Who is in favor of media censorship - When media is used as a tool for politics

Many developed nations around the world uphold its citizens' right to free speech. However, what happens when that sacred right is abused by agenda seekers, causing question of the value vs. damage of free speech.

Just yesterday in Turks and Caicos, a main stream media outlet, The Sun Newspaper, questioned this free speech right when the editor-in-chief made a statement about a website trying to destroy his reputation. Hayden Boyce, editor-in-chief of Sun Newspaper, wrote, in part:

“Freedom of speech and freedom of expression should be welcome and encouraged in the Turks and Caicos Islands, but those wild boys at the Journal, including Mr. Hartshorn, have been abusing these sacred privileges by acting as if they can intimidate, attack or lie on anyone and by writing whatever one-sided opinions may come to their giddy heads. But very, very soon it will be revealed that some of those associated with the Journal are corrupt to the core.”

TCI Journal, a blog site from Turks and Caicos, previously thought to be mischievous and irreverent, are actually far more deviant than "idiots", as locals call them.

The main writer/editor is a local islander who uses many pseudonyms and characters to do his writing, his real name is Shaun Malcolm. TCI Journal uses its outlet to promote doubt on some of the islands' businessmen and politicians. TCI Journal readily takes credit for the recent demise of the Turks and Caicos government and take over of the islands by the UK. TCI Journal spent the better part of a year trying to set up former premier Michael Misick and his ministers for corruption. Malcolm waited with cameras and took every public opportunity, as well as writing opportunity, to create doubt about former Premier Misick.

Indeed the UK took possession of the island's government in August, a once autonomous British territory, amidst letters from certain citizens of the islands requesting UK's governance, all asserting corruption within the islands' government.

Earlier this year, the UK made its inquiry into the islands' government using many "anonymous letters" as its basis for suspecting corruption. Sir Robin Auld, the investigator, asserted that the anonymous letters were proper because the authors feared reprisal. However, the letters' anonymous authors were never identified by UK, save a handful of people including the two opposition political party leaders, Shaun Malcolm and Floyd Seymour.

Shaun Malcolm and Floyd Seymour had a falling out sometime after the investigation and Seymour went on to lead the opposition political party (PDM) as the party did not wish association with Malcolm. Malcolm, seemingly hostile for this act of being squeezed out of the opposition party, started then writing about Seymour in TCI Journal accusing him of corruption. Most everyone dismissed TCI Journal's rants as sour grapes. However, Seymour just recently dropped out of the race seemingly pressured by the corruption charges and promises by Malcolm of "fireworks" at the party's convention forcing him out of the party leadership.

Two other candidates are vying for the opposition leadership, one of whom is called Oswald Skippings who is the reported front runner. However, Skippings will have to answer a few questions. For example: what is his association with Shaun Malcolm? Skippings and Malcolm are rumored to be trying to take over the opposition party (PDM).

The financier of the TCI Journal is a resort developer named David Hartshorn. TCI Journal has alleged that the competing resort developers were the ones bribing the former Premier. Hartshorn is now receiving government contracts through the interim government.

As the pieces come together it could very well look like this is a huge set up. TCI Journal's lies (or gross exaggerations) of misdeeds by the former government, the opposition leader Seymour and other developers - could they all be corrupt or is that a self-serving assertion by TCI Journal and friends? UK gives TCI Journal's claims of corruption credibility by taking over governance. All competing developers are squeezed out. Seymour is pressured and resigns from opposition party leader and Oswald Skippings is put in. Hartshorn continues to collect hefty construction contracts making all accomplices very wealthy. I suppose time will tell.

Even now, TCI Journal accuses me of working for everyone corrupt and calls me names in an effort to discredit me. Why does the TCI Journal have the corner market on free speech? I will let it slip that TCI Journal has threatened me and tried to intimidate me.

These guys are not idiots contrary to popular belief.

It is just a pity that media and free speech is given a bad name when people, like those who are associated with TCI Journal for example, use it for misdeeds. I know this happens in other parts of the world. It does make one think how far we should trust certain media outlets and if some should be stripped of their right to free speech. For sure, Turks and Caicos Islanders have been stripped of many rights by virtue of this free speech afforded to TCI Journal.

www.TCIwatch.com

www.blogcritics.org

Link between Oswald Skippings and Shaun malcolm first detected

http://www.tcinetnews.com/archivelist.php?news_id=1110&pageaction=showdetail&news