I am informed, reliably, that the ROYAL TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS POLICE FORCE (RTCIPF), has suspended the requests for the fingerprints of applicants for Police Records. On March 13th 2019, I raised this issue out of a concern for the causal risk to the constitutional rights of Belongers, Turks and Caicos Citizens and Status Holders. I was concerned that in this atmosphere in which Turks and Caicos Islands seems overrun in all directions – whether from British Parliamentary Committees or the Financial Services Authority overriding the Turks and Caicos constitution on status rights or financial services, we must check every move – whether intentional or not – that undermines the rights of our people and the rule of law.
Let me say finally, nothing in which I have said on this issue was intended to bring the RTCIPF into disrepute. I speak firmly when I say they were just trying to enhance their due diligence programme but it must not be at the expense of our constitutional rights. However, in the wider context, we are a vulnerable people and we must protect ALL our rights.
