The Turks and Caicos Islands Government today announced the establishment of the much anticipated District Boards for the Islands of North Caicos, Middle Caicos, South Caicos and Salt Cay as the springboard on the new pathway towards local empowerment in the management of Government services and activities in these islands. This initiative will also see three new District Commissioners being hired in the islands of Salt Cay, Middle Caicos and North Caicos, for which the Government is currently in the recruitment process.
The new boards, consisting mostly of Turks and Caicos Islanders who ordinarily live in or are descendants of the island to which they are assigned, will have the responsibility of assisting the District Commissioners, who themselves will now have enhanced roles, in the management and development of the island communities.
The Boards will consist of a Chairperson and six island representatives, along with the District Commissioner, Supervisor of Public Works, Senior Police Officer and Senior Environmental Health Officer of that island who will serve as Ex-Officio members.
The recent passage of the Government Budget for fiscal year 2015/2016 appropriated some $500,000.00 for the maintenance works in these islands as a separate vote which will ensure that these necessary activities are not overlooked, as was previously the case, when lumped together with the maintenance needs of the larger islands.
The votes will now be managed by the District Commissioners as a part of their expanded portfolios and will be designated for the regular upkeep of schools and other buildings, roads, drains and street cleaning, along with other maintenance services, thereby allowing works to be carried out in a more timely fashion.
On April 1st of this year, during the second phase of a Cabinet Portfolio shift which began in January, responsibility for the District Administration fell to the Office of the Premier, and on release of this recent announcement by Cabinet the Premier.
“The re-establishment of the district boards and the reinforcement of the portfolios of District Commissioner in each of these islands will ensure a robust mechanism for the management and prioritization of the affairs of these communities and will fulfil the Government’s mandate to restore power to the people.
“This new approach will also bring much needed work and small contracts to the skilled workers in the islands through the guarantee of available funds for the regular maintenance and upkeep of Government interests in the islands. This strategic management of the island communities demonstrates my Government’s commitment to ensuring that the needs of the people are met in these islands” said Premier the Dr. the Hon. Rufus Ewing.
“The new district boards will play a vital role in having their input included in the developments of these islands going forward and we as a government look forward to working with them” said Minister for Border Control and Development and also representative for North and Middle Caicos Honourable Donhue Gardiner.
