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PDM Announces Plan to Stop the Sloops’; says PNP Gov’t is “clueless”

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By Deandrea Hamilton

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#TurksandCaicos, February 2, 2023 – For some, the Progressive National Party government has failed to contain the illegal migration problem.  To no one is this perspective more true than the People’s Democratic Movement which in a statement, hammered the government for inaction on stemming the flow of illegal boats from embattled Haiti and cited that now, there are a marked increase in human smuggling operations since the PNP took office.

“The PNP Government of the day seems to be clueless about how to tackle this problem. In the two years that they had come for the work, the country has seen no new plans, strategies, or methods for addressing the illegal movement of people, weapons, drugs, and contraband. On the contrary, we have seen an increase in illegal activities within our territorial waters,” said Edwin Astwood, Opposition Leader.

Over 500 Haitians have been caught so far in 2023 trying to enter the islands, illegally.  Police have confirmed that some illegal boats have been missed by the coastal radar and marine branch, which brings unknown dangers to the British overseas territory.

The overwhelming influx is fueled by people seeking relief from a toxic cocktail of widespread infections and deaths as a result of Cholera; the vacuum left by the expiration of term in office of all its democratically elected leaders; the high cost and scarcity of food and the take-over of murderous gangs across the nation.

Astwood said the remedy needs funding and his party has the right strategy.

“The PDM has been working on a very ambitious strategic plan for “Stopping the Sloops”. This plan has a clearly defined vision and mission, with achievable objectives. The strategy was developed with a new and innovative way of stopping and detecting illegal entry into the Turks and Caicos Islands. It employs a multisectoral multiagency approach using new and very promising tactics.”

No details of this plan is shared by Astwood, but he does give clues about where there is grave concern; he slams the PNP for leaving smaller islands unprotected. He likened them to a magnet for the unscrupulous captains who use the lanes and lands for their often ill-fated, always nefarious and irresistibly lucrative voyages.

“For our Family Islands and communities border protection and security are extremely low, or completely absent, hence they also act as alternative unmonitored landing sites for these illegal boats.

We the PDM have been studying in much detail every aspect of this issue of illegal boats. Our Plan will coordinate our intelligence, interception, processing, and enforcement systems. Through increases in the critical staffing areas; increase policing of our waters; use of technology, including sensors, radar, and aerial assets, investments to modernize the ports of entry, and stronger partnerships and information sharing, we the PDM desire to create a safer, more secure, and more efficient border environment of the entire Turks and Caicos Islands.”

Since the statement was issued on February 18, there has been no formal reply from the PNP Administration.  The issue of illegal migration once again proving to be politically polarizing and not severe enough a threat to elicit greater collaboration by the two parties for the good of the country, which is pumping millions of dollars into repatriation costs and bleeding even more dollars due to the social impacts resulting from the deepening crisis in Haiti.

“Protecting our borders from the illegal movement of weapons, drugs, contraband, and people, while promoting lawful entry and exit, is essential to our country, the Turks and Caicos Islands, security, economic prosperity, and national sovereignty.

A PDM government would be committed to enforcing our immigration laws so that we can secure our border and keep the TCI people safe. Our Strategy includes taking action to directly disrupt cartels, smugglers, and nefarious actors.

However, smugglers, human traffickers, and nefarious actors know our loopholes well and continue to exploit them. To truly keep the TCI people safe, we must end loopholes that have left us with policies that serve as tremendous magnets for illegal immigration.”

The plan is to stop the sloops.

“It consists both of a short-term and a long-term plan.

No doubt this Strategy will require budgetary support from Government funding, and New Visionary Leadership for execution and bringing the Plan to fruition. “A new and innovative plan will never be executed with an old and outdated way of thinking.”

The funding will be for acquiring the most suitable and most effective technologies for the purpose, the most suitable and most effective equipment for the activities, implementing the new methodologies, and most importantly employing the most suitable and skilled Turks and Caicos Islanders for organizing and executing the approach.”

