TCI News

TCI National Security Council Meeting held on October 18th, 2018

Published

6 years ago

October 25, 2018

#Providenciales, October 25, 2018 – Turks and Caicos – His Excellency the Governor, Dr John Freeman, and the Hon. Premier, Mrs Sharlene Cartwright Robinson, co-chaired a meeting of the TCI National Security Council (NSC) on Thursday, 18 October 2018, at the Hon. Hilly Ewing Building in Providenciales.

In attendance as members of the NSC were the Hon. Deputy Premier, the Hon. Attorney General and the Commissioner of Police.

At this meeting the NSC:

Received up-dates from the Commissioner of Police on:

– The latest crime statistics for the first six months of the year to end-September 2018 which showed that overall crime had fallen by 30% compared to the previous year. Robberies and incidents involving firearms were down by 42% and 68% respectively although the number of murders had risen from three to seven for the same period;

– Collaboration with other Overseas Territory Police Forces to establish a Digital Forensic facility to improve detection and provision of evidence before the courts;

– The new 911/CCTV Unit in Providenciales which was now fully operational and proving very effective. An Invitation to Tender (ITT) notice would issue shortly to install CCTV on Grand Turk;

– Digital police radios had been extended to Grand Turk and would be rolled out to the other islands to improve police communication coverage across the islands;

– Concerns about the number of vehicles on TCI roads without number plates. The Hon. Premier highlighted that the Road Safety Department had a plentiful supply of number plates in stock and that a notice needed to be issued to instruct the public to acquire plates for their vehicles;

– Initiatives with the local community to remove guns from the streets of TCI. The Hon. Premier briefed the NSC on work that she was involved in to encourage people to hand in their guns;

– The arrival of new police vehicles by the end of October.

Received an update from the Deputy Premier on:

– A significant decrease in the number of illegal sloops attempting to reach TCI since the radar was repaired. Immigration officers were on heightened alert at this time of year and in the light of recent reports of unrest in Haiti;

– An invitation to the Bahamas authorities to visit TCI to discuss possible co-operation to address illegal migration to TCI;

– An improvement in visa processes resulting in a significant reduction in the number of visas issued and applications being submitted. Malpractice in the Ministry was being tackled and a clampdown on improper activity enforced;

– Measures with the police to enhance co-operation and the effectiveness of Operation Guardian;

– Measures under consideration to introduce national identity cards in TCI.

In the absence of the Minister of Home Affairs, received an up-date from the Hon. Premier on the situation at HM Prison including on:

– The recruitment of a new Superintendent and additional prison officers;

– Current staffing issues;

– The arrival of a new Training Manager to raise levels of officer professionalism and performance;

– Plans to improve existing infrastructure including the building of a new accommodation block.

The Commissioner of Policeintroduced the draft National Security Strategy (NSS). The NSC agreed that the Strategy had to encompass activity by all relevant departments and stakeholders, not just the police, and that their views would be sought to feed in to a revised version of the Strategy. The multi-agency Joint Law Enforcement Team (JLET) will be the body responsible for delivering the NSS reporting to the NSC.
The Hon. Premierinformed the NSC that a letter of entrustment had been requested from the UK Government to enable TCI to sign the instrument of accession to the Memorandum of Understanding for intelligence sharing among Member States of CARICOM which is necessary for TCI’s participation in the Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) database of passenger information to be shared between CARICOM Member States and the United States.

Press Release: TCIG

Bahamas News

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

Published

23 hours ago

May 4, 2024

Shanieka

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.

Government

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

Published

1 day ago

May 3, 2024

Shanieka

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/.

TCI Court

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

Published

2 days ago

May 3, 2024

Shanieka

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.