When Governor Gordon Wetherell arrived in the Turks and Caicos Islands three years ago, our country was mired in such endemic political corruption that he spent most of his first year overseeing the British government’s plans to suspend local rule.
I fully appreciate that it has become politically expedient lately, perhaps even fashionable, to claim that Wetherell was the point man for a hostile takeover instead of a salutary intervention. But there’s no denying the popular support he enjoyed for ridding us of politicians whose venality was matched only by their incompetence.
Alas, there’s also no denying that Wetherell’s tenure has been marked by national angst and frustration. These were caused, quite understandably, by his dutiful efforts to implement economic and political reforms to ensure sound fiscal management and good governance once local rule is restored.
Then, of course, there’s our abiding anxieties over whether those implicated in corruption would ever be prosecuted….
It must be said, however, that persistent mischief-making by local politicians greatly exacerbated this angst and frustration.
For instead of working with Wetherell to put our country on a path to sustainable development, PNP leaders seemed only interested in blaming the British for their scandalous (and allegedly criminal) mismanagement of public funds, and PDM leaders seemed only interested in shaming the British into summarily handing over the reins of government to them.
Yet nothing distinguished this governor’s tenure quite like the unflappable way he dealt with the ignorant, self-interested, and often pugilistic challenges these politicians continually posed to his leadership. Indeed, what speaks volumes in this respect is the juxtaposition of the temperament he displayed with that displayed by former Premier Michael Misick – who not only incited most of these challenges, but whose tenure was distinguished by public brawls he himself instigated.
Frankly, Wetherell’s combination of steely determination and disarming sufferance made him ideally suited to lead our country during this difficult interim period.
I have no doubt, however, that he regrets having to leave office later this month before implementing all of the reforms that constitute the necessary preconditions (or milestones) that must be met before local rule is restored.
All the same, it is noteworthy that no less a person than UK Overseas Territories Minister Henry Bellingham declared just weeks ago that the work Wetherell and his interim administration did “surpassed expectations“. Therefore, a heart-felt ‘Thank you, Governor Wetherell’ is clearly in order.
But I suspect the measure of this man is such that he would probably be more embarrassed than pleased to be thanked so publicly for doing his job.
Nonetheless, given the very public role I played in lobbying him and the British government to suspend local rule and implement the reforms now underway, it would be remiss of me not to at least wish him well in his future endeavors.
So Godspeed, GW.
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