The Turks and Caicos Islands are set to return to direct British rule as early as Wednesday after an inquiry found the overseas territory was rife with political corruption.

By Damien McElroy, Foreign Affairs Correspondent
Published: 7:00AM BST 16 Jun 2009



Premier Michael Misick's residence Villa Belview at Leeward, Providenciales Photo: TROPICAL IMAGING

A British governor will take over daily rule for at least two years in the restoration of a colonial-style government and the constitution of the group of Caribbean islands will be suspended after allegations were heard of systematic corruption involving current and past politicians and a widespread culture of fear.

At the heart of the row is Michael Misick, the former prime minister, who allegedly built up a multi-million-dollar fortune after being elected in 2003 through a series of loans from banks and deals with property developers for land owned by the Crown.


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Trouble in a British paradise: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/centralamericaandthecaribbean/turksandcaicosislands/5179010/Trouble-in-a-British-paradise.html

Gordon Wetherell, the British governor, will take executive and legislative authority from the House of Assembly and a series of police investigations will begin into allegations of skulduggery in business and nepotism.

The islands, at the southern tip of the Bahamas chain, lure some 300,000 tourists a year to the sandy beaches and coral reefs, and have long served as a tropical playground for celebrities such as Keith Richards and Bruce Willis.

But a nine-month inquiry chaired by Sir Robin Auld, a retired judge, was established in January after a Commons committee visited the island to investigate "good governance" and reported that a culture of fear existed among the islands' 30,000 residents. It heard that Mr Misick was transformed from local solicitor to international jet-setter in five years at the helm of government. Mr Misick resigned in March after Sir Robin published a highly critical interim report.

One of the star witnesses in the inquiry was Mr Misick's estranged wife, LisaRaye McCoy, an American actress. She alleged that the premier had wooed her with Rolls-Royces, private jets and champagne in a lifestyle far beyond his modest salary as a prime minister. More damagingly, the former model alleged that she earned hundreds of thousands of pounds for promotional activities for the islands' tourist board - a department that came under Mr Misick's remit.

The inquiry also heard that allegations that publicly-owned Crown land had been acquired and sold on for profit to developers.

The former premier, who has condemned the move to strip the territory of its independence, was seeking a ruling at the High Court in London that the suspension of the constitution – and with it the right to a trial by jury – violated human rights.

Mario Hoffman and Cem Kinay, two of the biggest investors in the islands, are also challenging the return to direct rule, and will learn today if an attempt to expunge allegations from the inquiry report using the courts in Grand Turk, the capital, has been successful.

A £62 million luxury resort and hotel development in Salt Cay, an undeveloped island, featured prominently at the public hearings. Work has ground to halt on the site amid the legal uncertainties of the transfer of power.

Mr Hoffman, a Slovak banker, complained that his investment in the complex has been jeopardised by the inquiry. "The commission has never asked me any questions about or sought any clarification of the evidence I have presented to them," he said.

Georgia Dunn, a local resident, made a series of objections over Mr Hoffman to the Auld inquiry. A descendant of the original planters on the island, she owns a lease on Salt Cay and does not want to make way for the new property.

The current prime minister, Galmo Williams, petitioned the governor last week for a general election in October. The governor rejected the request and made clear that the push for direct rule would not be derailed.


Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/centralamericaandthecaribbean/turksandcaicosislands/5545270/Britain-to-take-over-Turks-and-Caicos-Islands-following-corruption-allegations.html

Britain to take over Turks and Caicos Islands following corruption allegations
The Turks and Caicos Islands are set to return to direct British rule as early as Wednesday after an inquiry found the overseas territory was rife with political corruption....................BASED ON THIS HEADLINE THE BRITS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE BACK THE WHOLE BWI Maybe its oil ? that is from the grassy knoll

BASED ON THIS HEADLINE THE BRITS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE BACK THE WHOLE BWI Maybe its oil ? that is from the grassy knoll


Bloque: Fredchobbs or gouletcolonial or Dr. Moreau or Ghoulishcolon or Beliall;
In sum, Mr. Anonymous [myriad of disguises and aliases] your many identities would be a perfect cover for your constant and tenacious attacks on natives of DR, were it not for your constant reference to your usual grassy knoll, wheel barrows, and nutty Hugo comments. You're pathetic, but at the same time aggravating. You're so repetitive, that you have forgotten how easy you can blow your cover when running your mouth on any given topic. While some are routinely banished from this forum, the forum can't keep you away longer than a few hours. Is it the Chum that brings back sharks as yourself, that they can't resist the odor of blood and guts?
Or, do you just work at "this joint", huh?
Are you the Chief Executive Gatekeeper at DT? Embellisher at large?


