It was just a squib I saw in this week's Newsweek: Self-government has been suspended in a one-time British colony, the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Since achieving self-government in 1976, the small (population of around 32,000, scattered across a group of islands north of and roughly in between Cuba and Hispaniola) country has been the subject of many complaints. There have been charges of rampant corruption, rigged elections, and just general ineptness. So the British government last month took over the local government and imposed direct rule by a Crown-appointed governor-general. Although some have made charges of neo-colonialism, the Newseweek article says "the takeover had a number of similarities to a proposal currently gaining ground in development circles.... [R]eal development requires more than foreign investment or charity; it needs functioning institutions, which is precisely what outside administrators can provide."
Let's see now... former British possession... rampant corruption... charges of rigged elections... general ineptitude in government....
Hmmmmm. Why are the English looking at us Americans with that funny look in their eye?
1 comment:
One of my sisters is over in England right now...hmmm...I may have to ask her what's going on!
(ha)
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