Comments from Google Informers shut down

Comments from Google site (shut down)

 

Letter from Peter Williams regarding TCI Journal 

 

Posted: http://groups.google.com/group/turks-and-caicos-informers/browse_thread/thread/48b34034931a2a1a# 

 

You have obviously not read me correctly Mr. Williams, or Mr. Williamson, whichever one you are; I do not know neither do I care actually, if the TCI Journal and Shaun Malcolm are doing the four things stated in your first paragraph. And I know for certain that I have never said that these positions have a political agenda and are insulting people. Perhaps you will be so kind as to point out to me where I have said this, if you are so convinced.
 
I have seen enough in the Journal to conclude that they have no love for, and seemingly want to see the demise of the PNP and PDM Parties; for one thing, disparagingly calling them on more than one occasion “gangs”. I am not willing to assume that the folks at the Journal are anarchists and want to see the total breakdown of government and of law and order here. I would much rather believe that if they want to see the end of the two political parties, they must have something in mind to replace them with.
 
If I have said that Malcolm and the Journal are doing something wrong, it is not because of your four points, but rather because the Journal has time and again insulted the Turks & Caicos people, allowing their contributors to accuse us all of having “unearned privilege” and Commissioner of Human Rights, Ms. Doreen Quelch-Misick, as “a prominent TC Unearned Privilege Baby”, and the “Non-Commissioner of Human Rights”; and calling the indigenous women of the Turks and Caicos “minority”; and Turks & Caicos workers “completely overpaid and dishonest TCI citizen bidness-man”
 
And no Mr. Williams, the PNP is not a “well run gang”. It is instead, a legitimate organization, committed to serving the Turks & Caicos people. Both the PNP and the PDM comprise many individuals that are honest and upright citizens of the Turks & Caicos Islands, and I am certain that they feel very insulted being called members of a gang, and of their party being called a gang. Not only has one of their contributors repeatedly referred to our political parties as gangs, the editors themselves on September 18 accused both parties of being “the two rival gangs masquerading as political parties”. 
 

 

Comments from Mr. Henry Jolson http://groups.google.com/group/turks-and-caicos-informers/browse_thread/thread/721f9d352c9a0a10#
 
You have obviously not read me correctly Mr. Williams, or Mr. Williamson, whichever one you are; I do not know neither do I care actually, if the TCI Journal and Shaun Malcolm are doing the four things stated in your first paragraph. And I know for certain that I have never said that these positions have a political agenda and are insulting people. Perhaps you will be so kind as to point out to me where I have said this, if you are so convinced.
 
I have seen enough in the Journal to conclude that they have no love for, and seemingly want to see the demise of the PNP and PDM Parties; for one thing, disparagingly calling them on more than one occasion “gangs”. I am not willing to assume that the folks at the Journal are anarchists and want to see the total breakdown of government and of law and order here. I would much rather believe that if they want to see the end of the two political parties, they must have something in mind to replace them with.
 
If I have said that Malcolm and the Journal are doing something wrong, it is not because of your four points, but rather because the Journal has time and again insulted the Turks & Caicos people, allowing their contributors to accuse us all of having “unearned privilege” and Commissioner of Human Rights, Ms. Doreen Quelch-Misick, as “a prominent TC Unearned Privilege Baby”, and the “Non-Commissioner of Human Rights”; and calling the indigenous women of the Turks and Caicos “minority”; and Turks & Caicos workers “completely overpaid and dishonest TCI citizen bidness-man”
 
And no Mr. Williams, the PNP is not a “well run gang”. It is instead, a legitimate organization, committed to serving the Turks & Caicos people. Both the PNP and the PDM comprise many individuals that are honest and upright citizens of the Turks & Caicos Islands, and I am certain that they feel very insulted being called members of a gang, and of their party being called a gang. Not only has one of their contributors repeatedly referred to our political parties as gangs, the editors themselves on September 18 accused both parties of being “the two rival gangs masquerading as political parties”. 
  
 

Letter from group member:  "TCI Journal that has attacked every Turks and Caicos Islander with their disrespectful commentary and sought to destabilize the TCI"

http://groups.google.com/group/turks-and-caicos-informers/browse_thread/thread/48b34034931a2a1a#
 
I have been getting your post for a couple of months now, but very seldomly post any thing to the group discussions.  I normally just read to stay in touch and be informed, but I feel compelled to respond to this attack on Peter Williams by evanson williamson.
 
I must begin by taking offense to Mr. Williamson placing you in the same bracket with Shaun Malcolm and the TCI Journal.  From my reading you continue to show yourself as someone that loves your country and only wants the best for it.
 
I also agree that there are honest and respectable men and women in both the PDM and the PNP.  I actually have friends and family members that support and are involved in both political parties.  They do not behave as gang members. They have families, they run businesses, they have legitimate jobs and they work hard for their living.
 
Gang members normally sit idly looking to create havoc, terrorize their neighborhoods and rob people in order to survive. In short they live off of other people.
 
Can someone please let me know if I am missing something.  Didn't shaun malcolm claim that he has not been able to work now for a couple of years?  But I see him regularly in Miami.  Is it just me or do you wonder how he is able to maintain his house and travel as frequently as he does without working?
 
There are too many accounts of Shaun Malcolm telling his sad story and going to business people every month to pay his bills rather than getting a job.
 
It is the TCI Journal that has attacked every Turks and Caicos Islander with their disrespectful commentary and sought to destabilize the TCI economy with its reporting.
 
I know that our people like gossip, but we have to see through how these people are using come islanders to destroy our entire country and demean all of us.
 
The TCI Journal sits in the dark looking to see who they can attack without cause.
 
I ask you who sound more like a gang the political parties in the TCI or the TCI Journal?
 
I know that many people back home give the journal credit for the commission of inquiry (that I believe was totally necessary), but i read the Foreign Affairs Committee report and did not see any thing from the journal and the only thing i saw from shaun was him complaining about his personal land.  With all the people that would have probably been in a similar position, he only complained about his land that was lost.  I read that and made up my mind that he just wants what the government had.  Most of the other submission had to do with real issues of corruption.
 
And even it they did anything to help bring the corruption of the former administration to an end, it does not give them the right to destroy our country and to behave the way they have been behaving for the past year.
 
Here in the States I run into so many use car salesmen and conartist that will seek to associate themselves with honest people or drop names of popular figures in hopes that people will look at them in the same vain and place in them the same trust they had in the honest person or popular figure.  That seems to be exactly what Evanson Williamson seems to be doing by associating Peter Williams and his google groups with the TCI journal and it offends me.
 
Please people we were tricked by conartist in the last two elections, PLEASE do not allow the conartists that will emerge now to still continue to deceive us in 2009.  Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.

 

 

Comments from Google Informers shut down

Comments from Google site (shut down)

 

Letter from Peter Williams regarding TCI Journal 

 

Posted: http://groups.google.com/group/turks-and-caicos-informers/browse_thread/thread/48b34034931a2a1a# 

 

You have obviously not read me correctly Mr. Williams, or Mr. Williamson, whichever one you are; I do not know neither do I care actually, if the TCI Journal and Shaun Malcolm are doing the four things stated in your first paragraph. And I know for certain that I have never said that these positions have a political agenda and are insulting people. Perhaps you will be so kind as to point out to me where I have said this, if you are so convinced.
 
I have seen enough in the Journal to conclude that they have no love for, and seemingly want to see the demise of the PNP and PDM Parties; for one thing, disparagingly calling them on more than one occasion “gangs”. I am not willing to assume that the folks at the Journal are anarchists and want to see the total breakdown of government and of law and order here. I would much rather believe that if they want to see the end of the two political parties, they must have something in mind to replace them with.
 
