A condominium and resort project headed by Toronto developer David Wex and celebrity realtor Brad Lamb has found itself – through no fault of the developers – ensnared in a judicial inquiry into systemic corruption among the islands' public-office holders.

A recent report by British judge Sir Robin Auld found that the Turks and Caicos government, led by former premier Michael Misick's Progressive National Party, routinely accepted bribes from overseas developers and that Mr. Misick and his ministers exploited the government's Crown land policies “for their own corrupt reward.” The United Kingdom, which has sovereignty over the islands as one of its 14 overseas territories, has suspended the country's Constitution, appointed special prosecutors to pursue criminal charges and thrown Mr. Misick – who is crying “modern colonialism” to anyone who will listen – out of office. [keep reading]:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/how-corruption-in-paradise-ensnared-canadians-dream-deal/article1347544/

 

SELF-EMPLOYED Islanders who can’t afford monthly $250 national health insurance contributions may be eligible for a concession – if they agree to open their books to scrutiny.
http://www.tcweeklynews.com/default.asp?

TCI still in anti-money laundering `grey’

Sovereignty and the Turks and Caicos Islands

Sandals Resort Plans Expansion in Turks and Caicos.

The all-inclusive resort destination, Sandals and its sister company Beaches, appear to be optimistic despite mounting news of an economic downturn in the Caribbean.

According to Tciinvest.tc, "There is little doubt that developers will continue to be attracted to the islands."  There is much to love about Turks and Caicos, besides a superb getaway, its a premiere scuba destination. Sandals continues to see Turks and Caicos as a "positive prospects for the future."  

In addition to its other newly developed properties in the Caribbean, most recently in Antigua, Sandals in Turks and Caicos appears to be doing quite well. 

Beaches, Sandals family resort, announced a $125 million expansion development project in Turks and Caicos opened merely two years ago.  The expansion will add 188 family suites to its Mediterranean Village and an expansion to its Pirate’s Island Waterpark.  

This is welcomed news to Turks and Caicos Islanders, some who have feared a tourism slow down, particularly in light of the closing of the posh Nikki Beach Resort this month.

News, September 21

"Spice Probe Needed"

"There is an urgent and immediate need for a major investigation and/or inquiry into the operations of the Special Police Immigration Customs Enforcement (SPICE) Unit. ..........."  http://www.suntci.com/

Google to turn over IP addresses of TCI Journal

Google has been issued a subpoena to turn over the IP addresses of TCI Journal in Turks and Caicos Islands.  The controversial self-publishing site Wikileaks, published a report out of the Turks and Caicos Islands that was protected from publishing by court order.  TCI Journal has claimed responsibility for this act.

Wikileaks charaterizes the publishing as a victory for corruption and also claims that the court order was over turned. Further research into the matter revealed that the judge did not issue the continuing protective order citing it impossible to stop the already wide-spread leak, which could no longer be controlled.    The order was not overturned and certainly not at the time of the publishing.

Breaking news, Wednesday, August 27, 2009

Anti-corruption team sent to Turks & Caicos

The former head of the abortive probe into suspected bribery linked to a BAE Systems arms deal with Saudi Arabia is to lead an anti-corruption team in a Caribbean tax haven that has been shocked by Britain’s imposition of direct rule.

Helen Garlick has begun work in the Turks and Caicos Islands this week as part of a wider British clampdown on governance, which is being watched closely in other overseas territory offshore centres dealing with graft allegations, such as Bermuda and the Cayman Islands.

London’s takeover of the islands highlights the increasing political discomfort and financial burden Britain faces in running jurisdictions that are relics of the empire but now play a role in the world financial system.

Ms Garlick, a respected lawyer who stepped down last year as head of overseas corruption at the Serious Fraud Office, will lead a team set up to investigate and prosecute criminal cases arising from a stinging report published last month on alleged political corruption in the Turks. Ms Garlick, who now works in a private legal practice and consultancy, declined to comment.

The appointment of Ms Garlick, whose independent investigation of BAE’s Saudi arms deals was derailed by what some saw as unreasonable political pressure, is a piquant twist in a saga in which London is accused of applying higher standards of governance to the Turks than it does to itself.

Some commentators in the islands – a tiny archipelago of fewer than 50,000 people – have branded Britain hypocritical for launching a purge on government corruption in the wake of the MPs’ expenses scandal in London.

Supporters of Britain’s intervention this month, under which the Turks’ government and parliament have been suspended for up to two years, counter that the suspected offences in the islands are, as the Foreign Office puts it, “a different kettle of fish altogether” to the Westminster expenses scandal.

The graft report on the Turks by Sir Robin Auld, a former senior judge in London, found “a high probability of systemic corruption” in the government and legislature.

The imposition of direct rule has sparked debate over the future of other British tax havens such as Bermuda, one of the world’s top insurance centres, and the Cayman Islands, a leading home for hedge funds, as they grapple with suspected public corruption of their own. An article in the Bermuda Sun newspaper last month urged islanders to read the Turks graft corruption report and then “flood the UK parliament’s foreign affairs committee and governor [Sir Richard] Gozney with letters urging a similar inquiry here”.

The Foreign Office has yet to publish a budget for its Turks clean-up efforts, but it has set up a four-strong special unit in London and plans to send about a dozen more people to the islands to advise on areas ranging from public finance to immigration.

Martin Stanley – formerly chief executive of the Competition Commission, the UK anti-monopoly watchdog – has already been appointed head of the Turks’ civil service.

The British intervention is also proving something of bonanza for London’s legal sector, with potential witnesses and suspects in the corruption cases already hiring top criminal defence firms such as Kingsley Napley and Peters & Peters.

Jim Tew, a retired US businessman and long-term Turks resident, said London faced a tricky job reforming a system of government on the islands that was “a holdover from the old colonial days”.

“It’s going to be a very challenging recovery. And I guess a lot of that challenge reverts back to the UK Treasury,” he said.

Breaking news, Friday August 14, 2009

Great Britain takes self-governed territory, Turks and Caicos, and suspends its constitution.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/15/world/americas/15web-briefs-Turkscaicos.html

In a bold move by Great Britain, on August 14, 2009, Great Britain suspended self-government in Turks and Caicos.   

Keeping reading this site for articles written about Turks and Caicos news bias.  1. Reporting by opinion and innuendo and 2. Get on with the real news