| Three major capital projects vie for slim funding | | Print | |
| Friday, 02 September 2011 09:48 | |||
 While it cuts spending and increases taxes to balance the budget, the interim government says it has little to spend on capital improvements. Only $6.3 million is available this year, and government is debating which of the top three projects should get first crack at capital funding — the Ona Glinton Primary School on Grand Turk, the South Caicos airport tower or the Middle Caicos causeway.Nine classrooms and other facilities at the Ona Glinton school were destroyed by fire in November, displacing 312 students. Repairs to the classrooms that were not destroyed were completed in February, but full repairs will cost more than $1 million, the government estimates. The other two projects affect the ability of island residents and tourists to travel for business, education and pleasure. In need of repairs for many years are the South Caicos airport, which limits air traffic to the island, and the Middle Caicos causeway, which was nearly destroyed by Hurricanes Hanna and Ike in 2008. Opened in October 2007, the causeway is a vital link for about 300 residents of Middle Caicos to travel to adjacent North Caicos and on to Providenciales. It was passable after Hanna and Ike, but Hurricane Irene has made it nearly impossible for those without four-wheel-drive vehicles. When it was new, the causeway had a bridge and a number of culverts that allowed water to flow back and forth in an area vital to lobster fisheries. Nearly all the culverts have been collapsed for years, limiting flow of water to the loan bridge left on the mile-long structure. The Engineering and Maintenance Services department has looked at the causeway to determine what needs to be done to repair the causeway. Permanent Secretary for Finance Delton Jones has said the solution may be to rebuild the causeway, which could be a very expensive, longer term project. The top three capital projects aren’t the important needs that are on hold because of a lack of funding. First approved in 2008 and again last year, the solid waste disposal project would clean up the single largest health threat in the country — the landfill on Providenciales. The project has been postponed repeatedly, now scheduled for April 2012. The rest of the project — cleaning up and closing landfills on other islands and beginning solid waste pickup — is on hold indefinitely. The long-delayed radar facility was supposed to be up and running months ago to help officials stop illegal immigration, drug smuggling and poaching fish, conch and lobster, not to mention aiding marine rescue operations. The tower is up, but there’s not enough money for some needed equipment to go operational.
|
Related Articles
Entertainment: Your Island Guide
|
Top things to do in April Top things to do in April 1. From Golfing to More... |
|
Valentine’s Day Cup 2013 model sailboat races The Middle Caicos Sailboat Association will once again present the annual model sailboat races at More... |
|
Lime and Tourist Board announce weekly Fish Fry The Turks & Caicos Tourist Board & LIME partner with Cultural Fish Fry The Turks & Caicos Tourist More... |
|
Turks & Caicos Reef Fun to host dazzling evening The Turks and Caicos Reef Fund will host its 2nd Annual Cocktail Party Reception on Jan. 26 at the More... |
|
Fashion Glam at Regent Palms The Regent Palms is inviting everyone to an evening of fashion and glamour at their event being More... |
Latest Community News
|
Cholera Clinical Management Training Held in the TCI Healthcare professionals from the TCI Health Services were trained in the Clinical Management of More... |
|
Illegal Haitian immigrants Intercepted Illegal Haitian Immigrants Intercepted, to the Repatriated According to the Ministry of Border More... |
|
Ministry of Health Reminding public about sanitation Health surveillance teams attached to the Ministry of Health and Human Services (MOHHS) have More... |
|
Scholarship applications now being accepted The Ministry of Education has announced that they are now accepting applications for scholarships More... |
|
History and traditions stay alive at the 13th annual boat races in Middle Caicos The 2013 Valentines Day Cup welcomed many fun loving residents and tourists to Middle Caicos’ More... |