By: Chris Burke
I sometimes joke that I have a love/hate relationship with Wikileaks founder, Julian Assange. In our early “relationship”, in 2009, I deeply criticised Julian for publishing a court ordered protected document leaked by the UK government in Turks and Caicos Islands [TCI]. I asserted that Julian’s leak of the protected document, and particularly his editorial introduction that accompanied it, blatantly helped to cover up UK's plot to recolonize Turks and Caicos. I said that Julian was reckless in failing to learn the origin of the leak as well as improperly characterising the document’s meaning. The UK targeted several individuals in the Turks and Caicos for corruption as part of a pretext to take control of the island’s government. A judge in the islands at the time ordered the names be sealed pending a further investigation and due process. The document was nonetheless leaked and Wikileaks was happy to publish it. The British governor in TCI apologised for his “error” in failing to keep the document’s content safe but never took responsibility for leaking it in order to bolster UK's position in TCI.
Thereafter, Julian redeemed himself in my eyes. He got it right by publishing evidence of a loan to TCI arranged by the UK whereby members of a local UK-appointed advisory committee were named as makers of the loan without their knowledge. The loan terms were not transparent until it was finally published by Wikileaks. This gave more evidence of UK’s abuse of power in the TCI and showed me that Julian was fair and not supporting a particular agenda. My feelings for Julian shifted away from "hate" and I let Julian know. I then termed him my “frienemy” (friend/enemy).
Then came Wikileak’s 2010 Collateral Murder video showing footage of the US Army in Iraq erroneously shooting civilians. The leak of the video was perfectly reasonable in my opinion. But again, I took exception to his running editorial subtitles, which in my opinion did more to interpret the event from his perspective instead of translate it.
At some point in my back-and-forth feelings for Julian, I came to accept the good with the bad because the good far outweighed the bad. He has put all governments on notice that citizens can and should hold their governments to account. Demanding government transparency is more than words, it comes with accountability and consequences.
It takes a muckraker like Julian to put a spotlight on governments and empower those governments' citizens with the same tools. Even if he gets it wrong a percentage of the time, his mere presence in the world is enough to deter governments from human rights and democracy abuses. Julian is responsible for empowering citizens to revolt against their dictatorship governments, a feat unheard of until this new age of anonymous whistle-blowing.
As the UK shelters Julian from rape charges in Sweden, I wondered how Julian would handle exposing UK abuses now that he is seemingly beholden to that government for his freedom. Is he following UK colonial and democracy abuses in UK-occupied Turks and Caicos or would he protect the UK government in his time of vulnerability.
I think I got my answer. Julian, just this week, criticised the UK government, opining that the UK refuses to keep documents purposefully to keep secrets. He also accused the UK of appealing to their mid-brow squeamish culture by “its risk-adverse approach” against assisting countries to achieve freedom from dictatorship regimes or gain democracy. He said, "[UK] would rather destroy an entire revolution, and keep a country in dictatorship, than risk being blamed for the tiniest thing."
My conclusion is that Julian Assange is the real deal. He has revolutionised a new world culture of confidence to expose the truth as always being the right thing. It for sure has changed the way that governments around the world view accountability to their citizens. The UK seems to have chosen an interesting approach, prevent leaks by simply not keeping records.
My message to the UK is that they can’t keep everyone quiet. It will leak, one way or another. Julian has create the climate, atmosphere and culture to make sure of it.
Well done, my “friend” (it has been decided).
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Friday, June 3, 2011
Did the New United Nations' Decolonization Meeting Favour Turks and Caicos in UK Political Crisis?
By: Chris Burke
Turks and Caicos Islands [TCI] has been waiting for an opportunity for an outside third party entity to weigh the political fall out of the last 2 years. Direct UK rule was implemented in August 2009. With that, the UK took the TCI citizens' democracy, rights to trial by jury and withheld their input in the local government.
To be sure, many members of UK parliament and the UK’s Foreign Commonwealth Office stayed on the directive that UK's actions in TCI were justified due to the suspicion of TCI local government corruption. Despite the denouncement of UK’s actions by the UN and the bloc Caricom, the UK continued its occupation of TCI and refused to withdraw.
This week, commencing May 31, The United Nations Special Committee on Decolonisation met again on the overseas territories’ right to self determination to discuss plans to empower the 16 remaining territories, one of which is Turks and Caicos.
The Turks and Caicos Islands' political crisis was discussed at length at the UN meeting held in Grenadines. TCI was fortunate to have had a citizen delegate in attendance, Dr. Conrad Howell.
In the meeting, the Special Committee noted that TCI’s Caribbean neighbors: Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Montserrat, and the United States Virgin Islands had all expressed objection to UK’s direct rule in TCI, as well as the rights violations that went with it.
The UN committee asserted that “political, economic, social or educational preparedness” should not be used as a pretext to deny a territory the right to independence or self determination. As in the case of Turks and Caicos, the UK contends that it is bringing good governance, righting the political system and the islands' economic condition. The UK’s actions therefore are considered merely a pretext to deny the TCI people their rights.
Dr. Howell made an excellent address to the committee regarding, among other things, UK’s actions seen as discouraging that it plans to ever return any sort of self government to the TCI people. Dr. Howell spoke of the UK Governor wielding absolute authority, the indefinitely suspended general elections, and he described the condition created by the UK where TCI citizens were not allowed to vote on any government decisions, only UK-appointed “advisers”. Dr. Howell made it known that the UK has little or no intent to listen to the voice of the indigenous people of Turks and Caicos.
