TCI News

TCI: Press Statement from the Leader of the Opposition

Published

5 years ago

October 15, 2019

#Providenciales, October 15, 2019 – Turks and Caicos – “The threat of crime is real, and the long-term peace of the TCI is at risk. It is past time to trade rhetoric for action.”

On Saturday, 12th October 2019, we woke up to a report of the 13th murder of the year. This came after 10 days of brazen and unchecked violence at the hands of cowards.

On 6th March 2017, in a press statement I lamented and condemned the growing incident of violent crimes perpetrated against innocent persons. In that press statement I pledged solidarity with the Government (not silence) in the fight against crime and have since then repeatedly affirmed my belief that the fight against crime must not be a political one. On 29th July 2017, in yet another press statement, I was forced to acknowledged that our peaceful homeland was facing a crisis as both the incidence and gravity of criminal acts ballooned.

Then, on 31st July 2019 I was compelled to reluctantly issue another press statement addressing the escalation in gun crimes resulting in deaths. However, the situation in the last ten days has been the most troubling to date. Those who would rob, maim and kill us have shown that they are prepared to act in the light of day without regard for the police.

Unfortunately, the response to this threat has been routine and lukewarm, while the fate of our families and communities are being threatened. Local law enforcement is out gunned and outmanned. Law abiding citizens are imprisoned in their own homes and all the while there is a deafening silence and inaction from those who are elected to protect us, or who bear constitutional responsibility for the security of these Islands.

Fear and anxiety in our communities are running high amid calls for drastic and immediate action. We must now spare no cost or concern ourselves about individual egos in an effort to protect and bring the country back to a sense of normalcy; this calls for engagement with all stakeholders.

The structures in place to engage with stakeholders are woefully inadequate; as the Leader of the Opposition, I have no direct role in the security of the islands nor am I privy to decisions of the National Security Council. I am, however, a member of the National Security Council Advisory Group, which last met briefly on the 13th March 2019. Despite this, I have tried to provide advice to those with responsibility for direct security of these islands through press statements and monthly bilateral meetings with the Governor. While not exhaustive, the suggestions that I have made are practical, reasonable, affordable and implementable immediately.

In my July 2019 press release, I called for the following interim measures subject to the development of longer term strategies:

1. The Government to make available through supplementary appropriation, additional resources to increase police presence in the communities and places where violent crimes are prevalent;

2. The Government to pass legislation to require all residents to always carry a TCIG issued picture ID, and for visitors to provide IDs and an address on the islands when required to do so by law enforcement officers;

3. The Government to consider limited curfews at designated hours of the night in high risk areas;

4. Government to make available container and handheld scanning equipment at all ports to detect guns and other contraband;

5. The police to institute a system of surprise rolling roadblocks at strategic locations to search for firearms and other contrabands;

6. The police to make routine the search for unlicensed motor vehicles and unlicensed drivers; and

7. The cancelling of operating licences for businesses that have a history of violence on property.

In addition to the above, today I am advising the Government to take the following steps immediately.

• Re-establish the Police Training School for the training of recruits and continuous education for police officers;

• Immediately hire an additional 30 tactical trained police officers in addition to the 20 new recruits recently budgeted for;

• Institute a 90-day intensive training program for new recruits and initially deploy them on beat duty in the various communities;

• Install check points on all roads in/out of high-risk communities;

• Open at least 3 additional Police Stations/Posts – Blue Hills, Five Cays and Kew Town;

• Acquire and deploy at least twenty unmarked police cars manned by plain clothes police officers for undercover duty;

• Expedite the introduction of a biometric unique identifier system for every person legally entitled to reside in the islands;

• Create a database of Turks & Caicos Islanders deported from foreign countries;

• Introduce a witness protection legislative and support framework system for informers of violent crimes;

• Introduce Electronic Monitoring legislation to allow for the monitoring of persons on bail and parole; and

• Introduce Telephone Intercept Communications legislation like that used in the Cayman Islands.

I am fully aware that my suggestions do not take into consideration the root cause of crime in our country and therefore the measures suggested are containment, abatement and control responses. The root causes of crime are largely economic and social constructs and the political directorate must now come to grips with the need to balance rapid economic growth with home grown social development goals, economic fairness and inclusiveness to rebuild the social capital of the TCI.

Crime impacts everyone, and the solution requires active sectoral representation. The current situation demands an immediate meeting of the National Security Council Advisory Group to receive detail updates on the recently announced National Security Strategy, and to provide input into security enhancement measures to protect our communities.

Going forward it is of critical importance that the National Security Council Advisory Group is routinely engaged as critical partners in the security of the Turks and Caicos Islands.– the threat of crime is real, and the long-term peace of the TCI is at risk. It is past time to trade rhetoric for action!!! The PNP call on HMG in the UK to take strong measures now to protect the people and economy of the TCI. We call on this PDM Administration to stand with us and let us begin a non-violent protest movement until our justifiable security concerns are addressed.

