The 40th National Convention of the People’s Democratic Movement was held on Grand Turk June 4-7, 2015, under the theme ONE PEOPLE, ONE DESTINY, ONE MOVEMENT! This historic event saw activities centered on honoring the political giants that founded the party, and leaders that guided the party during its 40-year existence and the future of the movement and its relevance for the nation.
A candlelight vigil was held on Thursday night to remember the country’s sole national hero The Most Excellent Hon. JAGS McCartney. On Friday, Leader of the Opposition Hon. Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson and her fellow MPs Hon. Edwin Astwood, and Hon. Derek Taylor committed to a day of service to the community by painting the children’s park in North Back Salina.
Friday night was the Legends Ball where party delegates, stalwarts, former leaders, Members of Parliament, party supporters and well-wishers and Rt. Hon. Dorothy McCartney dined together in an elegantly decorated ballroom adorned with a magnificent display of party colors. The keynote speaker Dr. Hubert Fulford delivered a speech focused on inclusiveness and the oneness of the PDM. He said that the convention’s theme in its 40th year captured accurately the motivations behind Jags’ dream for the nation.
The night also saw speeches delivered by former leaders, Douglas Parnell, Floyd Seymour and Derek Taylor, who all echoed the call for party unity ahead of the next general election. But it was the speech delivered on behalf of the youth by Creshell Bain that captivated the audience enjoying the evening’s event, as she exhorted the youth to look to the stability and inclusiveness offered by the PDM as some of the traits that will make the youth strong and successful.
Introduced and described by former Deputy Speaker Dwayne Taylor as a fierce fighter on behalf of the people, leader of the party Hon. Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson spoke to the future of the party and its relevance to the people today. She highlighted a list of demands issued by JAGS McCartney in the Junkanoo Club on June 6, 1975, and said that the aims and objective of the PDM remain steadfast in the full pursuit of those demands issued by JAGS but reminded the attendees that, without forming the government, those demands are just a wish list. She implored all in attendance to bind together as ONE PEOPLE, with ONE DESTINY and declared that together the PDM remained ONE MOVEMENT!
Saturday, June 6, 2015, was the party’s business session, where delegates learned in more detail of the work of the party around the islands and received the reports from party officers.
Election of Officers of the party took place during the business session of the convention, which saw party leader, Hon. Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson and Deputy Leader Hon. Sean Astwood returned after a motion was moved by Hon. Goldray Ewing that the positions be retained. Delegates in attendance supported this motion, with 51 out of 54 delegates openly voting to support their continued service in an unprecedented vote of confidence in their leadership.
The following persons were additionally elected to office: –
Mr. Douglas Parnell – National Chairman
Mr. Karl Bain – 1st Vice Chair
Mrs. Patricia Saunders – 2nd Vice Chair
Mr. Princie Harris – Party Whip
Mr. Kelvin Williams – Assistant Treasurer
Ms. Gladyss Kennedy – Assistant Secretary General
Pastor Terrence Smith – Party Chaplain
Mr. Llewellyn Handfield – Trustee
Mr. Charles Garland – Trustee
Hon. Derek Taylor – Trustee
