Crime
PDM Calls on Leaders to Stand Up, Speak Up on shocking Crime
By Deandrea Hamilton
Editor
#TurksandCaicos, August 5, 2023 – The PDM’s appointed member to the House of Assembly may have been a bit more satisfied by Friday evening with the release of a strong statement from the president of the Turks and Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association; firmness is what everyone expects in the aftermath of another wild shooting – on Wednesday – in Grace Bay.
“We have had seven or eight murders since June 5th. We saw days where there were two murders in 24 hours. In these past two months, we have seen a shooting incident that saw 3 or 4 persons shot and by all accounts intentionally. We are seeing brazen day murders and now in the heart of Grace Bay.
In the past two years we have seen at least two beheadings and maybe a third. We have seen a trial witness killed in close proximity to CID. These historic events have whisked by without matching attention,” said Alvin Garland, Opposition Appointed member to the House of Assembly.
Garland expressed being incensed by the silence and the method of communication as violent crime grows in frequency and boldness.
“The PDM and I are calling on the Premier to address his people other than through a Press Release. The TCI has turned the corner and the question is how much more has to happen before we act decisively again?
The Minister of Tourism and TCHTA can no longer remain silent and must regain their voices to address our
country’s visitors. In times when things were not as extreme, they were indeed vocal. We need leading voices and stakeholders on the record.
It is important to measure our comments in times like these but the silence must stop and the call for help must be urgently sent out,” said Garland.
Coming from the TCHTA was this, “Over the past two months, our Board of Directors has met with the Police Commissioner and the Governor’s Office to voice these concerns as we saw a serious trend starting once again of extreme violence not common to our islands.
We are concerned as an industry and as the nation’s largest employers that our citizens and guests must believe Turks & Caicos is a safe place to live and to visit.”
There has been no comment from the Minister of Tourism, however on Friday the TCHTA released its position on the shooting incident which forced a temporary road block following a barrage of bullets which left a 26-year-old man dead near a popular Grace Bay Beach access.
Hon Garland said this group was more vocal when the crime situation in the country was less serious. Garland’s other advice, get outside help.
“We need outside help, not because we have no faith in our own, but because we need the extra skills and manpower, but this cannot be our fall back each time these acts are threatened or committed. The Bahamas assisted us greatly in stemming the violent tide and whilst we are aware that they too have their challenges, one more stint maybe warranted. But after this, we must have an ongoing plan that sees capacity built in in our own Police Organisation.”
The Bahamas, August 27, 2026 – The Royal Bahamas Police Force wishes to inform members of the public that several individuals are scheduled to appear before the Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, 27th August 2026, at 12:00 noon.
The individuals and charges are as follows:
An 18-year-old female is scheduled to be arraigned on the following charges:
Three (3) counts of Murder
Three (3) counts of Attempted Murder
Three (3) counts of Possession of a Firearm with Intent to Endanger Life
Three (3) counts of Possession of an Unlicensed Firearm
Two (2) counts of Possession of Ammunition
Armed Robbery
Abetment to Armed Robbery
Stealing
Receiving
The charges stem from three separate shooting incidents and an armed robbery that occurred on Friday, 21st August 2026, and Saturday, 22nd August 2026.
The first shooting occurred in the area of Soldier Road and Baillou Hill Road, resulting in the death of a 51-year-old male.
The second shooting occurred in the area of Joe Farrington Road, resulting in the death of a 52-year-old male.
The third shooting occurred in the area of Gladstone Road, resulting in the death of a 36-year-old male.
The armed robbery occurred at a business establishment in the area of Carmichael Road and Baillou Hill Road.
A 21-year-old male is scheduled to be arraigned on one charge of:
- Murder
The charge stems from a shooting incident that occurred on Tuesday, 21st July 2026, in the area of Samson Street, Nassau Village, which resulted in the death of a 28-year-old male.
A 32-year-old male is scheduled to be arraigned on the following charges:
- Murder
- Attempted Murder
These charges stem from a shooting incident that occurred on Wednesday, 24th December 2025, in the area of Graham Drive, Yellow Elder, which resulted in the death of a 25-year-old male.