May God bless us all; and may God bless the TCI.

TCI Court

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

Published

17 mins 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.

Crime

Man accused of kidnapping, raping and filming sex acts with woman for two days; Remanded until June

Published

35 mins ago

May 3, 2024

Shanieka

Wilkie Arthur

Freelance Court Correspondent

A Dominican female, after allegedly being sexually assaulted, allegedly recorded performing sexual acts and allegedly threatened and held against her will overnight by a jitney driver will have to wait a little longer for the conclusion of the matter.

Identified as the accused in this case is ELVETHAN MCFAIAN HANDFIELD, 47 of Parrot Cut Street, Cooper Jack, Providenciales; it is in the area residents call, Glass Shack.

Hon Chief Magistrate, Mr Jolyon Hatmin has remanded the man to prison until his sufficiency hearing on June 7, 2024.

A Dominican woman, resident in Dock Yard, Providenciales reported to police that she was on the road waiting on a jitney when she was picked up by the accused HANDFIELD. She said he asked her where she’s going? She said she told him to Dock Yard and then jumped into his car. The woman said she had just gotten off from work and wanted to get home, instead, the driver allegedly detoured to what she suspected was his home, where he reportedly pulled out a knife and forced her inside.

The woman was held captive, according to her account of events to Police. Raped repeatedly between Friday April 19th to Saturday April 20th; and then was threatened not to report the matter or face being humiliated, because her alleged attacker recorded the sexual encounter, without her consent and was prepared to post it online.

Officers of the Safeguard and Public Protection Unit arrested ELVETHAN HANDFIELD shortly after the release of the woman, who filed a formal complaint. He was subsequently charged by female detective Ms. Michelle Goslyn with two acts of rape of female complainant, her identity revealed but which we withhold due to the sensitive nature of the crime.

The charges were laid against him on Friday April 26 and his court appearance was on Monday, April 29, 2024. HANDFIELD was not required to enter a plea as the CM explained to him that these are indictable offenses. The serious nature fit only for a Supreme Court trial.

In his attempt to get bail, as he was unrepresented at the arraignment, Ms.Tassja Mitchell of the DPP’s Office outlined all that is mentioned above and further told the Court that he there are other investigations pending, with more charges to come for the man who is known to the Police.

Mitchell explained that the Crown is opposing bail; expressing sincere concern for public safety if the suspect were to be released.

While the Chief Magistrate dismissed hearing more about the other matters pending against ELVETHAN HANDFIELD.

The Senior Public Prosecutor, Tassja Mitchell, in making a case for NO BAIL expressed to the Court that the Rehabilitation of Offenders’ Ordinance prevented her from giving the details of HANDFIELD’ convictions.

Bail for the man was denied; he is currently on remand at His Majesty’s Prison in Grand Turk.

TCI News

Graceway Communities Hosts Successful Earth Day Farmers Market and over 1.2 tons of litter removed from the Nation’s Capital

Published

2 hours ago

May 3, 2024

Shanieka

Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – April 28, 2024– Graceway Communities, the charitable arm of Graceway Supermarkets, proudly hosted it’s fourth annual Earth Day Farmers Market, providing a platform for local farmers to showcase and sell their produce, fruit trees, and vegetables grown in their own backyards. The event, held in conjunction with various partners, aimed to promote sustainability, support local agriculture, and raise environmental awareness.

Collaborating with Environmental Arts, Sunshine Nursery, the Department of Agriculture, DECR, Fortis TCI, and TC Reef Fund, Graceway Communities saw the participation of farmers and community members from across the sister islands.

As part of the Earth Day festivities, Graceway Communities, in partnership with the Edward Gartland Youth Center displayed the first of three sculptures at IGA from April 19th to 23rd, captivating onlookers with its powerful message and artistic expression. The collaborative sculpture effort, led by youth from the Clement Howell Environmental Club, aimed to raise awareness about environmental issues, particularly the impact of plastic pollution on our planet.

In a bid to further commemorate Earth Day, Graceway Communities extended its efforts to Grand Turk, where a successful clean-up campaign was organized the following weekend. Six teams participated in the campaign, collectively collecting an impressive 2567.77 pounds equivalent to 1.2 tons of garbage from the environment. The New Testament Church of God emerged as the winners of the clean-up campaign, receiving a prize of three thousand dollars in recognition of their dedication and hard work.

Board Director of Graceway Communities Ms. Edith Cox commenting on the Earth Day festivities stated “Graceway Communities continue to make a positive impact on our local communities. Earth Day reminds us of our stewardship to protect and preserve our environment for future generations. The collaboration of our various stakeholders contributed to making this event an awesome success!

Commenting on the massive cleanup campaign the board chair stated “The Grand Turk Communities benefitted from a massive cleanup ridding their communities of more than 2,500 pounds of trash. Kudos to all who showed up to support their communities and their environment! The TCI can look forward to more environmentally friendly initiatives from Graceway Communities as we continue to make a difference in our communities!”.