TCI News
TCI: Infrastructure Minister tours public projects in Providenciales, gives update
#Providenciales, August 13, 2019 – Turks and Caicos – The Deputy Premier and Minister of Infrastructure says that he is pleased with the progress on Public Works managed projects, and in one case an early completion which will result in keys being handed over this month.
A media release from the office of the DP explained: ‘The Deputy Premier and Team then visited the newly completed EMS (Ambulance) Base, on Leeward highway. This project was recently completed ahead of schedule at a cost of approximately $140K. The keys are to be officially handed over to users this month.’
Schools featured largely in the tours. Oseta Jollly Primary and Clement Howell High in Blue Hills and new Long Bay Primary Schools were all toured and again there was satisfaction expressed at the progress of the projects.
By June 2020, hurricane refurbishment work at the Oseta Jolly Primary School will be completed; it was the second site visited by the Deputy Premier.
Phase one of the School Infrastructure Project at OJPS is an investment of $1.8 million. Work to ‘repair and upgrade’ began in February and is on course for an on-time completion in February 2020.
Phase two for OJPS will deliver a new Early Childhood Block. It meant removal of the old container classrooms.
The Minister’s report said: ‘The project has an approximate cost of $1.5 M. The project commenced in June 2019 and is scheduled to be completed in June 2020.’
At Clement Howell High, $700k in repair work is tackling the goals of phase two of the high school’s infrastructure project and should be completed in April next year.
The Infrastructure Minister said his tour was aimed an ensuring quality work delivered on time, and initially took Deputy Premier Astwood to the road works under way in Five Cays and Wheeland.
The tour took the DP to Lot 1 Laney Lane in Wheeland, which was due to be finished last week and Tumpa Avenue in Blue Hills, which is scheduled to be all done by September.
His report on the ‘Phase 4’ of road projects explained: ‘….The Contract includes the road to the radar station which is 95% Completed, Granny Hill and Matilda Way and the removal of derelict vehicles within the area of the Project. This project commenced in April 2019 at a cost of $1.3 M and is scheduled to be completed in September 2019.’
The tour by the Minister and his team of the new Long Bay Primary School was described as an “intricate inspection”.
The DP in his report to media said: ‘This project has an estimated total cost of $4.7 M. It originally commenced in September 2018, the project was stopped for a brief period due to a legal challenge but recommenced in February 2019, it is on schedule for completion August 2020.”
Overall, the Deputy Primer and Minister responsible for infrastructure shared that he is pleased with the progress of the ongoing works viewed on Monday August 5, 2019. Hon Sean Astwood added that he is committed to getting timely progress reports and seeing all the projects through to fruition.
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TCIG knew from April that fuel factor could surge almost 80%; Minister says $500 cost-of-living payment was part of Government’s response
PROVIDENCIALES — The Turks and Caicos Government knew months before July’s shocking electricity bills that consumers faced a potentially massive increase in the fuel factor.
Minister of Information Technology and Energy E. Jay Saunders revealed Friday that Pelican Energy warned his Ministry in April that generation fuel costs were projected to rise from $3.09 per gallon in May to $4.79 in June and July.
That translated into a projected fuel factor jump from about 17.5 cents to 31 cents per kilowatt-hour — an increase of almost 80%.
Saunders said he personally advised Cabinet of the projected increase and presented options for cushioning the impact.
He characterised Government’s $500 cost-of-living payment as its “initial response” to rising fuel costs, before a separate fuel-factor subsidy was approved.
Cabinet records show Government agreed on June 24 to provide funding to mitigate the fuel-factor impact, with the relief programme approved July 8.
Eligible residential customers — those averaging less than $1,500 monthly over the previous three bills — are capped at 22 cents per kWh from July through October.
Pelican confirmed Friday that Government’s contribution was already applied to July bills, meaning the bills now triggering widespread public outrage would have been even higher without the subsidy.
Saunders did not disclose the programme’s total cost.
His admission that Government knew since April, however, raises another question amid the backlash: why were consumers not directly warned by Government about the scale of the approaching increase?
PROVIDENCIALES — New commercial Crown Land applications are facing a six-month pause as the Turks and Caicos Islands Government takes inventory of its holdings.
During Cabinet meetings held July 15 and 16, an immediate six-month moratorium was approved on the acceptance, processing
and approval of new applications for commercial Crown Land grants, leases and allocations.
The pause will remain in place pending completion of the Crown Land Inventory Review. Cabinet’s summary did not state what prompted the review or indicate whether availability of commercial Crown Land is a concern.
The two-day meeting also advanced major consumer legislation. Cabinet approved the National Fair Competition Policy 2026 and drafting instructions for a Fair Competition Ordinance, moving TCI toward stronger consumer protection and fair competition rules.
In Grand Turk, Cabinet approved rezoning land in the North West Suburbs from low-density to medium-density residential use to facilitate a new apartment development.
Cabinet also advanced fisheries reforms, water legislation allowing private and public-private investment, minerals legislation and appointments across tourism, health and finance.
Progress toward establishing a TCI Credit Union was also noted.
PROVIDENCIALES — Major development projects outside Providenciales received Cabinet attention on July 8, with Government approving agreements connected to the redevelopment of Dellis Cay and a resort development in North Caicos.
Cabinet approved a Development Agreement between the Turks and Caicos Islands Government, Desarrollos Hotelco DC Ltd. and
Desarrollos Hotelco Astoria Ltd. for the redevelopment of Dellis Cay.
The long-discussed private island development sits between Providenciales and North Caicos and its return to Cabinet signals another step toward redevelopment.
Cabinet also approved amendments to an agreement involving SPR LND Ltd. (Royal Reef) and TCIG Development Agreement for a resort/hotel development in North Caicos.
Other decisions included approval of the First Supplementary Appropriation Bill 2026 for onward transmission and the appointment of Cindy Ewing as Chair of the Invest TCI Board, effective August 1 for three years.
Cabinet also noted consultation outcomes concerning changes to business licensing, approved professional membership expenses for qualifying Telecommunications Commission staff and approved advice relating to the Interim Clinical and Estates Services PPP.
The July 8 meeting was chaired by Acting Governor Anya Williams.
Photo Credit: Royal Reef (Keith)
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