Caribbean Net New
Premier Michael Misick
PROVIDENCIALES, Turks and Caicos Islands: Several Progressive National Party (PNP) Members of the Turks and Caicos House of Assembly issued a lengthy press release on Thursday disputing Tuesday’s late night speech by Premier Michael Misick, and taking issue with “a shopping spree” to Paris by private jet for the Premier and his mistress at government expense.
The seven named signatories to one version of the release were Finance Minister and Deputy Premier Floyd Hall; Lillian Boyce, who was fired as Minister of Health on Wednesday; Karen Delancy; Amanda Misick; Wayne Garland; Gregory Lightbourne and Samuel Been.
However, another version of the same press statement received by Caribbean Net News shows only six names, with Floyd Hall omitted. At press time we have been unable to determine which copy is the official and final version.
In the meantime, sources in Providenciales have told Caribbean Net News that Hall has confided that he intends to resign after he gives evidence to the Commission of Enquiry, which starts public hearings next week. It is unknown at this time if this resulted in the addition or withdrawal of his name from the document.
Deputy Premier Floyd Hall
The seven named MPs, along with two others, Royal Robinson and Norman Saunders, were part of earlier group that wrote to Governor Gordon Wetherell last month expressing no confidence in the Premier. Misick reacted to that letter by requesting the Governor to prorogue the House of Assembly sine die.
It is unclear at this time where the loyalties of Robinson and Saunders lie. Robinson has recently been seen at the Middle Caicos Christmas party with Minister Jeffrey Hall who is loyal to Misick. Also, on Thursday, Robinson was appointed Minister for Health and Human Services, replacing Boyce, who now moves to the backbench.
Also known to be loyal to Misick is Galmo ”Gilly” Williams and McAlister “Piper” Hanchell. Norman Saunders, himself a former Chief Minister, currently represents his PNP party as the long serving representative from South Caicos. Saunders embarrassed the country in the mid 1980s when he was arrested and jailed on drug trafficking charges in the USA. After five years in prison, he was re-elected and has kept his seat through the years.
The apparent purpose of the press statement is to take issue with Premier’s position that the rifts in the PNP party have been healed and to re-state that his leadership is still contested by the rebel MPs.
The statement said that the Premier’s assertion that a meeting on Monday represented healing of tensions within the government was untrue and, in fact, both Deputy Premier Hall and then Minister Boyce again called for the Premier’s resignation.
Recently fired Health Minister Lillian Boyce
The press release set out at length the discontent with the lifestyle and leadership style of Premier Misick. Some of the stronger statements included: “We have watched in disbelieve as the resources of our country have been squandered on an unsustainable materialistically oriented lifestyle. We have watched in stunned silence as our cautious and warnings have been rudely rebuffed.”
There was an apology for “not bringing the Premier to heel.” The MPs indicated that, with the country’s financial resources in disarray, they are sorry they cannot assist September hurricane victims from government resources.
“Notwithstanding, the Premier saw fit to recently charter a jet to Paris for a shopping spree for himself and his mistress at the expenses of the Government and the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands,” the release said.
This last statement represents the event that the members of parliament claim ended their continued acceptance of Premier Misick. They went on to say: “The Premier has also brought us notoriety abroad that is usually associated with the most despotic and parasitic of regimes worldwide.”
The MPs said that they have urged the Governor and the (British) Foreign Office to call a new session of the House to continue the conduct of the legitimate business of the country including the removal of the premier from office.
The statement also accused Misick of attempting to bribe three of the backbench members with ministries if they will join with him. They went on to say, “The offers were politely declined.”
The statement claimed that the seven (or six) MPs sponsored the no-confidence motion. However, it was in fact the three-member People’s Democratic Movement (PDM) opposition who first presented the motion of no confidence in the House of Assembly, which appears to have started the entire current contentious state of affairs within the PNP membership and its leadership.
The press statement was read in its entirety on Radio Turks and Caicos “Expressions” show by former PNP Chief Minister and talk show host Robert Hall. After the broadcast, a TCI resident called in, saying that the only reason these ministers were “leaving the ship” was because the money has all been spent. “Where were they months and years ago when all this was going on? They are no better than the Premier and they all have to go,” the caller said.