TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS POST CABINET MEETING STATEMENT - 26 October 2023

Her Excellency the Governor, Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam, chaired the 27^th meeting of Cabinet on Wednesday October 26, 2023 at the Premier’s Office on Providenciales.

All Members were present.

At this meeting Cabinet:

• Approved an amendment to the Hurricane Fiona Relief Programme to allow payment to a relative of a recipient through Power of Attorney or written consent.
• Approved a reduction of the Customs Processing Fee from 7.5% to 5% from October 1, 2023 to March 31, 2025. 
• Approved the exemption of Import Customs Duties for replacement equipment for Digicel TCI.  A Telecommunications Policy is currently being worked on to avoid future one off request in this area.
• Approved the appointment of Ms. Janelle Hamilton as the Chairperson of The Allied Health Professions and Pharmacy Professions Council for a period of two years effective October 30^th, 2023.
• Approved the appointment of Dr Euan Menzies as Chairperson and Ms. Susan Malcolm as Deputy Chairperson of the Medicine and Dentistry Professions Council for a period of 2 years effective October 30^th, 2023.
• Accepted the resignation of Chairman Mr. Oswald Williams from the Public and Environmental Board.  Rescinded the appointment of Mr. Allan Robinson as a member of the Public and Environmental Health Board and approved his appointment as the new Chair for three years effective October 31, 2023.
• Accepted the revocation of appointment of Bishop Edwin Lightbourne as a Member of the Adoption Committee and approved the appointment of Pastor Bradley Handfield – Minister of Religion as a member of the board until April 9^th, 2024 in line with other board appointments.
• Noted the recommendations of the Procurement Board on the award of the following contracts which are in line with the process according to the provisions of the Public Procurement Ordinance:

1. PN 005698, TR 23/24, Vehicle for NSS
2. PN 005783, TR 23/20, Furniture and Equipment for Mental Health Offices
3. PN 005799, TR 23/06, Replacement Vehicle – Deputy Governor
4. PN 005804, TR 23/23, Vehicles for AGC - Crown Land and Valuation Department

• Approved the payment of a Special Christmas Salary Advance of one month’s basic salary or pension to all qualifying TCIG public servants and pensioners repayable over a period of 6 months commencing February 2024.  An Order to this effect to be signed by the Minister of Finance and published in the Gazette.
• Approved for Her Excellency the Governor on behalf of the the Turks and Caicos Islands to enter into an agreement with Virgin Atlantic Airlines for the purpose of establishing a new direct airline route between London Heathrow, UK and Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands commencing November 4^th, 2023.
• Approved the addition of the post of Deputy Financial Controller as a permanent position in the National Insurance Board organizational structure and for an existing post to be removed so as to not increase the staff complement in the department.
• Approved in principle a proposal for the transportation of donkeys to the island of Jamaica as a part of the Jamaican Governments’ Rural Agricultural Transportation Program and to control the feral donkey population within the TCI, subject to the required financial provisions being made.
• Approved in principle a Draft MOU between the Turks and Caicos Government and Canadian non-for-profit charity Dog Tales Rescue and Sanctuary to control the feral dog population on the island of Grand Turk.

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