TCI News
TCI: Premier’s attendance at CGI Action Network Meeting on Post-Disaster Recovery in the Caribbean
New York, September 26, 2019 – USA – Premier Hon. Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson attended the Clinton Foundation’s Clinton Global Initiative Action Network Panel Discussion on Post-Disaster Recovery in New York.
During the discussion, speakers shared ongoing efforts in the Caribbean to fortify its future in the face of climate change while inspiring new, specific and measurable ways to contribute to the progress being made throughout the Caribbean in terms of climate resilience.
The panellists including Premier Robinson were asked questions on disaster management and post-disaster recovery plans to share information with other Caribbean country representatives on different methodologies, planned initiatives, policies and strategies to mitigate disasters and minimise the overall recovery time after a major natural disaster.
Premier Robinson spoke during the panel discussion on TCI’s Recovery process post Category 5 Hurricane Irma in 2017. She accredited the minimised recovery time to carefully planned preparedness strategies that would be active in a state of emergency like that of a natural disaster, a strong economy and open communication from quick responding utility service providers.
Commenting on how TCI as able to bounce back so quickly after a storm of that magnitude, Premier said, “The Turks and Caicos maintaining insurance protection via its Caribbean Catastrophic Risk Insurance Facility demonstrates the proactive approach we have taken to manage the contingent risks posed by climate change. It proved beneficial after the passage of the storms.
The Turks and Caicos Government’s fiscal policies enabled us to maintain our Standard and Poor’s sovereign rating of BBB+; an economic indicator of the TCI’s strong fiscal position and a reflection of our ability to economically withstand the effects of a large scale natural disaster.
Our economic position further enabled my Government to provide direct assistance to Turks and Caicos Islanders in bearing the financial burden of repairs in the short term by waiving both the customs import duty and customs processing fees on items needed for home repairs and over the long term to potential and existing property owners through a Homeowners Empowerment Policy.”
She added that the TCI Government continues to invest in resilient infrastructure and critical facilities following 2017 and well into the future.
The Premier also took part in a private roundtable with former president of the United States of America and founder of the foundation President Bill Clinton.
The Clinton Foundation’s Clinton Global Initiative Action Network brings together a diverse group of stakeholders to focus efforts on putting people first, including prioritizing a resilient future by helping communities to plan and prepare for future storms and the mounting effects of climate change. The convening of the Action Network follows last June’s meeting in the United States Virgin Islands and calls on members of government, private sector, and non-profits to continue the work started in 2018 in direct response to Hurricanes Maria and Irma.
Action Network members discussed progress made on their first initiatives and with the recent relief and recovery efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian’s impact on the Bahamas. It outlined the continued need to foster economic growth in the Caribbean that is sustainable and climate-shock resistant.
Release: TCIG
TCIG knew from April that fuel factor could surge almost 80%; Minister says $500 cost-of-living payment was part of Government’s response
PROVIDENCIALES — The Turks and Caicos Government knew months before July’s shocking electricity bills that consumers faced a potentially massive increase in the fuel factor.
Minister of Information Technology and Energy E. Jay Saunders revealed Friday that Pelican Energy warned his Ministry in April that generation fuel costs were projected to rise from $3.09 per gallon in May to $4.79 in June and July.
That translated into a projected fuel factor jump from about 17.5 cents to 31 cents per kilowatt-hour — an increase of almost 80%.
Saunders said he personally advised Cabinet of the projected increase and presented options for cushioning the impact.
He characterised Government’s $500 cost-of-living payment as its “initial response” to rising fuel costs, before a separate fuel-factor subsidy was approved.
Cabinet records show Government agreed on June 24 to provide funding to mitigate the fuel-factor impact, with the relief programme approved July 8.
Eligible residential customers — those averaging less than $1,500 monthly over the previous three bills — are capped at 22 cents per kWh from July through October.
Pelican confirmed Friday that Government’s contribution was already applied to July bills, meaning the bills now triggering widespread public outrage would have been even higher without the subsidy.
Saunders did not disclose the programme’s total cost.
His admission that Government knew since April, however, raises another question amid the backlash: why were consumers not directly warned by Government about the scale of the approaching increase?
PROVIDENCIALES — New commercial Crown Land applications are facing a six-month pause as the Turks and Caicos Islands Government takes inventory of its holdings.
During Cabinet meetings held July 15 and 16, an immediate six-month moratorium was approved on the acceptance, processing
and approval of new applications for commercial Crown Land grants, leases and allocations.
The pause will remain in place pending completion of the Crown Land Inventory Review. Cabinet’s summary did not state what prompted the review or indicate whether availability of commercial Crown Land is a concern.
The two-day meeting also advanced major consumer legislation. Cabinet approved the National Fair Competition Policy 2026 and drafting instructions for a Fair Competition Ordinance, moving TCI toward stronger consumer protection and fair competition rules.
In Grand Turk, Cabinet approved rezoning land in the North West Suburbs from low-density to medium-density residential use to facilitate a new apartment development.
Cabinet also advanced fisheries reforms, water legislation allowing private and public-private investment, minerals legislation and appointments across tourism, health and finance.
Progress toward establishing a TCI Credit Union was also noted.
PROVIDENCIALES — Major development projects outside Providenciales received Cabinet attention on July 8, with Government approving agreements connected to the redevelopment of Dellis Cay and a resort development in North Caicos.
Cabinet approved a Development Agreement between the Turks and Caicos Islands Government, Desarrollos Hotelco DC Ltd. and
Desarrollos Hotelco Astoria Ltd. for the redevelopment of Dellis Cay.
The long-discussed private island development sits between Providenciales and North Caicos and its return to Cabinet signals another step toward redevelopment.
Cabinet also approved amendments to an agreement involving SPR LND Ltd. (Royal Reef) and TCIG Development Agreement for a resort/hotel development in North Caicos.
Other decisions included approval of the First Supplementary Appropriation Bill 2026 for onward transmission and the appointment of Cindy Ewing as Chair of the Invest TCI Board, effective August 1 for three years.
Cabinet also noted consultation outcomes concerning changes to business licensing, approved professional membership expenses for qualifying Telecommunications Commission staff and approved advice relating to the Interim Clinical and Estates Services PPP.
The July 8 meeting was chaired by Acting Governor Anya Williams.
Photo Credit: Royal Reef (Keith)
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