Caribbean News
Strengthening of Strategic ties between the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Dominican Republic
#DominicanRepublic, March 21, 2022 – Ministry of Health and Human Services in collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs, Transportation, Broadcasting, Energy and Utilities and Telecommunication Commission led a delegation to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic to discuss ways in which the Ministry of Health and Home Affairs can strengthen the strategic ties between the two countries. During the two-day visit, the delegation met and held discussions with the Minister of Consular Affairs Dr. Jatzel Román, and Minister of Health Dr. Daniel Rivera.
On Monday 14th March 2022, Honourable Otis Morris led discussions between the Dr. Jatzel Roman, Deputy Minister for Consulate Affairs on their acceptance of emergency travel documents from Turks and Caicos Islands for treatment abroad patients. This document provides a single-journey, which allows the bearer to return home or, exceptionally, to another destination, in the event they do not have access to their regular travel document, because it was lost or stolen.
This was the first-time issues of this nature were discussed between both countries. A proposal will be presented to the Government of the Dominican Republic for review and further discussions.
The Minister for Home Affairs, Hon. Otis Morris expressed that “My ministry holds the main responsibility for travel documents, and continues to do its utmost to bring about change whilst assisting with treating abroad matters”. He further stated that “ -As a country we remain cognizant that while emergencies can happen at any time, the emergency travel document will only be used to facilitate persons travelling without being in possession of a valid passport.
The Ministry of Home Affairs will continue to communicate further with the Ministry of Consulate Affairs in the Dominican Republic to further advance their acceptance of the emergency travel document.
On Tuesday 15th March 2022, Honorable Jamell Robinson led discussions with the Minister of Health – Dr. Daniel Rivera of the Dominican Republic concerning the return of human remains of individuals who would have succumbed to Covid-19 in the Dominican Republic. Discussions were also held regarding the strengthening of a better relationship between the Dominican Republic and the Turks and Caicos Islands for the betterment of healthcare and services being offered to the people and residents of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
A line of communication will be established and an agreement presented for review, consultation and finalization between the two countries.
The Minister of Health and Human Services Honorable Jamell Robinson commented “Themission to the Dominican Republic was a huge success as we were able to come to an agreement in principle regarding the handling of human remains of residents of the Turks and Caicos Islands whom passed with Covid-19. I would like to thank Hon. Dr. Daniel Rivera, Minister of Health and his team for receiving our delegation consisting of myself, team health, Hon. Otis Morris, team Home Affairs, and Hon. Belliard whom played a pivotal role in organizing the visit. The discussions were fruitful and both countries have a better understanding of each other. ”
The delegation consisted of Honourable Jamell Robinson, Honourable Otis Morris, Honourable Willin Belliard, Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Desiree Lewis, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Mr. Fredrico Johnson, Acting Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ms. Cynara John, Acting Head of Secretariat, Mrs. Gardé Alleyne-Jones and Deputy Chairman of the National Health Insurance Board, Mrs. Carla Blake-Thomas.
By Deandrea Hamilton | Magnetic Media
October 14, 2025 – It’s being called political theatre — but for citizens, constitutional watchdogs, and democracy advocates across the Caribbean, it feels far more serious. Within a single week, two national parliaments — in Trinidad and Tobago and St. Kitts and Nevis — descended into turmoil as opposition members stormed out in protest, accusing their Speakers of bias, overreach, and abuse of parliamentary procedure.
For observers, the walkouts signal a deeper problem: erosion of trust in the very institutions meant to safeguard democracy. When Speakers are viewed as political enforcers instead of neutral referees, parliaments stop functioning as chambers of debate and start performing as stages for power and spectacle — with citizens left wondering who, if anyone, is still accountable.
October 6: St. Kitts Parliament Erupts
The first walkout erupted in Basseterre on October 6, 2025, when Dr. Timothy Harris, former Prime Minister and now Opposition Leader,
led his team out of the St. Kitts and Nevis National Assembly in a protest that stunned the chamber.
The flashpoint came as the Speaker moved to approve more than three years’ worth of unratified parliamentary minutes in one sitting — covering 27 meetings and three national budgets — without individual review or debate.
Dr. Harris called the move “a flagrant breach of the Constitution and parliamentary tradition,” warning that the practice undermines transparency and accountability. “No serious parliament can go years without approving a single set of minutes,” he said after exiting the chamber.
The Speaker defended the decision as administrative housekeeping, but critics were unconvinced, branding the move a “world record disgrace.” The opposition’s walkout triggered renewed calls for the Speaker’s resignation and sparked a wider public discussion about record-keeping, accountability, and respect for parliamentary norms in St. Kitts and Nevis.
October 10: Trinidad Opposition Follows Suit
Four days later, on October 10, 2025, the Opposition United National Congress (UNC) in Trinidad and Tobago staged its own walkout from the House of Representatives in Port of Spain.
The UNC accused the Speaker of partisan bias, claiming she had repeatedly blocked urgent questions, ignored points of order, and allowed government members to breach standing orders without consequence.
“The Speaker has failed in her duty to act impartially,” the Opposition declared in a statement. “Parliament is not the property of any political party or Presiding Officer.”
The dramatic exit was seen as a culmination of months of rising tension and frustration, with opposition MPs arguing that parliamentary rules were being selectively applied to silence dissenting voices.
Political analyst Dr. Marcia Ferdinand described the twin walkouts as “a warning sign that parliamentary democracy in the Caribbean is teetering on the edge of performative politics.”
“When chairs become political shields rather than constitutional referees,” she said, “democracy becomes theatre, not governance.”
A Pattern Emerging
While St. Kitts and Trinidad are very different political environments, both incidents point to the same regional fault line: the perception that Speakers — the guardians of parliamentary order — are no longer impartial.
In Westminster-style systems like those across the Caribbean, the Speaker’s authority depends not on power but on public confidence in fairness. Once that credibility erodes, parliamentary control collapses into confrontation.
Governance experts say the implications are serious: eroded trust between government and opposition, declining public confidence in state institutions, and growing voter cynicism that “rules” are flexible tools of political advantage.
Why It Matters
Parliamentary walkouts are not new in the Caribbean, but what makes these recent events different is their frequency and intensity — and
the regional echo they’ve created. Social media has amplified images of lawmakers storming out, with citizens from Barbados to Belize questioning whether the same erosion of decorum could be happening in their own legislatures.
Analysts warn that if this perception takes hold, it risks diminishing the moral authority of parliamentary democracy itself.
“Once opposition MPs believe the rules are rigged, and once citizens believe Parliament is just performance,” said one Caribbean governance researcher, “you’ve lost the most valuable currency in democracy — trust.”
Restoring Balance
Political reformers across the region are calling for tighter Standing Order enforcement, independent parliamentary service commissions, and training to strengthen Speaker neutrality. Civil society leaders say the public must also play its part by demanding transparency and refusing to normalize partisan manipulation of parliamentary procedure.
Whether these twin walkouts become catalysts for reform — or simply another episode of Caribbean political theatre — will depend on what happens next inside those chambers.
For now, democracy watchers agree on one thing: when opposition leaders feel the only way to be heard is to walk out, the entire democratic house — not just its Speaker — is in danger of collapse.
Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.
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