If I have said that Malcolm and the Journal are doing something wrong, it is not because of your four points, but rather because the Journal has time and again insulted the Turks & Caicos people, allowing their contributors to accuse us all of having “unearned privilege” and Commissioner of Human Rights, Ms. Doreen Quelch-Misick, as “a prominent TC Unearned Privilege Baby”, and the “Non-Commissioner of Human Rights”; and calling the indigenous women of the Turks and Caicos “minority”; and Turks & Caicos workers “completely overpaid and dishonest TCI citizen bidness-man”
 
And no Mr. Williams, the PNP is not a “well run gang”. It is instead, a legitimate organization, committed to serving the Turks & Caicos people. Both the PNP and the PDM comprise many individuals that are honest and upright citizens of the Turks & Caicos Islands, and I am certain that they feel very insulted being called members of a gang, and of their party being called a gang. Not only has one of their contributors repeatedly referred to our political parties as gangs, the editors themselves on September 18 accused both parties of being “the two rival gangs masquerading as political parties”. 
 

 

Comments from Mr. Henry Jolson http://groups.google.com/group/turks-and-caicos-informers/browse_thread/thread/721f9d352c9a0a10#
 
You have obviously not read me correctly Mr. Williams, or Mr. Williamson, whichever one you are; I do not know neither do I care actually, if the TCI Journal and Shaun Malcolm are doing the four things stated in your first paragraph. And I know for certain that I have never said that these positions have a political agenda and are insulting people. Perhaps you will be so kind as to point out to me where I have said this, if you are so convinced.
 
I have seen enough in the Journal to conclude that they have no love for, and seemingly want to see the demise of the PNP and PDM Parties; for one thing, disparagingly calling them on more than one occasion “gangs”. I am not willing to assume that the folks at the Journal are anarchists and want to see the total breakdown of government and of law and order here. I would much rather believe that if they want to see the end of the two political parties, they must have something in mind to replace them with.
 
If I have said that Malcolm and the Journal are doing something wrong, it is not because of your four points, but rather because the Journal has time and again insulted the Turks & Caicos people, allowing their contributors to accuse us all of having “unearned privilege” and Commissioner of Human Rights, Ms. Doreen Quelch-Misick, as “a prominent TC Unearned Privilege Baby”, and the “Non-Commissioner of Human Rights”; and calling the indigenous women of the Turks and Caicos “minority”; and Turks & Caicos workers “completely overpaid and dishonest TCI citizen bidness-man”
 
And no Mr. Williams, the PNP is not a “well run gang”. It is instead, a legitimate organization, committed to serving the Turks & Caicos people. Both the PNP and the PDM comprise many individuals that are honest and upright citizens of the Turks & Caicos Islands, and I am certain that they feel very insulted being called members of a gang, and of their party being called a gang. Not only has one of their contributors repeatedly referred to our political parties as gangs, the editors themselves on September 18 accused both parties of being “the two rival gangs masquerading as political parties”. 
  
 

Letter from group member:  "TCI Journal that has attacked every Turks and Caicos Islander with their disrespectful commentary and sought to destabilize the TCI"

http://groups.google.com/group/turks-and-caicos-informers/browse_thread/thread/48b34034931a2a1a#
 
I have been getting your post for a couple of months now, but very seldomly post any thing to the group discussions.  I normally just read to stay in touch and be informed, but I feel compelled to respond to this attack on Peter Williams by evanson williamson.
 
I must begin by taking offense to Mr. Williamson placing you in the same bracket with Shaun Malcolm and the TCI Journal.  From my reading you continue to show yourself as someone that loves your country and only wants the best for it.
 
I also agree that there are honest and respectable men and women in both the PDM and the PNP.  I actually have friends and family members that support and are involved in both political parties.  They do not behave as gang members. They have families, they run businesses, they have legitimate jobs and they work hard for their living.
 
Gang members normally sit idly looking to create havoc, terrorize their neighborhoods and rob people in order to survive. In short they live off of other people.
 
Can someone please let me know if I am missing something.  Didn't shaun malcolm claim that he has not been able to work now for a couple of years?  But I see him regularly in Miami.  Is it just me or do you wonder how he is able to maintain his house and travel as frequently as he does without working?
 
There are too many accounts of Shaun Malcolm telling his sad story and going to business people every month to pay his bills rather than getting a job.
 
It is the TCI Journal that has attacked every Turks and Caicos Islander with their disrespectful commentary and sought to destabilize the TCI economy with its reporting.
 
I know that our people like gossip, but we have to see through how these people are using come islanders to destroy our entire country and demean all of us.
 
The TCI Journal sits in the dark looking to see who they can attack without cause.
 
I ask you who sound more like a gang the political parties in the TCI or the TCI Journal?
 
I know that many people back home give the journal credit for the commission of inquiry (that I believe was totally necessary), but i read the Foreign Affairs Committee report and did not see any thing from the journal and the only thing i saw from shaun was him complaining about his personal land.  With all the people that would have probably been in a similar position, he only complained about his land that was lost.  I read that and made up my mind that he just wants what the government had.  Most of the other submission had to do with real issues of corruption.
 
And even it they did anything to help bring the corruption of the former administration to an end, it does not give them the right to destroy our country and to behave the way they have been behaving for the past year.
 
Here in the States I run into so many use car salesmen and conartist that will seek to associate themselves with honest people or drop names of popular figures in hopes that people will look at them in the same vain and place in them the same trust they had in the honest person or popular figure.  That seems to be exactly what Evanson Williamson seems to be doing by associating Peter Williams and his google groups with the TCI journal and it offends me.
 
Please people we were tricked by conartist in the last two elections, PLEASE do not allow the conartists that will emerge now to still continue to deceive us in 2009.  Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.

 

 

comments from story on Blogcritics

 

comments from story on Blogcritics

 

Article comments

• 1 - R.F.Houseman

Sep 23, 2009 at 11:40 am

The TCI Journal know nothing about freedom of speech, if they did they would allow

concern citizen to respond to their postings. Freedom to responding is not

something they at TCI Journal know anything about.

I do agree, Shaun Malcolm will have his hands full with legal issues in the very near

future. The world should know that Shaun Malcolm is being supported monthly from

donations from people like David Hartshorn and others. The truth is Shaun Malcolm

has not earn an honest dollar in the last five years. One can easy check his

contributions to National Insurance over the past five years.

• 2 - M.E Misick

Sep 23, 2009 at 11:48 am

Its a crying shame when dope smokers like Richard Burke can come into our

country and openly attack developers. The reason why so many Investors are

leaving our shores is because people like Richard Burke and his partner Shaun

Malcom attacks every developer who comes into the country to make and

investment. Hundreds of developers are leaving to put down foundation is a less

hostile and more welcoming. We have TCI Journal to take for the major down turn

in our economy.

The entire country is praying for the day when TCI Journal will cease to exist.

• 3 - Ron Higgs

Sep 23, 2009 at 11:54 am

My goal is to rid the Turks and Caicos of expatriate worker and form a union made

up of TCI works only. I give all my praises to Robert Mugabi.

I plan to contest the Five Cay seat in Providenciales which I plan to win with my

Haitian brothers help. Real change is coming baby.

•

• 4 - Evans Lavard

• Sep 23, 2009 at 11:59 am

Do anyone out there know for sure that Mr.Shaun Malcolm is having an affair with

Mr.Richard Burke. I have seen photos of the two at Ricahrd's house in Thompson's

cove. I also heard that they get together often to have a joint or smoke some weed.

