fp Turks and Caicos

Editor’s note: Ten teenagers were awarded a 10-day trip to London for their essays on the topic “A 21st Century relationship between the U.K. and the TCI.” We will be publishing the winners’ essays in this and upcoming issues.

By Chalsianna Misick
Maranatha High School

The British Empire was the largest in history and for over a century, were the leading edge economic power and global power. I guess the saying “The sun never sets on the British empire” was true after all because it’s span across the world ensured that the sun was always shining on at least one of its colonies.

Great Britain’s association or attachments with its overseas territories are long-lived and essential. These relationships are firmly implanted in our history, but it moves on in partnership.

In the eighteenth century year of seventeen sixty-six, on the recommendation of Lords of trade and plantations in Great Britain, by Governor William Shirley of the Bahamas, Andrew Symmer, a member of the Bahamas Council, was appointed King’s Agent of the islands. Since then the Turks and Caicos Islands have been a British protectorate and from then a developing relationship between the United Kingdom and the Turks and Caicos Islands was established. The relationship between Great Britain and the Turks and Caicos Islands needs to be effective and efficient. It needs to be fixed on decency and democracy, but first both Britain and the Turks and Caicos Islands have to work together as a team to achieve this.

The relationship between the Turks and Caicos Islands and the United Kingdom have been moderately well over the past years until just two years ago in August of two thousand and nine, when the British government suspended our self-government due to allegations of ministerial corruption. However they said that they would restore our self-government and allow elections to be held in two years time, which would have been two thousand and eleven, but they have adjourned it until two thousand and twelve. When they took over they met a lot of clutter and chaos created by the group of politicians who were in office prior to themselves. I know it would not have been an unproblematic or overnight job for them to get things back on the track because of the seriousness of the matter, nevertheless I think they should set a secure and reasonable date for elections so the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands can move ahead and have something to look forward to in the near future.

From my point of view based on the information and knowledge I have gathered from my research I think the United Kingdom can better the relationship between the Turks and Caicos Islands by first of all doing more to lower and ameliorate the standards of living in the islands. I know that times are hard because of the world – wide economic recession and when the United Kingdom came into the office they met millions of dollars in debt. But downsizing the wages of the civil servants and increasing and implementing high taxes is not making life easier for anyone living here it making it difficult hence making the relationship between the United Kingdom and Turks and Caicos Islands on the rocks.

I strongly think that they should come up with new ways to create more employment opportunities, such as allowing more businesses or investors to invest in the islands. If the proper procedures to enhance inward investments were put in place, the raft of taxes that have been slapped on businesses and consumers may not have taken place.

They should build more government primary and high schools since they seem to be overcrowding. They should construct more cutting edge government school with eligible teachers, so that underprivileged or less fortunate students can obtain the same quality of education as the more affluent students in the private schools in a more attractive surrounding.

They should do more to assist in the development of the Turks and Caicos Islands. I think they approve various projects which could earn the Turks Caicos Islands millions of dollars and help with the development of the country. They should also encourage investors to come to the Turks and Caicos Islands and do business here, which will indeed lead to the creation of jobs and this is very significant because tourism and investor development are our two main industries.

The United Kingdom needs to ensure that the relationship reflects the needs of the Turks and Caicos Islands and the United Kingdom alike, and to give the Turks and Caicos Islands confidence in our commitment to their future. I think the United Kingdom should do more to develop the Turks and Caicos Islands economically and politically.

If the United Kingdom carry out all or some of my suggestions I am one hundred percent sure that the relationship between the Turks and Caicos Islands will be stronger and more fruitful partnerships will be formed because both United Kingdom and the Turks and Caicos Islands have much to offer each other. I hope to see the two of them come together in the vital areas of collaboration and engage more with each other. This way we can move on in partnership of progress and prosperity based on consultation and mutual understanding to form good twenty first relationships between the United Kingdom and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

United Kingdom and the Turks and Caicos Islands face a new challenge as we enter the new millennium.

We both need a new partnership to take our relationship forward - building on the best of what has gone before, but charting a new course for progress and prosperity for the future.

This essay offers a new direction for the relationship between the United Kingdom and the Turks and Caicos Islands which is modern, forward-looking, fair and effective. We now need to work together to put this new vision into place — to the benefit of the United Kingdom, and of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Chalsianna Misick is a 16-year-old Form 5 student at Maranatha High School on Providenciales.