quote:

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Bryant said his order also suspends the constitutional right to trial by jury in the Turks and Caicos.

"This is a serious constitutional step which the UK government has not taken lightly, but these measures are essential in order to restore good governance and sound financial management," Bryant said in a statement.

"It remains our intentions that elections should be held by July 2011, if not sooner.

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That's a looong time to languish in a prison with no trial if you get arrested for, well anything.
 

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Posted by MinutiaeMan (Member # 444) on :
 
Without knowing all the details of the situation, lack of trial by jury isn't automatically a bad thing, assuming that it's not abused. Look at Japan; they're only just getting around to a second try this summer. The main reason that trial by jury is so cherished in the USA is because before independence, many colonists were bundled off to Nova Scotia for trial in Admiralty Court, rather than facing trial in their home colony. The situation here seems a bit different.

That's not to say that it should be taken away in the first place... just that the situation is different.
 

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Posted by Reverend (Member # 335) on :
 
How is it Imperialism when those islands are already a part of the overseas territories? Removing a potentially corrupt government from a dependent nation is called "acting responsibly".
 

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Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
 
I was more predicting some international backlash- particularly from a certain Venezuelan strongman.
Imagine if Obama did the smae for one of our territories- plus you guys almost got the rap for that Hondouras thing.

Hmmm....I really do see potential for serious abuses if the situation is not closely monitored: letting the local police continue as-is with potential for trials to be held up for over a year is scary considering that corruption surely extends to the police forces.

I'm kinda suprised this has not become a major story- it's unique in the modern era.
 

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