News
How can the Police in TCI regain Citizen’s Trust and Confidence to help impact crime?
#TurksandCaicos, May 14, 2022 – The question many concerned citizens in TCI are grappling with is, can our law enforcement department effectively combat crime while building trust within the communities it aims to serve and protect?
It begins with finding creative ways to help communities and law enforcement agencies strengthen trust and collaboration, while continuing to reduce crime.
In a small developing nation like TCI with such close-knit communities, gaining the confidence of citizens is of paramount.
What could be a setback is, any community already dealing with uncontrollable and an unsolved spike in serious crimes, citizens will be more reluctant to trust the police or report their suspicions.
Just for a moment, let’s forget about the optics and actually look at the reality to determine why there is such a
disconnect.
In the public’s eye, a common sentiment shared by many revolves around the process of how law enforcement respond not only to serious crimes but petty crimes and their ability to solve them.
A good citizen has a moral duty to report crimes committed against persons or property. Likewise, there needs to be sense of security and anonymity when reporting their concerns.
I’m inclined to believe our dedicated police officers are only doing what they are trained to do. Nevertheless, if the public perception differs, maybe it’s time for the leaders to reassess the level of training that’s being provided.
There are several ways to rebuild citizens’ trust. For example; responding to citizens’ reports in a more expedient manner, showing more empathy, being transparent with investigations and providing follow up information on potential suspects.
In my opinion, some of these areas that do not meet the expectation of the public and are lacking in some respect.
Being proactive with policing tactics is also in question.
Case in point, have there ever been any surveys conducted to determine how citizens view police, their confidence in policing tactics, how much they support them, trust them, and so on?
If the police expect the public to engage in crime reduction, citizens must feel confident that regardless of the level of crime it will be taken seriously. Lack of the aforementioned could result in decreases in public trust of police.
Culture within a police department also plays a pivotal role, because building trust should be embedded in the culture of policing.
The head of an agency certainly sets the tone, but it’s also necessary for the immediate supervisors of the officers on the ground to have an incentive to appropriately carry out their duties. That’s where some of the hardest work is done.
Grand Turk in particular, appears to be a training ground for new police recruits. Unfortunately, it comes with pros and cons. If it result in a high turnover rate, this could have an adverse impact on how officers interact with the communities.
I’m afraid, if our communities continue to have a sense of distrust in policing, our young men and women might be reluctant to explore policing as a career opportunity. This will leave the county with no other alternative but to recruit foreign police officers. There should also be zero tolerance for rogue officers. The objective is to impose rules and punishment high enough to shift a rogue officers’
cost-benefit analysis.
Sadly, like any other civilized country, there will always be a certain level of crime, but I’m afraid this current trend
draws an uncanny parallel to pre-pandemic crimes.
When it comes to curbing serious crimes, we can’t continue to move the goal post and become desensitized with this level of violence. This year, it may be 20 homicides next year it will be 40. Where do we draw the line and say enough is enough?
The public’s perception of how police matters are handled should not be taken lightly. Unless citizens feel like their voices are being heard, they will continue to stay in their own lane.
At some stage in the game, whether it’s perception or reality, our leaders will need to be held accountable.
From a holistic approach, here are some thoughts to ponder. 
Improve communication by exposing to the general public the identity of all suspect upon formal arraignment.
As concerned citizens, we also have to get to a point where there is less focus on social media propaganda, and more on our own voices and ideas.
It’s also important that law enforcement control the narrative and debunk the spread of misinformation. Failure to do so only creates fear and distrust among the masses.
With that being said, citizens shouldn’t have to be researchers to find crime data. Henceforth, To counter sensationalism and the spread of misinformation, there should be timely information delivered to the public in addition to public access to crime statistics.
The political rhetoric with Tough-on-crime policies is only part of the solution. This is evident based on the increased violence the country is currently experiencing despite the harsher sentences.
Some may herald it as the best response to violent crimes, but I beg to differ. It will only serve to criminalize some of the same people who continues to deal with the most loss of life and trauma in their communities.
