Deandrea Hamilton | Editor
PROVIDENCIALES, TCI — The Turks and Caicos Islands is a nation under siege. That was the stark undertone of Premier Charles Washington Misick’s national address delivered on Tuesday, July 30, just days after a mass shooting at a popular hookah lounge in Providenciales claimed three lives and injured ten others.
Calling the tragedy “unacceptable and deeply troubling,” the Premier acknowledged the sense of fear gripping the nation. He said what many have long feared: that the country’s national security infrastructure is stretched, and its sovereignty compromised.
“Our spirit remains unbroken… But this moment will become a turning point in our nation’s story.”
Step Up or Step Aside
Premier Misick directed his pointed criticism at the United Kingdom, which holds constitutional responsibility for defence and internal security in the TCI.
“That responsibility cannot be symbolic,” he declared. “It must be matched with tangible and decisive action… or these responsibilities must be devolved to the local government.”
He confirmed that he had personally written to the UK Foreign Secretary, urging immediate support or a formal shift of security powers to the TCI government.
Crackdown Measures Announced
The Premier outlined a raft of urgent reforms:
- Liquor curfews: Effective July 31, all licensed establishments must close by midnight Sunday–Thursdayand 2 a.m. Friday–Saturday, for 90 days.
- Six-month moratoriumon first-time work permits and visas for Haitian nation
- Upcoming laws (by September)will authorize:
- Warrantless searches
- Temporary curfews
- Cordon-and-search zones
- Disaster zone declarations based on national security threats
- Launch of aSafe City Strategy, including CCTV, smart lighting, and connected policing systems.
Root Causes, Hard Truths
Misick acknowledged that irregular migration, human trafficking, and corruption—including by some public officials—have eroded law and order. He committed to investigations and systemic reform, saying “justice must not only be pursued—it must be delivered.”
“We will leave no stone unturned and no safe haven for those who betray this country.”
As Turks and Caicos reels from a wave of violence, the Premier’s message was both a call to unity and a challenge to long-standing power structures.
For him, the era of complacency is over.
