News
Some Public reaction to NEW COMMISSIONER; Residents say they did their own research on Edvin Martin
Deandrea Hamilton and Dana Malcolm
Editorial Staff
#TurksandCaicos, December 15, 2023 – He has not even begun working, but with the announcement of who is set to take over at the helm of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police and the ease of access to information on just about any public figure, we can report that there is mounting concern about the Governor’s selection, Edvin Martin
On Monday, in a Facebook post, the Turks and Caicos Islands learned that a retired police commissioner from Grenada was the man awarded what some might describe as an onerous scope of work as the new Police Commissioner for the TCI. Her Excellency Dileeni Daniel-Selveratnam, Governor of the islands announced who would carry on following the end of tenure of Trevor Botting in a season when crime is more heinous and higher than it’s ever been.
The leading concern expressed to Magnetic Media was the unbridled disappointment that a Turks & Caicos Islander was once again passed over for the job.
“What a shame we are still in a position where our own can’t rise to this level through succession planning,” said one man.
Another said, “Choose a reject over our own!”
Following that, residents had a lot to say about the less than admirable news reports which exposed the raised level of crime in Grenada.
One opined, “We went from bad to worse.”
New Commissioner, Edvin Martin served on the Grenada Police Force for 37 years. His final five years were as its Commissioner.
In his final twelve months of service in Grenada, while crime overall rose only slightly, homicides skyrocketed over 500 percent according to Dickon Mitchell, Prime Minister of Grenada.
“Last year for the same period we would have had three homicides. This year we are indeed at an alarming number of 14 homicides. As I’ve said, one homicide is one homicide too many,” he told the media in July 2023. 
Blamed for the rising murders by both Prime Minister Mitchell and Martin was poor conflict resolution skills in residents.
Turks and Caicos Islanders are sharing their findings on social media, admittedly perturbed by Daniel-Severatnam’s decision to bring in a chief of police who was riding retirement age and who had expressed a “deliberate” decision to leave the GPF.
Another person commenting said, “Nothing new… we always bringing retirees for positions here. I’m not against any foreigners but I have several questions.
- How is this fair to the local population who are forced to retire at 60?
- We’ve been doing this for several decades in our public services. What value has this added to the public service and what does this say about our succession planning? Does it even exist?
- What tangible capacities and capabilities has these numerous individuals built or left with us?
- Lastly, what message are we sending to our own people?”
Prior to Martin’s departure, he had reportedly spent weeks away from work because of ill health according to news agencies in Grenada. It was widely reported that his decision to leave was personal and he was not forced out.
“After consultation with my family it is my own deliberate decision to retire at this point in time and that there are no other influencing factors to cause or promote that decision,” Martin had said.
“I have heard the discussions in the public, I just want to make it absolutely clear it is my own deliberate decision in consultation with my family at this point in time.”
Yet, Martin went on to take up a post as Manager of The CARICOM Crime Gun Intelligence Unit (CGIU) in November, spending less than a month in the post before confirming his employment with the Turks and Caicos which will begin in 2024.
Another citizen weighed in on how easy it was to see what the TCI was getting in the Commissioner this go round; their reaction was confusion over the choice given so many perceived misses since 2014, which started the string of hiring of foreign police chiefs.
“With access to info via social media why didn’t TCIG capture this on the new COP?”
Despite concerns, Martin brings significant experience to his role as the TCIs new top cop. He holds a Bachelor’s of Science Degree with honours in Business Administration and a Master’s of Science in Criminology and Criminal Justice. He is also a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI and has over 37 years in policing experience.
TCIG knew from April that fuel factor could surge almost 80%; Minister says $500 cost-of-living payment was part of Government’s response
PROVIDENCIALES — The Turks and Caicos Government knew months before July’s shocking electricity bills that consumers faced a potentially massive increase in the fuel factor.
Minister of Information Technology and Energy E. Jay Saunders revealed Friday that Pelican Energy warned his Ministry in April that generation fuel costs were projected to rise from $3.09 per gallon in May to $4.79 in June and July.
That translated into a projected fuel factor jump from about 17.5 cents to 31 cents per kilowatt-hour — an increase of almost 80%.
Saunders said he personally advised Cabinet of the projected increase and presented options for cushioning the impact.
He characterised Government’s $500 cost-of-living payment as its “initial response” to rising fuel costs, before a separate fuel-factor subsidy was approved.
Cabinet records show Government agreed on June 24 to provide funding to mitigate the fuel-factor impact, with the relief programme approved July 8.
Eligible residential customers — those averaging less than $1,500 monthly over the previous three bills — are capped at 22 cents per kWh from July through October.
Pelican confirmed Friday that Government’s contribution was already applied to July bills, meaning the bills now triggering widespread public outrage would have been even higher without the subsidy.
Saunders did not disclose the programme’s total cost.
His admission that Government knew since April, however, raises another question amid the backlash: why were consumers not directly warned by Government about the scale of the approaching increase?
NASSAU, Bahamas — More Bahamians are accessing HIV and sexually transmitted infection-related healthcare through National Health Insurance, a trend the NHI Authority says should be viewed positively.
NHIA stressed in an August 6 statement that its 2025 figures measure healthcare utilisation, not newly diagnosed infections. They include beneficiaries screened, treated, monitored or receiving follow-up care, including people diagnosed previously.
“Increased utilisation of these services should be viewed as a positive development,” NHIA said.
The Authority pointed to “greater enrolment and use of NHI, improved access to screening and testing, continued treatment and monitoring of existing conditions, and increased willingness to seek medical care.”
The development comes amid a mixed three-year HIV picture. New diagnoses rose from 130 in 2023 to 156 in 2024, before declining to 142 in 2025.
NHIA said increased utilisation demonstrates that more beneficiaries are accessing needed healthcare and actively managing their health, reinforcing the importance of screening, early diagnosis and continued treatment.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Americas has recorded 47,459 confirmed measles cases and 44 deaths in 2026, the region’s highest case count in 22 years, prompting the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) to urge stronger vaccination, surveillance and rapid outbreak response.
As of July 18, cases were already more than triple the 15,011 recorded during all of 2025. Guatemala, Mexico, the United States and Peru
account for 95% of confirmed cases. Guatemala leads with 30,371 cases and 26 deaths, followed by Mexico with 12,255 cases and 17 deaths.
PAHO classifies the regional public health risk as very high, citing active outbreaks, immunity gaps, international travel and populations with inadequate vaccination coverage.
The organization says prevention starts with vaccination. Countries are being urged to achieve and maintain at least 95% coverage with two doses of measles-containing vaccine, particularly protecting children and under-vaccinated communities.
Measles spreads through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes. Symptoms can include fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes and a rash.
PAHO is urging health authorities to detect suspected cases early and respond rapidly to stop transmission. Unvaccinated and under-vaccinated people, young children and communities with limited healthcare access face increased risk of severe illness and death.
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