What the Budget is missing according to Appropriations Committee

By Dana Malcolm 

Staff Writer 

#TurksandCaicos, May 19, 2023 – After five days of delving into over 16 ministries and departments to see whether they were being properly funded, the Appropriations Committee has found that several critical areas in the TCI need immediate attention.

Chairman of the Committee Kyle Knowles brought the shortfalls affecting residents to the attention of the House of Assembly during the Budget Debate on Tuesday May 16th, included on that list are long awaited boats for Grand Turk.

The report presented by Knowles included eight recommendations spread across the Ministries and Departments.

Immigration and Border Security

“The committee noted there are insufficient vessels for the patrolling of the TCI’s waters,” he said plainly. “The committee recommends that there is a need for additional vessels and additional manpower for the enforcement and patrolling of Grand Turk South Caicos and the Cays.”

Residents of these areas have been begging for more patrol vessels for years, not only to protect the rich and varied sea life of which poachers steal hundreds of pounds, sometimes in a single sitting, but for safety against illegal smuggling of people and weapons. That a nation so bisected by water does not have ample patrol boats is a serious gap in security.

A ‘fully functional’ Police Marine Branch has been ordered for Grand Turk as well.

Physical Planning and Infrastructure Development 

During the Appropriations, it was revealed that it was standard practice of many departments to draw up plans and budgets for capital projects before meeting with PPID, and then find out only after the budget was passed that their estimates were woefully inadequate; making supplementary budgets necessary and contributing to the syrupy slow pace of capital project completion in the country. Knowles and the other committee members found this inefficient and have recommended that all departments must now meet with PPID months in advance of the budget to discuss any projects to be submitted for consideration.

“This will facilitate adequate funding being allocated for projects and help with the expedition of the procurement process. This will expedite capital projects by helping them to get started and completed in a timely manner,” he said.

Concerns about management of Janitorial services which are to be privatised were also noted.

Ministry of Home Affairs 

An Audit has been recommended of all Government owned vehicles with special consideration to security forces. During Appropriations, a myriad of departments presented budgets with allocations for vehicles or stated they simply had none. A general overview of the registrar general’s office with a view to modernise was also  recommended.

Ministry of Finance

The Gaming Control Commission, now under the umbrella of the Ministry of Finance is also in need of funding, Knowles said, without which they cannot properly manage the slot machines located around the island. This is essential for a proper regulatory structure without which the TCI will not be able to reach international standards and tap into the multi million dollar gaming industry. TCIG has already signed a memorandum of understanding with the Bahamas’ Gaming Commission to help them along this route.

And finally, a General Contract Unit to oversee all contracts across Government is also recommended. The Committee was faced with a mountain of unfinished projects where deadlines had passed, in some cases multiple times without completion this group would have “the objective of monitoring capital projects progress.”