On Monday,07th of May the Governor published Quarterly Milestones Update. The Governor is aware that these Updates are highly anticipated for one principal reason: any indication they might give as to a date for elections. Like people anywhere who have been disenfranchised, the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands yearn for the return of their universally recognized right to elect and be governed by their own representatives. The British Government knows this as well: it is the same principle that they went to war for in Iraq, and continue to fight for and promote around the globe. Yet it is one they continue to deny in the TCI.
As for the 7 May Update, the words that caught most people’s attention were these:
“It is clear that while significant progress has been made in many areas, further work remains to be done before UK Ministers can judge significant enough progress to allow them to reinstate the Constitution, thus triggering fresh elections.”
Most people see this as a walk-back from the previously clear indication that elections will be held before the end of 2012. It appears to be part of a continuing pattern of borderline deceptions that include leading us to believe that HMG would bear the cost of SIPT!
It is a reckless and dangerous way to conduct the serious business of governance. As I travel around the Islands in my campaign for the leadership of the PNP, I sense a rising tide of frustration with the Interim Administration’s fixation on Milestones progress as opposed to the welfare and well-being of real people. The growing attraction of full independence is fed by this frustration as much as it is by the arrogance, insensitivity and double standards that have come to characterize the British mission here.
In my first address as Chairman of the Consultative Forum, I said that the best job the Forum could do for the people of the TCI is to work itself out of a job as quickly as possible. I resigned more than two years ago to undertake the far more important work that I am currently doing, and almost three years on the Forum is still firmly in place with no apparent end in sight.
So we are halfway through the year and suddenly doubt has been cast on the widely accepted belief, created and encouraged by the Governor and his bosses that elections will be held before the end of the year.
Many people will find that disappointing and discouraging and the only way to repair the damage now is for the Governor to expressly confirm that elections will be held before the end of the year, to name the date and to make the Milestones fit that date. They are after all his milestones, not ours!
Having had the opportunity to gauge the mood of the people, I have come to the view that an early date for elections is the single most important item on our agenda of things to be settled with the British. If that continues to be denied I will, as Leader of the PNP, and after close consultation with my Party’s Executive and with their support, devise and pursue such strategies as may be necessary to restore this most basic of human rights to the people of the TCI.
With the continuing anticipation of elections yet this year, the TCI electorate is directing its attention to those who have indicated an interest in running. Also, speculation and networking is on the rise, with the names of potential candidates the main subject.
Harold Charles, the former owner of Sky King airline, has indicated an interest in running as an independent candidate running at large. Charles, who was born in Haiti, has lived in the TCI for many years and is a belonger. During the Michael Misick years, he sold his airline routes to Lyndon Gardiner of Air Turks and Caicos for an undisclosed amount. Charles has been reported to be attending meetings populated with Haitian-born belongers, who are likely to be his support base.
Also indicating a desire to run as an independent is Consultative Forum member and TV talk show host, Rev Courtney Misick of Kew, North Caicos. Misick had been connected with the North Caicos Branch of the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) when Floyd Seymour was the PDM leader. With the leadership now returned to Derek Taylor of Grand Turk, Misick has confirmed his political role will remain independent. Misick is interested in running at large and told TCI News Now he anticipates financial support adequate to sustain an at large election try.
Newly resigned radio talk show host and former Progressive National Party (PNP) elected member of parliament, Robert Hall is vying for approval by the PNP to run under their banner at large.
Leading the pack at the PNP is former medical director of the TCI, Dr Rufus Ewing, who resigned effective March 31.
Formerly associated with the PDM, where his father Hilly Ewing is a senior stalwart, Rufus Ewing has already taken to TV and radio, beginning his campaign to corner the PNP leadership, which he believes will lead him to an at large seat and the country’s premiership.
Also in the PNP camp is attorney Carlos Simons QC, who has apparently moved from his conservative right position in the party to a left of centre position. His new platform is to terminate the special investigation and prosecution team (SIPT), rescind the arrest warrant for Michael Misick and, as with Hall and Ewing, prepare the TCI for independence. Sources indicate that Simons has been carefully lining up delegates who will support him in the yet to be announced PNP convention planned for sometime this month.
Local speculation also has Don Hue Gardiner, local Digicel chief E.J. Saunders, and new attorney Mark Fulford as possible PNP candidates. Almost certain to run is former deputy premier Royal Robinson, as well as his son Jamal, who resigned his post as disaster operations manager. The junior Robinson has made it known he is interested in one of the two Grand Turk district seats.
According to PDM national chairman Ruben Hall, a party convention will definitely be held in June. While the meeting was thought to be scheduled for Grand Turk, where leader Derek Taylor resides, some believe it may now be held to Provo for economic reasons.
The oldest party with the oldest candidates, PDM has been reforming itself with a slate of candidates including those that won the government 18 years ago in the 1995 election. This includes Clarence Selver, Samuel Harvey and several others. Former PDM chief minister Oswald Skippings, now a pastor, has told his church to replace him, as he plans on returning to politics.
Chairman Hall has said that, to date, the party has seven people interested in running for the five at large seats. This includes party leader Taylor himself and possibly Hall. Current PDM treasurer Dwayne Taylor, who served with Derek Taylor, is also expected to run.
