Turks and Caicos Islands Cabinet update and actions
His Excellency the Governor, Peter Beckingham, chaired the Turks and Caicos Cabinet meeting on Wednesday 19 March 2014.
All Ministers were present at this meeting which took place in the House of Assembly Building on Grand Turk and:
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Advised the Governor that the Rehabilitation of Offenders Bill 2014 be introduced to the House of Assembly. The Bill provides for the rehabilitation of offenders who have not been reconvicted of any offence for a period of years;
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Approved revised business license fees and categories which will come into effect on 1 April 2014; applicants will have until June 30, 2014 to pay the difference in rates between old and new fees;
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Considered the Hotel and Restaurant (Taxation) Amendment Bill 2014 and agreed to delay changes to the imposition of the Hotel and Restaurants Tax on restaurants and tourism related services provided by independent service providers until 1 July 2014;
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Approved the appointment of the following members to the Immigration Board for a period of one year commencing 1 April 2014 as follows; Sheba Wilson (Chair), Clayton E Been, Jamal Missick, Justin Missick and Devon Williams. The appointments are made in accordance with the provisions of the Immigration Ordinance;
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Approved the appointment of the following members to the Tourist Board for a period of one year commencing 1 April 2014 as follows: Kingsley Been (Chair), Trevor Musgrove (Deputy Chair), Adrian Williams, Stacy Cox, Delthia Russell, Savitri Daniel, and Takara Bain. The appointments are made in accordance with the provisions of the Tourism Ordinance;
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Approved the appointment of Ms Madeline Potter and the re-appointment of Mr Floyd Seymour to the National Insurance Board as per provisions in the National Insurance Ordinance for a period of three years;
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Noted the recommendations of the Procurement Board on the award of the following contracts: Construction of Coastal Radar Sea Wall Providenciales; Purchase of Vehicle for Office of the Premier; Purchase of Furniture for Office of the Deputy Governor; Artificial Habitat for Caribbean Spiny Lobster; Purchase of Furniture for the office of the Premier; Tender for Primary Restoration M.Y. White Cloud Injury Site, Northwest Point National Park; Purchase of Vehicles for Vector Control. In addition Cabinet commissioned a report on procedures for the award of contracts to be conducted by the Internal Auditor by the end of May;
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Approved a delay in the implementation date for the move from Free On Board (FOB) to Cost, Insurance and Freight (CIF) customs duty until 1 July 2014, and the corresponding Legislative Amendments, which will come into force on the same date;
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Approved, effective July 1 2014 reductions in the rate of customs duty on a range of essential commodities aligned to ongoing Consumer Price Index ‘Basket of Goods’ work;
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Approved that TCIG enter into a long term lease agreement with Mr Franklyn Missick for a two storey building on Church Folly, Grand Turk to accommodate the Integrity Commission and with Mr Antonio Clark for a building on Waterloo Road, Grand Turk to accommodate the Audit Department and the Complaints Commissioner.
Further information on these matters will be provided by Ministers in due course.