My fellow Turks and Caicos Islanders, here is my Midterm Report for the past two years. It is of great importance that you know what I have accomplished as the Shadow Minister for Environment.
Since being elected, my party and I have decided to pull the country out of the present dangerous situation it is in. Unlike a PNP Opposition, we wanted to set the bar higher. So we set out to find solutions for the many problems facing the country. These solutions came from Turks and Caicos Islanders and business persons within the community. It was their ideas and opinions that matters to us. So you can say that the PDM engine was running off the opinions and ideas of the people..
National Agenda.
The very first thing I did was to propose a motion for a National Agenda for the country; one that would cover all the problematic areas and national issues, through a national symposium. Where you, the everyday citizen, professional and NGO, could share in the discussions and find a unified way forward, by providing a forum that encouraged optimum participation in discussing and building consensus on a recommended prioritized agenda for a period of 25 to 30 years. This would have included many think tank sessions and presentations, in the areas of strategic planning, immigration, public health, economic diversification, crime fighting measures, crown land policy, utilities and national resources, large infrastructure development, population policy and constitutional review. This is very important to the planning of sustainable future growth of the country, setting ethical standards and lifting the quality of living for all our people here in these BLUE-TIFUL isles of ours. This was meant to break the circle of the political merry go round, setting the pace, blazing new trails and championing new challenges .But because the National Agenda was never adopted or implemented , even though it passed through the House of Assembly with 99% of the votes, it was still pushed aside, and so I pressed on.
Reserved Category of Business Licenses
This motion was brought to the House to change the word BELONGER, to stay in line with the constitutional order of 2011 and to add additional category of reserved businesses to the schedule. This motion also sought to provide protection for Turks and Caicos Islanders who are in joint venture businesses with a foreign partner, that the Turks and Caicos Islander will always maintain the majority share. If their shares are sold or change hand, it could only be done with another Turks and Caicos Islander. Some of the proposed new additions to the schedule were renewable green energies, water sports and fishing tours, horseback riding, etc. This motion also passed by the House of Assembly but died a terrible death with the acceptance of the EU 15 million dollars grant, which ask for the relaxation of our immigration and business license ordinances. The new immigration bill came out of this agreement and next year the business license ordinance will suffer the same faith.
LOBSTER AND CONCH REPRODUCTION PROGRAMS (FIP- fisheries improvement programs)
This motion was also out of concern by local fishermen and international agencies. Like its predecessors, it also successfully passed in the House of Assembly, but failed to make the priority list of this PNP government.
The problems within this industry is (a)Over fishing (b) destruction of habitats and (c) the illegal poaching
of Dominican fishermen. These activities are threatening the sustainability of our fishing industry.
This industry needs our attention to protect, replenish and preserve through proper management for the future generations.
SUSPENSION OF PELAGIC FISHING STUDY THROUGH LONG LINE
METHOD
Turks and Caicos on the 6th Feb. 2014, a motion was put to the House of Assembly to suspend the pelagic fishing through long line method. Where as these islands’ main industry is tourism, pelagic fish specie is one of the economic pillows of the tourism industry in the form of sport fishing. This operation had a negative impact on the country, government and the people.
1-This so called study was being done by a commercial fishing company for profits.
2-The export duty on marine products was repealed to accommodate this so called study.
3-Relevant data was already on record for all pelagic fish species from 10 years ago.
4-The operation was raising concerns with neighboring countries.
In this situation, the government did HALT the fishing activity through long line method, but green stick and buoy method are still allowed, only to be threatened by Day Boat Seafood Ltd. And Caicos Pride Seafood, in
legal battle.
BIOMETRICS AND SURVEILLANCE LAWS
Turks and Caicos, in this day and age I can’t think of any government that doesn’t want to have a better rate of detection and arrest of criminals. But it looks like this government does not care about the rising crime statistics; they are not serious about fighting crime – in fact they seem to embrace it. Their party and crime go hand and hand. I did not say that, the facts show that. But Turks and Caicos, this motion too passed in the Honorable House of Assembly. What is the government doing about it, especially in these times when the crime rate is up? Absolutely not one iota.
Ladies and gentlemen, using biometric on a national scale in conjunction with surveillance will be a very effective tool in fighting crime. Biometric is the science and technology of measuring and statistically analyzing biological data to verify personal identity. Finger printing, iris scanning, DNA screening, voice scanning, facial recognition, and blood type will be a great addition to the police ANPR and PACE that the police already have.
During these past two years, there were many many questions asked to all the government ministers – from low cost homes and land to NHIP, Border control to the use of the Mouchoir Bank, NIB contributions to
agriculture, renewable energy to British expenditure on border control, etc.
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES
After a long fight with the government over Snake Hill Road repairs, the Hill was finally repaired. But the rest of the subdivision road is still in bad shape. This is the proposed area for the alternate road out of Blue
Hills into the Airport and Kewtown Road. There were a number of clean up campaigns in the Blue Hills area with many more planned for the future. But there must be a better waste management program implemented and the enforcement of the law on littering. There was also temporary repairs to the jetty or Blue Hills dock.
Looking back at the last two years , I take pride in the moments when I helped some unemployed persons to get a job.
I take pride in repealing VAT.
I take pride in pushing back the payroll tax.
I take pride in the immigration bill that and is at a stand still.
Turks and Caicos, your loyal Opposition is on the job and constantly on guard.