PROVIDENCIALES, Turks and Caicos Islands — In a wide-ranging series of parliamentary questions and answers in the House of Commons last week, Britain’s minister with responsibility for the Overseas Territories, Henry Bellingham, said that, although good progress has been made towards achieving the required milestones before elections can take place in the Turks and Caicos Islands, there is still much to be done.
Foreign Office minister with responsibility for the Overseas Territories, Henry Bellingham
Responding to questions from Andrew Rosindell MP, Bellingham said that new ordinances on the electoral process and the regulation of political parties are being prepared.
Rosindell also asked what future funding from the public purse will be provided to the Turks and Caicos Islands Special Investigation Prosecution Team.
“The British government will consider carefully any requests for further assistance,” Bellingham responded.
When asked about the total spending to date, Bellingham said that, in financial year 2010-11, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) made a discretionary grant of £6.6 million (US$10.7 million) to reimburse the Turks and Caicos Islands government for some of the exceptional costs of the criminal investigation, including the work of the Special Investigation and Prosecution Team, and related civil recovery and police work.
“In financial year 2011-12 the Turks and Caicos Islands government report that expenditure for the Special Investigation and Prosecution team was US$7.6 million. This represents over 4% of expenditure and a significant funding challenge for the Turks and Caicos Islands government. The Turks and Caicos Islands government has introduced a range of new taxes and cut overall expenditure significantly in order to address its structural deficit and put it on course for a sustainable fiscal surplus in financial year 2012-13,” he continued.
As separately reported, Britain has now agreed to make a further grant of £3.8 million (US$6.1 million) in financial year 2011-12 to reimburse the Turks and Caicos Islands government for a proportion of the costs associated with the continuing criminal investigation and associated prosecutions.
“The Secretary of State also approved an additional £745,000 (US$1.2 million) contribution to the cost of setting up a suitable courtroom for the trials which will be held as a result of the investigation,” Bellingham disclosed.
In addition to these grants, the British government spent approximately £86,000 (US$139,000) on costs in the UK relating to the Special Investigation and Prosecution Team in financial year 2011-12, he added.
Rosindell went on to ask if the FCO will publish a list of assets reclaimed by the Turks and Caicos Islands special investigation and prosecution team to date.
“Confiscation of the proceeds of crime can only occur post conviction. The special investigation and prosecution team carefully considers the need to restrain assets where there is evidence of a risk of dissipation. To date this has only been deemed necessary in the case of the former Premier, Michael Misick.
“It is also possible in appropriate circumstances to settle an investigation into suspected criminal conduct by agreeing a civil recovery order. This has been done with one suspect, who has paid the sum of US$1.25 million,” Bellingham responded.
In addition, Bellingham said, the separate civil recovery team has made in excess of 40 separate recoveries of money and/or land. The monetary element is more than $12 million including payments already made, judgments obtained and still to be collected and agreements to pay. More than 900 acres of land have also so far been returned to the Crown as a result of the civil recovery team’s work. The value of the land recovered so far is many tens of millions of dollars. Many other cases are underway and, by the end of the programme, the team expects to have recovered land worth hundreds of millions of dollars for the people of the TCI as well as significant further amounts of cash or other assets.
Her Excellency, Navanethem Pillay High Commissioner for Human Rights
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Palais Wilson
52 rue des Pâquis
Ch-12011 Geneva Switzerland
Dear Madam Commissioner,
SEEKING OHCHR INTERVENTION IN TURKS AND CAICOS POLITICAL SITUATION
I am the former Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands, a country located in the Caribbean and which is a colony of the United Kingdom.
I would like to bring your attention to, and seek your assistance regarding,a number of human rights violations that have been taking place in the Turks and Caicos Islands in general, and to me and some of my former Cabinet ministers in particular, because of the stand taken by our political party,the Progressive National Party (PNP), and my Administration which was in office from 2003 to 2009, on advancing and achieving independence for our country.
The violations have been conducted by the British Government and their Interim Administration in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
It is my submission that their actions contravene the UN Universal Declaration on Human Rights plus a number of other international conventions to which the British are a signatory.
BELOW ARE EXAMPLES OF THE CONVENTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN VIOLATED
(1) UN Universal Declaration on Human Rights
Article 2 states: “Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race,colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.”
In my view, the British Government has violated this article. They have discriminated against the citizens of the Turks and Caicos Islands because of the colour of their skin and because of our status as a colony. They have also discriminated against the Turks and Caicos Islands citizens because of our desire to seek self-determination. They have taken away a number of our rights under this declaration or refused to grant us some.
Article 7: “All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.”
Article 8: “Everyone has the right to an effective remedy by the competentnational tribunals for acts violating the fundamental rights granted him by the constitution or by law.”
Article 10: “Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.”
Article 11(1): “Everyone charged with a penal offence has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law in a public trial a which he has had all the guarantees necessary for his defence.”
Article 11(2): “No one shall be held guilty of any penal offence on account of any act or omission which did not constitute a penal offence, under national or international law, at the time when it was committed. Nor shall a heavier penalty be imposed than the one that was applicable at the time the penal offence was committed.”
