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NEW Housing Programs for Q2 and Q3 of the financial years, says Minister Robinson 

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By Dana Malcolm 

Staff Writer 

 

 

#TurksandCaicos, May 23, 2023 – The Turks and Caicos’ Housing Policy was officially passed in March, now armed with cash from the newly approved budget, TCIG is greenlighting promised (and desperately needed) living solutions for residents as they struggle with high rent and mortgage prices. Jamell Robinson, Minister of Physical Planning and Infrastructure Development updated the public during the National Budget Debate on Thursday May 18th.

“We are looking to develop online applications for two of the housing projects by the second quarter,” he said, indicating that they were attempting to then officially launch two programs by the third quarter of the financial year.

The Ministry of PPID had promised three initial projects would be put into motion once the policy was passed. They included Housing Concessions for Residential Developers, Home Improvement Programs, and Community Urban Renewal and Infilling. All three programs incentivise the construction or improvement of long term rentals or residences which are in short supply in the Turks and Caicos currently.

Robinson had already explained Project Number 1: Housing Concessions as he spoke with Drexwell Seymour on RTC’s Financially Speaking, it could give residents building long term residential homes (not AirBnB’s or the like) a 100 percent duty exemption on their building materials.

“We are looking to give anyone who is building five units or more up to 100 percent duty free so you can make your application,” Robinson had said.

Residents may be looking to take the Government up on its offer as many are already making applications for building permits to erect apartments.

Based on the latest publicly available minutes from the planning department detailing a March 2023 meeting, conditional approval was granted to seven different developers for eleven new apartment buildings and one extension in Providenciales, which when complete, will add a total of 141 units to the housing market.

Robinson said the department was still tying the last of its loose ends including hiring more employees and making sure their offices were properly fitted before projects began in earnest.

The minister said the Housing Department had already received $3 Million to jump start the programs in the last fiscal period.

Finance

(SENIOR CITIZEN’S) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMME (FAP) – Second Batch Payments Ready for Collection

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Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – Monday, 18 November 2024: The Financial Assistance Programme 2024 will make its SECOND batch of payments, today, Monday, 18 November 2024.

Cheques are ready for collection at the Government Treasuries and Subtreasuries. For persons who applied for the FAP and have met the FAP eligibility criteria, your application, if approved for payment, will have a cheque that is ready for collection.

Pensioners are advised that the only method of payment for this round of payments is by cheque owing to a delay in confirming the schedules for payments to be made through deposits in the bank accounts submitted.  So, to progress payments as soon as possible, a decision was made to distribute the first set of batches by cheque only.

Subsequent monthly pension top-ups will be paid according to the preferred method of payment indicated in your applications.

There is a batch of remaining payments of approved FAP applications from the open portal that would have required additional information. Payment for the third batch will be made by Monday, 25 November 2024.

The list of pensioners with cheques ready for collection in the second batch is given below.

Pensioners must present a Government-issued photo identification to collect payments.

If you are a pensioner who is unable to collect the FAP cheque in person, the authorised person collecting the cheque must present a letter duly signed by the pensioner and notarised, giving him/her the authority to do so on the pensioner’s behalf.

PLEASE ALSO NOTE THAT THE SENIOR CITIZENS FAP PORTAL REOPENS TODAY, 18 NOVEMBER 2024 FOR NEW APPLICATIONS.

Reference Number Last Name
644751465 BAIN
687825715 BASDEN
505085522 BEEN
561153666 BEEN
995648584 BELIZAIRE
019454565 CAPRON
527640775 COX
003649388 DAQUIN
280220419 DEAN
849228763 DELANCY
572356720 DELANCY
576614240 DELANCY
612945814 DELANCY
559596971 DELANCY
598326321 DICKENSON
084702484 DURHAM
597361548 ELIE
111985864 ELLIS
543636853 FORBES
653150084 FRANCIS
510853558 FRITH
540955249 FULFORD
576640232 GARDINER
189458877 GARDINER
524124837 GLINTON
519254633 GRANT
595489260 GRANT
685269416 HAMILTON
697896683 HAMILTON
827809498 HAMILTON-RAPPEL
218280489 HARRIS
580794874 HENFIELD
537311724 JEAN
077826499 JEAN LOUIS
516497711 JOHNSON
596523793 JOSEPH
268871233 JOZINE
028605624 LEWIS
627390915 LIGHTBOURNE
568264407 LIGHTBOURNE
029750496 MICHEL
650870131 MISICK
040734569 MISSICK
651776543 NEWMAN
018772289 PENN
784530737 ROBINSON
116372158 ROBINSON
121578800 RODNEY
614625467 ROLLE
017712998 SMITH
627788775 STUBBS
753708955 SWAN
987691887 TAYLOR
680139102 THOMPSON
657093251 WILLIAMS
366198147 WILLIAMS
571268091 WILSON BASDEN
262715489 GARLAND
343293914 HANDFIELD
986827347 DEAN – NEAT

