Caribbean News
The Turks and Caicos Islands Football Association Announces New Members of Staff
#TurksandCaicos, December 16, 2022 – Football continues to develop strength in the Turks and Caicos Islands, growing in significant competition and participation. As a result of the Turks and Caicos Islands Football Association’s (TCIFA) strategic plan to take football forward, building on the progress of past years, TCIFA welcomed new members of staff in an effort to further best practices, and expand quality football and administration.
Lenford Singh’s sixteen-year long experience with the TCIFA’s National Football Team Programme, coupled with his strong work ethic and leadership skills, supported his transfer to the coaching staff as they begin a new era of success. Singh played for the Turks and Caicos Islands Men’s National Football Team as striker and wide midfielder. He retired in September 2022. Singh joins the Technical Department as Football Coach, Talent Development Leader and Assistant Coach for the Boys U15 National Football Team. “I have always been extremely passionate about football, even as a young boy growing up in my community. I see football as a positive way to encourage young people to express their talents and achieve their maximum level of athletic potential. I am, therefore, driven and committed to continue providing knowledge and nurturing personal growth as I motivate our young people, keeping them on a positive path to achieving their goals,” said Singh. “I am excited to contribute to the Turks and Caicos Islands Football Association in my new capacity- the association which has been so instrumental in shaping me as a person, player, and now coach. Though there have been many great moments and memories as a player, now is the time to shift my focus. I look forward to influencing and molding our players into the leaders they are destined to be, whether on or off the field; and look forward to an exciting future ahead. I am thankful for the belief and continued investments ushered by President Sonia Fulford and the rest of the TCIFA.”
With a Bachelor’s degree in Primary Education, Jerisha Durham holds 5 years teaching experience at the Enid Capron and Ianthe Pratt Primary Schools in Providenciales. Durham now occupies the position of Executive
Assistant to the Office of the President and General Secretary at the TCIFA, carrying a myriad of responsibilities. Her exemplary communication, organizational skills, and adaptability are but a few of her many strengths. She commented, “Babe Ruth once said, ‘Don’t let the fear of striking out hold you back.’ This is the motto that I live by. Football is new to me, yet, I am not afraid to start afresh or embark on this wonderful experience in my capacity at the TCIFA. I am filled with so much gratitude. The opportunity has already proven to be rewarding one, by the great people I have come in contact with, and the professional and collaborative work environment that exists. I am looking forward to a bright future in football administration, and learning more about the nuts and bolts of the beautiful game.”
After spending much of her childhood years playing in the youth football programme and volunteering, Monae Gooden returns to the TCIFA as Clerical Assistant. In 2017, she was awarded a football scholarship by ASA College in Miami, Florida, USA- a result of the 2017 Identification Camp organized by TCIFA. There, she earned an Associate’s Degree in Business Administration. Gooden continues to further her education at the University of the West Indies Bachelor’s Programme, studying Business Management and Economics. “The unparalleled beauty of the game is the reason for my passion,” said Gooden. “I am ecstatic to return home to be a part of the administration that continues to invest in the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands, through football. In future endeavors, I hope to also do this as a player and a coach.”
TCIFA President Sonia Fulford commented, “It is truly an exciting time for football. It is with great pleasure that we welcome Singh, Durham and Gooden to the offices of the TCIFA. Not only will they bring a tighter focus to the work we are doing, but they will put forth significant contributions to our next chapter of growth and success. Our members of staff, each, embody the TCIFA’s values and mission. We are climbing the ladder and achieving a breakthrough. We are experiencing more active competition, both locally and internationally, than ever before. We are embracing this growth in every way possible and instituting multiple courses of action to keep up with this exciting momentum. We look forward to the new perspectives and dimension that these individuals will bring as we work collaboratively to raise the profile of football in these Turks and Caicos Islands.”
President Fulford continued, “It gives me great joy to see more Turks and Caicos Islanders becoming interested in football coaching and administration, as with our new members of staff, and we encourage more persons to become involved through our volunteer programme. I am also thrilled that Singh and Gooden has decided to shift gears and give back to our TCIFA from a different space. Football offers several options beyond the player’s field, and opportunities abound with exceptional growth chances. With that being said, there is always a place for everyone in football.”
