12 New Ordinances Pass in the House of Assembly to be TOUGHER on Offenders

By Dana Malcolm

Staff Writer

#TurksandCaicos, October 29, 2022 – A suite of Bills created to combat the violence caused by international and local gangs has passed in the House of Assembly.  The new ordinances, which passed on October 21, will give the police more power and dramatically extend jail sentences for offenders include:

• The Firearms Amendment Bill
• The Police Force Amendment Bill
• The Firearm Related Offenses Detention and Bail Amendment bill
• Interception of Communications Bill
• Anti-Gang Bill
• Offenses Against the Person
• Magistrates. Court Amendment Bill
• Defense Amendment Bill
• Integrity Commission Amendment Bill
• Immigration Amendment Bill
• House of Assembly Powers and Privileges
• Telecoms Amendment Bill

With the passing of these bills Police will be able to:

• Stop and search in areas of high crime
• Stop and search without warrant if suspicious without reasonable grounds as ordered by Commissioner  (24 hours only) Stop and Search with a warrant
• Erect barriers
• Intercept communication on private and public communication channels including the post

The public has been repeatedly assured that the power granted to the police via the bills will not be taken lightly or used unjustly.

In terms of the court system it will have the power to:

• grant warrants for information access
• Sentence firearm offenders up to 18 years minimum without parole
• Sentence criminal harbourers

Washington Misick, Turks and Caicos Islands Premier congratulated those involved in the process of drafting and passing the legislation which he described as in the interest of the majority.

“We were able to work with the Attorney General’s Chambers, with the Police and with all agencies of Government [so that] when the chips were down and our people felt threatened we were able to come together and do the right thing and make sure we passed this package of legislation in order to protect our homeland, people and economy.”

The Bills were promised in early September as part and parcel of the fix to the heinous killings and gang activity in Turks and Caicos which saw 16 people dead in September and October, including a young woman, an elderly man and a tourist.