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Over 145 recommendations made to improve Crown land management

– TCI/UK Crown Land Report completed

The long-awaited TCI and UK Governments' joint independent review of the management of Crown Land in the Turks and Caicos Islands has been completed. To this end a 308-page final report was published on December 1, 2022, replete with 146 joint recommendations, to improve the management of this resource and maximise its use for the benefit of all the people of Turks and Caicos Islands.

The recommendations cover a wide range of areas, including future allocations of Crown land, existing conditional purchase leases, and unauthorised

Crown land review Consultation meeting with the members of the People’s Democratic Movement PDM- (left row) in February 2022

occupation, a statement from the government on Thursday, December 8, said.

The list of recommendations also covers improvements to the processes surrounding crown land in order to reduce unnecessary bureaucracy and improve the fairness of the distribution of land rights, and details proposed amendments to the Crown Land Ordinance as the government works to provide adequate housing and enhanced communities in the territory.

Premier Misick and Lord Goldsmith-UK Minister for the Overseas Territories, have agreed to accept the report’s recommendations, subject to affordability, phasing and legal considerations.

The Premier said: “Our two countries share a commitment to a peaceful, prosperous, open, and cooperative access to crown land, while ensuring that it remains a sustainable and resilient resource for generations to come. I welcome the joint review final report as it remains my government's vision to seek equitable access for the people of these islands.”

Commenting on the report, Lord Goldsmith said: “I welcome this joint review and its set of practical and well-considered recommendations to improve the utility of crown land in TCI and generate a more efficient and transparent process.

“I applaud the Premier for raising his concern with the UK on behalf of TCI, I hope our partnership on this project, drawing on professional expertise, paves the way for future collaboration and is a symbol of our ongoing commitment to work in partnership with the TCI Government.

“The TCI Government has our full support as they move ahead to implementation and delivery of these reforms.”

Last year, prior to commissioning the review, Premier Misick spoke extensively of his administration’s “big plans” to revolutionise housing and community development in the TCI in order to provide a better quality of life for residents.

He said: “I know a lot of people are anxious to know what is happening with land, particularly residential land.

“People are anxious because they want to be able to get access to Crown land, their land, to be able to build their homes without having to stick their hands in a garbage bag and take out a number.”

The territory’s leader reiterated his Government's intention to diverge from the old ways of distributing land to citizens.

He said: “There's always been agreement that that system is unworkable and we're in the process of having a comprehensive plan for reforming that.

“But also to take a holistic view, a very practical view as to how Crown land is to be handled in the future.”

The joint independent review of the management of Crown Land in the TCI was completed through Members of the public and a wide range of stakeholders were consulted by Attorney at law Mr R Donhue Gardiner, TCI Attorney with experience in land law and policy development in the TCI, and Professor Simon Cooper PhD, an expert in Caribbean land law and registration systems.

In a subsequent publication, the Weekly News will divulge the recommendations made in the Crown land report.

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so that at each entrance, vehicles with guns, knives and dangerous weapons could be detected and captured.

The issue is one of deterrence and not dealing with “after the fact” ideas such as revocation of status. Iconography such as Turks & Caicos islander Status is of no importance to the “boys in the hood” who are hell-bent on killing whomsoever they wish.

Attack the root causes of crime Deportation necessary, but prison a priority

All none TC Islanders who commit crimes in the TCI should be deported. If the crime is serious then they need to be jailed first. We are not a correctional facility, we are a country with Godfearing citizens, who have had enough hardships to deal with over the pandemic and subsequent issues.

We need our country back and these are needed rules that must be in place.

More time, policy debate and fiscal space should be invested on social trends, behavioural patterns amongst the youth so that the reality of being “cold and detached from society” could be detected early on and dealt with. Youth in schools, from troubled homes or no homes at all, should be given guidance and counselling by the church and state to prevent them opting for a life of crime.

Detached youth tend to pivot to the “wild and free” distractions such as gangs, weapons and a life without law and order. It is time to study these trends in the school system so that something could be done before “they” leave home or the school environment.

So many factors contribute to crime and murder but a hallmark of this is social detachment from young, broken homes, fatherlessness, and bad parenting. Revocation of Turks & Caicos Islander status is the least of their worries.

There are hard-working immigrants

Let’s face facts, how many people who come to the TCI legally and acquire their status commit crimes? Did the Government research this number? Most criminals are either born here or come here via illegal methods.

Most persons here with status cards are here to work, they live simple lives and relish the day that they can return to their families.

We need to start thinking about the long-term implications of some of these laws. It’s almost as if this Government is pulling them out of the air. TCI is not a country of only belongers and those who contribute to its development must also be respected.

What we are seeing is an elitist mindset adopted to appease the voting population, not a Government that is concerned about all decentminded residents.

Arms case against family dismissed

Acting Supreme Court Justice Jolyon Hatmin has dismissed a case against a family of three after the prosecution failed to present their evidence at the sufficiency hearing.

The mother, Shanella Francis Forbes, her spouse Jermaine Morris, and son Yzhavin Forbes were on Friday, December 2, freed on charges of possession of illegal firearm, ammunition, and drugs for which they were arrested in October this year.

When the case came up for a sufficiency hearing before Hatmin last week, prosecutor Enjaleek Dickenson applied to the court for an adjournment to produce evidence.

