News
Governor says NO ONE is above the law and convenes tribunals for two high ranking Civil Servants
By Deandrea Hamilton
Editor
#TurksandCaicos, September 29, 2022 – Every biennial anniversary of the Integrity Commission is the due date for specified public officials to file their financial declaration with the Turks and Caicos Islands Integrity Commission.
It is the law and it is what everyone in this category of public sector worker contractually agrees to upon being hired in the civil service.
On Thursday, information surfaced and was later confirmed that two prominent members of TCIG were placed on suspension as a result of potentially failing to comply with Section 39 (1) of the Integrity Commission Ordinance.
Anthony Swann of the Immigration Department and Edwin Taylor, the Labour Commissioner were confirmed as suspended by Anya Williams, Deputy Governor and head of the civil service in TCIG.
“…their suspension relates to a potential breach regarding their obligation to file with the Integrity Commission,” said the DG in response to questions by Magnetic Media.
Rumors had claimed as many as six individuals were a part of a corruption ring, which led to the suspensions. However that would later be said to be untrue. Comments from both the Deputy Governor and Governor affirm a
different version of events.
“With regard to your question about the DG’s involvement in the suspension of Mr. Swann and Mr. Taylor, the DG is Head of the Public Service so is of course involved in any decisions involved in members of staff who serve in the Public Service. But the integrity Commission reports to me, and so it is myself who – without prejudice – has asked for Tribunals to be convened to weigh the issues.
Should it need to be made clear, there is no member of the Public Service or Police Force who – if a case is developed by the Integrity Commission – is safe from escaping due process,” said Nigel Dakin, Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
His Excellency added, “I can confirm that no other member of the public service has been – in recent days – placed on administrative leave although the DG reserves the right to move staff to different duties should that be in the interests of the public service,” but he did say, “For completeness, several months ago, we placed on Administrative Leave, to progress through an internal-disciplinary process, ten members of the Immigration Ministry again following investigations by the Integrity Commission.”
The section in question requires: “Every person who is a specified person in public life, not being a member or staff member of the Commission, shall— (a) on or before 30 June 2012 and every two years thereafter, on or before the biennial anniversary of that date; and (b) where such person ceases to be a specified person in public life, within ninety days from the date on which the person ceases to be a specified person in public life, file with the Commission a declaration containing the particulars referred to in subsection (3) and each of the members or staff members of the Commission shall file with the Governor similar declarations on or before the dates on which such declarations are required by other persons in public life.”
Mr. Swann and Mr. Taylor are allegedly in breach. Failure to file or falsifying a filed declaration is an offence and could attract hefty penalties, including a $15,000 fine or one year in prison.
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
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