Article 12: “No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honor and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.”
Article 17: “(1) Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others. (2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property.”
Article 19: “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression;this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”
Article 20: “(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.” (2) “No one may be compelled to belong to an association.”
Article 21: “(1) Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives. (2) Everyone has the right of equal access to public service in his country. (3) The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures.”
(2) The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
Furthermore, the British Government and by extension the Interim Administration, are also in violation of The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Article 1 reaffirms the right of self-determination; Article 14, the right to a fair hearing; Article 25(a), the right and opportunity to take part in the conduct of public affairs, directly or through freely chosen representatives, and Article 25(b) grants the right to vote and to be elected at genuine periodic elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret ballot, guaranteeing the free expression of the will of the electors.
In the Turks and Caicos Islands we have not had elections for almost 3 years, although they were constitutionally due two years ago. As such, for the past 3 years the islands have been a virtual dictatorship, operating without an elected government.
Furthermore, the British-appointed Governor has sole executive and legislative powers and in addition, he appoints the Prosecutor and all of the Judges, who have no security of tenure and therefore rely on the Governor and the British government to renew their contracts, creating automatic room for abuse.
(3) UN Charter
In addition, the British are in violation of the UN Charter.
Chapter 1: Purpose and Principles. Article 2. “To develop friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of people, and to take other appropriate measures to strengthen universal peace.”
Chapter XI: Declaration Regarding Non-Self-Governing Territories. Article73. “Members of the United Nations which have or assume responsibilities for the administration of territories whose people have not yet attained a full measure of self-government recognize the principle that the interests of the inhabitants of these territories are paramount, and accept as a sacred trust the obligation to promote to the utmost, within the system of international peace and security established by the present Charter, the well-being of the inhabitants of these territories, and, to this end:
(a) to ensure, with due respect for the culture of the people concerned, their political, economic, social, and educational advancement,their just treatment, and their protection against abuses;
(b) to develop self-government, to take due account of the political aspirations of the people, and to assist them in the progressive development of their free political institutions, according to the particular circumstances of each territory and its people and their varying stages of advancement.”
For countries that have adopted the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the first Optional Protocol to the Covenant gives the option of recognizing the Human Rights Committee as qualified to receive and examine communication from individual people. When people or groups of people have exhausted local remedies, the Protocol allows them to petition the Committee directly about their government’s alleged violations of the Covenant.
EXAMPLES OF THE SPECIFIC VIOLATIONS AND ABUSE IN THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS
In the Turks and Caicos Islands, we are faced with the following:
1. Denial of our right to self-determination and our right to freely and without fear conduct open national debate in that regard.
2. Denial of our right to hold free and fair elections.
3. Denial of our right to fair trial.
4. Denial of our rights to freedom of expressions and assembly.
5. Introduction of retroactive criminal legislation with the view of securing convictions.
6. Persons were compelled to testify against themselves at a Commission of Inquiry and that information was subsequently used to charge individuals. This is a violation of Article 14 of The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
7. There is no independence of the Judiciary:
a. The Governor is the sole authority in the colony in that he is the sole person that makes executive decisions, he alone makes legislation and he alone appoints the Prosecutor and the judges. The current governor is RicTodd.
b. Governor Ric Todd has said at a public meeting that all of the accused former ministers are guilty and will be convicted.
c. Furthermore in an article that appeared in the Miami Herald online on the 9th of April, Governor Todd was quoted as saying that “the elected government has deliberately and systematically stolen the assets of the people of the TCI for personal gains”.
In this light, I and former Ministers who have been accused of corruption can never get a fair trial. How can we ever get a fair trial when the person that has the sole power to appoint the Prosecutor and judges in the colony is making such pronouncements before a trial?
8. There is also interference with the right to a political life,with Governor Ric Todd and his Attorney General Huw Shepheard bringing legal action to unlawfully confiscate our party headquarters and to demolish it.They are systematically trying to eliminate my party, the PNP, from the political life in the Turks and Caicos Islands by arresting and charging most of the senior members including the new Leader who is a lawyer who has never one day served in any Government in the Turks and Caicos Islands. It is my belief that the reason for this is to silence the party because its public stance has been to seek independence from Britain. It is also my belief that despite the public stance of Britain about liberty and equality for all, it is their desire and objective to retain the colonies and to pursue a purely commercial ambition from them without regard for the human rights and political will of the populations in those countries. It is well known that the British territories in the Caribbean have natural beauty and sunshine, excellent tourism opportunities and many prospects in terms of financial services, all of which can be turned to ultimate profit for the British. It is further my belief that as the British economy nose dives in the world recession, Britain is taking an opportunistic position in relation to its colonies and former colonies purely for commercial and financial gain, ignoring the harmful effect of their actions on those countries and their people.
9. The Governor has abused his powers and has had land confiscated from individuals who received land lawfully.
10. Abolishing of our right to trial by jury in order to secure convictions.
11. The Governor has changed a number of laws and procedure and has made it retroactive in order to secure a conviction of the persons accused.That is why he can speak with certainty that we will all be convicted. If a crime was truly committed why could the accused not be tried under the system that has tried thousands of prior cases. Why change a whole legal system to convict persons on charges that are politically motivated?
