The TCI and UK Governments recently commissioned a joint independent review of the management of Crown Land in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Members of the public and a wide range of stakeholders were consulted by Attorney at law Mr. R Donhue Gardiner, TCI Attorney with experience in land law and policy development in TCI, and Professor Simon Cooper PhD, an expert in Caribbean land law and registration systems.
The final report, published on 1st December 2022 contains 146 joint recommendations, to improve the management of this resource and maximise its use for the benefit of all the people of TCI.
The recommendations cover a wide range of areas, including future allocations of crown land, existing conditional purchase leases and unauthorised occupation.
It also covers improvements to the processes surrounding crown land in order to reduce unnecessary bureaucracy and improve fairness of the distribution of land rights, and details proposed amendments to the Crown Land Ordinance.
Premier Misick and Lord Goldsmith, as UK Minister for the Overseas Territories, have agreed to accept the report’s recommendations, subject to affordability, phasing and legal considerations.
The Premier said “Our two countries share a commitment to a peaceful, prosperous, open, and cooperative access to crown land, while ensuring that it remains a sustainable and resilient resource for generations to come. I welcome the joint review final report as it remains my governments vision to seek equitable access for the people of these islands.”
Lord Goldsmith said “I welcome this joint review and it’s set of practical and well-considered recommendations to improve the utility of crown land in TCI and generate a more efficient and transparent process. I applaud the Premier for raising his concern with the UK on behalf of TCI.
" I hope our partnership on this project, drawing on professional expertise, paves the way for future collaboration and is a symbol of our ongoing commitment to work in partnership with the TCI Government. The TCI Government has our full support as they move ahead to implementation and delivery of these reforms.”
The report can be found in electronic form on the Government website via www.gov.tc or the Attorney Generals Chambers website via www.gov.tc/agc/
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