National Budget Debate to begin Tuesday

By Dana Malcolm 

Staff Writer 

#TurksandCaicos, May 15, 2023 – The Premier is expected to be back in country on Monday May 15 which means it is all systems go when it comes to presenting the country’s largest Budget, put at over $424 Million.

The Turks and Caicos House of Assembly will debate the historic fiscal plan beginning Tuesday March 16th.  A month late, the Budget has been a talking point between the government and the opposition since it was tabled by E Jay Saunders, Deputy Premier and Finance Minister on April 26th.

Hon Washington Misick returns from the Coronation of King Charles III and the JMC or Joint Ministerial Council Meeting, both events held in London England.

Now to the business of fleshing out the Budget which divvies up the cash with the highest portion going to Economic Affairs ($88.9 million) followed by Public Order and Safety, which includes policing and border security ($86.6 million) as the Turks and Caicos desperately tries to secure its borders against illegal migration.

Key items to be tackled in the budget include Informal Settlements; E-Gates; National Credit Union; Implementing a multi-employer pension plan; the Crown Land recommendations.  Along with cost of living, border security and the dwindling number of TC Islanders in the country, these are some of the most pressing issues for islanders.

Saunders has described the $424.3 million budget as in line with the Citizens Contract signed between the PNP Government and the Turks and Caicos and said it was helping to ensure Social, Economic, and Environmental Progress for All.

Edwin Astwood, Leader of the Opposition says there’s no truth to that claim as far as his side has surmised, going as far as directly referring to the declaration and much of the benefits flaunted by the PNP Administration as “lies”.

“Well, the numbers and programs showed that this is a Lie, this budget does not address any of those issues for our people and our country— it does nothing more for our people,” Astwood wrote in a statement last Wednesday, adding, “This is also a lie, and if you had the time to listen to the Appropriations Committee Hearings, you would know from the information provided that, outside the normal recurrent expenditure on salaries and allowance and renovations, nothing is being spent on our people or our country.”

Both men, and other members of the parliament will have a chance to bring their concerns to the residents of the Turks and Caicos Islands come Tuesday.

In the 2022/23 debate the event lasted for three days with all ministers getting a chance to present their ministerial budgets.

The Premier will likely lend his endorsement of his Administration’s plan before the Opposition Leader is allowed to present his rebuttal the following day.  This will be followed by the Finance Minister’s response and the other ministers before the budget is put to the floor for vote.