Overview
About Turks and Caicos Islands Telecommunications Commission
The Commission is an independent regulatory body, which was created by the Telecommunications Ordinance, 2004, and is responsible for the regulation and the licensing of all the telecommunications service providers and the users of radio spectrum in the TCI. This includes fixed-line operators, mobile telephone operators, broadcasting station transmitters, and internet service providers. The Telecommunications Ordinance 2004 (the Ordinance) was a direct result of the Government’s earlier Telecommunications Policy that set-in motion a process to open the telecommunications market in TCI to competition.
The Ordinance set out the roles and functions of the Commission including:
- to advise the Minister on telecommunications;
- to regulate telecommunications in accordance with the policy guidelines and in accordance with the principle of technological neutrality;
- to facilitate, maintain and promote effective and sustainable competition in telecommunications;
- to promote the interests of consumers and to encourage licensees to operate efficiently; and
- to prescribe standards for the quality of telecommunications services to be delivered to the public.
The Commission is also governed by a set of regulations that have been established pursuant to the Ordinance which, among other things, set out rules and procedures relating to network, service and spectrum licensing, network, service and spectrum licence fees, network interconnection, frequency management and retail service price regulation applicable to dominant service providers. As well, in 2017, the Commission issued Telecommunications Competition Guidelines to address competition-related matters, if and when they arise, such as dominance and forbearance, assessments or reviews, as well as complaints or concerns relating to potential abuse of dominance, anti-competitive practices or agreements. In keeping with the Ordinance and related Regulations, the Commission considers that its mission is to ensure that all consumers and businesses in TCI have access to quality telecommunications services, at a reasonable rate, in a fully competitive marketplace. The Commission’s goal is to continue to work at improving sector performance so that the TCI economy is positioned to achieve increased growth and employment opportunities.
Vision
Every Turks and Caicos Islands citizens will have available – at reasonable cost and without discrimination – rapid, efficient, national and international telecommunication services.
Mission
Our mission is to ensure that all consumers and businesses in the Turks and Caicos Islands have access to quality telecommunications services, at reasonable rates, in a full competitive marketplace. We will continue to work at improving the sector performance so that the economy will achieve growth, increased employment opportunities, revenue inflows and a vibrant telecommunication industry.
Turks & Caicos Telecommunications Commission Officers
The Commission comprises up to 5 members, all of whom are appointed by the Ministry responsible for Telecommunications, with the approval of H.E. The Governor. It also employs the following staff:
TCI Telecommunications Commission Organizational Chart
The Commission consists of up to six board members, which includes a Chairman and a Permanent Secretary as an Ex-Officio member. All board members are appointed by the Minister responsible for Telecommunications, acting with the approval of Cabinet. Board members are appointed in accordance with the Ordinance which defines specific occupational requirements for board appointees.
The Commission currently has a complement of eight staff members, which includes the recent additions of two executive posts, Legal Advisor and Finance Manager, filled in the fourth quarter of this year. Overall, the organization’s operations are managed by the Director-General who also serves as Secretary to the Telecommunications Board. The Director of Technology, Corporate Services Manager, Legal Advisor, Finance Manager. All other posts report directly to their respective departmental head.
Commissioners:
| Clayton Been | Chairman |
| Delleriece Hall | Member |
| Lerone Ingham | Member |
| Lacal Palmer | Member |
| Chalsyana Missick | Member |
| James Astwood | Permanent Secretary |
Staff:
Kenva Williams
Director General
Russell Gardiner
Director of Technology
Wilbert Harvey
Legal Advisor
Ahmed Jones
Finance Manager
Kathleen Morris
Corporate Services Manager
Kino Williams
Telecommunications Engineer
Roechelle Gardiner
Senior Accountant Officer
Shirlene Robinson
Complaints Officer
Christal Landy
Administrative & HR Officer
Message from the Chairman
Mr. Clayton Been
Firstly, I am delighted to have been appointed Chairman of the Telecommunications Commission.
This annual report for 2020/21 covers the period immediately before my appointment. I want to congratulate my predecessor Mr. Sean Penn; and the Director-General, Mr. Kenva Williams, and his staff for their achievements during this period. They were able to deliver much-needed reforms in areas critical to the sector, such as interconnection, when the covid-19 pandemic heavily disrupted the work of the Commission.
Telecommunications services and their infrastructure have become central to our way of life, which became even more critical during the pandemic to support virtually everything we do, from maintaining social interactions to keeping government and businesses going. I am grateful that our sector and the regulatory system underpinning it could provide this support.
As we emerge from the pandemic, there is a lot for us to do, and the Commission will be very busy during the three-year strategy period set out in this document. We have opportunities to further improve the sector, for example, through investment in an inter-island fiber system to support faster better quality services, and arrangements to build resilience through hurricanes and other emergencies. I am grateful that the Director-General and his staff are already working on these and other initiatives.
The Commission enters the next period on firm operational and financial footings as set out in this report; we look forward to working ahead with great enthusiasm and commitment.
Message from the Minister
Hon. Otis C. Morris
The telecommunications sector is central to the wellbeing of the Turks and Caicos Islands, delivering significant benefits to our society and the economy. Therefore, it is vitally important that we maintain the health of the sector and continue to provide an environment in which efficient investment and innovation are rewarded.
The Telecommunications Commission's stewardship of the regulatory framework is key to the sector's success. Since liberalization, the government has recognized the importance of a strong and independent regulator to safeguard consumers, promote competition and ensure telecommunications services work well for everyone.
My government is pleased that the Commission continues to excel in fulfilling its remit. As a result, consumers now have a greater choice of services than ever. In addition, my government will continue its effort to see that our communities are well served by two established providers and a licensing system that is ready to support further growth and investment.
Looking forward, my government is determined to ensure that the Turks and Caicos Islands continue to enjoy world-class telecommunications. However, we cannot stand still and are actively pursuing policies to ensure that the islands are well-positioned to benefit from advances in fixed and mobile technology, for example, 5G and fiber deployment.
We will also continue to investigate options for greater efficiency in regulation, such as creating a multi-sector regulatory authority encompassing telecommunications, energy, water, and sewerage.I am delighted that Mr. Clayton Been has taken up office as Chairman of the Commission this year and would like to thank his predecessor, Mr. Sean Penn, for his service and achievements. I look forward to working with Chairman Been, Director-General Mr. Kenva Williams, and the Commission staff to deliver our ambitious plan for the sector.
In closing, I want to thank the Commission for their hard work and significant achievements during a tough year when everything we did was affected by the covid-19 pandemic. Like the Chairman and Director General, I am delighted that the sector could support our community through the unprecedented challenges of lockdown, and I thank everyone involved.
