Dear Sir:
Please permit me to respond to Simon Garland as well. The first point made by Garland is wrong and made in the absence of special information. If they have the information then they do so maliciously. In reference to the contribution of Jamaicans he stated “as they clearly are not doing all they can to promote the best image of Jamaica in our beautiful by nature Turks and Caicos Islands.” This is wrong on a number of fronts.
Most Jamaicans who come to live here in the TCI have integrated themselves well into the TCI Community. We share a common experience with them.
The people who have contributed include Mrs Yvonne Hutchinson who started Precious Treasures Primary School some 20 plus years ago and has developed a school with high international standards and most of her graduates have gone on to be high achieving university graduates. This school has made a powerful contribution to the TCI and its educational development. There is no denying.
Her husband Allan Hutchinson has helped many Turks and Caicos Islanders, advised many, gave to many, counseled many, gave his last to many and has not gone around town talking about it. Those he has helped often talk about it.
Mrs Emma Newman, the mother in law of Washington Misick, started Newman’s Preparatory Primary School in Grand Turk and in Providenciales and this school has made in and of itself a good contribution to these islands.
The students and parents from these schools, including the Maranatha Primary School, need to speak and say what kind of contribution that these fine Jamaicans, who have made themselves one of us have mad to these islands. Let’s be fair and not malicious.
But we need to be fair minded, not malicious and tell the people who the true perpetrators of crime in these islands are. In doing this we do not need to be hypocrites. If one person does a crime, does it mean that all of his family are criminals? If the father of a home is a criminal does that mean that his children are criminals? If the Premier and 99% of his ministers are criminals, which 58% of us have elected and perhaps will elect again with a few bribes, does that mean that we all are criminals? No!
So the statement about a few Jamaicans who commit crimes being placed on the law abiding Jamaicans must be an unfair one. Where these statements are unfair the Jamaican Consul’s statement that there are mostly other Jamaicans making a fair contribution to these islands must be true. This is true because we can tangibly see what our Jamaican brothers and sisters are doing to make these islands a better place. The attack on the Jamaican Consul and our brothers and sisters is unfair, wrong and misguided.
The writer, Simon Garland, then goes on a false premise when he writes, “We all know that he was swept away to nothing when the PNP won and he was put in his place by Mike Misick, who called the transaction with Holland America the height of corruption at the time of the 2003 General Elections.” Well, Mike Misick has put someone in his place? Don’t you think if our people woke up to Mike in 2003 we would have had our economy, 1,000s of acres of land and our Constitution would not be on the way out again?
What the writer will not admit but will well know is this. Mike Misick and his entire PNP government have personally benefited from the Holland American cruise deal. They gave away 30 acres of prime land on White Sands beach that Oswald Skippings as Chief Minister in 1988-1991 purchased from developer Tommy Strassburger because the PNP Government of Norman Saunders gave the land away for a pittance. He mentions the height of corruption in 2003 but provides no evidence to support any of his statements. Please bring the evidence and please show your facts Simon Garland.
But here are some facts:
- The cruise deal negotiated between Allan Hutchinson and the PDM government was a deal where most residents of Grand Turk and the people of the TCI would have benefitted from the deal had it remained in downtown Grand Turk
- Today ministers of the PNP Government are personally benefitting from the deal. They have muscled their way into the jewelry stores and the other jewelry operations on the cruise dock in Grand Turk.
- This was not the deal that the PDM negotiated. The deal that the PDM and Oswald Skippings had in mind was to create stores downtown Grand Turk that Belongers from all over the islands would own and that the island would be beautified. It was truly an empowerment programme that had our people in mind but the people bought the lies of Mike Misick and he sold them out.
- The PNP sold this one out. The sand on Governor’s beach is removed because of the bad construction and the people of the TCI are short changed.
- There was never any secret deal between Allan Hutchinson or Oswald Skippings. This is a Mike Misick lie. So it can never be believed anyhow.
- Again we must ask you to bring the evidence.
We cannot comment on the David Smith point as it is before the court. We know that since coming here to the islands, Smith has befriended many, has given to many and many have benefitted from his presence. We need to await the verdict because if Smith is exonerated then the allegations would have to be withdrawn as they would have proven to be premature. No comment on Smith.
Next the writer could not have been suggesting that Allan Hutchinson was referring to Butch Stewart when he asks “is it Butch Stewart, the hotelier? Mr Stewart is famous for under-paying Turks Islanders and promoting only Jamaicans to coveted positions in his local hotel. His latest trick is the Italian Village , which was built by Chinese workers.. We all have come to know that Chinese workers are used as slaves in this country and the practice of cheap Chinese labour will have serious ramifications on our international reputation. He has marginalised Turks Islander musicians but, more importantly, operates the most destructive type of resort for our country -- all inclusive -- which sends the message that the country is crime-riddled like his native Jamaica”.
- All of these comments about Butch Stewart are true, he has laid off 400 workers in Jamaica with plans to bring them here, he is building his resort here in the TCI with cheap Chinese workers. He will bring them in with the approval of the government who will lie to the people on this issue again.
- But we the people of the TCI voted for this. We knew that going into the elections that this cheap labour problem was taking jobs away from our people but we voted overwhelming for 13-2 and nothing to do. We cannot now attack this labour problem because it has the approval of 58% of our people.
- We have licensed this Beaches resort; we said nothing when hardworking honest TCIslanders like Angela Tucker and other others were fired from Beaches with the help of the PNP government. You cannot blame Jamaicans for that. Please blame your government who you have elected.
