fp Turks and Caicos

Battling a barrage of shouts and insulting signs, His Excellency the Gov. Ric Todd spent several hours answering questions at a town hall meeting Feb. 22 on Providenciales.

A crowd that grew to nearly 150 people at the Gustarvus Lightbourne Sports Center got more rowdy as the evening wore on. At one point he faced large signs held up by some people, one saying, “You’re a liar, a dictator and a thief.”

In a press statement the day after the meeting, Todd said he believes the meeting was worthwhile, providing him with an opportunity to respond directly to citizens.

Among the chief concerns of the crowd was the interim government’s economic policies, the attempted transfer of $10 million from the National Insurance Board to pay for worker injuries and disabilities, and pending changes to the way people can become citizens.

The governor defended the NIB transfer, saying it will pay for services for which it was collected and will not affect retirees’ pensions.

He emphasized the importance of achieving a fiscal surplus in the government’s budget by March 2013 as an essential step towards eliminating government debt and restoring elected government, which was suspended in August 2009.

Questioned about the $260 million loan guarantee by the U.K. to the TCI, the governor said it has been spent paying off $70 million in debt inherited from elected government and financing shortfalls since then caused by lagging revenues caused by the worldwide economic downturn. The islands’ current debt stands at $189 million, he said.

Several people criticized the requirement of a balanced budget during times when very few governments have achieved that, including the U.K.

On changes to the path to citizenship, the governor expressed confidence that the Consultative Forum’s public consultation will produce proposals acceptable to islanders. He pointed out that the overwhelming opinion of locals is to tighten the requirements for citizenship, not expand them.

“I believe that it is important that during my term as governor that I try to develop meaningful two-way communications with the widest possible variety of stakeholders, including politicians, party officials and supporters, community leaders and private individuals from across the TCI,” the governor said.

“While the various parties involved might not agree with each other’s positions, I am determined that we can and do meet to discuss issues of mutual concern in a respectful and constructive fashion. Amongst the excitement and exuberance of last night, I genuinely believe that good progress was made towards achieving this and improving the quality of our ongoing dialogue.”