RBPF, PACD
The Bahamas, June 26, 2026 – Imagine boarding a plane for another Bahamian island, only for it to crash in U.S. waters during what
now appears to have been a remarkable twist of timing.
Jonathan Gardiner’s Election Day flight has dominated headlines for weeks, but Thursday’s decision by a New York federal judge suggests the story may be far bigger than the crash itself.
Gardiner was denied bail after U.S. District Judge Gregory Woods described him as a danger to the community, a significant flight risk and concluded that the government’s evidence is “very strong.”
For many Bahamians, however, the public narrative has remained fixed on the approximately $30,000 recovered after the crash, including an envelope reportedly containing $5,000 intended for an unnamed politician.
Gardiner’s attorneys have argued the cash was legitimate, saying roughly $20,000 had been withdrawn from his business account the day before the flight. They also maintain the prosecution’s case is circumstantial and have argued that his speedy trial rights are being violated.
But prosecutors say the charges stem from a three-year federal investigation into an alleged conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States—not an investigation that began because a plane crashed in Bahamian waters.
That distinction may prove critical.
The crash brought the case into public view, but it may not be what ultimately determines its outcome.
The judge’s ruling raises a question that now deserves greater attention: What evidence from that three-year investigation persuaded a federal judge that the government’s case is “very strong”?
The answer may not lie in the cash recovered after the crash, but in investigative material that has yet to be fully presented in open court.
As the case moves toward trial, Magnetic Media will continue looking beyond the headlines and following the evidence that underpins one of the most closely watched criminal prosecutions involving a Bahamian in recent years.
Deandrea Hamilton | Editor
Turks and Caicos, June 23, 2026 – A police briefing intended to update the public on crime trends in the Turks and Caicos Islands instead exposed what may be one of the most significant criminal investigations currently underway in the country.
When questioned about the June 14 shooting on Bible Street, Police Commissioner Fitz Bailey revealed that the incident stemmed from an
anti-human trafficking operation during which 12 women believed to be victims of human trafficking were rescued by law enforcement.
“The officers were engaged in an anti-human trafficking operation… 12 females were rescued or victims of human trafficking were rescued, and they are in our care and that investigation is advanced,” Bailey told reporters.
The revelation stunned many who had linked the Bible Street shooting to other recent violent incidents, including the June 12 murder in Five Cays. However, the Commissioner indicated the confrontation was connected to the anti-human trafficking investigation, though he declined to provide further details due to the sensitive nature of the ongoing case.
More than a week later, authorities continue to maintain that the investigation remains active. Magnetic Media has confirmed with police officials that no arrests have yet been made in connection with the alleged human trafficking operation.
The Commissioner also sounded the alarm over what appears to be an emerging trend involving teenage boys and serious criminal activity. In discussing recent incidents, Bailey suggested that some young offenders are operating within organized criminal networks and warned that law enforcement alone cannot solve the growing problem.
“My experience tells me that once they reach a threshold it is very difficult to bring them back,” Bailey said. “The social agencies will have to
get involved. We have to find a way to reach these unattached youth and to engage them and to create that positive reinforcement in their life.”
Despite those concerns, Bailey reported that overall crime in the Turks and Caicos Islands continues to trend sharply downward.
According to police statistics presented at the briefing, murders have fallen from 13 at this point last year to just one in 2026, representing a 92 percent reduction. Attempted murders have fallen by 100 percent, kidnappings by 75 percent, robberies by 34 percent, aggravated burglaries by 22 percent, firearm possession offences by 50 percent and incidents involving the discharge of firearms by 85 percent. Police reported that nearly every major category of serious crime has declined compared to the same period last year.
The lone murder recorded in the Turks and Caicos Islands for 2026 occurred on June 12 in Five Cays. While no arrest has been made in that case, the Commissioner indicated that investigators believe they know who is responsible.
“I am convinced and I am positive that the perpetrator is a teenager,” Bailey stated.
The press conference was held at Police Headquarters in Providenciales.
