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| Turks and Caicos Islands | |||||
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| The Turks and Caicos Islands are a British Overseas Territory consisting of two groups of sub-tropical islands in the West Indies, the larger Caicos Islands and the smaller Turks Islands, known for tourism and as an offshore financial centre. The Turks and Caicos Islands are southeast of Mayaguana in the Bahamas and north of the island of Hispaniola. Cockburn Town, the capital is on Grand Turk Island and is about 1,042 kilometres (647 mi) east-southeast of Miami in the United States, The islands have a total land area of 430 square kilometres (170 sq mi). The islands are geographically contiguous to the Bahamas, but are politically a separate entity. | |||||
| The Turks and Caicos Islands were discovered by Juan Ponce de Leon in 1512, but were not settled until 1678 when Bermudians arrived to rake salt from the salt ponds. The Spanish drove the British settlers from the island in 1710, during the long War of the Spanish Succession. They returned and throughout the remaining years of the war repulsed repeated attacks by France and Spain. In 1799 the islands were granted representation in the Bahamian assembly, but in 1848, on petition of the inhabitants, they were made a separate colony under Jamaica. They were annexed by Jamaica in 1873 and remained a dependency until 1959 when they became a unit territory of the Federation of the West Indies. When the Federation was dissolved in 1962, the Turks and Caicos Islands became a separate Crown Colony. The islands' political troubles in recent years have resulted in a rewritten constitution promulgated in 2006. In August 2009, the United Kingdom suspended the Turks and Caicos' self-government after allegations of ministerial corruption. | |||||
| In 1917, the Prime Minister of Canada, Robert Borden first suggested that Canada annex the Turks and Caicos Islands. In 1974, Canadian New Democratic Party Member of Parliament Max Saltsman introduced a failed attempt at consolidating the islands. The islands have had their own government headed by a chief minister, the first of whom was James Alexander George Smith McCartney, since August 1976. In 1979, a move towards independence was agreed upon in principle for 1982, but a change in government caused a policy reversal, and they instead approached the Canadian government to discuss a possible union, but at the time the Canadian Government was embroiled in a debate over free trade with the U.S., and little attention was paid to the suggestion. For the islands to join Canada as a full province would require an amendment to the Canadian constitution ratified by seven provincial legislatures representing at least half of the national population. This seems to the difficult as a population of about 30,000 people is considered insufficient for provincial status. If such act is done then it will be unfair decision against Canadian territories of Yukon, the Northwest Territories or Nunavut. | |||||
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Oct 1492 Discovered by Columbus and claimed for Spain. 1678 Turk Islands settled by English salt collectors from Bermuda. 1706 - 1710 Spanish occupation. 1753 - 1754 French occupation. 1778 French occupation. 1783 - 03 Sep 1783 French occupation. 1783 Caicos Islands settled by British loyalists. 1799 Both island groups annexed by Britain as part of the Bahamas. 1848 Separate colony. 1873 Part of Jamaica. 04 Jul 1959 Separate colony (Turks and Caicos). 04 Jul 1959 - 31 May 1962 Part of the Federation of the West Indies under Trinidad and Tobago 06 Aug 1962 Crown colony. 1979 Independence agreed upon in principle for 1982, a change in government causes a policy reversal. |
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| Currency: East Caribbean Dollar is used along with U.S. Dollar. East Caribbean Dollar is also pegged to US Dollar. Despite that commemorative coins since 1969 have been produced for collection purpose. One Crown is equal to One US Dollar. | |||||
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