The Premier and Minister of Finance Hon. Washington Misick along with the Deputy Premier and Minister of Health Hon. E Jay Saunders, hosted a press conference to deliver COVID-19 updates post-Cabinet yesterday evening.
Hon. Misick revealed that the Citizen Relief Program was approved. This program will allow the issuance of $1,000 grants summing up to $11 million USD, allocated from the COVID-19 Stimulus Program and Contingency fund.
To be eligible for the grant, you must satisfy all of the following:
- Turks and Caicos Islands status OR be a British Overseas Territory Citizen;
- Age 18 years or older; and
- Residing in the Turks and Caicos Islands for the last 12 months.
To apply for the Citizen Relief Stimulus Grant click here. Applications close on March 12, 2021.
It was also disclosed that further relief is pending for people with overdue payments. This comes in the form of a waive of all penalties due to the National Health Insurance Programme and the National Insurance Board as of February 28, 2021.
Deputy Premier Hon. E Jay Saunders pitched in and announced that Cabinet had approved funding required for the sequential roll out of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine to residents of the TCI.
The following extensions and measures are set to take effect at midnight on Tuesday 2 March 2021 and will last until 5am on Wednesday 17 March 2021 unless otherwise stated:
- Night curfew on all islands from 11pm to 5am.
- All businesses across the country are to be closed by 10pm.
- Bars and restaurants to be limited to 30% of normal capacity both indoors and outdoors for sit-down only. No congregating around bar and restaurant counters allowed.
- Six-month moratorium placed on import duties for all personal protective equipment, cleaning and sanitation materials.
- Religious places of worship to be limited to 30% of normal capacity.
- Weddings and funerals to remain limited to 20 persons and must be held outdoors.
- Complete ban extended on public and private gatherings, sporting or social activity of any description on all islands, including on beaches.
For further details on what transpired in Cabinet March 1, 2021 click here.