In addition to Dr. Howell, another meeting participant stated that, Turks and Caicos was prepared to explore its relationship with the rest of the world, including through independence, and must find a regional association in which it could benefit from being seen “as an equal”. That of course is an option if Turks and Caicos wishes to explore an association with a different country, group or bloc other than the UK. This option of regional association is also called “Free Association” as defined by the Compact of Free Association. Often times it is used by a self governing state, with colonial ties to an administrative power, to opt out of that relationship and associate with a different entity for purposes of defence and foreign relations, while often enjoying favorable economic terms such as market access. This is usually a step away from the colonial power relationship and towards independence. Turks and Caicos was already operating as a self governing nation, with its own branches of government and all revenue having been generated by the Turks and Caicos Islands solely.
The UN committee also attested that this is a time when constitutions of the territories should be reformed or rewritten to award “greater autonomy” as an option in the event that the territories “did not want independence and that the United Kingdom did not accept the free association or integration options.” The world must examine, why is the UK rewriting the TCI constitution to recant powers of autonomy of Turks and Caicos? UK’s actions in Turks and Caicos are contrary to any principles of UN’s self determination policies particularly since the UN addressed territories rewriting constitutions specifically to grant MORE power and rights to the territories. If rewriting a new constitution of the Turks and Caicos Islands is such a good idea, why is the UK not allowing a vote or referendum by the TCI citizens?
In addition to the UN calling for greater government control by the citizens of the territories, it also made a shocking finding: the installation of a foreign Governor in the territories is a deeply flawed policy. The UN stated, “If constitutional modernization meant anything, it denoted greater self-government and democratization, he said, and to attain it, the 'democratic deficit' between the Governor’s power and that of the peoples’ elected representatives must be dramatically reduced.” The British Virgin Islands was relieved for its “new” UK governor as described in the UN report, the delegate expressing that they welcomed the new Governor and “the difference was between night and day”.
In the case of Turks and Caicos, the UK has rewritten the constitution to include ultimate power to the UK installed Governor, whomever is appointed by the UK at that time. The Turks and Caicos people had asserted at the UK constitutional meeting that giving any UK governor the ultimate power over the government was like playing Russian Roulette, as governance by one man depends on that one man’s character or ability to manage effectively. The principles of government checks and balances is exactly to eliminate the possibility that decisions will be left to one person’s volition. Government checks and balances are based on sound principles of democracy, yet are being taken away from the TCI by the new constitution, assigning power to an unelected UK-appointed Governor.
The UN in closing acknowledged that there is a triangle relationship between the territories, the administering power and the UN. The UN vows to balance its duties to ascertain the true will of the people.
Turks and Caicos Islands [TCI] has been waiting for an opportunity for an outside third party entity to weigh the political fall out of the last 2 years. Direct UK rule was implemented in August 2009. With that, the UK took the TCI citizens' democracy, rights to trial by jury and withheld their input in the local government.
To be sure, many members of UK parliament and the UK’s Foreign Commonwealth Office stayed on the directive that UK's actions in TCI were justified due to the suspicion of TCI local government corruption. Despite the denouncement of UK’s actions by the UN and the bloc Caricom, the UK continued its occupation of TCI and refused to withdraw.
This week, commencing May 31, The United Nations Special Committee on Decolonisation met again on the overseas territories’ right to self determination to discuss plans to empower the 16 remaining territories, one of which is Turks and Caicos.
The Turks and Caicos Islands' political crisis was discussed at length at the UN meeting held in Grenadines. TCI was fortunate to have had a citizen delegate in attendance, Dr. Conrad Howell.
In the meeting, the Special Committee noted that TCI’s Caribbean neighbors: Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Montserrat, and the United States Virgin Islands had all expressed objection to UK’s direct rule in TCI, as well as the rights violations that went with it.
The UN committee asserted that “political, economic, social or educational preparedness” should not be used as a pretext to deny a territory the right to independence or self determination. As in the case of Turks and Caicos, the UK contends that it is bringing good governance, righting the political system and the islands' economic condition. The UK’s actions therefore are considered merely a pretext to deny the TCI people their rights.
Dr. Howell made an excellent address to the committee regarding, among other things, UK’s actions seen as discouraging that it plans to ever return any sort of self government to the TCI people. Dr. Howell spoke of the UK Governor wielding absolute authority, the indefinitely suspended general elections, and he described the condition created by the UK where TCI citizens were not allowed to vote on any government decisions, only UK-appointed “advisers”. Dr. Howell made it known that the UK has little or no intent to listen to the voice of the indigenous people of Turks and Caicos.
In addition to Dr. Howell, another meeting participant stated that, Turks and Caicos was prepared to explore its relationship with the rest of the world, including through independence, and must find a regional association in which it could benefit from being seen “as an equal”. That of course is an option if Turks and Caicos wishes to explore an association with a different country, group or bloc other than the UK. This option of regional association is also called “Free Association” as defined by the Compact of Free Association. Often times it is used by a self governing state, with colonial ties to an administrative power, to opt out of that relationship and associate with a different entity for purposes of defence and foreign relations, while often enjoying favorable economic terms such as market access. This is usually a step away from the colonial power relationship and towards independence. Turks and Caicos was already operating as a self governing nation, with its own branches of government and all revenue having been generated by the Turks and Caicos Islands solely.
