Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicosIslands, October 9, 2023 – Trevor Botting, Turks and Caicos Islands outgoing Police Commissioner found himself at the start of the week, rejecting claims that his leadership has ‘damaged’ the Police Force. He penned a lengthy response to what he describes as ‘factually incorrect’ statement from Oswald Skippings, former Chief Minister of the Turks and Caicos.
“It is unfortunate that Mr Skippings did not take the time to establish the facts before publication, but I am happy to put the record straight,” said Botting in his own release.
The response came on Monday October 2. It was aiming to rebuff assertions by the outspoken Skippings, who said the Marine Branch, Airwing and police sub-stations in Blue Hills, Salt Cay, Middle Caicos and Five Cays were shut down by Botting.
Skipping in the piece, featured in the Turks and Caicos Weekly News, called for the re-establishment of the institutions that were “deliberately dismantled by the Governor and Commissioner of Police and allowed by the elected government without a public outcry or any form of parliamentary or other opposition.”
But Botting, who is also the former TCI Deputy Commissioner of Police position laid most of the responsibility for these actions at the feet of his predecessor including the purchase of an aircraft unfit for use in the Turks and Caicos, and the closure of the Five Cays, Salt Cay and Middle Caicos stations.
“With respect to the RTCIPF Airwing, when I assumed the role of Commissioner, I undertook a review of the regulatory structure of the RTCIPF Airwing and found that it did not comply with local and international regulations and further funding was required to modernise the structure and bring the Unit in line with international and national requirements. The funding has taken time to be put in place, along with the recruitment of additional staff to meet the requirements and work is underway now, with the TCI CAA regulator, to apply for the Air Operators Certificate. Whilst Mr Skippings suggests that I tried to ‘frustrate and fire’ staff from the RTCIPF Airwing, this is simply not the case, and the staff that were in place when I took over as the Commissioner, remain in place today. Indeed, the objective was to add additional staff which has been done. We are now in a strong position to obtain our Air Operators Certificate.”
He also highlighted what he had done, including the closure of the Blue Hills police station that he says barely anyone visited; the hiring and training of Turks and Caicos Islanders at senior levels in the force; resale of said unfit aircraft; upgrading of Air Wing staff; and restoration of police presence to Salt Cay. The commissioner also mentioned longtime projects that were still dragging on, including the restoration of the Grand Turk Marine Branch.
“Rather than the Police Force being damaged by me as their Commissioner, it is firmly my view that the Force is in good shape to meet the demands placed on it,” Botting said in response to the scathing review by Skippings.
There was one thing that the two saw eye to eye on, a necessary increase in officers.
“I do agree with Mr. Skippings that the Force needs to continue to grow to meet the shifting and ever-more complex demands of Policing. As an aside, I would also fully support the increase in the capacity of our colleagues in Immigration,” Botting maintained.