It is my submission that the whole Commission of Inquiry, the criminal charges, the change in the laws, the abolishing of the jury system, the suspension of elected government in the colony was all because my party and I seek to move our country to independence, which Britain does not want, for the reasons mentioned further above.
The best way for the British Government to stop my party’s movement was to drum up charges of corruption. That would allow the Governor to make the changes that they have made to secure a conviction against me and my colleagues. More disturbingly, charges of corruption are emotive and frightening to the people. These charges allow the British government to pursue almost any device in order to secure a conviction, including the suspension of democracy.
In summary we are being politically persecuted because of our political belief, being that we want to live in an independent Turks and Caicos Islands. Moreover, the political persecution is also set in a context of apparent racial superiority, on the part of the British.
The above are a number of human rights violations that have been inflicted upon the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands, a colony of the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom as a permanent member of the security council has an added responsibility to uphold international laws and treaties especially those involving human rights. It is a blatant double standard when they talk about human right abuse and violations in other parts of the world and they themselves are chief offenders in their colonies.
I am therefore asking your good office to intervene as a matter of urgency and to ensure that every country complies with their international obligations no matter how powerful they are.
I end by quoting Martin Luther King Jr: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
Galmo Williams, the last premier to rule the Turks and Caicos Islands before the British takeover, is urging Turks and Caicos Islanders not to lose sight of the visions of the vision that the Progressive National Party has for the country and so, they should stay the course with that party.
Speaking at a PNP rally at the party headquarters on Airport Road in Providenciales on Friday, March 30, the former premier said that it pained him to see how the country was currently being run and the role some locals play in its political and financial capitulation.
“It pains my heart how some of our own are trying to down-press the PNP, but the PNP will never give up. For God’s sake; for the country’s sake; for your children’s sake, never give up. It doesn’t matter where we are now, but it is about where we want to go. I believe with all my heart of hearts that our best days for this country are yet ahead.
“It doesn’t matter where we are now, but let’s look at where we want to be. When we look at our young people, when we look at all the money that we spent on education, and when we look at investment and other opportunities that we have given to our young people; when we look at tourism and the infrastructure that we have put in, we can say that the PNP is the way to the future,” insisted Williams.
He pointed out that the scores of young people that the Turks and Caicos had educated through scholarships at universities overseas, and the strides made in development and tourism, would enable the country to get back on track and power to greater success.
“So, let no one from nowhere, no colour, no creed, to tell you what we, as Turks and Caicos Islanders, cannot be. We can be whatever we want to be. We can go wherever we want to go. So, for God’s sake, for your sake, for your children’s sake never give up,” Williams urged.
The former premier told the gathering that he was happy to have been catapulted to the rank of party leader and premier, having joined the elite class of individuals such as Norman Saunders and Bob Francis, while stressing that his elevation was due to the people love and confidence in him.
“I am very thankful to have had the opportunity to share that office (Premier and PNP Leader) of the highest position of the party and our country of our great leaders like the Honourable Norman Saunders, Bob Francis and all of the leaders of the PNP. At the age of a little bit over half a century, I think it is a great opportunity, and the reason I was given that opportunity was because of the support of the people from Cheshire Hall, Long Bay and of course, all of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
published in SUN,Turks and Caicos Islands on 17th of April 2012
Clergymen Rev. Dr. Conrad Howell said that the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands have been tricked by the United Kingdom Government, who was now ruling the country in an autocratic fashion.
Speaking at the Progressive National Party (PNP) rally the party headquarters on Airport Road on Friday, March 30, Howell said that Turks and Caicos Islanders had seen critical parts of their lives changed “with the stroke of a pen”.
“We have seemed, since 2009, to be governed by persons, who have no real appreciation for what we have achieved or our way of life. And to borrow from a current phrase in the Bahamas right about now, ‘truly, we have been had, bamboozled, run amok and lied to’. We saw systems, industries, policies and ideals changed by the stroke of a pen. Institutions that we held sacred and thought were blind, now seem to be biased and bent away from justice.”
Everything about our Turks and Caicos, has changed so much that it almost appeared foreign. And what seemed unimaginable and absolutely impossible only a half decade ago has shattered our vision and almost obliterated out dreams. The dismal cloud which contains the removal of our rights to representation, the oppression of our people and the denial of real participation in governance of our country – that is the absence of democracy and imposed autocracy and the determination to rewrite, with limitation, a future for Turks and Caicos, cannot be tolerated any longer,” Howell insisted.
Howell emphatically stated that based on their treatment from Britain, the TCI people should not stop at ensuring a return to elected government but to aim for the self-determination target.
“While we prepare for elections, it cannot be the goal. Elections must only be the method utilized to achieve our goals, being backed by a firm determination, to secure the rights of the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands; the preservation of their freedom, recognizing the supremacy of God, with a national commitment to self-discipline, patriotism, unity and an abiding respect for Christian values and the rule of law,” he said.
