Celebrating Turks and Caicos Islands’ Success: governors farewell praise for the Islands

Our Ambassador to Japan, Tim Hitchens,  noted recently that leaving a Post can be both sad and challenging. Jill and I have experienced that with  all  our postings, and Turks and Caicos Islands  (TCI) is certainly no exception.

I have been wondering how to  “sign off” these blogs, and a radio interview I was asked to give this month may have provided an answer. The co-anchor, Drexwell Seymour,  of the  Radio Turks and Caicos programme, “Financially Speaking”, invited me to join his programme for a farewell talk. I haven’t got a transcript, but a summary of his questions and my responses may be of wider interest.

What Has Been Your Role as Governor? 

First, as TCI remains from choice a monarchy, the Governor represents Her Majesty The Queen. One of the best examples of how this works is  the annual opening of the House of Assembly when I am invited to give a “throne speech” setting out the priorities of the elected Government – although, as I explained to Drexwell,  that speech is not mine, but the Government’s. In addition it is important for the Governor to be seen supporting important community events, like the opening of the High School on Long Bay, special church services for events like Heritage Month, Law Keepers,  or Remembrance Sunday, and events for the less well–off, sick or elderly. I was delighted to have one of Grand Turk’s oldest residents, Billy Fulford,  round for tea to mark the Queen’s 90^th birthday, and to send a personal message to centenarian Alfred Stubbs this month.

The Governor also has a responsibility to look after UK and international  interests, for example ensuring that TCI abides by its commitments under law, and sharing with the Government a responsibility for our relations with regional neighbours like the Bahamas, Haiti and the Dominican Republic. In addition I try to ensure that domestic legislation and practice, for example in prisons and mental health, confirms as far as possible with accepted UK and international norms, as well as having  an overall responsibility for security.

Finally the Governor chairs the fortnightly sessions of Cabinet. Here decisions are normally reached by consensus, and only rarely is there a requirement, normally on financial grounds, to refer decisions to London. The Governor also has a responsibility , often shared with government, for appointments to a wide range of bodies like the Integrity and Human Rights Commissions, as well as their work.

What is the Aim of the New National Security Council, and How Do you View Security in TCI? 

The Police Commissioner proposed recently a National Security Council which the Premier and I co-chair. The aim is to discuss in a small group the country’s strategy towards security, including both domestic crime and illegal migration. An ordinance for the Council has just been agreed by Cabinet, and it also includes an Advisory Group including the opposition, business and community leaders. I hope there may be an opportunity to have a further meeting before I leave.

Compared to some of our neighbours we are in a better place on overall crime figures –  I was told recently that Trinidad has had over 300 murders so far  this year – but there is no room for complacency, and there are still too many murders and burglaries on island.  I also remain unhappy that there are unsolved murders, including in Grand Turk as well as Provo, although the recent arrest in connection with the death of two women from the DR is a boost to police morale and public confidence. The more the public take the police into their confidence the better. We are never going to reduce crime, and arrest wrongdoers, if there is a reluctance to pass on information.

How Do the Country’s  Finances Compare to Three Years Ago,  When You Arrived? 

This is a great success story, owing to a lot of work by many, and as Drexwell remarked,  not one that we pay enough attention to. To turn around the country from a UK guaranteed loan of $260 million when TCI was bankrupt to consecutive budget surpluses of over $40 million a year on average is phenomenal. It’s  not just me saying this – one of the world’s biggest ratings agency gave TCI a top notch rating which many countries crave. We should all celebrate this more than we do.

What Have been the Highlights of Your and Your Wife’s Time in TCI? 

Jill has become attached to seeing every week the juvenile prisoners. As a teacher of special needs, hopefully her time with them will help, at least at the margin, in their eventual rehabilitation into the community: and I believe they enjoy the cakes she brings,  and the twice yearly visit to our home!

Along with her other work with TCI charities, Jill’s annual Footseps4Good charity walk across TCI has been a fabulous way of meeting a cross section of the community in all the family islands as well as Grand Turk and Provo, especially from so many schools. It has generated well over $70,000 in the past two years for schools and local NGOs, and I hope there will be a big turnout for all the walks just before we leave, ending in Blue Haven, Provo, on 1 October. We are delighted that Waterloo Holdings have committed to keeping the walk going next year.

From a professional point of view the highlight has been the turnaround in the economy, which was my number one goal when I came here. Another target was reaching out to business, and although not many major new developments have yet appeared,  we ignore at our peril our existing developers like Parrot Cay, Amanyara, Grace Bay Club and the Hartling Group, whose principal owners  I’ve spent a good deal of time with many of them over the last three years.  I’m delighted to say  they have all committed to significant new investments over the last two years, which is a major boost to our economy.

I’m also optimistic that with the greater involvement of business with the public sector – for example with the ex-Finance Director of one of the UK’s top companies supporting our negotiations with Fortis and pushing the alternative energy agenda  and two prominent local businessmen,  Gilly Williams offering guidance to streamline work permits, and Ken Adams our infrastructure planning – we  will eventually see a more business and customer-friendly public sector.

I have also been happy to watch the success  of a number of new appointments during my term . The first female Chief Justice and Attorney General have made  a big mark  since they started,  I’ve praised the energy and commitment of the Police Commissioner and Prison Superintendent, and businesspeople have described our new Financial Services Commissioner as a breath of fresh air. Although they are new it is not too early for them to start considering succession planning, with I hope an increase in local employment: as we have done so successfully in the Governor’s Office, reducing the UK-based team from six when I arrived to just two.

How Optimistic Are You for Turks and Caicos in the Next Five Years? 

There should be nothing stopping these beautiful islands retaining and building on their reputation. We have secured a strong and robust place among Caribbean tourist destinations.  The growth of our villa market in the past two years has also been especially note-worthy, and made a big impact on our revenue. So long as we preserve and protect the natural beauty of our environment, which is currently world class,  don’t allow crime to increase, and build on our work to make this a  fair, transparent  and efficient place to do business, we should see further growth. Any backsliding in  those areas – environment, crime or governance – and we could quickly topple from our high ratings.

Above all it is to the youth of TCI that we must look  for our future success. Having  had meetings on several occasions with Olympian Delano Williams, and seen the pride the Cadets Corps take in their work and parades, I am confident that with Ambassadors for TCI like them the country can continue to prosper and thrive. I look forward to helping promote TCI wherever I travel, and coming back to see for myself its progress.