RTC Director

Kitchandra Penn-McDonald joins Experience Turks and Caicos Team

Experience Turks and Caicos is pleased to welcome Mrs. Kitchandra Penn-McDonald, Human Resources Manager, to their team, effective today, December 4th, 2023.

Mrs. Penn-McDonald is currently enrolled in a Master's Degree program in Human Resources Management and Development at the University of Salford, Manchester, Mrs. Penn-McDonald has eight years of experience working in Human Resources Management.
Before Experience Turks and Caicos, Mrs. Penn-McDonald was Director of Human Resources at Waterloo Hotel Management Limited (Ltd.). She was also employed as the Human Resources Manager at The Sands at Grace Bay.
In welcoming Mrs. Penn-McDonald to the team, Ms. Racquel Brown, Change Manager and Interim CEO of Experience Turks and Caicos, said she is pleased to fill this critical position.

“Hiring Mrs. Penn-McDonald, Human Resources Manager, is essential for talent recruitment and management to ensure the build-out and success of Experience Turks and Caicos. She will be essential in assisting me in ensuring that the organizational structure is in place to promote and enhance a positive and effective work environment for product development and to market and promote the Turks and Caicos Islands. I look forward to working with Mrs. Penn-McDonald in the coming months,” she said.
Mrs. Penn-McDonald described her new role as an amazing opportunity.
“I am deeply honored to be the Human Resources Manager for Experience Turks and Caicos. It is an amazing privilege and a great responsibility to take on this job and I will do it with everything I have to the best of my ability for the success of the organization,” she said.

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by RTC Director

Remarks delivered by Her Excellency Anya Williams Deputy Governor & Head of the Public Service Turks and Caicos Islands Government Pay and Grading Review

Acknowledging the protocol that has already been established, I greet everyone present in your respective capacities, including the Honourable Premier, Deputy Premier and Members of the Turks and Caicos Islands Cabinet and House of Assembly.  

A special Good Morning to our public servants and members of the general public across the length and breadth of the Turks and Caicos Islands that are virtually attending this special briefing.

This morning, I am delighted to deliver the results of the 2023 Turks and Caicos Islands Government Pay and Grading Review.

Background:

The public service, as you are aware, is responsible for delivering on the government’s mandate in providing key services to residents and visitors of the Turks and Caicos Islands. This includes key sectors such as: policing, national security, border protection and safety, as well as healthcare, education, social services, and various other services.  

To this end, the government must be, not only able to attract, but to also retain highly qualified, skilled, and motivated professionals to the public service, that can assist and lead in delivering the government’s mandate.

It is also important for the government to have the ability to offer competitive remuneration packages on par with regional public services with similar economies as the Turks and Caicos Islands.

The last pay and grading review took place almost ten years ago in 2014 and was implemented in April 2015.  It was approved as a 2022/2023 budget objective for the government to undergo a comprehensive independent review of all salaries and allowances for the core public service and government-subverted bodies. 

A budget of $700,000 was approved by the government to carry out this work, and, following an open tendering process, the Turks and Caicos Islands Government awarded a contract to Ernst & Young Services Ltd (EY); a reputable public accounting firm, whose brand is recognized in the Top 4 worldwide for their accounting practices and professional standards, to carry out a review of the pay and grading system of our public service. The review was set over a over six months from May 2023 to November 2023.

The terms of reference for the review required the consultant to independently, propose a new Public Service pay and grading system, with consideration for inflation and the cost of living in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Objectives: 

The objectives of the pay and grading review were:

1. To create a pay and grading system that supports the delivery of high-quality public services, which includes support for the recruitment and retention of qualified personnel needed to manage and deliver those services.
2. To create a system that motivates, recognizes, and rewards high levels of performance.
3. To create a system that ensures that pay is equitable, taking account of job responsibilities and demands.
4. To create a system that ensures that overall pay levels, the structure of the remuneration package and the terms and conditions are competitive in relevant markets, which may differ between occupational groups.
5. To create a system that is sustainable and can be maintained over time within public service budget constraints.
6. To ensure that pay and grading, and the way in which it is managed, is transparent, well understood and perceived to be fair.

Approach:

In regard to the approach, the overall approach of the review was participative, involving key stakeholders in all main tasks. 

During the inception stage, it was agreed that the governance and consultation model for the review should consist of three tiers:

1. The Governance Committee
2. The Pay and Grading Working Group and
3. The MDA-Ministry/Department level Pay and Grading Working Groups. 

During the review, the Governance Committee chaired by myself as Deputy Governor and Head of the Public Service, met on a weekly basis to:  guide the work of the EY project team; to review progress; and to ensure that the review’s options, recommendations, and outputs aligned with the Government’s objectives.  

