Clement Howell - Life's Work

Life's Work

Clement Howell played a key role in the adjudication process which took place in 1967. He assisted with surveys and registrations and helped many of the residents of Providenciales acquire proper paperwork for their estates. From 1969 to 1970 he was successful at gaining a scholarship to pursue studies at Moray House College of Education in Edinburgh, Scotland where he read for a diploma in Primary School Administration. After completing his studies, he was appointed as Headteacher of the Blue Hills Primary School and continued in this post until he was transferred to the District Administration Department as District Commissioner for Providenciales in 1976. With the advent of Ministerial Government in the Turks and Caicos Islands came the demand for permanent secretaries to each of the Ministries that were allowed for in the 1976 constitution. In August 1979 Clement Howell was appointed as Permanent Secretary to the Minister responsible for Education, Health and Welfare. In May 1980, after the death of the country's first Chief Minister, Mr. Howell was transferred to the post of Permanent Secretary to the country's second Chief Minister, Oswald O. Skippings. In November 1980, the People's Democratic Movement (PDM) lost their bid for reelection to the Progressive National Party (PNP) and Mr. C. Howell was re-appointed as Headteacher of the Blue Hills Primary School by the PNP administration.

In 1984 Clement Howell resigned his post as Headteacher and joined the political arena where he announced his candidacy to become the representative for Providenciales in the Legislative Council of the Turks and Caicos Islands. After the elections of 1984 he took the oath of office as the Member of the Legislative Council for Providenciales and Leader of the Official Opposition. He held both posts until the constitution was suspended in 1986. With the new arrangements for governing the territory in the absence of ministerial government, Clement Howell was among those selected to serve on an Advisory Council to the Governor. Under pressure from members of his party, Mr. Howell later resigned as a member of the advisory council and by mid 1987 he was superseded as leader of the PDM by another of the party's loyals.

Clement Howell's sphere of influence also spanned his work at Bethany Baptist Church where he worshipped. He served his church as a Deacon and his church family on Providenciales as secretary of the Providenciales Baptist Association. His work also included a stint of service as Secretary and then as President of the Turks and Caicos Islands Baptist Union. He represented his church and the Baptist family of churches at several conferences including regional and international events.

He was an outstanding member of the Kiwanis Club of Providenciales and held a number of memberships in other clubs and service oriented organisations. A part of his life's work was to see a high school established on Providenciales to meet the educational/social needs of the young people and to put a stop to these young people having to leave home to travel to Grand Turk, South & North Caicos or the Bahamas for a high school education. During his time as a member of the Legislative Council for Providenciales he worked tenaciously with members of the community of Providenciales and together, they accomplished their goal. The Providenciales High School opened its doors in September 1987.