News
PDM Leader Statement
#TurksandCaicos, April 21, 2022 – The PNP Government after being elected into power as the Government of the TCI have shown the people that they cannot handle the work. After 420 days into Office it is now quite clear that the workers the people hired on February 19th, 2021 are not the same workers who showed up for the job.
The objective “we come for this work” was all over each of their resume which convincingly got them on the job, but now that they are on the job it is quite clear they cannot handle the work, for which they were hired.
The people in this country are hurting more than ever before because this PNP administration does not understand the hardship and the real problems that are facing real people.
The minister of finance loves to talk about a “Booming” economy and a country doing extremely well, and people living “their best lives” but sadly he along with the honorable Premier and other members of this government are talking about a prosperous economy that does not exist for most Turks and Caicos Islanders.
Pricing is increasing daily it is now harder for the average Turks and Caicos Islander to providing for and put food on the tables for their families to eat. While this administration got the nerve to brag and boast about people in the TCI “living their best lives”? Honorable Premier and Honorable Minister of Finance, let me remind you that a country in which its people are struggling to make ends meet and provide for themselves and their families, is not one in which you can say “the people are living their best lives” but instead it is a country in which the Government is not handling the people’s work.
Over a year ago the People spoke; this PNP Government walked into Office with everything ready to go; They were handed this country on a golden platter, projects tendered and awarded, money in the bank, new development agreements, policies, and a prepared blueprint to move this country and its people ahead were all in motion and ready to go.
But instead of taking the realm of Government from day 1 as the great workers, they claimed they were on the election trail. They believe that the effective way of running a country is to talk ”the work” and not do “the work”.
We have seen that this high level of inflation is not transitory, and strong policies and measures must be put in place immediately. These Band-Aid measures that this PNP government is putting in place and promoting are not going to work to combat inflation, The measures do very little to lower the cost of goods and services. We need to see a fundamental change in policy and structures that will ensure any concession and tax write-off to suppliers will create real savings down to our people.
Many of our people in the TCI are running out of money long before payday. And in all this, wages and pay are off pace with inflation. Everything that we are earning is being wiped out by the high prices everywhere. This government must get to work and do something about this.
Our people can no longer afford to go to the grocery stores only to pick up an item look at it and put it back down because the price is too expensive for them to purchase. Our people can no longer tolerate having to choose whether to pay their mortgage or buy food for their children.
Our people can no longer bear having to sell their hard earn possessions just to keep a roof over their heads. And if the hard financial strain on families is not enough, violent crimes are at an all-time high, and even with the gun amnesty- crimes committed with guns are at an all-time high.
Too many innocent men and women across the country are being robbed, hurt, or killed, and too many homes and properties are being burglarized.
With this increase in crime, detection, and prosecution of those committing crimes are at an all-time low, and our Premier remains silent as a mouse.
This PNP administration’s Band-Aid crime measures are doing nothing to address the present crime situation, and do not address the root causes of crime.
Our national security is at the highest risk level than it has ever been. Aside from people, more and more guns and drugs are coming. Whatever the number of illegals that are intercepted is, there is about three times that number that get through undetected. And as more and more illegal persons call home and let their family and friends know that they made it, the numbers will only increase. It is becoming an overwhelming situation for our border control agent. And again, our Premier remains as silent as a mouse.
This PNP administration’s inability to effectively tackle the issues outlined has led me to one conclusion, that they simply do not have the mental readiness required to tackle the job the people hired them to do. And without serious interventions being put in place, sadly, our people’s issues will continue to be ignored and our economy is poised to worsen.
So, I close with the same sentiments I started with, and stated all through this document, “This PNP Government, just cannot handle the country’s work”