Deandrea Hamilton | Editor
Turks and Caicos, June 6, 2025 – In a move both historic and controversial, Her Excellency Governor Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam has officially granted Turks and Caicos Islander Status to 49 individuals whose previous applications had been denied.
The decision follows a 2024 Supreme Court ruling which found that the Status Commission had acted outside of its jurisdiction by using discretionary criteria not supported by the law in place at the time the applications were made between 2016 and 2018.
According to Governor Daniel-Selvaratnam, “I am committed to upholding the rule of law and ensuring fair decision-making. After carefully reviewing the applications against the applicable legal framework and legal advice received, I am satisfied that the 49 individuals have met the requirements to be granted Islander Status.”
The court determined that the applicants must be evaluated based on the eligibility standards in effect during their original submissions, not by the criteria introduced in 2021. The Governor’s statement emphasized that the 2021 Ordinance should not serve as a barrier to granting status but as guidance for future assessments.
The following 49 individuals have now officially been granted Islander Status:
Jennifer Blain, Michael Horton, Perla Nieves Chesterton, Ryan Blain, Cecilia Holden, Frances O’Brien-Mensen, Robert Brace, Naomi Jiljane Brace, Christian Papachristou, David Cadman, Sanjay Gopaldas, Alex Pierre, Graham Canham, Phillipee Kunz, Jean Pierre Demontigny, Neale Coleman, Antoine L’Huereux, Lawrence Saintange, Glenn Everest Chesterton, Foluso Ladejobi, Mary Scholar, Owen Foley, Agile LeVin, Jason Soderquist, Todd Foss, Christine LeVin, Isabella Stanbrook, Jaidev Ganglani, Daniel LeVin, Ivor Stanbrook, Jitender Ganglani, Eric LeVin, Dr. Christopher Stephen Bourne, Carmela Giordano, Hope LeVin, Adam Twigg, Cameron Griffiths, Robert Menson, Kishore Uttamchandani, Christopher Griffiths, Paul Murray, Norman Watson, Conrad Griffiths, Rosemary Nicholls, Bernd Wolf, Garry Hastings, Simon Nicholls, Patrick Hayward, and Amory Nieves Chesterton.
In response to the ruling, the government has enacted the 2024 Turks and Caicos Islander Status Act, introducing a points-based system to provide clearer, legally compliant guidelines for future applicants. The Governor said this new legal framework is aimed at preserving the integrity of Islander Status while ensuring fairness and transparency.
This development marks a turning point in TCI’s approach to national belonging, immigration, and constitutional fairness.
