Submission from Benjamin Roberts, Turks
and Caicos Island
FOLLOW-UP MEMORANDUM IN RESPONSE TO CALL
FOR COMMENTS FROM TURKS &
CAICOS ISLANDERS BY BRITISH GOVERNMENT AND
FCO
Legend: p) problem r) resolution
Once again, I am Benjamin Roberts of Turks and
Caicos Islands. This document is my second submission, subsequent
to the close and extension of your initial call for information,
and subsequent to the groundbreaking and never-before-done presence
and availability of British Government Members of Parliament in
Turks & Caicos for the express purpose of cataloging oral
submissions from concerned citizens. I wish I could say that since
this call for information and close scrutiny by the British Govt
that things have improved in Turks & Caicos. I absolutely
cannot. In fact they have deteriorated to an appalling and alarming
state of affairs that begs for some type of intervention such
as a Commission of Inquiry that would usher in a necessary overhaul
of how business is done in this place that is my home. The apparent
willful neglect by your British Govt, most especially its Foreign
and Commonwealth Office, coupled with the unaccountable, do-as-they-like
behavior of Turks & Caicos Govt officials, has the country,
like a ship, headed for the jagged shoals. If this situation is
not addressed soon I fear Turks & Caicos will suffer irreparable
damage. That being the case, this submission will not only outline
problems, but will also make recommendations for how those problems
may be solved. Here goes:
ISSUE NO.1
p) The most glaring problem in T&C that
sticks out like a sore thumb and needs to be addressed immediately
is the matter of the Complaints Commissioner. Had this matter
been attended to years ago we would not be having, or needing,
a call for submissions by your British Govt. An earlier document
of the T&C Constitution outlines this position in detail.
It sits front and center in the governance of T&C. In its
description the holder of this post is unhindered by local British
authorities such as the Governor and Attorney General in performing
their duties, which encompass investigating abuse and violation
of citizens rights by elected officials. A necessary function
to guard against heavy handedness and excess by such officials,
whilst ensuring a transparent and corruption-free local government
that respects the rights of its citizens. Yet, over the years
this post of Complaints Commissioner has been systematically defanged
and gutted by successive T&C govt administrations, in concert
with local British officials charged with looking out for the
interests of the Crown. Without fail this position has been held
by a series of retired career civil servants collecting their
monthly pensions. Does anyone seriously expect such an individual,
up in years after a long life of govt service and collecting their
monthly pension and emolument for the post, to aggressively investigate
an official in this system on which they rely for their disbursements?
This post should be occupied by young energetic charges not needing
to mindful of receiving their pension checks, in deciding to pursue
an investigation. In the summer of 2001 a colleague and I conducted
a symposium in T&C, and one of the matters we delved into
had to do with the Complaints Commissioner position. The findings
were shocking. No one in our audiences throughout the Islands
knew who the Complaints Commissioner was, had no idea where his/her
office was located, or ever heard of any case having been processed
by this official. It was absolutely appalling. I assure you that
very little has changed, in this regard, in the seven years since
then. This matter needs to attended to immediately if better more
responsible government is to be had in T&C.
r) My recommendation is that your British
Govt vigorously address this problem. First and foremost, the
position should not be a one man office, as it now is. Instead
it should have a Commissioner or Director who has access to two
small units. One would be a unit of investigators with some degree
of legal knowledge and understanding of the Constitution. The
second unit would have knowledge and abilities in auditing, enhancing
the office's ability to handle matters having to do with fraud
and financial corruption. The office could possibly be modeled
after Human Rights Commission offices in county jurisdictions
in the United States. These offices are quite a deterrent to big
corporations in those jurisdictions getting away with violating
the rights of their employees. In this setting, nothing brings
an all-powerful company to heel more than knowing they have to
appear before such an agency to answer charges brought by a wronged
employee or former employee. Once the Commission panel concludes
its findings the way is cleared for legal action to proceed in
the courts by the issuance of what is termed a Right to Sue letter.