Can someone get some proof to this, photos anything. The people deserves to know

since they put themselves in public life as Shaun would say.

• 5 - Edgar Chasm

Sep 23, 2009 at 12:10 pm

Shaun Malcolm and Richard Berke are in the public now, lets get everything out in

the open. Let's have this transparency and spotlight that Shaun Malcolm is always

squawking about. Where's the disinfecting light on him? He does not speak for

anyone that I know. Oh, and don't forget the God Bless. (He'll need it).

• 6 - Jackie Williams

Sep 23, 2009 at 12:11 pm

Know you all lying on Shaun Malcolm, Shaun can't be gay because he just had a

little boy by JB Dalancy daughter and he still marries.

I know Harold Charles fired him from Sky King for stealing. I also heard that he

once stole all of the money from the mass choir. What ever did become of that case.

You boys I don't have to hide behind no fake name to say what I got to say. I am a

straight up sister.

I let your coments yellow man. Talk to you later.

• 7 - Clive

Sep 23, 2009 at 12:24 pm

We are so mad that these guys at TCI Journal are running the agenda in the islands.

We are already in a state of uncertainty - what are they trying to do? We are trying

to get back to business. This guy is right. Nobody should pay attention to their

slurs. I know Malcolm -- he's a trouble making wimp and that's why he hides.

4 - Hazel Prospere

Sep 23, 2009 at 6:48 pm

Can anyone imagine Shaun Malcolm being a future member of Parliament? OMG that

makes me want to puke. What have our country come too when we can allow Shaun

Malcolm. David Hartshorn,Richard Burke and otehrs destory what we has good citizens

have built over the years.

The TCIJoural and its writers(Notice I did't use the word GANG) are actually no different

from Michael Misick and teh PNP.

If the TCI Journal want to be transparent they would do what this blog have allow

everyone in the country to do and that is to respond correctly to the issues of the day.

We the people of the TCI are demanding accountability from the TCIJournal . They

might not be license to operate legally but they should play by the rules of all the media

houses in the TCI. Show your faces TCIJournal we all know who you are anyway.

5 - Brittany Jolly

Sep 23, 2009 at 7:58 pm

What happen to the comments that were on here earlier?

6 - Brittany Jolly

Sep 23, 2009 at 8:19 pm

While there were some that were over the line some were very poi ant and may have

been better served just editing the concerns to allow for the the full picture to be

painted.

7 - Brittany Jolly

Sep 23, 2009 at 8:31 pm

Hi Debbie, don't forget Nat Darceuil. They are a fearsome 4some. All over 40 with no

wives. Things that make you go hmmmm.

8 - Dave Nalle

Sep 23, 2009 at 11:07 pm

Factual posts should be accompanied by links to documentation.

Dave

9 - Ruvy

Sep 24, 2009 at 2:13 am

C. Burke,

It is always interesting to read about events that DO NOT have to do with the boring

belly-button staring Americans at the politics section of this magazine. Obama, in

addition to being a faker, is terribly boring, as are most of those who are his

worshippers. His opponents pall after a time as well; neither of the groups have more

than a rather limited radar to understand events in the world, and it appears that most of

them do not really give a damn, either. But they should not be dismissed out of hand.

You never know when some of these fine folks display an interest in events that go

beyond the boob tube or its internet equivalent.

But having said all this, your article suffers from the lack of internet links to demonstrate

your points and to allow the vast majority of us, who are not familiar with the tourist or

development issues of the Turks and Caicos Islands, to familiarize ourselves with them.

They are absolutely necessary if you wish a greater readership to comprehend what

you are talking about, and what goes on behind the bartender's smile when they visit

Caribbean paradises....

Tourism in Turks and Caicos under direct UK rule - the consequences

By: Chis Burke, originally posted on August 2 (written before the take over. It's prophetic)

As the Islands of Turks and Caicos settles amidst the welcomed departure of Michael Misick Turks and Caicos' former Premier, worries about Crown land deals threaten tourism on the Islands.

If Britain decides to take over the self-governed territory of Turks and Caicos Islands, which has been self-governed since 1973, they better be prepared to keep the status quo. Changing the constitution to take revenues from tourism would be akin to slavery in the sense that revenues would be taken directly from the islands' people who work hard for their economy.

Great Britain must step lightly if they plan to take self-government from Turks and Caicos. As it is, this step would not be favourable to the world or the people of Turks and Caicos. For one, the world has denounced colonialism. For second, the new government of 5 months is doing quite well, which takes away legitimacy for this draconian move by Great Britain.

Crown land is real estate or property owned by the government of Turks and Caicos Island. The government is the largest Crown landholder on the Islands. This makes Crown lands the government’s most valuable asset and this asset value has risen dramatically over recent years. For Britain to suddenly usurp that progress and capitalize on the revenues, will not sit well with the world.

Commercial land development is one of the main purposes of Crown land use and sale. The Crown Land Policy is formulated to "attract investments judged best for the interest of TCI," as prescribed by The Turks and Caicos Islands, Crown Land Policy.

While certain developers have purchased Crown land and are in various stages of developing the real property, Britain's rule could hold these developers hostage within their own multi-million dollar projects, years of planning and promises of employment for many locals.

At the core of the movement to welcome British rule is a small but outspoken group of "Belongers," residents who were born in Turks and Caicos Islands.

According to the Crown Land Policy, a Belonger who is at least 21 years old can qualify for a discount on Crown Land.

Under the former Misick cabinet, several land developers were sold Crown land as encouraged under the Crown Land Policy and did so under the color of government authority.

However, this outspoken group of Belongers have been lobbying British Parliament dating back years, protesting their right to own Crown Land and expressing their dissatisfaction of developers' owning Crown land property. However, their efforts are misguided.

Under the Open Tendering provision of the Crown Land Policy, the government, "will identify potential development site(s) on every island, consistent with its development strategy. These sites will be actively marketed to prospective developers ..."

At the very soul of Turks and Caicos economy is tourism, certainly development is a requisite part of that in every way.

Now that Misick is no longer Premier of Turks and Caicos, some Belongers are reported to be exploiting this political situation by encouraging British rule, presumably to make legal standing for the return of Crown land and to attempt to thwart sales of Crown land to land developers.

However, this Crown Land Policy is not likely to change under British rule and the Belongers are unwittingly putting the future of Turks and Caicos in limbo for a period of at least 2 years should Britain take over. The prospect of Britain's interference would most certainly cause a stalemate in development, hence tourism revenues for the people of Turks and Caicos, which would be an unfortunate short-sighted plan for Crown land grabbers.

Britain better think long hard before disrupting any development or tourism in Turks and Caicos. Resort development is the future of the Turks and Caicos economy for many generations to come.

Turks and Caicos UK direct rule - "democracy has been taken from the people"

http://www.rocketnews.com/2009/08/ex-turks-and-caicos-pm-accuses-uk/

Read the full story at the above link.

Here's a summary


" ...premier Galmo Williams said UK Foreign Office findings of "systematic corruption" must also reflect badly on the territory’s British governor.

Power was transferred to the governor on Friday, when the Caribbean colony’s administration was suspended.

The UK government had been threatening action for several months after an inquiry commissioned by the Foreign Office returned a damning verdict.

It examined the actions of the Turks’ Cabinet and Assembly and found "information in abundance pointing to a high probability of systematic corruption or serious dishonesty".


"It’s a very sad day – democracy has been taken away from the citizens""

Newly ousted Premier of Turks and Caicos: "our country is being invaded and re-colonized by the United Kingdom"

The Current Premier, Hon. Galmo Williams released the following statement to the press in anticipation of the coming suspension of the constitution.

