According to sources in the Haitian community in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI), who tend to exchange information with their friends and relatives in Haiti, former TCI premier Michael Misick (45), who has reportedly sought refuge in the Dominican Republic, may be trying to use matrimony to escape repatriation and prosecution in the TCI.
Haiti, which shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic, is therefore in close proximity to sources in the Dominican Republic, who claim that Misick has married the daughter of a high ranking Dominican Republic official and therefore is immune from extradition. This would be the third known marriage for Misick.
According to earlier reports, the Dominican Republic authorities had previously given assurances to their American and British counterparts that they would hand over Misick if called upon to do so.
While this story has yet to be confirmed there is much local concern over the fact that the special investigation and prosecution team (SIPT) has yet to question Misick, who was the central figure in the 2009 Commission of Inquiry into allegations of widespread government corruption. Misick has rarely visited the TCI in recent times and has not been seen here since members of his former administration have been arrested and charged with a number of offences, including money laundering and bribery.
One of Misick’s last political moves was to support current Progressive National Party (PNP) leader Clayton Greene in his quest to lead the besieged party in a late 2010 convention. All of the contenders were beneficiaries of the Misick regime and all were known to have supported Misick in the February 2007 elections, less than two years before the British Foreign Affairs Committee began to call for a Commission of Inquiry.
Misick is the only member of the PNP to flee justice.
Meanwhile, in a newly released press statement, former TCI chief minister turned pastor, Oswald Skippings, has said, “Michael Misick was neither the master or the mind that masterminded such an diabolical plot to take over the Crown land and all other tangible assets of the Turks and Caicos people and milk its coffers dry.”
The former member of the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) executive council and now party stalwart, who last served as deputy leader under Floyd Seymour, did not explain who in his opinion did mastermind the massive sale of Crown land and make the large and expensive loans for the hospitals, other large operating loans, approve purchases of millions of dollars worth of pavement and other government projects without the ability to pay for them.
Skippings does, however, appear to contradict himself and charge both past politicians and administrators, saying, “Yes, some of the poor past politicians and administrators are guilty of some infractions and I might add with the help and collusion of executives of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) who are no less guilty, including British governors and British appointed governors.”
Skippings, who was once TCI’s youngest chief minister, goes on to chide those who continue to support the British takeover, which is now two-and-a-half years old. When the FCO first announced the need for an interim government, they anticipated two years of direct rule more or less.
“The situation is such that even its [the direct rule government] once most ardent supporters and sympathizers have lost all confidence in this British regime, with the exception of a few like minded privileged sympathizers who are reaping where they have not sown and arbitrarily calling the shots at Waterloo [the governor’s residence on Grand Turk],” said Skippings
Finally, Skippings goes on to warn that the people of the TCI will soon emerge from an inactive submissive state to contest the continuation of British direct rule. Skippings did not call for any financial assistance, despite the wide spread discontent over massively increased taxation needed to address the large and increasing debts, as well as health care costs.
Source: Caribbean News Now
