Mind your manners....

It’s 5:30 in the morning of this silly daylight savings time and the only thing on my mind is something that has vexed me. 

For years, I’m sure decades now, whenever an issue arises with someone whose origins are not of Turks and Caicos Islands heritage or birth, there is a bleeding heart argument made  in favour of said persons, which as of last night, I no longer wish to hear.

What may that argument be, you say? 

The citing of how much persons have done for the TCI community, the fact they have “built” the Turks and Caicos Islands, the contributions they have made or the philanthropy work they may have under their belt. 

I’ve never been a fan of the argument, but now reached my breaking point. So, the same way how ise tell people, DON’T tell me nothing nobody ga to say bu me unless it’s impending danger? Haitian say, same same. Be guided accordingly.

The Turks and Caicos Islands are a group of Caribbean Islands where Lacayans lived and were wiped out by an ugly diseased man with no sense of direction, Christopher Columbus. 

It was then populated by the colonizers, giving the islands away to those who stayed loyal to the crown after cut ass in America, and many of our ancestors were then brought across from the Carolinas to settle here. 

Slavery continued, crops failed, Coloinzers left, we fended for ourselves. 

Word got around, people come cross, and just like the ancestors, we opened our arms and hearts to anyone coming to the shores with hospitality, possibly even looking for a saviour in our dire times of need. 

Turks and Caicos has now been built up, by way of Providenciales, once Blue Hills, to serve others at a much higher rate than locals, both visitors and foreign settlers, there is no disputing that. 

However, the others, when in the wrong, when being chastised, when friggin up somn, always come with the argument of “We’ve done so much for…….or we’ve paid so much for”

You’re welcome. 

You are welcome for being allowed onto these shores as a guest, and being extended all courtesies and opportunities through love and hospitality. 

For the local people who have helped you legally, illegally, ethically and unethically. 

For allowing you to build your lives, collect your luxuries, fill your pockets, create your legacies on the shores, backs and hearts of the Turks and Caicos, it’s people and all the people IN IT. 

There is no amount of paying for, that can equate to the freedoms, opportunities and allowances you have had here. So instead of excusing reprhensable behaviour in the tone of “You should be grateful”, YOU are the ones that now need to say thank you. 

It’s not lost on me that people HAVE made valuable contributions to the growth of TCI and advancement of TCI. It’s also not lost on me that the decisions and contributions were made for their benefit. 

There is no one, that has come to the Turks and Caicos Islands, soley out of the goodness of their large hearts. If it was not escape or adventure which THEY craved, it was, has been and will always be, money and opportunity. 

So, YOU my darlings are welcome. 

To my bleeding heart Turks and Caicos Islanders, we have no idea what the TCI would have been like if left to the locals to fend for themselves from then til now, however we DO KNOW, that history would not have erased us. Rinse out your brain and stop behaving like peasants lacking self esteem. Arm yourself with the knowledge that if WE could not be here without THEM, THEY could not be here without us.

So there has been no saviour, and there will never be until we become it to ourselves.

Stop tolerating and perpetuating the disrespect and saviour story line. 

To those that can and will not, local, foreign and Arnold Palmers, your complex is yours, keep it to yourselves. 

To everyone else, next time you see me, tell me tanx! Cuz I’ve already given you your welcome.