He also stated that Islanders should pledge a commitment to diversify the country through sustainable social, educational and economic development in the people’s interest, while embracing persons and opportunities that shared the common goal of Turks and Caicos Islands’ people. The clergyman also pointed out that Turks and Caicos Islanders should apply any means necessary to safeguard itself from all forms of the threat to its existence, whether domestic or foreign.
“I am determined to see to the achievement of the desired goal of Turks and Caicos, and to secure the same by any God-given means. We stand at the beginning of what is now a new opportunity to shape our destiny, and we must do so vigorously. The days at hand, our initiative must be urgent because procrastination is exceedingly costly. We have survived in, and enjoyed these Turks and Caicos (islands) for the last 300 years, and know what it takes to make it work,” Howell emphasized.
He continued: “At the UN Conference last year, I put it this way, ‘since we have had to do it for the last 300 years and since that the metropolitan cities, especially that of London think that they know best for us; one size does not fit all’. If we had learned how to survive on these rocks, then we ought to know to move it forward. We know how to make Turks and Caicos move ahead. Further, we found that Turks and Caicos only moves ahead when Turks and Caicos Islanders are making the necessary decisions. We have to do what we must, so that we can achieve what we desire.”
published in SUN,Turks and Caicos Islands on 17th of April 2012
Former Progressive National Party (PNP) Member of Parliament Wayne Garland said that Turks and Caicos Islands people have allowed themselves to be brainwashed by the British into mounting a campaign geared at crushing each other to the detriment of the country.
Garland made the statement at the PNP rally held at the party’s headquarters on March 30, 2012, where he was one of the speakers.
“We, as a people; we, as a country have been oppressed for the last three and a half years. We have been seriously oppressed, but what I want to talk to you about is about us a people coming together, and also, as a people standing up for one another. We are not being what we used to be – having one another’s back. It doesn’t matter whether you are PNP or PDM, the most important thing for us is that, we are Turks and Caicos Islanders.
“Over the last three years, we have backstabbed, we have backbite, and we talked about one another. We only wanted to see who are going to be arrested. We only wanted to see who are going to be put in prison. But let me tell you something, when we start to wish hate on one another, we are wishing hate on ourselves.
Every single one of us, from Salt Cay, way down to West Caicos, interlocked one way or the other. We have ties by family one way or the other. So every time you wish hatred on one, we wish hatred on our own. If we are going to move ahead as a progressive nation, we need to let go of the hate. We need to let go of the hypocrisy. We need to let go of trying to backstabbing one another and this genuine hate for one another,” Garland warned.
Garland told reminded the gathering that Turks and Caicos Islanders once banded together despite political affiliation, but in recent time they have allowed a cutthroat attitude to fester among them, causing the country great pain.
“We are one people. We are our brothers’ keepers. It doesn’t matter whether you are blue, brown, purple or green; we are one people. We used to live well, what happened? We allowed some British oppressors to come in and drive a spear between us and separate us as a people.
“Now look at it, whose living good? Who is living in Grace Bay in high-rises? Who can go to the stores and buy the best quality foods? We used to be like that, we can be like that again, but like I say, we should be willing to make some sacrifices,” he implored.
Injecting a bit of biblical flavor into his presentation, Garland stressed that the torrid period that the TCI was currently going through paralleled to that of the 40 days of testing that Jesus Christ went through during what is now known as the Lenten season.
“We have been tested for the last three and a half years. We have been prosecuted for the last three and a half years. It is now time for us to open our eyes and be resurrected. It is time for us to stand and take our country back. It is time for us as young people not to sit back idle anymore, but should be able to look anybody in the face and say ‘this land is ours, and we are going to take it’. Don’t be afraid, young people,” Garland pleaded.
Garland also blasted the Attorney General Chambers for making attempts to seize and destroy the PNP Headquarters, while emphasizing that any attempts to yank the structure from that party would be fiercely resisted.
“This building behind us is an institution, this is a mark, this is something that a lot of blood, sweat and tears went into. This is a symbol for us as a party, and I will be damned if any white man or British oppressor think they can come here and take it from us. It will be a cold day in hell first. Nobody is going to mess with this institution…this belong to us.
“Today, it may be the Progressive National Party Headquarters; tomorrow it could be the PDM Headquarters. Today it could be ‘Ma Jane’s shop down the road’, the next day it is going to be ‘Sister Ashley’s house up the street’. We have to open our eyes and see what they are doing to us. They are pitting us one against other,” Garland told the audience.
published in SUN,Turks and Caicos Islands on 17th of April 2012
Dr. Rufus Washington Ewing was born in the historic seaside settlement of Blue Hills on the Island of Providenciales where he was raised in a Seventh Day Adventist Christian home by his Mother Mrs. Jane Ewing and Father Hon. Hilly Ewing, former Deputy Chief Minister along with his many siblings. It was during these formative years that the Christian Principles of honesty, integrity, humility, love for mankind and service were instilled.
