Democratic Movement (PDM) won 4, Independents won 3 and the Peoples National Organisation (PNO) won 4. The 3 Independent candidates gave their support to the PLM who became the ruling party. Since then one Independent member has left the PDM and reduced the Government's majority over the opposition party to
one. The next electins are due in 1980.
Economy
The unit of currency is the US$.
Fishing plays an important part in the economy of the islands. Spring lobsters which abound on the Continental Shelf are harvested seasonally and provide valuable export trade. There is certain amount of demersal fish caught for local consumption; but no pelagic fish as such.
There is practically no agriculture carried out in the Turks islands or South Caicos. In the rest of the Caicos Islands corn, beans and other subsistence crops are grown in sufficient quantity to satisfy local needs. There are a few cattle, but the main problems in developing agriculture on the islands is created by the uncertain rainfall.
The Government have embarked on a campaign to encourage a major expansion of tourism and also to seek overseas investment with the twin objects of providing jobs and increasing financial viability.
British Aid
Given the inherent poverty of the island group the TCG depends on a substantial input of UK funds to balance the recurrent budget. The overall proportion of budgetary aid has declined in recent years from over 50% to 34% and currently totals about US$ 1.6m.
In addition the UK Government encourages the development of infrastructure (roads, airports etc) on the islands which will assist in promoting their viability and so attract development. Development and totalling US$0.800m last year which, together with the US$0.200m spent on technical surveys and consultation, but, the recruitment of specialist advisers brought the overall total spent in 1977 on DevAid to over US$1m.