By: Lloyd Stubbs
TURKS AND CAICOS – More than 7 months after the suspension of the Turks and Caicos constitution the country same to be in a much worst state today than it was before the interim government took over. If one was to grade the interim administration on their performance they would have to get three grades one for the local branches, one for the Governors office and one for the FCO.
Firstly lets grade the Local branches, the forum & Council.
Whilst I believe that some good Turks and Caicos Islanders were chosen for these position, I do not support these branches mainly because they were not elected by the people of the TCI and will never get the ears of the British when it comes to giving advice or contributing their thoughts how to improve our country.
My advise to all of these Local appointees is if they truly want to help with the development of this Country, they should put their names on the dotted line and run for parliament in the next general election and give the people a chance to elect or refuse them at the polls.
So far I must give the Local side a C for trying hard but being ignored by the ones they are suppose to be advising. (the cat is outa the bag they are not listening to these advisors). Just today breaking news Carlos Simons resigned from the consultative forum of which he was the Chairman because he noticed that the voice of these bodies were not being consulted on any decision or even heard by the Master who appointed them.
The TCI public are truly seeing a split in the overall governance of our little country Turks and Caicos. It seem to be a “us” against “them”(TCI’s vs British Governor & FCO) in the discussions and debates in the council and forum taking place so far. There seem to be no agreement. So much so that people are wondering why they (British Governor & FCO) did not just leave the elected government of Hon. Galmo Williams PNP administration in place to run the affairs of our Country. The Country seem better off then.
One just has to look at the so call advances made by the Governor so far:
1) Governor suspension and closure of major projects putting a dagger in the ??????, slowing down the economy to a almost stand still
2) cuts in civil service jobs, with more to come
3) Media control. Closure of TCI new media after so much of the public fund were invested in bringing the nation its own TV station, limiting the voice of RTC where people in Provo can only hear it on certain days and other times we can get no signal bring back AM Band Broadcasting, also limiting the amount of time and questions the media can ask the Governor, even banning them from two meetings in Salt Cay, South Caicos and our Capital Grand Turk. Police have been on guard to make sure this meeting are controlled. This is in the word of Hon Lewis Astwood a mordent day form of Apartheid.
4) the national health insurance plan as much as this plan was scrutinized under the PNP was implemented without public debate.
5) the Airport expansion a PNP plan again debated but taken forward and approved by the interim administration with the electrical contract awarded without tender.
6) the 911 emergency system PNP plan again
7) the much talk about 80 million dollar loan by the Governor, after turning down the Galmo Williams administration from borrowing 100 million dollars saying it would only put our country more in debt and that the money needed to run the Country was right here just needed to be collected. Here he wants to borrow less without consulting the PNP or PDM or even his appointed forum & council on the borrowing guidelines that we will have to pay back long after he is gone.
8) Late payment of the civil service without apology
9) suspension of SPICE with explanation
10) lack of boarder control
11) Increase in crime
12) No belonger protection on jobs
13) no stimulus plan to help belongers though these tough times
15) increase in taxes
16) 10% cut in civil service pay. This move will only be follow later by the companies in the private sector who have been profiting off the TCI all the while, cut their staff and salaries and keep people on work permits working because they know that no representation will be made from Governors Office to ease this burden on Belongers because the Governor Office started this new trend. This can only hurt our little Country even more in these tough times.
17) Constitutional talks and drafting without local input. We have drafted three constitutions in the pass, We have capable born Turks and Caicos Island men and women that can assist with drafting a constitution. Why is it that Britain which has no constitution see it fit to change TCI recent constitution of 2006 which they (Great Britain) just approve? Did they not go over the document four years ago or is there another motive?
18) Hiring more high paid British adviser with housing, transport and other allowances while cutting the number of TCI’s in the civil service and treats of more lay off in the TCI civil service.
With these and more strange moves I have no choice but to give the Governor a E. He is failing the people of this country with his leadership style. He has no vision for the TCI in the future, has created no new opportunities for Belongers and is serving our country as if He can’t wait until 2011 to leave. Thank God for the Galmo Williams 90 day plan with out it there would be nothing to show as being done by this Governor and his administration.
Where is the super British plan that was in place to better our country.
The FCO gets a F – they have yet to pay any attention to the affairs of Turks and Caicos. What is their plan to help us deal with the Haiti situation? With all those Man o wars out there how come none is patrolling the waters of the TCI to stop the human smuggling trade that only rapes our broken treasury with reputation fees?
Where is the British with their expertise when it come to policing crime in the TCI? Are these not areas of British responsibilities? Or are the waiting for 2011 to bring in the stronger British presence? They need to be doing their job now!
The people of the Turks and Caicos Islands are fed up with the interim administration lack of new ideas and can’t wait for a general election to put Turks and Caicos Islanders back in control of our Country.
2011 can’t come soon enough for me to Vote PNP!
