Turks and Caicos Islands Government Profile 2000

Country name

conventional long form:none
conventional short form:Turks and Caicos Islands

Data code

TK

Dependency status

overseas territory of the UK

Government type

NA

Capital

Cockburn Town (on Grand Turk)

Administrative divisions

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence

none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday

Constitution Day, 30 August (1976)

Constitution

introduced 30 August 1976; suspended in 1986; restored and revised 5 March 1988

Legal system

based on laws of England and Wales, with a small number adopted from Jamaica and The Bahamas

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1953), represented by Governor John KELLY (since NA September 1996)
head of government:Chief Minister Derek H. TAYLOR (since 31 January 1995)
cabinet:Executive Council consists of three ex officio members and five appointed by the governor from among the members of the Legislative Council
elections:none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; chief minister appointed by the governor

Legislative branch

unicameral Legislative Council (19 seats, of which 13 are popularly elected; members serve four-year terms)
elections:last held 4 March 1999 (next to be held by NA 2003)
election results:percent of vote by party - PDM 52.2%, PNP 40.9%, independent 6.9%; seats by party - PDM 9, PNP 4

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders

People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Derek H. TAYLOR]; Progressive National Party or PNP [Washington MISICK]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Wendal SWANN]

International organization participation

Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description

blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the colonial shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield is yellow and contains a conch shell, lobster, and cactus