PROVIDENCIALES, Turks and Caicos Islands — The special investigation and prosecution team (SIPT) in the Turks and Caicos Islands has confirmed that four people were arrested this week in connection with the ongoing investigations into allegations of widespread government corruption.
According to the SIPT, those arrested and later bailed were a 48-year-old woman on Monday, and three men aged 48, 50 and 53 years respectively, on Tuesday.
Although the individuals arrested were not named by the SIPT, according to media reports three of the four were former ministers in the previous Progressive National Party (PNP) government: Jeffrey Hall, Lillian Boyce and Samuel Been (Boyce’s former husband).
The fourth person arrested is reported to be Melbourne Wilson, Jeffrey Hall’s attorney.
This being the case, the only remaining ministers of the Michael Misick administration not currently set for court appearances are McAllister ‘Piper’ Hanchell and Misick himself, who is reported to have taken refuge in the Dominican Republic.
Former deputy premier and former finance minister Floyd Hall was arrested earlier this month.
The possible allegations against Jeffrey Hall and Lillian Boyce were spelled out in detail in the 265-page final report of the Turks and Caicos Islands 2008-9 Commission of Inquiry into possible corruption, or other serious dishonesty in relation to past and present elected members of the legislature.
— Hall failed to account: 1) for his receipt and expenditure of funds in excess of $800,000 credited to his accounts; 2) for his receipt of $200,000 from Evan Harvey; and 3) for a gift to him of $10,000 from David Wex;
— Hall promoted, and personally benefited from abuse of the Crown Land Policy in relation to the sale to a non-Belonger of Crown Land by participating in a possibly corrupt transaction in relation to the sale (‘flipping’) of land to an overseas developer, David Wex;
In relation to former minister of health and education, Lillian Boyce, the Commission recommended criminal investigation by police or others in relation to her of possible corruption and/or other serious dishonesty including misfeasance in public office in relation to the following matters:
— Boyce participated in a possibly corrupt transaction in relation to the sale (flipping) of Crown Land by: 1) accepting the proceeds of profits made by her brother, Earlson Robinson, from the sale of a share in the interest of a company, which had involved the disposal of Crown Land for large profits to an overseas developer, David Wex; 2) loaning or giving part of those profits to Misick, or assisting her brother in doing so; and 3) failing to declare those profits to the Registrar of Interests or to disclose them Commission, and failing to declare her brother’s connection to the transaction in Cabinet discussions concerning the transaction.
Source: By Caribbean News Now contributor
