Citizens become mutinous after only 4 months of direct rule by UK. Taxes, loss of benefits and dictatorship have citizens up in arms in Turks and Caicos and Caribbean.
London imposed direct rule after a corruption scandal involving former Prime Minister Michael Misick. In response the British swept away any semblance of local democracy. Now British Governor Gordon Wetherell runs the island as a one-man dictatorship.
It was complaints from islanders that alerted the British to the corruption problems in Turks and Caicos in the first place. Initially, most people were quite pleased to see the British take back the reins, but now islanders are beginning to resent the reimposition of colonial rule.
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The editor of the island's oldest newspaper, The Turks and Caicos Weekly News, Blyth Duncanson, initially supported British direct rule. But now he is opposed to it. Duncanson has now said, "Many times we are just shunted aside. And we're not really getting solid information. The interim administration, which is supposed to be run by the governor with the aid of an advisory council and a consultative forum, is operating like a closed shop. It's more like a military junta."
The governor has rejected this criticism. He has made it clear that he sees his job as clearing up after incompetent locals.
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