#TurksandCaicos, February 2, 2021 – There are 38 people running in the upcoming General Election according to the official list made public overnight by the Elections Office.
On the
list is one person per political party in the ten districts and 18 people are
going after the five at large seats in the House of Assembly; including a lone
candidate from the PDA, which in the 2016 national poll contest all seats.
On Monday, the Elections Supervisor,
Dudley Lewis released this statement: “The
thirty-eight (38) nominees including eighteen (18) “All Island” Independent
candidates were duly nominated on Friday, January 29, 2021, according to the
legal requirements, and the list of nominees published.
The declarations submitted to the Supervisor has now been
published and the list available for viewing on the government website www.gov.tc.
Under Section 50(2) of the Constitution, the Supervisor is
required to publish the declarations to allow for public scrutiny.
The Constitution also make provision for members of the public
and the Attorney General to challenge any of the nominated individuals
regarding their eligibility.”
Here
are the individuals who successfully nominated on Friday January 29:
ED1
Grand Turk North: Otis Chuck Morris, PNP
and Temard Rudardo Butterfield, PDM.
ED2
Grand Turk South: Edwin Astwood, PDM Incumbent and Leshun Sebastian Missick,
PNP.
ED 3
South Caicos: John Jamael Malcolm, PNP
(incumbent seat) and Patrease Thomas, PDM.
ED 4
Middle and North Caicos: Ralph Lewis
Higgs, PDM incumbent and Arlington Alexander Musgrove, PNP,
ED5
Leeward: Gertrude Forbes, PDM and Akierra
Missick, PNP incumbent.
ED 6
The Bight: Matthew Timothy Stubbs, PNP
(incumbent seat) and Audric Skippings, PDM.
ED7
Richmond Hill & Cheshire Hall:
Douglas Parnell, PDM incumbent and Samuel Ernest Been, PNP.
ED 8
Blue Hills: Randy Dexter Howell, PNP and
Goldray Ewing, PDM incumbent.
ED 9
Five Cays: Sean R. Astwood, PDM
incumbent and Rachel Marshall Taylor, PNP.
ED 10
Wheeland: Kyle Knowles, PNP and Vaden
Delroy Williams, PDM incumbent.
For
the five All Island seats: there are five from the PDM: Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson, incumbent; Hugh
Derek Taylor, incumbent; Karen Evadne Malcolm, incumbent; Robert A. Been and
Maxovonno Thomas.
There
are five nominees from the PNP: Charles
Washington Misick, incumbent; Jamell Rayan Robinson; Erwin Jay Saunders;
Josephine Olivia Connolly, incumbent and Shaun David Malcolm.
There
are seven independent candidates: George
Lightbourne; Jermain Richardson Fulford; Lekensay K.D. Missick; Lucky Shemock Forbes;
Jacqueline Almartha Lightbourne and Courtney Mancur Missick; Alicia Kaye Swann.
And
representing the People’s Democratic Alliance, (PDA) Winston McLaughlin.
Retiring
from frontline politics are Ruth Blackman in South Caicos and Porsha Smith in The
Bight; both from the Progressive National Party.
Among
the independents in the race are firebrand preacher from North Caicos, Courtney
Missick; PNP defector, George Lightbourne who goes from Grand Turk North to All
Island and Jermain Fulford, originally from Grand Turk who is running at
large.
The 47
year old, well known as an IT professional said he was inspired to seek office
due to the tone deaf representation of both political parties.
He
said: “There are basic things Turks and
Caicos people are asking for but the parties don’t see it as a priority… if
elected, my goal is to do whatever the people of the TCI say.”