At an early age Dr. Ewing was introduced to the world of service and caring by his Aunt, Nurse Joyce Ewing-Beswick, with whom he lived while in Jamaica in the early 1970’s. During that period he attended clinics with his Aunt and was fascinated with the art of medicine and there onwards developed a passion for the profession and caring for people. This exposure to medicine continued when Dr. Ewing again accompanied his Aunt to the Blue Hills Clinic when she returned home to work in the late 1970’s.
The Scholar Dr. Ewing attended the Blue Hills Primary School now called Oseta Jolly Primary School where he was taught by respected educators such as, Mrs. Ellen Howell, Mrs. Cicely Ewing, Mrs. Thelma Lightbourne and Mrs. Mavis Cunningham, just to name a few. After Primary School, Dr. Ewing spent one term at the Private Provo High School in the Bight before being transferred to Grand Turk to attend High School there.
It was in Grand Turk at the Turks and Caicos High School (now Helena Jones Robinson High School) that Dr. Ewing had the opportunity to advance his education and develop his leadership skills and ability. Growing up in Grand Turk away from his immediate family was made easy by the comfort and care offered to him by Ms. Sarah Haven, with whom he lived and whom he now calls his second Mother. This comfort was magnified by the warmed reception he received by his Good Street and North and South Back Salina neighbours and friends and his schoolmates from across the Turks and Caicos. Dr. Ewing was one who was always focused, disciplined and set goals to which he would aspire and achieve and he did just that. He was selected as the Head Boy of his class which was his first opportunity to develop and demonstrate his leadership potential. He was taught by many excellent teachers, but a few of them in particular instilled in him certain qualities that he lives by and cherishes today. Ms. Lillian Swann-Missick, his teacher of history was the first to have left an impressionable mark on his life. She taught him to be a critical and independent thinker, to “not be gullible about the information written in the history books as they were written by “the oppressors and enslavers”. Dr. Ewing was so passionate about her teachings that he excelled in the subject, which was outside of his science mainstream. Mr. Poulose, Mrs. Latha, Mr. Babu, Mrs. Allam and Mr. Ross ensured that he was prepared for the world of science. Mrs. Julia Williams, his teacher of English and Literature taught him perseverance and skills to overcome challenges and obstacles, while Mr. Hubert Fulford, as a Music teacher taught him temperance and patience. The School Principal, Mr. Bertram Ross was his mentor and taught him the art of diplomacy and Leadership. Dr. Ewing graduated from the Turks and Caicos High School in 1985 as the Valedictorian of his class. In 1985 Dr. Ewing was offered a scholarship to go to Trinidad to study to be a General Science Teacher but he turned it down as this was not his ambition and goal. His goal was to become a Surgeon or at least an Electrical Engineer both of which he was passionate about. Dr. Ewing stayed at the Turks and Caicos High School as the Laboratory Technician and Science Tutor whilst improving his academic credentials until 1986 when he was awarded a scholarship to pursue Advanced Level Studies at the Barbados Community College.
Whilst in Barbados Dr. Ewing learned to live an independent life and how to really compete for the prize against serious competitors. Dr. Ewing again surpassed his competitors and excelled in his A-Levels and was awarded a Turks and Caicos Scholarship to pursue Medicine at the University of the West Indies in Mona, Jamaica.
In Jamaica Dr. Ewing again had the opportunity to further develop his Leadership skills. Dr. Ewing, along with Mr. Delton Jones, Bradley Handfield, Alpheus Gardiner and Ms. Carol (former Jamaican Teacher of the Turks and Caicos High School) were instrumental in establishing the Turks and Caicos Students Association (TACSA) in Jamaica. TACSA was established with the mandate to address the welfare of all Turks and Caicos Students studying in Jamaica. TACSA acted as the Liaison between the TCI Government and Students in Jamaica and also represented TCI Students issues at the various institutions. TACSA also acted as an outlet for mentoring younger TCI students ensuring the achievement of their goals. Dr. Ewing served for two years as Vice President and two years as President of TACSA.
Medical School in Jamaica was where the qualities of humility and caring were cultured and solidified and the art of team work was ingrained, as without these one would not survive medical school or emerge to be a great physician.
The Physician and Surgeon
It was in Jamaica, during his Medical School team work sessions that Dr. Ewing met and fell in love with his classmate Dr. Dawn Perry. Dr. Ewing always believed in being organized and efficient and to that end he got married to Dr. Dawn Perry in 1993 on their graduation day.
After completion of Medical School Dr. Ewing and his wife moved to Nassau, Bahamas to complete their internship and start a family life which gave birth to their Son Stuart Ewing. It was in Nassau that Dr. Ewing’s passion for surgery grew. He knew from High school that he wanted to be a surgeon, but there was no conviction to that desire until completion of his surgical internship rotation. This conviction to become a General Surgeon led him back to Jamaica in 1996 to enter the General Surgery Residency Training Programme.
The General Surgery Training Programme was the place where Dr. Ewing was able to utilize all of the life and leadership skills he learnt along the way. However, the skills of critical thinking, evaluation and situational analysis, confidence, discipline and astute decision making were paramount to practice and successful clinical outcome, all based on certain principles which were not to be violated less you fail. During his surgical residency and even so today, Dr. Ewing live on the principles of recognizing his limitations and not wasting time defending the indefensible. Dr. Ewing became a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1998 and received training in Paediatric General Surgery in 2000 at the IWK Grace Health Center and Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada before graduating from the University of the West Indies with a Doctorate of Medicine Degree in General Surgery in 2001.
