CABINET HELD SUMMIT TO REVAMP GOVERNMENT STRATEGY

The Turks and Caicos Islands Cabinet attended three-day Strategic Planning Summit in South Caicos on October 4th – 6th 2021 to discuss Turks and Caicos Islands Government strategy for the remainder of the 2021/22 fiscal year and beyond.  

The Governor His Excellency Nigel Dakin, Premier Honourable Charles Washington Misick, Deputy Governor Her Excellency Anya Williams and Government Ministers met with the aim of developing a comprehensive and strategic framework to deliver on the critical objectives outlined in the Citizen’s Contract.  

During the retreat Cabinet members attended a series of meetings and participated in a number of strategy sessions to review existing plans, programmes and the general operation of government.  

Cabinet were joined by Permanent Secretaries to assess the current stage of on-going initiatives, revise resources lists needed to support departmental objectives and to create a work plan to deliver Cabinet priorities.  

An agreed legislative agenda was created and priority agenda items were decided for the next six months, including:  

• Creation of a Population Policy and Status Commission  
• Centralisation of the National Physical Development Plan to facilitate sustainability in all dimensions;
• Crown Land reform linked to development of community housing; 
• Establishment of a Contract Management Unit to properly manage PPP’s; 
• Drafting of legislation to enable Judicial oversight of a future policing intelligence capability and wider national security issues; 
• Establishment of a Border Force and Revenue Authority; 
• Re-establishment of civil service pensions and a review of pensions for legislators;  
• Review and restructuring of the Turks and Caicos Islands Tourist Board into a ‘Destination Marketing and Management Organisation and a tourism regulatory authority.  

Cabinet also heard from the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Finance as it relates to a review of the hospital contract. 

The Premier highlighted during the retreat that his Government’s immediate focus is to improve human capital, “As promised in the PNP’s Citizen’s Contract, this administration campaigned on the promise of making the lives of every Turks and Caicos Islander better through people empowering policy and legislation; improving the quality of life and framework for a living wage at minimum, on par with the cost of living index and the creation of conditions for the active participation of Turks and Caicos Islanders in the social and economic development of the Islands”. 

HE Governor Dakin commenting on the strategy meetings said, “Every organisation needs to stop, pause, reflect and plan.  Government is no different. Bringing members of Cabinet and Permanent Secretaries together, to first hear from the Government their priorities and then to plan, together, for success, is vital for delivery.  An agreed legislative agenda that covers the next six months was an important output as was the more general understanding – built out of the COVID experience – that cross Government working is ever more important. A positive step forward that will be revisited in December to track progress”. 

Members also received constructive feedback from the government’s executive team on performance and policies that should be revised to improve efficacy and functionality