Government

International Women’s Day Celebrated by DCR Female Staff

Published

3 years ago

March 16, 2023

Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands, 16^th March 2023 – On March 8th, 2023, we celebrated International Women’s Day under the theme “Women forcing change through digital innovation and technology for gender equality and sustainable development.”. We see the female staff at the DCR treated to a brunch outside the Prison compound.

There are many other titles that are in a prison other them Prison Officers: Hear from some of our female staff first-hand about their experiences and benefits as women working in Prison

MESHELLE JENNINGS – Our Assistant Superintendent

I am a single mother of three sons, and three grandchildren, two whom I personally raised by myself. My hobbies are traveling, playing dominoes and shopping.

My career in Law Enforcement began in 1991 as a police officer and in 2000 I transitioned as a prison officer where I’ve been for the past twenty-three years.

Joining the Prison service was not my first love for it was only a job , however as time passed I began to love and enjoy what I do and I decided to make a job my career.Working in the prison service has afforded me the opportunity to acquire a wealth of experiences on the job and knowledge from attending training locally and overseas in areas of Offenders Sentenced management; Restorative Justice; Five Minutes Intervention (FMI); Protecting Society Challenges of delivering effective prison services, First Line Manager etc.

Some of the benefits of being a female prison officer are the training, teamwork and the support you need to succeed. You will be trained to handle every situation. Whatever the challenge, you’ll have the support you need from your team to make a difference every day. All of us are given the opportunities to be involved in area of our interest and get valuable experiences as we pursue them.There are so many different roles open to a female prison officer and it is so much more than the locking and unlocking of gates at the end of the day.After joining the Prison service, I was determined to used my police training to be the best that I could be and one of my main aspirations was to work hard towards advancement in my career.In 2010 I made history by being promoted as the first female Senior Officer and in 2012, history was again made when I became the first and only female Assistant Superintendent in the history of HM Prison TCI.

Prepping myself for a technology evolving world, I have moved from ASP of residential to ASP of Business Administration where I am trained in smart stream and troubleshooting.As a female prison officer it has given me opportunities to learn new things, and push myself in all the efforts to make advancement in leadership.

We wear many hats and encompass many skills and being a good role model is one of them. I am passionate, resilient and I enjoy my work. Achieving gender equality and being empowered as a female prison officer is my major objective, especially owing to the fact that I am employed in an institution formally dominated by males. I will leave behind a legacy of a job “Well Done.”

I love the feel of responsibility and I’m doing my best as a role model to Junior female prison officers and by passing on my experiences and knowledge to them through coaching, mentoring for their personal development and advancement in their career. There is not a day that goes by, that I am not willing to make a positive change in the lives of my colleagues and in the life of an inmate. My motto is Live life better today than yesterday for a brighter tomorrow.

LEEROSE LEWIS – Rehabilitation Unit

Working in male a dominated prison system for over seventeen years has proven to be very challenging but also very satisfying and rewarding. I have been exposed to working with individuals from different ethnicity and culture which brings on its fair share of complexities. Nonetheless, I have grown to appreciate diversity, and be more culturally aware and this assisted me to excel over the years. I joined the prison service in May 2005 when the population was an average of seventy inmates and while there were a few serious crimes, the majority were incarcerated for minor offenses. During those years, the five-minute intervention was the order of the day with inmates (I did not realize it at the time).

Over the years, I have worked in various areas of the prison and before demitting those areas, I have successfully trained officers to take up those positions. I acted as Senior Officer on several occasions from 2008 to 2013 and in 2014, I was appointed to the position of Senior Officer. For the last two years, I have overseen the newly formed Rehabilitation Department. I have been privileged to attend several training programs both locally and overseas sponsored by the department. These experiences enable me to expand my capabilities.

During my years in the Department of Correction and Rehabilitation, I have seen so many inmates pass through the system forced me to realize and get a clearer understanding of the challenges faced by individuals in society. My role is not to judge them, but rather challenge their offending behavior and give them hope through rehabilitation. Changing everyone is impossible but changing one life represents success. I am committed to effecting change daily and will continue to give my best for this noble institution, the Department of Correction and Rehabilitation.

MARCELLA WILLIAMS – Custodial Probation Unit

Disciplined, Confident, Respectful, Reliable, Dedicated, Empathetic, Patient, Considerate, Courageous.

All the adjectives above were further strengthened thus far during my time working within the Prison service. The right motivation and determination have allowed me to complete my job not only effectively but also at a high standard.

My first job in government began in 2012 when I joined Her Majesty’s Prison Service, I must admit that in the beginning I was not sure if this institution was something I can see myself settling into as a career but that thought quickly diminished after I learned of all the great opportunities that was available within the prison service. After 2 years within the service, I was promoted to Senior Prison Officer I have had the opportunity to Manage the Reception area as well as Shift leader where I was able to prove to myself and others that woman can be small but mighty in all areas.

