Government
New Boundaries, More MPs and No Appointed Members expected in Constitutional Changes says Premier
Deandrea Hamilton and Dana Malcolm
Editorial Staff
#TurksandCaicos, December 21, 2023 – The next General Election in the Turks and Caicos Islands will likely feature more candidates, more constituencies, and an elimination of the appointed members to the House of Assembly; in anticipation of the UK-approved constitutional changes, the PNP Government administration has allocated an additional $100,000 for the TCI Electoral Boundaries Commission in its most recent Budget supplementary.
“We have had some advanced indication from the United Kingdom. It’s very clear what they will grant in terms of a constitutional amendment on four points. The rest of the proposals, we are waiting for at the moment, and I have just asked Her Excellency to put some urgency behind London so we will get that soon. Because there will be potentially– a number of amendments that will have to be made before the election, including the establishment of a boundaries commission, and the review of the boundaries; and those monies are there in anticipation of that happening,” Misick said.
David Rutley, Minister for the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, had agreed to fast-track three amendments to the constitution during the Joint Ministerial Council held in London in November. Namely, amendments that deal with the length of a parliamentary term, changing the name of the parliament and removing the appointed members. As Misick noted, it is anticipated that those changes will be made, but not certain. It is part of a raft of amendments the TCI Governing and Opposition parties presented to the UK after a country-wide constitutional consultation.
Currently, the Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands appoints two members to the parliament, with the governing and opposition parties putting forth one person each for a total of four individuals.
There are still no definitive answers on whether the Turks and Caicos Islands will see the appointed members removed and the parliament renamed or if a longer parliamentary term will be approved before the next elections which are constitutionally due in 2025. But just in case, the government has furnished the process with $100,000 in order to fund the Boundaries Commission, which would undertake, the often arduous process of drawing up new constituency lines. Those constituencies will determine where votes will be cast for the new elected members of
parliament who would replace the appointed members. If not, Misick said the electoral boundaries will be addressed regardless.
“We can’t presume exactly what the final decision is going to be even though we are fairly clear that the boundaries issue will be addressed. Whether it is addressed or not– we would still have to deal with the Boundaries’ Review because the Ordinance speaks to the proportionality and numbers of people and the different peculiarities of the different islands and the constituency boundaries so those funds are placed here regardless.”
He was referring to a 2021 Commonwealth Parliamentary Association report following its observations in the February 2021 General Elections. The CPA’s report cited that boundaries demanded equal numbers of constituents in each district, and that the work on balancing the districts should be completed within four years.
A Budget Supplementary presented and passed in the House on December 13 included the new allocation, announced by E. Jay Saunders, the Minister of Finance and Deputy Premier; it prompted the question from Edwin Astwood, Leader of the Opposition, regarding the legislative changes.
“I see allocations to the Boundary Commission and I will be writing to the Honorable Premier and probably the Governor seeking clarification. Are we intending [to] do the boundaries exercise and getting those four additional seats in?”
Under Washington Misick, a special constitutional attorney, Jeffery Jowell, was hired to progress a long-standing suite of amendments which despite having been ratified in the public domain since 2014 and supported by a bi-partisan Review Committee, were under threat of dying on the vine.
It was clear that more tenacious action was required and with the support of the House of Assembly, the expert mediator and litigator, having had success in the Cayman Islands was brought in to navigate a restoration of some powers to the elected government.
It has helped that there is a distinctive shift in tone from the British, expressed through successive governors that there is an appetite to acquiesce and action some of the desires of the TCI people as revealed in the constitutional consultations. Additionally, an admirable demonstration by the elected officials spanning 2012 to now in conducting country affairs in line with UK-established good governance principles meant there was no need for Mother England to continue to hold on so tightly to the reins.
Now, an eighth Cabinet minister has been added, the Turks and Caicos elected government is part of Crown Land management and the UK is open to new boundaries which will increase the share of members of parliament who are hired by the electorate through a vote, versus appointed by the British governor or the two political parties.
The Premier said the UK had been clear on what they would grant; however, the country was still awaiting decisions on the remaining areas of interest. Misick, in an effort to follow through, has made a request of the Governor, to speed up the process.
“We are expecting to have a finalized position from the UK, certainly I am hoping early in the first quarter of next year.”
Premier Washington Misick was speaking in parliament during the recent Supplementary Appropriation Bill debate on Wednesday, Dec 13.
Deandrea Hamilton
Editor
Turks and Caicos, December 2, 2024 – The Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands, as the country’s Minister of Finance tabled a Bill, which he said is designed to press the “reset button” for those falling behind on their National Insurance Board payments. In a House of Assembly meeting on November 14, Hon Washington Misick announced a plan to give contributors six months to catch up on arrears.
Eight days later, on November 22, 2024 the NATIONAL INSURANCE (ADDITIONAL CHARGES) (AMNESTY) ORDINANCE 2024 Bill came into force, after having been placed in the Gazette.
“The bill Mr. Speaker, is really geared toward assisting businesses, but especially MSME entities whether they be corporate or sole traders
(particularly MSME’s) . It seeks to provide for the waiver for additional charge of late payment of National Insurance contributions by employees or self employed persons, additional charge is what we refer to as penalties and then of course the interest as well.”
The premier says Employers and the Self-Employed now have until May 31, 2025 to settle their balances in order to be compliant with the requirements of the National Insurance Ordinance.