If the findings are in favor of the employee, then the employer
is in big problems facing the courts, because the judicial system
will, more often than not, rule against him. This is familiar
to me because I went up against an influential employer in this
process and they lost. Such a system would work wonders for cleaning
up the political lawlessness in Turks & Caicos govt. As I
see it, once an investigation by the Complaints Commissioner's
office has been concluded and a finding of wrongdoing is established
then the matter is sent to the Attorney General for prosecution.
In addition, this Complaints Commissioner position
should be upgraded by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO),
such that the office at intervals would submit a report to, or
is audited by, FCO officials. In this way the FCO would know what
is going on from the Turks & Caicos perspective, instead of
being left stumbling around in the dark in the event that their
Overseeing representative, namely the Governor, chooses to keep
them in the dark. As is the case now. Hence the predicament we
now see in this territory.
ISSUE NO.2
p) What is taking place in regards to Turks
& Caicos Crown Land is disastrous and criminal. Recently,
a TC govt Minister composed a list of Crown Land recipients, made
up mostly of family and cronies. The recipients were called in
to sign a document accepting their land acquisition and signing
it over in exchange for from $30,000 up to $100,000 in cash from
the Minister via his designated paymaster. In accepting the monies,
these individuals were turning their claim for the land over to
the Minister and his cohorts. When combined this land amounted
to some serious acreage of top dollar real estate on the island
of West Caicos. This bundled acreage now became the property of
that Minister and his cronies, which they have sold, or are now
poised to sell for millions of dollars. Like money laundering,
this is Crown Land laundering, where citizens are lured into transferring
public property into a private asset to make a Minister and his
associates wealthy. There is no question that this happened. Local
businessmen in the constituency where this took place know about
it because their customers showed up suddenly doing business with
more money than usual at their disposal, and in many instances
confiding the circumstances surrounding their new found fortunes.
The recipients of this money never applied for any land, cannot
show an application outlining a development proposal for such
land, cannot show receipts that they had the land surveyed or
made installment payments of any kind and, having never seen the
land, cannot show anyone the physical location of the property.
All of these things are required in Crown Land acquisition. This
is criminal. The money recipients are unwitting partners in this
robbery by the Minister and his cohorts. In fact the Minister
and his associates have essentially robbed them, and all the people
of T&C to which the land belongs, in the name of helping them.
A case of reverse Robin Hood. At least he did what might be thought
of as admirable in stealing from the rich and giving it to the
poor. These characters steal from the poor, give them back some
loose change making them feel fortunate, while they themselves
become ridiculously wealthy at these people's expense. How callous.
What is shocking about this is that it took place even while the
Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee was, and still is, inquiring
into matters of governance in T&C and inviting submissions.
It took place even as leader of T&C Govt, Michael Misick,
was appearing before that very Committee making assurances of
representing a transparent and corruption-free government.
r) For this, the Crown Land thieves should
go to jail. For this to happen there needs to be an investigation
and Commission of Inquiry by the British Govt. The findings will
show that this is just a single incident of many such Crown Land
abuses by a variety of TC govt Ministers. The question came up
about whether or not the Governor would call for a Commission
of Inquiry. The FCO indicated that it was up to him to do so.
This is an outrage for them to take such a Nero position, and
it reinforces their ineptitude. They have admitted that the Governor,
their Overseer, had not kept them informed of developments in
T&C. They have admitted that he was not as qualified as most
in such postings. Yet they are saying that the choice for Inquiry
is his? Taking such a position seems to by a face-saving measure
by them to cover their embarrassment and ineptitude. But this
is not about the FCO. This is about the people of Turks &
Caicos and their being dispossessed and taken advantage of by
an ungovernable T&C govt, facilitated either by the cluelessness
or the complicity of their designated Overseer of the interests
of the Crown. A Commission of Inquiry must be undertaken irrespective
of the wishes of the FCO or their Governor. To do otherwise would
be a grotesque disservice to the people of Turks & Caicos.