There is a document and a vision said Edwin Astwood, who is a former minister of health of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

“We the Peoples’ Democratic Movement believe that the TCI should be free from having to face the consequences of illegal boats carrying people, guns, and illegal drugs reaching our shores. We are committed to securing our borders, and developing and enforcing effective immigration laws. We also believe that all of our people and residents have a right to feel safe and protected.

The mission statement of the PDM’s New and Innovative Plan outlines how we would achieve the vision. Our Objectives comprise the specific results that our new system aims to achieve in “stopping the boats”, within the specified timeframe stated.

The PDM’s plan needs the Haitian Government, said the Leader who is depending on a missing in action level of accountability from the Haitian government.  It is a murky, maybe even a doomed expectation as Haiti’s government is relatively non-existent.  Its last elected president – Jovenel Moise – was assassinated in July 2021 and its remaining democratically elected leaders demitted office in early January 2023.

“We need both countries to be in agreement to work together to address this expanding illegal immigration from Haiti, while at the same time promoting trade and commerce.

We the PDM believe that by working cooperatively, both governments will work to combat human smuggling and trafficking in the region, and support both countries in our efforts to combat crime and violence, by cutting off this funding mechanism. These efforts will build on existing bilateral agreements between the TCI and our neighboring countries and will reflect a shared commitment toward regional and hemispheric security.”

For Haiti, despite optimism when the United States and Canada agreed to ‘boots on the ground’ and military support, little had changed for the nation, home to 11 million people including some five million starving children. This month, both countries informed that while they are prepared to sanction alleged corrupt ex-leaders and provide a presence, no combat action is planned.

The PDM, meanwhile, has not said when they plan to release the strategy for public consumption.

“We the PDM have a new and Innovative Plan to protect You, to secure our borders, and to Stop the Illegal Boats. The Premier and his PNP government have No plan,” said Edwin Astwood in conclusion.

Caribbean News

Haitian Pushback Halts Controversial Constitution Rewrite — What’s Next?

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Deandrea Hamilton | Editor

 

Haitian media, legal scholars and civic voices did what bullets and barricades couldn’t: they stopped a sweeping constitutional overhaul widely branded as anti-democratic.  Editorials and analyses tore into proposals to abolish the Senate, scrap the prime minister, shift to one-round presidential elections, expand presidential power, and open high office to dual-nationals—a package critics said would hard-wire dominance into the executive at a moment of near-lawless insecurity.

The Venice Commission—Europe’s top constitutional advisory body—didn’t mince words either. In a formal opinion requested by Haiti’s provisional electoral authorities, it pressed for clear legal safeguards and credible conditions before any referendum, including measures to prevent gang interference in the electoral process—an implicit rebuke of pushing a foundational rewrite amid a security collapse.

Facing that drumbeat, Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council has now formally ended the constitutional-reform initiative. The decision, taken at a Council of Ministers meeting at the National Palace, effectively aborts the rewrite track that has haunted Haiti since the Moïse and Henry eras.

So what now? Per the Miami Herald, the pivot is back to basics: security first, elections next. That means stabilizing Port-au-Prince enough to run a vote, rebuilding the electoral timetable, and empowering the provisional electoral machinery—none of which is simple when gangs control vast chunks of the capital and state authority remains fragile. Recent headlines underline the risk: gunfire has disrupted top-level government meetings, a visceral reminder that constitutional theory means little without territorial control.

Bottom line: Haitian journalists and public intellectuals helped slam the brakes on a high-stakes centralization of power that lacked legitimacy and safe conditions. International constitutional experts added weight, and the transition authorities finally conceded reality. Now the fight shifts to making an election possible—clean rolls, secure polling, and credible oversight—under circumstances that are still hostile to democracy. If the state can’t guarantee basic safety, any ballot is theater. If it can, shelving the rewrite may prove the first real step back toward consent of the governed.

