RTC Director

RTCIPF talks about on-going Traffic Operations

The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force and the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) have commenced traffic operations island-wide, to ensure motorists are complying with the law.

On Friday 19th May 2021, RTCIPF officers from the Traffic Enforcement and Operational Response Units and officials of the DMV, conducted roadblocks from 5 p.m. along Leeward Highway in the vicinity of First Caribbean Roundabout, Providenciales.

Commenting on the ongoing operations Superintendent Dwight Gardiner said: “The RTCIPF has undertaken a zero-tolerance approach against traffic violators in a bid to ensure road safety for all. These operations, in partnership with our DMV colleagues, will also involve raising awareness and sensitizing the public as it relates to the Road Traffic Ordinances. It is imperative that persons fully comply with road traffic regulations in order to avoid being fined. We encourage you to assist us in maintaining a safer roadway in the TCI through compliance.”

Traffic Data: May 19th, 2023 Traffic Stop/Vehicle Checks: 127

Number of tickets issued: 24

Number of Vehicles towed: 02

A number of persons warned of intended prosecution for driving a motor vehicle without insurance: 02 The RTCIPF wishes to remind motorists that vehicle windows must have the following minimum levels of visible light transmittance:

Front windscreen: Above 50 percent

Each front window; Driver and Passenger side windows: Above 50 percent;

Rear Windows and Windscreen: Above 30 percent.

If your vehicle’s tint does not meet these requirements, then under the Road Traffic Ordinance you commit a traffic violation and must pay the following:

TWO HUNDRED and FIFTY DOLLARS (250.00) PER WINDOW

The RTCIPF thanks you for your cooperation in advance.

by RTC Director

NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL APPROVES OPERATION PURSUIT

Her Excellency the Acting Governor, Anya Williams, and the Hon. Premier Charles Washington Misick, co-chaired an extraordinary meeting of the Turks and Caicos Islands National Security Council (NSC) on Tuesday 23 May 2023 at the Premier’s Office, Providenciales. 

Also in attendance, were the Hon. Deputy Premier, the Hon. Attorney General, the Hon. Musgrove Minister for Immigration and Border Services, the Hon. Minister Taylor for Education, the Acting Commissioner of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force (RTCIPF) Rodney Adams, the Acting Deputy Commissioner of the RTCIPF Kendall Grant, the Permanent Secretary of Immigration and Border Services Althea Been, the Deputy Permanent Secretary National Security Secretariat (NSS) Virginia Clerveaux, the Director-General of Border Force Emilio Seymour, the NSS Threats Lead Swarzette John and RTCIPF Inspector William Lightbourne.  

Apologies were received from the Commissioner of the RTCIPF and the Permanent Secretary NSS.  

Members: 

1. Approved Operation Pursuit, a TCI Government multi-agency initiative to enforce various laws to deter persons from entering TCI illegally and preserve the national security of the islands. 
• Operation Pursuit will locate, identify and process persons undertaking employment in the TCI without the necessary permits or authorization;

• Identify and prosecute employers who may be employing workers illegally; 

• Identify buildings and structures that do not have the necessary planning permissions and take requisite action to address informal settlements; 

• Identify and prosecute persons operating illegally in TCI maritime waters; 

• Prevent illicit contraband entering TCI and locate, identify, and prosecute persons involved in transnational and organized crime. 

2. Signed a Memorandum of Understanding with 17 government agencies to create the Joint Law Enforcement Taskforce (JLET)

Follow-up questions are welcomed and should be directed to nationalsecurity@gov.tc

by RTC Director

THE HONOURABLE ARLINGTON A. MUSGROVE, MHA BUDGET ADDRESS, MINISTER OF IMMIGRATION

Mr. Speaker, I rise to give my contribution to this historic budget debate. First, I wish to greet you, Mr. Speaker, and the honorable members of this House, the strangers in the gallery, my beloved people of the Twin Islands, North and Middle Caicos, and all persons living and visiting these beautiful by nature Islands.

Mr. Speaker, I too wish to associate myself with the condolences that were expressed thus far, to those who have lost loved ones since we last met here in this honorable House. I offer condolences to Hon. McAllister Hanchell on the passing of his beloved brother, Ray. May their souls rest in peace.