The Pay and Grading Working Group consisting of representatives from:  the Civil Service Association; the Police Executive and Welfare Association; the Ministry of Education; the Ministry of Health; and other key employment sectors from within in the Turks and Caicos Government, met periodically during the review, to review progress and to provide guidance and feedback on the emerging findings.

The MDA Ministry/Department level working groups were managed internally within each ministry/department, to review the findings from the review of specific relevance to the MDA.  

Consultation:

In regards to consultation, there was also internal and external mechanisms in place during the consultancy. 

This included engagement at key points in the review, including:

• Briefing meetings with the Premier and Deputy Premier.
• Cabinet briefing meetings.
• Briefing meeting with members of the House of Assembly including a review of comparator information on compensation for equivalent positions in legislative bodies in the region.
• Briefing meetings with the Executive Board.
• Briefing meeting with the Deputy Director of the Integrity Commission; and
• A final review meeting with the Integrity Commission. 

Findings: 

On to what we you have all been waiting for, the findings of the review. 

Data compiled found that the Turks and Caicos Islands Public Service, the largest employer in the Turks and Caicos Islands, had grown in both size and levels of responsibility since it’s last pay and grading review and that there had been significant changes in economic conditions due to the impacts of inflation, which had resulted in the current levels of public service pay not being commensurate with the roles that staff play or with resident living conditions. 

This was evidenced in the market survey which was carried out as a part of this review, which found public service pay to be, in some cases, significantly lower that of:  government statutory bodies, the local private sector, as well as regional public services. 

The review therefore concluded that while the current pay structure was suitable to be retained, that changes needed to be made to make the structure, including rate of pay, including the overall remuneration package more competitive.

To this end, the following recommendations were approved by the Turks and Caicos Islands Cabinet at its meeting on Wednesday, November 29^th, 2023:

1. That a minimum 10% increase is to be applied to all grade structures across the Turks and Caicos Government effective December 1^st, 2023.
2. That a new grade structure is to be implemented for the health sector effective December 1, 2023.
3. That the previous 10-point grade system would be expanded to include an eleventh grade for senior professionals, as well as three grade bands for executive staff.
4. That the following allowances are to be absorbed into basic pay: Provo Allowance, Duty Allowance, Child Allowance and Professional Allowance.
5. The previous grade structure for the Police and Teachers to be retained with modifications. 
6. That increases are to be implemented in a number of front-line special allowances.

 

Overall Results of the Review: 

A total of $18.2m, an overall increase of 22% in manpower costs, has been approved by the Cabinet of the Turks and Caicos Islands to facilitate the implementation of the first phase of the pay regarding exercise for staff across the Turks and Caicos Islands Government. 

Every member of staff, in every island, in every sector of the Turks and Caicos Islands Government will receive a minimum 10% increase in their net pay following the absorption of certain allowances, effective December 1^st, 2023, with certain key sectors receiving higher levels of increases.

$13.1m or 72% of the total $18.2m pay and grading review budget has been allocated towards salary increases in the following key sectors:  

• Policing
• Healthcare
• Education
• Front Line
• Administrative and Support Staff 

These sectors account for 1,568 employees or 79% of our current workforce.

Pay and Grading Review Highlights Education: 

A total of $3,941,608 or 27.1% of the pay and grading budget has been allocated towards increases in pay in the education sector. 

374 staff in the teaching sector will receive the following pay increases effective December 1, 2023.

Trained Teachers 12.8%

Graduate Teachers 25%

Heads of Department 29.9%

Vice Principals 42%

Principals 57.1%

 

The basic salary for a Graduate Teacher has been increased to $48,320.00.

The basic salary for a Head of Department has been increased to $56,037

The basic salary for Vice Principals has been increased to $66,610.

The basic salary for Principals has been increased to $79,178. 

All Teachers will continue to receive a Materials Allowance of $100 per month or $1,200 per annum in addition to their basic pay.

The compensation package for our 286 Graduate Teachers will be increased to $60,320 per annum, which places us at the upper point of the teaching scales in the region.

 

Healthcare:

A total of $1,880,441 or 10.4% of the pay and grading budget, has been allocated to facilitate pay increases in the health sector.

173 staff in the Ministry of Health will receive the following pay increases, following the absorption of Provo, Duty and Professional Allowance effective December 1, 2023:

Community Health Aide 28.9%

Community Mental Health Nurse 28.6%

Registered/Community Health Nurse 27.4%

Registered Nurse/Midwife 20.8%

Medical Officers 22.9%

Staff where appropriate will receive a telephone and transportation allowance.

 

Front Line Staff: 

A total of 3,229,292 or 18% of the overall total cost of the 2023 pay and grading review has been allocated towards pay increases for our front-line staff.

