South Florida Caribbean News 6th March 2010
TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS - Statement from Mr Douglas Parnell, leader of the PDM ) People's Democratic Movement) Party in Turks and Caicos regarding the move for both parties to march on Monday (Commonwealth Day public holiday) against the UK direct rule and the impending constitutional reform on the horizon. The reform has been rejected by indigenous people because it excludes them.
In a democracy where there are differing political and other views, occasions of UNITY are rare. Some persons have asked “why UNITE now?”
What is the purpose of uniting and what will we accomplish? Constitutionally, we are in a neutered state and the weapons to disenfranchise Turks and Caicos Islanders from our rights have long been formed. My faith and hope is that through a process of unleashing the largest show of UNITY ever witnessed in the Turks and Caicos Islands we can defeat our common opponent- a spirit of vengeance, fear and ignorance perpetrated by a system of governance and of minority forces who are against the interest and rights of Turks and Caicos Islanders, who are fighting to diminish our rights and privileges and who are seeking to unjustly bind our country with greater levels of destructive policies that will not bring about the change needed to spiritually, politically, economically and socially develop our country. Put simply, we have to stand to stop our voice from being silenced and our people overshadowed.
We are marching for our rights to determine what makes up our Constitution. We are marching for our rights to determine who is entitled to the voting franchise. We are marching for our rights to determine the type of democracy we seek to be under. We are marching to protect the rights for our future Turks and Caicos Islanders. We are marching for our rights to determine, as a people, who we will allow to work and reside in our country. We are marching for the rights of all our people. We are marching for a return of our rights as a people.
If we do not come together now we will lose our rights as a people to chart our own destiny. If we do not come together now our new constitution will not represent the wishes of Turks and Caicos Islanders and can be forced upon us. If we do not come together now we can lose our country forever. This is not a situation that we can afford to sit and do nothing about. This is not a situation that confronts my party alone. It confronts us all, as a people. I have called for our people to come together. This is not an endorsement of PNP plans, policies or persons.
This is about the Turks and Caicos people which include all of us, PDM AND PNP alike. We must act in UNITY on Monday March 8th. UNITY shows our strength. The March in March presents our people with a rare opportunity to show to ourselves and equally to show the world that we stand together when confronted with common challenges. I am therefore, again, calling on all persons of the TCI to answer the call for UNITY by supporting the Unity March this Monday 8th of March. I have read the press release issued by the Leader of the PNP where he accepts this timely call to support the UNITY March on a day when we shall come together as ONE people of the TCI. This period calls for mature citizenship and mature dialogue and a mature response to our challenges.
In light of his response and the response from all segments of my party for a UNITED front against these devices that seek to separate us from our rights, divide us as a people and install mechanisms in Government that are unrepresentative of our democracy and our people I ask for us to refer to this day as UNITY DAY; A day where we can all come together, setting aside our differences, and embracing our similarities and common heritage to begin charting the course and starting the work as ONE People, One Nation with one Purpose.
MAY GOD GUIDE AND PROTECT OUR BEAUTIFUL TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS.
4 comments:
The soul of the Turks & Caicos Islands, Diana De Gara, exposes these corrupt TCI politicians for what they are in her latest post on TCI Journl:
I had to cut and paste Michael Misick’s rants and raves into a new document and put them in lower case so I could even fathom what he was “screaming” at us as readers. And as Shaun Malcolm pointed out, it was the same reinvented drivel he’s been spouting since Sir Robin and Alex Milne slammed the steel cookie jar lid down on his thieving fingers.
The emotionalism directed at the former premier expressed in the post referenced by idmitch is noted. The larger picture remains the unilateral suspension of the elected government by the UK, and its outright refusal to allow for a constitutional remedy. The heavy-handed insertion of direct rule from London continues to be the major point of focus even as there are those who would benefit from - or are more comfortable with - colonial rule in the Turks & Caicos Islands, or in any other territory.
Not posting any further comments...Hmmmm......interesting.....
See above substantive discussion on this issue.
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