and Statistics with the latter being charged with preparing the economic and social strategy. Kairi Consultants – a group of economic and social planners from Trinidad and Tobago, were contracted by DEPS to help prepare the economic and social strategy. This is to be a highly participatory process involving some 27 Island and Sectoral sub-committees under the general direction of a 24 member Steering Committee.
Initiation
Soon after the contract was signed a team of five members of Kairi Consultants visited to the Turks and Caicos Islands from October 12 to 19th, 2005. This was in many respects a ‘re-acquainting’ and updating visit, since several members of the Kairi Team had previously worked in the TCI and knew many of the places and communities. During the visit, the Consultants toured Providenciales and North Caicos, visiting the site of several proposed projects. On October 27, 2005, the preparatory processes for the National Development Plan was launched at a well attended ceremony at the Beaches Hotel. The Chief Minister and the Minister of Finance made addresses at the Launch, which was attended by the Acting Governor, Acting Chief Secretary and other senior government officials and members of the Steering Committee. Following the Launch, a training workshop was held for persons who are to serve as facilitators for the sub-committees to instruct them on the methodology and approach to eliciting the quality information that would be most beneficial for preparing the Plan.
Visioning Exercise
During the period November 30th to December 12th, 2005, the Kairi Team paid a second visit. On December 1st, 2005 a visioning exercise involving members of the Steering Committee and representatives of the District Boards and Kairi Consultants was held at Beaches Hotel. About fifteen persons attended the visioning exercise, which was partly conducted in workshop style. A number of contending ideas about development paths for the TCI were put forward by participants.
