‘We Are Going To Miss You, Nigel’

Outgoing governor His Excellency Nigel Dakin (left) and his wife, Mandy (second left) share lens with Premier Hon. Washington Misick (right) and his wife Lady Delthia Russell-Misick, shortly after collecting farewell gifts from Premier Misick and his wife.

Premier for the Turks and Caicos Islands Hon. Washington Misick said outgoing governor, His Excellency Nigel Dakin will be greatly missed because of his tremendous team-playing work ethic with the local government.

The premier made the declaration during a farewell party for the governor on Thursday, March 23, at the Shore Club Resort in Providenciales.

Some Members of the Cabinet share a photo op with His Excellency Governor Nigel Dakin( fifth from left). The Cabinet members are (from left): Hon. Jamel Robinson - Minister of Physical and Infrastructure; Hon. Rhondalee Braitwaite-Knowles - Attorney General; Hon. Otis Morris - Minister of Home Affairs; Her Excellency Anya Williams - Deputy Governor; Hon. Washington Misick - Premier; Hon. E. Jay Saunders - Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance; Hon. Josephine Connolly - Minister of Tourism; Hon. Rachel Taylor - Minister of Education; and Hon. Shaun Malcolm - Minister of Health and Human Services.

A wide cross-section of the community came out to celebrate with the outgoing governor, as well as to bid him Godspeed.

Premier Misick said the memory of having a farewell party for a governor has eluded him, which he said spoke to the connection Dakin had forged with not only the local government, but also with the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

“I can’t remember the last time we had a farewell party for a governor. So, that alone, speaks volume. We had a little man who came here with huge shoes, and so, he is leaving those, and so, whoever is going to fill them will have a real challenge,” Premier Misick said.

Leader of the Opposition Hon. Edwin Lightbourne (left) and former governor's appointed member, John Phillips take time for a photo op.

“We have worked very well together, and we are going to miss you, Nigel,” Premier Misicks said. “We have had a great working relationship, and we have achieved a lot, and there is a lot that you are leaving in the pipeline that we worked on together. And I want to thank your lovely wife (Mandy) for allowing you the time…we have many, many late, late hours, late into the evening.”

Revealing that he has been politics for a very long time, and worked with many governors - his first being Michael Bradley - Premier Misick said that it was very critical that governors have some level of relationship with the region before being appointed.

Bradley, before coming to the TCI, had served other parts of the Caribbean in different capacities.

The premier said that Governor Dakin came to the TCI with what he described as the right credentials, and who quickly emersed himself in the local community.

“He settled in very well…he came here with the right credentials that we needed at the time…emersed himself in the community…and worked very closely with Cabinet,” Premier Misick revealed.

Premier Misick said the country would not have achieved a great deal, especially in the area national security, had it not been for the input of Governor Dakin, who is of military background.

From Left: Governor Nigel Dakin; Judge, Carlos Simons; former minister Hon. Delroy Williams; and former premier Hon. Sharlene Cartwright Robinson.

“That (governor’s military background) has been a great, great help to us, and we really appreciate it, especially with the challenges we have faced in the last few years in terms of the spike in crime and the border issues that we have to face,” Premier Misick further stated.

For her part, former premier Hon. Sharlene Cartwright Robinson, told Governor Dakin that she was especially pleased with his service to the TCI.

“I am very proud of your service and tenure here in the Turks and Caicos Islands,” Cartwright Robinson told the governor. “I can recall when the former governor (Peter Beckingham) was about to leave, and Lord (Tariq) Ahmad asked, ‘What do you want in the next governor?’ And I said I wanted someone with a natural security background, but also someone that would respect local government…I think I have found that in you.”

Mandy Dakin (right) and hotelier Karen Whitt share a warm embrace at the Governor Nigel Dakin's farewell Party.

She added: “And I want to say thank you so much for all of your support that you brought especially in the area of National Security. We were able to achieve a lot together. And although you would have come in the middle of the rebuilding of the hurricane(s) (Irma and Maria), we had that little challenge of what we called COVID-19 and making very difficult decisions.

“But I think persons know how well we got along…we were almost always in-sync in major decision, and that caused Turks and Caicos to have a successful period under your governorship.

“We felt that you understood us. I had the opportunity to work with nine governors in some way or the other, and I can tell you that you are ranked very highly, and I think Turks and Caicos, regardless of what people may have to say, who are choosing to be distractors, we have appreciated what you brought to the table.”

In the meantime, Misick theorized that the consideration that the next governor would not grace the TCI shores before the next 90 days demonstrated the great level confidence the UK reposes in the local government, including Deputy Governor Her Excellency Anya Williams, who will act in the position until the new governor’s arrival.

Meanwhile, Governor Dakin used his response to sing the praise of the Turks and Caicos Islands. Dakin, who also has citizenship in Barbados, through his wife Mandy, said the people of the Turks and Caicos has given him nothing but warmth, and so, was forced to come away with the conclusion these chain of islands, in his mind, scored higher than the United Kingdom.

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