Robbery Suspect Held; Firearm Recovered
On Saturday, October 4th, 2025, officers of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force (RT&CIPF) Tactical Unit responded to reports of a robbery in the Kew Town area involving two men travelling in a vehicle, around 12:10 a.m.
While conducting patrols, officers received further information about an attempted robbery in the Blue Hills area. The Tactical Unit immediately proceeded to the location to investigate.
Upon arrival, officers observed a vehicle matching the description of the earlier robbery vehicle parked along the roadway.
As officers approached, two men ran to the vehicle, entered, and sped off, prompting a high-speed pursuit along the Millennium Highway.
Despite officers activating flashing lights and sirens, the suspects refused to stop. During the chase, the men opened fire at the police, who, returned fire.
The pursuit ended when the vehicle crashed into a swampy area near the Five Cays Roundabout. Two men exited the vehicle and again fired at officers before fleeing into nearby bushes. One suspect was apprehended, while the other escaped.
One officer sustained minor injuries during the operation and sought medical attention.
A search of the vehicle and its surroundings resulted in the recovery of a firearm and several rounds of ammunition.
The RT&CIPF is asking the public to immediately report any suspicious activity anonymously to 911, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-8477 or download the Crime Stoppers P3 app and share information.
Bahamas Police seize more than US$12 million in drugs in weekend operations
Police says they have seized more than US$12 million in cocaine during several operations over the last weekend.
They said that on Saturday night, two men were arrested on Cat Island after they were found with US$7.8 million worth of cocaine in a joint operation involving US drug enforcement officers, DEA, and local officers.
Head of the Drug Enforcement Unit Superintendent Wendy Pearson said “while onboard a US helicopter on the southern tip of Cat Island, (we) observed two males in low-lying bushes along with a number or crocus sacks.
“As a result of that, the officers landed where they proceeded into the low-lying bushes where they detained two males. They then checked those crocus sacks [and] discovered that each of those sacks contained a number of kilo packages of suspected cocaine.”
She said the men, ages 42 and 37, were arrested and taken to New Providence, where the drugs seized weighed 359 kilogrammes.
On Sunday, police, Customs officers and US officials, searched a container at a shipping port in Grand Bahama and found US$4.5 million worth of cocaine. No arrests were made in that matter. The drugs weighed 181 kilograms
US officials say cocaine seizures in the region have increased since 2021, noting that between 2017 and 2020, police seized 2,461.37 pounds of cocaine and between 2021 and 2024, the authorities seized 13,479.36 pounds of cocaine.
Source- CMC
Tyler Perry announces cast for Netflix film Why Did I Get Married Again?
The cast of Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married? will reunite for the movie's threequel, set to release on Netflix. Perry recently announced the stars joining him in Why Did I Get Married Again?, naming original cast members Jill Scott, Richard T. Jones, Tasha Smith, Michael Jai White, Lamman Rucker and Sharon Leal. New to the cast are Everett Osborne, Da’Vinchi, Laya Deleon Hayes, Jaden Michael, Sydney Winbush and Taraji P. Henson.
"Look at God," Taraji wrote on Instagram, alongside a screenshot of Variety's article announcing the news. "Honored to join the iconic cast of Why Did I Get Married Again? alongside my brother @tylerperry and this powerhouse crew!!!"
Released in 2007, Why Did I Get Married? — inspired by Perry’s play of the same name — follows a group of close friends on their annual weeklong married couples trip, which ends up exposing the cracks in each of their relationships. The couples reunite and share updates while vacationing in the Bahamas in 2010's Why Did I Get Married Too?
The threequel will find them gathering again for the wedding of Marcus and Angela's daughter — an experience that shows the group that their children mirror them in many ways. "Realizing their children have grown up to be so much like them, they must reflect on the examples they’ve set and ask themselves that age-old question, why did they get married… again?" reads the logline, according to Deadline.
Why Did I Get Married Again? is Perry's latest film with Netflix. He has also written, directed and produced Ruth & Boaz, Madea’s Destination Wedding and Straw for the streamer.
