Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson

Cartwright-Robinson passed the bar in 1998.{{Cite web|title=Sharlene Cartwright Robinson |url=http://www.pdm.tc/Sharlene.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170131203136/http://www.pdm.tc/Sharlene.html |archive-date=31 January 2017 |url-status=live |df=dmy}} Her political career began the following year with an appointment to the Legislative Council, in which capacity she chaired a variety of committees, and served until 2003. She stood as a candidate in the 2003 election, but was defeated. After self-government in the Turks and Caicos Islands was suspended in 2009, she became a member of the Consultative Forum. She was removed from that position in May 2012 after Governor Ric Todd indicated that people planning to run in the November election should not continue to sit on the Advisory Council or the Consultative Forum.{{cite news|url=http://tcweeklynews.com/cartwrightrobinson-sacked-from-forum-says-shes-fired-up-to-serve-the-p2647-1.htm|title=Cartwright-Robinson Sacked From Forum – Says She's 'Fired Up' To Serve The TCI|work=Turks and Caicos Weekly News|date=May 2012|accessdate=30 October 2012}}

In July 2012, Cartwright-Robinson was named Deputy Leader of the PDM, under Leader Oswald Skippings. In the 2012 election, she ran as one of the eleven candidates for the five at-large seats in the All Island District, where she obtained the highest number of votes.{{Cite news|title=PDM elects new party leaders |date=15 December 2012 |newspaper=TCI News |url=http://www.tcinewsnow.com/headline-PDM-elects-new-party-leaders-5606.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121219134608/http://www.tcinewsnow.com/headline-PDM-elects-new-party-leaders-5606.html |url-status=usurped |archive-date=19 December 2012 |accessdate=31 January 2017}} Due to provisions in the new 2011 Constitution of the Turks and Caicos Islands, running for election required her to renounce her birth-right citizenship in the Bahamas.{{cite news|url=http://www.tcinewsnow.com/headline-Election-rules-threaten-candidate-disqualification-5524.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025054105/http://www.tcinewsnow.com/headline-Election-rules-threaten-candidate-disqualification-5524.html|url-status=usurped|archive-date=25 October 2012|title=Election rules threaten candidate disqualification|work=TCI News Now|date=22 October 2012|accessdate=30 October 2012}} Following the general election, her party (the PDM) elected her the Party Leader.

Cartwright-Robinson led her People's Democratic Movement to a victory in the December 2016 general election beating out two male candidates for the premiership.{{Cite news|title=Turks and Caicos: Where women hold the top jobs |date=29 January 2017 |newspaper=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-38679913}} This ended the thirteen year ruling stretch of the Progressive National Party (PNP).

She led the country during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Turks and Caicos Islands in 2020.

In February 2021, Cartwright-Robinson lost her seat in the 2021 Turks and Caicos Islands general election where her party lost 9 seats in a 14-1 blowout defeat.{{Cite web|date=21 February 2021|title=2021 ELECTION RESULTS|url=https://gov.tc/elections/news/18-election-results|website=Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands}} Following this, she stepped down as leader of the party.

Cartwright-Robinson was born in the Bahamas on 4 September 1971 to Turks and Caicos Islands parents who were working there and was issued with a Bahamian passport. Her family returned to the Turks and Caicos Islands when she was six.{{dead link|date=May 2018}}

Cartwright-Robinson is Baptist. She has served as Youth Director of the Turks and Caicos Islands Baptist Union since 2006. In 2012, she also became president of the Caribbean Baptist Fellowship's Youth Department, making her ex officio a member of the CBF executive board as well as a vice president of the Baptist World Alliance Youth Committee.{{Cite news|url=http://suntci.com/sharlene-cartwrightrobinson-named-new-regional-president-of-baptist-youth-p125-106.htm |title=Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson named new regional president of Baptist Youth in the Caribbean|newspaper=Turks & Caicos Sun|date=13 August 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170131204527/http://suntci.com/sharlene-cartwrightrobinson-named-new-regional-president-of-baptist-youth-p125-106.htm |archive-date=31 January 2017 |url-status=live |df=dmy}} She is also an active member of the Kiwanis Club.

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Category:1971 births

Category:Living people

Category:Members of the Turks and Caicos Islands House of Assembly

Category:People's Democratic Movement (Turks and Caicos Islands) politicians

Category:Premiers of the Turks and Caicos Islands

Category:Turks and Caicos Islands Christians

Category:Turks and Caicos Islands lawyers

Category:Turks and Caicos Islands women in politics

Category:Women heads of government of non-sovereign entities