LOO Edwin Astwood says Elected Party can do the job in FOUR YEARS

Dana Malcolm 

Staff Writer 

#TurksandCaicos, December 5, 2023 – Edwin Astwood, Opposition Leader, says he is  not throwing his support behind moving parliamentary term limits from four to five years in the Turks and Caicos following approval of the measure – in principle – by the United Kingdom.

During a video broadcast explaining some of the upcoming constitutional changes he urged the government to make sure that the law being implemented is actually what the people want.

Armed with the recommendations gathered from residents in 2019 consultations that guided constitutional amendments, Astwood laid out what the people had said regarding parliamentary term limits.

Grand Turk favored remaining with the four-year term. In South Caicos there was a slight majority leaning towards the four-year term. Middle Caicos could not come to a decision. A slight majority of North Caicos respondents wanted a five year term, in South Caicos there was general agreement to the same and in Provo there was a general agreement that the four year term should remain.  

“Many say that four years is too little for you to get things done but I say if you come in there with a plan you can get things done.  I do not see the need for five years but it has its advantages,”Astwood said.

The Leader of the Opposition queried whether five years could introduce complacency in the elected leadership.

“I am not saying people will have that approach, but it opens the door for that.”

The video came after Washington Misick, TCI Premier revealed that following meetings with the British, the UK has agreed to fast track three amendments to the constitution. They are the renaming of the House of Assembly to Parliament, extension of the term to five years and the phasing out of appointed members.

Astwood maintained that he was in full support of the phasing out of appointed members but reminded residents that the power was in their hands.

“A law is a regulation of the people projected to the government not imposed on the people by the government and this is what we have to prevent, and make sure that it doesn’t happen in our context,” he maintained.