By way of explanation, Premier Misick added, “The contribution is what is owed or what would be payable on every payroll, every person who is earning a salary or a wage. That is the contribution. The additional charges are penalties which arise as a result of not making those payments on time. And then of course there is the interest aspect and then there is a penalty which is compounded as time goes forward.”
The amnesty will run six months; it begins on December 1, 2024.
“What we are advising you to do is to pay the contribution portions of those outstanding bills and then you have until the end of May to pay the penalties, meaning the additional charge; the interest and penalties.”
In her contribution on the Bill, Akierra Missick, the Member for Leeward and Long Bay electoral district offered the PNP Administration’s motive for the amnesty.
“Mr. Speaker it’s just another notch on the path in finding measures to mitigate the cost of living in these islands. National Insurance is very important, and we might not see its importance today because the idea of the national insurance program is that it provides a social security safety net for the people who work and live in these islands,” said Hon Missick.
“There have been times where persons who are employing themselves, self employed persons may not have had the revenue that they should have had and/or decided that they would pay a Fortis bill instead of national insurance, and as a result when missed payments are made…”
The Member shared that this has led to civil claims in the Magistrate’s Court against those in default in order to force those payments.
“National Insurance is the most important institution we have in the islands, because National Insurance provides us an opportunity to make decisions today for our future selves. That is our pension, our retirement, our NIB cheque when they reach the age 60 or 65.”
The member explained that workers who are injured can claim disability, all women contributors and fathers can access maternity leave benefits and in recent years, an unemployment benefit was added to the list of advantages.
“This Bill gives an opportunity to give persons time to catch up on the arrears, the penalties that they owe the national insurance, it also provides them an opportunity to come forward.
As a practicing attorney, Akierra Missick cautioned those who are meant to benefit from the amnesty not to take the offer for granted or
underestimate the need to maintain payments into the plan.
“These are measures we are seeking to put in place to assist persons who are finding the burden of their debt, their penalties – those concerns – on top of their normal day to day operations and/or bills,” said Missick who added, “This administration has continuously, continuously over the last three and a half, almost four years done right by the people.
Grand Turk got the COVID $10,000 fund, that was a million dollars Cruise Grant. It’s not about money,I know a lot of people are saying that you think you can buy us off. It’s not about that in any way, shape or form – you’re a taxpayer, so your government is giving you back some of your tax money. That is literally what it is.”
The member for Leeward and Long Bay swatted away charges by the Opposition PDM that her party was manipulating the public purse. She described the National Insurance Additional Charges Amnesty Bill as “good,” and in keeping with the PNP Administration’s regular consideration of the impact of inflation on the local population; “it is not a political ploy.”
The outstanding contributions can be paid to the NIB in full or installments during the amnesty period. No civil litigation will take place against a contributor who owes the NIB during this time, explained the Premier.
Turks and Caicos
Governor, Her Excellency, Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam, chaired the 32nd meeting of Cabinet held on Wednesday, 9th October 2024 at the Office of the Premier and Public Policy, Leeward Highway, Providenciales.
All members of Cabinet were present with the exception of H.E. Deputy Governor, Anya Williams, Hon. Josephine Connolly, Minister for Tourism, and Hon. Arlington Musgrove, Minister for Immigration.
At this meeting of Cabinet:
- Received an update from the Statistics Authority on the progress of the current state of the Turks and Caicos Islands census.
- Approved the Supplementary Appropriation (2024/2025) Bill 2024 for onward submission to the House of Assembly.
- Approved, on an exceptional basis, the reinstatement of a Concession Order for Grace Bay Resorts.
- Approved the appointment of Ms. Latisha Williams -Bruce as Chairman of the National Insurance Appeal Tribunal for a period of two years.
- Approved the Turks and Caicos National Wealth Fund (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2024 for onward submission to the House of Assembly.
- Approved the introduction of the National Quality Policy 2024.
- Approved the renewal of the lease agreement for the Public Works Department in Grand Turk for a five-year term.
- Approved the appointment of the following medical professionals to the Medicine, Dentistry, and Veterinary Professions Council for a two-year term: Dr. Alexis Missick, Medical Practitioner; Dr. Janice Baron, Chief Dental Officer; and Dr. Reginald Thomas.
- Approved the reappointment of the following individuals as members of the Ports Authority Board for a three-year term: Mr. Tueton Williams (Chair), Crosly Bain (Member), Tracey Parker Gray (Permanent Secretary, Finance or Nominee), Permanent Secretary, Ports, Director of Ports, Chief Engineer, and Collector of Customs. Also approved the extension of Mr. Dennis Swann (Deputy Chair) and Showonda Gardiner for a term of two and a half years.
- Received an update on development for the island of South Caicos.
- Confirmed the transfer of funds from various Ministries to the Ministry of Education for additional scholarship funding.
Further information on these matters will be presented by Ministers in due course.
Turks and Caicos
Governor, Her Excellency, Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam, chaired the 33rd meeting of Cabinet held on Friday, 25th October 2024 at the Office of the Premier and Public Policy, Leeward Highway, Providenciales.
All members of Cabinet were present with the exception of Hon Josephine Connolly, Minister for Tourism, Hon. Shaun Malcolm, Minister for Health and Hon. Rhondalee Knowles, Attorney General with Ms. Khalila Astwood serving as Acting Attorney General.
At this meeting of Cabinet:
- Received an information paper on the Howard Hamilton International Airport Redevelopment Public Private Partnership Project and approved financing proposals for submission to the United Kingdom in line with the Public Finance Management Ordinance (PFMO).
Further information on these matters will be presented by Ministers in due course.
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