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TCI Budget to double spending on illegal migration, over $2m projected

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File Photo: (Centre) Derek Been, Immigration Director

#Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands – Wednesday June 27, 2018 – The new Budget proposal for the Turks and Caicos Islands has doubled spending for the handling of illegal migrants, which takes projected costs for expenses like detention and repatriation to $2 million.  

The boost is in response to the escalation in illegal sloops to the country and supports a more vigorous approach to enforcement of illegal residency by the Ministry of Border Control and Employment.

File photo

Director of Immigration, Derek Been was reporting to the Appropriations Committee at the House of Assembly on Monday about the supersized budget linked to illegal migration; a vexing issue for islanders and one which has given rise to special operations where some 400 illegals have been arrested since March.

Mr. Been said there have been eight official round-ups under the banner of Operation Guardian which is staffed by Turks and Caicos law enforcers from Immigration, Labour and Police.  However, the special-ops have also welcomed law enforcers from the Cayman Islands, Interpol, the UK and the US with ongoing dialogue activated with The Bahamas.

The latest tally up to this past Sunday put repatriated illegal migrants at 1,261.

There were probing questions about the need for such a sharp spike from last year’s projected $1.4 million, which was not spent in full according to Appropriations Committee member, Hon Ruth Blackman.  The South Caicos MP questioned the need to allot over $2 million for the upcoming financial year.

“It’s a direct correlation in terms of what we are seeing in trends.  Last year in terms of costs, we repatriated 1,335 persons from the Turks and Caicos Islands and as of yesterday, we repatriated 1,261 persons back to their homelands so far (for 2018). We are anticipating at least a 100% increase in that area and that is not only due to anticipated vessel landings, but increased compliance as well.”

Mr. Been referenced an earlier statement by the Permanent Secretary, Susan Malcolm, who at the start of the inquiries into Border Control and Employment’s $11m budget allocation for 2018-2019 informed the nation that ‘ccompliance and enforcement are the new drivers for the Ministry, no longer revenue generation’.

“The anticipated $2 million in expenditure for repatriation somewhat synchs with what we envision happening in this financial  year,” explained Mr. Been who also provided a breakdown of spending for housing and repatriating illegal migrants, as requested by Committee Charmian, Hon Doug Parnell.

 

For the 2017-2018 Budget Year:

Airfare                                       11,083.99

Charters                                  332,687.24

Other Tickets                          17,980.00

Scabies Outbreak                 16,000.00

Vehicle Rentals                      43,727.00

Meals                                       292,643.27

Other                                         20,177.19

Supplies                                    23,000.00

Security service                    372,949.00

Water                                           4,258.00

TOTAL                                   1,134,507.13

The sum shared with the Appropriations Committee on Monday June 25, 2018 by the Director puts average spending per arrested immigrant at $850USD per person.

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Bahamas News

RBC appoints new Country Manager and Area Vice President for Turks & Caicos 

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RBC Royal Bank (Bahamas) Limited (“RBC”) is pleased to announce the recent appointment of Kerryl-Lyn King-Henry as Country Manager and Area Vice President (“AVP”), Personal and Commercial Banking, Turks & Caicos Islands (TCI).

In her new role as Country Manager and AVP, King-Henry will take on full responsibility for the bank’s operations, strategy, and development in the TCI market, with a strong focus on solidifying partnerships with the Government, regulatory bodies, and the local community.

King-Henry brings to the role a dynamism influenced by nearly 25 years of industry experience. Prior to her new appointment, she served as AVP of Business Banking in Trinidad and Tobago. She has held progressively senior roles within both personal and commercial banking, as well as various functional units.

King-Henry holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree, with a specialization in Leadership, FinTech and Big Data Analysis, in addition to a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. Further enriching her professional profile, Kerryl-Lyn is a certified John C. Maxwell Coach, Trainer, Teacher, and Speaker. Her passion for leadership and development is matched by her commitment to community service, as she actively volunteers her time and leverages her professional expertise to mentor and support others. “

Kerryl-Lyn’s extensive experience and proven leadership capabilities make her the perfect choice to lead our operations in the Turks & Caicos Islands,” said Ericka Rolle, RBC’s Managing Director and Vice President, Personal Banking, The Bahamas and TCI.

“Her commitment to excellence, combined with a genuine passion for community engagement, aligns perfectly with our Bank’s purpose of helping clients thrive and communities prosper. We are excited to see the positive impact she will undoubtedly bring to her new role,” she added.

