top of page

Corruption In Broad Day Light By This 14-1 PNP Government

Writer's picture: NewslineTCINewslineTCI

Dear Mr. Editor,


We have a serious and dire situation in the Turks & Caicos Islands which makes the insulting tag of “systemic corruption” look like a “kind phrase”. 


 Before we continue here, the works and efforts of PDM’s Candidate for South Caicos the Ms. Hynetta Forbes are to be thanked because she’s done a brilliant job in exposing and highlighting this serious issue which impacts the Island of South Caicos and the entire Country.


 Serious Questions must now be asked. How is it that:


1.   The Developers of the Resort, Sail Rock Highlands Subdivision and canals, South Caicos, can go and conduct dredging without the Knowledge, permission or consent of and in Defiance of the Department of Environmental and Coastal Resources, all designed to destroy the coasts of South Caicos and the Turks & Caicos eco-system?


 2.    It is understood that from the DECR’s communication dated June 28, 2024 is that they do not approve the dredging works, that they are harmful to the environment and that the dredging should not proceed. In the DECR’s letter they raised a number of serious concerns:


(a.) Potential permanent, irreversible environmental damage

(b.) The Loss of Key Habitats

(c.) Negative impacts on species of the Island of South Caicos and the TCI

(d.) That one proposal for the canal would be so dangerous that it would threaten one of the rare and wild animals known to the island

(e.) That the dredging would harm natural water supplies and create more brackish water onto the islands water.


 The letter of June 28, 2024, also points out that they have been conducting dredging works under a license issued under the Minerals (Exploration and Exploitation) Ordinance (SC808). It begs the question how could any Minister, in light of these concerns, issue such a license which would enable the total destruction of the island of South Caicos and its sensitive environmental balance? More serious is that the communication of the DECR has gone ignored and its request for an Environmental impact assessment has gone unnoticed and none has been filed.


This is a matter of law but the Government is not going by the law of the Land, designed to protect the people of South Caicos, but the law of Money and self-enrichment. The DECR letter requested that works stop until these and other matters could be addressed. It begs the question, what kind of Country we are living in? 


Once again, this government is caught red-handed and they are going to tie a white cloth around their hands for the moment and put the lid back on the cookie jar; and should we return them to government they will continue with their corrupt and destructive behavior at the detriment of the people of South Caicos and by extension the TCI. 


I accuse this PNP Government of not only remaining silent but being highly instrumental in this issue. The People of South Caicos have held meetings with the developers of Sail Rock and told them this project cannot happen but the dredging with the permission of the Government continues.


 HERE ARE SOME INTERESTING POINTS:

1. Loud in silence is the Hon Premier and his Cabinet

2. Also louder in Silence is his 14 to1, “let the Government do what it likes to the people”, Back bench MPs.  

3. The entire Government seems complicit and are fully participating in breaking the Law.

4. They are the ones who are supposed to be upholding the laws but are breaking them with the Developers of the Sail Rock          Project.

5. Were this PNP Regime to be in Opposition, they would have been on the streets, engaging in Political hypocrisy, organising and working against this project, but now that they are in Government:


a. They are all as silent as Lambs

b. Collecting Monies here and there.

c. Self -Enriching themselves.

d. Allowing developers to break the laws and disrespect the People of South Caicos and the Turks & Caicos Islands.


 In short, this is a matter for the following bodies which give oversight in the TCI:


1. The Planning Department

2. The Office of the Integrity Commission

3. The Oversight Committees of the House of Parliament 

4. The Ombudsman’s Office

5. The Governor’s Office and

6. The DECR


 In further exposing this issue, I call for the integrity Commission to look into this issue as it impacts all of us here in the TCI. Mr. Editor may God continue to bless you and may God continue to bless our Beautiful by Nature Turks and Caicos Islands.  


Dwayne Taylor,

Former Speaker of the House of Assembly

0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


bottom of page