News
Open letter to Governor Dakin’s speech to the HOA
Dear Governor Dakin,
A few years ago, I had the privilege of meeting you in person on a more positive note. This time, I felt compelled to address you in an open letter relative to the passionate speech you delivered during your opening address to the House of Assembly.
I would also like to commend you on your accomplishments over the years. In the short span of time in your position as head of state, you have made a significant contribution to the Turks and Caicos Islands, particularly with spearheading the establishment of the TCI Regiment which is crucial to any developing country.
However, as a concerned citizen and I do believe echoing the voices of many, I felt obliged to provide a response to a few of the comments you made. With all due respect, there are also some questions that the country needs further clarification on and answers too.
First and foremost, as you pointed out, there are too many external factors that play into the hands of this escalating crime which are entirely out of your control. 
To some degree that is correct, but I beg to differ on a few points especially when it comes to accountability. When crime is at a new dimension, it’s certainly a rite-of-passage test of any leader and their ability to make decisive decisions. At the end of the day, the buck stops with you, the Premier and those who are entrusted with our safety and security.
With that being said, criticism will come and as concerned citizens, we should not be complicit in any kind of silence and I refuse too.
Way too many precious lives are being loss to gun violence. Regardless of who they are, be it gang members or innocent civilians at the right place at the wrong time it is stoking fear across our communities.
As a people, we must not be afraid to demand change from our elected leaders, appointed Governor or Police Commissioner and rightfully so. Both you and the Commissioner have sworn to provide the highest quality of leadership and the necessary resources to protect our nation from harm and we should expect nothing short of that.
Secondly, although crime fighting is a collective effort and there is no silver bullet to its resolution, in my professional opinion, we failed to nip this in bud when we were in a better position to do so.
Sadly on many fronts, from the initial onset of this unrelenting violence, our leaders continued to be reactive rather than being proactive.
Whilst some initial progress was made to arrest serious crimes under the leadership of the Commissioner and his team, it’s not near the levels it should be based on the population of our size. I honestly believe he has given it his all and does care about the escalating crimes and the future of his department.
Nevertheless, as an avid supporter of law enforcement and will always be, I do have some reservations on how the force is currently being managed and some of the missed opportunities.
At some point, as the Governor, you will have to decide if it’s in the best interest of the country to raise the leadership bar or just keep playing defense.
The Commissioner’s performance is certainly on display, and he will have to decipher whether or not he has reached his capacity level in this particular position. It is my belief, every individual regardless of how good you are in your position has a capacity and is dispensable.
For the sake of argument, perhaps he wasn’t challenged enough or given the necessary tools he needed within a reasonable timeframe to do his job effectively.
From my observation, what I have seen over the years is too often when there is a spike in violent crimes, we put a band-aid on it. It appears, we rush to bring in more senior level police personnel from the UK to assess the situation with the hopes of finding short term solutions.
In essence, isn’t this is what we are paying the Police Commissioner to do? Its leaders who are supposed to set the stage for success. Of course, ultimately, it’s the field officers who will win the battle against these violent crimes, but they will need to be properly trained and provided the necessary tools to do their jobs.
Where is the accountability of leadership at top level? Sometimes when your boxed in, it’s hard to think outside of that box. Unfortunately, many citizens have lost confidence in the Commissioner’s ability to stabilize crime. Once this occurs, it’s harder to get cooperation between the general public and the police.
You also mentioned the successful efforts that were made to reenergize TCI’s relationship with the US and Bahamian Coast Guard. This was done to support intelligence collection on migrant vessels. It’s a good thing, but can you honestly say we have gone far enough?
It’s been over 5 years now, and the citizens of Grand Turk have yet to see a permanent marine vessel station on its shores. This is despite having wide open borders and several deserted cays where criminals can stash their illegal weapons and drugs.
Great Sand Cay which is in closer proximity to Salt Cay then Providenciales, a number of illegal vessels have been spotted either scouring our fishing banks or running aground without any knowledge of law enforcement. Thanks to
concerned citizens who have assisted with responding to the calls. It certainly underscores the need for a stronger security posture in that area.
Furthermore, to my knowledge the Port Authority in Grand Turk, still does not have a dedicated and properly trained Harbor Master. This has allowed a number of private yacht captains and crew to come ashore with God only knows what, before requesting to see Customs Agents.
Are we as a country that naive to believe illegal trafficking of any kind is only limited to speed boats from Jamaica and illegal Haitian vessels?
What’s even more troubling is the fact that these criminals are indiscriminately targeting businesses and have no regards when it comes to inflicting harm on our dedicated law enforcement officers. We have seen this with recent incidents.
