Turks and Caicos post Cabinet summary
Acting Governor, Hon. Anya Williams, chaired Cabinet at the House of Assembly Building on Grand Turk on Wednesday, 14 May 2014.
Cabinet was Chaired by Acting Governor Hon Anya Williams
All Ministers were present except Hon. Amanda Missick. At this meeting Cabinet:
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Noted the procurement waivers granted for the period January - March 2014 as per section 21 of the Public Procurement Ordinance 2012. The waivers relate to the urgent procurement of equipment for the Providenciales morgue and emergency rescue works to the coral at Northwest Point, Providenciales;
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Advised the Acting Governor to approve the drafting of amendments to Regulation 10 of the Banking Regulations which were made pursuant to section 38 of the Banking Ordinance. These amendments will change references to ‘the Governor’ to ‘the Commission;’
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Approved in principle that Crown Land be reserved in the Grace Bay Area, Providenciales, and subsequently granted on license to the Tourist Board for relocation of the Fish Fry and the provision of office accommodation for the Tourist Board and the Culture Department subject to completion of Crown Land and Public Financial Management procedures;
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Advised the Governor to approve the drafting of amendments to the National Honours and Awards Ordinance as per the recommendations of the National Honours and Awards Committee. The amendments make provision for the following awards: The Order of National Hero, The Order of Turks and Caicos Islands, Patriotic Award, Meritorious Award, Long Service Medal, and National Young Achievers Medal;
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Confirmed its intention to create a National Revenue Authority (NRA) and directed the Boards of the National Insurance Board (NIB) and the National Health Insurance Board (NHIB) to collaborate with the Ministry of Finance to establish the Authority. The NRA will bring together the collection and compliance functions of the NIB and the NHIB in one Authority;
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Discussed issues associated with NHIB payment arrears and potential solutions available;
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Approved appointments to the Telecommunications board for 2014/15 as follows; Heather Allen-Greene, Chairman, Terrence Robinson, Deputy Chairman, Andre Garneau, Member, Shaveena Been, Member, Herbert Ingham, Member, Pedro Ariza, Member, Permanent Secretary GSS, Ex-Officio Member and Secretaryl Ex-Officio Member;
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Approved appointments to the Water and Sewerage Board for 2014/15 as follows; Permanent Secretary GSS, Chairman, Chief Environmental Health Officer, Ex-Officio Member, Director PWD, Ex-Officio Member, Director of Planning, Ex-Officio Member, Director of Environment and Coastal Resources, Ex-Officio Member, Chief Economist, Ex-Officio Member, Energy and Utilities Commissioner, Secretary, Benjamin Harvey, Member and Lydia Handfield, Member
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Received an information report from the Director of Environment and Marine Affairs on the potential environmental, economic and social impacts associated with commercial scale shrimp farming;
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Approved a revised budget for 2014/15 and agreed that the budget be forwarded to UK Ministers for approval. The revised budget reflects changes to existing and new revenue streams;
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The Attorney General informed Cabinet that the TCI has now reached an agreement in substance on a FATCA style IGA. As such the TCI will be listed on the US State Department website as having reached agreement in substance on a Model 1 IGA yesterday. With respect to TCI financial institutions that have registered on the IRS FATCA registration website as participating or deemed-compliant financial institutions, once the TCI has been listed on the US State Department website as having reached an agreement in substance on a Model 1 IGA, these financial institutions can change their registration to be reporting Model 1 financial institutions or can delete their registration if they no longer have to register because they are covered by Annex II.
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The following Ministers will be absent from the Islands for periods of a week or less in May:
- Hon. Dr. Rufus Ewing, with the Deputy Premier being Acting Premier in his absence;
- Hon. Donhue Gardiner, with the Minister of Health covering his portfolio in his absence;
- Hon . Akierra Missick, with the Premier covering her portfolio in her absence;
- Hon. Porsha Stubbs Smith, with the Minister of Finance covering her portfolio in her absence;
- Hon. Washington Misick, with the Minister for Health covering his portfolio in his absence;
- Hon. George Lightbourne, with the Dep. Premier covering his portfolio in his absence.
Further information on these matters will be provided by Ministers in due course.