UK extends direct rule over Turks & Caicos
(CNS): According to the UK there are is still a “serious and deteriorating problem” in the Turks and Caicos Islands and as a result the British government has set out a list of milestones the territory must achieve before it will allow democratic elections to take place and before it will lift direct rule. The overseas territories minister Henry Bellingham told the UK parliament that it is clear that the fiscal picture in TCI represents an “unacceptable collapse in the fiscal governance” of the territory and there would be no election in 2011. The UK has extended the Order in Council continuing in force the Turks and Caicos Islands Constitution (Interim Amendment) Order 2009 beyond 14 August next year.
He said the Department for International Development has provided a Chief Financial Officer to the Turks and Caicos Islands government to meet the urgent task of addressing its structural deficit and putting it on a course towards a sustainable fiscal surplus in the financial year 2012/13.
The ministerrevealed a list of milestones that the FCO says must be met before it can consider setting a date for elections.
Bellingham said the recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry, which underpins good governance and sound public financial management must be implemented in a new Turks and Caicos Islands Constitution Order along with the introduction of a number of new ordinances, including those making provision for the electoral process and regulation of political parties; integrity and accountability in public life and the establishment of robust and transparent public financial management processes to provide a stable economic environment.
The UK also wants to see a strengthening of the Turks and Caicos Islands Government’s capacity to manage its public finances and the implementation of budget measures to put the Turks and Caicos Islands Government on track to achieve a fiscal surplus in the financial year ending March 2013.
The implimentation of a transparent and fair process for acquisition of ‘belongership’ is also a condition as well as the need for progress with the civil and criminal processes recommended by the Commission of Inquiry, and implementation of measures to enable these to continue unimpeded. The milestone list also includes the implementation of a new Crown Land policy and reform of the Public Service.
“Reaching these milestones will require time, care and hard work by the UK and the Turks and Caicos Islands Government, and particularly by the Turks and Caicos Islands Public Sector,” Bellingham said. “There will be public consultation on a number of issues across Turks and Caicos Islands and, we hope, the engagement of the Islands’ political parties. The milestones we have identified do not include everything that will have to be done before elections take place. In general the UK Government will have to be satisfied that the necessary reforms have been put in place to address the issues raised by the Commission of Inquiry, to prevent such maladministration being repeated, and to engender the confidence of the international community.”
The milestones were described as the minimum preconditions before the Turks and Caicos Islands can return to elected government.
“The UK Government has helped protect the Turks and Caicos Islands Government finances from complete collapse and intends to provide continuing financial support,” Bellingham said. “However it is important that the Islands make good use of this period of UK financial support to address the deep crisis in public finance and to achieve a fiscal surplus.”
He added that the UK hoped the milestones will also help any future Turks and Caicos Islands Government to continue “to embed good governance with full respect for the rule of law and human rights, and zero tolerance of corruption.”
Category: World News
UK fears that Misick will take office again as an accuse to stay in TCI? Hello, read much. He didn’t win his convention and will not take office. He’s not even in the running and lost his seat for reelection by a landslide to Clayton Greene. Many people out there do not understand how bad it is in TCI. Overnight our premier Misick was accused of corruption and our country taken and pillaged by the British. I can’t say if the corruption charges against Misick are founded or not, because even the UK has failed to prove any corruption. So many of us are intimidated into silence and are forced into a state of survival and panic, as the British have taken our jobs, our land, our rights and have told us that matters will be worse if we complain. Somebody ought to look into that UK corruption investigation to understand what exactly is behind it. The report is a sham and we all know it, the UK’s star witnesses are none other than a political opposition group aiding the Brits so that they can take power. Talk about corruption! The proof is out there, the British government is the most corrupt in the world. They have no moral authority to teach us good governance. Besides, we were far better off before the British came and destroyed our country and took our jobs and land.
Exactly! What have the British ever done for us?
But it is our land in the first place.
Exactly, Pit Bull. Love your irony and am relieved you don’t really believe what you post! Keep it up!
I am not being ironic. It is British territory. If the local government cannot manage our territory it is time for national government to stand in. Simple.
What has TCI come to? While the white men is sipping cocktails in their penthouses paid for by our dollars and taking our money and jobs, we are left begging. This is akin to slavery and there’s nothing we can do about as long as the Brits keep screaming corruption we can say nothing. If those folks from the UK are so worried about corruption, they would clean up UK parliament instead of harassing us. When and how are we going to stop the abuse of the British occupiers?
Corruption in government is a terrible thing. If there was corruption in Turks and Caicos, let’s hope that those who committed wrong doing are brought to justice. But as a separate issue, the British government needs to handle their occupation in Turks and Caicos very carefully. I agree that the British need a lot of help when it comes to cleaning their own house before they cast stones on other governments. Let’s look out for the possibility that the British are balancing a fine line and might be abusing power. It is troubling indeed if the rumours are correct thatthe British are trying to conquer self governing territories in the Caribbean out of greed. Let’s keep a vigilant eye out, as this kind of thing is the legacy of the British empire. We can all be smart about hidden greed in the actions of the British. Continuing to assume that the British are helping is a completely naive way to think.