For more information, please contact TCIFA Marketing and Communications Coordinator, Candia Ewing at 941-5532 or cewingtcifa@gmail.com
Address:
TCIFA National Academy
Venetian Road
Providenciales
Turks and Caicos Islands
By Deandrea Hamilton | Magnetic Media
October 14, 2025 – It’s being called political theatre — but for citizens, constitutional watchdogs, and democracy advocates across the Caribbean, it feels far more serious. Within a single week, two national parliaments — in Trinidad and Tobago and St. Kitts and Nevis — descended into turmoil as opposition members stormed out in protest, accusing their Speakers of bias, overreach, and abuse of parliamentary procedure.
For observers, the walkouts signal a deeper problem: erosion of trust in the very institutions meant to safeguard democracy. When Speakers are viewed as political enforcers instead of neutral referees, parliaments stop functioning as chambers of debate and start performing as stages for power and spectacle — with citizens left wondering who, if anyone, is still accountable.
October 6: St. Kitts Parliament Erupts
The first walkout erupted in Basseterre on October 6, 2025, when Dr. Timothy Harris, former Prime Minister and now Opposition Leader,
led his team out of the St. Kitts and Nevis National Assembly in a protest that stunned the chamber.
The flashpoint came as the Speaker moved to approve more than three years’ worth of unratified parliamentary minutes in one sitting — covering 27 meetings and three national budgets — without individual review or debate.
Dr. Harris called the move “a flagrant breach of the Constitution and parliamentary tradition,” warning that the practice undermines transparency and accountability. “No serious parliament can go years without approving a single set of minutes,” he said after exiting the chamber.
The Speaker defended the decision as administrative housekeeping, but critics were unconvinced, branding the move a “world record disgrace.” The opposition’s walkout triggered renewed calls for the Speaker’s resignation and sparked a wider public discussion about record-keeping, accountability, and respect for parliamentary norms in St. Kitts and Nevis.
October 10: Trinidad Opposition Follows Suit
Four days later, on October 10, 2025, the Opposition United National Congress (UNC) in Trinidad and Tobago staged its own walkout from the House of Representatives in Port of Spain.
The UNC accused the Speaker of partisan bias, claiming she had repeatedly blocked urgent questions, ignored points of order, and allowed government members to breach standing orders without consequence.
“The Speaker has failed in her duty to act impartially,” the Opposition declared in a statement. “Parliament is not the property of any political party or Presiding Officer.”
The dramatic exit was seen as a culmination of months of rising tension and frustration, with opposition MPs arguing that parliamentary rules were being selectively applied to silence dissenting voices.
Political analyst Dr. Marcia Ferdinand described the twin walkouts as “a warning sign that parliamentary democracy in the Caribbean is teetering on the edge of performative politics.”
“When chairs become political shields rather than constitutional referees,” she said, “democracy becomes theatre, not governance.”
A Pattern Emerging
While St. Kitts and Trinidad are very different political environments, both incidents point to the same regional fault line: the perception that Speakers — the guardians of parliamentary order — are no longer impartial.
In Westminster-style systems like those across the Caribbean, the Speaker’s authority depends not on power but on public confidence in fairness. Once that credibility erodes, parliamentary control collapses into confrontation.
Governance experts say the implications are serious: eroded trust between government and opposition, declining public confidence in state institutions, and growing voter cynicism that “rules” are flexible tools of political advantage.
Why It Matters
Parliamentary walkouts are not new in the Caribbean, but what makes these recent events different is their frequency and intensity — and
the regional echo they’ve created. Social media has amplified images of lawmakers storming out, with citizens from Barbados to Belize questioning whether the same erosion of decorum could be happening in their own legislatures.
Analysts warn that if this perception takes hold, it risks diminishing the moral authority of parliamentary democracy itself.
“Once opposition MPs believe the rules are rigged, and once citizens believe Parliament is just performance,” said one Caribbean governance researcher, “you’ve lost the most valuable currency in democracy — trust.”
Restoring Balance
Political reformers across the region are calling for tighter Standing Order enforcement, independent parliamentary service commissions, and training to strengthen Speaker neutrality. Civil society leaders say the public must also play its part by demanding transparency and refusing to normalize partisan manipulation of parliamentary procedure.
Whether these twin walkouts become catalysts for reform — or simply another episode of Caribbean political theatre — will depend on what happens next inside those chambers.
For now, democracy watchers agree on one thing: when opposition leaders feel the only way to be heard is to walk out, the entire democratic house — not just its Speaker — is in danger of collapse.
Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.
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