Norman Saunders (politician)

Norman Saunders
Portrait of the 3rd Chief Minister of the Turks and Caicos Islands in the House of Assembly
3rd Chief Minister of the Turks and Caicos Islands
In office
4 November 1980  28 March 1985
MonarchElizabeth II
GovernorJohn Clifford Strong
Christopher J. Turner
Preceded byOswald Skippings
Succeeded byNathaniel Francis
Leader of the Progressive National Party
In office
29 September 1976  28 March 1985
Succeeded byNathaniel Francis
Member of the House of Assembly for
South Caicos South
In office
2 February 1995  14 August 2009
Preceded byEmily Saunders
Member of the Legislative Council for
South Caicos
In office
29 September 1976  28 March 1985
Succeeded byEmily Saunders
In office
9 November 2012  15 December 2016
Succeeded byRuth Blackman
Personal details
Born (1943-10-27) 27 October 1943
Political partyProgressive National Party
SpouseEmily Saunders
ChildrenErwin Jay Saunders
Nickname(s)NBS
Lil Fish
Father of Turks and Caicos Tourism

Hon. Norman Benjamin Saunders Sr. (born 27 October 1943) is a Turks and Caicos Islander former politician who served as the 3rd Chief Minister of the Turks and Caicos Islands from 4 November 1980 to 28 March 1985. Saunders is also the longest-serving Member of the House of Assembly in the Turks and Caicos Islands, nearing 50 years of service, the first Chief Minister to win consecutive elections in 1980 and 1984, the only politician in the nation to win as an independent candidate, and the first Leader of the Opposition. In the first election, the Saunders-led PNO secured the most votes, reflecting Saunders' strong public support.