LAST YEAR, WE ISSUED A REPORT CARD, THIS YEAR WE ISSUE AWARDS. MID TERM AWARDS PRESENTED TO PNP GOVERNMENT MINISTERS DURING THE PDM’S MIDTERM PRESS CONFERENCE HELD TODAY AT THE PARTY’S HEADQUARTERS IN PROVIDENCIALES THE OUT OF CONTROL AWARD This Award goes to the Minister of Border Control, Hon R D Gardiner. This Minister tends to go missing from Parliament causing questions to be answered by him to be deferred. He does whatever he can to avoid answering questions. His walk out of a public meeting recently and the former Premier’s reaction inspired the name of this Award “The Minister of Border Control has been out of control for too long”. Out of control for certain when he uses the Immigration Bill as a political football in an attempt to pander to a particular nationality while criticizing the Opposition PDM for have concerns with the entire Bill which is problematic and lacks the constitutional requirement to consult. Under his management, there has been no earth shattering changes in Border Control and Labour that improved efficiency, policing, enforcement or service and which is needed. The Immigration Bill is the single major Policy statement from this Ministry which seems indifferent to the many issues including the all -important MOU with Haiti which seems to be getting more of a push from the Governor. We ought to have known that the Minister was out of control since he had a near melt down in the House of Assembly in a rant against the Speaker which forced an Adjournment. And like him illegal migration, abuse and inequities on the job, numbers of illegal migrants and too many employers are out of control. THE ALICE IN WONDERLAND AWARD This Award goes to the Premier. It is still surprising to us that the Premier thinks that he is doing a great job as leader of this country. Under his Administration, it appears that developers seem to be having more of a hand in shaping policy. He refuses to consult with the people on many issues and often selects a “stakeholder” group to his liking. The Premier seems to be living in Wonderland especially when he continues to boast of an increase in tourism as if he has shaped any Policy or increased the Tourist Board’s marketing Budget to achieve this. The Premier has not increase Tourist’s Budget at all save for passing through the $500k for Beaches. The truth is long winters have seen an increase in tourism and we are benefiting from mother nature. The Premier brags about his Government’s surplus when the country is falling to pieces and running on auto pilot. He termed this year’s Budget, a big deal Budget. It was void of funding for critical areas. for example there was a lack of funding for an efficient, well compensated properly staffed and trained civil service, lack of funding scholarships, lack of supplies for Clinics, no increase for Tourist Board under his leadership, no increase in financial support for the National Trust, no stimulus packages for Family Islands. The Premier named a Heritage Month and has not been supportive of the National Trust. Like the Civil Service, he has yet to meet them or support their events. He does not mention them the National Trust in his Portfolio but yet he believes that he is a lover of TCI and all we stand for. There is no fight or strength in the leadership of this current Premier. When he chooses to fight, he cost the country as in the case of the way he chose to handle the former AG with whom the country settled to avoid court action. His fight in the Court against the Attorney General was struck out and silently abandoned until I posed a question during the last House Meeting. Last year the Premier said that he had accomplished a large portion of his Manifesto and we showed the people the pages he referred and proved him to be telling an untruth. He maintains that his Manifesto is his Bible. We can only conclude that the Premier has escaped the real world for an extended stay in Wonderland. Congratulations Hon Premier, he deserves this Award. TAX AND ROLL BACK AWARD This Award goes to the Minister of Finance whose actions have changed the name of the Turks and Caicos Islands to that of the Tax and Caicos Islands. Rather than making serious steps towards the diversification of the economy, his strategy was to tax an already shrinking economy. His efforts have seen a smaller economy, a higher cost of living, greater burden on the tax payer, unemployment where there were loss of jobs and income due to decrease in business or closure of businesses and an enlarging of the black market sending businesses underground. Despite warnings he continued to introduce new taxes having to roll back a few as it resulted in the effects that the Opposition warned about eg the Customs Duty on construction material. There was a time when tax introduction dates changed or were dropped and persons were left not knowing if a tax was on the Book or not. He created a serious air of uncertainty and a higher cost of doing business during a time when we should have been open for business and attracting inward investment. His failed Payroll Tax Bill was the confirmation that he deserved this Award. The entire nation said no and he said yes, forced a Debate and then rolled back. Congratulations to Hon Charles Washington Misick for the Tax and Roll Back Award THE BLAME ‘EM AWARD This Award goes to the Hon George Lightbourne. This Ministry continues to be grossly underfunded. There are many plans on the Shelf in this Ministry which cannot be carried out. Roads and Buildings could not be in a worst state. The need for a proper maintenance schedule has been called for over and over. Many Offices need to be vacated and others have been abandoned for their deteriorating and dangerous conditions. A logging of Government’s