Statement by Hon. Douglas Parnell
Leader, People’s Democratic Movement (PDM)
(Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands. July 1, 2026) The People’s Democratic Movement acknowledges the appointments of Ms. Alison Woods as Inspector General and Dr. Terrence Bent as Assistant Commissioner of Police for Training and Development within the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force.
Our concern, however, is not with the qualifications of the appointees. Our concern is with the continued direction of policing leadership in the Turks and Caicos Islands and the persistent failure to adequately develop, promote and advance suitably qualified Turks and Caicos Islanders within the senior ranks of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force.
Only days ago, the Governor advised the People’s Democratic Movement on her position of our request for an independent review of the recent police promotions exercise. We will address this in our next Press conference. The Governor needs to respect the people of this country and her recent decisions says otherwise. Truthfully it is time for her to be recalled to London and depart the Turks and Caicos Islands. Her extension for another two years is unacceptable to the People’s Democratic Movement.
We believe that the Governor has failed in her duty to promote transparency, accountability and public confidence with the apparent bias in the hiring exercise she continues to allow in the Police Force.
Against that backdrop, today’s announcement raises further questions about the strategic direction of policing leadership and succession planning within our country.
The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force is home to dedicated officers who have served this country faithfully for decades. Many have invested in professional development, gained operational experience and demonstrated their commitment to public service. They deserve to know that there is a fair, transparent and attainable pathway to the highest levels of leadership within the organisation.
The people of these Islands also deserve confidence that succession planning is being implemented in a manner that builds local capacity while ensuring excellence in policing.
A modern police service cannot simply recruit leadership from abroad without demonstrating a sustained commitment to preparing and advancing qualified Turks and Caicos Islanders into executive positions. Leadership development must not become an aspiration. It must become a measurable priority. We believe that the Commissioner of Police is using his success of reducing violent crimes and murder as an opportunity to build a force personal to his own history and experience and if this the case it is not just.
The PDM remains concerned that opportunities for capable local officers continue to appear limited while senior appointments are increasingly filled by friends and associates of the Commissioner. This perception, whether intended or not, undermines morale within the Force and weakens public confidence that local talent is NOT being fully recognised and developed.
We call upon the Governor, the Commissioner of Police and the Government to provide the public with a clear succession strategy that outlines:
• How Turks and Caicos Islanders are being identified, trained and prepared for executive leadership.
• The measurable targets for increasing local representation within the senior command structure.
• The professional development programmes available to officers seeking advancement.
• The criteria by which executive appointments are assessed and the role local capacity building plays in those decisions.
This conversation is larger than any single appointment. It is about the future of policing in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
The PDM supports professional excellence, accountability and strong governance within the Police Force. We also support a policing model that actively develops its own people and reflects the community it serves.
The people of the Turks and Caicos Islands are entitled to expect both.
We therefore renew our call for greater transparency, meaningful investment in the development of Turks and Caicos Islanders within the Force, and a genuine commitment to building a police service whose leadership increasingly reflects the nation it is sworn to protect.