The UN committee also attested that this is a time when constitutions of the territories should be reformed or rewritten to award “greater autonomy” as an option in the event that the territories “did not want independence and that the United Kingdom did not accept the free association or integration options.” The world must examine, why is the UK rewriting the TCI constitution to recant powers of autonomy of Turks and Caicos? UK’s actions in Turks and Caicos are contrary to any principles of UN’s self determination policies particularly since the UN addressed territories rewriting constitutions specifically to grant MORE power and rights to the territories. If rewriting a new constitution of the Turks and Caicos Islands is such a good idea, why is the UK not allowing a vote or referendum by the TCI citizens?
In addition to the UN calling for greater government control by the citizens of the territories, it also made a shocking finding: the installation of a foreign Governor in the territories is a deeply flawed policy. The UN stated, “If constitutional modernization meant anything, it denoted greater self-government and democratization, he said, and to attain it, the 'democratic deficit' between the Governor’s power and that of the peoples’ elected representatives must be dramatically reduced.” The British Virgin Islands was relieved for its “new” UK governor as described in the UN report, the delegate expressing that they welcomed the new Governor and “the difference was between night and day”.
In the case of Turks and Caicos, the UK has rewritten the constitution to include ultimate power to the UK installed Governor, whomever is appointed by the UK at that time. The Turks and Caicos people had asserted at the UK constitutional meeting that giving any UK governor the ultimate power over the government was like playing Russian Roulette, as governance by one man depends on that one man’s character or ability to manage effectively. The principles of government checks and balances is exactly to eliminate the possibility that decisions will be left to one person’s volition. Government checks and balances are based on sound principles of democracy, yet are being taken away from the TCI by the new constitution, assigning power to an unelected UK-appointed Governor.
The UN in closing acknowledged that there is a triangle relationship between the territories, the administering power and the UN. The UN vows to balance its duties to ascertain the true will of the people.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's Visit to Turks and Caicos was More than a Holiday? Clinton Interviewed Citizens Regarding UK Occupation
By: Chris Burke
On May 5, 2011, former US president Bill Clinton and present US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited Turks and Caicos Islands [TCI], for what was reported to be a, “break from their busy schedules to bask in the beautiful TCI sunshine.”
The couple stayed on the famous resort island of Parrot Cay at Donna Karan’s luxury beach home for the entire holiday.
However, TCI insiders have revealed that Mrs. Clinton’s trip to Turks and Caicos was also a fact-finding mission to talk to citizens about the UK occupation. During the couple's trip to TCI, they reportedly covertly spoke with several local citizens. The names of the citizens were not disclosed, but it was reported that both Mr. and Mrs. Clinton conducted interviews. Some reports also suggest that they traveled to North Caicos to question citizens. One witness said, “I know they were asking lots of questions from locals”. However, the exact questions are unknown but had to do with the condition of the TCI citizens following the UK occupation as well as the citizens' loss of democracy and self determination.
How Mr. and Mrs. Clinton came to the decision to interview various TCI citizens is said to have been from a direct plea by a Turks and Caicos citizen who has personal connections with a former US congressman and current Senator from Florida.
More facts are still being investigated. Members of the public are invited to reveal more information, if they are comfortable doing so, by emailing me TCIwatch@gmail.com.
On May 5, 2011, former US president Bill Clinton and present US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited Turks and Caicos Islands [TCI], for what was reported to be a, “break from their busy schedules to bask in the beautiful TCI sunshine.”
The couple stayed on the famous resort island of Parrot Cay at Donna Karan’s luxury beach home for the entire holiday.
However, TCI insiders have revealed that Mrs. Clinton’s trip to Turks and Caicos was also a fact-finding mission to talk to citizens about the UK occupation. During the couple's trip to TCI, they reportedly covertly spoke with several local citizens. The names of the citizens were not disclosed, but it was reported that both Mr. and Mrs. Clinton conducted interviews. Some reports also suggest that they traveled to North Caicos to question citizens. One witness said, “I know they were asking lots of questions from locals”. However, the exact questions are unknown but had to do with the condition of the TCI citizens following the UK occupation as well as the citizens' loss of democracy and self determination.
How Mr. and Mrs. Clinton came to the decision to interview various TCI citizens is said to have been from a direct plea by a Turks and Caicos citizen who has personal connections with a former US congressman and current Senator from Florida.
More facts are still being investigated. Members of the public are invited to reveal more information, if they are comfortable doing so, by emailing me TCIwatch@gmail.com.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Where Does Barack Obama Stand on UK Colonialism Offensive in Turks and Caicos, His Westminster Speech Gives Clues
By: Chris Burke
On May 25, 2011, we heard United States president Barack Obama in Westminster addressing the United Kingdom government, espouse the virtues of democracy and self determination. Amoung the front row attendees was UK's Foreign Affairs Secretary, William Hague, who appeared distinctly provoked. In a polite way, the United States president called some of the United Kingdom's foreign policies hyprocritical. Mr. Obama complimented the United Kingdom's advanced democracy methods of centuries ago but pointed out that failing to implement the policies of democracy and trials by jury today causes a loss of credibility of its foreign policies. President Obama said that if it's good for the United Kingdom it is also good for all people and nations around the world.
