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LACK OF OVERSIGHT THROUGH GOVERNORS IN TURKS AND CAICOS IS AN ISSUE AT UNITED NATIONS

Lack of oversight in Turks and Caicos spotlighted at UN
Published on July 21, 2012  

By Caribbean News Now contributor

NEW YORK, USA — The United Nations Committee of 24 held hearings late last month dealing with issues affecting dependent territories that are controlled by colonial powers including Britain and the USA, the majority of these being island territories that are isolated from their mother countries.

Representing the situation in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) was Alpha Gibbs. He and an associate, Ben Roberts, also a native TC Islander who lives, as does Gibbs, in the US, had approached the United Nations on behalf of the TCI before.

The Gibbs UN presentation spoke at length about the lack of oversight on the part of previous British governors. This would have included Governor Posten (now deceased) Governor Tauwhare, and possibly Governor Wetherell. These three governors held office during the period when the Progressive National Party (PNP) was in power. 

Posten, Tauwhare and Wetherell were all appointed by Britain’s Foreign Commonwealth Office (FCO) during the British Labour Party’s term of office under prime ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown

The last Labour government appointed minister with responsibility for Britain’s overseas territories was Chris Bryant but possibly the best known minister of this era was Meg Munn, who visited the TCI in early 2008 and met with then governor Tauwhare and premier Michael Misick. Coming out of that meeting, Munn famously told the media that there was no evidence of serious corruption. This was almost immediately disputed by a mission from the British Foreign Affairs Committee. Munn was soon dismissed and Tauwhare was refused a one year extension of his appointment. He left in late June 2008, just 90 days later.

The Gibbs presentation at the United Nations also chided the British interim administration, which has been running the affairs of the TCI since August 2009 and which has failed adequately to resolve the economic issues remaining in the wake of the period Gibbs says oversight was missing. Since the August 2009 imposition of direct rule by Britain, a balanced budget has not been achieved and the private sector economy of the TCI has contracted significantly. However, tourism has increased and, through many newly imposed taxes and raised fees, the government has increased its income. 

The interim administration, while due to hand over the reins of government to an elected government in November of this year, has announced that they will continue to control the finances of the TCI via a British-appointed financial officer. The most recent proclamation on this issue is that finances will not be handed over to local government until a $260 million loan guarantee by Britain has been discharged.

This loan, as well as the new and increased taxes and fees, have assisted in the pay-down of hundreds of millions in debts left by the previous elected government and the continuing deficit budgets of the interim government. The loan was guaranteed by Britain and put in place to avoid a TCI bankruptcy.

By Cem Kınay

With many important hotel investments and international awards, Dr. Cem Kinay is one of the world's most important names in the tourism industry.

As the founder of the Austrian, Vienna-based Gulet Turistik(1987) and Magic Life Hotels(1990) chain, he created the "All Inclusive" hotel experience for European tourists.

He managed the Magic Life Hotels chain, which has a total of 20,000 beds and 23 hotels in Austria, Turkey, Greece, Spain, Egypt, Tunisia and Bulgaria, with more than 8000 teammates, as the fastest growing and most successful hotel concept at that time.

Millions of guests were hosted during 15 years, in Sarigerme, Marmaris, Bodrum, Belek, Side and Kemer in Turkey, Kos, Crete, Corfu and Rhodes Islands in Greece, Arlberg in Austria, Hamamet in Tunisia, Mahdia, Djerba, Egypt Sharm El Sheikh and Nile.

In 2021, the establishment of the Anatolity Sustainable Culture and Tourism Foundation was started with Elif Dağdeviren.

In 2020 he did consultancy for construction of u

In 2019 he was founding board member for Turkey Tourism Promotion and Development Agency .

In January 2019 his book “Be Human.Be Smart “was published by Destek Publications.

In 2018 his first book, “Akıllı Ol.İnsan Ol” was published by Destek Yayınları.

2017 Cem KINAY founded Cem KINAY XPD Consulting, providing investment, concept design and digital transformation consultancy for domestic and foreign investors.

In 2014/2015 he was GALATASARAY SPORTS CLUB Board Member.

In 2012 he moved to Istanbul.

In 2009 he had to leave the island after the coup in the Turks and Caicos Islands and the seizure of power and projects by the British government.

In 2006, he was honored by the President of Austria with important and valuable awards such as the "Austrian State Order".

Under the management of Cem Kinay, Gulet Turistik and Magic Life Hotels chain won more than 50 valuable awards from important organizations.

2005-2009 As the founder of The O Property Collection, he made the investments and real estate development of the Mandarin Oriental Dellis Cay Hotel and Bulgari Hotel in the Turks and Caicos. In that years he worked with the world's most magnificent architects like Zaha Hadid, Piero Lissoni, Antonio Citterio, David Chipperfield, Shigeru Ban, Kengo Kuma, Carl Ettensperger and Chad Oppenheim.

In 2004, he sold his shares in the Magic Life Hotels chain to the German TUI group, he moved to Miami, lived in America and Turks and Caicos Islands until 2012.

2003 Opening of the first “All Inclusive” Magic Life hotel on the Spanish island of Fuerteventura.

2002 Opening of the first “All Inclusive” Magic Life hotel in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.

2001 Opening of the first “All Inclusive” Magic Life Nile Shiphotel on the Nile river in Egypt.

2001 Opening of the first “All Inclusive” Magic Life hotel in Varna, Bulgaria.

2001 the German TUI joined Magic Life hotel chain.

1998 The first Magic Life Jet was designed and started to fly in cooperation with Austrian Airlines.

1997 Opening of the first "All Inclusive" Magic Life hotel in Hammamet, Tunisia.

In 1997, he was awarded as "Man of the Year" by Austria's important economy magazine "Trend Magazine".

In 1996, he was awarded as the "Tourism Manager of the Year" by the Hotel and Tourism magazine "Traveller".

In 1996 Opening of the first "All Inclusive" Magic Life hotel on the Greek island Kos.

1995/1996 Opening of the first “All Inclusive” Magic Life Ski Hotel in the Arlberg / Austria.

In 1994 The first "All Inclusive" Magic Life Yacht gulet sailed in Bodrum.

In 1990 He founded with his partner Oğuz Serim the Magic Life Hotels Chain and opened the first "All Inclusive" hotel, Magic Life Sarigerme.

1977-1984 Vienna University Faculty of Medicine

1969-1977 Istanbul Austrian High School

1969 he graduated from Ağrı Alpaslan Primary School.

1958-1969 he lived in Aşkale/Erzurum, Diyarbakır and Ağrı.

He was born in 1958 in Istanbul Bakirköy.