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Finance

E. Jay Saunders and Team spearhead landmark change in Public Financial Management; Budget ROLL-OVERS now approved 

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Dana Malcolm 

Staff Writer

 

#TurksandCaicos, April 7, 2024 – For the first time since 2012, significant changes have been made to the Public Financial Management (PFM) framework of the Turks and Caicos, giving the Government more say over how it spends the people’s money, erasing the need for any back and forth with the British.  It is a change E Jay Saunders, former deputy premier, credits to him and his team when he served as the Minister of Finance.

“I picked that up, marked it up and said it was too restrictive. We negotiated that at the Cabinet level and the PS negotiated it with the technocrats in the UK,” he told Magnetic Media in an exclusive interview on March 28.

The new PFM allows for three main things:

  •  It raises the debt limits that the country can borrow without needing approval from the UK
  • It mandates strict timelines to ensure a timely budget each year.
  • It makes provisions for more money to rollover from any surplus that is gained into the next budget giving TCIG more ‘spending money’

“It increased the borrowing guidelines, it allows us more money, allows us to finance debts, and the goal is to increase what we can use for financing on a yearly basis; we can borrow more, we can spend more money for finance during the year,” Saunders said.

The former finance minister also  told us that every time a budget was late it gave the government less time to complete their objectives. Specific clauses were included in the new PFM in order to put an end to that.

Before the budget can be approved a Fiscal and Strategic Policy Statement (FSPS) must be sent to the United Kingdom outlining the budget objectives for the respective financial year; only after that is assessed by the UK and returned to local politicians can they table and debate the budget for approval.

Under the new PFM that must be handed into the UK in January giving them several weeks to pour over it and return it in time for a March budget.

”What it does is give all the departments 12 months to execute. By changing the PFM, I put our government and all future governments in the position where they can deliver the budget before the financial year starts.”

Saunders says the observance of Holy Week was the only reason why the 2024/2025 budget was not debated prior to April 1.  Easter fell earlier this year.

Hon Saunders explained that whenever a surplus was recorded, the money didn’t go back into the budget.

“A significant portion of it had to go to the National Wealth Fund, and you would never see it again, unless under special circumstances.”

That fund powers a few select projects and once money is in it, the process to get it out is extremely complicated, Saunders explained.  With changes to the PFM more money from any surplus will remain in government hands, allowing them to reuse it for capital projects and more.

The document mandates that if the actual revenue exceeds the estimated revenue by: 5% but is less than 20%, then only 50% of the excess of the revenue for that financial year has to be withdrawn from the Consolidated Fund and deposited to the National Wealth Fund.

If the actual revenue is 20% or more, 70% of the excess of the revenue for that financial year will go to the Wealth Fund.

Saunders says he wanted those percentages to be higher, but is pleased nonetheless.

”While it still has a feel of us losing, we’re not going to be losing as much as we would in a normal financial year, because a higher portion gets rolled over to the new financial year.”

He explained why the 2012 version of the framework could have been so restrictive.

”It saw the TCI at a time when the constitution had gotten suspended, the government had gotten put out of office, the SIPT investigations were starting, and the country had just gotten a $200 million loan that was guaranteed by the UK government,” he explained.

With over ten years passed since then, in 2023 Saunders said he revisited the document of his own accord and began the process of updating it. When it was all over he says he got the seal of approval from the UK personally, providing for the media, a letter addressed to him by David Rutley, FCDO Head, which congratulated Saunders and TCIG on their prudent management of the country’s finances.

For Saunders it is an indication of what can be achieved with more work.

”This might have been the first time one of these frameworks was sent back to be re-negotiated. It clearly shows now they have an appetite to say there is enough distance between the constitution being suspended. Now we’ve seen enough evidence that TCI can run a good government, now we’re willing to ease up.”

He expressed disappointment that he was unable to tackle other similar frameworks left behind by the British after the interim administration, like the pesky Procurement Ordinance and says, had he been allowed, those would’ve been next on his list.