Could Mr. Obama have been talking about the UK invasion of Turks and Caicos (TCI) in August 2009, at least in part? According to many Turks and Caicos Islanders, it felt that Barack Obama was talking right to them. It was assuring that Mr. Obama would take the opportunity to admonish the UK government in their own sacred political lair of Westminster.
One Turks and Caicos citizen emailed me and made an interesting point about Mr. Obama's speech. A young lawyer in TCI said it was completely ironic that a world leader of African decent was scolding white stately men whose ancesters created the imperial kingdom. It was quite ironic.
But in any event, times are changing and Mr. Obama made that clear calling for the UK and the US to step back and let other countries explore their potential for economic greatness, that it doesn't have to be the creation and control of the UK or the US in order for it to be good values and make economic sense.
Mr. Obama is right. The UK has spent centuries trying to control trade, land acquisition and power, for UK value. The time to step back and let outside innovation shine is long past due.
Turks and Caicos was such a nation that was innovating and shining prior to the UK takeover. TCI aspired and succeeded in surpassing the sentiment that countries decsecending from slavery can break free from the shackles of their oppressive white masters and excel. TCI was a young nation that only gained its autonomy 40 years ago when it became a self governing nation. Independence was around the corner as TCI required no financial support or any ties to the UK for anything. TCI was quite wealthy with a GDP that any country would envy at $266 Million (2006 stats).
In hindsight, TCI was not without its challenges. TCI's exploding tourist economy created many new residents, business owners and a growing expatriate population that soon proved to be overpowering the smaller TCI citizen (Belonger) population. The TCI caught the attention of the UK government in 2008; whispers of accusations against the TCI local government began that some were engaging in special interest relationships with foreign developers. Depsite a UK governor installed in the islands at all times overseeing the local government operations, the UK Foreign Commonwealth Office still called for a complete UK government takeover of TCI. The entire takeover was predicated on unproven allegations against a few people in TCI's local government, though it cost the entire populace their democracy and self determination.
Just like that, on August 14, 2009, with UK warships surrounding the Caribbean waters of Turks and Caicos, the UK took direct rule of TCI. It immediately announced the "suspension" of the TCI constitution, which is now being replaced by a UK constitution without a vote or referendum by the TCI citizens. The UK also called for all democracy to be withheld as well as the right to trial by jury. The UK also purports that the expatriate population has tripled the Belonger population and should therefore be afforded a vote and the opportunity to be involved in the TCI government. In a blink of an eye, the TCI citizens lost their constitution, democracy, self determination, right to trial by jury and now non-citizen residents are being bestowed rights in TCI that would diminish the citizens' will.
The UK said that TCI can have their democracy restored after the UK is done transforming the islands to total British rule with the new constitution. A political back-and-forth ensues in the islands to this very day, as the UK plan is nearing its conclusion.
Back in Washington D.C. president Barack Obama has been silent as to the human rights abuses and democracy abuses by the UK in TCI. If Mr. Obama's speech in Westminster is any indication that he is paying attention to the democracy abuses and withholding of self determination in Turks and Cacios, then it couldn't come at a better time since the new UK constitution is set to pass any time which will result in UK permanently taking all rights away from the local citizens.
Mr. Obama made a very good point during his speech, he said that citizens who come from a country of corruption have even more of a right to break free and govern themselves. If UK is insisting that forcing its will in the TCI is founded on past local government corruption, then how does it sqaure up with taking democracy and self determination from the remaining citizens?
Mr. Obama also said that freedom and democracy is something that we cannot take for granted just because we have it. We must all learn to spread it and make it good for others to achieve and that the choice of self determination should fall squarely on the side of those who want to be free.
The Turks and Caicos citizens want to be free. TCI citizens are forceably and incompetently being governed by a foreign country of a culture that shares no heritage to the TCI people. It is colonialism in its most basic form.
The situation in Turks and Caicos could be the poster child for exactly what Barack Obama was preaching about in Westminster. I sure hope that Mr. Obama has the courage to address this situation directly and right away.
On May 25, 2011, we heard United States president Barack Obama in Westminster addressing the United Kingdom government, espouse the virtues of democracy and self determination. Amoung the front row attendees was UK's Foreign Affairs Secretary, William Hague, who appeared distinctly provoked. In a polite way, the United States president called some of the United Kingdom's foreign policies hyprocritical. Mr. Obama complimented the United Kingdom's advanced democracy methods of centuries ago but pointed out that failing to implement the policies of democracy and trials by jury today causes a loss of credibility of its foreign policies. President Obama said that if it's good for the United Kingdom it is also good for all people and nations around the world.
Could Mr. Obama have been talking about the UK invasion of Turks and Caicos (TCI) in August 2009, at least in part? According to many Turks and Caicos Islanders, it felt that Barack Obama was talking right to them. It was assuring that Mr. Obama would take the opportunity to admonish the UK government in their own sacred political lair of Westminster.
One Turks and Caicos citizen emailed me and made an interesting point about Mr. Obama's speech. A young lawyer in TCI said it was completely ironic that a world leader of African decent was scolding white stately men whose ancesters created the imperial kingdom. It was quite ironic.
But in any event, times are changing and Mr. Obama made that clear calling for the UK and the US to step back and let other countries explore their potential for economic greatness, that it doesn't have to be the creation and control of the UK or the US in order for it to be good values and make economic sense.