Dr. Ewing has always been a true patriot and loved serving his people. He began serving his people from the time he entered Medical School in 1993, where he looked out for the interest of Turks and Caicos Islanders seeking medical care in Jamaica. This service continued in Nassau during his internship and was scaled up in Jamaica during his residency training. Recognizing the many health needs of his people, Dr. Ewing was anxious to return home to serve his people and did so in 2001 with his family.
The Public Health Care Leader and Community Volunteer
Dr. Ewing was always a visionary and a goal oriented person. Upon arrival home he immediately requested a meeting with the Chief Secretary, Permanent Secretary of Health and others and presented them with his vision for health care in the Turks and Caicos and how he can get it done. There was very little difference between Dr. Ewing’s vision and the plans of the ongoing DFID funded Health Care visioning and Health Sector Development Strategy project.
In August 2001 Dr. Ewing was employed by the Ministry of Health as Deputy Chief Medical Officer (DCMO) with direct responsibility for the Myrtle Rigby Health Complex (MRHC) and Lead Surgeon at the MRHC. There were many challenges being experienced in the Health Care Sector. The most prominent were the lack of surgical services in Providenciales, the rising cost of overseas treatment and the inadequate health infrastructure, particularly on Providenciales and the general lack of equipment. Through Dr. Ewing’s Leadership and the assistance of a dedicated team, the MRHC Operating Theatre was commissioned and the first major surgical procedure was performed in October 2001, after three months on the job. This was a significant achievement as persons from Providenciales requiring appendicitis surgery, routine hernia surgery and C-sections to name a few, no longer had to fly to Grand Turk for surgery. Dr. Ewing addressed the rising cost of overseas treatment by recommending the implementation of a Treatment at Home Programme. This programme saw the procurement of new surgical equipment, the recruitment of more medical and surgical staff and the expansion of the visiting specialist programme. This programme along with other policies resulted in a precipitous reduction in the cost of overseas treatment. The Development of new health facilities and the financing thereof was the most challenging of all the health concerns. Dr. Ewing provided sound clinical guidance and advice to both governments during his term as DCMO and Chief Medical Officer (CMO) on the development of new hospital facilities and the implementation of a National Health Insurance Plan (NHIP).
Dr. Ewing acted as CMO on numerous occasions between 2001 and 2005, until he was appointed as CMO/Director of Health Services in 2005. Dr. Ewing saw it fitting to expand his Public Health knowledge and as such pursued a Master of Public Health Degree from Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health which he completed in 2008.
Dr. Ewing was the Lead of the Clinical Work stream for the new Hospitals project and was a member of the National Health Insurance Steering Committee. On both of these committees he played the role of providing policy advice in relation to the provision of clinical services in the new hospitals the protection of the interest of the people in accessing quality health care at all levels especially protecting those that are most vulnerable.
Dr. Ewing saw the need for the strengthening of the Ministry of Health to perform its function with respect to policy and regulation of the health sector. To this end he was instrumental in moving the operating level of the CMO and Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) from the level of the hospital to that of the Ministry of Health and hence strengthened the leadership, management and policy development capacity of the Ministry of Health. He was also instrumental in advocating for the establishment of critical policy, regulatory and strategic units within the Ministry of Health which included the National Epidemiology and Research Unit, the Health Planning and Promotion Unit and the Health Emergency Management Unit. These Units significantly increased the capacity of the Ministry of Health to perform Its Essential Public Health Functions.
Some of major Policies and Projects developed under Dr. Ewing’s Leadership with the assistance of his great health team were:
Treatment at Home Policy
Treatment Abroad Policy
Health Care Infrastructure Development Policy to include the development of:
MRHC and Grand Turk Hospital Operating Theatre Projects
South Caicos Clinic
Two New Hospitals
Middle Caicos Clinic
Blue Hills Clinic
Health Strategic Plans
Primary Health Care Renewal
Migrant Health Evaluation Policy and Programme
Health Care Regulations
Dr. Ewing has achieved much in the development of health care in the Turks and Caicos, but he recognizes that there is still much left to be done especially in the area of Primary Health Care, Health Care Financing and Health Care Regulations and he is committed to realizing his health care vision of a healthy TCI Population.
During his 11years at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Ewing was a member of many Boards by virtue of his position as CMO and also served as Chairman of the Health Practitioners’ Board, Public and Environmental Health Board, National Insurance Medical Board and Director of the Caribbean Health Research Council (CHRC).
Dr. Ewing is a member of a number of Health NGOs providing support to them in particular the National cancer Society, Diabetes Association and the Turks and Caicos Heart foundation. He is a Founding Member and Director of the Turks and Caicos AIDS Awareness Foundation.
Dr. Ewing upon his return home in 2001 was given permission by the Executive Council to operate a Private Medical Practice, Omnicare, which he shared with his wife since 2002. Through this practice he has been able to provide service to the wider TCI public who were not keen on attending government facilities. Through this practice Dr. Ewing has also been able to provide outreach health care services to the community in particular sporting organizations and Churches.