Mr. Speaker, I also want to extend best wishes to all of our students, across the Islands, who are preparing to sit their external exams.
Mr. Speaker, Job 17:9 says, “Nevertheless the righteous will hold to his way, and he who has clean hands will grow stronger and stronger.” Mr. Speaker, despite the noise in the market, and the hollow shouts of the naysayers, those who would contrive all manner of evil against this great government, our Father in heaven looks upon us and knows that our hands are indeed clean, and therefore, day by day, we indeed grow stronger and stronger.

Mr. Speaker, I want to pause here to convey my sincere appreciation, and thanks, to the hardworking team in my Ministry. The Permanent Secretary Althea Been and her staff continue to work with dedication, commitment, and innovation, to deliver on this government’s mandate, and I am grateful for the work that they consistently do.

Mr. Speaker, my PS, during her appropriations presentation, would have ably gone into the performance of this Ministry, over the past year, and the details of the budget that is here before us today, just as the Minister of Finance did yesterday. But, for those who might have missed it, let me briefly say that in the year ended, the Ministry achieved 109% of its revenue targets based on the revised budget, with unaudited actuals of $186 million versus a target of $171 million, and further saw the achievement of 98.5% of its operating expenditure targets against revised estimates, which represents unaudited actuals of $14.4 million versus a target of $14.7 million.

Mr. Speaker, the year ended was no easy year. With the ongoing deterioration in the national security of Haiti, illegal migration and the attempts to import illicit drugs and firearms remained a challenge. For the year 2022/2023 our teams processed, detained, and repatriated over 2882 persons from 31 boats, compared to 1409 persons from 23 boats in FY 2021/2022, and in addition to this, some 250 persons were removed from January to March of this year alone, through inland enforcement and compliance efforts.

Additionally, Mr. Speaker, the total number of seizures of prohibited and restricted goods, at our borders, totaled some 855, with penalties amounting to approximately $540 thousand dollars, while the number of seizures of this same category of imports was less than 2% of this total, in the year prior.

And so, Mr. Speaker, even while we have faced the greatest number of threats from illegal migration, and attempted import of illegal firearms and illicit substances, my team stood their ground, and they stepped up to the challenges before them, and that is why I am delighted, Mr. Speaker, to deliver this budget for them, and to assist them in the protection of our borders, the development of our ports, and the overall improvement of our services to the public.

Mr. Speaker, this past week the Leader of the Opposition, having sat through the appropriations committee meetings, and having “scrutinized” the budget book for more than two weeks, had the nerve to call this budget the “Biggest Budget with No Impact.” And, Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition, in quoting William Shakespeare said that the “budget is Much to Do About Nothing.”

Well, Mr. Speaker, certainly after that tsunamic budget address delivery, by the Minister of Finance yesterday, the Leader of the Opposition should be eating his words, but in case he needs just a little more persuasion, I too would like to quote William Shakespeare, from the same play referenced by the member opposite, and say to him, “I would my horse had the speed of your tongue!”

Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition was in such haste to shoot off at the mouth, that he failed to understand, and appreciate, that the book before him represents the biggest budget ever in the history of these beautiful Islands. In fact, it is such a bold and bodacious budget, Mr. Speaker, that I hope that we can deliver on it as quickly, and as efficiently, as the Leader of the Opposition delivers on jumping to erroneous conclusions.

Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition claims that this “budget fails to deliver on addressing the real issues that are impacting our people and our country.” On the contrary, Mr. Speaker, thanks to the Premier and Minister of Finance, the Ministry of Immigration and Border Services, my ministry alone (not including the statutory bodies), has received an envelope of approximately $37 million dollars to do just that!

But since the Leader of the Opposition is unaware of the critical issues facing our country, permit me a few moments to enlighten him.
Mr. Speaker, one of the critical issues facing our country, in the area of border protection, is that we do not know who is here in this country, and this is nothing new. This problem has existed since time in memorial, and it existed during the period when the Leader of the Opposition, himself, sat as a member of Cabinet and did absolutely nothing about it. But it is this good government that has allocated $4.8
million dollars, in this financial year, to begin the implementation of a comprehensive border management system, complete with end to end customer services portal for online application submission, management, and tracking; biometrics for the capture of fingerprints of non-Turks and Caicos Islanders; preclearance entry portal for visitors traveling to the country, and; of course our e- gates for electronic processing at border entry, for the lowest risk guests that come to these shores.