Mr. Obama is right. The UK has spent centuries trying to control trade, land acquisition and power, for UK value. The time to step back and let outside innovation shine is long past due.
Turks and Caicos was such a nation that was innovating and shining prior to the UK takeover. TCI aspired and succeeded in surpassing the sentiment that countries decsecending from slavery can break free from the shackles of their oppressive white masters and excel. TCI was a young nation that only gained its autonomy 40 years ago when it became a self governing nation. Independence was around the corner as TCI required no financial support or any ties to the UK for anything. TCI was quite wealthy with a GDP that any country would envy at $266 Million (2006 stats).
In hindsight, TCI was not without its challenges. TCI's exploding tourist economy created many new residents, business owners and a growing expatriate population that soon proved to be overpowering the smaller TCI citizen (Belonger) population. The TCI caught the attention of the UK government in 2008; whispers of accusations against the TCI local government began that some were engaging in special interest relationships with foreign developers. Depsite a UK governor installed in the islands at all times overseeing the local government operations, the UK Foreign Commonwealth Office still called for a complete UK government takeover of TCI. The entire takeover was predicated on unproven allegations against a few people in TCI's local government, though it cost the entire populace their democracy and self determination.
Just like that, on August 14, 2009, with UK warships surrounding the Caribbean waters of Turks and Caicos, the UK took direct rule of TCI. It immediately announced the "suspension" of the TCI constitution, which is now being replaced by a UK constitution without a vote or referendum by the TCI citizens. The UK also called for all democracy to be withheld as well as the right to trial by jury. The UK also purports that the expatriate population has tripled the Belonger population and should therefore be afforded a vote and the opportunity to be involved in the TCI government. In a blink of an eye, the TCI citizens lost their constitution, democracy, self determination, right to trial by jury and now non-citizen residents are being bestowed rights in TCI that would diminish the citizens' will.
The UK said that TCI can have their democracy restored after the UK is done transforming the islands to total British rule with the new constitution. A political back-and-forth ensues in the islands to this very day, as the UK plan is nearing its conclusion.
Back in Washington D.C. president Barack Obama has been silent as to the human rights abuses and democracy abuses by the UK in TCI. If Mr. Obama's speech in Westminster is any indication that he is paying attention to the democracy abuses and withholding of self determination in Turks and Cacios, then it couldn't come at a better time since the new UK constitution is set to pass any time which will result in UK permanently taking all rights away from the local citizens.
Mr. Obama made a very good point during his speech, he said that citizens who come from a country of corruption have even more of a right to break free and govern themselves. If UK is insisting that forcing its will in the TCI is founded on past local government corruption, then how does it sqaure up with taking democracy and self determination from the remaining citizens?
Mr. Obama also said that freedom and democracy is something that we cannot take for granted just because we have it. We must all learn to spread it and make it good for others to achieve and that the choice of self determination should fall squarely on the side of those who want to be free.
The Turks and Caicos citizens want to be free. TCI citizens are forceably and incompetently being governed by a foreign country of a culture that shares no heritage to the TCI people. It is colonialism in its most basic form.
The situation in Turks and Caicos could be the poster child for exactly what Barack Obama was preaching about in Westminster. I sure hope that Mr. Obama has the courage to address this situation directly and right away.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Is there nobody in UK Parliament that Turks and Caicos Islanders can Trust? Parliament Ignores Demands for Local Elections and Return to Democracy
By: Denny G.
It’s commonsense that the members of UK parliament should be smart cookies who are up on their current events. They can’t be oblivious to what is going on in their own territory with the withholding of our local elections and democracy. Turks Islanders are not taking UK abuse laying down anymore. Nobody in parliament is listening to us and we need to wake them up.
God knows that the [installed] British interim government is not listening to us. That's when we turned our attention to parliament and the foreign affairs committee to get someone to listen to us. But what we hear back is stuff like what Lord Nigel Jones told the TCWeekly. He said that we need to work with the British interim government before we can have elections and democracy. Excuse me, but that’s assbackwards. Lord Nigel Jones is saying that we have to work with the corrupt British interim government to stabilize our economy and correct government malfeasance. Excuse me, the British interim government is who destroyed our economy and if they don’t have government malfeasance fixed by now after two years of direct rule then they have proven incompetence or are purposely stonewalling us. Some of us believe that the British interim government is causing the malfeasance on purpose.
You know, I am sorely disappointed in the UK government. We were patient and helpful for a long time. We were trusting that they wanted to help. But the UK government is taking advantage of us and playing games with us. Lord Nigel Jones knows what he is talking about and he knows that Turks Islanders have been sucker punched. He has traded sides from his former position of going to bat for us. That really hurts.
It also really hurts that the UK is not looking out for our best interests. They are playing every trick up their proverbial sleeve to find a way for this draft constitution to bypass our approval. It’s out of order for us to trust the UK who took our democracy from us to start with. Now there is proof out there of some kind of health care deal and developer contracts that is driving the UK to be installed in Turks and Caicos. Our faith in the UK is gone. How can we let the UK govern us on any level even if it’s only as a territory supervisory level? We need independence just to keep the UK armed robbers from our doors.
What also really hurts is that it took the president of the United States to speak of our rights. When Barack Obama made that speech that the territories have a right to self determination and democracy, the camera turned to William Hague who looked angry at the president’s statement. They have no compassion for what they have done to us, only contempt.