ISSUE NO.3
p) We live under the notion that the citizens
of Turks & Caicos live in a society where their rights to
property, ideas, equal justice, and freedom of expression are
protected. The reality, however, is not even close. I recently
contacted the news media in T&C about doing a radio commentary
on the appalling manner in which the govt went about hiring a
Chief Auditor to oversee the country's finances. Honorable MP
Meg Munn, of the FCO, with responsibility for Overseas Territories
that include T&C, was featured in a recent local newspaper,
Turks & Caicos Weekly News, last month singing the praises
of the selection. I begged to differ with this and contacted the
main private WIV-TV station with a request to comment on the issue
on their radio network. I also contacted our own government and
citizen funded radio station, Radio Turks & Caicos, to do
the same thing. The outcome was that both entities used a combination
of deception and avoidance to ensure that this commentary did
not take place. In the case of the people's radio station it was
even more blatant, where the official in charge told me it could
not be done because I was intending to say something about the
govt. It is appalling that the people's money pay to run a station,
but the govt officials and their yes men make sure that those
same people get to hear nothing, or only what they want them to
hear. How can we ensure corruption-free govt and accountability
of elected officials when there is such a chokehold on free expression
of opinion and ideas? How can the British govt allow this to continue?
Is it not ridiculous that an overseeing FCO official can access
our local media to say what a great selection had been made in
this hiring, but when I, a citizen of that country, desire to
comment on how atrocious the selection was, and how a supremely
qualified T&C citizen had been thoroughly ignored in the selection
process, I have limited avenues to do so?
Continuing on with the issue of freedom of expression,
or more accurately the lack thereof. Members of your Foreign Affairs
Committee were rather appalled at the political climate in T&C
in regard to reluctance to expression for fear of intimidation,
reprisal, and victimization. In fact one of members of your Committee
likened the situation to China. Often it is argued that no one
can provide proof of such corrupt behaviour. This argument gives
ample cover to the perpetrators of these irregularities and the
overseers, namely the FCO and their chosen Governor, who would
rather pretend that nothing is amiss. What I am about to reveal
is a personal incident that will leave no doubt about T&C
Govt attempts to coerce, intimidate, bribe, and limit free speech.
I do contract work with T&C Govt, providing Health Education
presentations in the school system throughout the Islands. I have
completed the second year of that contract, and it is up for renewal
and adjustment next year. The Minister whose portfolio this project
comes under asked for a copy of my contract so he could review
it for renewal and adjustment. I provided it to him, and recently
saw him in an informal setting where he pulled me aside and asked
to speak with me privately. He told me he and his Cabinet reviewed
the proposal and concluded that it was a very good project that
was beneficial to T&C and its student population, and that
they said they had no problem renewing and adjusting it provided
that I tone down and stop writing and talking about them so much.
It appeared they wished him to convey this message to me. When
I asked him who specifically told him this he told me who they
were. They are two of the most senior members in the T&C Govt,
in which this Minister is a member. One of them sat in your Parliamentary
Foreign Affairs Committee questioning period late last year and
assured you that Turks & Caicos Govt was a shining example
of transparency and boasted a total absence of corruption of any
kind. This personal incident says otherwise. It is a clear cut
case of an attempt to control, bribe, intimidate, violate right
to free speech, and limit dissent. And it is not rumor. It is
a personal encounter and involves a revelation by no less than
a Minister of Cabinet in the Turks & Caicos Government. This
incident flies in the face of all those who would have us believe
all is well in T&C and that there is no need for investigation
or a Commission of Inquiry into the affairs of Turks & Caicos.
In no way am I intimidated by this, nor would I dream of considering
succumbing to the wishes of these pathetic individuals. I told
that Minister to tell them as much. If anything, I am incensed
at their audacity and deviousness. With that in mind, I am requesting
that the FCO and, or, your Foreign Affairs Committee conduct an
oral evidence interview with me on this matter. Not doing so would
prove your Committee member right in concluding that we are not
much different from what transpires in China. No Commission of
Inquiry into governance in Turks & Caicos? This incident says
otherwise.
When it comes to rights of protection of personal
property, Turks & Caicos is a cesspool of cronyism, plagiarism,
and a total disregard for the concept of intellectual property.