Mr. Speaker, these systems will not only allow us to know, and decide, who comes here, who is here, and whether they have left, but they will also allow us to know, in real-time, what status persons hold here, and they will further allow you, the public, to apply for, pay for, and track your applications for our services, electronically, from start to finish! This is, in fact, a Much Ado About Something budget, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, another critical issue facing this country, and our people, is the lack of enforcement of our immigration and customs laws. So, Mr. Speaker, to address that, we have allocated some $600 thousand dollars, for the purchase of vehicles for our enforcement teams in the areas of border protection. These vehicles, Mr. Speaker, are critical for officers to do their jobs, and to carry out their mandates. And, Mr. Speaker, this is in addition to the two vehicles that are currently being procured for the canine unit. The Leader of the Opposition should recall that it is under his government, that both Customs and Immigration were made to rent vehicles, from the year 2017 up to today!

Mr. Speaker, we must remember that our staff are people too, and a critical issue facing our staff, especially those that face the greatest threat, and the biggest risk, is their personal safety and security for their families, and that is why, Mr. Speaker, this Much Ado About Something budget, has $200 thousand dollars in this year alone, for the protective clothing, non-lethal weapons, and accidental insurance for our frontline officers.

And, Mr. Speaker, I didn’t mention it before, but since I am talking about staff, I will mention it now. Mr. Speaker, included in that $4.8 million dollars for the digitization of our borders, is $2.3 million for implementation, data management, and training of our staff, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition is purposely misleading the people. He sits in the Appropriations meetings where the PS informed the committee that, in addition to the millions of dollars which include training for staff that I just mentioned, there are various training initiatives that are sponsored by the UK government that our staff benefit from; additionally, we have a training unit within this ministry that facilitates training for all staff; further, we have a successful and impactful train-the-trainer program where staff benefits from training that Officers attend abroad; and in addition to this, Mr. Speaker, we have highly qualified UK, US and Canadian officers, with talents in investigations, behavioral detections, and other critical skills, that are embedded in our teams at one time or another, to provide real-time on the job training and skills development for our staff. And Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition knows all of this because he specifically asked the PS these same questions in the committee meeting.

So, when the Leader of the Opposition purposely tries to mislead the public by saying that this budget “does not address our border crisis” and that it “does not address the training of our people”, he is being disingenuous, Mr. Speaker and I daresay, that if he could know all of this, and see all of this, which is right in front of him, then I can only conclude, that he is the one who seeks to sow seeds of discord and disharmony among our people.

But that’s ok, Mr. Speaker, he can try, but that’s why we are here, that is why we have been chosen to be here, to enlighten our people and to give hope to the downtrodden. My people of these beloved Islands do not be dismayed nor discouraged, your government is working for you.
Mr. Speaker, another critical issue facing this country, is the security, and operability, of our seaports and airports, and there is no denying, Mr. Speaker, that these critical infrastructures contribute significantly to the economic prosperity of these Islands. This government recognizes that, without proper airports that reflect the luxury destination that we market ourselves as, and the proper ports to facilitate the safety and security of our trade sector, we would not be able to fiscally sustain, nor feed ourselves.

Therefore, Mr. Speaker, this Much Ado about Something budget has $41 million dollars over the next three years towards the redevelopment of the South Dock Port, $570 thousand dollars for port improvements in Grand Turk, $400 thousand dollars for the improvements to the South Caicos Port, and $500 thousand dollars for phase two of the Bellfield Landing in North Caicos.

In addition to this, Mr. Speaker, the TCI Airports Authority is investing a whopping $38.3 million dollars in airport infrastructure and equipment throughout the Turks and Caicos Islands, which includes two fire trucks – one each for Salt Cay and North Caicos, and a Firehall for Grand Turk. This is broken down as follows: $8.7 million dollars in Grand Turk; $15 million dollars in Providenciales; $2.4 million dollars in South Caicos; $8.4 million dollars in North Caicos; $800 thousand dollars in Salt Cay, and; $200 thousand dollars in Middle Caicos.