Make No mistake working within the prison service is no walk in the park by any means, but it has been a very rewarding experience thus far. There is so much I have learned within the past 10 years and to date I must say there is so many things I have yet to acquire. One of the rewards of being a Prison Officer is the experiences that we are privy to which includes meeting interesting individuals both prisoner and Officers who come through those gates from different walks of life, some of whom simply pass through never to return as well as those that are recidivist offenders who require more rehabilitation. One of our main duties are to protect the public by keeping such persons in safe keeping until their release with hopes that they leave here better than they came. Getting to know my colleagues who come from different cultural background have all became like family.

I have been privileged to take part in various local and overseas training which allowed me to develop other skills to transition into different roles within the prison service.

During my time working within the prison, I was giving the opportunity to work and pursue higher education, management along with my colleagues were very accommodating and supportive during that period. In 2021 I received my bachelor’s degree in social work and was able to use this degree in many different areas particularly within my work environment. In April 2022 I begin working as Probation Officer within the Rehabilitation Department. Thus far this experience has been highly rewarding and I would encourage others to take on the many opportunities that are available locally which can be useful within this profession.

Personally, no other job fully prepared me for such a role as a prison officer, I will leave here feeling Fulfilled that I had the opportunity to impact if few but at least one person’s lives even if the difference is minimal.

Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body. Hebrews 13: 3

DR. CARLINE JACKSON – CAMPBELL Our Counsellor

It is an honor to serve those who are most vulnerable, especially to be employed in this institution (DCR) where I am surrounded by collogues and administrative authorities collaborating in all rehabilitative efforts to get the prison’s work done. While working in the Department of Correction and Rehabilitation, I am reminded of my need to be humble as those incarcerated could easily be us or our children or those we hold in high regards. Joseph was thrown into prison for maintaining God’s principles. Moses in a moment of anger and compassion for his fellow man who was subjected to suffrage committed murder. Hence Christ require us to be kind to those who are incarcerated.

I am grateful to God for giving me the opportunity to be working in this penal institute where I can use my counselling expertise to touch the lives of human beings. While it is not possible to motivate all to change their offending behaviors, I am passionate to do all that I can to motivate inmates to be better. I am aware that all things are possible with God and I trust him to do the impossible. Hence we work together in the Department of Correction and Rehabilitation despite our many challenges to create an atmosphere where inmates are encouraged and given the skills to change their undesirable behavior and to become law-abiding citizen worthy to be reintegrated in society.

SIMONE ROWE- Prison Officer

I started my career as a Correctional officer in Jamaica year 2014, where I served five years as a trained change agent for Juvenile delinquents. I was later given another opportunity to be a Prison Officer in the Turks and Caicos Islands at Her Majesty Prison in 2019, which was one of my most challenging years. Despite the negativity you may hear working within DCR, I am motivated by my code of ethics “I will regard myself as a member of an important and honorable profession…I will be exemplary in my conduct at all times.’’ My job isn’t about judgment – it’s about making sure the person has safe and peaceful incarceration. I also appreciate the various opportunities to work with management and the responsibilities and challenges entrusted to me by my supervisor who knows my capabilities and can help me obtain my personal career aspirations. Training opportunities for me are a plus, especially physical and mental training. I genuinely like the people that I work with and the camaraderie. I appreciate the sense of humor that most of us develop to survive overwhelming days. I thrive on the unspoken bond developed between us, knowing that even though we may not always agree, when the need arises, we are “one team and we work together for the common good!”

Finally, there is the camaraderie that exists amongst my teammates of Prison Officers, which equals solidarity that springs from shared attitudes, values, and lifestyles demanded by a shared profession. Friendships that develop in corrections last a lifetime. There is a support system that you don’t find in many other areas of employment.

Press Release: TCIG

Government

Tamica Prospere Appointed Director of Learning and Development

Published

4 weeks ago

September 10, 2025

Deandrea Hamilton

Turks and Caicos, September 6, 2025 – The Office of the Deputy Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands is pleased to announce the appointment of Mrs. Tamica Prospere as the Director of the Department of Learning and Development within the Office of the Deputy Governor.

Mrs. Prospere holds a Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) Associate Diploma in Organisational Learning and Development (RQF Level 5), a Bachelor’s degree in Education from the University of the West Indies (UWI) and an Associate Degree in Education, also from UWI. She has further enhanced her credentials with certifications and coursework in content delivery, human resource management, talent management, and training and development from esteemed institutions, including Mico University College and CIPD.

With a strong foundation in public service and education in St. Lucia, Mrs. Prospere dedicated over a decade to classroom teaching at the secondary school level, beginning in 2002. During her tenure, she educated a diverse student body across various subjects, including Mathematics, Information Technology, and Life Skills, all aimed at fostering students’ personal and social well-being. She also facilitated community adult learning programs, showcasing her enduring commitment to promoting inclusive and varied educational opportunities.