The situation is sickening and epidemic, and needs to be immediately
addressed. I know of three people in my immediate circle who,
not very long ago, sent T&C Govt individual proposals for
land or projects they wanted to undertake. In one case the T&C
citizen assembled a venture capital group and approached T&C
Govt with a profitable development proposal that had incorporated
into its plan civic spin-offs for the community in which the development
was proposed. When the Govt was approached with this project two
Cabinet Ministers in particular attempted to undermine the citizen
by telling his partners that they would be better off being aligned
with themselves since, given their positions of influence, they
could offer more incentives that would give the project a better
chance of success. If this is not influence peddling and abuse
of office then I don't know what is. Another individual in my
circle discussed and provided a high grade and very worthwhile
contract proposal to T&C Govt. Within weeks a family member
of the Minister to whom the proposal was sent was on a T&C
Govt contract conducting a program that uncannily fit the individual's
proposal like a glove. In the third instance, a T&C citizen
sent in a proposal requesting Crown Land outlining an upscale
apartment building development project in a much sought after
area in Providenciales. He never got a response on his proposal,
but not long after a few cronies of a senior T&C Govt Minister
were awarded the land to do an apartment building project that
is a mirror image of what was submitted by this individual. What
is more is that those awarded the land, unlike the individual
in my circle, possess little in the way of business acumen. This
last case is depressing and it involves someone in my immediate
circle who, I must add, sent in their submission to you regarding
their take on the state of governance in T&C. This individual
is quite knowledgeable about livestock and animal rearing. They
were in conversation with a family member who was trying to convince
them to send in a proposal to T&C Govt for Crown Land for
a particular livestock project that would prove very profitable.
The individual agreed that the undertaking would prove quite lucrative
but decided against it. His reasoning was that he was not prepared
to labour over and send in such a proposal to T&C Govt only
to have it ignored, but shortly thereafter see a Minister, or
one of his friends or family, appear from nowhere doing a project
that is a carbon copy of his submitted proposal. Such despondency
is not good, and is bound to have a negative impact on the economic
progress of T&C. It is all because of the sickening parasitic
behaviour of T&C Govt and their total disregard for property,
be it real or intellectual property. For such pathetic behaviour
I will coin a special new phrase. "Chronic vulturism."
Yes. Chronic because it is an insidious and far-reaching problem.
And "vulturism" because these elected officials and
their cohorts seem to lack the ability to generate an original
idea even if their lives depended on it. Yet as soon as any thoughtful
and unsuspecting citizen provides them with an idea, insight,
or intellectual property for approval they fall upon it like vultures
in a free-for-all. It is appalling. If I could easily cite three
cases of individuals in my immediate circle who have recently
been impacted by this corrupt practice, then imagine how pervasive
it must be in the wider environs of T&C society. This needs
to be addressed. The standard bearers at the FCO touting tough
new Crown Land policies and an upgrade to the Governor's position
with a more qualified individual this time around are quite mistaken
if they think such measures are the answer to this and other problems.
There needs to be much more.
r) This matter of the hijacking of T&C
citizens property by T&C Govt officials and their cronies
is not new to the sitting government. It is entrenched and a hallmark
of previous Administrations. The difference here is that, like
everything else, this sitting govt seems to have taken it to new
heights and perfected it to an art form. This behaviour is detrimental
to T&C in that it stifles the local entrepreneurship necessary
for true development. In addition, because those cronies handed
someone else's project on a silver platter had no ability to conceive
a proposal of their own, it is highly unlikely that they will
succeed with the hijacked intellectual property. The result is
that their undertaking will fail. One has only to look at the
high rate of Crown Land take backs and repossessions by financial
institutions for project loan defaults in T&C to see that
this is the outcome. This is not a good prescription for entrepreneurial
progress and development in T&C. The British Govt needs to
see to it that progressive and effective copyright laws are put
in place to counter these prevalent practices in T&C. Laws
are a good first step, but in T&C all too often laws are on
the books but are never enforced. There are no consequences for
breaking those laws. Penalties and legal action need to be enforced
when such laws are broken.
