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Turks and Caicos post Cabinet meeting update

Governor Peter Beckingham chaired the meeting of the TCI Cabinet at the Hilly Ewing Building, Providenciales, on Wednesday, 30 April 2014.

From:
Governor's Office Waterloo Grand Turk
Published
1 May 2014
This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government
Premier Dr Rufus Ewing and Governor Peter Beckingham.

Premier Dr Rufus Ewing and Governor Peter Beckingham.

All Ministers were present and Cabinet:.

  1. Advised the Governor to approve the Financial Intelligence Agency Bill 2014. The Bill makes provision for the establishment of an independent agency responsible for the detection, prevention and control of financial crimes, and by so doing will disband the Financial Intelligence Unit currently managed within the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force. This will ensure the independence required internationally of such a body, and will place it on the same footing as similar bodies in the region. The Bill will be introduced at the next sitting of the House of Assembly;

  2. Advised the Governor to approve the Prevention of Terrorism Bill 2014. The purpose of the Bill is to implement the United Nations Convention Respecting the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism, the UN Security Council Resolution on Terrorism and generally to make provision for preventing and combating terrorism. The Bill will be introduced at the next sitting of the House of Assembly;

  3. Advised the Governor to approve the Proceeds of Crime (Amendment Bill) 2014. The Bill seeks to amend the principal Ordinance by making the necessary consequential amendments required for purposes of the Prevention of Terrorism Bill 2014 and the Financial Intelligence Bill 2014. The Bill will be introduced at the next sitting of the House of Assembly;

  4. Approved amendments to the National Insurance Board Investment Policy Statement. The investment policy states the investment policies for the management of the National Investment Fund. The policy is reviewed periodically by the NIB Investment Committee, working with an Actuary and an Asset Liability Management Consultant, to ensure that the NIB has adequate funds to pay all benefits earned to date by its contributors;

  5. Advised the Governor to approve the drafting of amendments to Schedule 2 of the Company Management (Licensing) Ordinance to repeal subparagraphs (1)(c) and (2) of paragraph 2. The amendments relate to provisions requiring licensees to ‘know your customer’ and references to ‘shadow Directors’. The concept is no longer used in the Companies’ Management (Licensing) Ordinance or the Companies Ordinance;

  6. Advised the Governor to grant approval for the allocation of Crown Land to the successful applicants who filed applications under the under the Grand Turk Residential Land Allocation Scheme GDT001 in accordance with the Crown Land Ordinance 2012;

  7. Accepted explanations provided on the situation regarding the revenue arrears for Business Licensing and approved the request to write off business license arrears in the amount of $1,143,307.80 that have been verified/assessed as uncollectable. The write off will proceed to the House of Assembly for endorsement in accordance with section 62 of the Public Financial Management (PFM) Ordinance 2012;

  8. Approved appointments to the Physical Planning Board; Mr Burkley Malcolm, Chairman, Mr Rico O’Brien Smith, Vice Chairman, Mr Russell Garland, Member, Mr Neroy Kennedy, Member, Director of DEMA, Member, Director of DDME, Member, Director of Planning, Member;

  9. Approved the appointment of Royal Robinson to the National Parks’ Committee.

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

Published 1 May 2014