RTC Director

NEW DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE APPOINTED

Ms. Wilhelmina Kissoonsingh has been recently appointed as the Director for the Department of Agriculture.

Ms. Kissoonsingh has a very diverse background and started her career in Agriculture as a Field Extension Officer advising farmers on ways to improve their production. Later on she worked in the Private Sector as an agronomist, developing and researching techniques to improve Agriculture and later moved up the ranks to planning and implementing agricultural programs for the entire country of Trinidad.

 "Everyone is entitled to safe and sufficient food and it is a well-known fact that TCI imports basically all its food which puts the country food security at risk. In the past decade international markets have seen large food price swings and TCI is at the mercy of these high food prices. There are many challenges to producing food in TCIG such as soil type and fertility, lack of modern farming techniques and limited institutional support to name a few. In my new role, I intend to develop Agriculture Policy and programs to address these issues" stated Ms. Wilhelmina Kissoonsingh.

"Agriculture cannot be done in the same way as the past we need to implement new and innovative techniques to produce food in a sustainable way. Investment in Agriculture as an engine for sustainable development has been very low in the past but the potential is there, it is anticipated that new Director of Agriculture will lobby for and support its further development within the public sector" said Permanent Secretary for Health, Agriculture and Human Services, Mr.  Wesley Clerveaux.

Ms. Kissoonsingh also a former lecturer at the University of the West Indies for many years and assisted students in formulating and executing their research projects in the field of Agriculture and Human Ecology; she also worked on consultancy projects in many other countries of the Caribbean, all in an effort to transform their respective Agriculture Sector. Ms. Kissoonsigh commenced work on October 1st 2015.

by RTC Director

TURKS AND CAICOS POST CABINET MEETING STATEMENT

Her Excellency the Acting Governor, Anya Williams, chaired the 31st  meeting of the Cabinet on Wednesday, 2 December 2015, at the Hon. N J S Francis Building in Grand Turk.

All Ministers were present with the Hon. Premier Dr. Rufus Ewing, Minister of Finance Hon. Washington Misick and Minister of Infrastructure Hon. Amanda Misick who are away on official business all joining by teleconference.

At this meeting Cabinet advised Her Excellency the Acting Governor to:

·         Instruct the Attorney General's Chambers to appeal the decision in the recent judicial review on planning standards given the wide ranging implications for planning approvals granted in the Islands and the possibility that the decision could mean that those decisions are invalid;

·         Give approval for the drafting of a Planning Validation Bill by the Attorney General’s Chambers for submission to the House of Assembly for debate and passage;

·         Give approval for the drafting of a Physical Planning (Amendment) Bill by the Attorney General's Chambers for submission to the House of Assembly for debate and passage;

·         Give approval for the Immigration (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2015 to be submitted to the House of Assembly for debate and passage;

·         Give approval for a lease agreement for the rental of office space for the Ministry of Health and related departments to be housed at parcel 10402/23 in Grand Turk owned by Yvonne Thomas;

·         Give approval for a lease agreement for the rental of office space for the Ministry of Tourism and related departments to be housed at 10405/208 in Grand Turk owned by Mercedes and Donovan Francis;

·         Give approval for a lease agreement for the rental of office space for the Elections Department to be housed at Woodville Court in Grand Turk owned by Jerzy Kolodziej;

·         Give approval for the appointment of Mr. Hartley Coalbrooke and David Been to serve as Chair and Member of a Gaming Commission set up to review and make recommendations on pending casino applications;

·         Give approval for the appointment of Mr. Edward Hall and Elva Williams to serve as Chair and member of the Parole Board respectively.

Further information on these matters will be provided by Ministers in due course.

by RTC Director

PREMIER OF THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS, DR. THE HONOURABLE RUFUS W. EWING ADDRESSES THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE ON GOVERNANCE IN LONDON

The Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands, Dr. The Honourable Rufus W. Ewing, yesterday, made representation on matters of governance as it relates to the Overseas Territories and particularly, as it relates to the Turks and Caicos Islands.

The address was delivered to members of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the presence of other Overseas Territories Leaders, who are gathered in London this week to attend the Joint Ministerial Conference 2015.

The Premier's address, which was delivered in part (due to time constraints) but later submitted, read:

"Members of the FAC it gives me great pleasures of address you all here this morning on behalf of the British Overseas Territories on the issue of governance.

"The Overseas territories enjoy a long period of relationship with the United Kingdom Government ranging from Bermuda in the early 1600s to the British Antarctic Territory as recent as 1908.

"The territories have in common the Queen as the head of state who is represented in the territories by a Governor or such person appointed by the FCO whose authority varies across the territories ranging from limited reserve powers in areas of foreign affairs, security and defense to those far reaching powers and responsibilities extending into the internal administrative governance of the territories which often overshadow the roles and responsibilities of locally elected government.

"These governance and administrative arrangements are laid out within each territory's constitution where the good governance framework also receives its genesis and are refined by subordinate good governance legislations giving birth to good governance bodies.

"Even though each overseas may territory differ greatly from each other in size, population, economy, administrative capacity and level of political maturity, each territory has a right to self determination and self governance based on the settle will of the peoples of each territory and this self determination include the choice to remain a British OT. The British government has the responsibility to ensure that the territories are protected and are provided with a constitutional and governance framework that ensures good governance and supports progressive move towards self governance in whatever form.