In this matter a vibrant and effectively functioning
Complaints Commissioner's office would go a long way in curbing
this problem. If a citizen's intellectual property is appropriated
by corrupt T&C Govt officials and awarded to family and friends,
the wronged person should be easily able to file a complaint with
this Complaints official. As it stands now that is next to impossible,
given the fact that the current T&C local phonebook lists
only a fax number but no phone number for the Complaints Commissioner.
This is so feeble.
ISSUE NO.4
p) Last month our neighbour, the Dominican
Republic held their elections. I was amused to hear that one of
the premier candidates approached T&C Govt, or possibly your
own British Govt, about having their expatriate population in
T&C, which by some estimates top 12,000, vote in T&C in
absentee balloting that would count in their home country. I was
amused by this because I and others have been proposing for years
to have T&C citizens abroad vote in absentee balloting that
would count in ourr home country's elections. The Dominican Republic
is supposedly not as advanced and sophisticated as the more North
American focused and Anglo Saxon raised possession called Turks
& Caicos. Despite that these people are smart enough to realize
their people abroad are an asset and should matter in important
affairs in their country. T&C citizens abroad are allowed
to vote in their country's elections only after fulfilling a 12
out of 24 month residency requirement in the Islands prior to
election date. This is unexplainable. In a country with the small
size of T&C where every vote should matter, their many citizens
abroad are essentially barred from voting yet the British, who
hold possession of T&C, allow themselves the ability to vote
in absentee balloting. In the United States Iranian citizens,
whose homes are halfway across the world, get to vote in their
country's election by absentee balloting, as does the Iraqis.
T&C is an hour and 20 minutes flying time from the US mainland
but it is made impossible for their citizens to vote in their
country's elections. This 12 of 24 month residency requirement
for eligibility to vote in T&C is not a requirement. It is
nothing more than a ridiculous impediment. Your British Govt in
their call for information specifically asked for information
from T&C citizens regarding human rights issues. This is most
assuredly a human rights violation against segments of the T&C
population.
r) This non-progressive 12 out of 24 month
residency requirement needs to be changed immediately. If the
British Govt can magically intervene in T&C law regarding
homosexuality matters to make themselves, and their included entities,
more acceptable as far as falling into OECD and EU guidelines,
then they most surely can change the T&C voting residency
requirement law so it can be in line with a lot of the world,
while at the same time ensuring this basic right of their dependent
territories T&C citizens.
ISSUE NO.5
p) Often in T&C it is unclear on whose
authority elected officials are making decisions. Decisions which
all too often have far reaching implications. It was recently
brought to my attention that the Provo Power Company, PPC, has
suddenly and quietly been exempted from paying its standard $100,000
duty cost per shipment of fuel delivery into T&C. This is
strange. As far as I know there was no exhaustive Legislative
Council debate on this matter. They routinely paid and then suddenly
they were exempted without explanation. How can this company,
the major electricity supplier to Providenciales, be suddenly
exempted from paying such a substantial amount to our govt Treasury
without explanation. And this takes place as their rates to consumers
continue to go through the roof, and as T&C Govt raises revenue
by soaking T&C citizens with increasing duties and licensing
and service fees. Have Ministers been granted financial favors
to make this happen?
r) T&C Govt need to explain this change
to its citizens. It seems illegal for this to have taken place
without any Legislative Council discussion and debate. Such departures
from procedure only serve to facilitate corruption and prove costly
and ruinous to the citizens in general. We need to know how this
exemption, a substantial amount in terms of T&C Treasury collectibles,
was arrived at and by whom. A proper investigation incorporated
into a Commission of Inquiry will shed much needed light on this
matter and determine if, how, and by whom the people of T&C
have been robbed of a substantial amount of their money.
