Radio Turks & Caicos - Premier of the T.C.I.

Premier of the T.C.I.

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The Premier is the political leader and head of government of the Turks and Caicos Islands. The post of Premier is the equivalent to that of Chief Minister or Prime Minister in other British Overseas Territories.

In 2006 the Turks and Caicos Island new Constitution introduced the title Premier as replacement for Chief Minister. It is the highest political level that can be attained within the British colonial system.

Current Premier

Hon. Sharlene Linette Cartwright-Robinson LLB JP (born 1971) hails from the Island of South Caicos and though she is a lawyer by profession called in 1998, Sharlene spends a great deal of her time in service to her Country.

Sharlene has held membership on many influential bodies including the Legislative Council as an appointed (1999 – 2003) and elected member (Since 2012); Chairman of the Legislative Council’s Select Committee on The White Paper in 1999 entitled “Partnership through Progress”; the Country’s First Indigenous Constitution Review Body 2002 (and later 2006); the first ever Blue Ribbon Commission on Immigration 2004; Boundaries Commission 2006; the Ten Year Country Plan 2007; Coordinator and Author of “The National Conversation” 2010 -11. She has also served as a member of the Governor’s appointed Consultative Forum from 2009 – 2012 where she served her people faithfully with distinction and without fear or favor. In 2014, she again served on TCI’s 3rd Constitutional Review Committee which was charged with the responsibility to review and make recommendations on the 2011 Constitution. Sharlene worked with major law firms like Dempsey & Co and Misick and Stanbrook. In 2002 she relocated to Grand Turk where she operated her own Law Firm Cartwright & Co while working as a Law Tutor at the TCI Community College from 2004 - 2008.

A candidate in the General Elections of 2003 and 2012, Sharlene was the first female to serve her Party as Vice Chairman, Secretary General, National Chairman, Deputy Leader and Leader, the latter position held since December 2012. She is the first female to be elected Deputy Leader and Leader of any major Political Party in the history of these Islands.

In Elections 2012, she was deemed the most popular politician having amassed the most votes of all the All Island Candidates. She was also able to attain more votes than many of the elected candidates in the single member constituencies. She has again made history by being appointed as the first female Leader of the Opposition. By virtue of this position, she now serves as the first female Chairman of the House of Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee and held the first Public Accounts Committee Workshop. She is also the first female Chair of the Administration Committee. In 2012, she served as the first Chairman of the Appropriations Committee. Under her leadership, the Premier remains visible and vocal on the issues. Her leadership has seen the defeat of major Government Bills including the Payroll Tax, when she was the Opposition Leader.

Dr. Rufus Washington Ewing MBBS; DM (Gen Surg); MPH; FACOG (2012-2016)

Dr. Rufus Washington Ewing is a native Turks and Caicos Islander. He is a General Surgeon with over 15 years experience, having practiced in United Kingdom, Jamaica, and Turks and Caicos Islands, and being exposed to various cultures and working in widely divergent environments, ensures his comfort level in working with a wide variety of people and organizations.

He graduated from the University of the West Indies in Mona, Jamaica where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Medicine and Surgery and later the Doctor of Medicine in General Surgery. During his years of training, he also studied in the Bahamas, USA and Canada. Upon returning to the Turks and Caicos, Dr. Ewing played a key role in shaping the evolution of health care at the national and policy level through numerous appointments in the Ministry of Health including Deputy Chief Medical Officer and Director of Health Services.

After pursuing a Masters of Public Health Degree from the Bloomberg School of Public Health,Johns Hopkins University he continued to be instrumental in advocating for the establishment of critical policy, regulatory and strategic units within the Ministry of Health and later played a pivotal role in the development of the National Healthcare Renewal Project. During his years in the public service Dr. Ewing established links with regional counterparts as the TCIs representative on numerous regional health bodies including an appointment as Director of the Caribbean Health Research Council.

Dr. Ewing entered a career in politics in 2012 with his Presidency of the TCI Civil Service Association, advocating for the rights of Civil Servants under the Interim British Administration. Later that year following his resignation from the Public Service he won the Leadership of the Progressive National Party (PNP).

On November 12, 2012, Dr. Rufus Ewing was sworn in as the third Premier of The Turks and Caicos Islands after leading his Progressive National Party to victory in the general elections of November 9th, 2012. Hon Dr. Rufus Ewing is a Member of the House of Assembly and holds the portfolio of Premier and Minister of Tourism.

As Premier, Dr Ewing has extended the work which he begun in the Civil Services Association in his new role, working to improve the lives of his native people. Dr. Ewing is engaged and committed in furtherance of the economic development of the Turks and Caicos Islands and enhancing the lives, health and continued safety of its people and those which have made TCI their home. He orchestrated systems and programmes aimed at advancing the economic resilience of the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands with regards to various global perils to which the country is exposed.

Galmo Williams (2009)

Hon. Galmo W. Williams, MP Premier and Minister of Development & District Administration. Born and raised in the quaint community of Bottle Creek, North Caicos, Galmo (also known as "Gilley") Williams is truly a grassroots, community spirited man. He received his formal education at the Bottle Creek

Primary School (now Adelaide Oemler Primary) and then went on to pursue his secondary education at the Bottle Creek High School (now Raymond Gardiner High) under the tutorship of such well known educators as Hope Hamilton and Raymond Gardiner. In a quest to further his education he attended the Miami Lakes Technical Institute where he obtained diplomas in Hospitality and Culinary Management. Over the years he continued to pursue numerous human resource development and culinary training in Buffalo, New York.

