Due to civil servants’ efforts during the past three years, there has been “sufficient progress” in restoring good governance in the Turks and Caicos Islands to re-establish democratic rule there, a United Kingdom official said Tuesday.
Speaking before the UK’s Parliament, William Hague, the secretary of state for foreign and Commonwealth affairs, said the TCI’s progress in introducing new laws and investigating allegations of corruption that occurred under the government of former Premier Michael Misick has allowed for elections to be held in the TCI on Nov. 9.
Mr. Misick stepped down as the territory’s premier in March 2009 after a commission of inquiry issued a report suggesting corruption was widespread in his government.
The commission, led by Sir Robin Auld, issued a 266-page report suggesting that Mr. Misick, along with other ministers, may have sold millions of dollars worth of Crown land for personal gain in order to support a lavish lifestyle.
See the June 14, 2012 edition for full coverage