“My fellow Turks and Caicos Islanders, my days in office as your Premier and as the Representative in Parliament for all the people of Long Bay Hills are almost over, as I have every reason to believe that the much talked about coup that the Government of the United Kingdom has been planning for the Turks and Caicos Islands is about to be executed, but I assure you that my days of service to my country, will never be over.

In my life time I will never hold a position higher or take an oath more sacred than that of your Premier, but know too, that there is no title I will wear more proudly than that of citizen of these our Turks and Caicos Islands.

Let me at the outset publicly thank both my Cabinet and my Parliamentary colleagues (on both sides of the isle) and the hundreds of civil servants and political appointees and others with whom I have served over the last several years and in particular since I became your Premier last March, for the dedication and competence they have brought to the service of our country. But let me however express my deepest gratitude and thanks to the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands (particularly the people of Long Bay Hills), because it was you who gave me this great opportunity to serve.

During my time as Premier we have faced great challenges together, and we know that there will be greater challenges in our future, but I am convinced now more than ever that the Turks and Caicos Islands will successfully meet whatever challenge and uncertainty the future might bring, for as the grand children of slaves, left abandoned on these barren shores centuries ago, we, together with those who came later on, have turned these Islands into something that we can all be proud of, and indeed something that our once delinquent masters, have stated that they will do anything (“except a return to slavery”) to repossess.

Our government has brought more development to Turks and Caicos over the last six years than at any other time in our history. We have educated more of our people at university level than at any other time in our history. We have made more provisions for the health care and welfare of our people than at any other time in our history, and we have created for our country one of the most respected brands in the tourism industry the world over.

Despite these many accomplishments, however, this last year has been a challenging one for our country, one filled with set backs, but rather than cause me to loose heart, these setbacks over the last year has made me more certain than ever of the inner strength, the ingenuity and decency of our people, for, in this last year, we have watched our economy take tremendous body blows as the economy of the United

States to which it is linked, and indeed the world economy was brought to its knees. As we all know, these economic challenges could not have come at a worst time for of country, coming as it did at a time when our country was hit by two back to back devastating hurricanes, Hanna and Ike, in less than one week and coupled with this, we have also had to simultaneously withstand the negative impacts of a commission of inquiry.

And now, today, our country is being invaded and re-colonized by the United Kingdom, dismantling a duly elected government and legislature and replacing it with a one man dictatorship, akin to that of the old Red China, all in the name of good governance.

As the legitimately and duly elected leader of this country, I strongly object to the recommendations outlined in the Report of the Commission that the Governor now seeks to bring into force. I do not support permitting non-Belongers the right to vote, and I wish to go on record as stating that I am opposed to the recommendation of trial by judge alone rather then a trial by a jury of your peers. My government and I also object to the removal of the House of Assembly, thereby leaving the people of these Islands voiceless and without representation.
read entire press release:
http://www.tcfreepress.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&catid=13%3Afeatured-news&id=899%3Apremier-reacts-to-possible-suspension&Itemid=69

Calling for British Heads to Roll in TCI - Turks and Caicos

Written by: Anthony L. Hall on August 10, 2009 http://www.theipinionsjournal.com/

I received a surprising number of e-mails over the weekend from people accusing me, among other things, of being a “British stooge [for] giving Governor Tauwhare and other British officials a pass while calling for our Premier and his government ministers to be prosecuted.”

Evidently they derived fodder for their accusations from two commentaries that were published on Friday: one under the nom de plume “The Torch“ at The TCI Journal and the other by former international reporter Candy Herwin at Turks and Caicos Net News.

For example, The Torch accused Chief Justice Gordon Ward and Governor Gordon Wetherell of engaging in a conspiracy to pervert the course of justice for the purportedly coveted FCO perk of a “Harrods account”; while Ms Herwin argued that former Governor Richard Tauwhare was just as responsible as former Premier Michael Misick for the high crimes and misdemeanors documented in the Final Report of the Commission of Inquiry into Governmental Corruption in the TCI.

Before I proceed, however, I feel obliged to clarify that I’m on record declaring my disregard for any commentary published under a pseudonym; especially if that commentary is rife with insulting, incendiary and/or defamatory accusations.

Indeed, with people like Shaun Malcolm, Richard Berke and my siblings living for years under clear and present danger of reprisals, I have never been impressed by those who throw firebombs into our public debate from behind the shield of anonymity.

This is why, with all due respect to those he/she incites, I do not think The Torch’s contributions are worthy of any further comment.

Alternatively, I appreciate Ms Herwin’s commentaries. And, despite our disagreements, I’ve always respected and admired her advocacy.

In fact, I agree with much of what she proffered in the commentary at issue about Tauwhare. For here’s what I wrote about his responsibility in a column almost two years ago:

I have focused exclusively on the Premier’s dereliction of duties because I believe that we are, in fact, not only “mature” enough to take responsibility for the mess he’s gotten us into, but also intelligent enough to figure out how to clean it up.

But it would be tantamount to ignoring the big white elephant in the room if I did not acknowledge HE Governor Richard Tauwhare’s dereliction of duties that have contributed to our national woes. After all, it would have required his complicity or tacit approval for the Premier to commit many of these alleged political and fiduciary crimes.

[Alas, throwing Premier Misick overboard is necessary to save the TCI, TIJ, October 5, 2007]

And here’s what I wrote about the responsibility of the British in general over a year ago:

I’ve been criticizing the UK government almost as much as I’ve been criticizing the TCI government for the mismanagement and corruption that have undermined the benefits of investing in our country. In fact, the British must accept contingent liability for all of the foreseeable losses (in tourism receipts and foreign investments) that stem from their failure to ensure good governance in the TCI…

Premier Misick implicates the British government in his misdeeds every time he blithely asserts that there’s no corruption in the TCI because the British governor [Tauwhare] signed off on everything…

It behooves the British to appreciate that investigating all allegations of corruption against this TCI government, in a transparent manner, is not only in our national interest but in theirs as well.

[Britain has a legal (or superior) responsibility to fix the TCI, TIJ, June 19, 2008]

Where I differ from Ms Herwin and others is that I see no point in waxing indignant about the salutary neglect of the British at this point — when we’re relying on them to hold our leaders accountable for their alleged theft and to clean up their mess.

More to the point, it smacks of moral relativism (ad absurdum) to assert that Tauwhare should be standing in the same “firing line” as Misick. After all, there’s not one scintilla of evidence to suggest that Tauwhare (or any British official) ever took a bribe or embezzled a single penny of public funds.

By contrast, there’s overwhelming evidence to suggest that Misick and his ministers took millions in bribes and embezzled millions more from public funds - in a carnival of corruption that makes African kleptomaniacs seem like choir boys.

And the evidence clearly shows that they used every canard, including anti-colonial diatribes and the race card, to prevail upon a weak and out-of-his-depth Governor Tauwhare to sign off on all of their schemes.

[The Final Report of the Commission of Inquiry] makes it plain for all to see why the British government, which retains responsibility for good governance in the TCI, had no choice but to take this extraordinary step.

First and foremost, this intervention means that the British have committed to do for us what we simply could not do for ourselves; namely, to save the TCI from a state of dysfunction, destitution and dictatorship the likes of which the Commonwealth has never seen … except in Zimbabwe.

[Britain suspends TCI Constitution ... again, TIJ, March 17, 2009]

But, frankly, I fear that Ms Herwin fatally compromised her commentary, if not her reputation, by parroting Misick’s oxymoronic reasoning that we have more to lose from the British Inquiry into corruption in the TCI than from his alleged criminal enterprise masquerading as our government.