Entrepreneurship

Galmo Williams currently serves as CEO and President of Gilley's Enterprises Ltd., a group of companies he started in 1984. A man of purpose

and vision was never about self, in fact he has demonstrated that through hard work and dedication nothing is impossible to achieve. Gilley, a Chef by profession, first entrepreneurship was the popular restaurant "Gilley's Cafe" at the Providenciales International Airport. Today, there are two restaurants total in the enterprise. With his involvement in the daily running of the restaurants, he set sights on the start of a retail/wholesale wine and spirits company. The company would now be known as Discount Liquors and Wine Cellar. Having the first restaurant, located at the Providenciales International Airport, Gilley decided to enter into the duty free business. Out of this decision, emerged a new successful business venture known as Turquoise Duty Free, an upscale shop at the Providenciales International Airport selling the finest collection of wines, Champagnes and Spirits.

Family Life

A devoted husband, father and son, Gilley finds the pleasure and company of his family extremely important. He is married to Althea Been and together they have four children and three grandchildren. Gilley is also an avid sportsman. Having a love for the game of golf, he devotes time to his game and has won numerous tournaments at home in the Turks and Caicos as well as in the Bahamas, Dominican Republic and North Carolina, USA.

Political Career

As a teenager Gilley was always intrigued by politics but never dreamed he would end up being a politician. He ran for the 13th Electoral District (Cheshire Hall) during the General Elections of 2003 and won by an overwhelming margin, unseating the incumbent. After initially declining a ministerial post after a convincing win in 2003, Galmo "Gilley" Williams was called upon to serve as Minister of Natural Resources. A post he would hold until a cabinet shuffle occurred and he was made responsible for Home Affairs, a challenge he did not decline.

After the Boundaries Commission released its report in 2007, he sought to represent the constituency of Long Bay Hills. Subsequently, the people of the 15th Electoral District, Long Bay Hills to represent them, returned him to the House of Assembly. Again he was asked to serve as Minister for Home Affairs including Immigration and Disaster Management, a position that he thrived in with fairness and equality.

Gilley considers himself being very fortunate to have served as the second Premier of the TCI. Hon. Williams is still the Leader of the Progressive National Party.

Community Work

Galmo Williams is a very passionate and a firm believer in education and as a result is a founding member and has served on the Board of Governors of the British West Indies Collegiate, an institution providing quality education in the Turks & Caicos Islands.

Because of his belief in the fight against HIV/AIDS, he is a founding member and Patron of Turks & Caicos Aids Awareness Foundation (TCAAF). This foundation was officially launched in December 2003. Since its inception, the TCAAF under the guidance of Gilley, was instrumental in the building of the Edward E. Gartland Youth Center. Gilley is an active Rotarian and supports numerous other social clubs. Whenever there is a need for a helping hand in the community, Gilley always offers any assistance he can on behalf of himself and his family.

Galmo "Gilley" Williams is a renaissance man. A spiritual man who when called up by his people to act, acted with sincerity and humbleness. Today, he serves as the Turks and Caicos Islands second Premier and Leader of the Progressive National Party. When asked what one of his main objectives is during his time in office, he replies: "To foster unity amongst all Turks and Caicos Islanders, from every background, with every different socio-economic status, from different political allegiances, to build one Turks and Caicos that we can all be proud of and live in."

Dr. Michael Misick (2006-2009)

The Hon Dr. Michael Eugene Misick was the islands first Premier and was Minister of Tourism, Development, Communications and District Administration of the Turks and Caicos Islands. Following the recent election he became the first elected Premier of the Turks & Caicos Islands. He represents an entirely new generation of political leaders in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Dr. Honourable Misick was born in Bottle Creek, North Caicos on February 2, 1966. The son of Mr. Charles and Mrs. Mary Jane Misick. The former Premier received his secondary education at Turks and Caicos High School, and read Law at the University of Buckingham, England where he received a Bachelor of Law degree in 2001. Honourable Misick is a Barrister at Law of England and Wales and an Attorney at Law, Turks and Caicos Islands. He is also a member of the Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn, London, England.

Prior to entering politics, Dr. Misick spent several years in the Real Estate industry where he began as a Sales Agent. He rose to become Sales Manager of Prestigious Properties Ltd. From 1984 to 1986, and Managing Director from 1986-1988. In 1988 he founded the Paramount Group, a property and financial services company, which he served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) until 1991.

In 1991 he was elected to the Legislative Council for the first time at the youthful age of twenty-five

and served as Minister for Tourism, Transportation and Communications. While he was re-elected in the 1995 general election, his party lost the majority and took the Opposition benches where he served for four years, aggressively representing his constituencies and sharpening his leadership skills. In the 1997 General Elections, Dr. Honourable Misick was defeated in his bid for a third consecutive re-election to the Legislative Council by a mere four votes. While disappointed in his lost, his determination and resilience never subsided. Always one to "Keep his eyes on the prize", he decided to use his time (four years out of office) wisely. He entered the University of Buckingham to study law and was called to the Bar in the Turks and Caicos Islands in 2003.

In March 2002, he was elected leader of the then Opposition People's National Movement (P.N.P). In the April 2003 General Elections, Dr. Hon. Misick's party won 6 out of the 13 seat legislature. The successful petitioning of the results in two constituencies. The P.N.P won the by-election and Michael Misick was sworn in as Chief Minister of the Turks and Caicos Islands on August 15th 2003.

In February 2007 after the General elections, his party was returned to the Government with a resounding victory with 13 of the 15 seats then he was sworn in as the Islands first elected Premier as a result of the recent Constitutional Changes prior to the election.

Dr. Honourable Misick is a father, sports enthusiast and loves listening to music in his spare time.