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Political Theatre? Caribbean Parliamentarians Walk Out on House Speaker

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By Deandrea Hamilton | Magnetic Media

 

October 14, 2025 – It’s being called political theatre — but for citizens, constitutional watchdogs, and democracy advocates across the Caribbean, it feels far more serious. Within a single week, two national parliaments — in Trinidad and Tobago and St. Kitts and Nevis — descended into turmoil as opposition members stormed out in protest, accusing their Speakers of bias, overreach, and abuse of parliamentary procedure.

For observers, the walkouts signal a deeper problem: erosion of trust in the very institutions meant to safeguard democracy. When Speakers are viewed as political enforcers instead of neutral referees, parliaments stop functioning as chambers of debate and start performing as stages for power and spectacle — with citizens left wondering who, if anyone, is still accountable.

October 6: St. Kitts Parliament Erupts

The first walkout erupted in Basseterre on October 6, 2025, when Dr. Timothy Harris, former Prime Minister and now Opposition Leader, led his team out of the St. Kitts and Nevis National Assembly in a protest that stunned the chamber.

The flashpoint came as the Speaker moved to approve more than three years’ worth of unratified parliamentary minutes in one sitting — covering 27 meetings and three national budgets — without individual review or debate.

Dr. Harris called the move “a flagrant breach of the Constitution and parliamentary tradition,” warning that the practice undermines transparency and accountability. “No serious parliament can go years without approving a single set of minutes,” he said after exiting the chamber.

The Speaker defended the decision as administrative housekeeping, but critics were unconvinced, branding the move a “world record disgrace.” The opposition’s walkout triggered renewed calls for the Speaker’s resignation and sparked a wider public discussion about record-keeping, accountability, and respect for parliamentary norms in St. Kitts and Nevis.

October 10: Trinidad Opposition Follows Suit

Four days later, on October 10, 2025, the Opposition United National Congress (UNC) in Trinidad and Tobago staged its own walkout from the House of Representatives in Port of Spain.

The UNC accused the Speaker of partisan bias, claiming she had repeatedly blocked urgent questions, ignored points of order, and allowed government members to breach standing orders without consequence.

“The Speaker has failed in her duty to act impartially,” the Opposition declared in a statement. “Parliament is not the property of any political party or Presiding Officer.”

The dramatic exit was seen as a culmination of months of rising tension and frustration, with opposition MPs arguing that parliamentary rules were being selectively applied to silence dissenting voices.

Political analyst Dr. Marcia Ferdinand described the twin walkouts as “a warning sign that parliamentary democracy in the Caribbean is teetering on the edge of performative politics.”

“When chairs become political shields rather than constitutional referees,” she said, “democracy becomes theatre, not governance.”

A Pattern Emerging

While St. Kitts and Trinidad are very different political environments, both incidents point to the same regional fault line: the perception that Speakers — the guardians of parliamentary order — are no longer impartial.

In Westminster-style systems like those across the Caribbean, the Speaker’s authority depends not on power but on public confidence in fairness. Once that credibility erodes, parliamentary control collapses into confrontation.

Governance experts say the implications are serious: eroded trust between government and opposition, declining public confidence in state institutions, and growing voter cynicism that “rules” are flexible tools of political advantage.

Why It Matters

Parliamentary walkouts are not new in the Caribbean, but what makes these recent events different is their frequency and intensity — and the regional echo they’ve created. Social media has amplified images of lawmakers storming out, with citizens from Barbados to Belize questioning whether the same erosion of decorum could be happening in their own legislatures.

Analysts warn that if this perception takes hold, it risks diminishing the moral authority of parliamentary democracy itself.

“Once opposition MPs believe the rules are rigged, and once citizens believe Parliament is just performance,” said one Caribbean governance researcher, “you’ve lost the most valuable currency in democracy — trust.”

Restoring Balance

Political reformers across the region are calling for tighter Standing Order enforcement, independent parliamentary service commissions, and training to strengthen Speaker neutrality. Civil society leaders say the public must also play its part by demanding transparency and refusing to normalize partisan manipulation of parliamentary procedure.

Whether these twin walkouts become catalysts for reform — or simply another episode of Caribbean political theatre — will depend on what happens next inside those chambers.

