TCI News
Crime challenges are “not Insurmountable” says New Police Commissioner Dana Malcolm
Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicos, April 24, 2024 – At this moment I can feel the enormity of responsibility bestowed on me and the weight of accountability and expectations of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force (RTCIPF) as well as members of the wider community.”
That was the acknowledgment from Edvin Martin, new Commissioner of Police as he was sworn into his role as head of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force (RTCIPF) on Monday, April 22.
“I also feel an unprecedented opportunity and a distinguished privilege to serve by leading the Police Force into an era of modern
policing,” he maintained.
A well-trained force that is averse to corruption and maintains the trust of the people is what Martin promised in the address that spoke to the Police, the residents and the criminals.
Not only does the Commissioner say he understands the gravity of his role and the lofty expectations to reverse high crime which he described as a ‘tremendous mandate’, he maintains he has a good grasp of the issues plaguing the country.
To the residents, Martin called on them and all stakeholders to form an anti-crime coalition with an all-hands-on-deck approach.
“There should be no bystanders in addressing the carnage in our communities,” he said.
Even as Martin listed the threats of immigration, terrorism, cybercrime, transnational organized criminal activity, and the associated gang violence, illegal firearms and drug trading, he assured:
”I urge you listening to me today, do not despair, for while these threats may be challenging, they are not insurmountable.”
The process for tackling them will need a tightened-up RTCIPF, according to the commissioner, one that is focused, well trained and adequately resourced.
For Martin this means the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force (RTCIPF) must retool, restructure and reengineer its responses.
In this vein the top cop spoke directly to officers during his address, maintaining that the public deserves an accountable Police Force.
“As a service organization there will be allegations that cause the public to question our integrity; we must seek out and purge the organization of any semblance of bias, corruption and malfeasance,” he said.
Martin maintained the top brass now has a mandate to work to ensure fairness in work and promotions.
“Anything less than this will be an injustice— we must do everything possible to inspire confidence in our force and improve our legitimacy as gatekeepers of law and order,” said the new Commissioner.
As part of the crime fighting plan several immediate actions are to be taken:
- The immediate and aggressive addressing of the spate violent crimes
- Collaborating with stakeholders to address safety challenges in the tourism industry
- Redefining the Police Force image to become the pride of the TCI
- Greater technological innovation
- Restructure the force to better align with contemporaries
- Frequent Town Hall meetings
- Increased safety at police stations.
Martin had words for the mayhem causers and their ‘glaring disregard for human life and safety’ too. 
”Under my watch I can assure you that the RTCIPF will not sit idly by and observe this unrelenting rampage and havoc. Today I call on you to put down your weapons of destruction and change your criminal ways,” he said.
Martin, who recently retired as Grenadian PC is credited with being lead of his home force for five years, serving a total 37 years before bowing out and moving on to head the CARICOM Crime Gun Intelligence Unit.
Only months into that CARICOM job, Edvin Martin was approved and announced as police commissioner designate for the Turks and Caicos Islands, succeeding Trevor Botting.
“My first order of business ladies and gentlemen, this morning, is to give a special thanks to God, as He directs my path in every single thing that I do. I am grateful for His blessings and His guidance,” started Mr Martin when delivering his inaugural remarks at the outdoor ceremony.
The acknowledgment of God was a distinctive moment that many are hoping will auger well for the mission of newly installed policing leader for the TCI. Soon after his bold remarks, Martin, with his wife looking on from the audience took the oath of office and oath of allegiance in a live streamed event.
Also giving remarks at the swearing-in ceremony staged at the Gustarvus Lightbourne Sports Complex were Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam, TCI Governor and Washington Misick, TCI Premier.
Almost two million visitors recorded in 2025
PROVIDENCIALES, TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS – The Turks and Caicos Islands saw an increase in stayover arrivals in December, seven percent higher than the corresponding period in 2024.
Preliminary data suggests that stay over arrivals by air for the month of December was 66,427 in comparison to 62,610 in December 2024.
From January to December 2025, preliminary visitor arrival numbers totalled 640,754; on par with the number recorded for the same period of 2024.
Stay Over Arrivals YTD December 2024/2025
The first quarter of the calendar year attracted the largest number of arrivals with visitor arrivals three percent higher than the first quarter of 2024. Reduced airlift from the United Kingdom and the United States, most notably the Virgin Atlantic and JetBlue services, was however felt from the second quarter (April to June). As a result, visitor arrivals dropped three percent in the second quarter.
