Civil servants in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) have elected Dr Rufus Ewing as president of the newly reformed Civil Service Association (CSA).
Ewing, who is the director of Medical Services in the TCI, reportedly received about 220 votes. There are between 2,200 and 3,000 civil servants on staff in the TCI.
The ability to have an organised approach to issues affecting what is perceived or actual unfair treatment of civil servants is being viewed by government employees as a positive move.
It has also been revealed there is a plan to collect dues from the members, which could be used to build a fund to assist civil servants in need of financial support. It is unclear if the dues will be used to compensate CSA officers in any way.
Five candidates for the presidency were nominated but all but Ewing declined the nomination. It is unclear why these other nominated parties did not go forward. Some say it was intimidation of having to confront the interim government. Others are saying Ewing was preselected.
Two top belonger members of the interim government, who asked to remain anonymous, both suggested that Ewing has his eye on a political career and this is his first step.
Both agreed that the medical issues facing the country, including the unsettled administrative condition of the medical sector, should have excluded Doctor Ewing from this new endeavour, which they both felt would tend to further diminish his ability to address his basic responsibilities.
This opinion was echoed somewhat by another report by Providenciales (Provo)-based WIV TV channel 4, which reported that at least some of the 122 Haitians on board a sloop that ran aground in West Caicos within the past week have not been checked for cholera. Another source said the Haitians are being shipped home with dispatch, some already having left.
Ewing issued an early statement reporting that checks had been performed and no danger was present. WIV reported they were unable to reach Ewing for comment. It is unknown which report is correct.
In related news, a Haitian national, who spent the Christmas/New Year holidays in Haiti, on returning to the TCI was detained along with fellow passengers at the Provo Airport while blood tests were performed. Out of approximately 20 passengers, 5 tested positive and were returned to Haiti. Reportedly these were all from Port au Prince. Others with proper documentation were released after they were cleared.
Also reported was that some fellow travelers presenting travel visas were returned to Haiti. Recently the use of visas to clear immigration has been suspended. It appears these visa documents may have been forged.
Immigration officers are now checking documentation of passengers traveling from Provo to North Caicos at the ferry dock and ticket counter.
