News

TCI POST CABINET STATEMENT

Published

7 years ago

November 16, 2017

#TurksandCaicos, November 16, 2017 – Providenciales – His Excellency the Governor, Dr John Freeman, chaired the meeting of the Cabinet on Wednesday, 15 November 2017, at the Hon. Hilly Ewing Building on Providenciales.

All Ministers were present.

At this meeting Cabinet:

Advised His Excellency the Governor to approve the draft Companies (Amendment) Bill 2017 for forwarding to the House of Assembly for approval;

Noted and approved for publication the list of public holidays in TCI for 2018;

Received a briefing by Mr Richard Carpenter, a specialist drafter, on the provisions of a draft Insolvency Bill for TCI and advised His Excellency the Governor to approve the draft Insolvency Bill 2017 for forwarding to the House of Assembly for approval;

Received from the Hon. Premier, as Minister of Finance, an up-dated revenue and expenditure budget forecast for the remainder of the fiscal year following Hurricanes Irma and Maria and discussed savings offered up by departments and proposals drawn up by the Ministry of Finance to address current and projected revenue shortfalls following consultation with Ministers and departments. Cabinet approved a withdrawal warrant to be issued immediately to reclaim savings offered up by departments;

Advised His Excellency the Governor to approve the draft TCI National Refurbishment Policy for existing tourism-related properties in TCI;

Advised His Excellency the Governor to approve the National Insurance (Amendment) Ordinance 2017; the National Insurance (Contributions) (Amendment) Regulations 2017 and the National Insurance (Benefit) (Amendment) Regulations 2017 for forwarding to the House of Assembly for approval;

Approved the waiver of import customs duty on a consignment of imported marine items by the charitable organisation, The Reef Fund, to repair damage to environmental installations in TCI following the recent hurricanes;

Advised His Excellency the Governor to waive storage fees in accordance with Regulation 4 of the Customs (Government Transit Shed and Queens Warehouse Rent) (Amendment) Regulations 2016 for a consignment of building materials and relief items imported by Mr Derek Rolle on 3 September 2017;

Approved the waiver of import customs duty on furniture and appliances imported by applicants before the entry into force of an Order approved by Cabinet on 1 November 2017 allowing such appliances to be imported to replace items damaged by the hurricanes without paying import customs duty;

Approved amendments to the 2016 Immigration Regulations to permit the replacement of paper cards as identification and proof of status for work permits and other immigration documents with wallet size plastic cards. Cabinet further approved the implementation of regulations to guide the process for Business Visitors’ Permits as provided under the 2015 Immigration Ordinance with effect from 1 December 2017;

Received a paper from the Hon. Minister of Education, Youth, Sports and Library Services on Local Scholarship Awards 2017/18 and noted the recommendations of the Scholarship Committee on the allocation of awards. Cabinet agreed that the remaining balance of the scholarships budget should be used to award additional international scholarships;

Advised His Excellency the Governor to approve the draft Maintenance Policy for TCI Government owned properties;

Noted the report and recommendations of a consultancy study to improve the regulation of water and sewage processing in TCI;

Approved the relocation of the Providenciales Fire Station to a new site on Block and Parcel 60602/414 on the old airport road, Providenciales;

Reviewed the recruitment of the CEO of the National Health Insurance Board (NHIB) and agreed that the position should be re-advertised. Cabinet further called for the recruitment of a CFO of the NHIB to be concluded as a matter of priority;

Advised His Excellency the Governor to approve the draft Rehabilitation of Offenders (Amendment) Bill 2017 for forwarding to the House of Assembly for approval;

Noted the 2017 Valuation Report of the Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP) which has been submitted to the House of Assembly and called for data anomalies to be resolved before the next actuarial review;

Advised His Excellency the Governor to approve conditionally Planning Application PR 12869 by Mr Crayton Dale Higgs for outline development permission and change of zoning from Low Density Residential to Tourism Related Development over Parcel 60713/351 on Providenciales in accordance with the Physical Planning Ordinance 2014 for the development of a hotel and condominium complex;

Approved a proposal by the Hon. Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Planning to allow the Physical Planning Board, the Department of Planning and the Department of Environment and Coastal resources to suspend until 31 December 2017 the requirement for a full Environmental Impact Assessment to be carried out when considering applications for beach re-nourishment and repair of coastal infrastructure that were damaged by the recent hurricanes;

Approved a proposal by the Hon. Minister of Tourism, Environment Heritage, Culture and Gaming to suspend the requirement for a full Environmental Impact Assessment to be carried out to allow for the immediate repair of coastal infrastructure that was damaged by the recent hurricanes in readiness for the start of the main tourist season;

Received an up-date from the Hon. Premier, as Minister of Finance, on recovery projects carried out in conjunction with Carnival Corporation following Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Cabinet agreed to fund a number of island clean-up projects on the island of Grand Turk through the Carnival Infrastructure Fund;

Reviewed vacant positions across government and approved priority recruitments identified by ministries which would determine the recruitment programme for the remainder of the financial year.

Further information on these matters will be provided by Ministers in due course.