Just wondering- Where in the whole wide world do they see a government that governs responsibly and takes proper care of the people’s money and/or interests? I dare them to name a place because I can’t come up with one. In that case- How do they judge responsible government and what criteria do they use for something that doesn’t exist?
Norway, and maybe Singapore. That’s about all I can think of.
It all has to do with trust! When are you going to trust the people and allow democratic elections. There must be a "hook" as to why the FCO declared full rule on the people. It is obvious that something $$$ more than the people there, was a threat to "them" in the UK. They knew they were going to loss out on something $$$ very significant if they didn’t act!
Then talking about Justice and Goodness. On the other side of the world, the Chagossians and the people from Diego Garcia, are still evicted from their homes. The UK continues to allow the US to use their island as a military base.
Then they talking about "respect for the rule of law and human rights" not only deny the democratic rights of the inhabitants of the island, but set the example of being a most corrupt government where Members of Parliament a year ago in 2009 used the tax-payers monies for their own fancies and spending. Some bought house, some bought cars, even Chris Bryant name was on the list. It was all theft! Yet no country was there to declare full rule over Britain. No… that will never happen, because they see themselves as the only "right ones" on the face of the earth.
And who can forget, not to mention the UK’s Prime Ministers decision and intelligence in following George Bush, undermining the UN, and declaring that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction when they didn’t find a thing. But was so quick to bring the world into war and use the Chagos Islands as their bee hive.
And now they talk about the islands being environmentally protected, barring the people from ever coming back to their home again.
Indeed this takeover all had to do with their interest $$$ and nothing else. For any of you to think that it was all for the people – I am sorry, but you are a naive little fool. Indeed… now they are taking this act of colonialism as some righteous deed. Watch them in the newspaper huff and puff smoke about how much "good" they are doing for the people there.
What good? You have striped the people from their democracy all because of one man’s corruption. Corruption was nothing more but a theme and song, you sang to take over their financial records and crown territories, to dissolve their TCI Central Bank and unwarrantly dissolve their elected representatives for your own so interest. What a shame! What a bully! Interestingly, not even the media and radio stations there are free to broadcast. Everything like a communist country is screen and censored. Talk about freedom of speech.
Your comment is inspired. You hit it right on the head. Unfortunately, there are thugs patrolling the web looking to discredit your point of view on behalf of the British. The British are corrupt thugs and the corruption investigation in Turks and Caicos is a sham and we all know it. There are many theories out there ($$$ LOL) as to why they want TCI under their control. One theory is the oil off the coast between TCI and Haiti, the other is the land value and tourism dollars. There are other theories as well. It is well understood here that the British are greatly exaggerating allegations against our former government and land investors to kick everyone off their prime beach front land and confiscate it for their own use. In the meantime, our jobs are lost to British nationals imported by the new UK government and our land confiscated or held over heads to insure our silence. This is a desperate situation for us.
Just a reminder – TCI, as is Cayman, is a British colony BY CHOICE. They can go independent whenever they want, and so can we. TCI and Cayman are both tax havens (international finance centres), and the UK connection is useful in keeping that. Britain is NOT re-colonising or anything like that.
As our song goes:
If you don’t like what you see here
Nobody wants to take you prisoner
So let me make it nice and clear dear
The exit is right there
I don’t mean to be rude dude
But you’d better change your attitude
I don’t like what I see here
You’re all invited to the party
You know you didn’t have to come
No rotten apple gonna spoil my fun
If you don’t like what you see here
Get the funk out…
Try Youtube for "Extreme- Get the funk out (videoclip)"
Yawn. Moan moan moan, Chagossians, moan, moan, moan, MP’s expenses, moan, moan, moan, conspiracy theories. Broken record syndrome.
I am proud our Government has not been bullied into changing its correct decisions of the last decade in respect of the Chagos Islands.
Here is a clue mate. We don’t care what you think. If you abuse our territory we step in. End of story. If you want independence good luck with that one. If you don’t want independence shut up and enjoy the Union Jack on your flag.
Attaboy, Pit Bull! Well up to your highest ironic form!
The poster who monitors all your posts.
Well I am glad I have my own CNS stalker. While I am flattered, I would suggest that might you want to get a life, but that would be ironic coming from Pit Bull. But CNS is one place where pots call kettles black every day.
So toodle pip for now old chap.
GOD Save the Queen…Weh Bay you unna save Mac
Sooner or later Cayman will be in direct control of the EU never mind the UK. The Jackboot of the EU can be heard across Europe and heading Cayman way. Be warned.
i envy the people of t&c…. at least something should get done there! unlike cayman where nothing has been achieved in the past 18 months or the next 18 months i bet!
I hope that our esteemed Cayman Politicians are paying attention.
And not brushing this off with something akin to "we nah gah no gangs".
Well at least they will have gained some experience dealing hand on with the overseas territories when they get to the point of taking over Cayman!
Good! Now if they would just step in here in Cayman – please!!
Let’s see…
Yeah…
I give it 8 months before we see that here!
… Your thoughts Mac..?
It looks to me like all of the "problems" that led to direct rule being imposed also exists here.
The only difference that I can see between direct rule and elected government is the direct ruler’s promise to consult with the people on a number of issues. Then again, elected officials have also been known to make promises.
Perhaps it’ll be us next with all the fiscal irresponsibility we’re witnessing under this government.