The Turks and Caicos Islands will soon have a modern plan to guide its development through the preparation of the Ten Year National Development Plan which was launched yesterday at the Beaches Resort and Spa, Providenciales.
The plan is spearheaded as a joint initiative between the Department of Planning and the Department of Economic Planning and Statistics. These departments will be working along with the project consultants- KAIRI Consultants out of Trinidad and Tobago. The Government through its commitment to the plan will be backing this initiative by providing in excess of $500,000 towards the planning process.
The development plan which aims to provide long-term vision for the country’s development and a strategic framework for Government and Private Sector activities, according to Mr. Hartley Coalbrooke, Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Finance, “embraces widespread participation; is underpinned by modern legislation; and is linked to the Budget to ensure implementation is evident”.
Mr. Coalbrooke also noted in his remarks that “serious imbalances persist between the various islands and social groups” and continued by saying “planning enables us to work on these imbalances and to correct glaring problems so as to produce a better quality society providing greater opportunities and higher incomes in a cleaner, safer environment for the betterment of all.”
Chief Minister, Hon. Michael Misick in his remarks, pointed to the fact that the last Development Plan for the country expired some nine years ago, making the launch of the Ten Year National Development Plan well overdue.
He summarised the Development Plan in these words: “In short the plan is all about the legacy and type of Turks and Caicos Islands that we will leave behind for our children and grandchildren.”
He further stated, “The formulation of the Ten Year National Development Plan is consistent with the need for us to collectively set a Vision, Goal and Strategy for the Islands for the foreseeable future.”
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