"The constitutional construct varies greatly between the overseas territories and the rationalization for such construct seems haphazard and reactionary to circumstance in many instances and not based on the principles of the UK's responsibility as laid out in the UN Convention and principles of modern democracies and good governance.

"There are many territories who feel strongly that the reserve powers of the governor are too wide in scope and overreaching into the daily executive decisions of the territory. There are many territories who feels that the governor has too much influence in the legislature in addition to veto powers.

"There are many territories who feels that the UK's persistence as borne in the constitutional construct, to separate politics from governance the territories undermines the ability of locally elected politicians to deliver their political mandate and a shift in decision making powers to the FCO.

"There are many overseas territories who are concerned about not only the reserve powers of their governor but also the method and criteria used for the selection of their governor as this impacts heavily not only on the style of governance but the extent of interference of the governor outside of their constitutional remit.

"Ladies and gentleman I have spoken broadly on governance arrangements and concerns that you may find across the OTs, so I now turn my attention specifically to the Turks and Caicos Islands to highlight such governance concerns.

"The Turks and Caicos Islands as a UK Overseas Territory was administered via its own Governor since 1972 after the Bahamas went independent and in 1976 gain its own constitution that permitted elected ministerial system of governance.

"The Turks and Caicos Islands has had its constitution suspended twice for allegations of maladministration and corruption as was discovered in two commissions of inquiries. There are many including myself who still question the need for suspension of the constitution as a necessity to intervene and correct and weakness in governance as whatever failures there were did not have its origin in the constitution. The elected government of the TCI believe in and embraces the good governance bodies that have been implemented prior to and during the direct rule from the UK, but we are of the view that there are many provisions within the new TCI constitution when combined with the mandates of the good governance institutions stiffles the ability of any elected goverment to govern effectively.

"Governance in the Turks and Caicos Islands is even further controlled by the UK via the new role of a Chief Financial Officer who has decision making and veto powers as it relates to financial management as a condition of the U.K. loan guarantee which will expire in February of this year. The financial legislative framework in the Turks and Caicos outside of the provisions for a CFO has many provisions for safeguarding and ensuring sound financial management and we as an elected government are sufficiently confident that with these systems in place there would be no need for a CFO beyond the timeframe specified.

"There are many concerns related to the current Turks and Caicos Islands Constitution and these concerns were well articulated in the recent report on the TCI Constitution and the subsequent House of Assembly recommendations for constitutional amendments which were submitted to the FCO. In the new year we will be addressing these concerns and other governance issues with a bipartisan team interfacing with the FCO and this FAC so as to improve and strengthen the relationship between the TCI and the U.K. Government with respect to governance in the best interest of the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

"Mr. Chair on behalf of the Overseas Territories I thank you for this opportunity to address this body today on these issues of governance."

The meeting with the Foreign Affairs Committee was the first of several to be held with the Overseas Territories Leaders and key UK Government Committees and officials, including the Plenary Sessions of the Joint Ministerial Council, which also began yesterday, December 1st at Lancaster House in London.

Premier Ewing is scheduled to deliver another address at the JMC later today at the Plenary Session on the Challenges Facing Small Island Economies.

by RTC Director

CELEBRATE MIGRATORY BIRDS WITH THE NATIONAL TRUST AND DEMA!

In a region that seems blessed with eternal summer, one of the most noticeable signs of autumn is the arrival of countless migratory birds. Leaving their summer breeding grounds in North America, they transform Caribbean wetlands and forests with their colours and songs.

DEMA and the National Trust hosted a number of events celebrating these birds and their miraculous migrations during International Migratory Bird Month (19 October – 30 November, 2015).

DEMA announced the winners of the Primary School colouring competition today.

"Many entries were received, and although it was a tough decision as we were particularly impressed by the submissions, a decision had to be made." Said Amy Avenant, DEMA's Environment Outreach Coordinator.

The winners are:
 
    Janear Forbes, BEST Institute
    Trisha Duncan, Ianthe Pratt
    Daquant Duncanson, Richmond Hill Prep
    Brooke Rivers, International School of the Turks & Caicos Islands (ISTCI)

A number of bird monitoring activities were also undertaken by DEMA, and the National Trust hosted a number of IMB Festival awareness activities: posters were displayed in the Town Center Mall and for the duration of the festival. Colourful 'Bird Buddy' wrist bands were also distributed during the exhibition.

DEMA and The National Trust attempted to highlight habitat restoration through the planting of mangroves at Wheeland Pond Wetland on Providenciales on 20 November 2015. Four schools, namely Provo Primary, Oseta Jolly Primary, BEST Institute and the ISTCI, helped plant approximately 50 red mangrove seedlings. DEMA is, however, sad to report that upon monitoring the site that the plants had been pulled out just a week later.

"Although the culprit is at large, it is very disheartening to see our conservation efforts, and the efforts of the young children, be literally ripped from the ground. Wheeland pond is very important ecological site for migratory birds and other marine species, and we can only hope that with persistant education that all will learn to value and conserve this natural Provo gem." Said Amy Avenant.

"Along with birds, native trees are the most iconic features of the Caribbean landscape, and their roots are deeply intertwined with both the wildlife and the cultures of the region."

by RTC Director