TCI voters head to polls as UK relinquishes hold

| 08/11/2012

tci_0.jpg(CNS): After almost three years of direct rule the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands will go to the polls Friday to elect a new government under their new constitution. Some 35 candidates from three political parties and two independents will take part in the election which will be watched over by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association British Islands & Mediterranean Region (CPA BIMR) team of independent Election Observers. There are 19 seats in the TCI House of Assembly but only 15 are directly elected as the other four are appointed posts. Ten of the seats are elected in single member district constituencies and five seats are combined from across the country.

Voters complete two ballot papers one for a single member in their relevant constituency vote and then voters can vote up to five times on the second ballot paper for the all island candidates with the top five being elected on a first past the post basis. Over 7,240 people are registered to vote and eligible to cast a ballot in this election.

The People’s Democratic Movement (PDM) is fielding 10 Electoral District candidates and five All Island candidates as is the  Progressive National Party (PNP)-   the party kicked from office when the UK took over, while the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) is fielding five Electoral district candidates only.  One of the independents is standing in one Electoral District and the other as an all island candidate.

“This week marks the start of a much heralded and long anticipated new chapter in the history of the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI),” said Ric Todd the TCI governor ahead of the ballot.  “I am very much looking forward to the elections on Friday and appointing both the new Premier and the Leader of the Opposition early next week, dependent, of course, on the electoral arithmetic from Friday’s poll.

Having recovered from the challenges that combined to create the perfect storm in TCI Todd pointed to hurricane Ike the breakdown of good governance, the global financial crisis, growing debt, the loss of confidence in the Institutions and the allegations of criminal activity.He said this recovery and the implementation of more ambitious public sector reform than in any UK Overseas Territory, and perhaps in the region was a remarkable achievement by the people of TCI.

Todd added that growth returned in 2010, has continued at 4.3% in 2011 and is expected to carry on this year helped by a series of significant investments.

Commending the local politicians the governor said they were “civil and focused on the positives of their own plans for the country.” He said the campaign had been described as the calmest, most reasonable and orderly election in memory.

Thanking the TCI people for their patience and fortitude over the past three years, Todd added: “ We have tried at all times to consult widely, to be open, honest and accountable while trying to do the right thing for the TCI – meet the milestones, build the economy and run effective and transparent government.” He said there were still many challenges ahead, but the UK was ready to work with the new administration. “I would like to wish good luck to all 37 candidates in Friday’s election. Now it is up to the electorate to decide,” Todd said.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Category: World News

About the Author ()

Comments (13)

Trackback URL | Comments RSS Feed

  1. Anonymous says:

    Crazy does as crazy says

  2. Anonymous says:

    You really prefered how things were before? Either you are mad, or you were one of the few lucky ones with your snout in the trough alongside their Premier. Well I for one am glad the British stepped in.

    • Anonymous says:

      Seem like the people of TCI loved the leadership style of the former government because after free and democratic election they elected the party of the government that was ousted.  Now I am not jumping for joy over it but I am thinking….. something went very wrong somewhere.  Interesting indeed!

  3. TCI resident says:

    I was talking to you from 2009 and you didn't heard me!  I wanted to vote and you didn't acknowledge me!  So I am staying home! I resent the fact that my democracy to you was null and void!  Now you want me to vote for change!  Well… I will give you change!  Apathy

    • Anonymous says:

      I'm sure that will work out great for you…

    • Anonymous says:

      Like the Phoenix that rises from the ashes so again will TCI.  They tried to  crush you before and you rebounded stronger than the first time.  They knocked you off your feet a second time but you got up again, a little shaken but you will steady and settle yourself again.  This time you will be stronger than ever, just learn from your mistakes and apply and follow the letter of the law to the end.  Another word of caution do let outsiders into your lives so easily be guarded.  Marry your own, hire your own, promote your own, don't sell out your lands.  Keep your country small, under no circumstances let there be more non Belongers than there are Belongers by birth.  Follow the Bermuda model to the letter of the law and you will be great again.  Align youself with Bermuda and learn from them, shed the rest of your advisors.  You are still an excellent jurisdiction, many people still want to live and invest there but be very careful.  Don't let others use you, choose your leaders wisely TCI still have a lot to offer made education and the health of your natives your number one priority.  Keep the population small, put a moritorium on the grant of "Belongers".

      • Anonymous says:

        I agree with everything you said, but when you said “just learn from your mistakes and apply and follow the letter of the law to the end” I am assuming you think that the TCI people are very unruly. That is not the case! I have noticed that the UK has portrayed TCI the entire country that way to justify their actions. Many TCI people, actually the majority before the dictatorship by the UK were law-abiding citizens! I don’t see why the TCI majority of law abiding citizens, had to suffer with the minority elite of their society that were in involved in corrupt practices? I bet you if this was a predominantly “white” nation like Faulkland Islands, a takeover??? The Privy Council would not have heard the end of it!!!

        • Anonymous says:

          You have evidence of widespread corruption in the Faukland Islands?

      • Anonymous says:

        Aren't the governments all 'natives' and not 'belongers'….is it  not the governments that do all the corrupting…?

        • Anonymous says:

          The Government are Native Belongers, but the puppet masters are non belongers… I agree some government members were corrupted but it was not Native Belongers that facilitated the courruption, this article should give you an insight of who did the corrupting and what they did after they got the benefits or could not receive the benefits that they had anticipated http://tcipost.com/?p=25068

          • Anonymous says:

            It would seem to me that you are saying that there is no-one amongst the Native Belongers who is capable of resisting the urge to become a puppet or with the principle or moral fibre to reject corrupt practices.

            Or are you just seeking to avoid the blame for the actions of your fellow Native Belongers and not thinking through what you are saying?

            In my book, one of the primary qualifications for holding public office is the determination, when offered a bribe, to see the person offering the bribe put in prison, not to see whether you can get them to offer more before accepting.

        • Anonymous says:

          Poster 13:41

          Who gave them the money to corrupt them, you always want to blame the politicians but wont blame yourself or the developers it takes two to be corrupt.

          Business is just as corrupted and as guilty of destroying countries as politicians, it is time the truth is told as to where the money comes from to corrupt politicians.

          It is not the people it is the persons who come here and want special favors.

          • Anonymous says:

            So the politicians were corrupt and they were Native Belongers. Point stands.