***Here's more grassy knoll stuff as you call anything you don't 'agree' with:

Court case delays UK plan to impose direct rule on Turks and Caicos Islands
Appeal court considers last-ditch attempt to save government accused of corruption



Peter Beaumont guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 16 June 2009 16.31 BST
Hollywood stars and musicians are among the 300,000 tourists who visit the islands each year. Photograph: Chris Sanders/Getty Images


The court of appeal in London is considering a last-ditch application to halt the imposition of direct rule by Britain over the troubled Caribbean Turks and Caicos Islands, which have been dogged by allegations of widespread corruption.

A holiday destination popular with Hollywood stars and musicians, among the 300,000 tourists who visit each year, the Turks and Caicos Islands have become as well known recently for allegations of systemic corruption against the ruling political elite. The islands are a British Overseas Territory, an autonomous part of the UK, but have been moving towards full independence since the 1970s.

London must now wait for a final court ruling on whether it has the power to suspend the islands' government and constitution for two years and prosecute those accused of corruption. That decision, initially expected as early as tomorrow, is not now likely until the week of 29 June.

Officials have indicated that because of the sensitivity of the issue, the British government prefers to see matters "played out in the courts" before moving to suspend the islands' political institutions.

The appeal for a judicial review of the crown's right to suspend the constitution by an order in council has been brought by the former prime minister of the islands, Michael Misick. The courts have twice ruled against Misick this year. One of the central players in the islands' recent dramas, Misick has been accused of amassing a multimillion-dollar fortune, financed through questionable dealings that gave property developers access to crown-owned land.

Under the direct rule plan the British governor, Gordon Wetherell, would assume power from the islands' assembly and courts, suspending the right of trial by jury for high-profile individuals implicated in corruption. He would be supported by a handful of Foreign Office officials, and advised by two groups of "belongers", as residents of the islands are known – a more powerful advisory council and a consultative forum. Both would be appointed by Wetherell.

The proposed suspension of the right to trial by jury follows concern that it would be impossible to find jurors who could maintain their neutrality.

The proposed imposition of direct rule has been highly unpopular with the Turks and Caicos's political elites, some of whom have accused Britain of a "return to colonial rule". Even as planning for direct rule has been proceeding in London, the islands' new prime minister, Galmo Williams, attempted to call elections for October, complaining that the islands are at a "standstill". The call for elections was rejected by the governor after consultation with the Foreign Office in London.

The degree of the collapse of good governance of the Turks and Caicos – home to some 30,000 people – has emerged in testimony presented to an inquiry headed by Sir Robin Auld, a former high court judge. That inquiry was established after a delegation of visiting British MPs reported that a "climate of fear" existed on the islands.

The inquiry has heard that Misick's fortune was lavished on a luxurious lifestyle by him and his former wife, an actor, LisaRaye McCoy-Misick, including private jets, Rolls Royce cars, designer clothes and champagne.

McCoy-Misick's own testimony against her husband, whom she accuses of infidelity, electrified the islands when she discussed how the pair had planned to redecorate their new private jet with a carpet bearing the family's "crest".

Among the controversial deals Misick has been accused of profiting from is one to build a Dubai-style luxury resort off one of the islands. He denies any impropriety.

In a separate court case in the Turks and Caicos Islands, Mario Hoffman, an investor in a development on Salt Cay, is insisting that he must not be named in Auld's final report – which will be released at the end of the month – without a right of reply.

Media on the islands have accused the British government of hypocrisy in its actions. A recent edition of the Turks and Caicos Islands' Sun newspaper contrasted the UK's tough stance on the islands with the MPs' expenses scandal at Westminster.


Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jun/16/turks-caicos-islands-direct-rule

arsenio thank you for your kind words I said " Grassy Knoll thought "about the oil because that is what will be said when it happens is that it was taken back for the oil Ha Ha but actually the Caribbean has lots of these mini Zimbabwe type places in the former BWI some are members of Caricom even The best thing that could happen to their citizens is to be Taken Back so to speak by UK but they want nothing to do with these places and cannot afford it .....remember there was probably more murders in Jamaica last year than in the UK in the last 15 years that is an educated guess