RTC Director

Universal Children’s Day 2016 Message from the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Unit of the RTCIPF

The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Unit will join the rest of the World on Sunday 20th November 2016 to celebrate Universal Children’s Day.

Universal Children’s day is celebrated every year on 20th November. It was first established in the United Kingdom and later, other countries around the world were encouraged to dedicate a day to promote mutual exchange and understanding amongst children and also to start a movement that will promote and benefit the welfare of children around the world. It is also a day celebrated to honor children, to give them love and affection because after all, they are the future of the world. This day is not a public holiday, but it is a global day of observance.

The unit recently formed a Child Safeguarding Committee which is a multi-Agency team of professionals and other persons from the community working together to provide services that promote the welfare of children and protect them from all forms of abuse. The committee is still in its early stages of getting the project off the ground.

The Mission Statement of the Committee is to strengthen families and promotes the well-being of children through prevention, intervention, education and advocacy.
Children’s day is a reminder to everyone of their obligation to protect the rights, needs, and welfare of children. It is a day to promote good healthcare and education to help children who are in need; also a day to reflect on the good that we have done in our communities – such as public awareness through community and school programs, Development of a zero tolerance approach to crimes against children, formulating a committee to safeguard children from all forms of abuse and swiftly dealing with perpetrators of these crimes.

It is the responsibility of the community to protect children from neglect and abuse and to also provide support to victims of violence and to ensure that justice is served because today’s children are tomorrow’s doctors, teachers, politicians, and scientists. They will follow in the footsteps of what the human race has been able to accomplish since the beginning of time. Therefore we should start building a great and honorable future for them. Let us teach them how to protect the weak and vulnerable people of this world and even teach them how to make decisions on their own and not what we want them to think and the kind of decision we would like them to make for their time – this will also teach them how to be independent. This is a day filled with joy and freedom.

The Social Development Department in collaboration with the Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Unit of the RTCIPF commenced the activities on Thursday 17th November 2016 with a prayer vigil was held at the Down Town Ball Park. A motorcade and family fun day will be held on Friday 25th November starting from Frist Caribbean International Bank and ending at Edward Garland Youth Centre.

All are welcome to attend to show unity in this partnership we have in safeguarding our country’s treasures, our children.

by RTC Director

TCIG Partners To implement the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative in the Turks and Caicos Islands

The Ministry of Health, Agriculture and Human Services recognizes that breastfeeding is a unique process that provides ideal nutrition for infants and contributes to their growth and development. For this reason, the Primary Health Care Department collaborated with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and TCI Hospital to implement the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

The Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) is a global effort launched by the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to implement practices that protect, promote and support breastfeeding. It was launched in 1991 in response to the Innocenti Declaration. The global BFHI materials have been revised, updated and expanded for integrated care. The materials reflect new research and experience, reinforce the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes, support mothers who are not breastfeeding, provide modules on HIV and infant feeding and mother-friendly care, and give more guidance for monitoring and reassessment.

Since its launching, BFHI has grown with more than 152 countries around the world implementing the initiative. The initiative has measurable and proven impacts, i.e., increasing the likelihood of babies being exclusively breastfed for the first six months (180 completed days), followed by complementary foods and continued breastfeeding for 2 years and beyond.

This program aligns with the strategic initiative of the Maternity Division at the hospital and the Nutrition Services at the Ministry of Health. The BFHI lead project managers are Dr. Dawn Perry-Ewing and Mrs. Lakeisha Gardiner-Wilson.

The two main goals of BFHI are:

    Transform hospitals and maternity facilities through implementation of the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding.

    End the distribution of free and low-cost supplies of breast milk substitutes to health facilities.

 Pan American Health Organization, Food and Nutrition Advisor, Dr. Audrey Morris and  the Caribbean Public Health Agency's Senior Technical Officer on Food and Nutrition, Ms. Christine Bocage will conduct a consultation visit on November 7-11, 2016 to assist TCI Hospital and the Primary Health Care Department in the advancing of this program and their successful certification.

 
The process to certification will be:

Phase 1 – Country visit and baseline assessment followed by recommendations

Phase 2 – Training of key staff on the BFHI program followed by development and implementation of an organizational-based training program.

Phase 3 – Set a date for BFHI accreditation.

Achievement of this initiative will require sensitization, a self-appraisal on the WHO/UNICEF 10 Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, training and preparation using a multidisciplinary team approach.

by RTC Director

Police News Updates

A suspected burglar was arrested, thanks to a member of the public.

Officers of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police are praising the help of a member of the public who reported a suspicious activity taking place at a Restaurant that led to the arrest of a Burglar.

Around 3:36 AM on Saturday 12th November 2016, Police received information of suspicious persons in the Turtle Cove area of Providenciales. Officers quickly responded to the area where two males were seen running away, and one was caught after officers gave chase. In his possession were a quantity of food items which were suspected of been stolen from the restaurant.

He was arrested on suspicion of Burglary.

“Residents are our most important allies in preventing and solving crimes.” Said Public Relations Officer Kevin Clarke. “Try as we may, officers can’t be everywhere, But with the help of residents who keep their eyes open for suspicious activity in their neighborhoods, we can respond quickly and, as in this instance, catch a suspect within blocks of where the crime was committed. This is another example of effective police work and only made possible with the help of this individual.”

Residents are urged never to hesitate to call 911 when they see suspicious activity.

Also in Police News, charges were laid in the Gary Mead murder Investigation.

Detectives of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force have formally charged three males in connection to the murder of Gary Mead which occurred on Friday 30th September 2016 at Slots-O-Fun located in the Airport Road.

The males ages 44 Charged with Murder and Robbery, 30 charged with Conspiracy to commit robbery and 24 with Conspiracy to commit Robbery and two counts of keeping firearm and ammunition.

Police are also seeking the publics assistance in locating a shooter, investigators of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force told RTC News that they are seeking the assistance of the public to identify and locate an unknown male who fired multiple shots at police vehicle early Saturday morning.

According to officers, around 3:36 AM that morning, they had just finish shutting down the La Familiar Bar located in Kew Town Providenciales and was driving towards the main road when a male dressed in black clothing standing at a distance fired shots towards the vehicle. Officers did not return fire since there were a number of persons running to seek cover. The unknown male then made good his escape in the nearby bushes. Checks were made for the man, but he was not found.

No one was injured during the shooting. However, several vehicles were hit by bullets.

If you were at La Familiar Bar when this incident occurred or have any information relating to this crime or any other crime the police are urging you to call Crime Stoppers on 1-800-8477 or use the Crime Stoppers online reporting page: www.crimestoppers.tc, Chalk Sound Police Station 3385901. The information you provide will be treated in the strictest of confidence. We remind people they should not report crime information via our Facebook and Twitter page.

by RTC Director