fp Turks and Caicos

The Governor’s Office has announced a busy schedule of tasks to complete before elections are held in November, including announcing the selection of a new deputy governor and enacting the law to implement value-added taxes in April.

In July, a draft of the VAT law will finally reveal details of the new tax that has many residents confused and worried. An accompanying white paper will help explain the tax system that the interim government says it will implement.

The office of deputy governor has remained vacant since Mahala Wynns stepped down at the end of 2009. Constitutional advisor Kate Sullivan first proposed that someone other than a Turks and Caicos Islander (Belonger) could hold the post, but the U.K. agreed with loud objections so that only an islander can be deputy governor.

The revised Constitution also puts the deputy governor in charge of the public service of more than 1,700 government employees. The selection for deputy governor is expected to be made in September.

But most of the tasks have to do with getting ready for much anticipated elections after three years without elected government.

His Excellency the Gov. Ric Todd said the interim government will arrange for leaders of political parties to get together with permanent secretaries in confidential meetings where they will be able to gather the information they need to prepare to take over government.

“In publishing details of our work programme today (June 18), I wish to make the people aware that we will continue to work in their best interests and will continue to make ourselves further available to both political parties to help them refine their thinking, policies and manifestoes by providing them with the facts and figures of government,” the governor said.

Before June is over, a Political Parties Conduct draft ordinance is expected to be circulated to the parties, the Advisory Council and the Consultative Forum, and will also be published on the government’s website at www.gov.tc.

Members of the Electoral Boundaries Commission will be confirmed this month, and in July the provisional Register of Electors will be published. The final Register of Electors will be published in August, and the Electoral Boundaries ordinance will define the 10 new constituent electoral districts.

Independent election monitors will arrive in October, and election campaigns will officially commence Oct. 15 with the enactment of the 2011 Constitution.

Also on the agenda is the consolidation of more than 30 statutory bodies which will in the future come under the same financial controls as government when it comes to salaries, spending and financial reporting.

Government also will present a Green Paper prepared by the Department of Economic Planning and Statistics that will discuss economic development options for the TCI. The Advisory Council will review it before public consultation, but the final decisions will be made by elected government.

And after more than four years of delays, the coastal radar station is expected to be operational soon. The radar near South Dock can detect small objects up to 22 nautical miles away and is will be used to detect illegal immigration and poaching in TCI fisheries, as well as aiding in ocean rescues.

Governor’s Office core tasks

June
1. Immigration/citizenship amendment ordinance – to Advisory Council and Consultative Forum shortly
2. Political Parties Conducts ordinance – draft to be circulated to political parties, Advisory Council and Consultative Forum, and also released on to TCIG web site for public review
3. Electoral Boundaries Commission – Commissioners to be confirmed
4. TCIG reform – Consolidation of statutory bodies
5. TCIG Reform – Financial oversight under the Public Financial Management Ordinance extended to all remaining statutory bodies with the issuing of sponsorship letters by
6. Economic stability and investment – Green Paper presenting a discussion on Economic Development options for TCI – to Advisory Council then for public consultation
7. Economic stability and investment – 4th Rider to the 2004 9EDF Financing Agreement to EU – first step to releasing frozen funds (€3.88/$4.9 million) for road and disaster preparedness

July

1. Publish provisional Register of Electors
2. VAT ordinance
3. Electoral Boundaries Commission
4. Public Service ordinance and revised General Orders
5. Permanent Lands Registrar appointed
6. First 9EDF request for disbursement sent to EU – end July
7. Westminster Foundation for Democracy assistance to political parties
8. Coastal Radar Station - expected to be operational

August

1. Economic Development Strategy published after Green Paper responses and consultation completed
2. Final Register of Electors published
3. Electoral Boundaries ordinance – to put into law the 10 new electoral districts
4. Permanent Chief Economist in post
5. Second Milestones Progress Summary published and family island visits by the Governor
6. Crimes and Criminal Procedure Ordinances completed
8. Finance Managers appointed in each ministry
9. Integrity Commission Second Amendment ordinance + legally enforced Code of Conduct in Public Life (including ministerial/political parties’ Special Advisors’/public servants codes)

September

1. National Audit Office operational
2. Court construction works at Myrtle Rigby Building completed
3. Economic stability and investment - Second 9EDF request for disbursement sent to EU
4. Economic stability and investment - Complete Part 1, 10EDF Single Programming Document for the EU
5. Elections – Supervisor of Elections - Issue Regulations on the polling stations and procedural matters related to the election
6. Elections – Integrity Commission – Election Campaign Monitoring Unit set up in preparation to address election complaints
7. Announce candidate as the new Deputy Governor

October

1. Economic stability and investment – Full 10EDF Single Programming Document submitted to EU (once accepted worth 11m euros in tranches during forthcoming financial years)
2. Independent election monitors arrive, election campaigns officially commences on 15th October with the 2011 Constitution coming into effect
3. Political candidates register