Caribbean News
Striking parallels as Turks and Caicos and Jamaica find law and order fading away by extreme gang-fueled crime
By Dana Malcolm
Staff Wrtier
#Jamaica, November 18, 2022 – Earlier this week Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness announced he was instituting more States of Emergency (SOE) in seven parishes in Jamaica. The SOEs which allow for manned checkpoints, curfews, patrols and other military aided peacekeeping efforts were being used because, the Prime Minister maintained, “The level of crime in our country is over and above the capacity of our regular law enforcement,” he said. “It is clear that we are facing an emergency. Even war torn countries have a murder rate less than Jamaica. Gangs are morphing– they are trying to corrupt the state.”
The factors driving this extraordinary level of crime are eerily similar to the factors driving a major uptick of crime in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Antonette Weymss-Gorman, head of the Jamaica Defense Force Rear Admiral explained what exactly the country was fighting.
“Through our analysis and intelligence gathering we continue to recognize the influence of gangs as a primary contributor to violence with with illegal weapons and ammunition. Their criminal and violent actions continue to be fueled by the ill-gotten gains of extortion, contract killings, lottery scamming and other forms of criminality,” She
explained that infighting was taking down innocents as well.
“These gangs are continuously engaged in intense intra and inter-gang conflicts which are a leading cause of high levels of murders and shootings across the country.”
Jamaica and certainly by now the Turks and Caicos sit very near the top of the list for the highest murder rates in the region and the world. While the TCI’s murder rate may skate below the global radar this year thanks to being considered a part of the UK residents of both countries, who have to face the violence may be wondering, how did it get this bad?
Major crime waves like these in relatively small-island states can seem like they came out of nowhere but Holness belays that assumption saying a lack of preparation contributed heavily to the crises.
“It is not a situation that is unique to Jamaica. Many island states have not looked at national security in the sophisticated way that they needed to over the last thirty years to make the investments they needed in intelligence gathering, communication, transportation, border control, and investments in the training of our security forces.”
It’s an observation that rings particularly true in the Turks and Caicos as country leaders have just begun in the last few years to seriously put in the work to create a border force, a defense force in the form of the Regiment, armored vehicles, a coast guard and digital security capabilities at our ports. All of this work is ongoing, some of it in early stages still.
Meanwhile criminals have made inroads into the Islands and set up their own chain of command and shipping routes as evidenced by the recent bust of several shipments of weapons in the US that were bound for the TCI.
Nigel Dakin, Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands had indicated he would not be bringing in any military operation until it was absolutely needed because soldiers are not trained to police. However, residents have over weeks been awaken to the sound the sight of military styled choppers overhead and this week, coordinated road checks slowed traffic to a crawl.
Jamaica, while executing these extreme measures over the next four weeks, is promising to adhere to the human rights of residents and visitors; having already been bruised by several Supreme Court law suits alleging abuses.
For now both governments continue to grapple with their respective, but connected, crime waves.
Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicos, March 17, 2023 – Revenue from the Turks and Caicos’ Financial Services Sector will more than double in the next few years, if E Jay Saunders, Deputy Premier and Finance Minister gets his way. It ‘s one of the reasons the country is investing so much capital into getting off of the EU blacklist and becoming a secure trustworthy financial destination.
“The FSC’s revenues for 2020/21 was $10.5M— the figures for 2021/22, would be about similar,” he said. He further explained that $10.5 million from the FSC represented about 2.6 percent of the country’s 408.5-million-dollar
revenue. Though it increased to $14 million in the 2021/22 financial year, finance is still a small fry compared to tourism or even stamp duties but that will change, says Saunders.
“My revenue goal for the Government by the year 2029 [or] the election after the next election – is $500M. By that time, I want the financial sector (FSC) revenues to represent at least 5% ($25M). So that’s my goal for the financial sector by 2029.”
This goal, should it be met, would increase the Government’s revenue by 100 million dollars, a significant increase in spending power for local upgrades and improvements for Turks and Caicos residents and visitors.
