Financial sacrifices will have to be made

Introduction

The safety of our country must be a top priority. This will require all of us to endure financial sacrifices until we are able to curtail the crime situation in our country.

Curfew at nightclubs

I know many are concerned about the recent curfew on nightclubs. Some argued that there is no correlation between the late hours of night clubs and crime. Some also argued that their nightclubs are frequented by tourists and in so doing is boasting the economy by providing jobs for many individuals. While I acknowledge the concerns raised by these arguments, it is essential to recognize that our future remains at stake.  One murder in our country is too much for the size of our country. The Turks and Caicos became the headlines in the media houses globally and we need to do something.

One of the worst decisions we ever made was to allow these nightclubs to stay open on a Sunday morning. Many argued it was for the tourists. However, I thought our strategy for tourism was to cater to high end and quality tourism. It seems that we do not have any strategy anymore and we are focusing on mass tourism and therefore welcoming whosoever will.

While we can’t prove a link between nightclub hours and crime rates, unwanted activities do sometimes occur at certain nightclubs.   I support the government’s curfew decision as a necessary first step.  Yes, some businesses will be impacted but we must endure financial sacrifices until we are able to control these criminals. We cannot allow short-term profits to come at the cost of long-term peace.

Our tourism industry is very fragile, and we must protect it. By protecting the tourism industry, we are preserving our economy. Some tourists already have second thoughts about coming here and if we can show we are doing something then I am quite sure they will reconsider coming here.

If operating hours affect your business, open early and close at midnight.  

Do not wait on the UK  – Let’s spend the money and do it ourselves

While I agree that it is the responsibility of the UK to handle defense and internal security, it is time we stop depending on the UK. We are responsible for setting our budget and for years we have been complaining that the UK is not doing their part.  How long must we wait for help from the UK? If they are not doing anything or doing very little, it is time we make financial sacrifices to secure our borders.

I suggest that the Government allocate an extensive amount in the budget for defense and security and assume responsibility for these matters.  We can no longer wait around for the UK and perhaps the UK does not think they should do anything the same way they didn’t think they should foot the bill for the SIPT case.

Realistically, I do not know how this will work, but we must invest more in protecting our borders.

Conclusion

We must preserve the future of our islands even if it requires financial sacrifices from all of us. We do not want the Turks and Caicos to become a place where nobody wants to visit, or where the residents are afraid to go out or a place where the criminals are not getting caught.

Our only industry is tourism and it if is destroyed, God forbid, what will we do. Therefore, we must make the financial sacrifices.