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VOLUME 7 No. 49
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$1.00
DECEMBER 16TH - DECEMBER 23RD, 2011
Consultative Forum leads national objection to $11M per year TURKS AND CAICOS Islanders are outraged that they have to pay $11million a year to finance the operations of the Special Investigation and Prosecution Team (SIPT), and that this information was kept secret from them by the Interim Government. The Consultative Forum, a group of selected consultants to Governor Ric Todd and the Interim Government, only discovered a few days ago that the Turks and Caicos Islands was paying for the SIPT since April of this year. This sparked a heated discussion among members of the Forum, with some strong criticism coming from chairperson Lillian Misick, Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson, Courtney Misick, Dr. Linda Williams and Cynthia Astwood during a debate that was broadcast live on the Government-owned Radio Turks and Caicos on Tuesday December 13th. Since then, on radio talks shows, at various gatherings around the Turks and Caicos Islands and on social networks and blogs, there has been a chorus of dissent about the staggering amounts for SIPT, which Government officials have now admitted are putting a strain on the country’s financial resources. What shocked many persons is the fact that only a few weeks ago, Government officials announced that the deficit had sky-rocketed from $8million and was heading towards $30million, but they gave no indication whatsoever that the UK Government was no longer made to SIPT. The revelation only came when Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson posed a question about SIPT funding to Attorney General Huw Shepheard and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance Delton Jones. In her contribution to the debate, Dr. Linda Williams said: “I am so disappointed. There has to be suspicion and I am really disappointed because openly it was said to us that the British Government was undertaking the payment of this exercise. If there was a reversal of that policy, why was it not said for the country to understand. The country now knows that we are carrying the burden. This is
GUNMEN SHOT TWO SECURITY GUARDS
Police personnel direct traffic at the entrance to Royal Bank of Canada along the Leeward Highway, while an ambulance from the Emergency Medical Services dashes from the scene. That was part of the atmosphere at that location on Friday, December 16, after gunmen surprised two security guards who were said to have gone to the bank to make cash drop off shortly before midday. The SUN learned that the two guards were seriously injured, and at press time their condition was unknown. It is understood that the gunmen made off with an undetermined sum of cash. Apparently due to the severity of the men’s injuries, messages courtesy of Black Berry Messaging (BBM) Service were sent out asking for blood.
not the way to go forward and forever there will be suspicions because you never know what is happening behind closed doors.” She added: “You are not dealing with a momma and papa shop where anything goes. This is a country and it is disappointing to operate in this manner. We are not a bunch of fools. The country is angry because a promise made was not kept.”
Former Chief Secretary Cynthia Astwood said she was “terribly embarrassed” by the SIPT funding situation. “If we were given copies of the budget, we would have studied it and questions would have been asked,” she said. “I am disappointed and totally embarrassed by this situation today.” Story Continues On Page 5