Politics of the Turks and Caicos Islands
Encyclopedia
Politics of the Turks and Caicos Islands
takes place in a framework of a parliamentary
representative democratic
dependency
, whereby as of August 9, 2006 the Premier is the head of government
, and of a multi-party system
. The islands are an internally self-governing overseas territory of the United Kingdom
. The United Nations
Committee on Decolonization includes the Turks and Caicos Islands on the United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories
.
Executive power
is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government
and the Legislative Council.
The Judiciary
is independent of the executive and the legislature. Military defence is the responsibility of the United Kingdom
.
The capital of the Turks and Caicos Islands is Cockburn Town
on Grand Turk
. The islands were under Jamaica
n jurisdiction until 1962, when they assumed the status of a crown colony. The governor of the Bahamas oversaw affairs from 1965 to 1973. With Bahamian independence, the islands received a separate governor in 1973. Although independence was agreed upon for 1982, the policy was reversed and the islands are presently a British overseas territory. The islands adopted a constitution on August 30, 1976, which is Constitution Day, the national holiday. The constitution was suspended in 1986, but restored and revised March 5, 1988. The territory's legal system is based on English
common law
, with a small number of laws adopted from Jamaica
and the Bahamas. Suffrage is universal for those over 18 years of age. English
is the official language.
The death penalty was fully abolished on the Islands in 2002 when it was removed as a penalty for piracy and treason
.
In compliance with the Order in Council issued by the Queen, on March 16, 2009 the Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands, Gordon Wetherell, in a broadcast to the nation, announced that the constitution will be partially suspended for two years following receipt of the final Commission of Inquiry report into government corruption, which is due on or before April 30, 2009.
On March 24, 2009 Prime Minister of the Turks and Caicos Islands resigned as Britain prepares to take administrative control of the Caribbean territory. The Premier of the British dependency who has been at the centre of the corruption probe into the ruling elite, said in a statement he was resigning to give way to a unified government. In August 2009, the United Kingdom suspended the Turks and Caicos' self-government after allegations of ministerial corruption. The prerogative of the ministerial government and the House of Assembly are vested in the islands' incumbent governor, Gordon Wetherell, for a period of up to two years.
is the sovereign and head of state; the British Crown is represented by a governor.
The head of government is the premier. The cabinet consists of three ex officio members and five appointed by the governor from among the members of the House of Assembly:
No direct elections are held for the executive; the governor is officially appointed by the British monarch. Legally, the premier is appointed to office by the governor - although under ordinary circumstances the premier will be (as are most parliamentary prime ministers) the head of the largest party in the House of Assembly.
In August 2009, the United Kingdom suspended the Turks and Caicos' self-government after allegations of ministerial corruption. The prerogative of the ministerial government, premier and the Legislative Council are vested in the islands' incumbent governor for a period of up to two years.
|Queen
|Elizabeth II
|
|6 February 1952
|-
|Governor
|Ric Todd
|
|12 September 2011
|-
|Premier
|Office suspended, powers delegated to Governor.
|
|
|}
were held on 9 February 2007. The result was a landslide victory
for the Progressive National Party, which won 13 of the 15 seats in the House of Assembly
.
, is an associate in Caricom, and maintains an Interpol
sub-bureau. Defence is the responsibility of the United Kingdom
. In December 2004, the Turks and Caicos Islands sought to become a new associate member to the Association of Caribbean States
.
Turks and Caicos Islands
The Turks and Caicos Islands are a British Overseas Territory and overseas territory of the European Union consisting of two groups of tropical islands in the Caribbean, the larger Caicos Islands and the smaller Turks Islands, known for tourism and as an offshore financial centre.The Turks and...
takes place in a framework of a parliamentary
Parliamentary system
A parliamentary system is a system of government in which the ministers of the executive branch get their democratic legitimacy from the legislature and are accountable to that body, such that the executive and legislative branches are intertwined....
representative democratic
Representative democracy
Representative democracy is a form of government founded on the principle of elected individuals representing the people, as opposed to autocracy and direct democracy...
dependency
Dependent territory
A dependent territory, dependent area or dependency is a territory that does not possess full political independence or sovereignty as a State, and remains politically outside of the controlling state's integral area....
, whereby as of August 9, 2006 the Premier is the head of government
Head of government
Head of government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. In a parliamentary system, the head of government is often styled prime minister, chief minister, premier, etc...
, and of a multi-party system
Multi-party system
A multi-party system is a system in which multiple political parties have the capacity to gain control of government separately or in coalition, e.g.The Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition in the United Kingdom formed in 2010. The effective number of parties in a multi-party system is normally...
. The islands are an internally self-governing overseas territory of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Committee on Decolonization includes the Turks and Caicos Islands on the United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories
United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories
The United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories is a list of countries that, according to the United Nations, are non-decolonized. The list was initially prepared in 1946 pursuant to Chapter XI of the United Nations Charter, and has been updated by the General Assembly on recommendation...
.
Executive power
Executive Power
Executive Power is Vince Flynn's fifth novel, and the fourth to feature Mitch Rapp, an American agent that works for the CIA as an operative for a covert counter terrorism unit called the "Orion Team."-Plot summary:...
is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
and the Legislative Council.
The Judiciary
Judiciary
The judiciary is the system of courts that interprets and applies the law in the name of the state. The judiciary also provides a mechanism for the resolution of disputes...
is independent of the executive and the legislature. Military defence is the responsibility of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
The capital of the Turks and Caicos Islands is Cockburn Town
Cockburn Town
Cockburn Town is the capital city of the Turks and Caicos Islands.-Location and features:Cockburn Town is located on the largest island in the Turks Islands archipelago, Grand Turk Island. Historic 18th and 19th century Bermudian architecture line Duke and Front Streets in Cockburn Town...
on Grand Turk
Grand Turk Island
Grand Turk Island is an island in the Turks and Caicos Islands. It is the largest island in the Turks Islands with . It contains the territory's capital, Cockburn Town and the JAGS McCartney International Airport...