378 staff in Grade 5 which includes: Immigration, Customs, Prison, Road Safety, Fire Safety, Fisheries, Maritime, Compliance, Administrative and other officers will receive a net pay increase of 28.3%

The basic pay for these posts has been increased to $38,691.00.

Duty and Provo Allowance has been absorbed into basic pay.

Immigration Task Force Officers will receive an additional $800 per month allowance and Supervisors will receive $1,000 per month, $12,000 per annum.

 

Senior Front-Line Officers: 

In addition to the $3.2m allocated for front-line officers, a total of $1,770,115 has been allocated towards increases for senior front-line officers.

209 Senior Front-Line Officers in Grade 6 which includes Senior Immigration, Senior Customs, Senior Prison, Senior Fire Safety, Senior Administrative, Finance and Tax Officers following the absorption of Provo and Duty Allowance will receive a net increase of 22.5%

The basic salaries for these posts have been increased to $46,992.

Staff where appropriate will receive a telephone and transportation allowance.

 

Police:  

A total of $1,480,449 has been allocated towards additional pay increases in the Police sector.

317 staff in the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force will receive the following net pay increases effective December 1, 2023, in addition to the 14% across-the-board salary increase they received in 2022/2023:

District Constables 18.8%

Constable 12.2%

Sergeant 12.8%

Inspector 12.6%

Assistant Superintendent 13.6%

Superintendent 17.7%

 

The basic salary for a Police Constable has been increased to $37,748; Sergeant $49,528; Inspector $56,037; Assistant Superintendent $63,400; Superintendent $73,525.

 

All Police Officers will continue to receive a Housing Allowance.

Detective, Marine, Close Protection, and Tactical Allowances will be increased by 100% from $500 to $1,000 per month or $12,000 per annum.

Combining the 14% salary increase awarded to the Police in October 2022 with the increases to be awarded in December 2023, Police salaries are being increased by 25-30%.

Support Staff:  

A total of $805,866 has been allocated to provide 117 staff in Grade 4, which includes Administrative Assistants will receive a 27.3% net pay increase raising their basic salary to $32,550 following the absorption of Provo Allowance. 

Other Grades: 

In regards to other sectors:

• 4 staff in Grade 2 will receive a 40.4% net pay increase
• 37 staff in Grade 3 will receive a 38.7% net pay increase
• 123 staff in Grade 7 will receive a 19.1% net pay increase
• 93 staff in Grade 8 will receive a 16.5% net pay increase
• 67 staff in Grade 9 will receive a 13.9% net pay increase
• 34 staff in Grade 10 will receive a 13.8% net pay increase
• 8 members of staff will be included in the new Grade 11
• Deputy Permanent Secretaries will be included in the new Executive 1 scale
• Permanent Secretaries will be included in the new Executive 2 scale

The Attorney General and Deputy Governor will be included in the Executive 3 scale 

House of Assembly: 

Since 2012 there has not been a review of Ministers and Members of the House of Assembly remuneration.

With the approval of the Integrity Commission, a new remuneration package has also been approved for Ministers and Members of the House of Assembly that except for across-the-board increases, unlike the mainstream public service would not have benefited from previous increments or other pay increases.

A total of $600,000 or 3% of the total pay and grading budget has been allocated to facilitate these adjustments.

 

Conclusion:

In conclusion, let me be clear, no member of staff is losing in this review. For those who held allowances that have now been absorbed, this simply means we are now adding it to your basic pay, and you are receiving a minimum of a 10% increase after the absorption, which is beneficial to you as allowances are used a part of the computation for your terminal gratuity o pension payments.

Through this review employee in most cases, will receive more than a 10% increase to their net pay.

This is the largest single-phased increase ever implemented by the Turks and Caicos Islands Government!

On behalf of the public service of the Turks and Caicos Islands I express profound gratitude to the Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands, in particular the Honourable Premier and Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance who without any reservations or hesitation, agreed to provide the financial and other resources that were necessary to undertake this review.

When the funding request was made, the Premier questioned whether we were sure that we could deliver the findings in 6 months or before the end of both the calendar and the financial year.  We did not only deliver the findings Honorable Premier, we are actively working towards implementation within that timeframe as well, which could not have been done without you and your Cabinet’s support.

Thank you for agreeing to the recommendations in totality, for your vision and leadership, and for making the public service one of your government’s key priorities.

Thank you as well to members of the private sector and regional bodies that participated in the market survey. This helped to provide us with a better understanding of the pay structure that currently exists outside of our government.

To the various associations, the Civil Service Association the Police Welfare Association, the Teachers Association, and all ministries and departments across government for your participation in the various stakeholder meetings, thank you.