Saunders says it’s time for the TCI to diversify its sources of revenue to make sure that what happened in the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw residents out of a job for months, will not happen again. Tourism now makes up around 80 percent of the country’s GDP. The Minister of Finance wants to push that down to 60 or even 50 percent.
Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#Haiti, March 17, 2023 – When a CARICOM delegation visited Haiti earlier this month, conspicuously absent was the Turks and Caicos Islands despite being one of the nations most directly affected by the multi-dimensional crisis there. There is no comment, as yet from the Premier, to say why this was the case.
Still, from the expedition, CARICOM heads of Government have informed that there will be lobbying in Africa for assistance in Haiti. They say they have decided that the best course of action for the Caribbean country is to bolster the Haitian National Police and act as intermediaries with Africa and the world. The decision follows a one day visit on February 27th, and a March 5th meeting chaired by the Bahamas.
CARICOM says during the trip delegates ‘met with a broad range of Haitian stakeholders to hear their views on the
way forward to a Haitian-led solution’. With that in mind it has made a decision on how to proceed.
“The Heads of Government agreed to support the Haitian National Police in their efforts to address the security situation. The focus of the Community will be the provision of training for the HNP and the provision of humanitarian assistance to HNP and the wider Haitian society, taking into account the challenging humanitarian and security situation”
It’s not clear yet where and how this training will take place. Also distinctly absent from the report, no more mention of boots on the ground from other countries despite CARICOM Member States indicating they were ready and willing should it come to that.
In addition, recognizing ‘the common historical experiences and the strong African-Caribbean relationship’ CARICOM says,
“Heads of Government also agreed to seek support from African countries for Haiti. They also agreed to work with the Governments of Canada and the United States as well as the UNDP”
Magnetic Media has reached out to the Premier’s Office to get a full debrief of the February 27th visit (led by Jamaica; including The Bahamas and Trinidad and Tobago) to learn of Turks and Caicos’ posture following the critical sessions.
Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicos, March 17, 2023 – Musicians from the New World Symphony will be in the Turks and Caicos in concert next month and residents are invited to attend in support of the future of Ashley’s Learning Center. 
A fairly young orchestral academy based in Miami, the New World Symphony was launched in the 1980s by 1987, Michael Tilson Thomas and Ted Arison,Carnival Cruises founder. From the 1500 applicants who vie for a spot each year, the symphony accepts around 35 music graduates annually for training fellowships.
A select few of those graduates will be in country on April 8th headlining at the Ashley’s Learning Center concert ‘We’re all in this together’. The concert which also feature local artistes will be held at Brayton Hall on Venetian Road from 6 pm to 8:30 pm
Tickets are available ON ISLEHELP $75 PER GENERAL SEAT $125 PER PREMIUM SEAT $195 PER GALLERY SEAT – with /FREFRESHMENTS.
For TICKET RESERVATIONs you can call: 649-341-2304 or email EVENTS@ASHLEYSLEARNINGCENTER.ORG
-
Caribbean News1 week agoJAMAICA: 1.3 Million Covid-19 Vaccine Doses Administered in Region
-
Bahamas News1 week agoMinister Glover-Rolle Delivers CARICOM Statement at UN’s Commission on the Status of Women
-
Caribbean News1 week agoTurks & Caicos inspires and debuts Drake Fashion Line, NOCTA
-
Government1 week agoRight on Cue, Provo Dump burning again as CDB Consultants prepare for Community Meeting
-
Caribbean News5 days agoDebrief on Haiti Caribbean heads visit
-
Caribbean News1 week agoJAMAICA: Persons Encouraged to Purchase Coffee Festival Tickets Early
-
Caribbean News1 week agoUK Imposed Procurement Process Slowed TCI getting off EU Blacklist
-
Caribbean News6 days agoTCI native Phildreka Mayham promoted to Learning and Development Manager at BTC