With many of our law enforcement officers battling this new frontier and, in some cases, outgunned by these criminals. What plans are in place for compensation of their families God forbid an officer succumb to a permanent injury or death?
I can go on and on, but by no means is this an opportunity to bash you or the Police Commissioner. It’s just my observation and maybe it could be a wakeup call for a change of strategies with more focus on the low hanging fruits.
Sometimes, we take big and bold steps and simply overlook the small ones which could have made a big difference.
We realize for safety and security reasons, certain strategies will remain off limit to public knowledge to protect law enforcement personnel, but where is the imminent plan of action?
Where is the 10, 30, 60 days and beyond plan of action to restore order? If we fail to provide stability, it will have profound implications on our fragile tourism driven economy.
In order to provide that sense of security for residents in those affected communities, police tactics like roadblocks, lockdowns, random search and seizure etc. is of paramount.
We the people, should expect to see some serious debates in the HOA, as TCI is currently faced with some enormous challenges and big decisions to make. In the end, although the situation is precarious, I’m confident we will prevail and together shape a better future.
Sincerely,
Ed Forbes
Concerned citizen of Grand Turk
After demolition
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – Friday, 17 July 2026: The Planning Department, with support from the Informal Settlements Unit (ISU), and the Crown Land Unit conducted a coordinated enforcement operation on Thursday, 2 July 2026, resulting in the demolition of six unauthorised structures on private property at Block and Parcel 60502/48. Security for the operation was provided by the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force.
The enforcement action followed the issuance of an Enforcement Notice by the Planning Department on 29 January 2026, advising the persons responsible for the structures that they had been erected without the necessary planning approval and were required to be removed. Following the expiration of the compliance period, a multi-agency operation was organised to carry out the demolition.
Before demolition activities commenced, personnel conducted a comprehensive inspection of the site to confirm that all structures were unoccupied and free of gas cylinders or other hazardous materials. These precautionary measures were undertaken to safeguard the welfare
of both the enforcement teams and the public while ensuring the operation was carried out safely and efficiently.
Upon completion of the exercise, participating agencies returned to Police Tactical Headquarters for a debrief, marking the successful conclusion of another coordinated enforcement effort.
The Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands reminds members of the public that all construction activities must receive the appropriate planning approvals before work begins. The Planning Department will continue to work alongside its partner agencies to enforce the Planning Ordinance, promote orderly development and ensure that construction throughout the Islands complies with the applicable laws and regulations.
Members of the public are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the planning approval process and to seek guidance from the Planning Department before undertaking any development to avoid enforcement action and loss of money invested.
News
DDME’s Hurricane Hunt Scavenger Hunt Sparks Community Spirit and Storm Preparedness in Providenciales
Department of Disaster Management and Emergencies: Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands — Fifteen teams raced across Providenciales on Saturday July 4th for the inaugural DDME Hurricane Hunt, a community scavenger hunt designed to combine friendly competition with hurricane preparedness education.
Teams were given a bag of supplies and 15 cryptic clues, participants had less than two hours to pinpoint locations and collect hurricane must-haves; including water jugs, shovels, flashlights and other supplies that every household should have on hand ahead of a storm.
The challenge tested not only participants’ local knowledge and navigation skills, but also their teamwork under time pressure; all while reinforcing practical lessons about what it takes to stay ready when a storm approaches.
Beyond the hunt itself, the event drew a lively crowd of families and supporters who turned out to enjoy a full day of festivities. Attendees took part in games, received free gifts, face painting, canvas painting, bounce houses and visited vendor booths; while enjoying fresh food off the grill throughout the afternoon.
“This event brought together the best of both worlds; a fun, high-energy competition and a meaningful reminder of how important it is for our community to be prepared,” Mr. Aaron Ballantyne, Community Preparedness Officer for Providenciales. “Seeing 15 teams fully engaged, racing to landmarks across the island while learning what belongs in a hurricane kit, was exactly the outcome we hoped for.”
DDME extends their sincere gratitude to the stakeholders that partnered with the event and generously donated their time, resources and
efforts to make it a success: The Turks and Caicos Islands Red Cross, The Oseta Jolly Primary School, The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force, Do It Center (Building Materials), KB Homes, Digicel TCI, Frost Cay and Clint Grilling and Catering Services, along with all other vendors who were solicited.
The event’s success was also made possible by the private organizations and government departments that opened their locations to serve as scavenger hunt sites, allowing the hunt to unfold across the island; from Chalk Sound to Long Bay.
The quick thinking first place team consisted of; Neekimo King, Keturah Miller-Brown, Lashaunda Dickenson and Kebba Thomas who all walked away with exciting prizes.