. The islands were under Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
n jurisdiction until 1962, when they assumed the status of a crown colony. The governor of the Bahamas oversaw affairs from 1965 to 1973. With Bahamian independence, the islands received a separate governor in 1973. Although independence was agreed upon for 1982, the policy was reversed and the islands are presently a British overseas territory. The islands adopted a constitution on August 30, 1976, which is Constitution Day, the national holiday. The constitution was suspended in 1986, but restored and revised March 5, 1988. The territory's legal system is based on English
England and Wales
England and Wales is a jurisdiction within the United Kingdom. It consists of England and Wales, two of the four countries of the United Kingdom...
common law
Common law
Common law is law developed by judges through decisions of courts and similar tribunals rather than through legislative statutes or executive branch action...
, with a small number of laws adopted from Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
and the Bahamas. Suffrage is universal for those over 18 years of age. English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
is the official language.
The death penalty was fully abolished on the Islands in 2002 when it was removed as a penalty for piracy and treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
.
In compliance with the Order in Council issued by the Queen, on March 16, 2009 the Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands, Gordon Wetherell, in a broadcast to the nation, announced that the constitution will be partially suspended for two years following receipt of the final Commission of Inquiry report into government corruption, which is due on or before April 30, 2009.
On March 24, 2009 Prime Minister of the Turks and Caicos Islands resigned as Britain prepares to take administrative control of the Caribbean territory. The Premier of the British dependency who has been at the centre of the corruption probe into the ruling elite, said in a statement he was resigning to give way to a unified government. In August 2009, the United Kingdom suspended the Turks and Caicos' self-government after allegations of ministerial corruption. The prerogative of the ministerial government and the House of Assembly are vested in the islands' incumbent governor, Gordon Wetherell, for a period of up to two years.
Executive branch
Since the islands are a British territory, Queen Elizabeth II of the United KingdomElizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
is the sovereign and head of state; the British Crown is represented by a governor.
The head of government is the premier. The cabinet consists of three ex officio members and five appointed by the governor from among the members of the House of Assembly:
- Deputy Premier
- Minister of Finance, National Insurance and Economic Planning
- Minister of Housing, Agriculture, Works and Telecommunication
- Minister of Health and Human Services
- Minister of Natural Resources, Fisheries, and The Environment
- Minister of Home Affairs and Public Safety
- Minister of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture
- Minister of Tourism, Trade, Investment, and District Administration
No direct elections are held for the executive; the governor is officially appointed by the British monarch. Legally, the premier is appointed to office by the governor - although under ordinary circumstances the premier will be (as are most parliamentary prime ministers) the head of the largest party in the House of Assembly.
In August 2009, the United Kingdom suspended the Turks and Caicos' self-government after allegations of ministerial corruption. The prerogative of the ministerial government, premier and the Legislative Council are vested in the islands' incumbent governor for a period of up to two years.
|Queen
|Elizabeth II
|
|6 February 1952
|-
|Governor
Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands
The Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands is the representative of the British monarch in the United Kingdom's overseas territory of Turks and Caicos Islands. The Governor is appointed by the monarch on the advice of the British government...
|Ric Todd
|
|12 September 2011
|-
|Premier
Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands
This is a list of Chief Ministers and Premiers of the Turks and Caicos Islands.-Chief Ministers of the Turks and Caicos Islands:-Premiers of the Turks and Caicos Islands:...
|Office suspended, powers delegated to Governor.
|
|
|}
Legislative branch
The House of Assembly has 19 members, 13 members elected for a four year term in single-seat constituencies, 3 members ex officio, 3 appointed members and a Speaker chosen from outside the council. In August 2009, the United Kingdom suspended the Turks and Caicos' self-government after allegations of ministerial corruption. The prerogative of the ministerial government and the House of Assembly are vested in the islands' incumbent governor, Gordon Wetherell, for a period of up to two years.Political parties and elections
The latest electionsTurks and Caicos Islands general election, 2007
General elections were held in the Turks and Caicos Islands on 9 February 2007. The result was a victory for the Progressive National Party, which took almost 60% of the vote and 13 of the 15 seats in the Legislative Council.-Results:...
were held on 9 February 2007. The result was a landslide victory
Landslide victory
In politics, a landslide victory is the victory of a candidate or political party by an overwhelming margin in an election...
for the Progressive National Party, which won 13 of the 15 seats in the House of Assembly
Legislative Council of the Turks and Caicos Islands
The House of Assembly of the Turks and Caicos Islands is the legislature of that British Overseas Territory. It has 21 members, 15 members elected for a four year term in single-seat constituencies , 3 members ex officio, 3 appointed members and a speaker chosen from outside the house...
.
Foreign relations
Turks and Caicos participates in the Caribbean Development BankCaribbean Development Bank
The Caribbean Development Bank is a financial institution which assists Caribbean nations in financing social and economic programs in its member countries...
, is an associate in Caricom, and maintains an Interpol
Interpol
Interpol, whose full name is the International Criminal Police Organization – INTERPOL, is an organization facilitating international police cooperation...
sub-bureau. Defence is the responsibility of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. In December 2004, the Turks and Caicos Islands sought to become a new associate member to the Association of Caribbean States
Association of Caribbean States
The Association of Caribbean States was formed with the aim of promoting consultation, cooperation, and concerted action among all the countries of the Caribbean. It comprises twenty-five member states and four associate members...
.