that was part of an ongoing police investigation; it would have been imprudent to tamper with it until the Police had completed their job on site…” said Larry Lawrence, General Manager, CIBC FirstCaribbean Bank.
The door could have been locked. The Leeward Highway location of the bank has an outdoor/drive-thru ATM, which could have been used in the interim.
At the end of the video, you can see a man standing very near to a pool of the victim’s blood, using the ATM in spite of his surroundings.
It is confirmed, by the Department of Environmental Health that a business is obligated to clean up after a crime. Blood spread all over the floor of a business open to the general public, is a definite health hazard.
But TCI Police Commissioner Trevor Botting, in a reply to our news organization says the misstep was committed by the Police, not the bank.
““It is clear that once the crime scene examination was completed by the attending officer/s, the scene was not cleaned prior to the public being allowed access, said Commissioner Botting whom we asked about the matter this past Thursday. On Friday, he offered some explanation and an apology.
This was clearly an oversight. Whilst it is not the job of the police to clean the scene, it is our responsibility to ensure that scenes are rendered safe before the public is allowed access. To that end, I am sorry for the oversight and any distress caused to the public. As your Police Service, we have learned from this experience and I am confident that it won’t reoccur”.
Police Commissioner Botting also informed that evidence in the case, where a lone gunman got away with a man’s cash and car is safe and sound.
“I am satisfied that this was an isolated incident and that the evidence collected was not in any way compromised.”
The investigation remains open. There is no update on the condition of the victim. And naturally, all these weeks later, the ATM center at CIBCFirstCaribbean Bank is cleaned up.
#magneticmedianews
#bloodysceneleftatbank
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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