Rhondalee Braithwaite-Knowles
Rhondalee Braithwaite-Knowles, OBE is an attorney from the Turks and Caicos Islands who is the first island native to serve as the Attorney General of the British Overseas Territory. She was appointed in 2014, after a career as a teacher and Crown Counsel.
Rhondalee Braithwaite-Knowles | |
|---|---|
| Born | Rhondalee Moreen Braithwaite Grand Turk Island, Turks and Caicos Islands, British Overseas Territory |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | teacher, attorney |
Early life
Rhondalee Moreen Braithwaite was born on Grand Turk Island to Susan (née Fulford) and Frederick Braithwaite, as their second child among six siblings.[1][2] Her father was a Barbadian, who had immigrated to the Turks and Caicos and worked as a policeman.[3] Her mother was from South Caicos and was employed as the Registrar of Lands. From an early age, Braithwaite wanted to study law and completed her secondary education at the Turks and Caicos High School.[1]
Career
For two years after finishing high school Braithwaite taught second grade at the Grand Turk Christian Academy, before deciding to further her education. She went on to study at the Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, earning a degree in government and history and then returned to Grand Turk to teach forth grade for an additional two years. Deciding she did not want to become a teacher, she continued her studies, enrolling in law school at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Cave Hill Campus.[1] Braithwaite earned her Bachelor of Laws at UWI before pursuing a certificate for legal education from the Eugene Dupuch Law School in Nassau.[4]
In 2000, Braithwaite-Knowles returned to the Turks and Caicos and began working for the government as a Crown Counsel.[4][5] Within four years, she was appointed as a Senior Crown Counsel and by 2006, she had been promoted as Principle Crown Counsel with a responsibility for commercial transactions, overseeing development documents, leases, licenses, and other business agreements. Braithwaite-Knowles became Deputy Attorney General in 2008[5] and in 2013, she was made an officer of the Order of the British Empire for her contributions to public service reform.[2] When Huw Shepheard stepped down, she applied for the position of Attorney General in 2014.[1] After a vetting which included candidates from many international destinations, Braithwaite-Knowles was selected as the first native born Attorney General of the Turks and Caicos, simultaneously becoming the first woman and youngest person to hold the job.[4][5][6]
Personal life
Braithwaite married Gary Knowles and the couple have a son, Gary, Jr.[1]
References
Citations
Bibliography
- "Hon. Rhondalee Braithwaite-Knowles". Attorney-General's Chambers. Waterloo, Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos: Turks and Caicos Islands Government. 2014. Archived from the original on 25 October 2017. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
- "New Attorney General of Turks and Caicos Islands has Barbadian Connections". Bridgetown, Barbados: Bajan Reporter. 27 February 2014. Archived from the original on 10 September 2015. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
- "Person of the Year- Rhondalee Braithwaite-Knowles 'A gem of a lady'". Turks and Caicos Weekly News. Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands. 5 January 2015. Archived from the original on 25 October 2017. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
- "Queen's birthday honours list 2013: Diplomatic". The Guardian. London, England. 14 June 2013. Archived from the original on 21 December 2016. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
- "Rhondalee Braithwaite-Knowles is the new AG". Turks and Caicos Weekly News. Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands. 2 March 2014. Archived from the original on 25 October 2017. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
- "Turks and Caicos: Where women hold the top jobs". London, England: BBC. 29 January 2017. Archived from the original on 8 September 2017. Retrieved 1 November 2017.