Government
Failure to complete more than half of capital projects; ‘That’s on us’ – Saunders
By Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicos, May 19, 2023 – The Government not only failed to deliver on promised capital projects despite historic budgeted expenditure in the last financial year (2022/23), but compared to previous years with much lower budgets they are barely above average. The revelation came from E Jay Saunders, Deputy Premier and Finance Minister in the first day of budget debates, Tuesday May 16th.
“The [last] four administrations, The interim Administration, Hon Dr. Rufus Ewing’s Administration, Hon. Sharlene Cartwright Robinson’s Administration, and our current administration spent an average of $16.8 million per year on capital projects.”
Saunders admitted that the $18.2 million that the Government managed to spend last fiscal year, while more than $16 million, was not up to target.
“It made us averse to budget (lower than budget) by a staggering 67 percent. That is on us. We budgeted $55.8 million for capital projects; we could only deliver 18.2,” he said.
Capital Projects can be described as those projects that improve overall quality of life in a tangible way, usually via upgrades to infrastructure, examples include recreational parks, upgrades to schools and more.
Projects that the Government managed to complete included: IT command and control systems for all Islands; upgrades to water storage and distribution facilities; lights installed in Grand Turk; new blocks for several schools;
upgrades to the governor’s residence; repairs to police stations and more.
Even so, only 18 million of the budgeted $55.8 million that should have been spent on improving the lives and welfare of residents across the Turks and Caicos Islands was expended. Saunders acknowledged that this, while technically better than average, is insufficient and committed to fixing the gap between budgeting and delivering.
“It is time to reevaluate the capital projects process from concept to delivery to enhance efficiency while maintaining the necessary checks and balances,” he said.
It’s a disheartening announcement for islanders once again as they remain without key infrastructure for play, work, and safety. Aside from the slowed infrastructural development of the country and residents being deprived of their promised parks, school upgrades, road upgrades, and more; another major concern when capital projects remain undelivered, is what happens to the money that should have been used for them.
Saunders explained that to improve efficiency in 2022, the Government amended certain rules governing capital projects allowing ‘the entire appropriations development fund to be committed for a period of 2 financial years’. It gave projects the needed funding whether they were started or not, restricting that money for use on those projects only. With the financial year over and a chunk of those projects not yet started it meant:
“Consequently we would have started this financial year with $37.6 million of our cash on hand restricted due to capital projects that had not yet started.”
With a promise already made to the UK not to let their unrestricted funds fall below what was needed to run the country for 90 days (which would certainly have happened with $37 million tied up), TCIG had to allow the funding to expire with the financial year.
The bungled job of clearing Public Works before planning projects, means Public Infrastructure plans will have to be resubmitted to the House requiring a duplication of work further slowing the pace of projects in the country.
The Government has budgeted $64.4 million for Capital projects this (2023/24) financial year.
#TurksandCaicos, September 29, 2023 – The Office of the Deputy Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands is pleased to announce Mr. Reginald Charles’ appointment to Assistant Director of Planning – Administration in the Physical Planning and Development Department within the Ministry of Physical Planning and Infrastructure Development.
Mr. Charles received an Associate’s Degree in Environmental Science from the Turks and Caicos Community College and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and Management from the University of Bradford in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Charles joined the Turks and Caicos Islands Government in 2014 as an Environmental Health Officer with the Department of Environmental Health and was later promoted to Land Use Planner within the Physical Planning and
Development Department. He was later appointed as the Secretary to the Physical Planning Board and advanced to the post of Environmental Compliance Manager. Until this appointment, Mr. Charles was the Assistant Director of Planning for a substantial period. He was able to gain valuable experience in the management and administrative functions needed to be successful in carrying out his tasks.
Mr. Charles, in commenting on his appointment, stated: “I am very excited to contribute to the success of my department, the Turks and Caicos Islands Government and my country. I have won the support of my colleagues, management, and staff, and they have helped to champion my cause, to which I am very grateful.”
