Mike Misick Calls For Independence Referendum – Hits Out At Hague’s ‘Contemptuous’ Response
Published in TCI Weekly News,by VANESSA NARINE,on 25th March 2013
FORMER Premier, Michael Misick, on Wednesday, called for an independence referendum in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
He said: “If you [William Hague] are so confident that the Turks and Caicos people want to remain British, why don’t you carry out a referendum on the question as you just did for show in the Falklands or as Scotland is doing in 2014?
“That referendum and only that referendum will determine the true desire of the Turks and Caicos people.”
The embattled former Premier, still in Brazil, responded in a letter to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s (FCO) Secretary of State, William Hague, who, in a March 12 letter, replied to concerns raised by current Premier, Dr. Rufus Ewing.
He said: “I also think that because of Dr. Ewing’s stance, and indeed the PNP party’s stance, our country should be moving towards independence….no matter how much you [Hague] and the British government put misinformation out there to hide your true agenda and to cover up for your incompetent officials, it will not change the facts nor the hearts of Turks and Caicos people that the British has worn out their welcome in the Turks and Caicos Islands and their days are numbered.
“The clock is ticking and political independence and freedom for our people cannot be stopped.”
Misick also charged that the contempt that British officials at the highest level have for the Turks and Caicos Islands and its people is astonishing.
He said: “I read with amazement your letter of arrogance that is in the public media to our Premier Hon Dr Rufus Ewing.
“The contempt that British officials at the highest level have for Turks and Caicos Islands and its people is astonishing, and the second such letter where a public dressing is handed down to the leader of our country because of his public stand that the local elected Government should be able to govern including allowing the elected Parliament to enact legislation for the benefit of our people and our country.”
UNDERMINING
According to Misick, British officials are doing everything in their power to undermine Dr. Ewing’s Government.
He said: “The evidence is in all of the confusion about the elections and misrepresenting the true facts that transpire with my tenure as Premier of our country.”
According to him, British officials are hiding facts they do not want the people of the Turks and Caicos or the world to know.
Misick said: “The fact is that the British government has destroyed the Turks and Caicos economy, its judicial system and eroded the rule of law over the past four years.
“The borrowings that you refer to in your letter were borrowings that your British occupation government did to prop up an illegitimate interim regime and to spend tens of millions of dollars in a political motivated investigation to politically persecute me and my colleagues because of our views.
“No elected Turks and Caicos Government should have to pay back money that you borrowed.
“You talk about Robin Auld, a sole handpicked commissioner by the British government to carry out their instructions in a Commission of Inquiry whether outcome was predetermined.
“If there was nothing to hide than there should have been a transparent Commission of Inquiry with at least a commissioner with eminent judges from the Caribbean included on the panel.”
Misick stressed that what is clear is that the relationship between the Turks and Caicos Islands and the British government is over.
He said: “It is now not based on mutual respect but based on a bullying and arrogant superiority complex that should be relegated to the dust bin of history….you should manifest your claim of belief in democracy and act honest, transparent and behave responsibly.” (VANESSA NARINE)