 

 

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Government

MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DELEGATION VISITS WEST MIDLANDS AMBULANCE SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM, UK

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Providenciales, Tuesday 30 April, 2024 – A delegation from the Ministry of Health and Human Services, recently undertook a pivotal visit to the West Midlands Ambulance Service in Birmingham, United Kingdom. The visit, which took place from April 21st to April 23rd, 2024, was held under the esteemed patronage of the Ambassador of Health of the British Overseas Territories, Professor Ian Cumming.

Led by Permanent Secretary Mrs. Desiree Lewis OBE, the delegation included Ms. Renessa Williams, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Human Services, and Mr. Andy Brijmohansingh, Director of Emergency Medical Services. This strategic meeting was an integral part of the Ministry’s ongoing efforts to enhance emergency services within the Turks and Caicos Islands.

During the visit, representatives from the West Midlands Ambulance Service provided comprehensive insights into their operations, sharing valuable expertise and offering collaborative initiatives for the development of the TCIs emergency services. Discussions encompassed various aspects, including training and mentoring programs tailored to empower emergency personnel within the Turks and Caicos Islands.

“The visit marked a significant step forward in our strategy for the advancement of emergency services,” stated Mrs. Desiree Lewis OBE. “We are deeply grateful for the generosity and support extended by the West Midlands Ambulance Service, and we look forward to implementing the insights gained to further enhance emergency care within our country. Permanent Secretary Lewis also expressed the Ministry of Health’s gratitude to Professor Ian Cumming for his assistance by way of arranging the visit.”

Mr. Andy Brijmohansingh, Director of Emergency Medical Services for the Turks and Caicos Islands, underscored the importance of the discussions, emphasizing the poignant exchange of ideas and the potential for meaningful collaborations which signifies a commitment to improving emergency services and ensuring the safety and well-being of the residents of the Turks & Caicos Islands.

The Ministry of Health and Human Services expresses its sincere appreciation to the West Midlands Ambulance Service for their warm hospitality and invaluable contributions during the visit.

For additional information, please visit the Turks and Caicos Islands Ministry of Health and Human Services Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/tciministryofhealth/.

 

 

 

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TCI Court

Eight Months facing Police Accusations and Court, now Pedro Grant Exonerated

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Dana Malcolm 

Staff Writer 

With no evidence to support their claim, the prosecution has dropped their case against Pedro Jose Alfredo Grant Gallon, the Dominican Republic citizen who was accused of impersonating an officer in September 2023.

The Police, who publicized the arrest and charge, have not yet commented on the matter despite Magnetic Media queries.

Grant, for his part, has always vehemently denied the accusations that he was impersonating an officer and described the circumstances surrounding his arrest as unfair.

He contends that on the evening of July 13, 2023, he was being followed by a strange driver, concerned, he waited until the man pulled off at a bar, then took his license plate number and called the police, but police never came to help Grant. He alleges that the next time he saw them, they came with handcuffs to arrest him. In a search, police found his IDs which included his documentation for humanitarian work with the International Diplomatic Alliance (IDA) and police lights attached to his vehicle. In explaining the possession of those lights, Grant said he told officers that they had been in his car from his time in the Dominican Republic where he was involved in law enforcement.

Since that time, Grant has maintained several facts:

  • The Police did not have a warrant to search his home and car;
  • The Police took his documents including passports and IDs, one of which was issued by the IDA, and to date have not returned them despite being court-ordered to do so;
  • The Police intimidated his wife with threats of deportation;
  • He never showed any ID, flashing lights at the man following him, or claimed to be an officer.

Police have steadfastly refused to comment on the case despite numerous queries into the bizarre circumstances, even with serious allegations like intimidation against them. Grant was officially charged with Impersonating an Officer in September but IDA Head Jerrod Crockett told Magnetic Media despite seizing documents from Grant to support their case, no one even called the organization to see if they were real or fake.

Now, when called to provide evidence to the court as to why they arrested and charged the resident, the police and DPPs office drew a complete blank as Wilkie Arthur, Magnetic Media Court Correspondent, confirmed it was a lack of evidence that got the case dropped.

Despite this win serious damage has been done Grant claims, describing his life as a ‘living hell’ and ‘miserable’ since the accusations were publicized.

The IDA says it has been affected as well.

“That really put a hurt on us for the last six to eight months now because of accusations of fraudulent documents that everybody else has seen. We’re trying to prove our legitimacy now because you guys can’t verify any documents— before you put everything out there as public information,” Crockett said of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force (RTCIPF)

The president also told our news team they had lost thousands of dollars in funding.

Following the closure of the case we reached out again to police to find out on what grounds Grant had been arrested and charged but no response was issued.

 

 

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