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Turks and Caicos Post Cabinet Meeting Statement

His Excellency the Governor, Dr John Freeman, chaired the 4th meeting of the Cabinet on Wednesday, 15 February 2017, at the Hon. Hilly Ewing Building on Providenciales.

TCI Cabinet Meeting

All Ministers were present except the Hon. Deputy Premier.

At this meeting Cabinet:

  • agreed the fiscal targets set out in the annual Fiscal Strategic Policy Statement (FSPS) for the period 2017-2021 for forwarding to the UK Government for approval and approved the indicative budget ceilings for ministries to be issued in Budget Call Circular No.2

  • approved the publication of the 3rd Quarter Financial Report for FY2016/17 on the financial performance of the TCI Statutory Bodies as required under Section 147 of the Public Financial Management Ordinance 2014 and had an initial exchange on the need for timely audit and a comprehensive review of the statutory bodies

  • authorised Invest Turks and Caicos to commence negotiations on a development agreement with North Caicos Holdings Ltd on a proposal to build a five storey condominium and hotel resort on Crown Land Parcel 50104/59, 64 and 18.92 on Sandy Point, North Caicos, subject to thorough due diligence being carried out by TCIG and conditions being met by the developer. The negotiated development agreement would be resubmitted to Cabinet for approval

  • advised His Excellency the Governor to approve a final extension, which will expire on 30 April 2017, to the renovation clause of the existing Development Order with Millennium Estates Ltd/The Palms Condominiums Ltd for duty concessions on the import of air-conditioners in respect of renovation works which are currently being carried out on existing condominiums

  • advised His Excellency the Governor to approve an amendment to the existing Development Agreement with TCI Toscana GP Ltd/Vista development for a final extension of the conditionality date for submitting a building permit application to the Physical Planning Department to 1 October 2017

  • approved the development of a draft policy on public consultation for the subsequent consideration of Cabinet

  • instructed the Ministry of Finance, Trade and Investment to work with Invest Turks and Caicos and other relevant bodies in TCI to develop a National Refurbishment Policy for the consideration of Cabinet

  • advised His Excellency the Governor to instruct the Office of the Premier and District Administration to conduct a public and stakeholder consultation for a period of one month on proposals to reverse the decision by Cabinet in August 2014 to cease seasonal time changes in TCI and to report back to Cabinet following the consultation

  • advised His Excellency the Governor to approve a tender for applications for the lease of approximately 0.25 acres of accreted land lying seaward of Crown Land Parcel 60804/6 on Providenciales

  • advised His Excellency the Governor to instruct the TCI Government to negotiate with the owners the purchase of portions of Crown Land Parcels 10302/5 and 10302/23 to enable Phase II of the upgrade of Lighthouse Road on Grand Turk to proceed

  • noted the recommendations of the Procurement Board to award contracts in line with the Public Procurement Ordinance 2012 as follows – TR 16/07 Mobile Clinic for the Ministry of Health, Agriculture and Human Resources; TR 16/16 Mental Health Facility Phase II – furniture and equipment

  • approved the waiver of the planning application fee for a planning application by the TCI Airports Authority (TCIAA) for the construction of a control tower at South Caicos Airport

  • noted a reduction in the potable water tariff rate of 1.9% applicable to customers of Provo Water Company Ltd conditional on the findings of the 2016 audit report of Provo Water Company. Cabinet also noted a proposal for funding of $50,000 in the development budget towards costs related to the five year review of the operations of Provo Water Company Ltd as required in the Instrument of Appointment

  • approved a moratorium on applications from third parties for commercial developments in beach access areas to enable an assessment of the situation to be carried out

  • received a briefing by the Hon. Premier on her recent visit to the UK and on her forthcoming visit to Aruba to attend the annual EU/Overseas Countries and Territories (OCT) meeting.

Further information on these matters will be provided by Ministers in due course.

Published 16 February 2017