Deandrea Hamilton
Editor
Turks and Caicos, September 20, 2024 – The Premier believes military-styled border security is critical to curing the Turks and Caicos Islands of a “crime epidemic.”
With nearly ten thousand people having watched the joint, national security press conference on Tuesday September 17, the co-chair of the TCI National Security Council defined his characterization of crime in the islands and gave insight to his communication with the United Kingdom on such matters.
“I stand before you today to address what I think we can all agree is a crime epidemic,” adding that, “The level of criminality bin the Turks and Caicos Islands has shaken us at to our core. I want to acknowledge first of all that the rise in violent crime, aggravated robberies, sexual assaults, murder, general lawlessness is totally unacceptable, this is not who we are as a people and we will not tolerate this assault on our society any longer,” said Misick in an afternoon media event, which was carried live on his Facebook page.
“I work very closely with the commissioner and the governor; I believe in some ways the UK Government has let us down. At the end of the day they are responsible for national security and they’ve not delivered everything they’ve promised,” said the premier.
Hon Misick, whose presentations followed the territory’s Governor and Commissioner of Police, offered explanation for his public silence on the astonishing crime rate.
“I’ve been working intently behind the scene focusing on laying down a sustainable foundation to address the situation once and for all.”
At the time he was speaking, homicides for 2024 stood at 31 people. Eight hours later, that figure climbed to 32, when a man was
found dead in Dock Yard, Providenciales.
In recent weeks, illicit drug interceptions carried a street value of roughly, $4 Million.
The Premier says he has asked for more support.
“I continue to ask for some physical presence of boots on the ground to act as a deterrent to help to protect our borders.
Under our parliamentary system, soldiers are not allowed to take place in civic activity; so they’re not to do the job of police officers. But I see no reason why – and I have been given some which I don’t accept – why it wouldn’t be possible for the UK to provide a small number of military persons to assist us in protecting our borders.”
In an often controversial dynamic, the Turks and Caicos Islands’ elected officials are not the lead on domestic or national security; that responsibility belongs chiefly to the Governor.
Entities on the front line of in-country and border defence, namely the TCI Regiment, the National Security Secretariat and the Royal TCI Police Force answer first to the UK-appointed governor with the funding bill carried by the TCI public purse.
“We’ve invested in tanks, we’ve invested in mobile police stations, we’ve invested in boats… we have invested tens of millions of dollars in providing tools and equipment for the police,” informed Premier Misick.
Candidly, the Premier admitted there is a formal document now, put to the United Kingdom and challenging its stance on military support at the borders for the British overseas territories.
“I’m going to continue to press at that door and the governor knows, we have spoken just a couple of days ago, to send another follow-up letter because we need the UK to decide and tell us plainly, whether the overseas territories, including the Turks and Caicos Islands is considered a part of the United Kingdom border, in terms of the responsibility to make sure they’re safe.”