Ed Forbes
Turks and Caicos, December 1818, 2024 – Turks and Caicos Islands can no longer afford to leave our future to chance when it comes to gang violence; It’s certainly a name we wish to erase.
Despite the concerted effort made by our dedicated law enforcement departments to infiltrate and disrupt these groups, there appears to be no abating when it comes to violent crimes.
It is evident the challenges facing our country runs deeper than the changing of guards. The population of TCI continues to grow immensely, and everything from our natural environment to our sense of security we once took for granted is being impacted.
We are seeing the impact with serious crimes, housing inequality, electricity hikes, food prices and the like. We are also beginning to see a generational divide in home ownership. Despite a bustling economy, there still seems to be so many challenges with unemployment particularly with our young men.
The question so many of our citizens continues to grapple with is, whether our government is moving fast enough to keep up with the
growing demands, and are we running a 1st world country with 3rd world resources?
The relentless scourge of violence shows the impact of the scope and scale of these tit-for-tat killings, and it’s hitting at the core of our being.
With that being said, not only should the police and the courts seek to inflict maximum disruption, penalties and arrest of the perpetrators, but seek to find real and sustainable solutions.
The writing is on the wall with the infiltration of gang violence, a number of them from our neighboring countries who are no strangers to violence. Unfortunately, fear in the communities will only deepen if it continues and innocent bystanders could eventually get caught up in the crossfire.
Let’s face it, dealing with gang related violence in TCI is out of our league. “Its a culture shock”. This goes beyond law enforcement arresting their way out of this one.
What we don’t want is for entrenched crime areas like Five Cays, Kew Town and Dook Yard, to become the prologue for further violence in other communities.
In my opinion, the only plausible way to bring this escalating horror to a grind, is to do the following.
-Tap into the knowledge and expertise of foreign Investigators who understand the complexity of these types of crimes.
Well-trained professional gang task force investigators, who also understand the importance of truce negotiations between these groups to help resolve their conflicts and save them from themselves.
-Jamaica, the United States and select countries in Central America, lived this horror and have been dealing with this level of violence for years before they were able to get it under control.
Therefore, why not expand our reach in such countries. What we need is intelligence-driven strategies and skilled boots on the ground.
A multifaceted approach with the right intervention, will help to prevent other young men in our communities from emulating this kind of violence or profiting from this lawless butchery of human lives.
The AGs office has taken progressive steps with the implementation of ordinances to tackle gang and organized related crimes, but we
cannot stop there. What we need now are the right resources to help reinforce it.
What is also important to understand is, because of our geographic location, wide open borders, and the use of the US currency, it’s a different dynamics which requires a unique approach.
Although the complexities of gang violence look pretty daunting and long lasting good outcomes far from guaranteed, we cannot recoil into our corners and wish it would go away.
In the interim, what have we done differently in the affected communities to strengthen our resolve?
-Do we have substations in these communities be it mobile units or brick and mortar buildings? 
-Is the department equipped with Ariel surveillance and would a helicopter rather then a fixed-wing aircraft prove to be more effective?
-Are we building trust in the respective communities by assigning police officers to specific neighborhoods to build relationships and familiarity with residents?
-Do we have committed and progressive leadership, with the ability to maintain high morale and motivation of our dedicated police officers?
-Are we strengthening the family structure within those communities through parenting classes, financial assistance, and conflict resolution resources?
-Are there tax incentives for employers willing to hire ex-convicts giving them a second chance?
-What long-term strategic plan are in place for a HM Coastguard ship to remain in our waters to deter or repatriate illegal migrants?
In these communities, there is a clear and present danger of them becoming a haven for drugs and weapons traffickers, because it appears more lucrative and there are limited alternatives.
In an age of uncertainty, our law enforcement agencies must have the ability to act with predictability and decisiveness.
It’s now an urgent matter that must concern all of us, whether we choose to confront the problem or just look the other way it’s obviously something we need to tackle head on. If you see something, say something.