Not to mention her unwitting folly of complaining, not about what a British official said about imposing taxes upon us to compensate for the documented misdeeds of Misick and his cohorts, but about the way he said it…. We TCIslanders are not that thin-skinned Ms Herwin!

Meanwhile, to be hurling insults at and casting blame on our current governor, HE Gordon Wetherell, in this context, is so patently ignorant that I won’t even dignify this mischief with a comment.

My fellow TCIslanders, please, let us get a proper perspective on this national crisis, and stay focused on what needs to be done to repair the damage done to our country!

Land-seekers unwisely welcome colonial rule by UK in Turks and Caicos

I found this article written by:Jenns Citizen. It is an interesting perspective of agendas on the islands of Turks and Caicos. It was originally published August 12, 2009.

A British take over is looming over the Islands of Turks and Caicos, a self-governed British territory in the Caribbean. A small but deafeningly loud group of islanders are unwittingly in favor of a British take over believing that their own grant of Crown Land will be realised. We will call these people "land-seekers" for the purpose of this story. The question of land-seekers is: who is entitled to Crown Land? Land-seekers believe, with emphasis, that the land rights be for Belongers (those born on the islands).

The land-seekers blame businesses and resort developers for using land for which they believe that they are entitled. One land-seeker just recently claimed, "it should be that only BORN Turks & Caicos Islanders are entitled to Crown Land."
Land-seekers are also unwittingly welcoming British take over of the islands believing that they will somehow have a favourable position for the Crown Land grants. This belief of British saviourism is foolish.

Crown Land belonging to businesses and developers are proper, lest land-seekers claim otherwise with their talk of individual entitlement to "that prime land."
Firstly, it is extremely short-sighted to see the land as an individual entitlement against developers and businesses. Why? Because Crown Land means nothing unless businesses also develop on it, creating sustainability for the islands for many, many years. These businesses will benefit the citizens of Turks and Caicos and their future generations for employment and economic prosperity.

How about the land-seekers run their own businesses and make a living while creating economic growth? Do not try to deny others' ambition to contribute to Turks and Caicos' leading economic dollars, tourism. Tourism and development needs to be preserved and certainly not interrupted. Why would the land-seekers want to destroy that economic advantage by wishing for nullification of business land holdings for their own short-sited wants?

Let's explore the intention of Crown land usage from Turks and Caicos' own Crown Land Policy. According to the Crown Land Policy, commercial land development is one of the main purposes of Crown land use and sale. The Crown Land Policy is formulated to "attract investments judged best for the interest of TCI [Turks and Caicos Islands]."

Crown land is specifically intentioned for businesses and development, according to Turks and Caicos' policies.

Do the land-seekers believe that British rule will overthrow that policy of Crown Land intentions? Absolutely far fetched.

50 land-seekers wrote to the British parliament attempting to challenge the Crown Land sales for development, citing that it should be granted to Belongers, people who are born in Turks and Caicos. To which the British Parliament replied, with their published opinion that, "Crown land is a major resource on TCI, which has built its economic growth on real estate and tourism." The British will be no help to land-seekers in nullifying the Crown Land Policy of Turks and Caicos.

Land-seekers have opportunities for Crown Land without challenging business and development growth on the islands. There is an alternate remedy: apply for the land. Prime beach-front property is the heart and soul of tourism and the economy on the islands. Let's allow that to be prosperous. There are many other places in which to live and own land that will not take away from the very economy of the islands.

Turks and Caicos Islands' citizens do not wish for British rule. Turks and Caicos is trying to restore confidence in investors, create jobs and promote tourism. British rule would not benefit anyone, not even land-seekers.

Media transparency and integrity. Is news reporting based on objectivity or innuendo?

By: Candace Williams original post: August 11, 2009

Reporting by opinion and innuendo. This appears to be the order of the news business these days. We've come a long way from the time of real news reporting, as I think back fondly of the Bob Woodward era. It seems that the present-day media has strayed from reporting facts, pandering to ratings and news-breaking deadlines. Where is the justice in using the news media to exploit one's own ambition or agenda?

Whether or not we want to admit it as readers of news, one has to consider the thought or lack of thought behind the words of the person who wrote it and his/her supporting news agencies' views as well.

However, we also have to consider human nature. Different people at the exact same event can yield two entirely contradictory opinions of the facts. That is just one way that the news can be inaccurate. Personal experiences in our lives and our individual perspectives will create an innate bias. For example, if two people were shot in broad daylight by a gunman, then it is a fact that there were two and not three or four victims, yet the details of the occurrence might vary from one witness to the next, though they each saw the same exact incident.

It seems that even direct quotes cannot be assumed as “fact” if a writer uses the quote out of context or sets up the quote with a contradictory statement.

Accurate and responsible research is also a part of fair journalism. I recently came across an article that, upon reading, I noticed had a fact wrong right off the bat. This is what inspired me to write this article. I decided to research deeper into this article to investigate how news journalism can be flawed. The article that I refer to is indeed a main stream news article. The shame is that after I did my research examining the article, I found it to be flawed in so many ways that I couldn't help but ask if this was pure laziness or if the writer was supporting an agenda.

I took the article line by line to test the accuracy of the statements. What I found was an alarming realization, I could either discount, disprove or impeach almost all of the statements in the article. In fact, if I were editing this article, I would have to strike 80% of it, just out of sheer integrity of journalistic professionalism.

The story caught my eye initially because it reported that the British had assumed control of the Turks and Caicos Islands. After I read it, I screeched to a stop and I asked myself, "really?" I started to look up world news and I couldn't find anything in the news about British rule in Turks and Caicos other than wide-spread rumors. But a take-over had not occurred and certainly not as of when the article was written, on August 7. I was dumbfounded as to why a reporter would report that as news. That is quite a big deal. I was offended and taken aback as a reader when I learned that this was false.

I decided to look at this article to see what else I could find. First: the headline, "Developer Michael Douglas bought property from named in TCI investigation." The first problem is that this article has generally nothing to do with Michael Douglas and it tricks readers by using a celebrity name gratuitously. Secondly, the headline makes no sense, he bought it from whom?


So I took it a step further and read the next couple of lines, "Dr. Cem Kinay has emerged as one of the central figures in the massive inquiry into political corruption in TCI [Turks and Caicos Islands]." I looked this up for accuracy. The corruption charges were against Turks and Caicos' former Premier, not Dr. Cem Kinay. Dr. Cem Kinay is a developer from Turkey who pioneered the all-inclusive vacation concept and brought his vision to Turks and Caicos. Research revealed that Cem Kinay is not "the central figure" of the investigation, he was dragged into the inquiry for his purchase of land under the former government, which he did under their laws. Furthermore, his land purchase was approved by the attorney general. I did not check into the land purchases of the other developers, but this was the case with Cem Kinay. By all accounts, it appears that Dr. Kinay has an impeccable track record as a developer, philanthropist and physician.

Then, as previously referenced, there's the claim that the corruption investigation, "led to the British assuming control of the Caribbean archipelago." This is patently false and flawed and there can be no way to explain this mistake or falsehood.

Then I read the next couple of sentences, "Mr. Douglas and his wife Catherine Zeta-Jones bought the first luxury property at Dr. Kinay's unfinished $62-million Dellis Cay development before the alarm was raised about the islands' finances." I checked on this as well, and in fact the development is doing well and Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones are still very much happy holders of real estate on the island of Dellis Cay in Turks and Caicos, lest the author of the article insinuate a post purchase "alarm" that led to a pull out of the deal. Furthermore, it is unclear how this reporter came up with "$62-million" as the cost of the project. My research revealed that his $62 million quote is very dated and far apart from the actual cost, $500 million US dollars.

