Caribbean News
PDM setting up Shadow Cabinet; says they need “Fighters” not ‘show-offs’
By Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicos, February 11, 2023 – The People’s Democratic Movement has given the Progressive National Party a failing grade on their governance of the country so far and says they are extending an invitation to political hopefuls across the country to join the PDM party in its ‘renaissance period’.
The resounding ‘F’ is no surprise from an opposition party and came from Deputy Party Leader, Robert Been in a press conference on February 9th. Been was buttressed in his assessment by Leader of the Opposition Edwin Astwood, and Opposition Appointed Member Alvin Garland who attended along with National Chairman Ezra Taylor.
It was Taylor however who revealed, when questioned, that the PDM is putting together a shadow cabinet to hold the government accountable for the next two years as elections draw closer.
“We are in the process of formulating our candidate’s committee and finalizing the material in terms of what we’re
Taylor explained that the PDM already had significant amounts of qualified candidates knocking on their doors, just waiting to take up a spot in the cabinet.
“We want persons who are going to serve this country, not the PDM, to prepare themselves if they are interested in candidacy. We want everyone who is interested in serving this country as a candidate, when we open this process, to express your interest.”
Taylor emphatically outlined what the job is about, as the PDM executives on Thursday morning identified themselves as “the Government in waiting.”
“It’s gonna be all about the people of this country, it is not for self-aggrandizement, it is not for self-enrichment, it is not for popularity, it is not for fame, it is not to be seen in high-stake events, this is about Turks and Caicos Islanders, we have lost a lot of ground in this country which we need to regain. We are going to need fighters who are going to get into this battle with us, to regain and recapture…. it is ours.”
Taylor encouraged all young people saying that no one could govern for them, but themselves, and maintaining that the PDM was looking for young people to “step up step forward and help him set the agenda.”
“We are well on our way to preparing this party for an election and one that we are going to be successful at,” he promised, maintaining that the upcoming shadow cabinet would be speaking for the PDM, giving a hint at how they plan to address issues of the day if they are elected.
Alvin Garland, the PDMs appointed member in Parliament also used the opportunity to announce he plans to seek endorsement from his party in a bid to offer as a candidate in the next general election.