We must tell the full story about the safety of our country

Introduction

It was very unfortunate to hear about the recent robbery involving visitors staying at a villa in Providenciales. No one should have to experience something like that, particularly while on vacation. I can only imagine how frightening and traumatic the experience must have been for the victims and their families. My thoughts are with them.

We should never minimize what happened. A robbery is a serious crime, and when visitors to our shores are victims, it can also have serious implications for our tourism industry and our country’s reputation.  However, we must also put things into perspective.

One incident does not define an entire country

The Turks and Caicos Islands comprise several islands, of which Providenciales is only one. A single incident in one area of Providenciales should not lead people to conclude that the entire island, much less the whole country, is unsafe. Thousands of residents go about their daily lives without encountering violent crime, while thousands of visitors enjoy our shores and return home with wonderful memories.

Having lived in the Turks and Caicos Islands for most of my life, I feel safe here. Of course, that does not mean crime is nonexistent; it occurs here, as it does in nearly every country and major city worldwide. The thing that bothers me is when an incident occurs here and suddenly the Turks and Caicos Islands is portrayed as though crime is happening everywhere and no one is safe.

Many of our visitors come from cities and countries where robberies, shootings, burglaries and other crimes occur regularly. We don’t normally conclude from one incident in those places that the entire city, state or country is unsafe. The Turks and Caicos Islands deserves the same balanced treatment.

Crime has declined

We must also acknowledge the progress made. According to the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force, murders fell from 48 in 2024 to 27 in 2025, with only three recorded by the end of August 2026. Reports of other serious crimes have also declined.

This does not mean we should become complacent. One crime is still one too many, and we must continue working to make our communities safer. Residents, visitors, villa owners and property managers must remain vigilant. We should ensure that properties have appropriate security measures, report suspicious behaviour and cooperate with the police.

Let the criminals get the message

I am also encouraged that the police have arrested a person in connection with this recent villa robbery and are continuing their investigation.  I hope this sends a strong message to anyone contemplating similar criminal activity: you may believe you can get away with it, but the police will pursue you and you will have to face the consequences of your actions.

Conclusion

We must continue supporting the police while also holding them accountable for protecting our communities. At the same time, let us not allow the actions of a few criminals to define who we are as a country.

The Turks and Caicos Islands remains a beautiful place with welcoming people. We should acknowledge our challenges, confront crime aggressively and continuously improve security. However, we should not create unnecessary fear or allow one horrifying incident to paint an inaccurate picture of an entire country.

Yes, crime happens in the Turks and Caicos Islands. We must never deny that. However, crime happening here does not mean the Turks and Caicos Islands is an unsafe country. Let us deal with the facts, remain vigilant and keep working together to make our islands even safer.