Dear Mr. Editor,
It behooves me, and I’m sure many TCIslanders why Premier Misick and his government continue to sit by idly and allow many TCIslanders to be sidelined, frustrated and marginalized in the Civil Service, Statutory Bodies and in the Private Sector.
We have many qualified, experienced and well rounded TCIslanders who can fill many senior positions in this country, but are being overlooked and victimized because they are not in the right click or sit around the same breakfast tables as some of us.
Mr. Editor time after time we have been making room for expats at the expense of our people who in turn tell all their friends, family and neighbors to come because they will make room for them and no-one seems to be concerned about the plight of our people. We have a litany of qualified and experienced TCIslanders who have left and are still leaving our shores because they are over qualified. If you are not qualified, it’s who you know, and when qualified and do get the job, you’re not properly compensated.
Mr. Editor let’s go down memory lane for a bit. In March 2011, Colin Farquhar took over the RT&CPF; James Smith succeeded him in 2015 and in 2019 Trevor Botting became the Commissioner of Police. When Commissioner Edward Hall was sent on early retirement we witnessed 13-14 years of the most well rounded career Police Officers, according to their resumes who swore to make our Police Department a better institution and stamp out crime. Here’s some of the amazing things that happened under their watch:
· crime sky-rocketed,
· the morale of the Police went to an all time low,
· production levels in crime detection decreased dramatically,
· cancellation of the daily patrolling of the airwing that assisted in detection of proacher boats and illegal sloops,
· sent our local Pilots home,
· closing of the marine branch in Grand Turk, giving traffic tickets, victimized local officers, showboating during a fluid crime scene,
· setting up one’s personal business to return to TCI after contract expiration (No interest in the Police Force and solving crime),
· oh yeahhhh and changing the Police uniform.
Mr. Editor I forgot this part, I might have left out a few things, but I have to remember that $2M of our country’s money was spent on an airplane and we have never seen the aircraft or the money up to this date and there has been no accountability as to what happened to the country’s money.
Hon. Michael Misick and his government and others were made to be accountable, but there were others who were given a slap on the wrist and were able to ride into the sunset. After 13-14 years of their management not one of them was able impact the Police Force by leading and making leaders out of the men and women today to allow us to now have a local Police Commissioner.
Under local Commissioners, we had enormous influence and success. We have many local Police Officers who can fit the criteria and can do a much better job than those who came and left. What a conundrum!!! Now, we are bringing in another decorated one. We are no doubt the laughing stock of the region. This 14-1 PNP Government sees nothing wrong, because you hear absolutely NOTHING from them, which means they are in agreement with the next pick on, ‘Come On Down Where The Price Is Right’ for everyone else, but not TCIslanders.
This is a nightmare that I don’t want to be awaken from. Our people are not good enough, or the money is maybe too good for them or maybe we don’t have their kind of dead bones in our closets. I’ll say it like Madea, “we can do bad all by ourselves”.
Mr. Editor there is soooo much alleged malfeasance, corruption and poor management by many who came among us, it’s unbelievable and mind boggling. I have to drop this right here! Do you remember Fire Chief Chris Gannon and the Fire Truck debacle)? I’ll leave you to meditate on that.
Mr. Editor I am tempted to elaborate on the matter alleging (3) British staff of the IC who I understand were responsible for placing a camera in the office vent of the ceiling (no laws in TCI to authorize such) of a certain staff member in Labor Dept and when it was found to be true because it was discovered, they fled the scene and were nowhere to be found in TCI, but I’ll leave that for another time.
The sad and cruel part about this, the Minister of Immigration, the Hon. Premier Charles Washington Misick and his government are very, very quiet about his while a TCIslander was being unfairly dealt with and could go to prison and leave their family and NO representation was given by NOT-ONE of this 14-1 PNP government. This is wrong on all levels and the Premier and his 14-1 PNP government is tight lipped about it. I’ll leave there for now.
Mr. Editor H.E the Governor has recently made her appointment of a new DPP. I was not surprised by that outcome, just amused by how no noise was made by our 14-1 PNP government. The campaign was lit, but nothing is happening when people are crying for help and our people are being marginalized. They’re happy and joyful because another well rounded, intelligent, competent and experienced TCIslander Dr. Angela Brooks was denied this appointment after Acting in the position for about a year. Mr. Editor where does it stop with this 14-1 PNP government?
Mr. Editor in April 2015 John Masters resumed the post of DPP and according to his decorated resume he was the man for the job. What was so astonishing was that the expertise which he claimed he had in such areas of the law, he brought in prosecutors to lead those cases and allegedly paid them large sums of money according to inside sources. When asked about it and about following the financial protocols, the atmosphere became so untenable that attorneys left, and staff members were even suspended on his recommendation.
At one point this same DPP brought in an attorney to prosecute a case and he was not even admitted to the TCI Bar. The Magistrate at that time refused to hear this same attorney who was never admitted to the Bar. There’s more Mr. Editor, this same DPP later resigned for personal reasons according to Mr. Dave Moore, Head of Governor’s office during that era. Mr. Editor truth be told it was alleged that Mr. John Masters was given the ‘OPTION’ to resign or be arrested for malfeasance and corruption. Isn’t that awesome and amazing Mr. Editor??? Dr. Angela acted for about a year after his exit and after being shortlisted, she was denied the post. Dr. Angela Brooks can act, but the post is too good or beyond her to be appointed in it.
What a shame and disgrace!!! Premier Misick and his 14-1 PNP government are quite happy with this and might I say very quiet. Premier Misick and his government are very very very silent and would NEVER challenge the British Government on anything because he and his 14-1 government are in agreement and pushing the British agenda to keep TCIslanders down, thus not empowering any of us. Just like the 2023-2024, $425M budget cycle, the 2024-2025 $498M budget will not affect and will not change the lives of TCIslanders.
Mr. Editor we are now bringing in a (60+) sixty plus year old DPP and our locals have to exit the Civil Service at (60) and our 14-1 PNP government is quite happy and glad about this, and might I say, see NOTHING wrong with this!!! We have persons who had to leave the Civil Service at sixty years old (60) and still have mortgages, children in college, and other financial obligations, but have to leave the civil service and are now struggling to keep up with the daily demands of their families financial obligations. How is it that others at age 60 and above can be afforded the opportunity to land on these shores and be paid our money. What a country we live in and our 14-1 PNP government is still quiet!
Mr. Editor I’ll leave you and our TCIslanders with this, nothing will happened to Premier Misick regarding his matter with the Integrity Commission, the levels of corruption by this 14-1 PNP government ( and there is much corruption and malfeasance), don’t forget the Sri Lankans also who came here on an illegal sloop from Haiti , went before the court, set free, spent over (2) years in a hotel with 3-4 meals a day at our expense and then given asylum, and nothing was said by this 14-1 PNP government. The reason being Premier Misick and his 14-1 PNP government are advancing the British Agenda, hook line and sinker right before our eyes and this is dangerous. What should we expect next?
Should TCIslanders go to the polls to return a PNP Government? As we say locally, this isn’t even the cart yet, so we definitely DO NOT want to see the load. Thank you and God bless you and may God continue to bless our Beautiful By Nature Turks and Caicos Islands.
I am Hon. Dwayne Taylor