Her Excellency the Acting Governor, Anya Williams, chaired the 8th meeting of Cabinet on Wednesday 29 March, 2023 at the Premier’s Office on Providenciales

#TurksandCaicos, April 6, 2023 – Her Excellency the Acting Governor, Anya Williams, chaired the 8^th meeting of Cabinet on Wednesday 29 March 2023 at the Premier’s Office on Providenciales.

All Members were present.

At this meeting Cabinet:

• Approved the formalization of the TCI National Minimum Wage increase which will come into effect on 1 April 2023.
• Cabinet recommended that TCICC should seek to identify funds from within its existing budget, 2022-2023 to cover some aspects of the Associates Degree nursing student’s clinical rotation at the University of the West Indies Hospital in Jamaica. The remaining costs will be covered from funding in the upcoming budget.
• Approved the extension of the Chairman of the National Health Insurance Board for an additional period of three (3) months with effect from 1 April 2023.
• Approved the awarding of the following contracts:

1. a)       PN 005617, TR 21/51, Vehicles for Digitization E-Government Technology and Innovation (DETI) (resubmission)
2. b)      PN 005630, TR 21/08, Vehicles for Government (resubmission)
3. c)      TCINIB 01/2022, TR 22/33, Vehicles for NIB
4. d)      ITC 01/2022, TR 22/34, Vehicles for Invest TC
5. e)      TCIAA 0004, SSP, XSC Terminal – Electrical Services
6. f)       TCIAA 10/22, SSP, Upgrade of ATC Voice Control Communication System

• Discussed new investments by the Grand Turk Cruise Center, subsequent to the signing of the 4^thsupplementary to Development Agreement between the Crown, the Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands and Carnival Corporation.
• Approved the re-appointment of Selvyn Hawkins (Chair), Dwayne Gardiner (Deputy Chair), Trevor Lightbourne and appointment of Albright Gardiner as Members of the Turks and Caicos Islands Airport Authority Board and Permanent Secretary, finance or her designate, Permanent Secretary, Ministry Responsible for Aviation or her designate and the CEO of the Airports Authority as Ex-Officio Members for a period of two (2) years from 1 April 2023 to 31 march 2025.
• Approved the appointment of Marcuson Lightbourne (Chair), Chalmers Andryl Missick (Deputy Chair), Ricky James and John Williams as Members and Director of Planning, Director DECR and Director of Disaster (DDME) as Ex-officio Members of the Physical Planning Board, and Reginald Charles as Secretary to the Board for a period of for a period of two years effective from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2025.
• Following consultation with UK colleagues, approved costneutral estimates of expenditure for a final supplementary to be progressed to the House of Assembly and Supplementary Appropriation Bill No. 6 and for this to be submitted to the House of Assembly.
• Was updated on a fire in North Caicos on 28 March and gave praise to the work done to prevent any harm coming to persons living on the island.
• Members were also updated on issues relating to the Ministries of:

1. a)       Immigration,
2. b)      Tourism, and
3. c)       Attorney General’s Office, and
4. d)      Office of the Acting Governor

• Acknowledged the departure of Governor Dakin and expressed deep gratitude for his work and welcomed the Acting Governor in her role before the arrival of a new Governor in June 2023.

Further information on these matters will be provided by Ministers in due course.