We got the short stick being imprisoned by UK politics. They have turned against us and blame us for why we are suffering losses of rights and freedoms. Only abusers do that. It reminds me of a battered wife who is beaten by her husband and she’s blamed because “she had it coming”.
It’s commonsense that the members of UK parliament should be smart cookies who are up on their current events. They can’t be oblivious to what is going on in their own territory with the withholding of our local elections and democracy. Turks Islanders are not taking UK abuse laying down anymore. Nobody in parliament is listening to us and we need to wake them up.
God knows that the [installed] British interim government is not listening to us. That's when we turned our attention to parliament and the foreign affairs committee to get someone to listen to us. But what we hear back is stuff like what Lord Nigel Jones told the TCWeekly. He said that we need to work with the British interim government before we can have elections and democracy. Excuse me, but that’s assbackwards. Lord Nigel Jones is saying that we have to work with the corrupt British interim government to stabilize our economy and correct government malfeasance. Excuse me, the British interim government is who destroyed our economy and if they don’t have government malfeasance fixed by now after two years of direct rule then they have proven incompetence or are purposely stonewalling us. Some of us believe that the British interim government is causing the malfeasance on purpose.
You know, I am sorely disappointed in the UK government. We were patient and helpful for a long time. We were trusting that they wanted to help. But the UK government is taking advantage of us and playing games with us. Lord Nigel Jones knows what he is talking about and he knows that Turks Islanders have been sucker punched. He has traded sides from his former position of going to bat for us. That really hurts.
It also really hurts that the UK is not looking out for our best interests. They are playing every trick up their proverbial sleeve to find a way for this draft constitution to bypass our approval. It’s out of order for us to trust the UK who took our democracy from us to start with. Now there is proof out there of some kind of health care deal and developer contracts that is driving the UK to be installed in Turks and Caicos. Our faith in the UK is gone. How can we let the UK govern us on any level even if it’s only as a territory supervisory level? We need independence just to keep the UK armed robbers from our doors.
What also really hurts is that it took the president of the United States to speak of our rights. When Barack Obama made that speech that the territories have a right to self determination and democracy, the camera turned to William Hague who looked angry at the president’s statement. They have no compassion for what they have done to us, only contempt.
We got the short stick being imprisoned by UK politics. They have turned against us and blame us for why we are suffering losses of rights and freedoms. Only abusers do that. It reminds me of a battered wife who is beaten by her husband and she’s blamed because “she had it coming”.
Power to the People, Wikileaks Empowers Small Country to Fight for Self Determination
[Editor's note: The United Kingdom took the Turks and Caicos Islands in a coup in August 2009. The UK also took all democracy from the people and is trying to impose a new constitution giving UK permanent power there. A blogger from TCIpost discusses the threats and intimidation that he and his countrymen have endured when trying to bring attention to the democracy crisis and special interest deals by the UK which are alleged to have caused the takeover.]
By: John Glasgow
For everyone who has been following my blog, thank you. Even you Mr. Attorney General who I know feels that I picked on him. I am not about to label myself a political activist or anything like that I just see a need to defend my country of Turks and Caicos. Anyone can label me what they like. But like I said all along I label myself a dumb blogger. I started this blog to oppose the British regime hurting us and taking our power from us and hurting us when we try to expose they are taking our power from us. If you have been reading my blog, you know what I am saying. If you haven't, keep reading. I have been doing this for over a year.
My mother would be annoyed that I call myself dumb because she raised me after all and that could be an insult of the highest order to her as a mother. But relax mother, I say I am dumb but I am smart enough to see that the power is in my hands. The power is in all of our hands just some of us don't know it. I was given the gift of emotional intelligence by my mother who taught me to stand firm for my beliefs and to follow in Jesus' footsteps to march on with the message of good no matter what. Even when threatened by Pontius Pilates Jesus continued ahead with his message of truth. Now I am not saying that I am Jesus, so relax. I am saying that TCI people are religious people that have faith that God will save them. Just like God gave Jesus the power forge on with his message, God gave me that strength too.
If you have been reading my blog for the last few days you will see that I have written some entries about our Attorney General and I have gotten under his skin. I never thought that my agitating opinions about him would cause a threat of legal action against me and my blog. Here is where my emotional intelligence comes in and where Mr. AG's exits. I know that I am just a dumb little blogger and I cannot fight the big oppressive powers of the British government and either could most armies. But the British government is too dumb to see that they can't win a war in order to get away with their secret deals and cover ups anymore. I mean, they can probably get away with it if they threaten a weaker person. But not everyone is a weak person and all it takes is one strong person paying attention. It doesn't take an army anymore.
Come on Mr. AG and British interim government. Don't you see that we live in the age of the computer super highway? The internet can reach thousands of people in different nations around the world in seconds. Colonialisms best tool is conquer and divide. You can't do that anymore. Did you ever hear of a little group called Wikileaks, Mr. AG? They revolutionised the movement of helping citizens to force governments for transparency. This is the world we live in now. You need to modernise your thinking. Threats don't work in the new world of anonymous whistle blowing.