Of course, I had to keep going. I read the next couple of lines, "former Turks and Caicos Premier Michael Misick, who is also implicated in the financial irregularities." Michael Misick "also implicated" and "irregularities"? This is inaccurate and misleading at best. Michael Misick was the direct target of the investigation. A few of Misick's minsters were also investigated with Misick as the core target for corruption and not merely implicated for financial irregularities.

Then I read the next few lines and came across, "Dellis Cay is a 560-acre private island that Dr. Kinay hoped to develop." This statement also failed the accuracy test. This was proved to be a false and misleading statement by the writer's use of the word "hoped". My investigation revealed that the project is almost fully developed and is happily on target to open in mid-2010. It is not readily clear to me why the word "hoped" was used when the development is proven to be almost complete.

As far as the article is concerned, in my opinion it constitutes the worst form of innuendo with its use of inflammatory labels in willful disregard of the truth. It's a shame when journalists attempt to trade on innuendo to pursue an agenda or to lazily satisfy a deadline.

Sorry, still more. Then I read that an inquiry reported, "high probability of systemic corruption or other serious dishonesty by key politicians and businessmen in TCI." I took notice of the "high probability" which in fact the inquiry report concluded affirmative corruption by Michael Misick and certain members of his cabinet, not probably but conclusively. Then the author of the article lumps-in businessmen on the island with the sentence about corruption, that was worth looking into. The "businessmen" who were purportedly questioned by the inquiry were all from Europe, not Turks and Caicos. They were there to invest in the islands and develop vacation properties. There were no laws that were broken by these businessmen, at least the one who I investigated, Dr. Kinay. Reportedly, all transactions were legally entered into under the authority of the government. Therefore, this reporting bordered offensive to me because it was an unsubstantiated and uncorroborated claim that crossed a line of persuading public opinion. Furthermore, my research revealed that a judge went out of his way to order the businessmens' names removed from the inquiry report, namely Dr. Kinay.

As far as news is concerned, it is made more complicated when writers allow personal feelings and emotions to influence their news writing. Due to many personal factors, we can’t help but to be influenced in our thinking. Our different upbringings, cultural backgrounds, religion, ethical and moral education, and perhaps traumatic events in our lives may influence our judgment of facts. All of these factors can also play a roll in how we perceive events. This reminds me of a matter that occurred this year in California, wherein a main stream reporter wrote about a legal case unaware that the legal action involved a second main stream reporter. The next week, the offended second reporter wrote a completely false report in an attempt for revenge against the first reporter. The second reporter was caught red-handed. This was embarrassing to all news agencies and calls credibility into question, which is at the very heart of integrity.

But in this case, how does one reconcile subjective interpretation of events with statements that are patently false?

According to thefreedictionary.com, to be “objective” means: “Uninfluenced by emotions or personal prejudices” (or) “Based on observable phenomena; presented factually”.


To be “subjective” is: “Proceeding from or taking place in a person's mind rather than the external world” (or) “Particular to a given person; personal”.

When we deal with objectivity, we also have to look at the concepts of truth, fairness, balance and accuracy. These fundamental principles in the world of reporting can never stand apart from each other. When we allow our work to be subjective, biased and inaccurate then we damage not only our own credibility, but can also mislead and influence the views of whole nations, promote hatred between groups and even fuel hostility or destruction of one person's future or reputation.

Once a reporter gathers facts, it is his/her duty to report the facts in context ensuring fairness and accuracy. It cannot stand apart from fairness. The test of fairness is giving all facts involved an equal opportunity to stand alone, as I demonstrated above. There was probably not one statement that could stand alone in the article as fact in context.

Adding to the recipe of destruction, is specific media agency policies, its political alignments and objectives. It's difficult to discern agendas in reporting. When I watch MSNBC or Fox News, I am still shocked by the lack of objectivity and freedom of facts. Innuendo of other's characters is disguised as reporting. It is probably a good thing that most news watchers are savvy enough to distinguish MSNBC and Fox from real news. But is the public at large aware of violations of integrity in reporting?

“Justice is conscience, not a personal conscience but the conscience of the whole of humanity. Those who clearly recognize the voice of their own conscience usually recognize also the voice of justice” - Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, Russian Author.

Definitions: http://www.thefreedictionary.com

Other Reference to Truth, Fairness, Accuracy and Balance:

http://www.midoceannews.bm/siftology.midoceannews/Article/article.jsp?articleId=7d983cb30080006§ionId=60


http://www.articlesbase.com/education-articles/the-truth-about-idea-who-is-deborah-blair-porter-1012167.html
http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/3648823-the-media-objective-fair-accurate-balanced-reporting-israelgaza-case-study

Crown land in Turks and Caicos, British rule threatens tourism and development

As the Islands of Turks and Caicos settles amidst the welcomed departure of Michael Misick, Turks and Caicos' former Premier, worries about Crown land deals threaten tourism on the Islands. Colonialism is dying, but it's not dead and Britain has clear designs to take over the self-governed territory of Turks and Caicos Islands.

Crown land is real estate or property owned by the government of Turks and Caicos Island. The government is the largest Crown landholder on the Islands. This makes Crown lands the government’s most valuable asset and this asset value has risen dramatically over recent years.
Commercial land development is one of the main purposes of Crown land use and sale. The Crown Land Policy is formulated to "attract investments judged best for the interest of TCI," as prescribed by The Turks and Caicos Islands, Crown Land Policy.

While certain developers have purchased Crown land and are in various stages of developing the real property, Britain's rule could hold these developers hostage within their own multi-million dollar projects, years of planning and promises of employment for many locals.

At the core of the movement to welcome British rule is a small but outspoken group of "Belongers," residents who were born in Turks and Caicos Islands.

According to the Crown Land Policy, a Belonger who is at least 21 years old can qualify for a discount on Crown Land.

Under the former Misick cabinet, several land developers were sold Crown land as encouraged under the Crown Land Policy and did so under the color of government authority.

However, this outspoken group of Belongers have been lobbying British Parliament dating back years, protesting their right to own Crown Land and expressing their dissatisfaction of developers' owning Crown land property. However, their efforts are misguided.

Under the Open Tendering provision of the Crown Land Policy, the government, "will identify potential development site(s) on every island, consistent with its development strategy. These sites will be actively marketed to prospective developers ..."

At the very soul of Turks and Caicos economy is tourism, certainly development is a requisite part of that in every way.

Now that Misick is no longer Premier of Turks and Caicos, some Belongers are reported to be exploiting this political situation by encouraging British rule, presumably to make legal standing for the return of Crown land and to attempt to thwart sales of Crown land to land developers.
However, this Crown Land Policy is not likely to change under British rule and the Belongers are unwittingly putting the future of Turks and Caicos in limbo for a period of at least 2 years should Britain take over. The prospect of Britain's interference would most certainly cause a stalemate in development, hence tourism revenues for the people of Turks and Caicos, which would be an unfortunate short-sighted plan for Crown land grabbers.

Without advancement of tourism and tourism revenues, Turks and Caicos will regress; this at a time when Turks and Caicos might be the only economy on the upswing. Again, the economic upswing is thanks to tourism dollars and resulting jobs.