And, Mr. Speaker, these is just some of the highlights of my ministry’s budget. There is much more that we are doing in all of my departments, but, I am on the House’s time, and it would be remiss of me to not let my people of the Twin Islands know what their representative have fought for, and gained on their behalf, in this Much Ado About Something budget.

Mr. Speaker, while I was campaigning I told my people in Middle and North Caicos that this is our time to rise, and I am proud to say today that, in the Twin Islands, we are rising!
Mr. Speaker, for the Twin Islands, this year’s budget has allocation for the refurbishment of the Aged Care and Special Needs Centre; Community Parks and Recreational Facilities Development; Roads and electrification development, and; furniture and equipment for the primary schools.

Additionally, Mr. Speaker, for the beautiful island of Middle Caicos, this budget has the following: $750 thousand dollars for the renovation of Bambarra Beach; renovation of the Lorimer’s Community Center, and; an increased budget for District Administration to $193 thousand dollars, and; a brand-new ambulance, Mr. Speaker, which was initially appropriated by the Rufus Ewing administration and which was taken out of the budget by the PDM government. The Leader of the Opposition won’t talk that, but it doesn’t matter because this PNP government has the people of Middle Caicos’ backs!

But he did say something during his speech, Mr. Speaker, that I really need to ask about – where is the equipment that you bragged about purchasing for the farmers in the Twin Islands? I have never seen any such equipment delivered, which tells me, Mr. Speaker, that while the Leader of the Opposition was spouting off the long list of projects that were funded under the PDM administration, he failed to disclose how many of them were in fact delivered. Mr. Speaker, oh what a tangled web we weave, when first...

And, Mr. Speaker, for North Caicos, we have $1 million dollars for the construction of the Bottle Creek Community Centre; $850 thousand dollars to repair the RGHS High School Block; $500 thousand dollars for the refurbishment of the Horse Stable Beach Complex, and; $117 thousand dollars for the purchase of equipment for DDME. Also, Mr. Speaker, there is an allocation for furniture and equipment for the Court building in North Caicos, and; an increase in budget allocation for District Administration to $316 thousand dollars.

And that is not all, Mr. Speaker, I want my constituents to understand, that the Twin Islands are also included in the following national projects: The National Identification System, and the Digitization Project.

Mr. Speaker, there is a lot coming for my constituency and I am excited about the work that we are accomplishing in ED4. This is our time, Mr. Speaker, we are rising in the beautiful Twin Islands.
So, Mr. Speaker, it is clear that contrary to the words of my colleague opposite, this is a Much Ado About Something budget, this big budget is in fact the people’s budget and I am proud to not only support, but to represent this budget, and in closing, I wish to say to the Leader of the Opposition, and to anyone who dares to misrepresent this budget, and the genuine intentions of this government, in the words of William Shakespeare, “Peace! I will stop your mouth!”

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, may God bless you, bless this government and the members of this Honourable House. May He bless the people of North and Middle Caicos and the entire Turks and Caicos Islands.

by RTC Director

THE HONOURABLE OTIS C. MORRIS MHA BUDGET ADDRESS MAY 2023

Psalm 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin my speech by reciting a quote.
“The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his simply by altering his attitude of mind” William James.

Mr. Speaker, it is indeed an honor and a privilege to be here today and to be given the opportunity to address this honorable house, and the general public, on the good work that the Ministry of Home Affairs has done, and will continue to do after the passage of this budget.
Mr. Speaker, let me take this time to bring greetings to the great people of ED1, Grand Turk North who have elected me to represent them.

I will continue to be a Servant Leader, to move things forward that is in the best interest of the people and our Country.
Mr. Speaker, I would also like to take this opportunity to single out my Management Team which is led by my Permanent Secretary, James Astwood, and Deputy Permanent Secretaries, Fredrico Johnson and Teann Thomas. Mr. Speaker I would also like to take this time to thank my HODs, and staff for their hard work and dedication over the past year, and I pray that you all continue the great work as we move this Ministry forward.