Source-ABC
Russia fires 500 drones at Ukraine in deadly overnight attack, Zelenskyy says
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday that Russia launched around 550 munitions into the country overnight in Moscow's latest deadly long-range barrage.
Zelenskyy said that at least five people were killed and 10 injured across Ukraine. Impacts were reported in Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Zaporizhzhia, Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Kherson, Odesa and Kirovohrad regions, the president wrote in a Telegram post.
Ukraine's air force said Russia launched 496 drones and 53 missiles of various types. Defenders downed or suppressed 439 drones and 39 missiles, the air force said, with eight other missiles failing to reach their targets.
Eight missiles and 57 drones impacted across 20 locations, the air force said, with debris reported falling at six locations.
Source- ABC
Minister of Education’s Address – World Teachers’ Day 2025
Greetings to all Teachers living and working in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Today, as we join the world in celebrating World Teachers’ Day 2025, we pause to reflect on the extraordinary role you play in shaping our classrooms and our very future as a people and as a country. While there is no single official theme this year, much of the world is focusing on the global teacher shortage, investment in the profession, and empowering educators to build a sustainable future. These concerns resonate deeply with us here in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Across the globe, education systems face an urgent challenge: classrooms without enough teachers. This shortage threatens the dreams of millions of children. But here is what this challenge also tells us: the world cannot move forward without teachers.
You are not simply transmitters of knowledge. You are builders of character, instillers of resilience, and cultivators of hope.
Here in the Turks and Caicos Islands, we are committed to ensuring that our teachers are supported, valued, and equipped to thrive. As Minister of Education, I am proud to share some of the steps we are taking to honour that commitment.
We continue to provide training opportunities so that you are not only keeping pace with global standards but are leading innovations in your classrooms. From technology integration to inclusive education strategies, we are making sure you have the tools to meet the diverse needs of every child.
We are listening to your voices. That is why we are working to reduce class sizes, provide better resources, and ensure that the environment in which you teach is one where both you and your students can flourish. You deserve to work in conditions that reflect the value of the work you do.
Teaching must be seen as a calling and a profession of pride and distinction. We are enhancing systems of recognition to celebrate excellence in Teaching and rewarding those who go above and beyond in service of our children. Your dedication deserves to be acknowledged and honoured.
We are encouraging more young people in our islands to enter the teaching profession, ensuring that the next generation of educators is inspired, prepared, and supported. We want our brightest minds to see teaching as the noble and rewarding profession it truly is.
My dear Teachers, you are the architects of our sustainable future.
Each lesson you teach, each encouragement you give, and each child you inspire is an investment in the strength, resilience, and prosperity of the Turks and Caicos Islands. When our children excel, when they dream beyond what they thought possible, when they rise to lead this country, know that your fingerprints are on their success.
I know that teaching is not easy. I know that some days the challenges feel heavy. I know that you often serve as mentors, counsellors, and caregivers, all while working in demanding environments and balancing complex administrative responsibilities. I see your sacrifice. We all do.
But I also know this: teaching is not simply the transmission of knowledge. It is the shaping of lives. Every day, you mold the future. You guide how students think, how they see the world, and how they pursue their dreams. You find joy in witnessing students discover new insights, develop curiosity, and gain confidence in themselves. That joy, that spark you light in a child's eyes, that is what builds nations.
So today, on behalf of the Government and people of these islands, I say thank you.
Thank you for your patience, your sacrifice, your unwavering dedication. Thank you for staying the course even when the path is difficult. Thank you for believing in our children, especially when they struggle to believe in themselves.
The future of the Turks and Caicos Islands rests in the hearts and minds of our young people, and you are the ones guiding them there.
As we look ahead, let us work together to ensure that teaching is always a profession of choice, of dignity, and of purpose. And let us commit, as a country, to empowering and uplifting our educators so that the future we build is one of sustainability, strength, and endless possibility.
You deserve our support. You have our gratitude. And you will always have our commitment to stand beside you as you do this vital work.
Happy World Teachers’ Day 2025. May you continue to inspire, lead, and light the way forward.
