My mother country, the Turks and Caicos Islands, remains one of the few “Overseas Territories” of the United Kingdom. But, as regular readers of this weblog know, for years now, I’ve been zealously advocating for us to sever this Lilliputian relationship.
Yet, it was not until Dr Michael Misick (PNP) was elected “Chief Minister” 3 years ago that we had a national leader with not only the vision but also the sworn determination to set us free. Although I am constrained to note that even he was not spared my critical boot when it seemed he was equivocating on the promise of our independence. (Click here to read my remonstrations and admonitions in this regard.)
Nevertheless, it was auspicious – for Dr Misick and us – that he was elected at a point in time when political pressure on Great Britain (which began in earnest in 1999) to modernize its relationship with all territories had reached a tipping point. And, in this context, I am pleased to acknowledge that he seized this opportunity to consummate negotiations on a new constitution which grants us greater self-governance, though not full independence
Still, the good news is that on Wednesday, pursuant to the entitlements codified in this new constitution, Dr Misick was sworn in as our nation’s first Premier; thus abandoning the colonial designation as a British chief and assuming a more appropriate title for the leader of a de facto independent nation.
Therefore, I congratulate Premier Misick on this historical accomplishment and encourage him to lead in such a way as to inspire the spirit of independence in our people – not as a jingoistic badge of honor but as a self-actualizing and sustainable fact of life. After all, our pending referendum should not question whether we want (or are prepared for) our independence. It should present us with the opportunity to declare it!
NOTE: Is it too cynical of me to assume that British PM Tony Blair is currently on holiday in nearby (independent) Barbados to make plain his disregard for Dr Misick’s swearing-in ceremony and show how much he resents this push to deprive Mother England of the most prized of her remaining colonies?
ENDNOTE: At the XVI International AIDS Conference in Toronto, Canada next week, scientists are expected to announce that old-fashioned circumcision is the most promising development ever in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Over the past 2 years, I’ve written a number of articles propounding this practice for my brothers in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Caribbean (esp. Haiti), where AIDS is epidemic.
But click here to read my article published at CNN today to see why Africans are resisting medicinal circumcision, religiously.
Related Articles:
Time to throw Premier Misick overboard to save the TCI
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msmith65 says
Mr. Hall:
Your advocacy of circumcision as an HIV preventative is mistaken.
If circumcision prevented HIV transmission, one would expect to see a lower incidence of AIDS in the circumcising U.S. than in the noncircumcising Western Europe.
In fact, the U.S. has a slightly higher HIV infection rate.
What makes the difference in African nations is access to medical services. When other, lesser STIs are treated early, they leave less opportunity for HIV to enter the bloodstream. Regional disparities in health care within Africa can explain much of this. The circumcision status of upper-class males also accounts for it: they can get treated for lesser STIs; poorer males cannot so easily.
ALH ipinions says
msmith65
I’m not sure what informs your opinion but my advocacy is informed, in part, by the research and findings of scientists from UNAids and the WHO.
All the same, thank you for your comment