The Public Service and Civil Rights Leader
After the suspension of the TCI constitution and the imposition of direct rule from Britain, Dr. Ewing became frustrated by the policy direction of the Interim Administration and the manner in which policies and laws were being introduced and enacted, which had a significant negative impact on the lives of citizens in general and Civil Servants in particular. Dr. Ewing considered resignation from the service in late 2010 but decided to stay in the Service to help fight against the policies that he considered detrimental to the welfare of citizens and Civil Servants and to protect the rights of Civil Servants. In November of 2010 Dr. Ewing and a few Civil Servants formed a working group to revitalize the dormant Civil Service Association (CSA), which was revitalized on January 6, 2011 with the election of the CSA’s management Council with Dr. Ewing as President.
The CSA under the Leadership of Dr. Ewing had ongoing negotiations and dialogue with the Interim Administration to prevent the implementation of policies which they thought were not in the best interest of Civil Servants and the country. The Administration’s failure to address fairly the issues of salaries, allowances, pensions and gratuities and redundancy of Civil Servants lead the CSA to several industrial actions and improvement of some benefits in the interest of Civil Servants.
In August of 2011, Dr. Ewing, frustrated by the actions of the Interim Administration led a one man demonstration against the Governor and his Advisory Council demanding their resignation and the imposition of a democratically elected government. Just prior to this action Dr. Ewing submitted his letter of resignation to the Ministry of Health with an effective date of March 30, 2012. This gave him greater comfort and freedom to speak out against the injustices of the Interim Administration. Dr. Ewing continued his work with the CSA defending the rights of Civil Servants until his resignation from the Civil Service on March 30, 2012.
Dr.Rufus Ewing will be announcing today,11th of April 2012,at 11.00 am at the PNP Head Quarters,his intention to run the leadership and run the country.He will present his vision.
Derek Browne says Interim Government ‘sinking’ TCI
By Vivian Tyson
SUN Senior Editor
At least one clergyman is calling for the return of former Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands Richard Tauwhare, to face questioning and possibly charges in the ongoing Special Investigation and Prosecution Team (SIPT) corruption probe, since he was the chief overseer for government affairs during the Michael Misick administration.
Bishop Derek Browne, President for the Methodist Conference of the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands and Pastor for the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Blue Hills, said that former governor Tauwhare was equally responsible for anything found to be untoward during the former Misick administration, and should be asked to answer to charges similar to those that his former cabinet colleagues were facing, which included corruption and money laundering.
“I have shared in the past, and I continue to share now that the situation that we are in now has not started with the British folk. For me, it started with the former administration, which included the Governor Richard Tauwhare. Richard Tauwhare needs to come back here or wherever to and answer in the same manner in which the local leaders are being called to respond to whatever charges.
“He should be here because much of what went on went on either with his approval, or if it was any matter of being set up, he set up for others to do the dirty work. But he was a part of what was going on, and we should not look at justice as being something which is one-sided. Whatever is good for the local leaders must also be good for the leaders of Britain who are part of the administration here,” Browne charged.
Unimpressed by the leadership of the Interim Administration, Bishop Browne said that the church could not sit idly by and watch injustices run amok. He also called on the current leadership to change its style of governance from an autocratic one to one of plurality, since the people have a part to play in deciding how they should be governed.
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“The Church is the conscience of the society; the church has to speak out against the dictatorship, and that kind of style. The church has to also speak out against things that would happen that are not in-keeping with the law. It is the church’s responsibility to speak out against injustice. But for me, we do not speak on hearsay.
“I have said that the current administration which is led by the governor, in many instances, they do what they feel like doing. They don’t consult, and much of what is happening, as far as I am concerned, is not for the benefit and the betterment of the Turks and Caicos Islands. As far as I am concerned, when I looked at certain things being done, it seems to be done with the intention of sinking the Turks and Caicos Islands,” Browne argued.
Bishop Browne pointed out that the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands would come away with a different point of view of the Interim Administration, if, when considering to implement certain measures, they would garner the input of the people, coupled with their ideas, to arrive at a bipartisan decision, instead of arbitrarily implementing their plans.
“What can give persons a different perspective is, if they would sit more frequently and discuss in an open way, and not come with preconceived ideas, because the Turks and Caicos Islands economy is not the economy of Britain, and you cannot run it in the same way.
“The whole matter of increasing taxes; you may have to increase taxes, but you must do it wisely and sensibly. And when you look at it, there has been an exodus outside of the Turks and Caicos Islands, and so, things have changed in many ways. Things are getting worst; persons are being laid off; and taxes are increasing in many instances. And so, where you would have had more people involved – for example, national health – now there is less. It was not sufficient when you had more people, what about now?” Browne asserted.
He added: The governor and his team, who seemed to have come having all the answers; I think they need to work with people; here their concerns and be objective. But they have come with a subjective view. They already know what they are going to do, and it is sad. They have issues (in the UK) the same as we have here; they can’t fix them, but somehow, they have this bright idea that they can fix the things in the Turks and Caicos.
