Deandrea Hamilton | Editor
PROVIDENCIALES, Turks and Caicos Islands — Former Chief Minister Oswald Skippings has unleashed a scathing critique of what he calls entrenched corruption in the Turks and Caicos Islands government, while strongly rejecting the possibility of a return to direct rule from Britain.
His comments come at a time of political unrest and growing public backlash following controversial remarks by the current Premier and swift immigration clampdowns targeting Haitians.
“I am appalled by the high level of corruption that is so prevalent in the government,” wrote Skippings in a strongly worded public statement. He pointed to a flood of “work permits, status cards and other fraudulent documents… in the hands of illegals,” and accused oversight bodies like the Integrity Commission and Complaints Commission of being compromised.
Skippings also claimed the British government has long been aware of the situation and currently has investigators operating in-country.
“What is so enigmatic, is that the British government is aware of these existential irregularities,” he said, “and even now have investigators on the ground.”
The timing of his statement is especially pointed. Just days earlier, Premier Washington Misick, during a joint press conference in the aftermath of a mass shooting, attributed 75 percent of crime in the Turks and Caicos Islands to the Haitian population. That claim has sparked outrage, particularly among Haitians in the territory and across the diaspora, who say the remarks scapegoat an entire community and ignore long-standing immigration enforcement failures.
Fueling the fire, the government has since implemented a six-month moratorium on new work permits for Haitians and suspended visa processing for Haitians wishing to travel to Turks and Caicos Islands.
While Skippings didn’t name any specific community in his statement, he offered a broader critique of what he sees as an elite governing class more focused on short-term giveaways than long-term empowerment.
“Our people for the most part are too easily bought out… What we need is empowerment,” he wrote, calling for real investment in businesses reserved for Turks and Caicos Islanders—businesses he says are now being dominated by non-citizens.
He warned residents not to fall asleep at the wheel, accusing the population of being “too accepting, too docile, and too brainwashed.” His most impassioned message, however, was reserved for the British government: “Regardless of what the British may discover in its ongoing investigations, another colonial British Interim Administration is not the answer and it’s not acceptable. That is an insult to our intelligence… and an infringement on our already pseudo and exploited, neocolonial sovereignty.”
Skippings closed by urging unity across political lines. “Whether we are PNP, PDM or PDA, we must stand together and reject another neocolonial British Interim Administration,” he said. “It is insulting, oppressive and regressive. Therefore, democracy must be allowed to prevail.”
