TCI News
TCI: Country Leaders profile serious crime offenders; problem not new, behavior is
#Providenciales, September 17, 2019 – Turks and Caicos – The excessive force against victims of serious crimes is a topic of conversation among Caribbean countries and it has TCI officials very concerned as the increasing brutality during armed robberies points to an old issue, gaining new steam.
“We’re talking about disenfranchised young men; you’re talking about men who have no leadership; you’re talking about men who have no mentors and positive role models and it’s a very sad fact that the amount of violence being used actually is ten times more destructive than actually the theft of what you’ve lost,” said Trevor Botting, TCI Police Commissioner.
Premier Sharlene Robinson weighed in on the matter and pointed to other Caribbean region countries which are confronted with the destructive trend, labelled: ‘overkill’.
Magnetic Media questioned whether there is now a need for a professional profiler – a person who analyzes criminal cases in order to get a psychological, behavioral and legal profile of a criminal – to be added to the TCI Police resources.
“I think even without a professional profiler, we know what it is in Turks and Caicos. It used to be in our minds that they’re unemployed. But we see now those who are employed are also engaged in criminal activity. The bottom line for me is it goes down to respect. That is respect for you, respect for authority and it starts with lack of respect even in your home as parents, where parents have literally kicked the village out assisting them with raising their children,” said Premier Robinson.
Governor Nigel Dakin emphasized that the new tactics, including a first ever Gun Crimes Unit will work to contain crime, but agrees that there are questions to be asked and answered.
“…the conversation about how did we as a society produce that group of young men which the Commissioner and Premier have spoken very powerfully about…”
The leaders, who last week held a news conference on the increase in serious crimes, gun crimes and murder for Turks and Caicos in 2019 do not believe a profiler is required at this stage.
Police Commissioner Botting assured, “I think its way too early. I think once we start the work of trying to tackle the root causes I think the issues will come out,” said Commissioner Botting, “…I mean the words ‘father figure’ I think are really critical and having leadership when you are a young man finding your way in the world is really, really critical…”
The Turks and Caicos is with the highest murder count in its history, now at 10 people brutally killed. Nine men have been killed using illegal firearms, one man was murdered with a makeshift weapon used in a vicious stabbing.
“We can profile,” said Premier Robinson, “We know these are young men who feel their way out is through violence. Regrettably disputes are settled in the worst kind of way.”
The TCI Government has already agreed to fund 20 new police recruits but the Premier shared this issue requires new policing strategies and new community mindsets.
“…because there is a change in the type of criminal that we are dealing with and not just in the Turks and Caicos.” said Premier Sharlene Robinson.
#magneticmedianews
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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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