fp Turks and Caicos

Herewith ends the rumor mill…the Commission of Inquiry is upon us. Findings of fact ought now to outpace, if not replace (thankfully) the ribald rumor mill gripping these islands; attempting to forecast the meaning and results of the Inquiry itself.

Turks and Caicos is a young country but an old community. There are things here which are known as well or better than other places, and things, which are not known well at all. We have emerged from a quasi-agricultural community, to a resort destination in record time. We have no experience of weathering an economic downturn. (Not counting the impacts of September 11th 2001 or the aftermaths of hurricanes; because in those cases there is no systematic downturn). In this case, we are faced with recovering in the face of the continued travails and worsening of the economic situation in America.

There, in America, is a large crisis the impact of which shook the world. Here we have our own little local difficulty likely to shake us as well. And though our economic challenges can be paid off by the total amount of cab fare collected in one day in Fort Lauderdale, they are – no matter how small – our challenges and they must be met.

For the last 5 years, we have enjoyed 11% growth, year on year. That was good, but in a downturn, it also means we have a far way to fall. The wisdom of our old people – as we call them affectionately – knows this principle well, even if they do not know the economic and technological systems to which that wisdom must now apply.

The Commission of Inquiry will dig into that 11% growth – forcing us to learn the meaning of what we enjoyed - in hopes to discover whether it could have been 12% or even 14% (unheard of in the world). Or they will examine, whether the 11% is really 7% (or less) when discounted for the “excesses” they question and into which they now inquire.

On the one hand there is the “physical plant” the buildings and infrastructure that constitutes our resort community; with a net present value of well over USD$3 billion dollars. These things are real and register by mere sight. On the other hand, there is the more opaque and less visible system (or lack of it as the allegations before the Commission claims), which ought have accounted for how, by what means and for what actual cost and recorded in what way, these buildings and that infrastructure came into being. Here, ostensibly, the Commission seeks the ‘light of day’ and to ferret out any ‘slight of hand’.

In an admixture of fortunes therefore, at just about the time one young leader in America tries to move his country to the next stage of its history, another must answer how he brought his into the modern era, and not only to his Official Opposition, but to those who worked with him in the enterprise.

What is important here is that Turks and Caicos islanders appreciate how serious is this process and this period, and how it will and may shape the future of these islands. We have – it is both safe and proper, perhaps even necessary to say – lost our innocence now. And in the heat of these challenges, we must show ourselves both reflective and wise. Given the investment here, and the current economic climate, no one will hear or tolerate our excuses.

In this respect, between the Ministers, regard must be had for the economic health of these islands. The die is cast now. What will happen will happen. All sides, including the Opposition must now resolve to conduct themselves as statesmen in the circumstances. Within the governing party, everyone must accept that the party’s interest cannot rise as high as the country’s. And despite the internal disagreements – which too will pass – of paramount importance is the smooth, continued running of the country.

In fact, that the country runs smoothly, and statesmanship cloaks the behaviour of our leaders on both sides – even in the midst of these difficulties - will be an indication that what lessons there were to be learned, are – in fact - being learned.