Guns soon for Immigration Officers in TCI?

By Dana Malcolm 

Staff Writer

#TurksandCaicos, May 15, 2023 – As interceptions increase and immigration officers face more dangerous situations, the Ministry of Immigration is beginning the process of drafting an ordinance to allow them to carry weapons.

The revelation was made after members of the House of Assembly called for them to be equipped with safety gear akin to that of police officers during a sitting of the Appropriations Committee on May 2nd.  Both Willin Belliard, Governors Appointed Member and Edwin Astwood, Leader of the Opposition expressed the desire.

“Agents who go out need to be in armored vehicles just like the police, they face the same danger. I hope some of the members on the front bench can assist me in advocating for that,” Astwood said.

He then inquired why immigration officers didn’t have some form of weapon, whether it was lethal or not

Althea Been, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Immigration and Border Services while expressing her gratitude for the concern explained, that they were working on it and why it could take some time.

“We are currently exploring the implementation of a weapons ordinance similar to that which was done for the prison so that we can begin outfitting them with weapons such as tasers, pepper sprays, batons, and body cameras.”

That will require the creation not only of an ordinance but a new policy. Been said they hoped to get the draft in by the end of 2023.  Astwood welcomed the advances and expressed hope that the ordinance would be in place as soon as possible.

In the meantime, Been said the Ministry took the safety of their staff very seriously, and had trained them with specific techniques that they could employ in case of danger, alongside providing bullet proof vests.

Belliard for his part said, maybe it was time for a specialized task force to be created in the immigration department that would be specially armed instead of relying on the police force.

Been assured them that the ministry was thinking along the same lines and working to implement more stringent safety measures as soon as possible.