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Last Updated: Feb 6, 2017 - 2:32:04 PM |
An international arrest warrant has been issued for former Premier of
the Turks and Caicos Islands, Michael Misick in connection with
allegations of corruption and money laundering. The Helen Garlick-led
Special Investigation and Prosecution Team (SIPT) in the Turks and
Caicos Islands said they obtained the arrest warrant and a “Red Notice”
which was authorized by the International Criminal Police Organisation
(Interpol).
A statement Monday from SIPT said: “For the past several months the SIPT
has sought to secure the attendance of Mr Misick at its offices in
Providenciales in respect of allegations of corruption and money
laundering during his time in office. Every opportunity has been given
to Mr Misick to voluntarily surrender to the SIPT’s jurisdiction for
interview. Despite previous indications from Mr Misick’s solicitors that
he would attend for interview, he has failed to do so.”
The international warrant and “Red Notice” was announced days after
Misick publicly criticized Governor Ric Todd for swearing on the
Government-owned Radio Turks and Caicos. The former Premier also issued a
press statement in which he called on the UK Foreign and Commonwealth
Office and the Foreign Affairs Committee of the UK Parliament to launch
an investigation into the Interim Government which was appointed in
August 2009 when the UK imposed direct rule in the Turks and Caicos
Islands.
Interpol requests are normally issued for the arrest of wanted persons
with a view to extradition. An Interpol Red Notice is the closest
instrument to an international arrest warrant in use today. Interpol
does not have the authority to issue arrest warrants in the formal sense
of the word, as this is the domain of the sovereign member states.
An Interpol notice or international notice is issued by Interpol to
share information between its members. There are seven types, six of
which are known by their colour codes: red, blue, green, yellow, black,
and orange. INTERPOL will only issue notices if it is satisfied that all
the conditions for processing the information have been fulfilled. For
example, a notice will not be published if it violates Article 3 of the
Constitution, which forbids the Organization from undertaking any
intervention or activities of a political, military, religious or racial
character.
A check with the Interpol website up to the time of writing this report
did not have any information about Misick. It was noted that at Libya’s
request, INTERPOL has issued a Red Notice for Colonel Gaddafi’s former
director of military intelligence, Abdullah Al-Senussi for fraud
offences including embezzling public funds and misuse of power for
personal benefit.
In his press release on Friday which called for an inquiry into the
Brits, the former Premier said t is only when such an inquiry takes
place that the British Government, Prime Minister David Cameron, his
deputy Nick Klegg, Queen Elizabeth II, Members of the UK Opposition
party, President Barack Obama and prime ministers of CARICOM and
Caribbean countries will really and finally understand what is taking
place in the Turks and Caicos Islands under direct rule by the Brits.
He added: “There needs to be full investigation into the conduct and
practices of certain past and present British Advisers, many of whom are
involved or were involved in matters that are clear conflicts of
interest. The FAC and the FCO needs to investigate the investments of
British advisers, the concessions they have received and the deals that
they have been cutting. The public also needs to have a breakdown and
full disclosure of how the $11million per year is being spent by the
Special Investigation and Prosecution Team (SIPT) including how much
they are paying for their luxury beach-front accommodation at the
Veranda Hotel which is owned by a wealthy and controversial UK
businessman Andre Serruys, who himself was under investigation for
corruption in the UK.”
Misick said there are so many aspects of the Interim Government that
need to be investigated, but there is such a climate of fear and
victimization under this direct rule by the Brits, that people are
afraid to speak out because they don’t want to be arrested and charged
by the SIPT, or lose their jobs or be deprived.
He added: “The Turks and Caicos Islands has never has it this bad under
the People’s Democratic Movement or the Progressive National Party, but
people are afraid to speak out and therefore the region and the world do
not know what we are really going through. But as soon as I, as former
Premier, have the courage to speak out against the injustices that is
being done to my people and about the arrogance, disrespect and
crudeness of this Governor Ric Todd, he wants to launch an attack on me.
Regional leaders, Caribbean people and the rest of the world need to
know that what they are accusing us for in the Turks and Caicos Islands
is nothing more or different that what happens in each and every
Caribbean country where politicians look out for their people and their
constituents and implement policies and programmes that are designed to
empower their people.”
Misick said the people of the Caribbean and the world must be made aware
of the fact that the image which the Brits and the SIPT are trying to
portray about the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands is untrue.”
SOURCE
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