 

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Finance

(SENIOR CITIZENS) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMME (FAP) – UPDATE – 12 NOVEMBER 2024

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Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – Tuesday, 12 November 2024: The Financial Assistance Programme has approved over $1.292 million in payments to 342 persons over the age of 70 years.

The Government is pleased to report that this intervention will ensure that the aged of the Turks and Caicos Islands, have a monthly FAP benefit of up to $1,000 per month. The programme was designed so that those with other sources of pensions which total less than $1,000 per month will be “topped up” to $1,000 per month and those without an alternate source will receive $1,000.00 per month.

The Honourable C. Washington Misick, Premier, in speaking about this programme said that the FAP is an investment in the well-being of the older folk of the TCI.  This monthly contribution makes pension benefits more relevant to the current cost of living and assures a certain level of financial independence and a better quality of life for pensioners.

The provision of liveable pensions is a social obligation that the Government has not taken lightly; and a key component of several initiatives implemented during the past four (4) years that are intended to strengthen social programs to promote economic stability during the entire span of a person’s life in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

The FAP portal is currently closed for submissions but will reopen on Monday, November 18, 2024.  To qualify you must:

  • Be receiving a pension that is below $1,000.00 per month from one or multiple sources or is receiving no pension at all.
  • Be a Turks and Caicos Islander or a British Overseas Territory Citizen.
  • Have attained the age of seventy (70) years old.
  • Be ordinarily resident in the Turks and Caicos Islands for the last 5 (five) years.

Persons who are “wards of the state” (e.g. residing in TCIG wellness centres, aged-care centres, etc.) and “wards of the court.” (e.g. in prison etc.) will not qualify for the FAP.

Apply at: seniorcitizensfap.gov.tc

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Finance

TCIG launches Financial Assistance Programme

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Turks and Caicos, September 20, 2024 – The Turks and Caicos Islands Government wishes to advise that the portal for the (Senior Citizens) Financial Assistance Programme (FAP) is opened.

To receive the Financial Assistance Programme payment, you must meet the following eligibility criteria:

  1. Be receiving a pension that is below $1,000.00 per month from one or multiple sources or is receiving no pension at all.
  2. Be a Turks and Caicos Islander or a British Overseas Territory Citizen.

III.      Have attained the age of seventy (70) years old.

  1. Be ordinarily resident in the Turks and Caicos Islands for the last 5 (five) years.

Applicants should have a completed and signed affidavit verifying their residency and sources of pensions ready to upload into the portal.  However, if you have not received the affidavit, you may download one from within the portal, complete it, and have it signed by a Justice of the Peace. Without this affidavit, the FAP cannot be processed.

If applicants receive pensions from multiple sources, and the aggregate benefit is less than $1,000.00, then documentation should be uploaded for each source other than the National Insurance Board (NIB).

If the applicant’s pension from multiple sources exceeds $1,000.00, the applicant is ineligible for the FAP.  An application with an aggregate pension of more than $1,000.00 will be denied.

For the first phase of the FAP, the applicant will receive an email originating from the portal using the email address that was provided during the Citizen’s Inflation Relief Stimulus. The email will provide instructions for the use of the portal, including uploading of the relevant document(s).

First phase pensioner’s information is already in the database but may need updating. If there is a need to update, the applicant will be contacted via the same email to do so.

If you haven’t received an email to the known address, check your junk and clutter folders to ensure that it was not lodged there.  Eligible persons who have not received an email will have an opportunity to apply in phase two, which will follow shortly thereafter.

Once you open the portal, you will be required to enter your date of birth which will give you access to another window and form to be completed.

If you are having problems with your submission email us at: tciassistance@gov.tc

Portal Opens:       Thursday, 19 September 2024 at 11:59pm

Portal Closes:       Thursday, 26 September 2024 at 11:59 pm

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