The Turks and Caicos Property Market

Land developers in Turks and Caicos
The Turks and Caicos Property Market

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TCI Journal and Shaun Malcolm of Turks and Caicos revealed

TCI Journal vs Dellis Cay as editor revealed
Published on Tuesday, July 28, 2009

On Monday, July 27, the “editors of the TCI Journal” posted an extensive article documenting what they claim are unfounded attacks on the weblog by Dr Cem Kinay, the developer of Dellis Cay.

Kinay was successful in his initial application to the TCI Supreme Court to have references to himself and the Dellis Cay development redacted from the Final Report of the Commission of Inquiry. However, due to an apparent oversight, it was found that the report in its redacted format could be restored to its original unredacted form by computer users with the knowledge to do so.

The TCI Journal article goes back and forth between the claims of Dr Kinay and the TCI Journal personnel and there appears to be some confusion as to the true identity of writers and editors of the TCI Journal. What the Journal describes as “the necessary anonymity of some of the Journal’s contributors” has been a point which has drawn attention to the publication in recent months. It is unclear why the editors and contributors to this particular website, with a few exceptions, believe they need to maintain anonymity and they have yet to explain their reasons.

The website ostensibly promotes openness while at the same time keeping the identities of the editors and contributors secret. In a very recent article posted by one of the original and few publicly revealed contributors Shaun Malcolm, he supports transparency. Another frequent contributor, Richard Berke, who is mentioned in the article, is an American who reports he has been visiting the islands since the mid to late 1980s. Currently, he has been visiting while he has been having a home constructed. Berke claims he is a contractor from California. Berke has claimed on a number of occasions that threats, including death threats, have been forwarded to him via cell phone text messages. Contributor “Diana de Gara” has been reported by Berke to be a fictitious name and at this time her true identity has never been revealed to the public. It is unknown if she is a TCI national or expatriate. Shaun Malcolm has been associated with the TCI Journal since it first appeared online briefly in December 2007.

Malcolm has been referred to by many of his acquaintances as a political opportunist. He has been active in both political parties and has openly criticised both, with current overtures reportedly being made by him to the British authorities. Malcolm has also claimed he has received threats via text messages. For the first time, however, a Gurchuran Singh has been identified by the website. Sources within the TCI have long reported that, in fact, Singh is the singular motivating force behind the Journal and that he has made representations to this effect to numerous persons of note in the TCI.

Numerous articles over the name “editors” or GS and other initials are usually attributed to him. Singh’s history is incomplete but the following information has been obtained from a variety of sources. Singh is now 49 or 50 years old and it appears that he was born in India but his family moved to Canada when he was young. His TCI history traced to date places him in Provo in the mid to late 1980s, where he was writing software. Later, he formed a company known as Norbellis to buy about 17 acres west of the Blue Horizon Resort on Middle Caicos, which was to be a computer lab or think tank business (non- profit).

Plans were drawn, TCI Invest and many others were stirred up by it but nothing came of it, as it appeared he had no funding. Unknown to anyone except the private seller, he did buy 7/10 acres consisting of two lots at Blue Horizon. These are currently in default on a large mortgage owed to Meridian Mortgage of Provo.

They are reportedly held by Singh in the name of a firm called Natures Way. In 1998, Singh founded a company known as IQ Ludorum in the UK to create gaming software to support in-house and online gambling enterprises. Initial success put the firm up to 80 employees with 50 percent of the market by May 2003. Reports relating to Singh and his company’s position as a key supplier facilitating gambling houses and online gambling have been posted over the years. After the company went public, when it appears Singh raised millions of dollars, the company went downhill. It appears that following a public offering Singh lost stock control and the company fell on hard times.

At one point, in an online article, the company was reported to have “blown it” as related to its chance to continue to hold a strong market share. The board of directors fired Singh in February 2005. The company is now know as Continuum Payment Solutions and, with Singh gone, has re-emerged as a software entity. It is unknown if Singh still has holdings in that firm. Singh reportedly resides in Miami with his wife, a TCI national.

Paradoxically, Malcolm, who is said to be very close to the gambling software developer Singh, was part of a pastors’ parade in Provo in 2007 when the church leaders were protesting the expansion of local casinos to allow locals to legally engage in gambling. Observers of the parade claim that at one point Malcolm took over a poster and led the protest parade.

http://www.bvinews.com/index.php/all_news/caribbean/3285.html

GRAND TURK, Turks and Caicos Islands; Thursday, July 23rd, 2009 –
“On 18 June 2009 my attorney made the following statement on my behalf to the Chief Justice – Until the final determination of any appeal to the Court of Appeal (when the question shall be reviewed) the Governor will not publish any part of the final Report of the Commission of Inquiry that contains any reference adverse to Cem Kinay, Turks Development LP, The Star Lions Limited, or to Mario Hoffmann.

In a letter dated 2 July 2009 written on my behalf to attorneys acting for Varet Jak Civre the Honourable Attorney General said –I confirm, that there will not be publication by the Governor of any part of the final Report of the Commission of Inquiry that contains any reference adverse to your client before final determination of the Court of Appeal in civil appeal no. 8/09 R v. Turks and Caicos Islands Commission of Inquiry Ex Parte Kinay et al…At the time that those statements were made and at all times thereafter I fully intended to comply with what had been said, and fully intended to ensure that those who acted on my behalf would comply with what had been said.

It is now common knowledge that the redacted version of the report that was placed on the Commission’s website on Saturday 18 July 2009 was not sufficiently protected so that those with sufficient technical knowledge were able to remove the redactions and thus reveal the full text of the report. The statements made on my behalf to the Chief Justice and to Mr Civre’s attorneys have therefore not been complied with.I have caused an investigation to be made so as to establish what went wrong. The purpose of this statement is to provide the results of that investigation. But before giving them I wish to apologise unreservedly to the court for what has happened.

I shall contact Dr Kinay, Mr Hoffmann and Mr Civre privately to make similar apologies to each of them. My intention at all times was to comply with the statements that I made. Both I and those acting on my behalf believed that the redacted version of the report that was sent to the Commission to be uploaded onto its website was sufficiently protected so that redacted portions of the report could not be read.

I am very sorry that that was not the case.As would be expected, I sought advice before deciding what passages should be redacted from the report that it was intended to publish pending the outcome of the Court of Appeal proceedings. Acting on that advice a draft of the redacted version of the report was prepared. At that stage the document was being worked on in Word format. It was recognised that if the redactions were to remain secure we would not be able to publish the redacted version in a Word format but that some form of protection, such as converting the document to pdf format, would be required.A Word document containing the draft of the redacted version of the report was converted into pdf format.

The converted pdf document was then reviewed to confirm that the redactions originally made in the Word document remained in place. To be certain that it would be safe for the redacted report to be published in pdf format, it was suggested by those advising on redactions that confirmation of the position be sought from IT support.The instruction was to determine whether this format [that is, the pdf format] is secure (i.e. people won’t be able to remove the redactions and see the text underneath). Acting on that instruction, a member of staff spoke to the IT support and was informed that there was no experience of security issues when publishing in pdf format, and that the pdf format was widely used by UK government departments generally for the publication of documents.

Confirmation that pdf documents were secure was then relayed back to those preparing the redacted text on my behalf.We therefore believed that publication in pdf format would be secure and would ensure compliance with the statements that had been made on my behalf.Thereafter the final redacted version of the report was converted into a pdf document and that pdf was then sent to the Commission for publication on its website. The Commission instructed its IT consultant to place the redacted report in pdf format on its website. That was done.

At the time that the redacted report was published on the Commission’s website we all believed that it was secure and that the redactions could not be uncovered. As soon as we were alerted to the true position the Honourable Attorney General initiated steps to have the redacted report removed from the website. It was removed as soon as was possible.It was always my intention that the spirit and letter of the statements that were made on my behalf should be honoured in full.