Her career in public service in the Turks and Caicos Islands began in 2014 as a teacher at Marjorie Basden High School. From 2019, she served as the Learning and Development Manager for the legacy Customs Department and later for the TCI Border Force. In this role, she made significant contributions to improvements and championed a culture of professional growth.

Mrs. Prospere has been a strong advocate for leadership development through several key programmes. She conceptualised and introduced the Leading Effectively through Accountability and Development (LEAD) programme for the management team, which has successfully run for three consecutive years, with its most recent leadership reinforcement event held in 2025. Additionally, she implemented several programmes in partnership with educational institutions, resulting in 27 Border Force officers earning continuing professional development (CPD) certifications in supervisory management from UWI and 10 managers completing the Dynamic Leadership course with the Caribbean Maritime University.

She played a pivotal role in developing operational strategic plans and frameworks for both the Customs Department and the TCI Border Force. Mrs. Prospere spearheaded the creation and delivery of professional programmes, such as the Customs Broker Certification Programme. She introduced a Learning Management System (LMS) to facilitate scalable learning for aspiring Customs Brokers.

Moreover, she led the implementation of several significant projects, most notably the Regional Clearance System in the TCI and a comprehensive revamp of customs procedures at Howard Hamilton International Airport, which greatly enhanced operational efficiency. She also facilitated key engagements that strengthened partnerships with leading regional bodies, including the Caribbean Customs Legislation and Enforcement Council (CCLEC), the border security team within CARICOM IMPACS, and the customs advisory arm of CARTAC. These collaborations were instrumental in securing vital technical assistance for training.

Speaking on the appointment, Mrs. Prospere said, “I am honoured to step into this role and lead the Learning and Development Directorate. I believe that a world-class public service is built together. I’m dedicated to partnering with civil servants at all levels to foster a dynamic learning environment where we can collectively develop the skills needed to be adaptable, exceed standards, and deliver truly exceptional service to the public.”

In congratulating Mrs. Prospere, Deputy Governor and Head of the Public Service, H.E. Anya Williams stated, “We are pleased to extend congratulations to Mrs. Tamica Prospere on her appointment as the new Director of the Department of Learning and Development within the Office of the Deputy Governor.

With over a decade of dedicated service in the field of training and development, Mrs. Prospere has consistently demonstrated a deep commitment to building capacity and strengthening the public service workforce in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Her innovative and strategic approach to learning has transformed teams and empowered individuals, ensuring the public service is well-equipped to meet the demands of a constantly evolving landscape.

As the government continues its efforts to enhance service delivery through robust and comprehensive training initiatives, we are confident that Mrs. Prospere’s leadership will be instrumental in advancing a culture of excellence, collaboration and continuous growth across the public sector.

Congratulations Mrs. Prospere, on your well-deserved promotion. We look forward to working with you to shape the future of learning and development in the Public Service in the Turks and Caicos Islands.”

Government

Melissa Holland Appointed as Public Service Information Officer

Published

1 month ago

September 6, 2025

Deandrea Hamilton

Turks and Caicos, September 6, 2025 – The Office of the Deputy Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands is proud to announce the appointment of Ms. Melissa Holland as the new Public Service Information Officer within the Office of the Deputy Governor.

Ms. Holland holds an Associate Degree in Business from Turks and Caicos Community College, a Creative Suite Certificate in Website Development from StackSkills, and an Administrative Professional Certification from the College of Administrative Professionals. She has also engaged in continuous learning through Coursera.

Over the course of her career, Ms. Holland has accumulated valuable experience in various roles. She began her journey as a Clerical Officer at the Ministry of Education from June 2007 to May 2009 and was promoted to Secretary to the CEO from December 2009 to April 2010. Subsequently, she served as the Assistant to the Director of Sales, Marketing & Rentals at Apes Hill Club in Barbados from May 2011 to July 2014. Ms. Holland then took on the role of Office Assistant at Growing Soul Records in Miami, FL, from August 2014 to October 2015, followed by another position as an Office Assistant at Arrow Electronics in Denver, CO, from November 2015 to June 2018.

In June 2018, she became a Multimedia Specialist at Shop Genesis and later transitioned to the role of Creative Director at Black Sage Analytics from September 2020 to 2022. More recently, she served as an Administrative Officer at the Ministry of Health and Human Services from December 2022 to March 2023, before moving to the Ministry of Immigration and Border Services as an Administrative Officer from March 2023 to August 2025. She acted as the Communications Officer for Border Force in September 2023.

