Live to lead another day!

This is the story behind the premier of the Turk's and Caicos Islands premier, Micheal Misick and his apparent escape from political noose--staying his execution, perhaps?


Premier Misick- if you have not heard the story before- is going through a messy break up and soon to be divorce, from his Hollywood actress wife, Lisa Rae-Misick, which, beforehand, sparked calls and scrutiny from the opposition party in the TCI for mismanagement and an overall dereliction of duties. All of this, being prompted by the lavish lifestyle the premier was leading with fancy, high profile trips, to and from from California, on a private jet, of all things.


The calls for, at least, a closer look into his public dealings, were heard loud and clear by the sovereign country, Britain, from their opposition leader, Floyd Seymour, the leader of the People's Democratic Movement (PDM). The PDM may be small in numbers, but they sure have allot of moxey.


Premier Misick's party MP's, Progressive National Party (PNP), have already signed a petition stating that they no longer support the beleaguered premier. They were, as reports indicated, set to give him the boot at their party's leadership convention, scheduled for last year December. However, premier Misick, has been given a stay of execution (of sorts), as the party pushed back the leadership convention to February, 2009. Hence, the premier is living to fight and lead, a few more days until that time and whether or not he should stay or leave, would be made certain. And, starkly, the premier, has not been sitting idly by while anti-Misick proponents sharpen their knives for a carving.

To this date, premier Misick has assembled a team of hot shot Bahamian lawyers. Most notably the chairman of the law council in the Bahamas, Mr. Wayne Munroe and, also, the former chairman of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), Mr. Raynard Rigby. I guess the premier feels justice, must and will come at a price, so, he is apparently more than willing to pay for it to the hilt. But, is it money well spent? Perhaps justice in the TCI from their Bahamian cousin's to the north, would not compute to actual tangible assistance in the British territory.

While the gravity of the situation, warrants an all star cast as the premier has assembled. The seriousness of it, from his own party members and then the opposition party officials as well as, now, the media, being driven against him with the people in TCI screaming more, more, more!!! Hot shot and pricey lawyers from anywhere in the world, will only part of his over all cost. Forget the jet-setting, lavish new lifestyle for a minute, there is also a direct political cost and consequence to be paid to and for the people of TCI--who have, by many reports, fallen out of love with the premier.

The real issue, is the issue of the political sentiment for change, overall, from "belonger's" in particular and, premier Misick, has not even come close to addressing that myriad laden issue.

From my first column about the premier's current crises, I received scores of emails from people on the island or from the island, who have just simply had enough. Not that it's all Misick's fault, but not even appearing to deal with the core issues, is enough to mount a mass protest against his leadership--above all else.

Now, I don't have a full appreciation of the entire socio-psycho fuel driving such sentiment, but, it's there and it's the nitro injected fuel agent to the vehicle of discomfort, driving the people in TCI to put pressure on all leadership. I can appreciate, however, the feeling of any group, city or company, going through that--the perfumes begin to smell like dead bodies; the food tastes like salty wet cardboard; the streets look dull and dingy and; your heart is perpetually grieved. The poison has spread. And, all of what's happening-- from the jet-setting to the administrators coming in from Britain-- made it spread much more than it needed to.

The formalities of political demagoguery and, posturing, by the opposition and persons within the PNP wanting to save their political careers as well as usurp power from any premier, is almost a given.

The calls of mismanagement, if brought up by anyone or thing in the country--considering how we know government's all over the world can never, ever, get it right-- is obvious. But, that is still no reason for Misick to even appear to jet-set and go all "Hollywood" on us, either. No hot shot legal advice from your cousins in the north, can solve your own political style and the way it is perceived, premier Misick. In fact, you need a PR firm, if anything. But, the truth is the truth--as the people see it. And, the truth is, the folks just not only do not like your leadership style anymore, but, are pissed with the entire scenario of how its unfolding, all at once.

That's the issue, premier Misick and, in addition to it, you, have apparently let the power bug bite you. It's simply too much, too soon, for folks to have to take this, from such a bright and promising individual like your self. To be caught up in management and political conflagrations, as the ones you are in right now, is too much to have to bear from the people who elected you.

So, my friendly advice to my "cousin" from the south, is; forget about the high priced Bahamian lawyers; forget about the rantings of Floyd Seymour and the PDM; forget about the impending messy divorce; forget about your own party members wanting your head on a platter for their own gain; forget about Britain and their forensic administrators (although you must make sure you have nothing illegal to worry about) and; lastly, forget about being premier in 2009. Simply, just step to the side. Live to fight, or, in this case, "lead", another day.

The damage you have done to the psyche of the people of TCI and the damage you caused to the moral confidence your party had in you, is enough to make you want to step to the side--for the good of it all.

MP's in your party, are going to lose their seat in the next election, unnecessarily, because of you. It's a given. Not only is the house in TCI too lop-sided, but for everything else, you, getting away with whatever it is the people in TCI thinks that you got away with, will cause a massive socio-political backlash. The political risks have been exacerbated. The thinking by folks, is that "it just doesn't 'feel' right!"

The only thing, really, you can and should do for the party, is to make sure they don't lose the government and that means, the poison injected into the body politic in the TCI, made apparently worse by your management style, has to be removed. It may not be fair, but its politics.

That's no offence, either. But, it's just how the people see you related to the "issues". Because, if you stay, I can almost certainly guarantee you, you, will cause a massive shift in power from the PNP to the PDM. It's that bad, I'm afraid.

So, save yourself and your party's leadership in TCI. Get out of the limelight and get back into your own constituency and hope that they, truly, take you back into their bosom as a man who made mistakes, but not inherently a horrible leader and person. You're still a relatively young man-- with leadership experience-- you "can" make a come back.

But, right now, with people frustrated in TCI and the global economy, making things much more uncomfortable, they will pay you and your party back ten fold in the next general election. You can, however, make the damage, for your sake, more manageable for your political future and the career's of your party's MP's.

To be totally frank- as it stands now- I don't see you, as leader of the PNP, winning the next election.

Live to lead another day, premier Misick!