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News : International : Caribbean News : Turks & Caicos Islands Last Updated: Feb 6, 2017 - 2:32:04 PM


International arrest warrant issued for Michael Misick
By Hayden Boyce SUN Publisher & Editor-in-Chief
Mar 19, 2012 - 3:06:09 PM

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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 For example, a notice will not be published if it violates Article 3 of the Constitution, which forbids the Organization from undertaking any intervention or activities of a political, military,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.”

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