Government
PDM calls on House Members Opposed to the DMO to Speak Up
By Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicos, April 26, 2023 – The PDM is calling on all Members of Parliament to speak out in opposition of the establishment of the Destination Marketing and Management Company which had its bylaws signed on April 14. Despite these advanced stages, in a stinging letter Edwin Astwood, Leader of the Opposition, demands that all country leaders regardless of affiliation must not sit idly by.
“We Elected officials, and appointed members cannot sit idly by, and collect salaries from the people’s treasury, while our people are kicked to Curb,” he said, repeating a now familiar condemnation of the PNPs decision to remove TC Islanders from their jobs and open positions to all candidates.
The letter exposes a strong intimation that there are members from even the governing side who are not in
“If we truly care about our people and their destiny, we all must speak out and oppose this decision. I am calling on the Members of Parliament to speak out. In particular, all elected representatives cannot remain silent as lambs, betray the people who voted for them, and expect it to be taken kindly,” he said.
Astwood is promising that neither he nor the PDM will be backing down on the issue of the DMO as what he describes as the most qualified people to run the institution are relieved of duty.
“These staff members who are being ‘kicked to the curb’ are the only experts known to the Caribbean region and the World who fully know and understand TCI’s History, Culture, and Tourism Products,” he maintained
The papers incorporating and launching the DMMO are signed and the entity is hiring with positions advertised and netting up to $120,000 a year on the table for international and local applicants. Premier Missick, with a markedly different perspective, has promised that though change is difficult, it will benefit the country in the long run.
Astwood’s continued rebuke comes alongside an about-face from the Washington Misick led Government which had promised to keep all employees of the organization on payroll then suddenly sent out termination letters in February, making all staff redundant by this coming June. A move which remains largely unexplained.
So far, there has been silence in response to the plea by the Opposition Leader, which went public last Friday.