Deputy Governor and Head of the Public Service, Her Excellency Anya Williams, in extending congratulatory remarks to Mr. Charles, stated:
Mr. Charles is a hardworking and dedicated public servant who has previously served in various capacities in the public service: Environmental Health Officer in the Environmental Health Department and as a former Land Use Planner and Environmental Compliance Manager in the Planning Department. In 2020, he was appointed Secretary to the Planning Board and has previously acted as Assistant Director of Planning.
Mr. Charles has had a progressive public service career, which we are proud of, and we are sure he will do well in this new role.
Congratulations on your well-deserved promotion Reginald!
#TurksandCaicos, September 29, 2023 – The Office of the Deputy Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands is pleased to announce Ms. Talestra Dixon’s appointment to the Registrar post in the Registrar General’s Department within the Ministry of Home Affairs, Transportation, Public Safety and Utilities.
Ms. Dixon completed her secondary education at the Raymond Gardiner High School in North Caicos and received two scholarships from the Ministry of Education. Ms. Dixon earned an Associate Degree in Hospitality and Tourism
Management from the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College. She later achieved a Bachelor’s Degree in Labour Employment Relations from the University of the West Indies in Barbados.
Ms. Dixon joined the Turks and Caicos Islands Government in 2021 as an Assistant Compliance Investigative Officer in the Citizenship and Naturalization Department—a post she held until this most recent appointment.
Ms. Dixon, in commenting on her appointment, stated: “I am delighted and grateful for the opportunity to begin this new journey within the public sector. My goal is to attain the mission, vision, and values of the civil service by assisting in creating strategies, policies and procedures that would continue to provide an efficient and effective work environment and its products, along with providing good customer service to all.”
Deputy Governor and Head of the Public Service, Her Excellency Anya Williams, in extending congratulatory remarks to Ms. Dixon, stated:
Ms. Dixon is one of our young professionals who recently joined the service and has already started to make a good name for herself. She adds to the team of Ms. Kayon Cox as Registrar General to assist in taking the Registrar General Department to the next level as we progress towards digitizing our services.
Congratulations on your promotion, Ms. Dixon!”
#TurksandCaicos, September 29, 2023 – The Office of the Deputy Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands is pleased to announce Mr. Leonardo Glasgow’s appointment to Assistant Director of Planning – Enforcement in the Physical Planning and Development Department within the Ministry of Physical Planning and Infrastructure Development.
Mr. Glasgow received an Associate’s Degree in Building and Design Technology from the Turks and Caicos Community College and a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Technology from Nottingham Trent University in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Glasgow recently returned home from the United Kingdom after taking study leave for a year to pursue and
complete a Master’s Degree in Property Development and Planning, also from Nottingham Trent University.
Mr. Glasgow joined the Turks and Caicos Islands Government in 2016 as a Planning Technician within the Physical Planning and Development Department. He was later appointed as a Land Use Planner and held that post until this most recent appointment. He played a vital role in developing the National Physical Development Plan.
Mr. Glasgow, in commenting on his appointment, stated:
“I must firstly thank God through whom all my success is attributed. I am constantly reminded of Philippians 4:6: “Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”
This appointment humbles me, and it is an honour to be given the opportunity to lead and develop my department as I strive to be a better leader by being the best public servant I can be.”
Deputy Governor and Head of the Public Service, Her Excellency Anya Williams, in extending congratulatory remarks to Mr. Glasgow, stated:
Mr. Glasgow has given over seven years of service to the Planning Department. He has specialized skills in building and design, architecture, and property development. He has recently returned to the service following his Master’s of Property Development and Planning degree in August 2023, assisted by grant funding from the Public Service Professional Development Fund.
I am proud of Mr. Glasgow’s accomplishment and know he will do exceptionally well in this new role.
Congratulations on your well-deserved promotion Leonardo!
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