The Turks and Caicos Islands and Haiti are close to signing a memorandum of understanding to deal with the continued problem of irregular migration from Haiti to the TCI, according to Minister of Border Control and Labour Ricardo Gardiner.

Speaking at the 2014 budget address, the Minister said the two sides had produced the final draft of a memorandum of understanding and “will be signed shortly.”

Progression of the pact is being facilitated by the office of Turks and Caicos Governor Peter Beckingham, he said, but “is being driven from my office.”

“We will continue within this financial year to have the MOU finally signed,” he said.

Irregular migration from Haiti has been a continued issue for the Turks and Caicos, and has led to sometimes strained relations between the two countries.

Last year, then-TCI Governor Ric Todd led a delegation to Haiti to improve the two countries’ relationship and address the migration issue.

At the time, Todd said Haiti “understood our concerns” on the subject.