ISSUE NO.6
p) There needs to be comprehensive Electoral
Reform in T&C. Individuals vying for political office can,
on registering as a candidate to the Elections Commission, declare
their net worth to be $40,000, and within two years be reported
to be worth millions. A current senior Minister in T&C Govt
actually did this. This is outrageous. And we wonder why there
is so much rumors of corruption in T&C. There is a lack of
oversight. Financial entities in T&C can throw money around
to candidates and their parties to bring about the desired outcome
for their business interests. And no one has to account for such
windfalls. Such behaviour fosters a climate of corruption in such
ventures as money laundering, narcotics trafficking and even human
trafficking, to name a few. This negatively affects the social,
moral, and financial well-being of the T&C populace, and often
leads to a deterioration of law and order.
r) The Elections Commission in T&C should
routinely require prospective election candidates to provide documents
outlining financial statements, business affiliations and interests,
a police record, and evidence of citizenship. Once provided the
Elections Commission should then be able to pass this on to an
agency that would be able to do an investigative check for any
irregularities or omissions. If any are found that are not properly
explained then this should impact the individual's ability to
offer themselves as a candidate. Just prior to the election the
candidates and their parties should once again submit financial
statements of donations they have received and given. Donations
received and given above a certain dollar amount should disclose
the name of the donor or recipient. Below that amount should not
require such disclosure. Then somewhere halfway through the term
of office this should be done again. In this way we would have
some tool for keeping our elected officials free from corruption,
conflict of interests, and manipulation and hijacking. Investigative
entities in T&C are unable to carry out such an undertaking.
This is where an agency like Scotland Yard could be very helpful
in providing a presence or service to help with this. As it stands
now it is a mismatch, where the party in power sells its influence
for financial donations which allow them to win hands down while
the other side, having little influence to offer, is woefully
out of the running. The situation was the same when the other
side was in power and enjoyed this privilege of influence. The
result is distorted elections that, instead of reflecting the
will and aspirations of the people, demonstrates the power of
the dollar. This is not good for democracy and the people of T&C.
ISSUE NO.7
p) This closing section covers a roundup
of some of the issues from my earlier submission that continue
to fester at this time. T&C Belongerships continue to be dispensed
like candy at a kids convention by the British Overseer and Governor.
The classified section of local newspapers displaying those being
considered for approval has only expanded since your Foreign Affairs
Committee initial call for submissions. The majority of them continue
to be granted on the same baffling premise that the individuals
applying have made significant economic and social contribution
to T&C, even though the places they are coming from are notoriously
economically and socially depressed. Of special note has been
the appearance of the spouses of two T&C Govt Cabinet Ministers
in the classified section, being considered for Belongership.
This is appalling that, in the face of a British Govt call for
submissions from T&C citizens on their concerns and opinions
of good governance, the spouses of two Ministers are attempting
to be granted a T&C privilege of Belongership, especially
since this was one of the main issues of concern to your Parliamentary
Foreign Affairs Committee. I did make my objections to this known
to the FCO and their local Overseer in T&C.
Illegal Immigration continues to rage in T&C,
as does legal Immigration where Ministers and their family and
cronies, at a whim, get to import laborers from halfway across
the globe whether or not there is a necessity for these laborers.
These individuals almost never return home once their labor commitments
are complete in T&C. This is creating a detrimental social
and economic "stretched elastic band" effect on T&C
society. The British Govt needs to promptly address this matter.
Since my earlier submission the leader of T&C,
Mike Misick, is fending off allegations of rape by an American
tourist. Though this remains only an allegation at this point
in time, investigators from another country, namely American FBI
agents, have been in T&C conducting forensic investigation
into this matter. This allegation is not surprising and falls
right in line with other excesses displayed by TC Govt elected
officials in this current Cabinet. These excesses include documents
showing Ministers awarding Crown Land to family and friends, sometimes
repeatedly. They include a Minister listening to a job idea from
a citizen, appropriating that idea and summarily creating such
a position for a family member. They include a Minister travelling
abroad with an inordinate sum of money far over and above the
allowed limit, and being detained by American Customs authorities.
