TCI News
South Caicos Feels the Pressure: Border Breaches, Illegal Work, and a Public Plea for Action
By Deandrea Hamilton | Editor
South Caicos, Turks and Caicos Islands — July 17, 2025 – The Turks and Caicos Islands Border Force (TCIBF) continues to face complex challenges in its effort to protect the nation’s borders, with South Caicos emerging as one of the most pressured areas.
On July 9, the Director General of the Border Force, Mr. Emilio Seymour, hosted a community meeting at the Conch Grounds in South Caicos, inviting residents to share their concerns directly with leadership. The engagement formed part of the agency’s “Safer Borders, Safer Communities” outreach campaign, which also included door-to-door visits in North Caicos. According to the Border Force, these sessions were designed to improve transparency, strengthen community relations, and gather first-hand insight into the evolving border environment.
South Caicos has become a focal point in recent months.
On June 3, a migrant sloop carrying 50 individuals made landfall. Forty-nine (49) of them were apprehended; we learned about
the incident thanks to reporting from Eagle Legal News Network. The incident reinforced concerns that the island is increasingly being used as an entry point for undocumented migrants, many of whom are believed to be seeking illegal employment.
Earlier, in October 2024, the Border Force led a targeted operation in South Caicos addressing illegal work activity. The two-day effort resulted in seven arrests — four for illegally working in the territory and three others for matters including cannabis possession and overstaying. The operation was supported by the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force and underscored the inland approach now being taken to tackle immigration and customs-related offences.
The Turks and Caicos Islands Border Force, established by ordinance in 2024, replaced the former standalone Customs and Immigration Departments. It now functions as a single, unified national agency, responsible for both border-related immigration and customs enforcement. With an intelligence-led, risk-based operational model, the TCIBF has the flexibility to deploy staff across both customs and immigration roles, adapting quickly to threats as they emerge.
The Director General, Mr. Emilio Seymour, holds the authority previously vested in the Collector of Customs and Director of Immigration. He oversees five key operational units, supported by two Deputy Directors and seven Assistant Directors across the islands.
The Border Force says the feedback collected during engagements in both South and North Caicos is currently under review and will inform future policy and operational planning. Residents are being urged to report any suspicious immigration or customs-related activity through official channels, including the TCIintel@gov.tc tip email and the U.S. ICE hotline at 866-347-2423.
As South Caicos continues to develop, the stakes remain high: controlling its borders, protecting its people, and ensuring that economic growth does not come at the cost of security.
TCIG knew from April that fuel factor could surge almost 80%; Minister says $500 cost-of-living payment was part of Government’s response
PROVIDENCIALES — The Turks and Caicos Government knew months before July’s shocking electricity bills that consumers faced a potentially massive increase in the fuel factor.
Minister of Information Technology and Energy E. Jay Saunders revealed Friday that Pelican Energy warned his Ministry in April that generation fuel costs were projected to rise from $3.09 per gallon in May to $4.79 in June and July.
That translated into a projected fuel factor jump from about 17.5 cents to 31 cents per kilowatt-hour — an increase of almost 80%.
Saunders said he personally advised Cabinet of the projected increase and presented options for cushioning the impact.
He characterised Government’s $500 cost-of-living payment as its “initial response” to rising fuel costs, before a separate fuel-factor subsidy was approved.
Cabinet records show Government agreed on June 24 to provide funding to mitigate the fuel-factor impact, with the relief programme approved July 8.
Eligible residential customers — those averaging less than $1,500 monthly over the previous three bills — are capped at 22 cents per kWh from July through October.
Pelican confirmed Friday that Government’s contribution was already applied to July bills, meaning the bills now triggering widespread public outrage would have been even higher without the subsidy.
Saunders did not disclose the programme’s total cost.
His admission that Government knew since April, however, raises another question amid the backlash: why were consumers not directly warned by Government about the scale of the approaching increase?
PROVIDENCIALES — New commercial Crown Land applications are facing a six-month pause as the Turks and Caicos Islands Government takes inventory of its holdings.
During Cabinet meetings held July 15 and 16, an immediate six-month moratorium was approved on the acceptance, processing
and approval of new applications for commercial Crown Land grants, leases and allocations.
The pause will remain in place pending completion of the Crown Land Inventory Review. Cabinet’s summary did not state what prompted the review or indicate whether availability of commercial Crown Land is a concern.
The two-day meeting also advanced major consumer legislation. Cabinet approved the National Fair Competition Policy 2026 and drafting instructions for a Fair Competition Ordinance, moving TCI toward stronger consumer protection and fair competition rules.
In Grand Turk, Cabinet approved rezoning land in the North West Suburbs from low-density to medium-density residential use to facilitate a new apartment development.
Cabinet also advanced fisheries reforms, water legislation allowing private and public-private investment, minerals legislation and appointments across tourism, health and finance.
Progress toward establishing a TCI Credit Union was also noted.
PROVIDENCIALES — Major development projects outside Providenciales received Cabinet attention on July 8, with Government approving agreements connected to the redevelopment of Dellis Cay and a resort development in North Caicos.
Cabinet approved a Development Agreement between the Turks and Caicos Islands Government, Desarrollos Hotelco DC Ltd. and
Desarrollos Hotelco Astoria Ltd. for the redevelopment of Dellis Cay.
The long-discussed private island development sits between Providenciales and North Caicos and its return to Cabinet signals another step toward redevelopment.
Cabinet also approved amendments to an agreement involving SPR LND Ltd. (Royal Reef) and TCIG Development Agreement for a resort/hotel development in North Caicos.
Other decisions included approval of the First Supplementary Appropriation Bill 2026 for onward transmission and the appointment of Cindy Ewing as Chair of the Invest TCI Board, effective August 1 for three years.
Cabinet also noted consultation outcomes concerning changes to business licensing, approved professional membership expenses for qualifying Telecommunications Commission staff and approved advice relating to the Interim Clinical and Estates Services PPP.
The July 8 meeting was chaired by Acting Governor Anya Williams.
Photo Credit: Royal Reef (Keith)
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