The Webb Of Colonial Deception

Hon. Dwayne Taylor

By Hon. Dwayne S Taylor,

Mr. Editor, I look with amazement like many others as we see the British showcase their Steven Spielberg best performance by letting the global audience see them saving the day in Turks and Caicos.

Does this sound familiar? I’m sure it does to many of us. A captivating debut of their latest film, “The Package” while many held their breath as the suspense and drama unfolded regarding “the package” roll out.

Mr. Editor, the British Government has been responsible for National Security since Ministerial Government over forty plus years and our ailing and broken issue of human, firearm and drug trafficking has been plaguing our country and the British Government has done absolutely nothing to alleviate or rid TCI of this problem.

Mr. Editor, perhaps you can answer this question for all here in the TCI. For the past forty (40) years can you or anyone for that matter show on record where one (1) illegal sloop which a British ship has intercepted in our waters? I can allow you to go back into your archives and come back with the answer.

 Mr. Editor, am I grateful for the help, yes I am, but it’s little too late in many ways. The prison break in Haiti may cause the British to look like they’re finally doing something for TCI in the eyes of our global friends, but truth be told, the British Government has been playing Russian Roulette with the lives of our people in the TCI.

 The British Government is responsible for National Security and they’re coming now to lend support. I’m so impressed by this amazing fiat, I am glowing with ecstasy after a one night stand with our secret admirer.

 Mr. Editor, please humor me and take a second look at “The Package” and see what it is offering and please tell me why this could not have been done a long time ago to help curb the ailing issue we have with illegal sloops to our shores for decades.

 That can only tell one very clearly, that the British Government never wanted to help or aid TCI in getting rid of this problem. If they can offer “the package” now they could have offered it many years ago and over the years to have a fortified border protection policy and system in place.

The TCI has been off Grant and Aid since (1982) and yet the British Government has been handling the affairs of our Borders and have been limiting,  restricting and stifling us as to how far we could go and what we can and could have done to protect our Borders. The sad part about this is that we the people of the TCI have been paying our very own bills.

 Mr. Editor, I have come to the conclusion that the British Government’s agenda has been in effect right under our noses. TCI is being utilized by the British Government as a Sanctuary to housed illegals and it has been a nightmare economically, socially, financially, mentally and culturally. 

 Mr. Editor, I don’t want to come across as someone who is prejudiced or xenophobic because the issue regarding illegals on a whole in TCI has almost reach a boiling point and tensions are escalating on different fronts. Yes Mr. Editor, one nation does dominate the others, but we are overwhelmed as a nation as to how this ailing issue is being addressed at a snail’s pace.

 The British Government is responsible for National Security, but yet over the past (3) years crime has increased exponentially and there has been no real evidence of addressing it by the British Government and we are footing the bill for the British Government to say what’s done and yet nothing significantly is done.

 The £7.3m was rather laughable and might I say a nice touch to show some level of concern. (I was intrigued and might I say one for the books). History must be recorded over this farce when the British Government spends millions of pounds in aid to other countries of a different pigmentation and of a greater interest. Could and can the British Government do more and should do more, yes they should, period!!!

 Mr. Editor, here’s part two or better yet “The Package 2”. Our Government led by our Hon. Premier and his team should negotiate with FCO to put 220 boots on the ground and clean up our country Turks and Caicos, feed them and utilize their Naval vessel to repatriate them back to Haiti and they should foot the bill. The British Government created the mess and they should be the ones to clean it up.

 Mr. Editor, this is some of the thoughts of our intelligent and competent thinking people here in the Turks and Caicos Islands. We simply don’t need a quick fix and after 6-8 months crime is still ramping and escalating in our beautiful by nature TCI and we still don’t know who is in our country. On the heel of this, putting in sound fortified Border Protection Protocols, Policies and Systems, including the  implementation of a  Biometric Verification Program.

 There must be a different approach and vision as to the protection of our Borders. We don’t need a 6-8 month fix, we are overdue for a proper response from the British Government that is consistent for stamping out crime and preventing our Borders from being compromised. I have watched this Hon.

Premier with the escalation of crime and the onslaught of illegal sloops jump in front of the camera on many occasions taking the heat for the Governor/s when they should be exposed for being a total embarrassment and failure to the Turks and Caicos on fighting crime and protecting our Borders. Hon. Premier you failed to stand up and represent your people and you continue to carry out the British Government’s agenda to keep our country and people from progressing and advancing.

 Mr. Editor, there are a number of undocumented people from Grace Bay to every Bay in the TCI and our Government appears  to be clueless as to what to do and fails to do, whilst the British Government is wearing sunglasses at a midnight Masquerade Ball. We must BRING BACK SPICE or whatever name the powers that be want to give it, but we have to clean up our country.

What our government can also negotiate is that the National Security Portfolio to be given to a Cabinet Member and should be enshrined in our constitution. The Sovereign responsibility of Security will remain with the British Government, but the leadership and legislative authority should be given to a Member of Cabinet.

Mr. Editor, every time an issue with National Security comes up, our elected governments have indicated that they are not responsible. They were elected to look after the wellbeing and security of our people. We pay the bills and we should be responsible. If we are advancing towards Self Determination then certainly we should be given the opportunity to lead in this capacity to learn and develop ourselves.

 Mr. Editor, since this is the debut of the film “The Package” it is still in its first quarter, I’ll sit and watch how this ends, because I await its climactic changes and the final episode. This one I’m binging on. I have popcorn, peanut butter and biscuits and water for longevity. May God bless you and may God continue to bless our beautiful by Nature Turks and Caicos Islands.