They involve a Minister, the leader of T&C Govt, reported
to have physically assaulted an Opposition member of T&C Govt,
with the help of a foreign national, for doing nothing more than
photographing his entry into the country. In the process the camera
of Opposition member was illegally confiscated and later returned
with the film erased. In all of these instances there have been
no consequences as a result of these actions. In fact in the latter
case the Attorney General concluded that the incident did not
merit judicial action. With such unchecked behaviour is it any
surprise that T&C citizens are now sharing in the embarrassment
of the leader of their Govt being accused of, and investigated
for rape allegations? This clearly points to a lack of accountability
in T&C Govt. With little local checks and balances in place
to deter wrongdoing, and with those in place reluctant to do so,
what is there for these T&C Govt elected officials to fear?
And with the overarching authority of the FCO and their local
Overseer, the Governor, woefully inadequate in this area, what
is there for them to be concerned about? The result is do-as-I-like
elected officials that sooner or later bring national embarrassment
to the country. This has to change.
The T&C Govt Opposition recently presented
an Anti-Corruption Bill to the T&C Legislature. This Bill
had stipulations and penalties that would go a long way to curb
corrupt practices by elected officials. It is a mockery of what
transpired. Because of their majority in Govt, the sitting party
was unhindered in being able to water down just about every resolution
making the Bill equivalent to a dog with no teeth. The British
Govt needs to look immediately into this travesty if it is good
governance you desire in T&C.
Not long ago I had reason to be in contact with
the FCO on a matter related to T&C Govt and its Chief Auditor
selection, and my disaffection with the process. I visited their
website and was able to get contact information for two of their
leading officials, Honourable MP David Miliband and Honourable
MP Meg Munn, the latter heavily responsible for Overseas Dependent
Territories that include T&C. I forwarded both of them emails
describing my concerns in this matter. Imagine my consternation
when I got back emails from both individuals saying my email had
been sent to the wrong individuals who were MP's. It said that
the email would not be sent anywhere but would be discarded. It
was suggested that if I desired the FCO to get the email I should
forward to an address which was provided and appeared to be an
email pool of some kind. Responses from both individuals said
the email address I had sent to was reserved for constituents
of that MP's particular district in contacting them. In the case
of Honorable MP David Miliband it requested that I provide my
home address in his constituency of South Shields. I was quite
put off by this response and communicated as much to the person
who sent me the notice. Here is his response in part: "It
would be simpler for the Foreign Office to include an email address
which went direct to them—they have been asked to do so."
Clearly the respondent did not think much of the FCO system of
contact either, and thought it needed fixing. This contact with
the FCO clearly outlined how behind the times and ill-prepared
they are to deal with issues crucial to Dependent Territories
such as T&C, which they are charged with overseeing. It is
inconceivable that top level officials such as Honourables Munn
and Miliband, but especially the former, have special responsibility
in their portfolio for matters relating to T&C, but when contacted
they are inaccessible. In addition these "colonials"
attempting contact are made to understand that they are outsiders
who enjoy no such preferential treatment as members of the MP's
constituency. Clearly they have little or no representation. This
is despite the fact that these officials hold portfolios and are
paid for their duties of overseeing matters in the Dependent Territories.
How ridiculous. This is so antiquated, archaic, and antithetical
to good governance. This FCO modus operandi is a throwback to
colonial times in West Indian history where there existed a system
of "absentee plantation ownership," in which the plantation
owner retired to the European capitals of France and London for
long periods at a time, fleeing the tropical inconveniences of
heat, humidity, malaria, dengue fever and such, leaving Overseers
to manage their holdings. I would venture a guess that many of
those in the FCO charged with overseeing Overseas Territories
have never even set foot on those territories. This means that
your Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee can say that it is
ahead of the FCO in this regard, since members of your group have
gone to the Overseas Territory of T&C and taken oral evidence
from its citizens. This interaction with the FCO does not show
good governance by them, and indicates the need for drastic overhaul
in the way they do business.
r) The breakneck speed of Belongership giveaways
must stop. The fact that the spouses of two TC Govt Ministers
suddenly submitted requests for Belongership as soon as your Committee
began inquiries into T&C and as soon as there was news of
recall of the Governor clearly shows the free-for-all nature of
this enterprise, and an attempt to get in under the radar before
things got tighter. The Governor, an extension of the British
Govt, should not be doling out the T&C privilege of Belongership
as his heart desires. There needs to be an immediate moratorium
on this practice. This should be followed by a comprehensive overhaul
of this system once we know how pervasive and deep-rooted it is.
