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| Worldatlas.com |
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In a press statement on October 10, former Premier Michael Misick congratulated the former Premier of the Cayman Islands McKeeva Bush, on clearing his name of corruption charges.
Misick congratulated Bush on being found not guilty by a jury in what he called "a British Government conspiracy to tarnish it and have him ousted from politics in the Cayman Islands.”
The TCI former Premier said that Bush’s acquittal shows that a justice system made up of a jury of peers works.
He is also calling on the Caribbean Community and fellow Caribbean leaders to take a real interest in what is happening in the Turks and Caicos Islands, "especially Jamaica and Barbados where our judges come from.”
He stated that a trial by jury is a long standing mechanism geared for dispensing true justice and removal of this system can only be deemed as undemocratic.
"No matter what, we will continue to fight for our freedom and the liberation of our country.
"Our people, political and social leaders have to expose this conspiracy in the Turks and Caicos Islands so that true democracy, the rule of law and true justice not manufactured justice can prevail,” the former Premier stated.
He said that is his belief that what is happening to him and his colleagues is similar to what has happened to Bush.
"We are experiencing a modern day coup d'état.”
He further stated that the British government and successive Governors have done everything in their power to tarnish his and his co-accused names including changing the law and the constitution in an attempt to prevent them from getting a fair trial – to wit, a jury trial.
"I believe that if it is right to have a jury trial in the Cayman Islands it must also be right to allow a jury of our peers to judge our guilt or innocence here in Turks and Caicos Islands.
"I believe the justice system here is controlled and manipulated by Helen Garlick, SIPT and others for a specific outcome of their creation.”
Misick added that these people seem to get what they want; both civil and criminal.
He believes that Bush’s verdict illustrates that the justice system can work in a British overseas territory if it is not tampered with by external whims and fancies, namely the British government and their appointed British Governors.
He stated: "It is no coincidence that democratically elected leaders of British overseas territories have been faced with unfounded corruption charges and the people of the Cayman Islands, once given a chance through the jury system have exposed this British government conspiracy.
"Here in the Turks and Caicos Islands we are desperately in need of an independent judiciary.”