Defence counsels Sheena Mair and Lara Maroof-Misick opposed the application and applied for the charges against their clients to be dismissed for lack of evidence.

Justice Hatmin granted the defence application, citing that the prosecution presented no evidence at the evidentiary hearing to take the matter forward.

TCI virtually attending UN Biodiversity Conservation Conference

The world is currently facing a human-caused extinction crisis and 196 countries are coming together to try to do something about it at the United Nations Biodiversity Conference, COP15 (Conference of the Parties).

Global leaders converged in Montreal, Canada for the COP15 on Wednesday, December 7 to discuss strategies, goals, and funding to help save the world's ecosystems and keep the planet functioning.

The high-level conference which runs until December 19, will see governments adopting a new set of goals to guide global action through 2030 to halt and reverse critical nature loss.

According to the United Nations, nature is critical to meeting the Sustainable Development Goals and limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees.

As such, the adoption of a bold global biodiversity framework that addresses the key drivers of nature loss is needed to secure human health and well-being alongside that of the planet.

Like many other countries, the Turks and Caicos Islands depend very heavily on ecosystems for sourcing food, and jobs for locals, and largely as an attraction to millions of visitors to the Islands per year.

Against this backdrop, the territory is working to promote sustainable environmental practices, and conserve biodiversity.

Minister of Tourism, Environment, Heritage, Maritime, Gaming and Disaster Management Hon Josephine Connolly

Although physical representation from the TCI was notably missing from the opening sessions, the local delegation attended the conference virtually.

Minister of Tourism, Environment, Heritage, Maritime, Gaming and Disaster Management Hon Josephine Connolly told the Weekly News that the TCI did not travel to Montreal for the conference “due to other commitments”.

She said: “We will be attending virtually, my Ministry through the Department of Environment and Coastal Resources, is currently developing legislation that will allow the Turks and Caicos Islands to become full signatories to the convention.

She explained that the convention on biological diversity is an international agreement that allows countries to protect the genetic resources of their flora and fauna to avoid exploitation of these resources.

“For example, if a vital medicine is derived from an endemic plant in the TCI, any profits from the sale and production of that medicine would be given to the TCI.

“We are looking forward to an informative session and hope to gain insight into how the convention is working in the region and what best practices may be adopted for the TCI”, the Minister added.

COP15 is a chance to reinvigorate efforts to protect the stunning diversity of plants and animals on Earth, but experts are clear that soaring rhetoric and ambitious targets won’t be enough.

Scientists, advocates and government leaders all agree that stronger laws and policies to protect nature, as well as new investments in conservation, are needed to ensure any goals set out in December are achieved.

According to the United Nations website, the 12- day sessions of COP15 are looking to achieve; the “Adoption of an equitable and comprehensive framework matched by the resources needed for implementation.

“Clear targets to address overexploitation, pollution, fragmentation and unsustainable agricultural practices.

“A plan that safeguards the rights of indigenous peoples and recognizes their contributions as stewards of nature and finance for biodiversity and alignment of financial flows with nature to drive finances toward sustainable investments and away from environmentally harmful ones.”

Inger Andersen, Executive Director, UN Environment Programme, Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, Executive Secretary, UN Convention on Biological Diversity, Huang Runqiu, President, COP15 and Minister of Ecology and Environment of China and Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Canada, attend the opening of COP15 (The Canadian Press photo).

RTCIPF launches investigation against former officer over Rahming connection

BY OLIVIA ROSE

A criminal investigation has been launched into serious allegations regarding the association of a former RTCIPF officer and deceased gang leader Brandon Leonard Rahming.

Days after notorious gang leader and murderer, 32-year-old Rahming, was shot and killed by police, a litany of allegations began to spread like wildfire across social media as residents attempted to piece together his reign of terror.

Numerous voice notes and unsubstantiated text messages have surfaced connecting the wanted man to a former female police officer.

Text messages shared in various WhatsApp groups and on popular social media pages purported that Rahming had been in a relationship with the former police staff.

Some residents surmised that the infamous criminal was able to evade law enforcement for weeks as he may have been tipped off on various operations.

Commenting on these allegations, the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force said they are “aware of comments being made on social media platforms alleging corruption by a former member of our staff”.

“The seriousness of these allegations has triggered the commencement of a criminal investigation”, the Police said in a statement on Saturday, December 3. provide this information directly to me, an officer (s) whom you trust or through Crime Stoppers.”

Residents were reminded to call Crime Stoppers, an anonymous tip hotline that is answered in the United States and managed by the Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers which is a non-profit and not a police agency.

“The calls are anonymous and cannot be traced in the United States or the TCI”, the Commissioner added.

Rahming a former resident of the Bight, Providenciales, and Freeport, Bahamas was at the top of the crime sleuths' list of wanted people in connection with murder, drugs and illegal firearm possession.

Over this period, Rahming had boldly threatened residents using various social media platforms,

Brandon Leonard Rahming (deceased)

most recently under a Facebook post issued by the police offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to his whereabouts and arrest.

Rahming – or a Facebook profile purporting to be him – along with his criminal cohorts had boldly threatened commenters under the post, promising to kill residents and their family members should anyone provide police with information as to his whereabouts.

A shooting in the Downtown Providenciales area of Dock Yard ended in death for the wanted man during a police operation on Wednesday, November 23.