Providenciales, 30 Jun 2015 – The Finance Minister was featured in a number of local and regional articles where he is speaking to several key issues in the aftermath of alarming comments made during a debate on cleanliness in the TCI which went askew.
Hon Washington Misick is vocal on the situation in the Dominican Republic where Haitians are being expelled from that country; the inclusion of the Turks and Caicos on the EU’s recently released Tax Havens list and even the value of Beaches Resort to the TCI tourism economy and product.
On the EU categorization, Minister Washington Misick takes exception to us being on that list and said the TCI is compliant with Global Forum standards and that the country plans to work with the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the Global Forum and its sister territories to express collective concern to the EC.
A Jamaica Observer article quotes Minister Misick on Beaches being the single largest contributor and a major employer and having positive effect on the airlift to the country; Misick was explaining that his recent controversial comments in the House of Assembly had nothing to do with legal workers in the Turks and Caicos however the various flag days are held and organized by the legal expat groups in the TCI; those events were the subject of the Finance Minister’s ridicule.
On the new legal position of the Dominican Republic which has forced tens of thousands of Haitians to leave the neighboring country, the Minister in response the Jamaica Observer question, which appeared to be aimed at ferreting out whether foreigners in this country would be treated similarly said, “The Policy is blatantly abusive and wrong. It is something the Turks and Caicos Islands would never do.”
Magnetic Media has learned that journalists from around the region have taken keen interest in the comments of Minister Washington Misick and others who appeared to be anti-foreign.
Misick, who is also a former Chief Minister, has taken exception to the comments featured first in the TCI Sun Newspaper; saying the remarks are not in keeping with his reputation and are misunderstood.
