Today, Premier Ewart Brown called the indefinite suspension of general elections originally scheduled for July 2011 in Turks & Caicos a "dreadful delay." Premier Brown:

I am deeply saddened by the continuing, dreadful delay in restoring full democratic rights to the people of Turks and Caicos. Historically governments and government leaders throughout the world that have taken the step of suspending free, democratic elections have been roundly condemned and sanctioned. If this were to occur in Zimbabwe for example, the world and the UK government in particular would refer to the move as barbaric and characterize its government as a cruel dictatorship.

Bermudians and the people of Turks and Caicos share deep historical and familial ties and it is my fervent hope that free elections and a government duly elected by the people will be quickly restored to that country.