Upon her appointment, Ms. Holland shared her enthusiasm, stating, “My journey from capturing moments through lifestyle photography to creating designs that honor the vibrance of Caribbean culture has been shaped by both creativity and faith. Stepping into the role of Public Service Information Officer is a privilege and an exciting opportunity to unite my love for storytelling with service. Guided by Proverbs 3:5-6, I trust God to continue directing my path and using my gifts for a greater purpose”.

Her Excellency Anya Williams, Deputy Governor and Head of the Public Service, congratulated Ms. Holland, stating, “We are delighted to congratulate Ms. Melissa Holland on her appointment as Public Service Information Officer and to welcome her to our team in the Office of the Deputy Governor.

In this important role, Ms. Holland will be responsible for the accurate and timely dissemination of both internal and external communications related to the operations of the public service, including circulars, notices, appointment announcements and other official updates.

We are confident that Ms. Holland’s diverse background and professional expertise will be invaluable in fulfilling these responsibilities and we look forward to the meaningful contributions she will undoubtedly bring to the team.

Congratulations, Ms. Holland, on your new appointment!”

Government

Andy Missick Appointed Juvenile Manager

Published

1 month ago

September 6, 2025

Deandrea Hamilton

Turks and Caicos, September 6, 2025 – The Office of the Deputy Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Andy Missick as the Juvenile Manager within the Department of Rehabilitation and Community Services in the Ministry of Public Safety and Utilities.

Mr. Missick holds a Bachelor’s Degree with Honours in Social Work from the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College.

His professional experience includes serving as a Registration Officer at the Financial Services Commission for three years, a Social Worker for the Turks and Caicos Islands Government for one year and as a Probation Officer in the Department of Rehabilitation & Community Supervision from 2023 until his recent promotion.

Sharpening his skills in the area of rehabilitation, Mr. Missick has completed professional training in the following areas: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Case Management, Risk Assessment, Intake and Interviewing Techniques, Counseling, Report Writing, Conflict Resolution and Mediation, Reentry and Reintegration Planning, Community Resource Networking, Motivational Interviewing (MI), Behavior Modification, and Social Skills Training.

Known for his contributions to Youth Leadership and Representation in the Turks and Caicos Islands and elsewhere, Mr. Missick currently serves as the Male CARICOM Youth Ambassador since 2023 and is a currently a Youth Parliamentarian having representing the Turks and Caicos Islands at the 12th Annual Commonwealth Youth Parliament in Wellington, New Zealand; the 10th Commonwealth Youth Ministers Meeting in London, United Kingdom and the Caribbean Youth Summit 2023 in Kingston, Jamaica.

In addition to his professional roles, Mr. Missick is involved in community service and volunteerism through the Rotaract Club of Providenciales, where he has been an active member for seven years. He has held various leadership positions, including Sergeant-at-Arms, Foundation Chair, Youth Service Director, Wellness Chair, Fundraising Director, Vice President and currently serves as the President.

Speaking on his appointment, Mr. Missick stated, “I am extremely grateful for the opportunity. Growing up in the Turks and Caicos, I have seen far too many young lives cut short. Some lost to violence, some to poor choices and some to the weight of circumstances they never asked for. Those experiences are etched into me and they are the reason I feel such deep gratitude and responsibility in being appointed Juvenile Manager. This is more than a role; it is a calling to stand in the gap for our youth, to remind them that they are not defined by their mistakes but by the greatness still inside of them. I believe in second chances, I believe in opportunity, and I believe that with guidance, accountability and hope, our young people can rise above their struggles and become the leaders of tomorrow.

I anchor myself in the words of Mark 10:45: “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.” True leadership is service, and in serving our youth, I serve the future of the Turks and Caicos Islands. This appointment is not just about today. It is about building a legacy of hope, discipline and purpose for tomorrow”.

In congratulatory remarks, Deputy Governor and Head of the Public Service, H.E. Anya Williams, said, “It gives me great pleasure to officially congratulate Mr. Andy Missick on his appointment as Juvenile Manager with the Department of Rehabilitation and Community Services, within the Ministry of Public Safety.

The post of Juvenile Manager is a critical role, focused on shaping the future of our islands by supporting, guiding and rehabilitating at-risk youth. The Juvenile Manager plays a key part in ensuring that young individuals are given every opportunity to grow into productive, empowered citizens who contribute meaningfully to society.

Mr. Missick brings to this position a wealth of experience, a deep passion for youth empowerment and a proven track record of service and leadership. His longstanding commitment to the development of young people in the Turks and Caicos Islands is well known, having served with distinction as a CARICOM Youth Ambassador, Youth Parliamentarian and a dedicated member of the Rotaract. Through these platforms, he has consistently advocated for youth engagement, policy development and community service, earning the respect of peers and stakeholders alike.

We are confident that Mr. Missick will continue to inspire and implement innovative initiatives that uplift our youth and strengthen our communities.

Congratulations, Mr. Missick, on your well-deserved promotion. We look forward to the positive impact you will undoubtedly make in this vital role.”