Caribbean News
PDM Announces Plan to Stop the Sloops’; says PNP Gov’t is “clueless”
By Deandrea Hamilton
Editor
#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.
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PROVIDENCIALES, Turks & Caicos Islands: How did a young girl from a small Caribbean island grow into a skilled butcher and a leader in one of the most cutting-edge hospitality teams in the Turks and Caicos Islands?
This is the remarkable story of a woman who, for over a decade, has mastered her craft in a field traditionally dominated by men—transforming raw cuts into culinary art. With precision and passion, Maria Cash Williams has carved a path of her own as a respected kitchen supervisor in the butcher shop at Beaches Turks and Caicos.
Williams was employed at the leading family resort for more than 18 years. Her journey in the hospitality industry at Beaches Turks and
Caicos started in 1995 at the then Royal Bay Resort as a cook. Due to a loss within the family Maria took a hiatus in 2013 to focus on her family and herself.
She rejoined the Beaches team in 2022. “One of my most difficult periods was when I lost my husband and decided to take a break to focus on providing emotional and physical support for the rest of my family. This period gave me a chance to task myself to rise above every obstacle. I’m happy for the continued support that I have received from friends and family,” Maria shared.
When asked what she loves most about her job, according to Maria, “I adore the motivation my profession gives me to improve my skills daily. While I’m passionate about growth, I also enjoy assisting my team members in enhancing their abilities. I also have a profound desire for butchery because it allows me to be creative in how I prepare meat for guests’ consumption,” Maria said.
She also indicated that her passion for the field developed as she managed the butcher shop for more than 10 years.
Maria furthered her education through the Sandals Corporate University (SCU) where she completed a total of 10 certifications including Certified Hospitality Supervisor, Train the Trainer, Safe Surf and Customer Service. Some of the leaders who have had the most profound impact on Maria since she started working at BTC are Collin Watson, former executive chef, for the way he molded her into who she is today and a former manager Caston Carr who also encouraged her to never settle for less as he constantly reminds her that she is capable of achieving anything she puts her mind to.
“The qualities that Mr. Carr embraces and demonstrates as a manager, seeing that from a supervisor’s stand point is what encourages me every day to improve my abilities which shows in the work that I produce. I would say Mr. Carr was a mentor to me, someone I can go to for guidance, and to get clarity on whatever I found to be unclear,” Maria noted.
“She’s an outstanding role model who leads by example and brings her best to work each and every day. Maria is dependable and a
committed team player whose passion for the industry helps in creating a healthy working environment,” shared Executive Chef Craig Nazareth.
Lawrence Haye, cook in the banqueting unit added, “the quality of Maria’s work can be seen in everything that she does. She is a mentor to the culinary team in the kitchen and around the resort. She’s approachable and sports a smile at all times. She is truly a gem.”
Maria noted, “my most memorable experience at BTC was meeting my new team members and getting to know their cultural backgrounds, and helping to enhance their present skills.”
She shared that if she wasn’t working as a kitchen supervisor she would be working as a bartender since she started out working at the bar in the early 1980’s.
When asked what she loves to do in her leisure time, Maria highlighted that she enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, listening to music and relaxing with a cold drink while watching her favourite television shows. If she had one day to live she would spend it by giving God thanks and enjoying quality time with her children and grandchildren, whom she loves dearly. Maria describes herself as a bubbly person; someone who is funny, joyous and high spirited.
Maria Cash Williams, a veteran in the hospitality field of butchery, still enjoys what she considers to be her first love.
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