fp Turks and Caicos

Albray Butterfield Jr. issued the following statement Oct. 28 on his decision to step down as deputy leader of the Progressive National Party.

By: Albray V. Butterfield, Jr.
28th October 2010

On Thursday 21st October 2010, an online news publication Caribbean News Now, published an article titled ‘Turks and Caicos political party deputy leader resigns’. The article implied and made unsubstantiated allegations against me, as to what may have motivated my decision to step down from the position of deputy leader of the Progressive National Party (“PNP”) six weeks into my unelected appointment. The unsubstantiated allegations mentioned in the article, was fed to the media by unprincipled individual(s) with the intent to subliminally defame and tarnish the uncorrupted reputation and good name of my family and me.
It was my intention to step down quietly from the position of deputy leader of the PNP, in order not to create any further distraction and controversy to the political campaign of Mr. Clayton Greene (current elected leader of the Progressive National Party). However, my intentions of stepping down quietly took an about turn, as a result of the abovementioned article. Hence, I am left with no other option, but to address the issue in order to set the record straight.

On 1st September 2010, Mr. Greene held his first press conference at the party’s headquarters at which he announced and introduced me to the nation as his and the Party’s new deputy leader. From the onset of his announcement, there was dissention within the Party to my appointment (of which such appointment was conferred in accordance with Chapter III, Article 5, Subsection 3, of The Constitution of the Progressive National Party, 2001 Edition), which over the days and weeks that followed, PNP members began voicing their opinions and dissent via the local radio stations, news papers and at social venues, which was their democratic and constitutional right to do so, and I applauded all of those persons who chose to exercise such rights.
However, as the weeks went on, it became more and more evident via the hostile opposition and attitudes of some of the rank and file members, inclusive of former leaders of the PNP, that as long as I remained deputy leader of the Party, and was unwilling to soften my message and/or pander to that faction of the Party that is opposed to a COMPLETE OVERHAUL AND A CHANGE IN DIRECTION of the PNP, then the divide affecting the Party would not be narrowed within a reasonable time period during Mr. Greene’s first year as leader of the Party, thus putting him at a disadvantage to forward his and the Party’s agenda. Hence, Mr. Greene requested a meeting with myself, and we met on 17th October 2010, to discussed the issue of my appointment, and we mutually agreed that in order for his political campaign to have any chance of success, the distraction and controversy as to my appointment would have to come to an end with immediate effect, for him to try and bring the Party back together early in his term, so he could begin to concentrate on the real issues facing the country.

Because I’m a Progressive Democrat at heart, I subscribe to the theory that ‘NO MAN IS AN ISLAND UNTO HIMSELF’, and because the PNP and its agenda is bigger than me or any one person within the Party, I should not allow my PRIDE, PERSONAL OPINIONS, or SELFISHNESS to stand in the way of Mr. Greene’s leadership of the Party. He was the person that the Party’s National General Congress (“NGC”) elected to lead the PNP, therefore, it is his political leadership that he must ensure that it succeeds and not fail; so on those fundamentals, I felt that Mr. Greene should be given a fair chance to lead the PNP without extra party distractions. The reality is that my message was not going to be changed or soften, and I was not going to pander in order to gain Party support of my appointment; and seeing that my appointment caused such divisiveness within the NGC and the rank and file of the Party, then the PNP should have a deputy leader that is acceptable to the leader as well as the Party at large; and I have no problem with that, because as previously stated above, I’m a Progressive Democrat at heart.

In 1756 the Rt. Hon. Edmund Burke, an Irish political theorist, and philosopher authored and published a book/paper titled ‘A Vindication of Natural Society: A View of the Miseries and Evils Arising to Mankind’; in that book, Hon. Burke wrote the following: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil, is for good men to do nothing.”

Well, I am of the opinion that I am one of those good men the Rt. Hon. Edmund Burke was referring to. Hence, the rationale behind me choosing to be a public voice of reason for the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands at this juncture in my life; in order to help AFFECT CHANGE within the Turks and Caicos Islands. One of the means in which I chose to try and help affect such change, was through the restructuring of the PNP, but the Party saw it differently. However, such opposition will not stop me from continuing to advocate loudly for a better governed Turks and Caicos Islands.

I was never a person to follow the crowd just because everyone else was doing so, or because it was the most popular and politically correct thing to do. In order for a person to lead, he or she must be willing to turn their back to the crowd. Stephen R. Covey once said “I am personally convinced that one person can be a change catalyst, a “transformer” in any situation, any organization. Such an individual is yeast that can leaven an entire loaf. It requires vision, initiative, patience, respect, persistence, courage, and faith to be a transforming leader.”

This recent experience have only reaffirmed my convictions and strengthened my determination to ensure that:

• corruption is eliminated as much as possible from public office;
• persons in public office that are found to have abused the office of which they have been entrusted, that they should be banned for life from holding any future public office, following due process that is impartial;
• amendments of the various legislations for the removal of every loophole that allows for the gross exploitation of the system and assets of the government;
• prudent, good governance and transparency are re-established within the government of the Turks and Caicos Islands;
• the rule of law is upheld and strengthened to avoid anarchy within the society; and
• the electoral process, and financing of political campaigns and organizations are completely reformed in a fair and just manner for the future generation of politicians.

Integrity is the most valuable and respected quality of leadership. Therefore, I will continue to assure the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands, that I will not allow any person or the enticement of any unjustly monetary possessions to cause me to corrupt my integrity and character.

People of the Turks and Caicos Islands, continue to stay strong and keep the faith, because there are still a few good men left in the Turks and Caicos Islands, and who are not afraid to stand up for what is right and just, and confront the Talibans of our country. There is light at the end of this road that we are presently on.