Government
Survey rolled out as TCI fine tunes pathways to Citizenship
By Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicos, June 13, 2023 – The Government has officially launched the survey that will give islanders the opportunity to state their opinions on how the TCI Islander Status Ordinance should be amended. The survey was shared on June 8th and will remain open until June 23rd.
Respondents have been promised that their information will be treated with utmost privacy, “Your responses will be kept confidential and personal data will not be released,” said TCIG.
The survey opens with general questions on demographics including age and gender as well as residency status; no names or specific address information are required, though survey participants are asked to state the island upon which they reside.
Following these general inquiries the first issue presented to residents is the dilemma of whether the dependents of status holders (by grant) should automatically get status. A simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ is required followed by a text box which will allow residents to elaborate on their answers if they so choose and another text box to propose alternative
The points based criteria or Points System is what residents will tackle next.
They will answer whether or not they agree with the process and specific criteria they think should be included or alternative options to a point system if they disagree.
DNA testing must be decided on as the third part of the survey, the Government touts it as an easier process to finding years’ old documentation that parents may not have available. Respondents are allowed to list any concerns regarding this process and vote on whether it should be implemented or not.
Finally residents must vote on how status should pass to the children (dependent or not) of islanders (by descent). Currently only children and grandchildren with parents or grandparents born in the Turks and Caicos can claim status. The Government is now asking residents to decide on whether that rule should be extended.
Residents can vote to give these children immigration status (as the government proposes), islander status or no status at all.
With only 20 questions the survey is fairly short but allows islanders the room to articulate their thoughts and give suggestions on the process that will have a significant impact on future generations and the protection of their franchise.
After the survey is closed the Government says it will analyze all answers collectively to identify common themes, concerns, and alternative suggestions and the results will be carefully considered in the decision-making process.