Government
PDM Leader Hon. Edwin A. Astwood Delivers State of the State Address
Rebuttal
Tonight, It is now clear to everyone who watched the Premier’s State of the State address that the Premier and his PNP Cabinet have either spent the last 2 years ignoring all the real issues facing the Turks and Caicos Islands or Making them worse.
In his address, the Premier tried to paint a different picture of the country, but his actions over the last 2 years, don’t match the rhetoric that we have heard. This is not what the people that voted his Party into Office were expecting. This PNP Administration has made life harder for the average resident of the Turks & Caicos Islands.
I believe that every TCI who was watching this speech had asked themselves:
After 2 long years of the Hon. Charles W. Misick-led PNP administration, am I better of now than I was 4 years ago, before the pandemic?
The answer I NO.
SO YOU HAVE NOT DELIVERED”
Every TCI is probably paying 30% more for monthly expenses than they did 4 years ago, the cost of living is at an all-time high, for many the chance of owning a home is far out of reach. They just can’t afford the extremely high prices.
Many persons have left the country, and many more are planning to leave. We have not seen an Exodus like this since the late ’60s, and early 70’s.
“SO Mr. PREMIER -YOU HAVE NOT DELIVERED”
Under this current PNP administration, far too many of our families are living paycheck to paycheck.
Under this current PNP administration Wages are struggling to keep pace with the actual cost of living.
Under this current PNP administration, we are seeing moms’ and dads’ paychecks buy them less and less.
Under this current PNP administration, we are seeing our working people choose which essential Items to take home- and which ones to leave behind.
Under this current PNP administration, we are seeing a record amount of vacancies in the Public Service- we heard 400 vacancies.
“SO YOU HAVE NOT DELIVERED”
Under this current PNP administration, we are seeing persons being sent into retirement while there is still a great need for the retention of their services.
The Hon. Premier said tonight that his government had created a Health Care system that is accessible and delivers a High-Quality Care – however – Under this current PNP administration, we are seeing Health care outcomes the worse it has ever been in modern times.
In this nation where the Premier says that the Economy is ROARING, we are hearing of Turks and Caicos Islanders who are skipping blood pressure pills and insulin injections, forced to choose between buying medicine or buying food.
So regardless of whether he site GDP, whether he cites tourist numbers, Cruise Ship numbers, whether he cites job vacancy numbers, decrease in customs processing fees, decrease in fuel tax -or whether you site some other things the Premier is trying to hang his hat on-
The Fact is that for the average TCI, those cited numbers don’t translate into a better life or better opportunities. It has NOT.
“SO YOU HAVE NOT DELIVERED”
We as politicians should never lose sight of whom we are working for.
But what we have heard tonight shows a government that is totally disconnected from its people.
Tonight we heard the Premier take credit for many projects that the previous administration did. His role was only to cut ribbons – nothing else. He took credit for Covid Vaccinations, the travel portal, mental health facilities, agriculture policy, Farmer’s market, and school gardens- none of which he had anything to do with it.
Additionally, they had nothing to do with the South Caicos Airport getting done- their only role thus far was to take walk-throughs and pose for pictures.
“SO YOU HAVE NOT DELIVERED”
Every major thing that this PNP Administration had put in place is having a negative effect on our people.
An example is the Beach vendors Bill which is killing local small businesses and making it harder for the surviving businesses to operate.
Another is the closing down of the Tourist Board and opening of the DMO- which is putting 17 of our people out of work- the Premier said in his speech tonight that “that change is uncomfortable, but it is necessary- so he is viewing the staff as “causalities of war.”
You should not have to wake up every morning and worry about the next thing this Government is going to do to you or your children, or do to your business, or your way of life.
That is why No one is listening to the Premier anymore. His Cabinet and his Team are weak. He commands no more respect. The majority of our People no longer care what he says. He and his team did it to themselves. The people gave them a chance, and they “bit the hand that fed them.”
Recently we have been watching the news from around the world that is showing entire populations revolting against leaders who refuse to improve their lives.
And we can now confirm that they have no idea of how to reverse the economic and cultural trends that are destroying the Turks and Caicos Islands.
They cannot improve anyone’s life, only they can enhance their own.
At some point, the Premier will be gone. His Cabinet will be gone. The rest of us will be gone, too. The country will remain. What kind of country will it be then?
Who will call themselves Turks and Caicos Islanders?
How do we want our children and grandchildren to live?
What social, economic, and political climate will they face?
