| Governor of The Turks and Caicos Islands | |
|---|---|
 Flag of the governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands | |
.jpg) | |
| Viceroy | |
| Style | HerExcellency |
| Appointer | Charles III asKing of the United Kingdom |
| Term length | At His Majesty's pleasure |
| Formation | 1973 |
| First holder | Alexander Graham Mitchell |
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|---|
| Constitution |
Executive |
Legislative |
Elections
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| Administrative divisions |
TheTurks and Caicos Islands are aBritish Overseas Territory governed through the Turks and Caicos Islands Constitution Order 2011, amended in 2024, that provides for a Governor, an elected Government consisting of a Ministerial Cabinet and an elected Parliament.[1][2]
TheGovernor is appointed by theBritish Monarch, to be his representative and to carry out key duties to support the people of the Islands, such as chairingCabinet and ensuring the good governance of the Territory. The Constitution also reserves to the Governor responsibility fordefence,external affairs, the regulation of international financial services; andinternal security, including thepolice force. TheMonarch also has the power to legislate for the Islands byOrder in Council and to instruct the Governor through the British Government'sSecretary of State for Foreign & Commonwealth Affairs.[3]
Following elections, the Governor appoints thePremier of the Turks and Caicos Islands and on the Premier's advice, Government Ministers. The Governor chooses to appoint theDeputy Governor andAttorney General, who both sit in Cabinet and, on advice, senior officials such as the Commissioner of theRoyal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force and the Commanding Officer of theTurks and Caicos Islands Regiment. The Governor appoints theChief Justice,Judges and other Judicial Officers on advice from the Turks and Caicos Islands Judicial Service Commission.[4][5]
In August 2009, theUnited Kingdom suspended the islands'self-government after allegations of ministerial corruption. The prerogative of the ministerial government and the then House of Assembly were vested in the Governor until self-government was restored in 2012.[6] In March 2020 the Governor, at the request of Cabinet, used his emergency powers to respond to theCOVID-19 pandemic, which allowed the Governor to make laws and regulations without immediate reference to the legislature, although Cabinet consensus was maintained throughout.[7][8]
The official residence of the Governor is 'Waterloo', onGrand Turk, named after the British defeat of Napoleon at theBattle of Waterloo in 1815, the year the residence was built.[9] The Governor has their own flag in the Turks and Caicos Islands, theUnion Flag with the territory's coat of arms superimposed.[10]
The islands were a dependency ofJamaica until that colony received independence in 1962. Afterwards the governor of theBahamas oversaw affairs from 1965 to 1973. With Bahamian independence, the islands received a separate governor in 1973.
| Image | Name | Term |
|---|---|---|
 | Alexander Graham Mitchell | 1973–1975 |
| Arthur Christopher Watson | 1975–1978 |
| John Clifford Strong | 1978–1982 |
| Christopher J. Turner | 1982–1987 |
| Michael J. Bradley | 1987–1993 |
| Martin Bourke | 1993–1996 |
| John Kelly | 1996–2000 |
| Mervyn Jones | 2000–2002 |
| Cynthia Astwood (acting) | 2002 |
| Jim Poston | 2002–2005 |
| Mahala Wynns (acting) | 2005 |
| Richard Tauwhare | 2005–2008 |
| Mahala Wynns (acting) | 2008 – 5 August 2008 |
_(Wetherell_cropped).jpg) | Gordon Wetherell | 5 August 2008 – 22 August 2011 |
| Martin Stanley (acting) | 22 August – 12 September 2011 |
_(cropped).jpg) | Ric Todd | 12 September 2011 – 15 September 2013 |
 | Anya Williams (acting) | 15 September – 9 October 2013 |
.jpg) | Peter Beckingham | 9 October 2013 – 10 October 2016 |
| Anya Williams (acting) | 10–17 October 2016 |
.jpg) | John Freeman[11] | 17 October 2016 – 15 July 2019 |
 | Nigel Dakin[12] | 15 July 2019 – 29 March 2023 |
| Anya Williams (acting) | 29 March 2023 – 29 June 2023 |
| Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam | 29 June 2023 – present |
Governor's flag since 1999. Album depicts this and shows the shield's points touching the garaland and blue ribbon.
.svg)
