News
Special Distribution of Inflation Stimulus to Deferred Applicants says Minister
Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicos, March 31, 2022 – Deferred Applicants should not despair over the free cash Government has agreed to distribute in its Inflation Stimulus Package. A special process is devised, said the Minister of Finance, to ensure younger applicants who were unable to provide requisite documents, like utility bills, will still be able to qualify.
“I would like to point out that deferred is not the same as declined.” He continued, “You will have a process that we will use in order to help many of those applicants to receive a similar stimulus so I want those persons to know we have not forgotten them.”
Of the 13,094 applicants, 88 per cent or 11,481 were approved; 222 or 2 per cent were duplicate applications and 67 per cent were declined.
The remaining 1,324 or 10 per cent were applicants deferred.
Speaking directly to Magnetic Media, Deputy Premier Saunders said the stimulus would not be extended but the process to deal with the deferred applicants included the students who did not have the required documentation and would commence after the last cheques had been issued.
Saunders denied that the government had not properly thought out the process indicating many applicants were not in possession of important government identifications.
“I want to encourage them to rethink their position as persons having the right documentation (which) makes it easier for the government to identify and verify them and most importantly provide support for them in time of need,” said the minister.
In addition to Deferred Applicants, E. Jay Saunders expressed optimism about the lines at the Public Treasury diminishing significantly as we exit the month of March. Unfortunately several residents reached out to Magnetic Media to report that after waiting hours in line they were rebuffed by Treasury staff who told to come back another day despite having been in the line long prior to closing time.
Despite the unresolved complaints Saunders promised that the government would not give out a mass payment this way again, saying that he was already addressing the issue as a priority and the long lines at the Treasury would not be seen for much longer.
March is one of the busiest months for the Public Treasury; as it is the TCI Government’s transition period and deadline for many payments. The TCIGs new fiscal year begins April 1.
Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicos, March 17, 2023 – Revenue from the Turks and Caicos’ Financial Services Sector will more than double in the next few years, if E Jay Saunders, Deputy Premier and Finance Minister gets his way. It ‘s one of the reasons the country is investing so much capital into getting off of the EU blacklist and becoming a secure trustworthy financial destination.
“The FSC’s revenues for 2020/21 was $10.5M— the figures for 2021/22, would be about similar,” he said. He further explained that $10.5 million from the FSC represented about 2.6 percent of the country’s 408.5-million-dollar
revenue. Though it increased to $14 million in the 2021/22 financial year, finance is still a small fry compared to tourism or even stamp duties but that will change, says Saunders.
“My revenue goal for the Government by the year 2029 [or] the election after the next election – is $500M. By that time, I want the financial sector (FSC) revenues to represent at least 5% ($25M). So that’s my goal for the financial sector by 2029.”
This goal, should it be met, would increase the Government’s revenue by 100 million dollars, a significant increase in spending power for local upgrades and improvements for Turks and Caicos residents and visitors.
Saunders says it’s time for the TCI to diversify its sources of revenue to make sure that what happened in the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw residents out of a job for months, will not happen again. Tourism now makes up around 80 percent of the country’s GDP. The Minister of Finance wants to push that down to 60 or even 50 percent.
Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#Haiti, March 17, 2023 – When a CARICOM delegation visited Haiti earlier this month, conspicuously absent was the Turks and Caicos Islands despite being one of the nations most directly affected by the multi-dimensional crisis there. There is no comment, as yet from the Premier, to say why this was the case.
Still, from the expedition, CARICOM heads of Government have informed that there will be lobbying in Africa for assistance in Haiti. They say they have decided that the best course of action for the Caribbean country is to bolster the Haitian National Police and act as intermediaries with Africa and the world. The decision follows a one day visit on February 27th, and a March 5th meeting chaired by the Bahamas.
CARICOM says during the trip delegates ‘met with a broad range of Haitian stakeholders to hear their views on the
way forward to a Haitian-led solution’. With that in mind it has made a decision on how to proceed.
“The Heads of Government agreed to support the Haitian National Police in their efforts to address the security situation. The focus of the Community will be the provision of training for the HNP and the provision of humanitarian assistance to HNP and the wider Haitian society, taking into account the challenging humanitarian and security situation”
It’s not clear yet where and how this training will take place. Also distinctly absent from the report, no more mention of boots on the ground from other countries despite CARICOM Member States indicating they were ready and willing should it come to that.
In addition, recognizing ‘the common historical experiences and the strong African-Caribbean relationship’ CARICOM says,
“Heads of Government also agreed to seek support from African countries for Haiti. They also agreed to work with the Governments of Canada and the United States as well as the UNDP”
Magnetic Media has reached out to the Premier’s Office to get a full debrief of the February 27th visit (led by Jamaica; including The Bahamas and Trinidad and Tobago) to learn of Turks and Caicos’ posture following the critical sessions.
Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicos, March 17, 2023 – Musicians from the New World Symphony will be in the Turks and Caicos in concert next month and residents are invited to attend in support of the future of Ashley’s Learning Center. 
A fairly young orchestral academy based in Miami, the New World Symphony was launched in the 1980s by 1987, Michael Tilson Thomas and Ted Arison,Carnival Cruises founder. From the 1500 applicants who vie for a spot each year, the symphony accepts around 35 music graduates annually for training fellowships.
A select few of those graduates will be in country on April 8th headlining at the Ashley’s Learning Center concert ‘We’re all in this together’. The concert which also feature local artistes will be held at Brayton Hall on Venetian Road from 6 pm to 8:30 pm
Tickets are available ON ISLEHELP $75 PER GENERAL SEAT $125 PER PREMIUM SEAT $195 PER GALLERY SEAT – with /FREFRESHMENTS.
For TICKET RESERVATIONs you can call: 649-341-2304 or email EVENTS@ASHLEYSLEARNINGCENTER.ORG
-
Caribbean News1 week agoJAMAICA: 1.3 Million Covid-19 Vaccine Doses Administered in Region
-
Bahamas News6 days agoMinister Glover-Rolle Delivers CARICOM Statement at UN’s Commission on the Status of Women
-
Caribbean News6 days agoTurks & Caicos inspires and debuts Drake Fashion Line, NOCTA
-
Government7 days agoRight on Cue, Provo Dump burning again as CDB Consultants prepare for Community Meeting
-
Caribbean News4 days agoDebrief on Haiti Caribbean heads visit
-
Caribbean News6 days agoJAMAICA: Persons Encouraged to Purchase Coffee Festival Tickets Early
-
Caribbean News6 days agoUK Imposed Procurement Process Slowed TCI getting off EU Blacklist
-
Government1 week agoStaff of the Vector Control Unit attend the 89th American Mosquito Control Association (AMCA) Annual Conference