An OpEd by Hon. Arlington Musgrove, Minister of Immigration and Border Services
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the word “despicable” as “deserving to be despised: so worthless or obnoxious as to rouse moral indignation.” In his most recent publication titled “A Classic Case of Deception” the PDM All Islands Candidate who is the immediate former MP for ED#4 and former Minister of Tourism, Mr Ralph Higgs, has proven himself, as he’s done many times before, to be nothing less than despicable. We will refer to him in this article, from now on as “Mr Despicable”.
In attempting to paint me and the TCIAA as being “deceptive” and “misleading” in the broadcasting of plans for constructing a new airport terminal in North Caicos, Mr Despicable has done the exact opposite of what he claims to be the champion of. Instead of being honest, he has been completely dishonest about what process and law require and what has transpired.
In claiming that certain laws and protocols have not been followed, one would expect that the former Cabinet Minister would aim to demonstrate his diligence and competence for re-election by citing the specific provisions of the law and protocols that have been breached. In failing to do so, all Mr Despicable has managed to prove is that he is skilled at defaming and stirring up unsubstantiated claims, particularly at a time when he is desperate for the votes of a population that disqualified him from representative leadership in the last elections.
For clarity, the billboards were erected by the Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority (“TCIAA”), who in doing so have shared with the people of North and Middle Caicos, its vision for the now Clifford Gardiner International Airport. To support this vision, the budget that Mr Despicable references shows an estimated investment of circa $22.5 million dollars over a three-year period. As a public body responsible for managing the airport on the people’s behalf – the TCIAA has done what any and every public body should do – i.e. be transparent with its planned initiatives and invite the community to share in its vision and champion its cause.
In September 2024, during the renaming ceremony for the now Clifford Gardiner International Airport the TCIAA, I, and the Government made it unambiguously clear that what was being released was the concept design for a new terminal. This concept was approved by the TCIAA’s Board of Directors and is the product of consultation had with various public and private stakeholders. The architect, whose services were obtained using the Government’s open/public tender process was present and spoke about the process which led to the concept design being shared. The architect, also at that event, invited persons to provide feedback as he moved into the next stage which was to prepare the detailed architectural plans for the project. It is also on record that both the TCIAA and I articulated that what was being shared at the time, was the end of one phase of a multi-phased project for which the TCIAA envisioned the construction component of the new terminal to be completed over an 18-month period, once a preferred contractor was identified, once again – through an open tender process.
It is not surprising that after previously serving an entire term as a “do nothing” former Cabinet Minister and former MP for North and Middle Caicos, that Mr Despicable has failed to comprehend, that as a self-funded statutory body, there is no requirement under TCI Law or any other protocol that concept designs be approved by Cabinet before there can be any publication of them. In fact, there is nothing which also requires the detailed architectural plans to be approved by Cabinet. What is required is that long-term plans for the development of the airport be approved be mutually agreed with TCIG.
To achieve this, the TCIAA submitted its business case for the redevelopment of the airport in North Caicos. A business case vetted and approved by me as the Minister with Responsibility for the TCIAA, under current TCIG protocols. As a result, the TCIAA included in its budget for consideration by the HOA during appropriations, estimate sums to facilitate the redevelopment of the airport in North Caicos.
Additionally, during the last three years, the TCIAA and Cabinet considered various options for the redevelopment of the airport in North Caicos, and ultimately settled on the fact that at this time, the best course for the redevelopment would be a self-funded redevelopment by the TCIAA. This decision is the basis upon which the TCIAA proceeded with engaging a world-renowned architect to assist with both the design and construction management of the airport.
What is also worth noting is that at the renaming ceremony, and on more than one occasion, it has publicly been communicated by TCIAA, that it is in the process of finalizing a Strategic Master Plan (“SMP”) which includes long-term investment and infrastructure development plans for each of its airports. Notably, both a strategic plan and a master plan are core components to the long-term sustainability of the TCIAA, and notably, Mr Despicable and his former colleagues (i.e. a PDM Government) failed to even initiate a proper comprehensive study to develop these core components at any time during their term in office.
