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Turks and Caicos Post Cabinet Statement

His Excellency the Governor, Dr John Freeman, chaired the 5th meeting of the Cabinet on Wednesday, 1 March 2017, at the N J S Francis Building on Grand Turk.

TCI Cabinet Meeting

All Ministers were present except the Hon. Minister of Home Affairs, Transportation and Communication.

At this meeting Cabinet:

  • advised His Excellency the Governor to approve a mutation and rectification and then a tender for applications for the commercial lease of combined Crown Land Parcels 60610/305 and 306 at Norway and Five Cays, Providenciales, in line with section 34 of the Crown Land Ordinance 2012

  • approved a Provisional Warrant Resolution for forwarding to the next sitting of the House of Assembly for the withdrawal from the Consolidated Fund of an amount not exceeding $85,067,096 for the continuation of government business for the first four months of Financial Year 2017/18 pending passage and entry into force of an approved Appropriation Ordinance for 2017/18

  • advised His Excellency the Governor to appoint the following as members of the International Finance Marketing and Promotions Working Group (IFMPWG), the body set up to advise the Minister of Finance, Trade and Investment on the strategic direction and promotion of the TCI financial services sector, for a period of 18 months with effect from 1 April 2017 – Mr Peter Savory (Corporate Management/Trust Administration); Mr Kenrick Walters (Banking); Mr Norman Hamilton (Insurance); Mr Clayton Been (Corporate Management/Trust Administration); Mr Mark Lindsay McCann (Trust Administration); Mr Jonathan Katan (Bar Association); Mr David Stewart (Trust/Financial Industry Association); Governor’s Office representative; FSC representative; AG’s Chamber’s representative; Ministry of Finance representative

  • approved the renewal of the lease agreement for the Premier’s Official Residence on Grand Turk for a period of four years with effect from 1 March 2017

  • discussed a paper prepared by the Ministry of Health, Agriculture and Human Services on ongoing management issues at the National Health Insurance Board

  • agreed to extend the 2016/17 lobster season from 15 March to 31 March 2017

  • noted the recommendations of the Public Procurement Board to award contracts in line with the Public Procurement Ordinance 2012 as follows – TR16/20 Upgrade and extension of the Providenciales morgue and equipment; TR16/33 Repairs to the Lands Division building, Grand Turk; TR16/34 Enhancement of the Standard Integrated Government Tax Administration System for the Revenue Department; TR16/40 Construction of a classroom block, Long Bay High School Phase III; TR16/48 Mental Health Home Phase III, Grand Turk; TR16/51 Replacement roof, Waterloo Phase II

  • received an information paper from the Ministry of Home Affairs updating Cabinet on progress on emergency works at HM Prison to be discussed further at the next meeting of Cabinet

  • received a briefing by the Hon. Attorney General on her attendance at the recent Financial Action Task Force Plenary Meeting at the OECD in Paris including steps required to be taken by TCI to meet its financial services related international commitments in relation to the Global Forum on the Exchange of Tax Information’s assessment of TCI set for the third quarter of 2017 and the CFTAF mutual evaluation of TCI which is set for the first quarter of 2018 and, in particular, commitments related to beneficial ownership

  • agreed adjustments to the Fiscal Strategic Policy Statement 2017/21 to be submitted to the UK Government to take account of planned revenue and expenditure related to the European Union grant provided to TCI under the European Development Fund (EDF) 11

  • received a briefing by the Hon. Premier and HE the Deputy Governor on their recent attendance at the annual EU/Overseas Countries and Territories (OCT) meeting in Aruba including on TCI assuming the Chair of the Overseas Countries and Territories Association and on the signing of the Financing Agreement of the EDF 11

  • received a briefing by the Hon. Deputy Premier on his recent attendance at the twenty eighth inter-sessional meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in Guyana including on regional security issues and correspondent banking.

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

Published 2 March 2017