Thank you once again for attending this Press Conference, for hearing us and for recording and reporting on the issues raised here today. It is so important that the events as they transpired in the history making session of the House be recorded and reported accurately. This is the main reason that we have called you hear today but I wish to raise a few other issues that are current and critical.
My Party and I wish to extend sympathy to those who have lost loved ones and pray God’s comfort for you.
Congratulations is extended to the newly crowned Spelling Bee Champ, Miss Rebecca Archibold of Precious Treasures.
INTRODUCTION/ BUDGET
Times are becoming increasingly difficult for a single seat majority Government and yet the Premier sees no wisdom in working together with all sectors on matters of national concern. It appears that it is not only the Opposition that the Government chooses to ignore but also the people of this country. This Government continues to ignore the cries to address unemployment, healthcare, education, crime, youth, immigration and other critical areas. We eagerly await the Government’s Budget which should provide the funding to address the people’s concerns along with its campaign promises and recent commitments in the Throne Speech. A Budget, we accept, is a statement of Government’s priorities. So, we look forward with great anticipation to debating its contents and wish for the people of these Islands that it will be a people centered and people driven Budget.
We had hoped that the Government would have brought it during the last sitting of the House. Under sec 115 of the Constitution, the Budget should have been laid on the Table of the House six weeks before the end of the Financial Year which is March 31, 2014 and as such the deadline was February 17th, 2014. To date, we have no word on the Budget, the FSPS neither a Motion to allow for the Budget to be brought after the Financial Year End.
This is just consistent with the way in which this country is being managed under this PNP Government with us being led in the dark on an overall Plan, a legislative agenda and now the Budget. The Government must see the wisdom in telling the people of the country its plans. The poor performance of the Government has seen a hurting and disappointed people calling on the Opposition to exercise powers which it does not have and we are often left explaining that we are not policy makers nor do we have the executive authority to make the decisions that need to be made which is vested in Cabinet.
However, one of the greatest roles is that of representing our people in Parliament. We hold ourselves to a high standard, ensuring we are well researched, well prepared and ready to be guided by the people’s agenda and not any personal agenda.
BROADCASTING BILL
About two weeks ago, the House of Assembly met to discuss the Broadcasting Bill and the Telecommunications consequential amendments, inter alia. The Premier attempted to rush the Bill through in 3 Readings by suggesting that it was a “Money” Bill. The Opposition refuted this claim and called for wider consultation which is required under the Statement of Governance Principles and in the spirit of good governance and transparency. The Opposition was able to present a strong enough case to have the two Governor’s members vote in support of the position put forward and as such the Bill was only allowed to have its First Reading. Following the Meeting, parliamentarians did express their concerns as to the structure and contents of the Bill. Nonetheless, the Government brought the Bill again in its original form and on Monday the House of Assembly met to allow the Bill to go through the final stages in order to become law.
During the Debate and Committee, we were able to raise the following points:
The PDM supports the regulating of the Industry under one umbrella but questions the wisdom of placing it under the Telecommunications Commission and not under a Broadcasting Commission or a dedicated Unit. We believe that the Bill is labour intensive and requires resources to give effect to the Bill which is more of a regulatory Bill than a money Bill.
Whilst the Bill was technical, members of the Opposition did consult but following these consultations, more concerns arose and more questions remained unanswered. Of greater concern was the further consultations promised to stakeholders in the Industry and not honored. The Opposition informed the House of Assembly that in such a technical area, Government should ensure that proper consultations are done – this, of course, does not in any way diminish the competence or skill of the staff at the Telecommunications Commission.
The following questions and concerns were put forth:
What is the framework to be put in place to give effect to this Bill and to demonstrate the commitment of policing this Labour Intensive Bill? We had hoped the Minister would have spoken to this but he simply read an excerpt of the Explanatory Memorandum.
We still were not certain and neither was it made clear, what is the taxable item?
We raised our concerns regarding the fact that Telecoms and Broadcasting are two separate creatures that only had but a spectrum in common; there ought not be a case where a small family owned Cable company or small Radio Station is managed and treated like a Telecoms giant.
We requested to see the Regulations that the Minister said was in draft only after I raised the matter of not having the full picture before us to make an informed decision as a lot was left to Regulations to be approved in Cabinet only. We also requested a Schedule of who it applies to as broadcasting is wide and can include signage on the Highway, VHF usage, or Churches streaming and broadcasting hymns. The Premier then said that further amendments will be made to exempt certain entities or activities from requiring licensing under the Bill. We have still not been provided with that list.
We raised the matter of intellectual issues that will arise as TCIG would stand to benefit from some other country’s intellectual property and could very well jeopardise its relationship with other Governments. It is our view that copyright legislation ought to have been brought as well and the Premier agreed that this ought to be a concern.
We felt that the Bill was too liberal in the area of different cultures and could be counterproductive to assimilation.
We felt that the appeal process in the Broadcasting Bill and Telecommunications Ordinance ought to be revisited.
We are also concerned about the power of TCIG to impose tax outside of License and Regulatory Fees.
We believe that the established coverage zone should be maintained as a means of protection for smaller companies e.g. cable companies on islands outside of Providenciales.
