Course Correct; TCIG attempting to make sure TC islanders don’t become a minority

By Dana Malcolm 

Staff Writer 

#TurksandCaicos, July 17, 2023 – Turks and Caicos Islanders would have been outnumbered nearly 4-to-1 in their home country by 2040 without intervention according to the Government. The revelation comes as TCIG attempts to make changes to both the Immigration and Islander Status Ordinances.

It is one of the reasons the Government is doggedly advancing changes to the mentioned laws.

Kairi Consultants of Trinidad and Tobago which was hired to offer expertise on the development of a population policy told the Cabinet in February 2020, that the population of the TCI, which then stood at circa 47,000, was expected to grow to 72,000 by the year 2040. But of that number only 15,000 were expected to be indigenous TC Islanders.

TCIG in its proposed amendments to the Immigration Ordinance described it as ‘the most glaring revelation of the report.’

The low birth rate of TC Islanders means the majority of new residents will arrive via immigration making it quite possible that indigenous people could be disenfranchised.

Based on the consultants recommendation, TCI must cut that number to 55,000 for sustainable growth rate. Now in an attempt to course correct, the Government is not only inviting more third generation islanders into the country but addressing issues in the granting of status and making Immigration laws stricter.

A survey allowing residents to consult on a series of Immigration changes opened on July 15th, those changes include: alterations to the length of stay on work permits, alterations to work permit application process, and permanent residency application process.