His Excellency the Governor, Peter Beckingham, chaired the 26th meeting of the Cabinet on Wednesday 11th December 2013 at the House of Assembly Building on Grand Turk.
All Ministers were present.
At this meeting Cabinet:
• Considered a proposal from IBC Airways to provide a bi-weekly passenger service from Grand Turk to Fort Lauderdale, Fl. Cabinet welcomed the proposal on the basis that it would assist greatly in expanding and diversifying airlift into the Turks and Caicos Islands and agreed to enter into discussions with IBC Airlines to further the proposal;
• Approved a revised comprehensive Travel Policy for official travel by Ministers, Members of Parliament and Government Officials. The policy will be published in the Gazette;
• Received a presentation from the Senior Management Team of Fortis TCI setting out the company’s integrated strategic training and development approach. Cabinet welcomed the company’s approach to employment and training of local people and committed to work in partnership with them on this and matters such as renewable energy;
• Received a report from the Premier and Minister of Tourism regarding an application to the University of the West Indies for Contributing Country Status and granted approval in principle for the Ministry of Education to submit an application. This will enable students on Government scholarships as well as self-funded students from the Turks and Caicos Islands to benefit from discounted rates. The matter will move forward for debate in the House of Assembly in due course;
• Agreed that HE. the Governor appoint the Permanent Secretary for Environment and Home Affairs, the Permanent Secretary, Premiers Office and Mr Mathew Timothy Stubbs as members of the National Trust Council in accordance with section 6 of the National Trust Ordinance;
• Approved a number of contract awards as follows; L&L Construction in the amount of $28,000 for the relocation and repair works to the MBHS Trailer on South Caicos, Tropical Auto Rentals in the amount of $38,000 for the Purchase of vehicles for the Revenue Control Unit, MPL Enterprises Ltd in the amount of $48,803 for the supply of engines for patrol vessels in the Department of Environment and Maritime Affairs, Emerson Development Company in the amount of $3,340 for the installation of hurricane shelter shutters on Grand Turk, Carib Construction Company Ltd in the amount of $28,115 for installation of hurricane shelter shutters on Providenciales, Boxco in the amount of $11,287 for the installation of a generator at the Wellness Centre on South Caicos, Carib Construction Company Ltd in the amount of $11,385 for the installation of a generator in the SPPU, Grand Turk and Boxco in the amount of $7,237 for the installation of a generator at Blue Hills Clinic Providenciales. All contracts were subject to open tendering in accordance with the Procurement Ordinance 2012;
• Approved amendments to the Customs (Post Clearance) Order 2013, and Customs (Amendment) Bill 2013. The amendments make provision for the introduction of a post clearance audit function;
• Approved recommendations from the Minister of Education, Youth, Sport, Culture and Library Services on the implementation of an Early Childhood Minimum Service Standards Handbook. The handbook sets out the minimum standards that will govern and guide the delivery of early childhood education in the Turks and Caicos Islands;
• Approved a proposal from the Minister of Education, Youth, Sports, Culture and Library Services to establish a working committee to explore the potential for a Student Loan Scheme in the Turks and Caicos Islands;
• Received a report from the Minister of Health and Human Services outlining preliminary plans to reform the organisation structure, systems and processes of the Ministry to achieve improvements in the quality of care provided at primary, secondary and tertiary levels, contain costs and increase revenue. Cabinet approved commencement of a programme of reform and agreed to establish a senior level steering committee;
Further information on these matters will be provided by Ministers in due course.
