Forty-two persons have been awarded Turks and Caicos Islander Status at the recommendation of the Premier and Leader of the Opposition
Governor of the territory Nigel Dakin has accepted the Turks and Caicos Status Commission’s recommendation for forty-two persons to become Islanders. The move represents the first set of approvals that have been made since the Commission was formed in 2021.
The recommendations were put forward on a joint basis agreed by the premier and the leader of the opposition, and the governor noted that this number represents a figure that is less than the number he signs annually conferring this status through descent or marriage.
The granting of Turks and Caicos Islander status is a controversial one and unsuccessful applicants have filed for judicial review of the Commission’s recommendations citing bias against non-natives, unprofessionalism and discriminatory conduct among members.
In addition to asking the court to review and determine the process by which Islander status is granted, the judicial review also requests that the appointment of the Commission’s members be quashed on the grounds that the Turks and Caicos Islanders Status Ordinance is inconsistent with the country’s constitution.
The governor has distanced himself from the court proceedings, stating he is not authorised to second-guess applications not recommended by the Commission, but he acknowledged that progress has been made since his appointment as no commission had been established at that time.
According to reports from the Turks and Caicos Immigration Ministry, the number of unsuccessful, applicants was almost four times those that were granted Islander status. The last data published in 2021, indicates that 180 applications – some dated as far back as 2016 – were still under review and to be considered by the newly-formed Commission.
The territory’s population has been growing at four percent per year, making it one of the fastest in the Caribbean. While the number of persons holding Islander status has remained broadly consistent, in recent years more than 1,000 people have become British Overseas Territory Citizens annually, fewer than 60 have become Islanders.
The governor has acknowledged that the duality between those who belong ‘de jure’ and those who belong ‘de facto’ was a sensitive issue and noted the importance of the establishment of the Status and Population Commission. He recognised that the split between those with Turks and Caicos Islander status, and those with British Overseas Territory status is increasing each year, and will continue due to nationality laws that apply to all overseas territories.