But I want to be honest, Mr. AG. When I wrote all of those articles about you and about the cover ups by the interim government what was I trying to achieve? Just like when the civil servants protested with a sick out, what were they trying to achieve. Do you think somewhere in your shiny head that we are trying to get you to listen. You had so many chances to listen, learn and collaborate with us. The UK doesn't operate like that, does it? You see us as trouble makers that you need to "deal with". With that attitude, Mr. AG, you will never win. You will never have our respect or alliance. We will always be your trouble makers. Nobody is backing down as you will see soon enough.
When you read my blog entries, you were angry like a little school boy. You'll show me, you thought. Where did I read it again, hmmmm, TCI Journal said that the TCIslanders are the children and the UK the parents and the UK needs to punish the children for being bad and that's what caused the UK to take our country. Mr. AG and the UK, you are the bad little children. If you were responsible adults you would not have thought in a million years that taking our rights and threatening us would work. My mother always said that adults must give children freedom to make mistakes, it is as important as sunlight to a seed. But the lot of you are not adults but spoiled children who just want your way in a fit or worse tyrannical monsters trying to govern us with an iron fist. You are not dealing with little children in TCI. You are dealing with clever adults that do not take kindly to threats and taking of our civil rights to keep us from speaking.
You threaten to silence me with criminal and legal threats when I hit a nerve. I find that to be laughable. We live in a world where news travels fast around the world. One click and you are on notice to the world. We live in a world where secrecy is old fashion and Wikileaks is right there listening and waiting. I have faith in the new era of information sharing. There is someone out there right now in the UK or the TCI that will leak the truth about the truth of the British agenda. Maybe it's a MP like Chris Bryant or maybe someone in the FCO or maybe someone in TCI. Somebody or several people out there will come forward with the smoking gun. I get leads and tips every day from my contributors who are your insiders. People know things. You will be accountable for your actions and trying to stop a dumb blogger like me is futile.
By: John Glasgow
For everyone who has been following my blog, thank you. Even you Mr. Attorney General who I know feels that I picked on him. I am not about to label myself a political activist or anything like that I just see a need to defend my country of Turks and Caicos. Anyone can label me what they like. But like I said all along I label myself a dumb blogger. I started this blog to oppose the British regime hurting us and taking our power from us and hurting us when we try to expose they are taking our power from us. If you have been reading my blog, you know what I am saying. If you haven't, keep reading. I have been doing this for over a year.
My mother would be annoyed that I call myself dumb because she raised me after all and that could be an insult of the highest order to her as a mother. But relax mother, I say I am dumb but I am smart enough to see that the power is in my hands. The power is in all of our hands just some of us don't know it. I was given the gift of emotional intelligence by my mother who taught me to stand firm for my beliefs and to follow in Jesus' footsteps to march on with the message of good no matter what. Even when threatened by Pontius Pilates Jesus continued ahead with his message of truth. Now I am not saying that I am Jesus, so relax. I am saying that TCI people are religious people that have faith that God will save them. Just like God gave Jesus the power forge on with his message, God gave me that strength too.
If you have been reading my blog for the last few days you will see that I have written some entries about our Attorney General and I have gotten under his skin. I never thought that my agitating opinions about him would cause a threat of legal action against me and my blog. Here is where my emotional intelligence comes in and where Mr. AG's exits. I know that I am just a dumb little blogger and I cannot fight the big oppressive powers of the British government and either could most armies. But the British government is too dumb to see that they can't win a war in order to get away with their secret deals and cover ups anymore. I mean, they can probably get away with it if they threaten a weaker person. But not everyone is a weak person and all it takes is one strong person paying attention. It doesn't take an army anymore.
Come on Mr. AG and British interim government. Don't you see that we live in the age of the computer super highway? The internet can reach thousands of people in different nations around the world in seconds. Colonialisms best tool is conquer and divide. You can't do that anymore. Did you ever hear of a little group called Wikileaks, Mr. AG? They revolutionised the movement of helping citizens to force governments for transparency. This is the world we live in now. You need to modernise your thinking. Threats don't work in the new world of anonymous whistle blowing.
But I want to be honest, Mr. AG. When I wrote all of those articles about you and about the cover ups by the interim government what was I trying to achieve? Just like when the civil servants protested with a sick out, what were they trying to achieve. Do you think somewhere in your shiny head that we are trying to get you to listen. You had so many chances to listen, learn and collaborate with us. The UK doesn't operate like that, does it? You see us as trouble makers that you need to "deal with". With that attitude, Mr. AG, you will never win. You will never have our respect or alliance. We will always be your trouble makers. Nobody is backing down as you will see soon enough.
When you read my blog entries, you were angry like a little school boy. You'll show me, you thought. Where did I read it again, hmmmm, TCI Journal said that the TCIslanders are the children and the UK the parents and the UK needs to punish the children for being bad and that's what caused the UK to take our country. Mr. AG and the UK, you are the bad little children. If you were responsible adults you would not have thought in a million years that taking our rights and threatening us would work. My mother always said that adults must give children freedom to make mistakes, it is as important as sunlight to a seed. But the lot of you are not adults but spoiled children who just want your way in a fit or worse tyrannical monsters trying to govern us with an iron fist. You are not dealing with little children in TCI. You are dealing with clever adults that do not take kindly to threats and taking of our civil rights to keep us from speaking.
