In a November commentary, I made the case for suspending the TCI Constitution. I argued that local officials have fostered a culture of “corruption and serious dishonesty.” And that this has been self-evident for years. 

Britain suspends TCI Constitution

Yesterday, the British government finally released Sir Robin Auld’s Interim Report. It delineates the findings of a Commission of Inquiry into political corruption in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI).

The Report’s bottom line is that government officials display “clear signs of political amorality and immaturity and general administrative incompetence.”

But no fairminded TCIslander needed this Report to find out that our government is rife with unethical, if not criminal, behavior. 

TCI Governor Gordon Wetherell reacted immediately. He announced a two-year suspension of all constitutional power, duty, or function vested in the Premier, the Cabinet, or any Member of Parliament.

All such power, duty, or function will now be vested in the Governor. He will perform or exercise that power, duty, or function at his discretion with the aid of an Advisory Council and a Consultative Forum.

The British began devolving political power to the TCI (and other Overseas Territories) nearly three decades ago. But this is the second time local governance has compelled Britain to suspend our Constitution. (The first time was in 1986, pursuant to a similar report.)

Alas, the findings in this Report left the British no choice but to take this extraordinary step … backwards. After all, they retain responsibility for good governance in the TCI. But I suspect this suspension is as frustrating for the British as it is humiliating for TCIslanders. 

Premier Misick blames me

Premier Michael Misick has taken to the floor of Parliament to blame me for bankrupting the TCI. Therefore, it’s hardly surprising that he’s doing so again to blame me for the British suspending local rule.

Except that, while the former is plainly absurd, the latter has merit. Therefore, I feel obliged to address it. 

By suspending our Constitution, the British commit to what we’ve failed to do ourselves. They are saving the TCI from a state of dysfunction, destitution, and dictatorship, the likes of which the Commonwealth has only ever seen in Zimbabwe. Sir Robin’s Report makes clear that local politicians were leading us down a primrose path towards this end. 

Of course, the British are not motivated entirely by altruism. In making the case I cited above, I delineated their complicity in the corruption and administrative incompetence this Report documents. That’s why I championed calls for the British to clean up the mess they enabled to pile up. 

Incidentally, Misick is pleading with the UN, CARICOM, and other international forces to halt this suspension. But this only betrays his pathologically delusional state of mind. Because anyone in their right mind knows none of those entities have the remotest interest in preventing the British from holding him to a long-overdue account. 

Constitutional reforms

Governor Wetherell has prioritized getting the TCI’s fiscal affairs in order. He has already retained forensic accountants (“from an ‘International Flying Squad’ of experts”) to audit, restructure and oversee government finances. That should reassure TClslanders and foreign investors alike.

In an Open Letter to the Commission of Inquiry, I highlighted the necessary measures to reform our civil service. They are necessary to transform the ‘cross-party culture’ that made corruption the norm in TCI. And the British must implement them to attract the foreign direct investments we need for sustainable development. 

I also noted in that Open Letter that there’s a silver lining in the years it will take rich countries to recover from the global financial crisis. Because that gives us time to implement reforms to make the TCI a more attractive place for all kinds of foreign investments.

We should be equally relieved that the British have signaled their intent to restore unqualified respect for the rule of law. Foremost, they will prosecute all TCIslanders this Report implicates. Here is what Sir Robin said in this regard:

I can confirm that consideration is being given to the establishment of a special civil recovery team, and the need to bolster the capacity of the police and to appoint a special prosecutor to undertake prosecutions which may be warranted in keeping with any evidence of criminality.

The British seem determined to make good governance foolproof with these measures. We need to imbue our national pride with more than misguided bravado. So, we cannot afford to strike out.

Message to TCIslanders

I called over two years ago for TCIslanders to force Misick to resign. Had we done so, we would have avoided this fateful suspension of our Constitution.

Now, we must do whatever we can and bear whatever burden we must to implement these reforms. For most TCIslanders, this means demonstrating a new sense of personal and civic responsibility. 

For others, however, it will require sacrifice and initiative. Because reforms to professionalize and streamline our civil service will render many government jobs redundant. And it will be a challenge for many to find commensurate private-sector jobs.

Finally, rhetoric suggests that there is as much difference between the PNP and PDM in the TCI as there is between the Sunni and Shia in Iraq. But this is not so. Frankly, what unites us makes our political differences seem utterly petty by comparison.

Moreover, members of the PDM must realize they do not have a monopoly on fiscal prudence and good governance. Likewise, members of the PNP must realize they do not have a monopoly on national pride and a desire for self-determination.

The time has come to put aside perceived party interests for the sake of our country. Resist the impulse to exploit, resist, or undermine this interim process for political gain. 

Instead, join grass-roots efforts to foster economic development. Embrace a new spirit of citizenship based on what we do for our country, not on what we get from it.

In this respect, I urge long-settled expatriates to see this crisis as an opportunity to come out of your cocoon of political isolation. Reciprocal prejudices and presumptions have kept you there for far too long.

Demonstrate your spirit of citizenship by mentoring TCIslanders to help build a more sustainable TCI.

May God bless (and help) us.

* This commentary will be published today also at Caribbean Net News and The TCI Journal