Caribbean News
Twin Island Residents want more government services closer to them
By Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicos, December 9, 2022 – Residents in North Caicos say it’s time for the government to implement a better local government system, ensuring essential government services available to these islanders at home.
The point was raised at a November 29th town hall meeting in North Caicos. The resident speaking maintained that the government allocated funds were not being seen, especially in the upkeep of the islands.
“North and Middle Caicos are the largest islands in the country.” the resident contended “no one person can manage it. We need a local government where people from the community make the decisions about where or how we should put our money.”
Residents also complained about the lack of government services being readily available to them forcing them to travel elsewhere.
“Sometimes the delivery of service is poor when it’s coming to North and Middle Caicos. We have to go to Provo all the time to get [any]thing done. We need people from each department, at least one person stationed in North Caicos– that is one of the things that we want to see, local government,” one resident explained.
Included in the list of complaints is long wait times for police records and the most basic services including land surveying and immigration services. There was also the report that there are no representatives from the Labour Department. The examples presented to the Premier and his Cabinet panel were met with sounds of agreement around the room filled with twin islanders.
Clarifying that immigration and customs were not under local government and would likely never be on the ground in the twin islands, Premier Washington Missick who is a North Caicos native maintained that a new local government structure would come at a cost that would put a heavy burden on taxpayers.
“In time with the growth of the community it may be possible to have a sub-treasury or some of those functions placed in North Caicos– I think we need community leaders who are going to be committed to delivering on community based required services and that’s what we plan on doing.”
In the meantime he recommended there should be an agency in place to deal with paperwork for essential services like access to banking and government services for the islanders instead of all the residents having to traverse back and forth to Provo.
In addition he revealed that come January representatives from The Bahamas would be in the country to help determine whether their local government system would work for the TCI.
Bahamas News
Work of NAECOB critical in ensuring high standards in education, says Minister Hanna-Martin
“We’re the Ministry of Education and they’re our schools. We are accountable to NAECOB. They ensure that what is happening on the campuses throughout the nation meets the physical standards and the qualitative standards of education. You would have heard classroom size and teacher/student ratio. We may have challenges, and we do at the Ministry of Education but when these issues are brought to our attention we are obliged and compelled to seek resolution to ensure that the standards are met.
the criteria to offer an educational service in The Bahamas as outlined in the Education Act. She said it is mandatory that all educational institutions/provider offering/proposing to offer an educational service in the Bahamas must be registered according to the NAECOB Act and the Education Act.BIS Photos/Mark Ford
Header: Seated at the table, from left: – Lorraine Armbrister, Permanent Secretary; Minister Glenys Hanna-Martin; Dominique McCartney Russell, Acting Director; Cassia Minnis, Registration Officer; Thelma Grimes, Council Chairperson; Howard Newbold, Inspector, Council Member; Shena Williams, Council and Inspector; Dorothy Anderson, Inspector; T. Nicola McKay, Deputy Chairperson; (seated behind) Willard Barr, Council and Inspector.
1st insert: Thelma Grimes, Council Chairperson
2nd insert: Howard Newbold, Inspector and Council Member
3rd insert: The Hon. Glenys Hanna-Martin, Minister of Education and Technical and Vocational Training
4th insert: Cassia Minnis, Registration Officer
#TheBahamas, March 27, 2023 – As the 50th anniversary of our nation’s independence approaches, Bahamians everywhere are teeming with excitement and expectancy around the year-long celebrations set by The National
Independence Secretariat.
Yesterday, the Prime Minister joined H.E Leslia Miller Brice, Chair of The National Independence Secretariat to unveil the Calendar of Events for the 50th Independence celebrations.
The calendar comprises a host of events, initiatives and recommendations for celebrations throughout all 33 islands of The Bahamas.
At this jubilant occasion the PM stated, “Celebrating independence is about acknowledging the greatness around us, the greatness within us, and the greatness ahead of us.
We are Bahamians. That identity is special.”
View the newly released calendar of events here:
#Kingston, March 28, 2023 – There are currently 12,362 seniors registered under the Government’s new Social Pension Programme.
Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Karl Samuda, made the disclosure during the sitting of the Standing Finance Committee of the House on March 2, at Gordon House.
The initiative targets all Jamaican citizens 75 years and older who are not currently in receipt of a pension (overseas or local) or any other retirement, old-age or disability benefit or regular income, and are not living in a government
institutionalised care facility.
“We are evaluating the manner in which we qualify persons to go on the programme. This is a discussion we will have to have, as some people fall through the cracks simply because they might have a refrigerator, or they might be lucky enough to have a television at home,” Mr. Samuda said.
“The direction in which we are heading, to have those things, does not move you from poverty to prosperity. So, the Government has an obligation to do everything possible to improve their quality of life, and so we will be looking at that,” the Minister added.
Mr. Samuda said between March 2022 and January 2023, the programme disbursed $446 million.
To register for the social pension programme, persons may visit any of the Ministry’s parish offices islandwide.
They will be required to complete a social pension application form, accompanied by their Tax Registration Number (TRN), National Insurance Scheme (NIS) card, and proof of age in the form of a birth certificate or a valid passport.
They should also take along a valid identification (ID), such as a driver’s licence, passport or voter’s ID, proof of bank account and any other document that may be required to process the application, for example, proof of citizenship.
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