TCI: Constitution Review committee Public Meeting

#Providenciales, October 14, 2019 – Turks and Caicos – By a Joint Press Statement on Wednesday 2nd October 2019, the Hon. Premier Mrs. Sharlene Cartwright Robinson and the Hon. Leader of the Opposition Mr. C Washington Misick OBE, on behalf of the governing PDM and the Opposition PNP announced the appointment of a Constitution Review Committee formed to conduct consultations throughout the Islands on proposed constitutional changes to our constitution.

The Members as announced were: 

Hon Sean Astwood, Deputy Premier

Hon Douglas Parnell, Elected Member for Cheshire Hall and Richmond Hill

Hon Akierra Missick, Elected Member for Leeward and Long Bay and

Hon. R Donhue Gardiner, former Minister for Border Control

On Friday 4th October 2019, the Hon. Premier and the Hon. Leader of the Opposition on behalf of their respective political parties, appointed Mrs. Rhondalee Braithwaite Knowles OBE, QC, Hon. Attorney General to be the Chair of the Constitution Review Committee and this was subsequently publicly announced in the House of Assembly on Monday 7th October 2019. 

The Attorney General has not been involved in the discussions between the parties and the proposals are not those of the Attorney General.  The proposals being consulted on are those agreed by the two political parties to be put to the public for consultation.  The Attorney General is supported by the Principal Legislative Drafter in the Attorney General’s Chambers, Ms. Desiree Downes MBE.

Both the Hon. Premier and Hon. Leader of Opposition are assisting the Committee in their consultative from time to time.  The Premier’s Office is facilitating the work of the Committee. 

The remit of the Committee is to:

1)           Reintroduce the public to the current proposals before the UK;

2)           Educate on areas of proposed new submissions and

3)           Receive recommendations.

The work of the Committee began on October 7th, 2019 with a town hall meeting on Grand Turk and the Report will be completed by October 31st, 2019.  Once the Report is completed, it will be forwarded to HM Government and a TCI Delegation will travel to make representations during the month of November.

The following public meetings are being held around the Islands:

October 7th                Grand Turk

October 11th              South Caicos 

October 16th              Middle Caicos and North Caicos

October 21st               Providenciales

October 25th              Salt Cay

The work of the Committee follows earlier submissions for constitutional amendment in 2015 and in 2018.  The United Kingdom rejected the 2015 proposals and has invited the Turks and Caicos Islands to revisit what would be proposed on the basis of agreement between the political parties as to the final proposals to be considered by the UK before any further discussions.

Since that time, the Opposition and the Government met over the summer months and the Proposals submitted for consideration by the public are as a result of these meetings and these proposals have not all found agreement among the political parties but they have agreed to consult the public on them. 

The Committee welcomes written submissions from member of the Public by no later than 26th October 2019 on the email address consultation@gov.tc.

Release: TCIG