TCI Premier asked to Resign

Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands, Hon. Dr. Michael Misick has been asked to resign by nine of the 13 elected Progressive National Party (PNP) Members of Parliament, including his deputy and one of his ministers.

The MPs are so serious and adamant about the Premier’s resignation that they signed and delivered a letter to Governor Gordon Wetherell on Monday December 15, 2008, clearly stating that they no longer have confidence in Misick’s leadership. The MPs want Hon. Hall as their leader and Hon. Boyce as their deputy. Among the MPs who signed the letter are two of his Cabinet Ministers, Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance Hon. Floyd Hall, Minister of Health and Human Services Hon. Lillian Boyce. The other signatories are backbenchers Hon Karen Delancy, who is also Deputy Speaker, Hon. Wayne “Major” Garland, who is Junior Minister of Tourism, Hon. Amanda Misick, former Chief Minister Hon. Norman Saunders, Hon. Samuel Been, Hon. Royal Robinson and Hon. Greg Lightbourne.

Those who did not sign the letter are Minister of Natural Resources, Hon. McAllister “Piper” Hanchell; Minister of Immigration, Hon. Galmo “Gilley” Williams and Minister of Public Works, Hon. Jeffrey Hall. The delivery of the letter to the Government followed two heated meetings which occurred earlier in the day at the Premier’s Office in Grand Turk, at which MPs reportedly vented their feelings to and about the Premier and his style of leadership which they believe is chiefly responsible for the growing unpopularity of the Government and the erosion of local, regional and international confidence andrespect for the Turks and Caicos Islands.

The MPs reportedly told the Premier that despite being given several chances to change his leadership style and regulate his actions, they are not satisfied that he has done anything to merit him continuing as Premier.

At one of those meetings, the Premier reportedly told the MPs that he will resign but he also begged them for time to exit the leadership in a “dignified” manner. Some of the MPs agreed that he should be given time to quit, while others were adamant that he should go immediately. Since there was no unanimous decision, the Premier has been given a virtual stay-of-execution, since all indications are that the MPs are not prepared to back down from their position about him resigning. Under the Turks and Caicos Islands Constitution, the Premier can only be removed from office if he resigns or is defeated in a no-confidence motion against the Government which must receive the support of the majority of elected MPs in the House of Assembly, which in this case would have had to include PNP MPs.

The Opposition People’s Democratic Movement (PDM) had filed a no-confidence against the Government but this was not debated because Speaker of the House of Assembly Mr. Clayton Greene ruled that the motion was not filed within the time prescribed by the Standing Orders. The House meeting was adjourned without a specific date being set, and without MPs being given the opportunity to say their customary Christmas greetings to their constituents. No Government business was debated. After the House of Assembly meeting ended, texts spread like wildfire with reports stating that the Premier had been replaced by Hon. Hall but this was untrue.