The finance portfolio was shifted back to the premier in a messy squabble over their party’s leadership.  Saunders now occupies the backbench.

Washington Misick, TCI Premier and Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam, TCI Governor signed the PFM into law since January.

Finance

EXTENSION OF CHEQUE COLLECTION DEADLINE FOR THE COST OF LIVING RELIEF PROGRAMME

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Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands – 9th July 2025 – The Ministry of Finance, Economic Development, Investment and Trade wishes to inform the public that the deadline for cheque collection for Cost of Living Relief Programme has been extended to 20th July 2025.

IMPORTANT COLLECTION DETAILS

Reprinted Cheques: All stale-dated cheques, that were not collected, have been reprinted.

Collection Start Date: Reprinted cheques will be available for collection beginning 11th July 2025.

Collection Locations: Cheques are to be collected at the various Treasury and Sub-Treasury locations across the islands.

What You Need: Please ensure you bring a valid form of identification and your reference number when collecting your cheque.

REMINDERS

  • Cheques can only be collected by the approved recipient
  • Cheques will not be deposited to any bank accounts
  • Cheque delivery service is still available

A total of 15,615 applications were received of which 14,733 were approved. This translates to a percentage total of 94.4% of applicants being approved to receive the $1,000 grant; 287 applications or 1.8% were flagged as duplicate submissions and 595 or 3.8% of the applications were declined. Of the 15,615 applicants, 10,856 were Turks and Caicos Islands Status Holders and 4,759 were British Overseas Territory Citizens.

To date, 98% of cheques have been collected.

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Finance

TCI’s Green Paper Charts Ambitious Economic Path for Independence

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Deandrea Hamilton | Editor 

 

Turks and Caicos, June 28, 2025 – The Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) has taken a bold step toward reimagining its economic future with the presentation of a Green Paper on independence, outlining an ambitious blueprint for diversification and self-sufficiency. The document, titled Economic Diversification and Self-Sufficiency, signals a major rethinking of the country’s development model—but it remains unclear who commissioned the paper and what, if anything, will become of its proposals.

At present, TCI relies heavily on tourism, its number one industry, followed by financial services and fisheries. While these sectors generate significant revenue, the country’s trade deficit is stark—TCI produces virtually nothing for export and remains deeply reliant on imports. The Green Paper argues that such a model is unsustainable for a country seeking political independence and national resilience.

Central to the paper is the goal of economic diversification. The first pillar is an expansion of financial services and offshore banking. It proposes positioning TCI as a regional hub for private banking, wealth management, and asset protection—while introducing strong financial regulations to avoid reputational damage. A citizenship-by-investment program, similar to those in St. Kitts and Dominica, is also suggested as a revenue stream.

Technology is another focal point. The paper envisions TCI as a digital-friendly jurisdiction through the creation of a Turks and Caicos Digital Nomad Visa, targeted at high-earning remote workers. Investment in fiber-optic infrastructure would help support fintech, offshore data centers, and the broader digital economy.

Food security and economic empowerment are addressed through support for local agriculture and aquaculture. The report calls for expanded hydroponic farming and sustainable fisheries, backed by government grants and training programs to reduce dependence on costly food imports and increase export potential.

Real estate and construction reform also feature prominently. The Green Paper recommends a government-backed homeownership program to help locals access property, along with stronger policies to prevent foreign monopolization of land and ensure local workers benefit from major development projects.

One of the more transformative ideas is a transition to renewable energy. By investing in solar, wind, and ocean power, TCI could reduce its dependency on imported fuel and eventually export clean energy to neighboring islands such as the Bahamas and the Dominican Republic.

To secure long-term economic stability, the creation of a Sovereign Wealth Fund is proposed. Modeled after Norway’s, the fund would be built from tourism taxes, real estate fees, and offshore sector contributions, then invested globally for future generations.

