PNP CALLED A DO NOTHING GOVERNMENT The Progressive National Party (PNP) administration has been described as a do nothing Government who wishes to blame their inability to perform on everything and everyone else. The scathing criticism came from Opposition Leader Hon. Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson, who, in her reply to the 2014-2015 budget, said the elected government cannot be trusted to run the country, which they were elected to do. The Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) leader said the Turks and Caicos Islands currently has a constitution that is chiefly designed for a country of distrusted people, resulting from the systemic corruption stigma coming out of the Commission of Inquiry. She added: We are not now, nor ever were a corrupt people and country. If anything, as in any other country, including the United States of America - the leader of the Free World; the United Kingdom - the leader of the Commonwealth; and Russia - the former leader of the communist bloc of nations, there are and always were corrupt and allege corrupt politicians. Unlike in our situation, where judgment was done not by us, in the aforementioned, as well as other countries, their own people address and mete out justice for their corruption. And unlike us, their whole populace do not come under suspicion as being corrupt, because of a few and as a result are collectively punished. She continued: This is why the Turks and Caicos Islands is saddled with a constitution and a system of governing, perhaps like no other, that is regressive instead of progressive and that stymies instead of stimulates investment and economic growth; and where not since before we got elected government in 1976, ultimate power resides firmly with an appointed governor and that governors appointees. It is no secret the PDM’s position on the new Constitution and we remain to date the only Party that has a documented position on the Constitution. We are yet to hear the PNP or this Government’s problems with any section of the Constitution save for the section where the Premier was personally involved in a matter against the Attorney General. She argued that the public does not even hear the Government complain about the Constitution any more. And I am sure it is because they realize that the people of this country knew that they were not as handicapped as they were saying, she stated. Even their former leader and first Premier said openly in an interview what the Opposition and PDM has been saying all along. The issues that affect our people do not need changes in the Constitution to fix. He said that there is much they can do that is not hindered by the Constitution. Hon. Cartwright-Robinson said the Constitution is a document wreaked of mistrust and just as insulting as the decision to vest the control of lands in this country in the Attorney General’s Chambers. She added: Even though a local now holds that post, the insult remains and this Government seems okay with this and the Constitution. The Opposition Leader said that Government’s Fiscal Strategy was void of information to support the numbers it threw around. The Government’s approach to meeting and overcoming the financial challenges we face is to tax. They have introduced so many new taxes that some businesses lost track and were negatively surprised, she said. The Government’s overt flirts with Independence and the initial unclear position on the relationship with Canada has sent some strange signals, the Government’s indiscriminate introduction of taxes, the battle with VAT and the threat of Payroll creates an environment of uncertainty for businesses and certainly an environment that investors may have a difficult in expanding existing businesses and starting new ventures. Their actions have hurt us, no doubt. I am happy to see fresh projects but dread the halt of projects because of the Government’s approach and attitude in governance.
Posted on: Mon, 21 Jul 2014 21:58:00 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015