Thank you, and may God bless you all.
Illegal Firearm Recovered in TCI
Officers from the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force (RT&CIPF) Tactical Unit recovered a firearm while conducting mobile patrols in the Kew Town area.
As the team approached a convenient store on Musgrove Close, officers observed a group of seven males gathered outside. One male, carrying a shoulder bag, which raised suspicion, prompting officers to search all seven individuals. Nothing illegal was found in their possession.
However, during a field search of the immediate area, officers discovered a black knapsack resting on a table. Upon inspection, a firearm and several rounds of ammunition were found inside the bag.
The firearm and its contents were seized and processed for further investigation. No arrests were made at the scene, and inquiries are ongoing.
As of October 2nd, 2025, the following statistics have been shared with RTC News, where 18 fire arms have been recovered as of October 2nd, 2025.
Breakdown by Location:
o Five Cays – 4
o Kew Town – 3
o Blue Hills – 8
o Grace Bay – 1
o North Caicos – 1
o Grand Turk – 1
The proactive work of our officers in Kew Town underscores the Force’s unwavering commitment to keeping residents and visitors safe. We continue to appeal to the public to play their part by reporting suspicious activity or information about illegal firearms.
Contact the police immediately at 911 or anonymously via Crime Stoppers at 1-800-8477 (TIPS) or by using the Crime Stoppers P3 app.
Bail Granted as Investigations Continue
RTC News understands that officers of the Safeguarding and Public Protection Unit (SPPU) of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force (RT&CIPF) are continuing investigations into allegations of child abuse being reported.
Following consultations with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, investigators have granted bail in the sum of $5,000 each with surety to the caregivers, aged 37 and 45, as inquiries & investigations remain ongoing.
The two caregivers were arrested this week following a Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) referral from the Department of Social Development, made on September 29, 2025.
Due to the sensitivity of the case and ongoing investigations, names are witheld until the agencies are completed.
The SPPU strongly emphasizes that if you suspect a child is being abused or there are allegations of abuse, that as citizens, you IMMEDIATELY report to the matter to the nearest police station, contact the Safeguarding and Public Protection Unit at 232- 6696,the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) at 338- 4013, via email MASH@gov.tc ot the Department of Social Development at 338-4008 or call 911.
Sean 'Diddy' Combs gets 50 months in prison
Sean “Diddy” Combs has been sentenced to 50 months in prison for his conviction on two prostitution-related offenses.
He gets credit for time served since his arrest. Combs has already spent 12 months at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.
Before the judge read the sentence, Combs tearfully apologized in court, saying, "I’ve been humbled and broken to my core."
Federal prosecutors argued Combs deserved at least 11 years in prison, while Combs' lawyers asked for a sentence of no more than 14 months.
Source - ABC
Rape Accused Denied Bail
EDWARD RICHARD CHRISTOPHER PHILLIPS,44, a British citizen, residing in the TCI appeared before the Magistrate court today.
Phillips has been charged with three counts of rape which occured in Providenciales.
The charges were laid on October 1st, 2025, following consultations with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. They arose from a report made on September 16, 2025, which led to a police investigation.
The accused was denied bail and has been remanded in custody until his next court appearance on October 6th, 2025.
Border Force Thanks Public for Safe Return of Canine Officer
The Turks and Caicos Islands Border Force confirmed to RTC News that the brown Cocker Spaniel reported missing earlier today has been safely recovered.
The canine, a valued member of the Border Force K9 Unit, was returned in good health thanks to the vigilance of the public and the integrity of the individual who came forward to ensure his safe return.
Director General of Border Force, Emilio Seymour, expressed his gratitude:
“We are relieved and grateful to have our canine officer back with us. On behalf of the Border Force, I extend sincere thanks to the community for their concern and support, and to the individual whose actions ensured the safe return of our officer. This is a reminder of the strong bond between the public and those who serve to protect these islands.”
The Border Force emphasises that its canine officers are more than working animals; they are trained law enforcement partners whose contribution is critical to national security.
The Border Force once again thanks the public for their cooperation and commitment in this matter.