The plan emphasizes workforce development through vocational training and partnerships with international institutions. It also recommends enforcing local ownership quotas in key industries and boosting entrepreneurship with incubators and low-interest loans.

Finally, regional integration is a key part of the vision. TCI would deepen ties with CARICOM, the OECS, and major trade partners like the U.S. and Canada while developing its logistics infrastructure to become a trade hub.

Still, while the vision is expansive, the Green Paper’s authorship and political backing remain uncertain. With no clear indication of who requested the paper or how its recommendations will be adopted, the future of the plan remains as open-ended as the independence question itself.

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Caribbean News

CIBC Caribbean and JetBlue Expand Partnership with Introduction of New JetBlue Business Card for Business Clients in Four Caribbean Destinations

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Bridgetown, Barbados (June 23, 2025)– CIBC Caribbean and Mastercard have unveiled a third card, the JetBlue Business Credit Card, designed for business clients across four Caribbean markets where JetBlue operates: The Bahamas, Barbados, The Cayman Islands and Jamaica. Developed with customers in mind, the new JetBlue Business Card offers exclusive rewards, valuable travel benefits, and enhanced opportunities to earn and redeem TrueBlue points, underscoring JetBlue’s ongoing commitment to fostering loyalty by becoming an integral part of its customers’ daily business journeys.

“We are thrilled to expand our card offerings with the addition of the JetBlue Business Card by CIBC Caribbean which will offer a truly enhanced travel experience for the business traveler,” said Jennifer Fuller, Director Enterprise Payments, Cards and Merchant Services.

“As a leading airline in the Caribbean, JetBlue takes great pride in our continued commitment to delivering innovative programs and products to our loyal customers throughout the region,” said Edward Pouthier, Vice President of Loyalty and Personalization at JetBlue. “We’re excited to strengthen our partnership with CIBC Caribbean through the launch of the new JetBlue Business Card, an offering designed specifically for our business customers. This new card provides exclusive rewards and benefits, allowing cardmembers to earn and redeem TrueBlue points across JetBlue’s network of more than 100 destinations and partner airlines, bringing them one swipe closer to their next journey.”

The JetBlue Business Credit Card offers TrueBlue points based on eligible spend, and clients with frequent travel to North America and beyond, will also benefit from using the business credit card for purchases instead of using their personal cards.

The new business card will allow holders in The Bahamas, Barbados, The Cayman Islands and Jamaica to enjoy Group A priority boarding on select flights, the first checked bag free for up to three eligible travel companions in the same reservation, earn 4X points on eligible JetBlue purchases and get 10,000 TrueBlue points annually.

The new JetBlue Business Credit Card by CIBC Caribbean is the latest offering following the launch of the JetBlue Mastercard and JetBlue Select Mastercard by CIBC FirstCaribbean which were introduced in November 2023 in The Bahamas, Barbados, The Cayman Islands, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. These cards provide cardmembers exclusive rewards, benefits, and an opportunity to earn TrueBlue® points that can be used to travel to more than 100 destinations in JetBlue’s network.

 

PHOTO CAPTION: 

HEADER: L-R Head of Country – Gemel Sobers, Deborah Mercer, Director, Strategic Business Units, CIBC Caribbean, Mr. and Mrs. Rodriguez, Samuel McField Morgan, and Chris Morgan.

1ST INSERT:  L-R Grand Prize winner Susan Boyko congratulated by Donna Wellington, Chief Country Management Officer, CIBC Caribbean.

2ND INSERT: L_R Jose Vargas, Vice President, Head of Sales and Account Management, Mastercard Direct Services, Edward Pouthier, Vice President Loyalty and Personalisation, JetBlue, Pim van der Burg ,Chief Commercial Officer, CIBC Caribbean, Danielle Dumas, Director, Business Development Mastercard, Jennifer Fuller, Director, Enterprise Payments, Cards & Merchant Services, CIBC Caribbean, Lucia Bastidas, Manager, Intl. Co-brand and Loyalty, JetBlue.

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