This Beaches problem is our problem and we have to take the blame for it. But why single out a few Jamaicans for what is really a Turks and Caicos problem. We have accepted this. We are not demonstrating, we are not demanding that our businesses in these islands hire Belongers, our ministers are giving out the work permits and because we are friends, relatives or party supporters we say nothing. Once it is my Gilley who is taking my job away its okay. The 2007 elections were held, we knew that the PNP Government was granting work permits to other nationalities and this government was elected with an overwhelming majority to hurt our people more. But we find it necessary to blame the Jamaicans. What hypocrites some of us are!
Then rhyming Simon goes off on a tangent when he makes the following remarks. “Or maybe Mr Hutchinson is talking about the Jamaican associated with Southern Health Network and QuikCash, Delroy Howell, who has overseen the greatest increase in our overseas payments for healthcare. The government has said that we have already paid $30 million so far this year for healthcare overseas. No wonder the country is broke.”
- We know that Delroy Howell is a subject and person of interest to the Commission of Enquiry.
- That Howell is operating in these islands through these money transfer companies,
- That Howell is part of the health care scam with Floyd Hall and that they both are involved in overpricing the cost of medical care in these islands.
Again this is a bad connection, bad for these islands and has nothing to do with the remarks that Allan Hutchinson was making about the positive contribution that the Jamaican community has been making to our islands and our people. This is a criminal issue that must be reported to the police and we are sure that the Commission of Enquiry has full information from the Opposition on this scam. But again it reflects negatively on Turks and Caicos Islanders also. Because you have the Deputy Premier involved with this man.
Allan Hutchinson does not deal or really know this man. To appear at a grand opening does not mean you are a part of the company, namely Moneygram. If that’s the case then we are all guilty of contributing to IGA’s high prices because we all shop there and support those high prices. What’s this? Guilt by attending a party?
Next we have another erroneous statement about monies leaving the islands. “Nevertheless, I can't tell the difference between MoneyCenter and MoneyGram they are all red and bleeding the country dry. In fact, with all the tens of millions of dollars that has been sent from the Turks and Caicos Islands to Jamaica , one would think that, after Hurricane Ike when we needed it most, the Jamaican government would contribute to the TCI rebuilding effort. They have sent us nothing. Trinidad beat Jamaica to the punch.”
- Sir, Simon, tens of millions of dollars are not in the islands because the ministers of the Turks and Caicos government have these monies in their pockets. Furthermore they have made deals with investors that would keep monies outside of these islands.
- Most Jamaicans in the category of Mr Hutchinson have not been sending their monies home. They have been investing their monies here, built homes, established businesses, and made investments. They have educated their children here and made massive sacrifices in these islands they now call home. We call them our brothers and sisters.
- We must blame the shortage of funds for rebuilding on ourselves. We voted for this government. They have stolen most of the monies and if we shake them down there would be more than enough monies to aid the rebuilding effort. We must also know that most aid agencies and governments refuse to send monies in because they fear that the monies will end up in the ministers’ pockets before the aid gets to the people.
- This is a problem of honesty and not a Jamaican problem. Please let’s focus.
Next the statement about another Jamaican is unfair. It goes “Who is the new owner of MoneyGram? You guessed it -- a Jamaican. WIV reports him as one Nelson Christian Stokes. He says he came here to help build the country. But first, he must transfer as much money out of the economy as is possible. That is a funny way to help build a country. It’s like the doctor who says I have to kill first before I cure the illness.”
- Nelson Christian Stokes parents came to the islands as teachers in the old days;
- Stokes was born in Grand Turk
- By our standards he is a Turks and Caicos Islander. Native to the soil and native to the land.
Finally, Simon you state that “Besides your beautiful country and ‘what not’ Jamaica is known for crime, i.e. murder and drug dealing with the added menace of social and societal degenerators, such as financial calamity, poverty, political corruption and crookedness.
“Please examine the hard fact that one of our very own Turks and Caicos Islanders was a victim of an attempted murder by a Jamaican and he was found guilty and sentenced to 15 years in prison. You should be apologising to the Turks and Caicos for all the deeds by you and your people and so, when you go back to Jamaica, tell your Jamaican government to send us some money back. It will be the first real contribution made by Jamaica without expectation of profit or greater returns”
- We know that Jamaica like other nations in the world have had their social problems and this is no attempt to cover it up. But your statement is so unfair it is not funny.
- It cannot reflect the majority of the Jamaican people who have made a proud contribution to the world. Like Usain Bolt at the Olympics 2008, Colin Powell, basketball player Patrick Ewing , and many others.
- Jamaica, like other Caribbean nations, is easing out of poverty owing to years of hard work and dedication.
- TCI and Jamaican relations, despite your biased and researched letter, remain strong and that’s why the Government of Jamaica has honoured us by sending us a Jamaican Consul.
Your letter, Simon, needs a little balance and further research especially when you say “In fact, it is dead accurate as to what Jamaica has become known for and not Turks and Caicos until now.”
- You forget the work of Herbert Sadler who was in the islands since the 1950s and he wrote the book on Turks and Caicos history wherein he challenged age old European ideas on the landfall of Columbus.
- You ignore the contribution of Emma Newman, Yvonne Hutchinson, the positive impact Allan Hutchinson and others have had on this community.
Let us not be unfair to the children of Jamaicans who have lived here, become immersed in the community, have made good friends here, have married people here and are one of us in mind and in spirit. Let us unite with our Caribbean brothers and sisters to build this nation.
Alfred Forbes |
