May 30 - June 5, 2020
TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS
The Reverend John Malcolm, PNP South Caicos candidate has questioned who is running the prison
Christopher Forbes’ livestream from his fully stocked jail cell at HMP
NEWS
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Murderer streams videos live from jail cell BY DELANA ISLES DURING the 24 hour lockdown, a prisoner at Her Majesty’s Prison in Grand Turk took to social media to air his frustrations with the prison system. While this is not an uncommon occurrence, particularly by inmate Christopher Forbes, it did spark some new concerns about lack of control at the territory’s only penitentiary. Forbes is serving two life sentences for the brutal murders of two female Dominican nationals. In the four videos he livestreamed on Facebook, the inmate was wearing street clothes, adorned with jewellery, and had a flat screen television in his jail cell. He stood against a backdrop of a wellstocked shelf of grocery supplies, all inside Her Majesty’s Prison. Forbes - like a lot of others on social media during the pandemic - provided exercise tips for people stuck in lockdown. PNP candidate for South Caicos, Reverend John Malcolm in a Facebook post questioned who is really running the prison. “The recent video of an inmate of the prison sporting street clothes and jewellery and the spat of other videos that were released, the constant riots and unrest that erupt there from time to time, are all indicators that this Government and the prison authorities have completely lost control of the facility,” Rev. Malcolm wrote. He said the neglect of the facility has caused it to become “a festering sore that
appears to be a malignant cancer in our society”. “Unless the proper treatment is implemented, this diseased institution will affect us all, as a matter of fact it has already.” According to the PNP candidate, his party has a comprehensive and a holistic plan to remedy the situation at the prison and has made several recommendations to the Government in this regard, to no avail. Rev. Malcolm also remarked on the plight of a former prisoner, Evanson Walkin, who was recently released from prison. “His cry and the sentiments he so vehemently expressed are echoes of the cries of not only the young men in prison, they echo the cries of the many marginalised and forgotten young men in our communities.” In a Facebook post earlier this month addressed to the governor, premier and the private sector, Walkin pleaded for gainful employment be afforded to him and other inmates when they leave prison. The young man was released some months ago after serving a jail term for possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear. He said no one wants to hire him because of his criminal record. “Myself and a few other prisoners have been released from prison and are unemployed (not all of us want to go back to prison, not all of us want to go back into a life of crime, some of us only need a chance and I am one of them).
“Please can someone in Government help me or someone in the private sector?” Walkin said. Responding to Walkin’s pleas, Rev. Malcolm stated that the PNP has pledged to work towards transforming the experiences of prisoners like Walkin, in and out of prison. “Evanson’s plea is a cry for help, it is a challenge to the Government to
look seriously at his situation and the circumstances of many others with the resolve to make a positive difference in their lives.” He said that one of the main reasons that crime keeps perpetuating is failure to provide meaningful employment and other opportunities for former inmates, as well as a failure to rehabilitate youths who find themselves behind bars.
Masked men burgle Leeward Highway home TWO armed men stole cash and five cell phones from a home near Thomas Stubbs roundabout on Leeward Highway last week. The masked burglars entered the Providenciales apartment unit at about 8.40pm on Thursday, May 21, and demanded money. After stealing the cash and phones they tried to enter a second apartment unit but were unable to gain entry. Two days later on Saturday (May 23) two armed men burgled a home on
Hanco Close in Blue Hills. They entered the house not long before 12pm and demanded money. The men made away with two televisions, a laptop computer and cell phones. The police press office did not report any injuries resulting from either aggravated burglary. Anyone with information on either crime can call Chalk Sound Police Station on 338-5901 or 941-8082 or call Crime Stoppers anonymously on 1-800-8477.
