Chief executive officer of the interim administration, Patrick Boyle, took to the airwaves on the Expressions radio show last week to express his frustration with the criticism being leveled at the interim government.
CEO Patrick Boyle
Boyle complained that both political parties have failed to provide “policy agendas” that lay out their plans for moving the county forward.
Boyle went on to say that the sole agenda of the interim government was to repair the damage caused by the previous administration of the Progressive National Party (PNP).
“We are putting in place a government which places more power in the hands of the permanent secretaries and their deputies to lay the groundwork for future development,” he said.
The CEO also spoke of the interim administration’s move to provide an improved civil service. This move has resulted in the hundreds of civil servants accepting payoffs to volunteer for permanent layoffs. This is costing the taxpayers of the TCI almost $8 million, with settlements described as “severance” ranging from $1,000 per person to one unnamed civil servant receiving a payoff of $194,000.
There has been no announcement by the interim administration for training of the current public service. This, it appears, is being left up to the permanent secretaries and their deputies, which by and large are the exact same people that have held these or similar positions throughout the removed PNP administration.
Boyle went on to point out that, in his view, political activists were wasting their efforts on chiding the interim government.
The print media picked up on Boyle’s remarks and, in an article in last week’s TCI Weekly News, reporter Vanessa Marina reminded readers that, since the total reformation of the Peoples Democratic Party in November 2011, the party has remained silent, not releasing any plans for the country, opting instead to call for the earliest possible election.
The Weekly News article reported that the PNP was concerned that the party might not survive the pressure being applied by the interim regime and the special investigation and prosecution team (SIPT).
A dozen former PNP ministers, their attorneys, the current PNP leader and former Speaker of the House, plus their close relatives, are all due in court this month to answer a wide range of criminal charges. Also being charged are developers who are alleged to have provided bribes and very large campaign contributions to the PNP. Former PNP premier Michael Misick has refused to return to the TCI and is now sought by Interpol.
The SIPT has indicated their investigation has uncovered evidence that could result in at least another 50 individuals being charged. Those charged to date have included only those connected with the PNP.
The possibility of the end of the PNP was picked up by television when PTV 8 aired a review of the recent PNP rally, where the agenda was to call for the salvation of their headquarters building, which Attorney General Huw Sheapheard has said must be demolished because it was illegally constructed on Crown land.
The television reporter said, “The pressure on the PNP party by the charges of corruption in government have seemed to challenge their existence.”
