TCI News
First draft of National Security Strategy for TCI done, presented by Governor and Premier
#Providenciales, September 27, 2019 – Turks and Caicos – Country leaders appear to be moving a record pace on the promise to deliver a National Security Strategy sooner, rather than later. It is a document which new Governor Nigel Dakin has touted as top of mind and the vigor about getting the work done was recently commended by the Premier.
“Residents would have heard me speak of a NSS (National Security Strategy) for more than a year and I am pleased that we have made considerable progress today. Thanks to or new Governor who has been hands on. For the first time in the history of these islands, a comprehensive National Security Strategy is being developed to effectively confront the complex issue of crime throughout our archipelago,” said Sharlene Robinson, TCI Premier at the Crime Press Conference on September 10.
On Wednesday September 18, the National Security Council, NSC met and was presented the draft of the National Security Strategy, NSS.
Governor Nigel Dakin has been on the job for a mere 10 weeks but has been vocal on illegal migration, people smuggling, the spike in gun crimes, the toll these serious crimes are taking on families and the TCI’s touristic reputation and what is now the highest murder rate ever for the country.
In the report of the NSC meeting, media and the general public is told: “A more in-depth discussion was had on the key components of the NSS, its underlying structures and governance, a Secretariat to deliver the strategy, the establishment of a central mechanism for managing information and multi-agency collaboration.”
The summary of the NSC meeting was dispatched from both the Governor’s Office and the Office of the Premier, and it revealed that the TCI Government is right now aiming to find any avenue the UK can offer more help to this overseas territory. The British Charge d’Affaires in Haiti, the TCI Minister of Immigration and the US Coast Guard all participated in the NSC meeting with updates.
In the case of the US Coast Guard, which is in a tripartite relationship (OpBAT) with The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands, it was noted that the update centered largely “on current and potential international agreements which underpin multi-country collaboration to tackle illicit activity, including illegal migration. UK capabilities within the region, activity carried out and initiatives going forward.”
The National Security Strategy still has some rounds to make before it is outlined to the general public, including consultation with the Joint Law Enforcement Team (JLET), Leader of the Opposition, stakeholders, Cabinet and the National Security Advisory Group.
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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.
News
The Department of Trade, Industry & Fair Competition to Host Export Readiness Workshop Under the theme “Empowering TCI Businesses for Local Growth and Global Markets.”
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – Wednesday, 11 February 2026: The Informal Settlements Unit (ISU) coordinated a multi-agency enforcement operation on Thursday, 29 January 2026, led by the Planning Department, with support from the Crown Land
Unit, the Turks and Caicos Islands Border Force, and security provided by the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force. The operation, carried out at three different locations in Providenciales, formed part of ongoing government efforts to address unauthorised development and illegal occupation of land in accordance with governing legislation.
The operation commenced in Blue Hills, where five Section 58 Enforcement Notices were issued on unauthorised structures identified on Block and Parcel 60502/48.
Enforcement activity then moved to a second location off the Leeward Highway near Caicos Lodge, where six Section 58 Enforcement Notices were issued on additional unauthorised structures on Block and Parcel 60802/66.
The final phase of the operation took place in The Bight, where three unauthorised structures were removed, with all debris cleared from the site in keeping with established safety and environmental protocols.
The Informal Settlements Unit remains committed to working alongside its partner agencies to support lawful development, protect public and private land, and ensure that planning regulations are enforced in a coordinated and transparent manner across the Turks and Caicos Islands. Similar joint operations will continue as part of the Government’s wider strategy to address unauthorised development and informal settlement activity.
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