As 2010 comes to a close, the time has come to look back at a very eventful year in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI). One filled with unexpected events and disappointments — a shift in British politics, which could affect the news in 2011/2012, and the beginning of the long awaited fallout from the Commission of Inquiry, which will soon mark its two-year anniversary.
Number One: The Unity March
Without any doubt, the top news story of 2010 was the Unity March. Splashed across the headlines of all three newspapers, prompting numerous news reports by television, radio and internet media, and invoking comment by all the opinion columnists, The March stands alone as the biggest story in 2010. Blythe Duncanson, editor of the leading newspaper, the TCI Weekly News, called the march historic and the biggest, best organized demonstration he could remember.
The event, started by Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) leader Douglas Parnell, occurred in March 2010, and inheriting a second name The March in March, was misunderstood by non native residents, criticised by some expats and embraced by virtually the entire belonger population.
The police had no choice but to accommodate it by closing off a long section of Leeward Highway, including the busiest section in the heart of downtown Providenciales (Provo), as marchers strolled peacefully 8 and 10 abreast. The professional stagecraft company who provided the stage from which speeches were delivered estimated the crowd to be at least 2,500
people.
These numbers were later confirmed by the number of signatures on a petition forwarded to the British government.
The march was a non political, cross party event to demonstrate for the right of self determination. It was perceived by most islanders that these rights were in jeopardy when Colin Roberts, the British Director of Overseas Territories, spoke out in favour of the enlargement of the voting franchise and massive constitutional reform with minimal consultation with
islanders.
March speeches were delivered by leading members of the clergy and politicians from both parties. With one exception, they all spoke to the self determination human rights issues. Only former Premier Galmo Williams, himself displaced by the British direct rule takeover, spoke off subject, calling for independence.
Number Two: The TCI Bank Failure
The failure of the TCI Bank appears to have affected every family in the TCI. Losses to 4,000 depositors and upwards of $22.5 million in pension funds have thrown the spotlight on the Financial Services Commission,which found the bank lacking in management but failed to act. Questions have also been raised about the policies of the officers of the National
Insurance Fund, who not only purchased stock in what was viewed as a risky venture, but then followed up by making deposits of $19.5 million of pensioners contributions.
Rushed into liquidation, two financial groups ready to take over the bank and save the depositors funds were largely ignored.
Unanswered questions still loom about the countrys first indigenous bank, which some said was designed to fail: will depositors lose everything or recoup 10 cents or more on the dollar and why is the TCI Bank failure not being investigated by the Interim Government.
Number Three: Change of Government in Britain This story had multiple angles and is possibly the story that could have
the most serious effect on events in the TCI in the immediate and long term future. This event did not occur in the TCI.
In May 2010, British voters overturned the 13-year-old Labour Party government of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, who were replaced by a David Cameron/Conservative-led coalition with third party Liberal Democrats.
Leading up to and during the PNP years of 2003 to 2009 Chief Minister and later Premier Michael Misick lobbied extensively with Britains Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Ministry for Overseas Territories (OT). As it now turns out, the Turks and Caicos Islands, with its small size but promising potential, has also become the biggest challenge for the FCO’s
OT department.
The British Labour Party imposed policy of hands off the Overseas Territories was in the later years managed not only by Minister Meg Munn, herself the target of allegations of misdeeds in Britain, but by three temporary ministers since 2008, all of whom served amazingly short terms.
The longest serving of these was Chris Bryant. Bryant and Colin Roberts, who replaced Leigh Turner as Director of Overseas Territories, had announced a policy of making the TCI pay for problems spelled out in a 2009 Commission of Inquiry.
The Commission of Inquiry came into being due to the efforts of Conservative Member of Parliament Sir John Stanley and two other members of the Foreign Affairs Committee (FAC), who visited TCI and found a climate of intimidation and signs of corruption while Misick was premier. Stanley and the FAC put Munn and the FCOs overseas territories department
on the hot seat at a subsequent hearing in London.
Now Stanley’s Conservative Party is calling the shots in the FCO, with Conservative Henry Bellingham serving as Minister. Another Conservative, Andrew Rosindell, a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and chairing the British All Party Group, is now speaking out on the challenges in restoring TCI to its potential and responsible internal government.
Governor Gordon Wetherell and CEO Mark Capes were both appointed by the Labour government, who, while still ruling the FCO, refused to fund the investigations into the alleged corruption reported by the Inquiry. This has seemingly delayed the expected prosecutions called for by the Inquiry and to be undertaken by the British special prosecution team.
Wetherell, a career diplomat, is perceived by most TCIslanders as a well meaning leader who is facing massive financial challenges left in the wake of the removal of the Misick/Williams-led PNP government.
Number Four: The Crime Wave
Over the course of the last administration, crime has steadily climbed, with the Royal Turks and Caicos Police Force seemingly unable to find solutions to the problem and also unable bring the culprits to justice.
Police Commissioner Edward Hall, who has led the department since his appointment in 2005, and two other police leaders have now been retired early. Eight unsolved murders, face to face hold ups with automatic weapons, a local mastermind advising criminals have all been keeping both the police and judiciary at bay until recently.
Missing drugs and weapons from the police impound area and an officer with cuts and bruises after a double murder attempt left one dead and another seriously beaten in December 2009 have all been part of the notorious crime wave, which only recently seems to be diminishing.
Officers from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) will now take over the top posts for two years, and possibly additional British assistance will be on the way.
Number Five: TCI Election Cancelled
Making headlines only weeks ago was the delay in elections. This was announced by Britains new Minister of Overseas Territories Henry Bellingham during an overnight visit to the TCI.
As Bellingham slipped out of town, PNP demonstrators rushed to try to intercept him at the Provo airport, but instead encountered constitutional reform specialist Kate Sullivan and Governor Wetherell.
Shouting demonstrators blocked their automobile and farced police to escort Sullivan and Wetherell to their waiting plane.
Following up on the election delay, Clayton Greene, who now heads the PNP, has spoken out against the withdrawal of elections, which were anticipated for July 2011. Green has attacked the delay based on Bellingham’s call for a number of required milestones, one of which will see prosecutions before the election is rescheduled. Greene said this is unnecessary.
PDM leader Douglas Parnell also expressed his disappointment, saying that some of the milestones set down by Bellingham have been or will soon be met.
