By: Chris Burke
TURKS AND CAICOS – Several thousands of people took to the streets today in Turks and Caicos, dubbed Unity Day or March in March. The message was the for the British government to go home.
The people of Turks and Caicos have had enough of British diplomats running their country and excluding them from decisions.
In August 2009, due to a bitter political battle brought by the islands’ opposition party, the British took governance of the islands amidst allegations of corruption by the former local government under the Michael Misick administration.
Many people have been frightened to speak out against the UK government for fear of reprisal and economic retaliation, as in the case of a local journalist Audley Astwood. But many local islanders felt free to speak their minds today stating that, “there is safety in numbers.” And the crowds did come out in great numbers on the streets of Providencials.
The people were protesting the UK’s aggressive take over without a vote from the people and abolishment of all democracy. Though the UK told the world that its action in Turks and Caicos would be temporary and decisions would include the input of local islanders, the UK did not keep it’s promise. Many local government officials and islanders were let go without cause, and decisions are not being shared. The UK took complete control over the finances as well as Crown land. The UK’s actions in Turks and Caicos has been called many things by different word leaders, including a coup d’etat, an invasion, imperialism and hasty. One man, a dictator, HE Gordon Wetherell of the UK, makes all decisions solely without any consideration from the people. In fact, Wetherell now stakes claim in rewriting the constitution without any vote from the people or input.
The islands’ economy has suffered following the UK’s tax increases and accusation against many resort developers of also being corrupt whereby confiscating the resort developments. Many businesses and people, who had relied on the tourism economy, have left the islands due to the dramatic decline in tourism revenue.
The two political parties in the islands that were once at bitter odds, the PDM and PNP, have found common ground together today. Under the circumstances of the UK’s direct rule and mismanagement of Turks and Caicos, the two sides have come together in unity to protest UK presence.
Also present at the rally was Galmo Williams, the Premier at the time of the UK invasion in August who had been serving for just 6 months prior to the take over.
