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.
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
-
Bahamas News1 week ago$36 Million Dollar Upgrade for World Athletics Relays in Nassau, Bahamas