| On schedule for 2011: Bryant reports TCI moving toward self-rule | | Print | |
| Thursday, 25 March 2010 13:42 | |||
 U.K. Foreign Office Minister Chris Bryant told the House of Commons that the Turks and Caicos Islands should be returned to self rule on schedule in July 2011 with anti-corruption measures in place and a new system of granting Crown land and Belongships. “We are keen to return to full constitutional government in TCI as soon as possible,” Bryant told the TCI All Party Group on March 23 in Westminster Hall. “We have to clarify a series of different things and change the system of Belongership and how that is handed out. We must change the allocation of Crown lands, and ensure that the electoral system is ready. However, unless there is some terrible problem, our clear commitment is to have elections in July 2011, which is the date when the next round of elections would have been held.” Bryant did not elaborate on how granting Belongership should be changed, but he said the fact that only 7,000 of 36,000 TCI residents can vote, sit on juries and own land helps feed a “vicious circle” of corruption. People’s Democratic Movement Leader Doug Parnell criticized Bryant’s comments in a press conference March 24. “In response to (Bryant’s) comments our party is now calling for an immediate freeze on the granting of Belongership except by marriage, until an elected government can put a process in place that will express the clear wishes of the people of the TCI and its current franchise holders,” Parnell said. Such a moratorium has been in place since the interim government took control of the country last summer. Bryant had strong criticism for a number of huge government construction contracts that will plague the country’s finances for years to come. “The financial situation is difficult, and part of my sense of anger about the situation in TCI is that it is difficult in part because some enormous contracts were awarded,” Bryant said. “Contracts were awarded for 25 years using PFI (private finance initiative) and PPP (public-private partnership) arrangements and, in the case of the two hospitals, it was unclear how important or necessary those arrangements were at all, let alone the cost that they have come in at. “That is going to weigh as a heavy financial burden on the people of TCI in the future, making it difficult for the governor to come forward with a sustainable economic model for the next few years.” David Clelland is chairman of the TCI All Party Group that he created after visiting the TCI in 2004 shortly after the Progressive National Party took control of the government. “Personally, I was concerned about the apparent lack of experience of the ministers and vowed to inaugurate an all-party group in Parliament to engage with TCI politicians on their regular visits to London. This I did, but until yet more problems arose regarding accusations of maladministration and corruption following a visit by the Select Committee on Foreign Affairs, TCI ministers did not give much priority to meeting us on any regular basis.” “At the start of this new century, there is a 50-year history of constitutional changes that have not bedded down into the people’s consciousness; a history of corruption amongst politicians; and, worse, examples of ministers charged in the USA with felonies and drug trafficking, yet continuing to hold public office,” Clelland said. “We also have examples of a civil service that is blatantly embroiled in politics,” Clelland continued. “This extremely volatile situation was not helped by the emergence of wealthy eastern European groups seeking investment opportunities in TCI….” Clelland said he understands how TCI residents might feel that there has been a return to colonialism, but he said the U.K. wants nothing of the kind. “We have to make a clean break with the mistakes of the past. We have to create a path towards economic and political stability that will last — unlike previous attempts. The economy has to be sustainable and financially sound. Above all, the new economic and political systems have to be transparent and strong enough to withstand the possibility of corruption.” Bryant said the another important part of returning the TCI to self-rule is the Special Investigation and Prosecution Team headed by Helen Garlick looking into allegations of government corruption leveled in Sir Robin Auld’s final Commission of Inquiry report. “I hope that the investigation led by Helen Garlick is able to proceed without interference and brought to a successful conclusion, not least so that some of the assets that have frankly been stolen from the people of TCI can be returned,” Bryant said. A full transcript of the full debate is available here.
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