Mr. Speaker, for those listening via radio and streaming online I would like to make mention the breakdown of my Ministry which consists of seventeen (17) cost centers totaling some two hundred and seventy (279) positions and one (1) statutory body, with nine (9) positions.

The Ministry includes:

• PolicyPlanningandAdministrativeSupport(Ministry) • Customer&GovernmentInformationServices
• WaterUndertaking
• PostalService
• DepartmentofMotorVehicles
• Fire&RescueServices
• SocialDevelopment&WelfareDepartment
• GenderAffairs
• RegistrarGeneral’sDepartment
• CitizenshipandNaturalizationDepartment
• DistrictCommissioner’sOffice–NorthCaicos
• DistrictCommissioner’sOffice–MiddleCaicos
• DistrictCommissioner’sOffice–SouthCaicos
• DistrictCommissioner’sOffice–SaltCay
• DepartmentofRehabilitationandCommunityServices • Energy&UtilitiesDepartment
• DepartmentofCorrectionalServices;and
• TelecommunicationsCommission
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud today to talk about the Ministry’s budget for the financial year 2023/24 as there are a lot of key initiatives we will be rolling out this year.
Mr. Speaker, a budget is not just a collection of numbers, but an expression of our values and aspirations, so that is what I will focus on today.
With that being said Mr. Speaker, this upcoming year, my Ministry’s general focus will be on the move toward bettering the customer experience and improving customer satisfaction. We will do this by improving policies, creating standard operating procedures, and increasing training for our front-line staff.
Mr. Speaker, this Ministry cannot be taken lightly and we will continue to strive to give the public the level of service it deserves daily.
Mr. Speaker, on the operational side of the budget, the Ministry was successful in completing the majority of its programs strategies and operational mandates. This year, there will be a focus on legislative changes to various Ordinances.

Mr. Speaker, in the budget estimates before this honorable House today, we will be considering the following for my Ministry:
• OperatingExpenditureof$26.2million • RevenueEstimatesof$12.2million
MR. SPEAKER, LET ME NOW BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION THE BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS AND THE YEAR AHEAD

Mr. Speaker, within the Policy Planning and Administrative Support, we have allocated another $35,000.00 for the continued advancement of local government which we will be moving to the public consultancy phase and the advancement of draft legislations within this year.

Mr. Speaker, this is very beneficial to improving the overall quality of life, and the aesthetics of our communities in the family islands and will contribute to their economic development. Mr. Speaker, this initiative will give Islands a higher level of autonomy and will afford the residents a greater role in determining their destiny and the development of their communities.

Mr. Speaker, also included in the Ministry’s budget is $65,000.00 in our Community Enhancement Program. This will enable our team to assist communities through the creation of jobs with small works projects. “We grow because we struggle, we learn and overcome.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to report that the Water Undertaking Department is advancing various projects under its remit. We continue to advance our vision of consistent and high-quality water services with reduced periods of downtime to the Islands of South Caicos, Salt Cay, and Grand Turk.

Mr. Speaker, as we speak, the contractor is advancing the contract for the installation of the new piping system to connect the RO Plant to the 1-million-gallon storage facility across the road from this honorable house. At the same time, the new booster pump house at the 1-million-gallon-storage facility has also been completed.
Mr. Speaker, I am also pleased to announce that the contracts for the additional 1-million-gallon Salt Water Reverse Osmosis Plant and the additional 1-million-gallon storage facility have been signed and the initial stages have begun.

So, Mr. Speaker, Grand Turk will be in an even better place in the near future.
Mr. Speaker, I don’t know if all of my other Hon. Colleagues are happy, but for me, I am more than excited.
Mr. Speaker, the Customer, and Government Information Services will be advancing a publishing policy that will aim to highlight the gaps and missed opportunities, as it relates to the utilization of modern equipment, marketing & promotion plans, for the current, and hopefully the extended client base.
Mr. Speaker, currently the department is looking into opening a second location in the Providenciales market which will give it a better opportunity to increase revenue generation while servicing those clients that may not have direct access to its services

currently. Mr. Speaker, with that being said, we have added an Assistant Government Printer to manage that Unit, once the office is opened.
Mr. Speaker, let me now turn your attention to the Turks and Caicos Islands Postal Services. We continue to look for more creative ways to stay relevant and to provide better and expedited services to customers and the public at large.
Mr. Speaker, the Postal Services intends to set up residential mailboxes in several communities on Providenciales in areas where homes have 911 numbers. The mailbox numbers will match the house numbers. Instead of the public attending the Postal Office to collect mail the Postal Services will bring the mail to the public. This is a different concept from community mailboxes and when implemented will be a first in the Caribbean.

