Politics
The Turks and Caicos Islands are a British Overseas Territory, a possession of the United Kingdom currently ruled directly by a British-appointed governor. Its autonomous system of government was suspended in August 2009. The United Nations Special Committee on Decolonization includes the territory on the United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories.
With the election of the territory's first Chief Minister, J.A.G.S. McCartney, the islands adopted a constitution on 30 August 1976, which is Constitution Day, the national holiday. The constitution was suspended in 1986, but restored and revised 5 March 1988. A new constitution came into force on 9 August 2006, but was in parts suspended and amended in 2009. The territory's legal system is based on English common law, with a small number of laws adopted from Jamaica and the Bahamas. Suffrage is universal for those over 18 years of age. English is the official language. Grand Turk is the administrative and political capital of the Turks and Caicos Islands and Cockburn Town has been the seat of government since 1766.
As a British territory, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom is the sovereign, represented by a governor appointed by the monarch, on the advice of the Foreign Office.
Under the suspended constitution, the head of government was the premier, appointed by the governor. The cabinet consisted of three ex officio members and five appointed by the governor from among the members of the House of Assembly. The unicameral House of Assembly consisted of 21 seats, of which 15 are popularly elected; members serve four-year terms. Elections in the Turks and Caicos Islands were held on 24 April 2003 and again on 9 February 2007. The Progressive National Party, led by Galmo Williams, held thirteen seats, and the People's Democratic Movement, led by Floyd Seymour, held two seats.
The judicial branch of government is headed by a Supreme Court and appeals are heard by the court of appeals and final appeals by the United Kingdom's Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court is Edwin Goldsbrough. There are a number of justices of the Supreme Court including Margaret Ramsay-Hale and Joan Joyner The islands also have a Court of Appeal with a President and at least two Justices of Appeal.
The Turks and Caicos Islands participates in the Caribbean Development Bank, is an associate in CARICOM, and maintains an Interpol sub-bureau. Defence is the responsibility of the United Kingdom. In December 2004, the islands sought to become a new associate member to the Association of Caribbean States.
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