News
Scathing one year review by PNP Women, House Opposition Members grade the PDM
#TurksandCaicos, December 28, 2017 – Providenciales – The overarching theme when the Progressive National Opposition party met with media in their one year review of the PDM Administration was that there was no change, little to nothing done in the first 12 months of office, that they were a disappointment to voters and that now, the grace period is over so the public should expect a more vocal and active PNP. Former Education, Youth and Sports Minister, Akierra Missick gave a scathing observation about a lack of policy, transparency, funding and care for the youngest citizens and residents.
“Twelve months in office, several sessions of Parliament, no development of a Sport Commission, which they criticized our administration on not being able to deliver during our term. For they would say, Rome was not built in a day. Well this is such a low hanging truth, that if it was a priority, if sport was a priority of this government, this should have been the first thing that was done, but instead, they had a little dispute in Cabinet and they fired a minister. Did this set the ministry back, I think the ministry was further set back by the changing of the technical support officers, including the Permanent Secretary and Deputy Secretary in the Ministry, thus creating a vacuum of knowledge, knowledge that may not have been transferred in a timely manner. We have the most precious resource in this country, that is our children. They cannot wallow in delay after delay and delay in their development.”
The Leeward Member asked her constituents for understanding as she is now pledged to champion the children in her new approach to dealing with the PDM as Government.
“We will get our park done without the government, because they have decided that by spiting me, they are actually going to spite the children of Leeward and Long Bay. And the residents of Long Bay that still do not have access to city water, no fault of my own, budgeted, was told by the minister, it wasn’t his government’s priority. I bet you they will come to you just before the election, saying that they will promise you water. But not to fear, I will keep it to the forefront of their mind, even if it is not a priority of theirs, it is a priority of mine.”
Porsha Smith graded the PDM on the one year anniversary of winning office at the polls; she said The Bight is the only thing that’s right as member from that district and former Tourism and Culture Minister Porsha Smith. Smith took to grading on a letter scale how good and bad the PDM performed in their first semester in office.
“F, F, F, marketing to foreign countries and sending pictures back home to persons who actually are not interested in patronizing us and prefer to go to another country not to far from us, for less money, because they can’t handle the superiorness of this destination. I need the money, that’s an F, put the money where it will be used. Trust the marketing professionals that you have employed.
Smith was livid by so called cutbacks in marketing, reportedly excessive travelling by the Premier and death to plans which had taken shape under the former PNP Government.
“Put it in The Bight where you have your number one hotels, your luxury brand hotels who are winning several awards, where people can walk to it, where the residents of Turks and Caicos can also be a part of highlighting and displaying your culture and heritage here in the Turks and Caicos. People don’t just come to a country just for a beach, they want to be able to have the exposure and the experience of your country. And you are going to not cut the ground for a world class Amphitheater, oh, The Bight still right, you need to bring that. I give y’all an F for not shoveling.”
#MagneticMediaNews
#OppositiongradesPDM
Caribbean News
Agriculture Ministry Providing Two Water Trucks to Serve St. Elizabeth and St. Catherine
#Kingston, Jamaica, April 24, 2024 – The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining is to unveil two more water trucks this week, which will be used to service communities in St. Elizabeth and St. Catherine.
Portfolio Minister, Hon. Floyd Green, made the disclosure during Wednesday’s (April 24) post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House.
He also informed that of the $90 million earmarked to support farmers being impacted by the current drought, the Ministry will be
providing additional support for storage and drip-irrigation systems.
“So, we have targeted about 600 water tanks and about 400 12-millimetre drip irrigation hoses, and that distribution has already started. Additionally, we have earmarked about $8 million to really help with our livestock farmers,” Mr. Green said.
“We know the difficulty that you’re facing now in this time; [it’s] very hard to get the right nutritional support for your animals. As such, we will be providing some hay, and we will [also] provide some trucking of water to you. Again, our livestock farmers, if you are in need, please contact the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) and let us see how we can help in these times,” he further stated.
Mr. Green also encouraged farmers to download the RADA App, so that the Agency can “help guide you, not only in relation to what is happening on the rainfall side, but also in relation to your integrated pest management”.
“We do see some increases of certain types of pests during this time, and it’s important that our farmers are paying attention to that. It’s also important that you’re taking drought management seriously [by undertaking] soil mulching, looking at planting drought-tolerant crops, timely harvesting, implementing land husbandry treatments and contour ditches,” he stated.
Contact: Latonya Linton
Release: JIS
Photo Caption: Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green, speaking during Wednesday’s (April 24) post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House.
Donald De La Haye Photo
Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicos, April 19, 2024 – In an attempt to move to 24-hour-a-day operations Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority (TCIAA) is steadily recruiting Air Traffic Controllers to work at the Providenciales/Howard Hamilton International Airport, according to Godfrey Smith, TCIAA CEO, reporting to the Appropriations Committee.
Speaking on April 8th Smith said a cabinet paper would be sent soon requesting six more Air Traffic Controllers to make round the clock operation at the Provo International possible and to open the airport in Grand Turk till 12 a.m.
Currently, 17 posts are filled and seven are vacant.
Smith was candid with his responses to recent industrial action from ATCs which led to resignations and firings.
“What we have to do is find systems to mitigate such actions and that has to start with filling these jobs, putting people in that want to
work and doing right by people – and we always try to do right by our staff. Persons may not think that we are but we always do – we ain’t pick no fight,” he said in the meetings held at the NJS Francis building ahead of the National Budget Communication.
Smith indicated that recruitment was an issue across the board, ‘we need to find ways to recruit a little bit better’ he told the committee. Also in need of a push was capital spending or projects according to the CEO, who said the agency had ‘not been very good’ at meeting that mark but insisted they had recognized the issue and could do better.
A very important key performance indicator drawn up by the TCIAA is increasing passenger satisfaction at the Howard Hamilton International Airport. For the TCIAA part of this means a 30 percent increase in seating by Q2 of this year.
When queried on if they could even handle this increase the CEO said,
“The fact of the matter is we already have the capacity there. What we need is to make the service a bit better.”
Staff shortages have become such a frustrating issue that the TCIAA is instituting a scholarship program created by Authority Chairman, Selvyn Hawkins
“What the board wants to do is basically allocate $25,000 annually for a scholarship and they’ve approved it already.”
This process would cover tuition and all other costs for one student.
The student would return as a summer intern and other breaks to work at the TCIAA and upon graduation, assume a role at the company.
“We identify a particular skill we need, we go after it and we build capacity that is in a nutshell the nexus of the program,” Smith said.
The Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority (TCIAA) is allocated $49 million this financial year; over $20 million goes to salaries.
-
News7 days agoDR man rented Jet Ski nine days ago in Providenciales; where is he now?
-
Health1 week agoDengue cases rising in Region
-
TCI News3 days agoExperience Turks and Caicos and Ministry of Tourism explore development of Cruise industry at Seatrade Global Cruise Conference
-
Caribbean News6 days agoCARICOM pushes need for Reparations Tribunal at Forum in Geneva
-
Education6 days agoCampus Brawl at Clement Howell High sends students to Hospital
-
Caribbean News1 week agoCARICOM, UN applauds published decree establishing Haiti’s Transitional Government
-
Caribbean News6 days agoCARICOM sends warning as Oil prices creep higher in the Israel v Iran conflict; 14 regional states import energy
-
News7 days agoAshley’s Learning Center Wraps Up Successful 7th Annual Autism Awareness Concert: “The Future is Bright”