Uncertainty remains over 2012 TCI elections
(CNS): During his visit to the TCI last week the UK’s overseas territories’ minister Henry Bellingham did not set a date for next year’s elections. According to the local media Bellingham said he wasn’t prepared to fix the day as he could not say with certainty if all of the milestones which the UK has set in connection with its view of good governance would be met. “If the milestones are met, there’s a very, very good chance of elections, but it’s in the hands of the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands,” Bellingham said. “They’ve got to work together on this process so we can have elections and you will then have a democratically elected government back in place.”
The FCO minister stated that progress had been made but he was not prepared to commit to elections in 2012as he said events were beyond his control. “I can’t say categorically that all of the work will be completed but I am very confident that the work will be completed and we will have elections.
Clayton Greene, the leader of PNP in TCI released a statement in the wake of Bellingham’s comments expressing his disappointed that the minister’s visit brought neither a constitution nor a date for next year’s hope for national vote.
“Equally disconcerting is the fact that the minister and the entire administration continue to be vague concerning the extent to which the milestones that the Minister has laid down are being met,” Greene said in his statement.
He added that Bellingham’s visit had given the minister a greater appreciation of the frustration with the process and the administration’s failure to keep people informed he didn’t provide details concerning exactly where things were on the milestones but agreed the governor would provide updates on them.
“We look forward to this and expect that the Governor would be forthright in identifying the key deliverables attached to each milestone and whether in each case they have been met, and where they have not been met give an indication as to when we can expect that they will be met,” Greene said.
The leader of the PNP urged the people of TCI to continue agitating for the return of representative government and press the administration to be transparent about the progress.
Listing his various concerns about TCI status, the situation in the civil service, mapping out of the constituencies and accusations by the minister that billions of dollars had been stolen from the Treasury by elected officials, Greene said he had asked for the details regarding this accusation.
“Absent an ability to justify his figures the statement should be completely retracted,” Greene stated “Our party has, and continues to be vilified by this Interim administration. In doing so, this administration has taken on all of the trappings of a political party and that is to be regretted.
Category: World News
Now Robin Hood I just hope the clawbacks from the Rich is not given to other rich OPPRESSORS as seems to be the case rather than to the rightful owners the people of TCI. History will not be able to turn a blind eye to this as they did in the past, the Hauge is here and believe me I hear that the people of TCI is preparing a strong case against anyone Belonger or Non-Belonger who will try to exploit their country and leave them in ruins. They refuse to suffer the same fate as Haiti.
Haiti could have been like Martinique.
This is for Libertarian “If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, then it must be a duck”. Good reading http://countrystudies.us/caribbean-islands/131.htm
Loren, thanks for the reading. I learnt something new.
If the people of TCI are suffering so much under the UK maybe now is a good time for them to offer the opportunity to annex the islands to Canada as they did in 1987; I am sure that Canada would consider it as they are doing very well financially and could afford to do so with much ease and if Candada refuses then try Germany that economy is doing very well also.
I really feel sorry for the situation that TCI is now faced with, it is literally a rock and a hard place. Independence should be out of the equation because the country is in absolutely no position to even consider this, consider yourselves fortunate that your population is still small.
I surely hope the people of Cayman can see that even the British admit that they have REMOVED democracy from the TCIs.
Be careful what you wish for…..
Those in power, have removed democracy from the Turks and Caicos Islands, because they CLAIM the false notion that a dictatorship and dissolution of the people's elected representatives, is the only way to rid a country of its corruption.
Of course, there is more to it than that 😉
Libertarian
Clearly you know nothing about the wholesale corruption that took place in the TCI over the past 10years or more.There can be no elections until the corruption investigation is completed. Otherwise the TCI runs the risk of getting further corrupt politicians. This investigation encompassing the secondment of over twenty lawyers and police from the UK has taken over eighteen months and has resulted in the clawback of millions of dollars from the crooked deals perpetrated by corrupt politicians. Conversely it has taken the CI Goverment to investigate one case for a similar period of time with no result.