In order to know this we must conduct a Commission of Inquiry
in Turks & Caicos.
The ongoing disaster of illegal Immigration
is appalling. Despite FCO heads like Hon Meg Munn attempting to
lay the blame at the feet of T&C, it must be stressed that,
as a British colony, the territorial integrity, security, and
protection of T&C is the responsibility of the British Govt.
They need to promptly implement naval patrols to ensure this.
If they can conduct regular air patrols at the end of the earth
to protect their territory of the Falkland Islands, then why the
neglect of the much closer territory of Turks & Caicos? Why
the double standard?
The legal Immigration into T&C is having
a detrimental effect across the board in T&C society. I will
mention one effect that, believe it or not, has to do with Crown
Land acquisition. A number of legal immigrants come to the Islands
as contract employees of T&C Govt. In short order these individuals
gain Belongership and then promptly apply for, and are awarded,
Crown Land. This is absolutely appalling. Crown Land should be
reserved for T&C indigenous citizens. With the explosion in
immigration to T&C, coupled with the static birth rate of
indigenous Islanders, this policy will quickly ensure that the
indigenous T&C citizens become homeless at the expense of
the new immigrants. In a recent local newspaper FCO official,
Hon Meg Munn touted tough new Crown Land laws to be implemented
in T&C. Does she even know of this particular insane Crown
Land practice? I doubt it very much. She and her agency wants
to put in new laws when they have no idea what laws have been
circumvented, ignored, or the extent of abuse of those laws. This
is not sound. A Commission of Inquiry is a must for any such new
developments to work.
In the matter of excesses by elected officials,
there needs to be more accountability, and checks and balances
put in place in T&C. My discussion above of the office of
Complaints Commissioner addresses this issue.
The watered-down fate of the Anti-Corruption
Bill says a lot about transparency and accountability in T&C
Govt. It is a travesty that the sitting govt, with its overwhelming
majority, was able to render this Bill so inconsequential. Allowing
this outcome to stand will indicate that the British Govt does
not care one whit about good governance in T&C. The British
need to either put implementation of this corruption-friendly
modified Bill on hold pending further discussion and overhaul,
or decree implementation of the original Bill in its entirety.
If the British Govt can decree homosexuality laws on T&C to
make itself more acceptable and in line with OECD and EU requirements,
as they did some years ago, then the latter option should not
be too difficult for them to pull off.
If it is truly good governance that is desired
by the British for its Overseas Dependent Territories then the
glaring first place to start is with the FCO. This agency is the
authority charged with overseeing the affairs of these territories.
However, their performance of this duty leaves a lot to be desired.
By their own utterances they admit to being uninformed. Hear.
Hear. Not only are they uninformed. They display a moribund and
antiquated disposition, have poor lines of communication with
the jurisdictions, and do not seem to answer to anyone, least
of all the people who they supposedly oversee. This is seen quite
clearly in their conclusion that no Commission of Inquiry is warranted
in T&C, and one could only be carried out at the wishes of
the Governor. The same Governor, their chosen Overseer, who they
admitted kept them in the dark about events in T&C. Total
nonsense. This is about T&C citizens and how they have been
victimized and abused by their leaders. They were allowed to do
this because the ultimate overseers, the Foreign & Commonwealth
Office, have not carried out their duties of oversight, such as
implementing accountability and enforcement mechanisms so as to
ensure good governance. As a result the territory is awash in
corruption, victimization, lawlessness, reluctance to freely express
opinion, and fear of reprisals. It is imperative that a Commission
of Inquiry be conducted post haste if there is to be progress
in this territory of Turks & Caicos. Thank you.
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