By the third quarter of this year (July to September), geopolitical and economic conditions in the key source markets, namely the United States, led to further contraction of arrivals. In the last quarter of 2025, arrivals were impacted in October due to the passage of Hurricane Melissa but additional airlift from the USA and Canada resulted in an increase in arrivals in November and December.
Mr. Paul Pennicook, Interim CEO Consultant of Experience Turks and Caicos, said December’s increase in stayover arrivals is an encouraging indicator of the sustained interest in the Turks and Caicos Islands as a premier destination.
“While we note and continue to monitor geopolitical shifts that affect us, Experience Turks and Caicos is focused on increasing marketing initiatives in our primary source markets. We have spent the last two years investing in groundwork such as crucial travel advisor training to assist them in selling the destination more effectively. In the next fiscal, we will be building on those initiatives with co-op activities with partners as well as out of home advertising to increase visitation to our destination,” he said.
In Cruise, the preliminary count of passenger arrivals for the month of December 2025 was 129,346, a 22 percent increase over last December. This growth follows the berthing of 11 additional ships in Grand Turk this month.
From January to December, the cruise sector continued to outperform the same period last year, as the 1.3 million total cruise passengers recorded, marks a five percent Year-on-Year increase. 
The cruise sector experienced significant growth in the first quarter of 2025, with passenger arrivals surpassing last quarter by 53 percent. In the second and third quarter however, several cruise lines adjusted their itineraries as vessels were pulled from the fleet or from the Caribbean region, which resulted in fewer passengers.
Arrivals dropped seven percent and 10 percent in the second and third quarters, respectively. Double digit growth was recorded in the last two months of Quarter 4. This growth however, was not sufficient to outweigh the drop in arrivals experienced in October, following the cancellation of cruise calls due to the passage of Hurricane Melissa. Despite the late-quarter rebound, arrivals for the final quarter of 2025 closed six percent below the same period in 2024.
News
The Department of Trade, Industry & Fair Competition to Host Export Readiness Workshop Under the theme “Empowering TCI Businesses for Local Growth and Global Markets.”
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – Wednesday, 11 February 2026: The Informal Settlements Unit (ISU) coordinated a multi-agency enforcement operation on Thursday, 29 January 2026, led by the Planning Department, with support from the Crown Land
Unit, the Turks and Caicos Islands Border Force, and security provided by the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force. The operation, carried out at three different locations in Providenciales, formed part of ongoing government efforts to address unauthorised development and illegal occupation of land in accordance with governing legislation.
The operation commenced in Blue Hills, where five Section 58 Enforcement Notices were issued on unauthorised structures identified on Block and Parcel 60502/48.
Enforcement activity then moved to a second location off the Leeward Highway near Caicos Lodge, where six Section 58 Enforcement Notices were issued on additional unauthorised structures on Block and Parcel 60802/66.
The final phase of the operation took place in The Bight, where three unauthorised structures were removed, with all debris cleared from the site in keeping with established safety and environmental protocols.
The Informal Settlements Unit remains committed to working alongside its partner agencies to support lawful development, protect public and private land, and ensure that planning regulations are enforced in a coordinated and transparent manner across the Turks and Caicos Islands. Similar joint operations will continue as part of the Government’s wider strategy to address unauthorised development and informal settlement activity.
-
News4 days agoThe Department of Trade, Industry & Fair Competition to Host Export Readiness Workshop Under the theme “Empowering TCI Businesses for Local Growth and Global Markets.”
-
TCI News6 days agoExperience Turks and Caicos and Aquila Host Product Development Workshops to Strengthen Sister Islands Tourism
-
News3 days agoStrong December Performance Signals Continued Demand for the Turks and Caicos Islands
-
Bahamas News1 day agoTens of Millions Announced – Where is the Development?
-
News5 days agoMulti-Agency Planning Enforcement Operation Conducted at multiple locations in Providenciales
-
Bahamas News4 hours agoGroundbreaking for Grand Bahama Aquatic Centre
-
Caribbean News4 days agoMottley Sworn in After Historic Clean Sweep in Barbados Election
-
Health4 hours agoWhat to Look for with Self-Checks at Home