To the staff in the Office of the Deputy Governor, the Ministry of Finance, Attorney General Chambers, and other agencies for your engagement and work on this. To Ernst and Young for delivering a comprehensive, on time report and in advance to the Human Resource Management Directorate and staff in the Payroll Unit in the Treasury who we are certain will ensure that the job gets done and that our public servants are able to have a Happy Christmas by ensuring that these increases are reflected on their December payroll! 

This marks a significant investment in the public service. We promise the government and people of these islands that we will diligently work to deliver on this and future governments' mandate to the benefit of this our beautiful Turks and Caicos Islands!

 

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by RTC Director

Remarks delivered by Honourable Charles Washington Misick, OBE MHA Premier

SALUTATION:

Luke 12:48 KJV……. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
Foremost in my government’s mind in commissioning the review of the pay and regrading of public service employees are the three principles of Justice: Equity, Equality and Need as it relates to the changing economic fortunes of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Because change is constant, we must constantly strive to counterbalance the impact of negative changes to our people. As our economy grows our people must participate in the economic dividends of growth.
Social changes and demographic shifts require a rebalancing paradigm between equity, equality and need. The pay and regrading initiative by my administration is another step in a series of steps that my government has taken to reflect the critical pre-conditions of economic justice.
Every time that I have served as a member of the executive arm of government, I have made changes to boost the pay and the working conditions of people in these Islands - both public and private sectors.
This time the recent pandemic, supply-chain shortages, wars and other exogenous factors have fueled inflation making it difficult for families to cover the cost of shelter and food.

Even as my government has provided social programs to make up for the gap between pay and inflation, inflation continues to outpace these assistance programs thereby eroding the quality of life my government promised our people.
But as we promised that no one would be left behind we continue to try to match benefits against costs.
Unless benefits are matched by an increase in productivity, we would merely be adding fuel to the fire of inflation. It is therefore critical for all to understand the Ying and Yang between productivity and pay.
It is also important to understand that equality is only fair when all starts at the same position while equity means recognizing that we do not all start from the same place and must acknowledge and make adjustments for imbalances.

On the other hand, need speaks to necessity rather than desirability. Equality, equity and need is reflected in the end product of the consultant's recommendations – leaving no one behind.
When in 2015 public servants received a pay increase, we promised that it would follow with further improvements to public service working conditions. We are now delivering on that promise.
In 2015 we increased the minimum wage and promised that we would make further increases on a needs basis and as dictated by the cost of living. We delivered on that earlier this year.
And now this comprehensive review of the public service pay has resulted in a reorganization of the structure scale to align with modern practice, competitiveness and when the new management system is added civil servants will be more accountable.

But it does not stop there. I have asked and the cabinet has agreed to extend the consultancy to include a productivity audit of the public service.
We simply cannot and should not reward poor performance or worse dishonesty in the delivery of service to the public who are paying for the service. The public deserves better and we promised them better. We cannot and will not allow a few bad actors to spoil the reputation of the hardworking honest men and women of our civil service.

The same admonition I issue to public servants I issue to ministers and parliamentary colleagues who have also after almost twelve years received an uplift in pay for the first time.
Also, it is socially unjust, inequitable and unconscionable to ignore the needs of our pensioners and recognize their service and the hardship they face in trying to live off of a pension that has been eroded by inflation.
In that regard, the consultants will now turn to review the pension of former civil servants with a mandate to have this completed by the end of the financial year to award a retroactive increase in pension effective December 1, 2023 – the same as the new pay arrangements for currently serving public servants.

And finally, my government have commissioned an actuarial review of vulnerable Turks and Caicos Islanders age 70 and over intending to purchase an annuity to provide a guaranteed cost of living assistance of $1,000 monthly.
The government will pay the NIB to administer this program which will become effective on April 1st 2024.
The government must no longer be the last resort in the choice of employment. We have injected equality, equity and need in our remuneration structure and hope that our private sector partners will do the same.
My government is committed to empathy and compassion and a genuine commitment to build a safety net around the vulnerable and we are doing that as well.
No government in the history have done more to cater to the vulnerable of our society.

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by RTC Director

Weekend Shooting and Wounding

Detectives of the Serious Crime Unit of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force shared with RTC News that they are are continuing investigations into the shooting and wounding of a male in Providenciales.

Based on preliminary police reports, around 9 p.m. yesterday (December 02nd), the Police Control Room received multiple calls that gunshots were being heard in the Sand Bar Street, Five Cays area.

A team of officers was dispatched to the given location.

Upon investigation, a 24-year-old male received gunshot injuries and was rushed to the Cheshire Hall Medical Center for treatment.

The public is advised to notify the closest police station, contact 911, the RTCIPF Serious Crime Unit at 232-8752 or 1-800-8477, and anonymously give any information on this shooting and
other illegal activities.

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by RTC Director