These are the only questions that matter.
The answers use to be obvious. Prosperity and a successful life. However, the goal for the Turks and Caicos is both simpler and more elusive than mere prosperity:
It includes happiness. There are a lot of ingredients in being happy: Dignity, Purpose, Safety, Opportunity, Self-respect, national pride, freedom, self-determination, and Above all, deep relationships with other people.
Those are the things that you want for your children. They are the things that our leaders should want for us and would want if they cared.
But the current PNP leaders don’t care. We are being governed by soldiers of fortune who feel no long-term obligation to the people that had elected them.
Tonight – The Premier said it himself, he said “I KNOW MY TIME IS LIMITED”
Yes, Premier your time is limited
They’re temporary workers, backup drivers, day traders, Substitute teachers, and guest workers. They’re just passing through. They have no skin in this game, and it shows. They can’t solve our problems. They don’t even bother to talk with our people in order to understand our problems.
When you care about people, you do your best to treat them fairly. Our PNP leaders don’t even try. They hand out jobs and contracts and opportunities based purely on how close you are associated with them.
Yes, the country is Booming, but it is only booming for the Premier and his closest friends. Their little group did increase their economic advantage. But for everyone else, we are still fighting for the crumbs from the table.
It has to be clear that the actions of the Premier and his party are pulling us further and further apart
Unfairness is profoundly contentious. When you favor one child over another, your children don’t hate you. They hate each other.
This is what’s happening in our country, probably by this PNP Administration’s grand design;
Divided countries are easier to rule and exploit. And nothing divides us like the perception that some select people are getting super special treatment, while all others get nothing and are being left behind. The general public should oppose this with everything they have.
SO YOU HAVE NOT DELIVERED
But it doesn’t have to be that way. There is an alternative-
Across our nation, the PDM party is now showing our people what PDM Leadership looks like:
What it means to respect the people we serve – to hear them out, to talk with them not down at them, to stand up for them, to walk alongside them,
We know that our problems require bold action, but we know that doesn’t mean the government making decisions without the people.
The PDM may not have the Government but we are doing what we can to fill the leadership vacuum in our Government. And on the major issues that are affecting TCIs, the PDM is leading in putting workable recommendations forward.
We are standing up for our people.
Most of all we are respecting You the people as being the ones that we have to answer to. The Premiere only talks about it, we the PDM do it.
That is what I believe, that is what the PDM believes, and that is what the PDM is doing.
In his speech, The Honorable premier never truly established how we will fix some of the things plaguing our people and the country. We are now more uncertain about our future as a nation than ever before.
“SO IN SUMMARY YOU HAVE NOT DELIVERED”
Over the last 2 years, I have put my faith in our people across the length and breadth of the Turks and Caicos Islands, and they haven’t let me down.
I encourage this Premier and his government to do the same – to put his faith in you the TCI people who have never wavered in your belief in this country, regardless of which PARTY leads it.
You know that the soul of the TCI is not about who is the elected government, its men and women like you in every Island and corner of our nation, who are willing to step up and take responsibility for your communities, for your Island, for your country, and ultimately for yourselves.
The majority of the country knows that the PDM can do better, we must do better, and We are better.
Thank you, God Bless you and God bless the TCI
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, 10th July 2025 – The Office of the Deputy Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands is pleased to announce the appointment of Mrs. Odessa Forbes as the Director of Culture within the Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture.
Mrs. Forbes holds a Master’s in Business Administration and a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from the American Intercontinental University, FL, a certificate in Business from the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College and a certificate in Project Management through the University of the West Indies.
Bringing over 20 years of diverse leadership experience to her new role, Mrs. Forbes most recently served as Training Manager for the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force, where she led organisation-wide professional development and compliance training for over 400 officers and recruits. Her extensive experience also includes culture development through the leading initiatives that promote local heritage and community engagement, ensuring that cultural values are integrated into organisational practices and community programs within the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force.
Before assuming the Training Manager position, Mrs. Forbes served in the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force for over a decade,
rising through the ranks to become a Police Sergeant. Earlier in her career, she also gained valuable experience in the hospitality sector, working as a restaurant manager, where she developed strong operational, people management and customer engagement skills.