Asset has fallen on deaf ears. Disaster Preparedness is in need of attention, support and funding. The cost of fuel remains one of the greatest contributors to the high cost of living. Yet this Minister can find everyone to blame from his Staff to the EMS Supervisor to the Premier. He deserves this Award. Congratulations Hon George Lightbourne. THE ROADWAY AWARD This Award goes to the Hon Amanda Missick. This Award is for her lack of leadership on the use of the roadway. There remain many outstanding issues relating to the Taxi Industry. In fact a prominent Taxi Driver and President of one of the Taxi Association used the Tourism Strategy Session to air his dismay and disappointment on the failure of this Government to address their concerns. The matter of Illegal Jitneys and the many laws being broken remains unaddressed. There are crimes committed in this unchecked Industry which is used by many sectors of society, small unattended children and now by tourists. This is a seriously unnecessary risk that we do not have to take. There are also other illegal users of the road that remain unchecked. The increase in feral dogs is inexcusable and only requires a strict enforcement of existing laws. As recent as Saturday, feral dogs were seen barking at tourists walking along the Grace Bay street - Another unnecessary risk that can have dire consequences should any member of the public be attacked and especially a tourist. We hope that this Award will inspire the Hon Minister to address these issues. THE MISSING IN ACTION AWARD This Award goes to the Hon Porsha Smith. It is given for the lack of leadership in Health. The Healthcare system in this country is dire need of leadership on the issues and lack of resources. The burning issue is the financial burden of the Hospitals and then the care received. Persons are being turned away still and the Minister’s statement that no one is turned away from the Hospital for care shows how disconnected she is to the issues and challenges in this new healthcare system. The Financial Audit and Clinical Audits remain missing in action as well with no updates on its progress unless questions are asked in the House of Assembly. While the contaminated flood waters remain on the Island following Cristobal, the Minister left the country and left the health challenges during the clean - up efforts void of leadership. The Opposition PDM and the people of this country had to call on the Minister to address the dengue and chick v epidemic. She again attempted to go missing in action during the Press Conference. She remains missing in action on the largest expenditure item in the country’s Budget. She avoids Press Conferences and public appearances. She also tries to avoid answering questions in Parliament. After year one she confessed to not visiting the Well Centers and after year two, she has not yet visited the Home in South Caicos. Health requires leadership and Hon Smith is well deserving of the Missing In Action Leadership Award. THE SPIN DOCTOR AWARD This Awards goes to the Hon Akierra Missick She has the uncanny ability to spin a story in a flash. She is always able to provide reasons and different versions of reasons on any matter. She has used this talent in the preparation of Schools for the new school year casting blame on EMS as she says that she is not responsible for the upkeep of Schools. She has also used this in the local government issue where there ended up being three sides to the Government’s story and a rant by the Spin Doctor herself. Classic was her twist and misleading in the House of Assembly on the Hon Clarence Selver’s statement regarding the education consultation process and the timing of the sessions making them not accessible by educators. She has been able to spin her treatment of athletes in particular Delano Williams, the lack of a second High School in Provo or its proposed location, the Cadet Corp commencement whose changes we are yet to see and which were said to be the reasons for the delay, the decrease in scholarship awards under her watch and management, the confusion on the national priority categorization and scholarship policies generally, the dismissal and trivialization of the teachers’ concerns following industrial action at the CHHS where she said that she is not afraid of children, the TCICC whose challenges remain largely because of a lack of attention and policies from TCIG but whom she threatened to have reverted to a Government department “if they don’t pull their socks up”. Don’t try to nail down this Minister, she will spin on you. THE KILL THE BILL AWARD This goes to the people who continue to look to the Opposition PDM for leadership and representation. The people’s support on VAT but more importantly on the Payroll and Immigration was overwhelming. Nervy and concerned we received many calls asking if we were confident that we could “kill the Bill”. The people continue to look to the Opposition PDM to protect them from their elected Government. THE LIP SERVICE AWARD This is an Award that is being given to each Minister of Government. Like the Throne Speeches thus far, the people of this Country are only hearing about what they plan to do. The Constitution and the PFM has been a hindrance to their accomplishing their goals. We will wait anxiously to see what will Election Year continue to bring. THREE SPECIAL AWARDS The Hon Premier has been named the first President of the Flyers Club and will be given a Platinum member card. There is a tie for The First Ever Most Traveled Award. This Award will be shared by the Hons Porsha Smith and the Hon Akierra Missick. They each will receive a Gold member card.
Posted on: Mon, 01 Dec 2014 23:49:59 +0000
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