Michael Misick has tendered his resignation as Premier of Turks and Caicos a week earlier than expected:
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Here is the story on The Times (London)
The Prime Minister of the Turks and Caicos Islands has resigned as Britain prepares to take administrative control of the Caribbean territory.Michael Misick, the Premier of the British dependency who has been at the centre of a corruption probe into the ruling elite, said in a statement he was resigning to give way to a unified government.
"I still think I have the majority of support in the public and in the country but suddenly the majority of elected members, who represent voters at this time, wanted me to step aside, therefore I think I have done the honourable thing," he the Caicos Free Press newspaper.
"At this time the country needs a unified government. I did not want to hold on to leadership at all costs," he added.
Mr Misick's resignation comes as the British Parliament considers legislation to suspend the constitution of the islands and hand power over to the British Governor, Gordon Wetherell.
Mr Wetherell announced plans to transfer authority into his hands last week, blaming “clear signs of political amorality and immaturity and general administrative incompetence” for the move.
The decision came after an investigation into the islands' administration by Sir Robin Auld, a former Lord Justice of Appeal, found a "high probability of systemic corruption or other serious dishonesty" among the ruling elite.
The inquiry was set up last year after a critical report by the commons Foreign Affairs Select Commisttee identified a "palpable climate of fear" on the islands.
The inquiry heard allegations of political corruption involving land sales, development deals and the granting of voting rights. It also heard details of the lavish lifestyle of Mr Misick and his estranged wife, the American actress LiseRaye McCoy-Misick, whose business dealings are at the heart of the investigation.
Mr Misick, 43, a British-trained lawyer who became the first Prime Minister of the Turks and Caicos in 2006, is accused with his fellow government ministers of selling off Crown land to property developers for personal gain.
The inquiry was also told that Mr Misick, who is also the Tourism Minister, arranged for his wife to be paid $300,000 (£203,000)from government funds to be the face of an international tourism campaign.
During the hearing on the island of Providenciales, it emerged that Mr Misick, who is also an estate agent, consultant to a firm of lawyers and director of a number of property companies, has received undeclared loans of $20 million from a number of financial institutions, foreign companies and members of the Government.
His wife regaled the hearing with details of the couple's opulent lifestyle. They flew by private jet for holidays in Africa and Europe and spent hundreds of thousands of pounds a month on clothes. She told the inquiry there was no limit on the couple's spending.
In his statement today, Mr Misick admitted he had "regrets and personal pain and agony" stemming from "mistaken judgement", but he attacked Britain's decision to strip the territory of its independence.
"No matter what my personal failings may have been, they do not support the pretext ... to suspend our constitution and take us back to a time we had thought long past," he said.
"This is tantamount to being re-colonised. It is a backwards step completely contrary to the whole movement of history."
Mr Misick repeatedly denied any wrong-doing during the hearing. However, Sir Robin could recommend criminal investigations in his final report, which is due in April. Mr Wetherell said the authorities were considering whether to bolster police resources and appoint a special prosecutor in anticipation of evidence that crimes were committed.
Well here's my two cents. Ya the guy is corrupt, tell me one country where there is no corruption in govt???? Such a crock...they just want an excuse to go back to colonialism so instead of a black man running the scene...England can stretch its arm across the ocean and have the power over likkle Turks and Caicos. You think the british govt not corrupt????Bet they are, they just way better at hiding it than the likkle black man that get a taste of power and doh know what to do with himself.
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