Mr. Speaker, the Postal Services intends to join the United States Postal Services small business courier services web initiative. Under this initiative, small businesses in the Turks and Caicos Islands could register on the Postal Services website offering local products to customers internationally. The Postal Office will provide the courier services through the United States Postal Services and other regional and international Postal networks for priority delivery to the good’s destination within two business days.
Mr. Speaker, over the last year, we have also re-opened the post office sub-branch on the islands of South Caicos and North Caicos. There are other initiates in the planning stages which will be made public in due course.
Mr. Speaker, in the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), during the year we have implemented the new license plate, we have implemented the new tint legislation, and we now have the new DMV database system in place.
This, Mr. Speaker, the new database system will allow customers to be able to apply for new and renewed licenses online which will dramatically reduce the wait time that we are currently experiencing.

Additionally, Mr. Speaker, the DMV will soon commence full amendments to the Road Traffic and Motor Vehicles Ordinances. (Import Vehicle Permit to highlight one). Mr. Speaker, this is a big undertaking, and it will see changes in legislation such as the implementation of traffic lights at strategic locations on the Leeward Highway, amendments to the import permit criteria, the process for applying for a Public Service Vehicle license, and the introduction of new decals. So, Mr. Speaker, look out for great things from the DMV this year!

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Fire & Rescue has seen significant changes over the past year. With the recruitment of a new Fire Chief and the donation of a Fire Truck from the City of Miami, we are striving to improve the Domestic Fire Services throughout the TCI.
Mr. Speaker, this year the volunteer Fire Services Program will come on stream, as well as additional training for the fire officer to keep them current with modern processes. Mr. Speaker Talks are ongoing for another Fire Truck Donation this time from the City of Miami Dade Fire Rescue for the Islands of North and Middle Caicos.
Mr. Speaker, with the recruitment of the new Commissioner of the Energy and Utilities Department (EUD) we are quickly advancing amendments to the Electricity Ordinance and subsequent regulatory framework to include provisions for renewable energy.

Mr. Speaker, we also move towards the implementation of a Multi-Sectoral Utilities Regulatory Agency. The work will include the development of the policy and legal frameworks for the drafting of the Utilities Regulatory Agency Bill, as well as the recruitment of core management staff to advance the initial actions by way of a phased approach.

Mr. Speaker, the Energy and Utilities Department has received international funds through the EDF 11th Resilience, Sustainable Energy, and Marine Biodiversity, for a project entitled “Transitioning towards Green Energy in the Turks and Caicos”. Mr. Speaker, the budget for this project is approximately 1.4
million pounds, which will see the installation of solar street lights and solar panels on various Government buildings. The contract for the solar PV Installations is now out and accepting bids.

Mr. Speaker, the Social Development & Welfare Department will be embarking on various programs this upcoming year to raise awareness of the Dept. of Social Development services and programs through advertising via Radio shows, PSAs, Social Media, Presentations, pamphlets, brochures, etc.).
Mr. Speaker, we will also identify and train young persons in the schools to become Child Safeguarding Champions on the school grounds. These CSC will share information where the peers can come to them and share incidents, and get information on Child Safeguarding through a two-day workshop. (The workshop will cover the types of abuse, what is safeguarding, scenarios, confidentiality, reporting process, etc.)

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Corrections (DoC) has grown significantly to become a Department that has undergone significant cultural and organizational changes. Mr. Speaker, the DCR has also made great strides in its capital works over the past year. Projects such as the construction of the yellow wing, and the blue/green wing refurbishment and nearly completed. Mr. Speaker, the DCR also benefitted from other upgrades such as the refurbishment of the old kitchen into additional inmate quarters.