Dan Duguay could have done this investigation within months. Maybe he had already started it, me thinks.
Corruption' investigations can never purify governments, but individual and systematic reforms in a laissez fare democracy.
Agreed re investigations. However, effective prosecutions with stiff sentences would do wonders to curb greedy politicians. As long as they are getting away with it they have no incentive to stop.
Milestones??? What work to be done? "They’ve got to work together on this process so we can have elections and you will then have a democratically elected government back in place." No, Mr. Bellingham; rather, you and the FCO ministers, got to finish what you all started! It was never about the people! It was power hunger lords that decided to cancel their democracy and elections for self-interest reasons! This had very little to do with corruption! The takeover was an abuse of power and left TCI in a worse state!
Libertarian: You are a frequent and utterly clueless contributor to CNS on these matters involving Britain's Overseas Territories. The sad truth is that Britain "owns", repeat "owns" places (ie colonies) like TCI and Cayman. People in both countries like you like to pretend this is not the case and that Cayman, eg, has the power to flex its muscles on this and that and the other. It does not. It is a COLONY. It can only do things provided the UK allows it to do so. That is how it must be because if Cayman effs up financially (ahem, that could never happen could it?) and defaults on its debts the UK has to pay the bill. That's colonialism. Don't like it? Go for independence and stop thinking you can have your UK security cake to sell to the overseas investors and eat it. Britain will give it to you at the slightest request from the electorate and we will have Mac or Ezzard or Alden or Arden running our affairs.
Thank you for the reply. May I add, it is not independence we need, but rather for people (possible like yourself) in power over us to reform their ways; especially, on how they abuse power, trample democracy, and mistreat the Overseas Territories.
I agreewith your statements, Libertarian, and remind everyone that we do not need independence for Mac to be ruling the islands. This is the first time in my 67 years that I am seriously considering where to go to. Our dictator is allowed to run rampant over our country with not a care for anything or anyone except how many XXXX or hand out Ministerial MOUs like giving candy to a baby.. Stop complaining about the little things like independence, according to our current dictator, think about the quality of our lives when we have over 300 communists here for an indefinite time. That is what we should be worrying about.
It's funny that it's always OTHERS that are doing these things to the Cayman Islands – it's never yourselves… Give your head a shake!!! The reason that the Cayman Islands are in the mess that they're in is because of you, your friends, your relatives and your friends' relatives. You are responsible for selling the land, you are responsible for building a cement fortress, you are responsible for voting in the politicians that you have voted in.
I do think you need clarification yourself. The Cayman Islands are not"owned" by the UK. We are not a "Crown Colony". We are a "British Overseas Territory" with an independent and unique constitution. That constitution is an agreement between the UK Government and the People of the Cayman Islands.
It spells out the role of each party and the areas of responsibility. It is a complete myth that the UK can do as they wish here. What the"agreement" does have is a 'rider' that says the UK can unilaterally change or suspend it their whim however they will try not to do that.
Regarding the "ownership", at best only the crown land could be considered 'owned' by the UK however even that is held in trust for the people of the Cayman Islands.
If the UK was really in charge and 'owned' the Cayman Islands they should immediately agree to fill any gaps in our budget, pay off our national debt and put some extra cash here in the treasury in case things get rough. Until they do that and take our financial liability they do not "own" anything here.
TCI had little to do with corruption? What planet are you from??? Do you know that the same things happening now in the Cayman Islands were perpetrated by some of the local representatives in T&C, albeit, on a larger scale? The only reason that the Brits are not stepping in right now in the Cayman Islands is because they already recently did so in TCI, they have troubles of their own to sort out at this moment, and Cayman has not yet reached that tipping point yet – XXXX Regardless of what is happening here, the circus had to stop in TCI – and it did stop. So before you spout off more nonesense it would be wise for you to think first. Remember, think, speak, think, speak, think, speak… It may help you from making a total idiot of yourself.
Libertarian. May I suggest that you read the TCI press and visit the islands before loving foot in mouth.