The Premier said, “This is not a PDM issue, this is not a PDA issue or PPP issue or whichever other party comes up after this. This is an issue of the Turks and Caicos Islands because I am here today, you here tomorrow and each and every one of us will feel it and our children will feel it when the time comes. So it is important that we stand together on this issue of constitutional advancement and constitutional reform. It is important that we do so. In the meantime, I have discussed with the Leader of the Opposition and we have agreed that we will sit and plot a way forward, because there are many ways to attack and challenge the status quo; but we have to begin with engagement and full engagement of the United Kingdom Government head on. And so we decided that we will establish a bi-partisan team and we will find ourselves in the first instance into the United Kingdom and sit with the members of Parliament and the FCO on this very issue of constitutional reform and show them why it is necessary for us to get what we the people ask for and demand."

 

According to the Premier: “We also will make sure that such efforts are taken not only to the United Kingdom Government but to the international arena, because the world have to understand that the United Nations convention is being violated by the United Kingdom Government. Because if I can’t ask for a single amendment to a constitution you categorically outright deny us those amendments when the people in the House of Assembly voted for them then you are indeed in violation of the UN convention.”

 

Ewing said it took time for members of the House of Assembly to debate those issues and come up with the unanimous decision on the changes.

 

He said the refusal by the UK to make Constitutional changes is "a slap in the face to all of our elected members of the House and a slap in the face of democracy in the Turks and Caicos Islands”.

 

The Premier added: “We must realize that power is the strangest thing and if you want to be a Government and if you are a Government elected, you must have the ability to do something. You must have the ability to make decisions for the people and we all understand what the trepidation may be, but that is not for you. You have to give us the power, you the people gave us the power when you elected each and every one of us into office and so we now need to take the power of you the people with us and we need you the people to rally behind us to demand the changes that you went to every Town Hall meeting for and asked for to be made in our Constitution”.