Mr. Speaker, the farm is reaping a lot of produce, and the revenue generated from this shows that with continuous improvement, the Prison farm can be self-sustainable and can be an even greater revenue-generating unit for the TCIG.
Mr. Speaker, I hasten to say that we are in talks with Carnival about using the Prison farm as a Tour stop, this in itself speaks to the great work the new Superintendent and Team are doing at the Prisons.

Mr. Speaker, great things are happening within the DCR, and I must applaud the Management Team at the DCR. Hats off to them and continue the great work.
Mr. Speaker, they say a person needs just three things to be happy in this world: Someone to love, something to do, and something to hope for. This is part of these three.

Mr. Speaker, Rehabilitation plays a major part in the transition of inmates out the Prison. Mr. Speaker, this year we have separated the rehabilitation aspect into its own cost Centers. The new unit the Department of Rehabilitation and Community Services will focus heavily on delivering rehabilitation initiatives and interventions both in the Prison and through probation. Mr. Speaker, this department will help navigate individuals through the pathways inside prison, to link with our community probation officers.
Mr. Speaker, the Rehabilitation Unit will also work towards creating offender management and at-risk juvenile strategies through the effective implementation of evidence-based rehabilitative programs that are aimed at reducing reoffending and preventing juveniles from entering the criminal justice system altogether.
Mr. Speaker, the Registrar General’s Office has begun to improve the delivery of service and formalization processes through the development of standard operating procedures to increase customer awareness and improve customer satisfaction.

Mr. Speaker, we realized that there were still some gaps with the recent bedside registration policy and have decided to go back to the drawing board to fix these issues which have caused a delay. Mr. Speaker, this still will not hinder us from rolling out our policy that governs Bedside registration by quarter 3 of this financial year.
Mr. Speaker the overall goal for this year is to lessen the wait time it takes to get persons their documents in a more efficient time and I pause to thank the team and the new Registrar General for the work that they are doing to improve service delivery.
Mr. Speaker, our Gender Affairs Department continues to work to ensure that the mandate of the department is visible and in alignment with the Government and that of the international convention of which TCIG is a part.

With that being said, Mr. Speaker the Department of Gender Affairs though small has continued to propel its department mandate despite the challenges, we have been successful in several areas in achieving our social and economic objectives including the continued development and implementation of the National Gender Equality Policy/Framework.
Mr. Speaker, we will also establish the Partnership for Peace program in collaboration with UN Women to engage men and boys. As well as establishing a comprehensive Gender campaign strategy to raise awareness of the Gender Equality policy, digital innovation, and technology toward gender equality and Sustainable Development Goals
Mr. Speaker, the Citizenship & Naturalization Department’s performance strategies concentrate on e-governance and addressing process flows deficiencies to better improve customer satisfaction. The main goal is to continue to reduce the turnaround time for Status Cards, Passports, Permanent Residence Certificates, Naturalization, and Registration.

Mr. Speaker, the department is also developing public awareness materials on the various products offered to aid in the main goal of customer service improvement.
Mr. Speaker, last but not least, we are in the process of revising the Turks and Caicos Islander Status Ordinance to improve the processes and procedures of becoming a Turks and Caicos Islander. Mr. Speaker, the only use of knowledge of the past is to equip us for the present!

Mr. Speaker, connectivity throughout the Islands has been, and still is an issue, but through the Telecommunications Commission we will continue efforts to enhance sector performance, to build a vibrant telecommunication industry. Mr. Speaker, we will continue to advance the consultancy for the implementation of the National Fiber Optic Ring. And to ensure most of all that our Nation’s Capital has the best Internet Connectivity possible.

Mr. Speaker, I will end with this quote “If serving is below you, Leadership is beyond you”, therefore, Mr. Speaker, I am here to serve the people of my constituency and the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands. I must also give credit to my team at the Ministry of Home Affairs. They have risen to the challenge and remain dedicated to the work that we face as a Ministry, and further, they are genuinely committed to making a difference in the lives of the people we serve. So to my team, I say, thank you and continue the great work!

To God be the glory, great things He hath done, and Will continue to do for His people of these beautiful Turks and Caicos Islands.

by RTC Director