We Must Enlarge the Franchise, We are Outnumbered says TCI Premier Washington Misick

By Dana Malcolm

Staff Writer

#TurksandCaicos, February 15, 2023 – “We want you to benefit from what we have to offer,” was the message from Hon Washington Misick, TCI Premier as he spoke to the Turks and Caicos Diaspora earlier this week, maintaining that the country was pushing hard to expand its franchise through them.

“We have about 9,000 voters, fortunately, more and more TC-Bahamians are getting their status cards.”   He maintained that this was a solution to keeping the voting power in the hands of Turks and Caicos Islanders.”

The Premier, who is in The Bahamas for the 44th Regular Meeting of CARICOM made the comments at a Nassau gathering held Monday February 12 at Crypto Isles on East Bay Street.   A second meeting is scheduled for Saturday, February 18 in Freeport, Grand Bahama.

It was billed as an invitation only session, was chock-full of professionals from a wide cross-section of fields and was meant to familiarize the Diaspora in The Bahamas with the soon to be amended immigration laws which would allow many more of them to move back to the Turks and Caicos, further strengthening the native population, a significant goal for TCIG and the PNP Administration, he said.

“I would be lying to you if I didn’t tell you that is part of the motive of— including people of TCI heritage to qualify for status in the TCI, but also it is the right thing to do,” he said.

He explained why it was so important.

“What is happening at home at the moment is that we are accommodating large numbers of expatriate workers from the Caribbean and North America, one of the issues that we face today— is that we are already outnumbered—- and that is not going to get any better.”

On the part of the Diaspora, there was keen interest; the meeting was a resounding success and oversubscribed prior to opening.

Welcomed at the reception were leaders at the highest level, for both countries including Hon Philip Davis, Bahamian Prime Minister; Hon JoBeth Coleby Davis, Bahamas Minister of Housing (a part of the TCI Diaspora); Her Excellency Anya Willams, Deputy Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands and Hon. Arlington Musgrove, TCI Minister of Immigration and Border Services (a part of the Diaspora).
Members of the

Misick emphasized the pull factors maintaining that the economy was not only booming but that there were entrepreneurial opportunities open to those interested.

“We probably have $2 billion worth of investment in the pipeline over the next two years— but there’s only so many of us.”

He maintained that relationships between the two island states were happening whether they were endorsed by the Government or not, firmly informing, for the TCI’s part his administration was prepared to make it official.

“I didn’t come to this office as Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands to be ordinary, at my age, I can’t afford to be ordinary,” said Misick as he addressed the packed reception, “I don’t want to buy into narrow thinking. I believe we have great people among our diaspora who serve globally. We have people all over the United States, United Kingdom, the Caribbean but the bulk of our Diaspora resides here in The Bahamas.”

Already identified are the liaison officials for The Bahamas.   Andrea Mills, a veteran educator, is assigned to Nassau and Canon Fr. Curtis Robinson, also an educator and Anglican priest is identified for Grand Bahama.

The two were approved at a February 8, 2023 Cabinet meeting informed Premier Misick.

Photo courtesy of the Turks & Caicos Office of the Premier