For now, democracy watchers agree on one thing: when opposition leaders feel the only way to be heard is to walk out, the entire democratic house — not just its Speaker — is in danger of collapse.

 

Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.

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Caribbean News

Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts celebrate a night of wins, and take home a total of 16 titles at the 32nd Annual World Travel Awards

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~Sandals Resorts hosts the 32nd Annual World Travel Awards Caribbean and The Americas Gala & celebrates its 32nd consecutive win as The Caribbean’s Leading Hotel Brand~

 

MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA, October 8, 2025 – Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts have been honoured with 16 awards at the 2025 World Travel Awards Caribbean and The Americas, underscoring their continued leadership across the hospitality landscape.

The Gala Ceremony held at Sandals Grande St. Lucian honoured the visionaries and trailblazers shaping the travel and tourism industry. The evening united government leaders and hospitality professionals for a night of celebration, recognition and inspiration.

Among celebratory toasts, Sandals Resorts International was named the Caribbean’s Leading Hotel Brand for the 32nd year in a row. Beaches Turks and Caicos also celebrated its 18th win as the Caribbean’s Leading All-Inclusive Family Resort, a recognition that comes ahead of the debut of its Treasure Beach Village, the resort’s $150 million expansion set to open spring 2026.

Other key wins include Sandals Dunn’s River, recognized as the Caribbean’s Leading Luxury All-Inclusive Resort for the third year in a row after opening its doors in 2023 and Sandals South Coast, awarded the Caribbean’s Most Romantic Resort.

The 16 awards won under Sandals’ portfolio are:

  • Caribbean’s Leading Hotel Brand 2025: Sandals Resorts International
  • Caribbean’s Leading All-Inclusive Family Resort 2025: Beaches Turks & Caicos
  • Caribbean’s Leading All-Inclusive Resort 2025: Sandals Montego Bay, Jamaica
  • Caribbean’s Leading Dive Resort 2025: Sandals Royal Curaçao
  • Caribbean’s Leading Honeymoon Resort 2025: Sandals Grande St. Lucian
  • Caribbean’s Leading Luxury All-Inclusive Resort 2025: Sandals Dunn’s River, Jamaica
  • Caribbean’s Most Romantic Resort 2025: Sandals South Coast, Jamaica
  • Bahamas’ Leading All-Inclusive Resort 2025: Sandals Royal Bahamian
  • Curaçao’s Leading All-Inclusive Resort 2025: Sandals Royal Curaçao
  • Grenada’s Leading All-Inclusive Resort 2025: Sandals Grenada
  • Jamaica’s Leading Adult-Only All-Inclusive Resort 2025: Sandals Negril
  • Jamaica’s Leading All-Inclusive Family Resort 2025: Beaches Negril
  • Jamaica’s Leading All-Inclusive Resort 2025: Sandals Montego Bay
  • Jamaica’s Leading Resort 2025: Sandals Royal Caribbean
  • Saint Lucia’s Leading All-Inclusive Resort 2025: Sandals Grande St. Lucian
  • Saint Vincent & The Grenadines’ Leading All-Inclusive Resort 2025: Sandals Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Surrounded by the beauty of Gros-Islet, St. Lucia, the peninsula location of Sandals Grande St. Lucian created the perfect backdrop for World Travel Awards’™ guests to enjoy an unforgettable dining experience and breathtaking island views.

“At the heart of every Sandals and Beaches vacation is pure, inviting Caribbean soul, paired with world-class hospitality experiences for all our guests. The recognitions bestowed to our brands tonight are truly meaningful. They serve as a testament to the incredible passion and dedication of our talented team members,” said Adam Stewart, Executive Chairman of Sandals Resorts. “It is yet another reminder of why we will never stop evolving, listening to our customers and refining our experiences year after year.”

For more information about these award-winning resorts, please visit www.sandals.com and www.beaches.com. For more information on the World Travel Awards™, please visit https://www.worldtravelawards.com/.

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