The purpose of this Bill we saw as two fold: that of regulating this industry and that of preserving this industry for Belongers. The move by the Government presented in an amendment proposed by the Acting AG was very concerning, as Sec 7 (7)(a) and (b) set out the requirement for all licenses given under this Bill to be Belonger controlled. Yet, a new subsection (9) was introduced giving power to the Minister to waive the Belonger requirement “as the case may be”. This amendment, the Opposition felt, went to the core of this Bill and introduced a provision to empower a Minister to bypass this requirement which was the soul of the Bill. There was a vote and a call for division which saw the section defeated and could not therefore stand as part of the Bill. What was disheartening was that the Minister through encouragement from colleagues and allowed by the Acting Chair, spoke to a particular company he was aware of that will require his use of his not yet received discretionary power. We believe that this was inappropriate and a public statement to this effect was most inappropriate and improper.
The Opposition has only recently supported and brought a Private Member’s Motion to expand the Reserved Business categories to empower Belongers and encourage greater participation in the economy. Therefore, it follows that we could not support the move proposed by the Government to in one section empower Belongers and then in a section almost immediately after remove it. The number of amendments made by section 8 by the AG’s Chambers and the Government is worrisome and leaves one to wonder whether it is fully prepared itself.
We believe we must discontinue the practice of approaching issues from a place of almost always planning to give something up. It is time we seek to truly empower our people to become greater players in our economy as owners and managers and not just as consumers.
We are not aware of when this matter will be raised again; we await the announcement of a new date.
PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE REPORT
As Leader of the Opposition, I am required under the Constitution to chair the Public Accounts Committee which meets in public and which met recently to consider the Statement of Expenditure in Excess for the year ending March 2013. This year saw 5 months of the Interim Government and 7 months of elected Government. The total over expenditure on line items totalled over $19m but because of $10m in savings in line items a net excess of just over $9m resulted. A Report, as required by the Constitution, was prepared and laid on the Table of the House. The PAC is concerned that the issues largely remain the same from the year before even after the passage of the Public Financial Management Ordinance and Regulations. Recommendations have been tabled which include a recommendation that the NAO ought to continue to look into these accounts. Moreover, we recommend for the passage of a Supplementary Appropriation Bill to regularize the spending.
ONGOING INITIATIVES – PUBLIC SCHOOL TOURS/HEALTHCARE
By way of information, I am continuing my Public Schools Tours and will issue a final Statement on completion but I wish to say that schools are seriously under resourced and in need of serious repairs and attention. Teachers are working for little with little. We need to consider an Incentive to retain our local teachers as well as for persons to enter the profession. I trust that the Minister will pay more than hurried and often time unguarded lip service to this area.
On healthcare, I should be able to make a full statement on this matter next week.
I take the liberty now to announce two new initiatives:
NATIONAL UNEMPLOYMENT DRIVE
As promised and in my capacity as Shadow Minister for Border Control and Labour, I wish to advise that the Unemployment Drive around the Islands will commence on South Caicos on Monday, February 24, 2014 and on South Caicos Tuesday, February 25th. It will continue until the third week of March. We take the liberty to announce the Schedule for the first two weeks from February 24th to March 10th, 2014.
GRAND TURK MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2014
SOUTH CAICOS TUESDAY,FEBRUARY 25, 2014, IN FRONT OF SEA VIEW MARINA STORE, CONCH GROUND BAY FROM 11 – 3PM
NORTH CAICOS MONDAY, MARCH 3, 2014 BOTTLE CREEK 11 – 1PM AND KEW 2M- 4PM
FIVE CAYS, PROVIDENCIALES WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5, 2014, FIVE CAYS COMMUNITY CENTER from 10 – 3PM
BLUE HILLS, PROVIDENCIALES MONDAY,MARCH 10, 2014, CLEMENTINA WALKIN PARK FROM 10 – 3PM
WHEELAND, PROVIDENCIALES THURSDAY, MARCH 13, 2014, DOOR TO DOOR FROM 2PM
We believe that data is critical to planning. If Government does not see the wisdom in encouraging persons to register as unemployed, then we must take steps to do so as this is necessary to ensure that Government has a more accurate picture of the level of unemployment in these islands.
We are hoping that the information will:
1. Evoke a greater sense of urgency on the part of the government to review work permits with a view to creating employment for belongers that are unemployed and underemployed;
2. Allow the Government to appreciate the value of information and the need for a database to maintain it and plan with its use. I am certain that the Government is tired perhaps of hearing me call for the database but it makes a better tool for managing employment in these Islands;
3. Prompt the Government to develop a Jobs Policy which will include the numbers of students being added each year.
We are therefore encouraging persons to work with us and register during the Drive. We appreciate that our people are on the verge of hopelessness but we urge them to do their part.
ISLAND TOURS WITH MEDIA
The second new initiative is an Islands Tour. I wish to extend an Invitation to media houses as I tour the Islands of the Turks and Caicos to bring the issues to the forefront. I will commence this Tour on Tuesday, beginning on the Island of South Caicos. If the Government does not come to the people, we believe that we must take the people to the Government in an open and transparent manner.
I welcome you to join us where possible and to help bring awareness to the plight of our people especially in those Islands outside of Providenciales.
I thank you and may God bless us and may He bless these Turks and Caicos Islands.
I thank you and Good Afternoon.
