A New Regular Column: Your Ombudsman at Work — The Office of the Complaints Commissioner (Ombudsman)

Over the coming months, you will see a new newspaper column from the Office of the Complaints Commissioner (Ombudsman). This column is meant to do one thing well: help residents understand what the Ombudsman is, what we do, and how you can use the office when you believe something has gone wrong in public administration.

Why an Ombudsman? Across many countries—especially within the Commonwealth—Ombudsman institutions exist because people need a trusted, independent place to raise concerns about public services without having to start in court. Ombudsman offices typically provide an impartial review of complaints and make recommendations that improve fairness, transparency, and the quality of public administration.

The Turks and Caicos Islands has that safeguard too. The Constitution provides for a Complaints Commissioner and anticipates that the Commissioner will investigate complaints of maladministration in government in accordance with the Complaints Commissioner (Ombudsman) ordinance of 2015. That Ordinance is the legal foundation for our work, and it shapes how we receive complaints, what we can investigate, and how we make findings and recommendations.

What the Office Does: In brief, the Office of the Complaints Commissioner exists to investigate complaints of maladministration by Government Departments and Statutory Bodies and to support better public administration across the Islands. “Maladministration” can include issues such as unreasonable delay, failure to follow proper procedures, not providing information that should be provided, inconsistent decision-making, poor communication, unfair treatment, or administrative error. Our work may (among other things) lead to improvements large and small in Government systems and services, even introduce new procedures, policies or staff training.

What the Office Does Not Do: An Ombudsman is not “another level of appeal” for every type of disagreement. We look closely at how a public decision was made and whether the process and administration were fair and reasonable. We do not replace the lawful authority of departments, boards, or decision-makers. We are not a court, and we do not provide legal representation. Some matters may be better addressed through internal review, a tribunal, the courts, or another regulatory route, depending on the issue. We function as the Office of ‘Last Resort for Public Officers” with complaints of poor public administration.

How Complaints Work: One of the most common questions people ask is: “How do I make a complaint?” Generally, complaints must be made in writing and should be raised as early as possible, while the facts and documents are still available. In future columns we will outline what information helps your complaint move faster (dates, letters, reference numbers, decision notices, and names of offices contacted), what to do before you complain (including completing an agency’s internal complaints process where appropriate), and what happens after you submit your complaint (assessment, jurisdiction checks, inquiries, findings, and recommendations).

What You Can Expect From Us: Ombudsman work is guided by independence, impartiality, fairness, and respect for all parties. Our job is to bring careful scrutiny, calm process, and practical remedies where they are justified—always guided by the law that establishes the office and the principles of good administration.

Why This Column, and What’s Coming Next: This new column is part public education and part public service. Over the next few editions, you can expect short, clear articles on topics such as: “Is this maladministration?” practical examples and common patterns; “Before you complain”: simple steps that can save weeks of time; delays and non-responses; fairness and reasons; how to write a strong complaint letter; what happens after an investigation; and a “good administration spotlight” highlighting fixes that improve service for everyone.

A Final Word: If you remember only one thing from this first article, let it be this: the Office of the Complaints Commissioner exists so that ordinary people have an independent place to take concerns about public administration, and so that public bodies can benefit from impartial review that helps improve services for everyone. In the next article, we will start at the beginning: what makes a complaint one that the Ombudsman can consider—and what information you should have ready before you submit it.

We will meet again with the next article. For more information go to www.complaintscommissiontci.com or call us 649-338-2927

Your Office of Complaints Commission- Team:

Cherylann Jones- Complaints Commissioner (Ombudsman)

Samadia Lightbourne: Senior Investigative Officer

Raynae Myers: Investigative Officer

Shalandra Smith: Administrative Officer