You threaten to silence me with criminal and legal threats when I hit a nerve. I find that to be laughable. We live in a world where news travels fast around the world. One click and you are on notice to the world. We live in a world where secrecy is old fashion and Wikileaks is right there listening and waiting. I have faith in the new era of information sharing. There is someone out there right now in the UK or the TCI that will leak the truth about the truth of the British agenda. Maybe it's a MP like Chris Bryant or maybe someone in the FCO or maybe someone in TCI. Somebody or several people out there will come forward with the smoking gun. I get leads and tips every day from my contributors who are your insiders. People know things. You will be accountable for your actions and trying to stop a dumb blogger like me is futile.
Friday, May 27, 2011
UK Alleged to be Forcing Turks and Caicos Citizens to make Criminal Allegations Against Foreign Developers
By: John Glasgow
It is alleged that members of the SIPT [UK special prosecution team] went to Salt Cay yesterday harassing senior citizens trying to coerce them into signing false statements to oust Mario Hoffman and other developers. What kind of people would harass senior citizens and try to trick them to sign statements which they never made? Only lowlife contemptable Brits with no conscience of fair play and decency would commit such low down acts. If our senior citizens are not safe and afforded the respect they deserve then who is safe in the Turks and Caicos Islands?
However I am told that those senior citizens represented themselves well and race those investigators asses from in front of their doors. According to information received, the senior citizens reminded the SIPT team members that the British totally neglected the Island of Salt Cay and its residents during hurricane IKE and if it wasn't for Mario Hoffman and other developers Salt Cay residents may not have survived. I am proud of our senior citizens who light a fire under the SIPT team tails and race them out of town.
My concern now is that the resting places/grave yards of our love ones may not be safe. It appears that the SIPT Team is so desperate for information that I would not put it pass them to lay in wait for the spirits of our love ones and harass them for information. This investigation appears to have hit a ghost trail and it is clear that the investigators are now clutching at straws and jumping at shadows. I once again would like to urge SIPT over jealous investigators if these allegations are true to tone down and record exactly what they are told and not what they would like to hear.
It appears that the harassment and intimidation are not only confined to the the SIPT investigation Team. It now appears that the interim regime and the AG chambers are prepared to devote considerable time and resources to deny this lonely idiotic blogger his constitutional rights to free speech and to disseminate information in the public's interest. This is tantamount to an abuse of office. There are many serious problems in the Turks and Caicos which demand the full and undivided attention of the interim regime. Instead it appears that it is more important to the interim regime to threaten and intimidate the editor of the TCI POST. I condemn this in the strongest possible way.
It is the duty of the interim administration to engage the public in an on going conversation to allay their fears and to convince them that policy decisions made by the interim regime are in the best interest of the people of the Turks and Caicos. Instead it appears that the interim regime would spare no efforts to muzzle this editor. I wish to put the interim regime on notice as of now in case they did not get the message that they would have to jail me or assasinate me to shut me up. Threats of legal actions are nothing more than an attempt to shut me up and I don't take kindly to such threats. I will continue to ask hard questons of the interim regime and I expect nothing less than honest straight forward statements from those who took it on themselves to govern me without my consent. John Glasgow
It is alleged that members of the SIPT [UK special prosecution team] went to Salt Cay yesterday harassing senior citizens trying to coerce them into signing false statements to oust Mario Hoffman and other developers. What kind of people would harass senior citizens and try to trick them to sign statements which they never made? Only lowlife contemptable Brits with no conscience of fair play and decency would commit such low down acts. If our senior citizens are not safe and afforded the respect they deserve then who is safe in the Turks and Caicos Islands?
However I am told that those senior citizens represented themselves well and race those investigators asses from in front of their doors. According to information received, the senior citizens reminded the SIPT team members that the British totally neglected the Island of Salt Cay and its residents during hurricane IKE and if it wasn't for Mario Hoffman and other developers Salt Cay residents may not have survived. I am proud of our senior citizens who light a fire under the SIPT team tails and race them out of town.
My concern now is that the resting places/grave yards of our love ones may not be safe. It appears that the SIPT Team is so desperate for information that I would not put it pass them to lay in wait for the spirits of our love ones and harass them for information. This investigation appears to have hit a ghost trail and it is clear that the investigators are now clutching at straws and jumping at shadows. I once again would like to urge SIPT over jealous investigators if these allegations are true to tone down and record exactly what they are told and not what they would like to hear.
It appears that the harassment and intimidation are not only confined to the the SIPT investigation Team. It now appears that the interim regime and the AG chambers are prepared to devote considerable time and resources to deny this lonely idiotic blogger his constitutional rights to free speech and to disseminate information in the public's interest. This is tantamount to an abuse of office. There are many serious problems in the Turks and Caicos which demand the full and undivided attention of the interim regime. Instead it appears that it is more important to the interim regime to threaten and intimidate the editor of the TCI POST. I condemn this in the strongest possible way.
It is the duty of the interim administration to engage the public in an on going conversation to allay their fears and to convince them that policy decisions made by the interim regime are in the best interest of the people of the Turks and Caicos. Instead it appears that the interim regime would spare no efforts to muzzle this editor. I wish to put the interim regime on notice as of now in case they did not get the message that they would have to jail me or assasinate me to shut me up. Threats of legal actions are nothing more than an attempt to shut me up and I don't take kindly to such threats. I will continue to ask hard questons of the interim regime and I expect nothing less than honest straight forward statements from those who took it on themselves to govern me without my consent. John Glasgow
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