Political Bickering in Turks and Caicos over Gay Tourism

The political opposition in Turks and Caicos is slamming the government of Prime Minister Michael Misick for allowing a cruise ship carrying 2,000 gay and lesbian tourists to dock in Grand Turk.

Derek Taylor, the opposition leading figure of the People´s Democratic Movement (PDM), condemned what he believed were the actions of a financially and morally bankrupt government that was prepared to prostitute our future all in the name of development and financial gain, he said.

In his response, Chief Minister Misick began by assuring the citizens of the country that neither he nor his ministers were aware of the plans for the cruise ship carrying gay and lesbian tourists to visit the shores of Grand Turk.

And he added, though, that whilst his administration respect civil liberties, the freedom of choice and refrain from discriminating, they are in no way supportive of or encourage the alternative lifestyle of those individuals.

Misick counterattacked saying his government considered every word relating to the 2,000 gay and lesbian tourists to be very hypocritical of the leader of the PDM considering it was his signature that made gay and lesbian relationships legal in the islands.

It was under the PDM´s administration that the White Paper was signed; accepting the alternative lifestyle in the islands and at the same time the same government facilitated Club Mediterranean in hosting a gay convention.