Withstanding the current climate on crime, when was the last time a police representative reached out to a victim or loved ones from various communities where gun violence happened and try to elevate their voices and experiences? This is all part of addressing any existing gaps in public relations.
The old cliche, “talk is cheap”, is playing out right in front of our eyes on social media platforms.
We should be asking ourselves what am I doing, what are you doing to assist your communities in reducing crime? It’s a shared responsibility.
The police acting alone cannot achieve success, as crime is everyone business. Therefore, until some of these steps becomes reality, only then will we began to see a shift in the public perception with a trickle down impact on resolution of crime.
Ed Forbes,
Concerned citizen of Grand Turk
PROVIDENCIALES, Turks & Caicos Islands: — Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort recently collaborated with the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force and the Department of Social Services to support a youth camp hosted at the Oseta Jolly Primary School, underscoring the resort’s ongoing commitment to youth development in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
The camp, which brought together security forces, government agencies and private sector entities, focused on equipping young participants
with practical life skills and character-building tools. A team from Beaches Turks and Caicos’ leadership and training departments joined the programme to deliver sessions on basic table etiquette, dining mannerisms, polite demeanour and public speaking fundamentals, all designed to help the students present themselves confidently in formal and professional settings.
General Manager of Beaches Turks and Caicos, Deryk Meany, said the resort views national development as an integral part of its corporate social responsibility. “We are always happy to be supporters in the development of the youth of the Turks and Caicos Islands. We continue to commit our team to help in creating the next generation of leaders who will provide support to the islands and help in its development,” Meany noted.
The initiative also received strong endorsement from the Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports and Community Development, which has been championing holistic programmes aimed at building well-rounded young citizens. Minister Rachel Taylor highlighted the importance of collaborations like the camp in helping youth access structured guidance and mentorship. “We are happy to join in celebrating the growth and development of our youth here in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Beaches Turks and Caicos continues to be one of our primary supporters in helping to develop well rounded individuals. This commitment from this resort has grown with the vision of the youth ministry to help in their overall development,” she said.
Taylor further emphasized that the camp’s timing was especially significant, coming as youth across the islands seek positive outlets and
constructive engagement. “This camp came at the most ideal time for our adolescents. With the support of our governor, the security forces, the social services along with Beaches Turks and Caicos, we are confident that the training needed for them to improve is on the right track,” she added.
Beaches Turks and Caicos Public Relations Manager, Orville Morgan, described the collaboration as an exemplary model of cross-sector partnership. “To be able to join with the security forces to provide support for the youth of the Turks and Caicos Islands is exceptional. We are happy to provide the necessary support to equip them to grow into being productive citizens of these islands,” Morgan said.
He noted that the resort team focused on practical etiquette and hospitality-driven skills that can be carried into the youths’ future experiences. “As a team, we were able to share in the basic table setting and dining etiquette for them, skills we are sure that they will be able to use in their next fine dining experience,” Morgan added.
Organizers expressed optimism that the camp’s blend of discipline, mentorship and soft skills training will have a lasting impact on participants. With stakeholders pledging continued support, the Beaches Turks and Caicos team and their partners aim to expand similar initiatives, further investing in the personal and professional growth of the next generation of Turks and Caicos Islanders.
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?
NASSAU, Bahamas — More Bahamians are accessing HIV and sexually transmitted infection-related healthcare through National Health Insurance, a trend the NHI Authority says should be viewed positively.
NHIA stressed in an August 6 statement that its 2025 figures measure healthcare utilisation, not newly diagnosed infections. They include beneficiaries screened, treated, monitored or receiving follow-up care, including people diagnosed previously.
“Increased utilisation of these services should be viewed as a positive development,” NHIA said.
The Authority pointed to “greater enrolment and use of NHI, improved access to screening and testing, continued treatment and monitoring of existing conditions, and increased willingness to seek medical care.”
The development comes amid a mixed three-year HIV picture. New diagnoses rose from 130 in 2023 to 156 in 2024, before declining to 142 in 2025.
NHIA said increased utilisation demonstrates that more beneficiaries are accessing needed healthcare and actively managing their health, reinforcing the importance of screening, early diagnosis and continued treatment.
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