fp Turks and Caicos

His Excellency the Gov. Ric Todd will complete his quarterly tour of the Turks and Caicos Islands with public meetings on Grand Turk and Providenciales.

The Grand Turk meeting will be 6:30 p.m. May 22 at the Ona Glinton Primary School. The Provo meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. at the Gustarvus Lightbourne Sports Centre.

Meetings already held on the family islands raised issues such as repairs to the causeway between North and Middle Caicos to policing on South Caicos.

The governor told people on North and Middle Caicos that money is set aside in the new budget to begin repairs to the causeway in June. Permanent Secretary of Finance and Economy Anya Williams confirmed government’s proposal for Scotiabank to install automatic teller machines on both islands and to possibly have banking staff visit the islands.

Since the TCI Bank closed its office on North Caicos in March 2010, islanders have had to travel to Provo to do their banking.

The governor said he was disappointed in the lack of progress in completing the clinic on Middle Caicos, and that he expects it to be finished by his next visit in three months. He also agreed to look at improving arrangements for doctors and nurses to be on the islands.

On South Caicos, the governor officially opened the new Community Centre which will be used for meetings, shows, social events and as a hurricane shelter.

Todd told residents he would speak to the police commissioner about their concerns about local crime. There also is a move to improve stocks of key pharmacy drugs on the island.

On Salt Cay, the governor said businesses reported a very good tourist season this year, but they raised problems with local water supply and local services.

Residents also reiterated their call to have their own single political representative when new electoral districts are drawn in the next few months.
Various new permanent secretaries joined the governor on his quarterly visits for the first time.

“My permanent secretary colleagues have found this their first such tour to be of tremendous benefit as they can see for themselves the impact that decisions taken in Grand Turk have on the ground across the islands and to engage with people about what their ministries are doing,” he said. “I know that they have taken on board what they have learned from these visits and are keen to make it part of how both they and the government does business there in the future.”

“I will continue to work as hard as I can towards achieving the milestones which are already making TCI a fairer, better governed and more open society, and look forward to U.K. minister’s decision on elections later this year,” the governor said.