PROVIDENCIALES, Turks and Caicos Islands; Thursday, July 23rd, 2009 – "My Government has earlier this month taken the decision to discontinue the services of all political appointees (both Government and Opposition appointed personnel) effective as at September 30, 2009.
This action which has been taken on the advice of our team in the Ministry of Finance, has been necessitated to better enable Government to work within the constraints of its ever shrinking revenue intake which has gone from an average of approximately USD$18 million per month last year to approximately some USD$9 million per month this year.
Given the slowing in the economy, I have wrestled with this decision long and hard, and regret having to take this position, especially as we are aware that this move could have a seriously negative impact on the many persons who have opted to give up otherwise lucrative opportunities to contribute to the growth and development of our country over the recent years.
Coupled with the other measures that we have put in place and others yet to be implemented, this course of action will assure us of the opportunity to turn around our economy in the quickest possible time, while lessening the impact that the current worldwide recession will otherwise have on our wider community.
Rest assured, however, that we are doing all that we are able, to ensure that as many of the effected individuals as possible, are placed in other job opportunities before the termination notice expires on September 30."
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