TURKS AND CAICOS POST CABINET MEETING STATEMENT
His Excellency the Governor, Dr John Freeman, chaired the 29th meeting of Cabinet on 23 November 2016 in Grand Turk.
All Ministers were present.
At this meeting Cabinet:
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Advised His Excellency the Governor to approve the issuance of a revised offer letter to Caonabo Resort and Spa Limited for a lease over 22 acres of Crown Land from Block 10503 situated at South Suburbs, Grand Turk, in accordance with the Crown Land Ordinance, for the establishment of a proposed hotel resort and spa development project, subject to the execution of a development agreement between the developer and TCIG; Cabinet also agreed to invite the Developer to agree that 5.5 acres of that Crown Land should be excluded from the lease for other purposes;
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Advised His Excellency the Governor to approve the grant of a lease over Crown Land Parcel 61112/281 in accordance with the Crown Land Ordinance to Jill Swann for the establishment of a beach park facility for kiteboarding and windsurfing activity on Long Bay Beach; and to approve the grant of a non-exclusive licence to Jill Swann over the beach access land located between Parcels 61112/49 and 61112/6 and 9 to undertake beautification of the beach access and the installation of rubbish bins, CCTV security cameras and picnic structures which would facilitate better public access and enjoyment free of charge in accordance with the Physical Planning Ordinance;
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Advised His Excellency the Governor to approve an amendment to the NHI Contribution Regulations to increase the current threshold from $2,000 to $2,050 for persons in receipt of a TCIG pension in accordance with the Pensions Ordinance;
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Received a paper from the interim CEO of the National Health Insurance Board (NHIB) setting out for the first time the current resource challenges faced by the NHIB and requesting additional emergency funding of $6.1 million to meet an unforeseen budget shortfall. In approving a transfer from contingency funds of $2 million to the NHIB to meet immediate needs, Cabinet expressed grave concern about the failure of NHIB management to bring to the attention of Cabinet in a timely fashion the parlous state of its financial situation and advised His Excellency the Governor to agree that, among other measures, a comprehensive review of the management and corporate governance of the NHIB should be carried out by the end of January 2017;
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Reviewed a report on the financial performance of the TCIG Statutory Bodies for the period July-September 2016 and advised His Excellency the Governor to approve the publication of the report in accordance with Regulation 147 of the Public Finance Management Regulations 2012;
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Reviewed a report on the second quarter financial performance of the TCIG for the period July-September 2016 and advised His Excellency the Governor to approve the publication of the report in accordance with Section 36 of the Public Finance Management Ordinance 2012;
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Advised His Excellency the Governor to approve the grant of a concession order to the company, Paradise Platinum Production, to set up a TCI-based recording studio on Providenciales with mobile facilities for use by local and overseas musicians in accordance with the MSME Development Ordinance 2015;
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Advised His Excellency the Governor to approve the signing by the Ministry of Finance of a Letter of Understanding between TCIG and the Caribbean Regional Technical Assistance Centre (CARTAC) to execute TCIG’s annual contribution of $100,000 per annum to CARTAC for the period 2017-2022;
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Advised His Excellency the Governor to approve a draft development agreement between TCIG and TCI Toscana GP Ltd/Vista Development Ltd relating to the construction of a hotel and condominium complex with a retail area in Grace Bay, Providenciales, including a lease of accreted land on a portion of land lying seaward of Parcel 60812/37;
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Advised His Excellency the Governor to approve TCIG entering into a lease agreement to rent office space at Butterfield Square, Providenciales, for the purpose of managing the Blood Bank;
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Advised His Excellency the Governor to approve the following appointments to the Electricity Board for Licensing Electrical Practitioners - Mr Eldon Franklyn Talbot as Chairman following the resignation of Mr Oswaldo Ariza; and Mr Mervin Simmons as Member to fill the position vacated by Mr Talbot; both appointments for the residue of the term previously approved for each office;
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Noted the recommendations of the Public Procurement Board to award contracts in line with the Public Procurement Ordinance 2012 as follows – TR16/08 Furniture and equipment for the Ministry of Health, Agriculture and Human Services; TR 16/18 Furniture and equipment for the Ministry of Finance, Investment and Trade; TR16/21 Police boats for the Marine Division;
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Noted the recommendation of the Public Procurement Board to reissue the tender for TR 16/14 Road Development Phase II – Glass Shack Road Phase II (Construction);
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Advised His Excellency the Governor to accept the resignations of Mr Arthur Lightbourne and Mrs Sheba Wilson as Chairs of the Zone One and Two Work Permit Boards respectively, and Mr Paul Beresford as a member of the Appeals Tribunal. Cabinet further advised His Excellency the Governor to approve the following appointments:
Mr William Cole Fulford as Chair of the Zone One Work Permit Board; Mr Wayne Williams as Grand Turk Member of the Zone One Work Permit Board; Ms Leandra Garland as Secretary of the Zone One Work Permit Board; Mr Paul Beresford as Chair of the Zone Two Work Permit Board; Mr Stanley Bassett as Member of the Immigration Appeals Tribunal;
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Advised His Excellency the Governor to approve a contingency warrant to release money from the Contingency Fund to facilitate unforeseen expenditure related to the ceremonial state opening of the first sitting of House of Assembly, a consultancy for the salvage of MV Mega One Triton on Governor’s Beach, and additional funding for the Elections Office;
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Discussed issues of policing in tourist areas, including on Grand Turk, which would be raised with the Commissioner of Police;
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Received a briefing by the Premier on a proposed demonstration of drone technology in TCI by a private drone operating company;
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Agreed that the next and last meeting of Cabinet before the election would be held on Wednesday, 7 December.
Further information on these matters will be provided by Ministers in due course.