Ms. Bernadya Smith, Public Information and Media Manager stated; “With hurricane season underway, this event, along with our recent Hurricane Expo held in Grand Turk and community pop-ups throughout the country, is a testament to DDME’s commitment to blending community engagement with year-round storm readiness. We look forward to making this event an annual staple that brings families together while keeping preparedness at the forefront of every community we serve.
Follow DDME social media pages to stay up to date with upcoming events and to join their weekly quizzes for a chance to win exciting prizes all hurricane season long.
News
Invest TCI Supports Certification of Local Flats Fishing Guides Through MSME Technical Assistance Under Historic TCFFA–TCICC Partnership
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands — June 11th 2026 — Invest Turks and Caicos Islands has confirmed a financial commitment of $26,750 through the MSME Programme’s Technical Assistance support to assist 35 participants undertaking STCW and Fly-Fishing Guide Certifications under the Turks and Caicos Fly Fishing Association (TCFFA) and the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College (TCICC) partnership. The support is intended to strengthen the capacity of existing and emerging local operators within the flats-fishing and marine–based tourism sector, helping participants formalize their skills, improve service standards, and access higher-value economic opportunities.
The announcement follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between TCFFA and TCICC on 12th May 2026, establishing the
country’s first endorsed and regionally recognized Sustainable Fly-Fishing curriculum. That partnership, funded in part by the UK Government through the Darwin Plus Local initiative, aims to certify twenty or more Turks and Caicos Islanders as Flats-Fishing Guides and Train-The-Trainers — drawn from Providenciales, North Caicos, South Caicos, Middle Caicos, and Grand Turk.
Invest TCI’s contribution ensures that the financial barrier to certification does not prevent qualified candidates from accessing this sector-building opportunity. The support is being provided as technical assistance to strengthen the capacity of existing and emerging MSMEs within the flats-fishing and marine-based tourism sector, enabling participants to formalize, improve service standards, and access higher-value market opportunities.
“We are indeed happy to be a part of this initiative and to provide financial support towards the certification of the 35 participants. Invest TCI is committed to empowering small and medium enterprises and the individuals who drive them – and this programme is a direct example of that commitment in action.” — Alexa Cooper, Vice President – SME Development, Invest Turks and Caicos
Regional studies, including research on The Bahamas’ flats-fishing sector, show that the industry can generate significant economic value through lodging, meals, transport, retail, and guided services. This demonstrates the potential for Turks and Caicos to strengthen its own flats-fishing value chain through professional training, certification, and local enterprise development.
Angela Musgrove, CEO of Invest Turks and Caicos, highlighted the strategic alignment between the investment and Invest TCI’s broader
mission:
“Invest TCI’s mandate is to support a stronger, more diversified economy with Turks and Caicos Islanders positioned to benefit from the industries that shape our future. This initiative directly aligns with that mandate. By supporting certification for local flats-fishing guides, we are helping to convert local knowledge into recognized credentials, strengthen small business capacity, and retain more value within our communities. It is a practical investment in people, enterprise, and sector development.” — Angela Musgrove, CEO, Invest Turks and Caicos
TCFFA President Levardo Talbot, whose association initiated the candidacy process and identified the funded participants, welcomed Invest TCI’s commitment as pivotal to the programme’s reach:
“For the first time, Turks and Caicos Islander fly fishing guides have an endorsed and regionally-recognized, locally delivered pathway into a profession that has long been built on their knowledge but not always on their terms. Invest TCI’s support ensures the people who should be in this room are in this room.” — Levardo Talbot, President, Turks and Caicos Fly Fishing Association
-
Africa6 days agoBahamas’ Ghana Teacher Plan Draws Fire as Both Nations Face Shortages
-
News6 days agoGovernment Takes Case to Washington After U.S. Keeps TCI at Level 2
-
News6 days agoMinistry of Health Welcomes Appointment of New NHIB Chief Executive Officer and Highlights Progress of Organisational Transformation
-
News5 days agoInvest TCI Supports Certification of Local Flats Fishing Guides Through MSME Technical Assistance Under Historic TCFFA–TCICC Partnership
-
News5 days agoDDME’s Hurricane Hunt Scavenger Hunt Sparks Community Spirit and Storm Preparedness in Providenciales
-
News6 days agoPDM Alleges Governor ‘Bias’, Opposes One-Year Extension
-
Bahamas News5 days agoWhat 45 Shell Casings and New Murder Charges May Mean for Three Officers in the Azario Major Case
-
Bahamas News6 days agoCARICOM Targets Affordability as Bahamas, TCI Continue to Feel the Pinch