Her Excellency the Acting Governor, Anya Williams, and the Hon. Premier Charles Washington Misick, co-chaired an extraordinary meeting of the Turks and Caicos Islands National Security Council (NSC) on Tuesday 23 May 2023 at the Premier’s Office, Providenciales.
Also in attendance, were the Hon. Deputy Premier, the Hon. Attorney General, the Hon. Musgrove Minister for Immigration and Border Services, the Hon. Minister Taylor for Education, the Acting Commissioner of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force (RTCIPF) Rodney Adams, the Acting Deputy Commissioner of the RTCIPF Kendall Grant, the Permanent Secretary of Immigration and Border Services Althea Been, the Deputy Permanent Secretary National Security Secretariat (NSS) Virginia Clerveaux, the Director-General of Border Force Emilio Seymour, the NSS Threats Lead Swarzette John and RTCIPF Inspector William Lightbourne.
Apologies were received from the Commissioner of the RTCIPF and the Permanent Secretary NSS.
Members:
- Approved Operation Pursuit, a TCI Government multi-agency initiative to enforce various laws to deter persons from entering TCI illegally and preserve the national security of the islands.
- Operation Pursuit will locate, identify and process persons undertaking employment in the TCI without the necessary permits or authorization;
- Identify and prosecute employers who may be employing workers illegally;
- Identify buildings and structures that do not have the necessary planning permissions and take requisite action to address informal settlements;
- Identify and prosecute persons operating illegally in TCI maritime waters;
- Prevent illicit contraband entering TCI and locate, identify, and prosecute persons involved in transnational and organized crime.
- Signed a Memorandum of Understanding with 17 government agencies to create the Joint Law Enforcement Taskforce (JLET)
Follow-up questions are welcomed and should be directed to nationalsecurity@gov.tc