It is pleasing to note that the Strategic Master Plan was recently approved by the TCIAA’s Board of Directors and is now in the process of being further advanced to Cabinet for approval. I am acutely aware of the SMP and what it proposes to guide the TCIAA on for the next 30 years. Based on how TCIAA conducted the study, utilizing internationally renowned and expert consultants, leading to the development of its SMP, only a Cabinet not desirous of seeing TCI’s airports reach their full potential, would refuse to support the SMP.
Notably, true to his deceptive nature, Mr Despicable also claims that the billboards erected by the TCIAA are misleading and labelled as “coming soon”. The Billboards clearly state the year 2026 as the target date, which is consistent with the investment plan outlined in the budget which Mr Despicable references. Again, I know this because as the Cabinet Minister responsible for the TCIAA – I have been consulted throughout the planning process.
In a moment where Mr Despicable should be praising the hard-working team at the TCIAA for staying true to its mandate to develop and maintain TCI’s airports, he attempts to diminish the value of evident progress and the restoration of hope for the people of North and Middle Caicos, in an effort to arouse unnecessary disillusionment for the selfish and desperate purpose of obtaining votes. This desperation is further evidenced by Mr Despicable joining in the cowardly trend of his party leader, of wrongly accusing the Governor of some form of impropriety where there has been none. How despicable!
Mr Despicable should be made to explain why it is, that after serving an entire term in office as the former MP for North and Middle Caicos, there were no advancements made toward redeveloping the airports in North and Middle Caicos and/or restoring any service to them.
What is misleading about Mr Despicable and his article is the failure to note the following achievements made since I was elected to represent the wonderful and resilient people of North and Middle Caicos. At the time of coming into office, I had to grapple with the adverse effects of closed airports in both North and Middle Caicos, with no redevelopment plans in place and no foreseeable plans for their reopening on record. To this end, in the past four years we have been able to achieve the following:
1. The Air Traffic Control Tower and Fire Services Building were renovated and restored for operational use in anticipation of restoring flight services at the airport.
2. Firefighters were recruited from among the local North Caicos population. These Firefighters are world-class trained after being sent for rigorous training in both Providenciales and at the world-renowned Dallas-Fort Worth Fire Research and Training Center.
3. A new $800,000 purpose-built fire truck was commissioned by the TCIAA and at this very moment, a team from the TCIAA is preparing to travel overseas to accept manufacturing delivery of the Fire Truck so that it can now be shipped to North Caicos. In the interim, a fire truck was relocated from Providenciales to North Caicos to service operations until the new fire truck arrives.
4. The building which once housed customs services as the airport was renovated to operate as an interim terminal to facilitate domestic travel until the new terminal is built. This building was commissioned in September 2024.
5. A draft Invitation To Tender for the pavement of the runway at the airport is currently lodged with Procurement undergoing due diligence reviews for anticipated publication.
6. To date, there are 15 persons employed at the airports in North and Middle Caicos and earlier this year, Cabinet approved a restructuring plan by the TCIAA which includes restructuring which foresees the development and management of an airport in North Caicos within the timeline envisioned.
7. On 20th November 2024, domestic flight services were restored to the airport with Caicos Express providing a commercial service between North Caicos and Providenciales three times a week.
The mentioned achievements demonstrate a genuine commitment to the complete redevelopment of the airport in North Caicos. With the investment already made and with future investment already committed through the legal process in the form of an approved budget, only a moron would assume that there is some deliberate and misleading intent associated with TCIAA’s erection of the billboards Mr Despicable is complaining of.
It would be to Mr Despicable’s own benefit to be mindful that there is nothing favourable to gain in being the Grinch who intends to steal the gifts of hope and bona fide promise from the people of North and Middle Caicos. As one reads Mr Despicable’s post one might be reminded of this popular conversation from the Disney movie “Despicable Me”:
Young Gru: ‘Mom, someday, I’m going to go the moon’
Gru’s Mom’s response: ‘I’m afraid you’re too late, son. NASA isn’t sending the monkeys anymore’.
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