About Turn; PNP Administration makes 17 Redundant at Tourist Board and Minister explains

By Dana Malcolm

Staff Writer

#TurksandCaicos, February 6, 2023 – In an effort to defend borderline dishonest turn of events regarding the tenure of the TCI Tourist Board employees it is now being said that the TCI Tourist Board employees had discussions with the Tourism Ministry before those redundancy letters were sent out last week.  The claim came from Josephine Connolly, Minister of Tourism in a statement on Monday seemingly responding to a letter penned by Ralph Higgs, former head of the TCI Tourist Board.  It’s an effort she says to ‘dispel inaccuracies’ regarding the controversial five month severance letters.

Those letters are a direct contradiction to the government’s rhetoric up till now where they repeatedly soothed employees, reassuring them that their jobs were secure.   A press release from her ministry in mid-October 2022 supports the 180 degree turn.

“The Premier, when he met to discuss the transition to the DMO to the staff, indicated that and gave his promise that no staff would be displaced nor made redundant.  Whatever structure is put in place would mean redefining of roles and responsibilities.”  It said on October 17, 2022, going further to actually condemn social media chatter from residents worrying that it would mean a mass firing.

Further, the statement issued last year by the Ministry of Tourism explained: “There has not been any talk of redundancies as mentioned on social media and rumors to this effect seems to be an attempt to create mischief.  A few weeks ago, the Premier and Minister thought it prudent to meet with staff and Directors of the TB.  This was important to help clarify the change process and to allay fears of anyone losing their jobs in the process.”

And yet her statement (today) on February 6th was completely different and confirmed what many had feared, that the employees who wished to continue serving in their positions at the Destination Marketing and Management Organization would have to make an application if they wanted to continue working with TCI tourism, in the new DMMO.

“Each member of staff was given a fair and generous remuneration package. In addition, each member of staff was then given the opportunity to apply for a position in the new DMO, once the final structure of the DMO has been decided and approved,” said Minister Connolly in her response.

But there has not yet been any cheques issued to the 17 staff members, according to those speaking to Magnetic Media.

The Minister informs that there will be assessments by “human resource experts, we have invited to interview” each employee which she says will allow any of the current staff members to remain on beyond the June 2023 redundancy date.  But already, the expectation is that some of the workers will be lost to the private sector.

“We know which staff members opted to take positions in the private sector, and which ones expressed an interest in continuing to work in the public service.”

Residents are incensed by the blatant faltering of the premier and minister on a well-publicised promise and the decision to make so many Turks and Caicos Islands tourism professionals redundant.  Those speaking to our newsroom also continue to wonder about the DMMO, which remains an enigma as so many details of an organisation the public will fund are unknown.

We have reached out to the minister for details on the role, responsibilities and results framing the new organisation’s charter. There was no reply up to publication time.