Press Release: TCIG

News

InvestTCI facilitates the Development Agreement Between TCIG and Molo Hotel Group

Published

4 days ago

May 14, 2024

Deandrea Hamilton

Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – May 14th, 2024 – The Turks and Caicos Islands Government and Molo Hotel Group reached a pivotal juncture on Monday, May 13th, 2024, with the ceremonial signing of a development agreement at the Premier’s Office on Providenciales. The agreement, which received official Cabinet approval on March 13th, 2024, signifies a steadfast commitment to advancing the economic landscape of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Molo Hotel Group is a family-owned business, renowned for its distinguished portfolio of high-quality hotels worldwide. The development initiative encompasses the construction of three distinct IHG branded hotels: InterContinental Turks and Caicos, Kimpton Turks and Caicos and Hotel Indigo Turks and Caicos. Scheduled for completion by 2027, each resort boasts a distinctive design from luxury to laidback sophistication spanning across the shores of Grace Bay Beach.

Kimpton Turks and Caicos – an epitome of luxury lifestyle living, will feature 192 guest rooms including three outdoor pools, a luxury spa and a fitness center. Additionally, seven dining options ranging from a beachfront restaurant to a rooftop bar.

Adjacent to the Kimpton, InterContinental Turks and Caicos will offer 59 classic luxury suites with panoramic ocean views. Mirroring its counterpart, this resort will offer an array of dining options and upscale facilities.

Steps away from the Intercontinental and Kimpton resorts, Hotel Indigo Turks and Caicos will embrace a sense of community and contemporary elegance, offering 56 bedrooms. The resort will feature an onsite restaurant, lobby bar, outdoor pool, and fitness room.

Beyond the realm of hospitality, this development agreement underscores the government’s commitment to fostering economic growth and enhancing employment opportunities in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Molo is partnering with the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College (TCICC) to actively promote hospitality as a career choice and support in developing training programs, career fairs, seminars, workshops, and events to raise awareness about hospitality careers. Molo has committed to provide employment and apprentice opportunities to TCICC students and provide mentoring and practical on property training to students.

The signing event was graced by Hon. Charles Washington Missick, Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands, Hon. Jamell Robinson, Deputy Premier, Hon. Kyle Knowles, Minister of Public Safety and Utilities, Hon. Rachel Taylor, Minister of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture, Łukasz and Marcin Slominski, Owners of Molo, Ross Morrow, Managing Director Molo, Arik Kono, Vice President Upscale Development for IHG, Dr. Candice Williams, President and CEO of the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College, Angela Musgrove, InvestTCI CEO, Dr. Barbara Ambrister, Chairperson of the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College, Dr. Delores Stapleton- Harris, Vice President of Academic, Vocational and Student Affairs for the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College, Mr. Kevin Baxter, Dean of Technical Vocational Education Training (TVET) and Sheryl McLaughlin, InvestTCI Investment Services Executive.

Commenting on the development agreement, Premier, Hon. Misick, stated “The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing of IHG/Molo Hotels is a significant step towards a sustainable future for hospitality in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Three hotels, Kimpton, Intercontinental, and Hotel Indigo, will be introduced, enhancing our tourism product and creating employment opportunities.”

He further added, “Partnerships with the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College and Turks and Caicos Islands Sports Commission are underway, demonstrating the Government’s commitment to developing human capital and elevating tourism offerings. This project will bring economic growth, embrace local talent, and enrich our economy.”

Additionally, Mrs. Angela Musgrove, CEO of Invest Turks and Caicos Islands, emphasized “This collaboration confirms our commitment to fostering economic growth and prosperity within our country. We have worked closely with Molo Hotel Group, and we are confident that this transformative project will further position the Turks and Caicos Islands as a premier destination for travel and investment. Much to our delight, it will also provide opportunities for engagement with our Community College and small business community.”

The Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands, operating through its primary Investment Promotion

Agency, Invest Turks and Caicos Islands, remains committed to attracting and facilitating Foreign Direct Investments to the country by providing a comprehensive suite of services. Through strategic initiatives and targeted promotion, the agency catalyzes sustainable development, driving innovation and small business opportunities across various sectors of the economy.

Crime

Male Charged with Robbery

Published

5 days ago

May 13, 2024

Deandrea Hamilton

#TurksandCaicos, May 13, 2024 – Detectives of the Serious Crime Unit of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force have charged a man who allegedly stole a vehicle.

The accused, DANVANTE BRISCO, 30, of Kew Town, Providenciales, was charged with:

One Count: Robbery
One Count: Taking Motor Vehicle Without Authority
One Count: Using Offensive Weapon to cause fear

Mr. BRISCO appeared in court today (May 13 ) and was granted bail of $7500.00 with one surety.

The matter was adjourned to July 05 for a Sufficiency Hearing.

Crime

Dock Yard Male Charged

Published

5 days ago

May 13, 2024

Deandrea Hamilton

#TurksandCaicos, May 13, 2024 – A 20-year-old Dock Yard male appeared in court today (May 13th) charged with a series of firearm-related offences.

The accused, JAMES SIMON, was denied bail and remanded into custody pending a Sufficiency Hearing scheduled for July 05^th, 2024.

Mr. SIMON faces the following charges: 

One Count: Robbery;
One Count: Gang Membership
One Count: Possession of a Firearm for the Benefit of a Gang
One Count: Possession of Ammunition for the Benefit of a Gang.

The charges against Mr. Simon followed investigations by officers of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force into a robbery at the parking lot of a Casino where three males robbed a victim.

Additionally, Mr. Simon is charged with the following offences, having been arrested on May 02^nd, 2024, along South Dock Road.