We believed that we had taken all reasonable steps to ensure that that was the case. I am very sorry that that was not achieved and repeat my apology to the court. As I have said, I shall write separately to Dr Kinay, Mr Hoffmann and Mr Civre.”Gordon WetherellWaterlooGrand Turk
END

Governor of Turks and Caicos apologizes to land developers for being named in Michael Misick corruption report

August 1, 2009 published BY CMC
Originally published: July 23, 2009 02:11:00 PM
http://www.suntci.com/index.php?p=story&id=264

PROVIDENCIALES, Turks and Caicos Islands, CMC - Shrinking revenues have forced the government of this British Overseas Territory to terminate the services of political appointees, Premier Galmore Williams has announced.

Williams said Thursday that the decision taken on the advice of the Ministry of Finance will result in the discontinuation of the services of all political appointees, effective September 30, 2009.He said the move has become necessary to “better enable government to work within the constraints of its ever shrinking revenue intake which has gone from an average of approximately USD$18 million per month last year to approximately some USD$9 million per month this year”.Williams said regrets having to take such action, having wrestled long and hard with the issue. However, he expected the move to provide the government with room to implement measures to stimulate the economy, which has been slowing in recent months.“Coupled with the other measures that we have put in place and others yet to be implemented, this course of action will assure us of the opportunity to turn around our economy in the quickest possible time, while lessening the impact that the current worldwide recession will otherwise have on our wider community,” he said.The Premier also said efforts were being made to ensure that as many of the affected individuals as possible are given other job opportunities before the end of September.The Turks and Caicos government faces an uncertain future, with the British government preparing to suspend the territory’s constitution and implement direct rule after a Commission of Inquiry probing widespread allegations of corruption under the watch of former Premier Michael Misick said it had found "clear signs of political amorality and immaturity and of general administrative incompetence".


http://www.suntci.com/index.php?p=story&id=264

UK's direct rule over Turks and Caicos?

BY Trudy Simpson "Is Colonialism Really Dead?"

Trudy Simpson asks whether Britain’s plan to restore direct rule over Turks and Caicos Islands amounts to ‘modern-day colonialism’ THE TURKS and Caicos Islands (TCI) face losing the right to govern key areas if Britain goes ahead with its plan to suspend the Caribbean territory’s constitution and take direct control of day-to-day government operations.

UK government ministers, Foreign Office officials and the TCI’s governor are now considering the final report of a UK-led Commission of Inquiry, which found a high probability of ‘systemic corruption’ and misuse of public funds in the British dependency.

But current TCI Premier Galmo Williams, and his predecessor, Michael Misick, have accused Britain of exerting ‘the strong arm of modern-day colonialism.’

Galmo has been fighting against the takeover, taking a last ditch appeal to the UK’s High Court. The UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has rejected the colonialism accusations. ‘This would not be a shift to indefinite direct rule (but) would be an act of constitutional significance in order to restore the principles of good governance.

‘It would be for an interim period which would last no longer than it takes for the necessary reforms to be implemented, and to take effect,” the FCO told The Voice. It added: ‘The Governor would consult with Turks and Caicos Islanders throughout this period, including through the bodies which would be put in place to replace the Cabinet and House of Assembly, ie the Consultative Forum and the Advisory Council. ‘The Forum is intended to ensure that the voice of the people will continue to be heard.’ But in the minds of some, thoughts of colonialism may still linger, harking back to the decades when Caribbean territories lived under the colonial yoke of the British Empire.

Under colonialism, Caribbeans were dependent on and had no say in critical decisions which impacted on their daily lives. These were decided by foreigners in London. After the 1950s, many Caribbean countries opted for independence, but territories such as the Turks and Caicos, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands and several Dutch and French-speaking Caribbean countries were forced or opted to remain overseas dependent territories.

That direct dependency has had harsh consequences for some. For example, in the 1960s, Britain evicted the inhabitants of its dependent territory, Diego Garcia, so Britain could honour a deal with the Americans to build a military base on the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean. In 2001, 35 years later, the people and their descendants, trapped in poverty in Mauritian slums, took the UK to court to try to go back to their homeland. While the UK’s treatment of its dependencies has changed a lot since then, the TCI’s case – the second time the UK has intervened in the country’s operations since the mid-1980s – does bring up the question of whether Britain’s action is a form of modern-day colonialism.

Dr Peter Clegg, a senior lecturer in politics at West of England University, told The Voice that although colonialism is not dead, Britain’s actions regarding the TCI should not be confused with modern colonialism. “I can understand the argument that this is neo-colonialism or a new form of colonialism, but the issues are so fundamental to the island that the British government did not have much choice but to react in the way they are doing,” Clegg said.

The Foreign Office also dismissed claims that it is hypocritical to intervene in the TCI when many of the UK’s MPs have also been caught misspending taxpayer money. It said: ‘The expenses crisis in no way affects the UK's strong stance internationally on the importance of democratic politics, accountable government and anti-corruption. What you see in the UK is a political system that has recognised that something is wrong, and is working to deal with it.’ Clegg agreed, adding: “I think the TCI accusations are so serious and so fundamental to the operation of the islands and the government that an external power, in this case the UK, has to step in to deal with the underlying issues.”

Clegg, who is part of a Caribbean Politics Specialist Group, said Britain’s overall control, enshrined in the TCI’s constitution, is rarely used. “It’s their right to do it but this use of British power is very rare and they do this very reluctantly. The UK has a legal and financial responsibility for the territories, and an obligation to ensure that operations run properly in its dependent territories.” Patrick Bryan, Professor of history at the University of the West Indies (UWI) in Kingston, Jamaica, said the TCI agreed to this by remaining a ‘colony’ of Britain. “If they are a colony of Britain, how can they decide that Britain isn’t going to do this to them? It seems to me that the people in the Turks and Caicos cannot behave independently and still be a colony. They are not independent. Colonialism never died in the Turks and Caicos and this is one of the consequences of it,” he told The Voice. Clegg explained that the TCI – which has a small and close-knit population of 32,000 – need outside intervention because any reforms undertaken by the government, with its lack of proper division between the executive and the legislature, could be later questioned. He added that the UK faces difficulty because the nature of governance between the UK and its territories is “not very clear cut in reality.”

Clegg said this was illustrated recently when the UK chided Bermuda for not consulting Britain over the island’s acceptance of four former Guantanamo Bay prisoners. Bermuda, which controls immigration, accepted the former terror suspects on those grounds. But the UK said it should have been consulted because this was also a matter of security, which the UK controls. “…You have a clash and some uncertainty as to where the lines of power and authority rests,” Clegg explained. Both Bryan and Clegg said colonialism is still alive in the modern Caribbean. Bryan said this colonialism spreads beyond the existence of dependent territories like the TCI to encompass forms of neo-colonialism, where trade and other agreements with industrialised countries and former colonial masters keep sovereign Caribbean countries such as Jamaica as dependent as they were pre-1960s.

“Our economies are as dependent on the industrialised world as they have been under colonialism. It’s simply a continuation of the old economic controls,” Bryan said. Both men said that the only way forward in the fight against neo-colonialism is regional integration, which faces major obstacles.

“There would need to be far more cooperation and dialogue so that we don’t always find ourselves subject to the divide and rule pattern that we have seen all these years. If each nation or each group of nations seek a solution in its own right, there won’t be a solution in the long term,” Bryan said. Direct link to the original story: http://www.voice-online.co.uk/content.php?show=15790