PDM calls for better Stimulus Plan

By Dana Malcolm

Staff Writer

#TurksandCaicos, August 5, 2022 – Alvin Garland,  TCI Opposition Appointed Member of Parliament for the People’s Democratic Movement, PDM says there are better ways to go about providing relief than the current government stimulus program.

Garland offered that there was no continuing plan to bring relief and explained that lowering the cost of energy which he described as an inflation driver was a better way to approach the issue than a stimulus.

“The first option would have been for the government to waive the fees on fuel for FortisTCI for a period of three months initially,” he said.

He believes this would have caused a direct reduction in the cost of energy resulting in a reduction in the cost of living.  Additionally Garland explained the government should put laws in place to ensure that islanders have access to the main economic drivers of the country including construction.

“This has not been done and as a result our brothers are not benefiting from this boom that the Turks and Caicos Islands has been experiencing.”

The PDM member added, during the session on Tuesday July 26, that the money could have been injected into the MSME fund to provide more money for local businesses increasing their purchasing power.

He maintained these alternatives would have made a much greater impact in the lives of Turks and Caicos Islanders.

“While I support the government spending public funds to help TCI Islanders in time of hardship I believe the $16 million could have been better utilized.”

In this vein, Garland maintained that the government should have created stricter qualifying guidelines to make sure that the individuals getting the money were the ones who need it most.

He said the Stimulus was one thing but it had not begun to address the other major issues in employment and other sectors and while he supported the bill,

“It was nowhere close to the beginning of what needs to be done to truly empower Turks and Caicos islanders.”

The newest stimulus plan by the Progressive National Party administration was passed in parliament on July 28.