News
$16 Million Stimulus Announced by PNP Gov’t, coming in August
By Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicos, July 15, 2022 – A new $16 Million Price Inflation Stimulus (PIS) is on the way for Turks and Caicos Islanders. The announcement was made by Premier Washington Misick in a press conference on Thursday.
“Rising prices of fuel, supply chain issues, increasing commodity prices, and rising food costs have negatively impacted the purchasing power of every household. Bills are increasing at such a fast pace that salaries can’t keep up,” he said.
Misick explained that the stimulus package was created in order to combat this and the 9.1per cent inflation rate. The package has three parts. The first is a $1,000 payout for Turks and Caicos Islanders and British Overseas Territory Citizens.
From the bulk stimulus approved for relief amidst soaring oil, food and fuel prices, $12 million dollars have been allocated for cash in the pockets of roughly 12,000 people.
“The stimulus is intended to provide relief for homeowners who require assistance with rent— for homeowners who require assistance with electricity bills— with loan payments and utilities to provide relief for transportation expenses and groceries.”
Misick explained that those who had applied and were approved for the $500 Inflation stimulus, which was issued earlier this year would not have to reapply as their payments would be processed automatically and money would start to be dispersed by next month.
The stimulus in February this year was intended to serve up to 13 thousand people, however, a report informed that of the 13,094 applications, 11,481 were approved.
The individuals who were unsuccessful in the first quarter stimulus can now re-apply, however those who were registered and received the cheques which were being issued up to March, are guaranteed this new financial help funded by the public purse.
Information issued several weeks ago explained, an additional $ 600,000 was allocated to pay the deferred individuals who were approved after the payment period of the early 2022 Inflation stimulus.
Based on the explanation of the qualifiers by Premier Misick, 519 Islanders who were not immediately approved for the stimulus in February will be able to apply for this new one. The premier did not address whether the requirements that blocked younger applicants from the last financial relief, due to a lack of requisite identification would be waived.
The second part of the PIS package engineered to combat the massive thirty-eight percent food increase, is a waiver on customs duties and Customs Processing Fees on nearly two dozen breadbasket items.
This measure is set to begin on August 1st and will apply to breadbasket items on a list to be published by the Ministry of Finance. It is an across the board break; goods brought in by grocers or individuals will all be temporarily duty free and Customs Processing Fee free.
The third part of the stimulus package is a $2 million injection into the works program to provide more jobs.
As an addition, the customs duty exemption for returning residents has been raised by $200 to $600 dollars. This increase applies to items acquired on non-business travel. Completion of the sometimes cumbersome but formerly requisite declaration forms will be waived on the goods below $600.
“We will keep the situation under review.—The stimulus that we will give you in August is just the first supplementary for the financial year. We do have a supplementary appropriations bill that we will bring to the house in September,” said the Premier, hinting at supplemental relief which may come in the future for TCI residents.
Misick maintained that the government had been paying attention to inflation and had the statistics to prove it. However he acknowledged the breakdown in communications that had caused people to feel underrepresented in the financial tsunami over the past few months, explaining that his government is still constructing the Communications Secretariat to improve public relations.
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.
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