Speaking on her new role, Mrs Forbes said, “I am deeply honoured and excited to serve as the Director of Culture. This role offers a powerful opportunity to preserve, celebrate and share the rich cultural identity of the Turks and Caicos Islands, both at home and with the world. As our society continues to grow and diversify, it is more important than ever that our national values, traditions and stories remain visible, accessible and deeply rooted in our collective identity. I look forward to working with communities across the islands to ensure our culture continues to inspire pride, unity and innovation for future generations. I remain grateful for the encouragement of my family and mentors and I embrace this role with humility, vision and purpose.
In congratulatory remarks, Deputy Governor and Head of the Public Service H.E. Anya Williams said, “It gives me great pleasure to congratulate Mrs. Odessa Forbes on her appointment as our new Director of Culture.
The promotion and preservation of culture is extremely important to our islands, as it not only honours our rich heritage but also shapes the identity and values of our future generations.
We wish Mrs. Forbes well on her appointment as she works to chart a new path in advancing cultural development, fostering creative expression and in ensuring that the diverse traditions of our people continue to thrive and inspire.
Congratulations on your new appointment, Mrs. Forbes!”
PRESS RELEASE
FROM THE OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY GOVERNOR AND HEAD OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, 8th July 2025 – The Office of the Deputy Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands is pleased to announce the appointment of Ms. Alexandria Missick as the Permanent Secretary of the National Lands Secretariat.
Ms. Missick holds a Certificate in Regulation: Theory, Strategy, and Practice from the London School of Economics in London, England, as well as a Master of Business Administration and a Diploma from Imperial College London. She also possesses a Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the University of Law in London and a Bachelor of Laws with Honours from Nottingham Trent University.
With her extensive experience, Ms. Missick has served as the Director of Legal Services, Compliance, and Assistant Company Secretary at FortisTCI. In this capacity, she managed the organisation’s legal, corporate governance, insurance, and compliance functions. She provided strategic legal counsel, skillfully addressing complex legal issues. Her responsibilities included managing and negotiating complex commercial agreements, evaluating legislative developments and their potential impact on the organisation, and ensuring compliance with applicable laws. Additionally, she played a vital role in corporate governance, developing and enforcing governance policies, securing insurance for the company’s assets, effectively managing insurance claims, and supporting the regulatory team.
During her tenure at Scotiabank (Turks & Caicos) Limited, Ms. Missick served in dual capacities as both the Manager of Human Resources and the Manager of Compliance and Legal Services. As Manager of Human Resources, she provided comprehensive guidance and support to ensure alignment with the bank’s strategic objectives. In her role as Manager of Compliance and Legal Services, she oversaw a robust compliance program that promoted good governance and adherence to the bank’s policies and procedures. This involved conducting thorough compliance assessments, designing tailored training programs, and evaluating legislative updates to understand their impact on operations.
Before her time at Scotiabank, she worked at TCI Bank Limited as the Company Secretary and Legal Officer. During her tenure, she
established an internal corporate secretariat office, developed relevant policies and procedures, and ensured compliance with regulatory standards. Additionally, during the bank’s provisional liquidation, she supported the Provisional Liquidators by assisting with operational matters, including human resources.
Speaking on her appointment, Ms. Missick said, “I am deeply honoured to commence this important journey in public service as the Permanent Secretary of the National Land Secretariat. This role offers a unique opportunity to make a meaningful impact within our community by implementing innovative solutions and providing exemplary service. I look forward to collaborating with the talented professionals on our team and my esteemed colleagues throughout the public service, supporting their efforts and advancing our shared goals”.
In congratulatory remarks, Deputy Governor and Head of the Public Service, H.E. Anya Williams said, “It gives me great pleasure to officially congratulate Ms. Alexandria Missick on her appointment as the Permanent Secretary of the newly established National Lands Secretariat and to warmly welcome her to the Turks and Caicos Islands Public Service.
The Crown Land Division, which previously operated as a division under the Attorney General’s Chambers, now stands as a separate ministry with direct reporting responsibilities to Her Excellency the Governor and the Honourable Premier. This important restructuring reflects the government’s ongoing commitment to improving the delivery and efficiency of services within the Crown Lands Division.
We are pleased to welcome Ms. Missick to this critical role and are confident that her legal qualifications, extensive experience and strong leadership will be invaluable assets as she undertakes this responsibility.
As Permanent Secretary, Ms. Missick will have direct oversight of the following divisions:
Crown Land
Survey and Mapping
Valuation
Land Registry
We look forward to working closely with her as we continue to strengthen and modernise the land administration framework of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Congratulations once again, Ms. Missick, on your new appointment and welcome to the Turks and Caicos Islands Public Service”.
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