History of the Pacific Islands as British protectorate by a Resident Commissioner from 1892 to 1916 as part of the British Western Pacific Territories (BWPT), and later as part of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands colony from 1916 to 1974. A referendum was held in December 1974 to determine whether the Gilbert Islands and Ellice Islands should each have their own administration. As a consequence of the referendum, the Gilbert and Ellice Islands colony ceased to exist on 1 January 1976 and the separate British colonies of Kiribati and Tuvalu came into existence. Tuvalu became fully independent within the Commonwealth on 1 October 1978. On
Cuisine of the Turks and Caicos Islands Cuisine of the Turks and Caicos Islands The Turks and Caicos Islands consist of 30 islands situated in the Atlantic Ocean, southeast of the Bahamas. Local cuisine employs rare species, bananas, citrus, corn and ocean salt. Because the territories are situated in the Caribbean zone and belong to the United Kingdom, many elements from these cultures can be found in the local diet. The variety of meat ranges from fish, fish roe, crabs, and lobster, to poultry, pork and beef. Meat is typically served with local corn, rice and vegetables and is topped with local sauces and spices. A traditional