#TurksandCaicos, February 17, 2021 – There are nearly 900 or 11 percent more voters registered to participate in this upcoming general election and there are many more votes up for grabs, at least 5,000, due to a reduced number of political parties contesting in the 2021 national poll.
Historically, governance in the Turks and
Caicos Islands volleys back and forth between the two main political engines: the People’s Democratic Movement, PDM and the
Progressive National Party, PNP.
Once again, the All Island district is a
formidable race with five individuals nominated per party and eight
independents offering At Large.
With no PPP or PDA in the picture, and if
voter turn-out remains in the 80 percent range, there are literally thousands of votes available to the
candidates hoping to be among the five most popular.
In 2016, some 29,233 votes were cast in the
At Large district or category, of which 5,069 were spent on the 11 candidates
nominated either with the PDA (4) or Independent (7).
Leading the All Island candidates for two
consecutive general elections was Sharlene Robinson; who in 2016 became the
country’s first woman premier. Robinson,
as PDM leader drew 3,204 votes; which was actually 223 votes less than the
previous run off in 2012.
Robinson also outdistanced the second
finisher in 2012 by more votes than in 2016, where Josephine Connolly was
within five votes of the popular Sharlene Robinson. In 2012, Rufus Ewing was second popular and
was bested by Mrs. Robinson with 175 more electors giving her the nod.
In 2016, Josephine Connolly, now starring on
the PNP ticket after defecting from the PDM, had lost very little ground with
3,023 votes recorded in 2012 and 3,019 votes in 2016; a mere four point
difference. It reflects a steady showing
for Connolly, who is striving for a third term in office.
Hugely popular Derek Taylor slumped between
2012 and 2016 by 451 votes. Taylor, a
former chief minister secured 3,191 votes in 2012 and 2,740 electors supported
him in the 2016 election. The question
is, does this senior statesman have what it takes to cross the finish line in at
least fifth place to serve again?
Karen Malcolm comes from a mighty clan and
this kind of national popularity is believed to have been the main impetus for
her in a cushy fourth place overall for All Island in 2016. It was Malcolm’s first bid for elected office
as a PDM candidate, earning 2,725 votes.
The 2016 fifth All Island Candidate was one
of four PNP members who held onto a seat after a crushing defeat to the PDM on
December 15 that year.
Also a former chief minister, Washington
Misick suffered a steep fall in popularity securing 772 less votes in 2016,
than in the previous election where he was well over 3,000 votes. Barely getting through with a mere 21 votes
over the sixth place finisher, Misick assumed Leader of Opposition business in
the House of Assembly with the resignation of Rufus Ewing as PNP Leader. By 2019, the Progressive National Party
returned C. Washington Misick officially to the helm.
Noteworthy
for the PNP is that two of the former independents, who between them secured
over 2,400 votes are at the forefront of the 2021 General Election campaign.
Jas Walkin is the PNP’s Campaign Manager;
in 2016 Walkin had support from 834 electors.
Michael Misick, former premier for the PNP
had 1,629 voters cast ballots in his support of his bid, though he was
embroiled in a corruption trial. The
trial, due to the passing of Justice Paul Harrison earlier this month, is on
shaky ground. Its future will be known
by March 1, 2021.
As for which political party will claim
victory and steer the Turks and Caicos over the next four years, that is
difficult to say. Grassroots members
from both sides contend it will be a landslide in their party’s favor, laced
with upsets and shockers.
Swing voters and more neutral observers
agree that it will be a tight race which is threatened both by possible voter
apathy and fears linked to Covid-19.
Turks and Caicos general elections are Friday February 19; polls open from 7am to 9pm with times varying based on island and one’s category as voter.
Photo Caption: TCI Elections office, voter simulation exercise and explainer video 2021.
