Turks and Caicos islanders cool to Canada
Wednesday, May 5, 2004
HALIFAX, Canada: According to the Halifax
Daily News, Canadians can probably kiss their dream of an island paradise in
the sun goodbye. Turks and Caicos residents
contacted by the Daily News don't want anything to do with joining the
Canadian federation. The Nova Scotia
legislature recently passed a unanimous resolution urging talks with the
Caribbean islands about becoming part of the province.
"I don't think it would be the best thing for the Turks and Caicos," said
James Pollon, who works at a marina on the island of Providenciales.
"We're already overflowing with tourism. It is the base on which our economy
largely runs, but I just don't think it would be best for the local
community." At the nearby Banana Boat
Restaurant, waitress Michelle Anderson said many of her customers discuss the
possibility of a union with Canada. "Nobody
likes the idea," said Anderson, including even Canadian expats who live there.
"Everybody is saying that your currency is just too low."
The Turks and Caicos, an archipelago of 30 islands east of Cuba, is a British
colony with 250 miles of white beaches. Union
with Canada was first floated in 1917 by Prime Minister Robert Borden. In the
1970s, New Democratic MP Max Saltzman, prompted by islanders themselves,
introduced a private member's bill proposing such a link.
But an External Affairs study in 1987 warned that annexation of the islands -
population 25,000 - could fuel racial tension and would be too costly while
providing little or no benefit to Canada.
Island residents use U.S. greenbacks. And they don't pay any income or sales
tax. Unlike 20 years ago, the economy is booming.
Anderson fears her paycheque would shrink if Canada took over: "If Canada
comes, we're going to have to pay all this tax."
At the Turks and Caicos Free Press, assistant editor Hayden Boyce also frowns
on the idea. "The people ... are not keen on
it at all," he said. "It doesn't fit their agenda. They are moving toward
self-determination and independence. I don't think they want to trade one
colonial master for another." David Bowen,
director of culture for the islands, said Canada has probably missed the boat.
"They should have gone when we asked a number of years ago," he said.
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