Thank you Minister Bellingham.
Let me take this opportunity to welcome you on behalf of the entire population of the TCI back to our beautiful shores.
Minister Bellingham, I defer to your assessment of our progress in meeting the Milestones and for fulfilling the timetable you set out. We on the Consultative Forum have done all we could to assist you in meeting these Milestones. In this regard, I cite the very collaborative efforts that produced the Constitution Order 2011, the Crown Land ordinance, the Pathway to Citizenship Bill, the Public Finance Management Ordinance, The National Audit Ordinance, and the very controversial CFO Ordinance – all critical to the Milestones set.
I would like to commend you Minister for the leadership you showed in setting these Milestones to be met not just for elections but, more importantly, to return sound management of our public finances and good governance to our country.
His Excellency Ric Todd and his team have only been here for a short while but they deserve credit and thanks for the seamless way they took the baton from Governor Wetherell and his team to bring us to this happy day.
It would be remiss of me though if I do not state that while we have succeeded in meeting the Milestones sufficiently to allow for a return to elected government, I do not believe we can claim the same level of success in meeting your stated objective of developing a relationship between our two countries that is defined by mutual respect, mutual trust and mutual cooperation. This concerns me greatly, and my plaintive pleas in this regard throughout this interim period are a matter of public record.
I was indeed heartened Minister when you demonstrated your commitment to your objective by inviting members of these two bodies to join Governor Todd as delegates at a conference in London last year, which was aimed at redefining the UK’s relationship with its Overseas Territories. Unfortunately, however, that objective seems to have been sacrificed on the altar of fiscal austerity.
I do not believe that we (Turks and Caicos Islanders) have been sufficiently engaged as mentors and partners to become empowered to govern ourselves and follow your blueprint to ensure good governance; I do not believe that you have done enough to nurture your stated objective, and this is clearly reflected in the disconnect at so many levels between the UK and the TCI, and the visceral distrust our people have developed for the British.
That is not to say however that we do not welcome a return to elected government. What looms is the kind of relationship that will exist between our two countries post election. It seems clear to me that far too little consideration on both sides has been given to this.
I understand and I believe all of us in here know that Britain will retain even greater control over the TCI – this is codified in our Constitution. Based on the Budget, we will meet our financial obligations and we will pay back the loan.
Therefore, given that we will be connected at the hip for some time to come, it behooves us to do all we can to inspire and retain the confidence of Turks and Caicos Islanders to ensure that a relationship based on mutual respect, mutual trust, and mutual cooperation can be developed. Thank you again!
