Bush and Misick cases similar, claims ex TCI leader

| 13/10/2014

(CNS): Michael Misick has called on the countries in the region to take an interest in what he describes as the manipulation of the justice system in the Turks and Caicos Islands and where the UK has removed his and others caught up in the territory’s corruption scandal, right to a jury trial. Misick said that what has happened to him and his political colleagues is similar to the Bush case but he pointed out that because Cayman’s jury system remains in place the justice system worked and exposed what seemed to be “a British government conspiracy” to tarnish the former CI premier and oust him from politics. “His acquittal shows that a justice system made up of a jury of peers works,” the former TCI premier wrote in an article published by the TCI Sun.

In TCI, Misick stated, there was a “modern day coup d'état” where the UK government and its governors were doing everything in their power to tarnish his and his political colleagues names. He said the law and the cnstitution had been changed in an attempt to prevent them from getting a fair 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,” he said. “I believe the justice system here is controlled and manipulated by Helen Garlick, SIPT and others for a specific outcome of their creation,” he added as he spoke about the investigation team which has been pursuing various allegations of corruption against Misick as well as other politicians and local business people for several years.

“They seem to get whatever they want; both civil and criminal. The verdict of Mr. Bush 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,” Misick wrote as he congratulated Bush on his acquittal from corruption related charges.

He asked regional countries, Jamaica and Barbados in particular where he said the local judges were from to examine the removal of the right to a trial by jury which Misick described as a “long standing mechanism geared for dispensing true justice”. He said its removal was undemocratic.

“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.”

Despite indicating connections between the situation faced by himself and his colleagues, the Bush and the Misick et al cases are different.

The corruption investigations in TCI stemmed from a report which had identified systemic corruption in the country in 2008 which led to the suspension of the country’s constitution and direct British rule for over two years. Many local politicians and business people were sucked into the wide investigation and Misick fled the country. He was eventually arrested and then extradited from Brazil and is now awaiting trial.

The case in TCI relates to whether or not large sums of money given as political donations by various businessmen and developers in the TCI as well as the sale of crown land amounted to corruption and was illegal.

Bush was charged with misconduct and abuse of office after he used his government credit card to withdraw cash from ATMs and take cash advances from casinos in to gamble on slot machines while travelling on overseas trips in his capacity as premier. Having denied any criminality or wrong doing Bush was cleared by a jury and despite admitting to using his government gold card in casinos, he said the case against him was a conspiracy because of the way it was manipulated. Bush also said his well-publicised arrest under suspicion of theft as well as corruption amounted to trumped up allegations as no theft charges were ever brought.
 

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  1. Whodatis says:

    Umm, fellas – it is very telling when you opt to not directly reply to my post but still talk all "around" me with such random and irrelevant remarks.

    Just thought I should let you know that you're fooling no one.

    Cheers bubs,

     – Whodatis

  2. Anonymous says:

    Goodness gracious me, this saga with Mr.Bush gets weirder by the minute. And any fantastical thoughts of getting reelected to office certainly haven't been helped by this latest development. Even his most ardent supporters must realize that. It really is long time overdue for Mr.Bush to accept that he's had his day (including some 17 hour ones, apparently!) as a public figure and bow out quietly into the sunset.

    • Anonymous says:

      You are so wrong!! Mack is even more stronger now. People throughout the Country who never even supported him is doing so now. After all give Caesar his due, that he and the late Jim Bodden is the only true two Politicians in the Cayman Islands with guts and will take a stand.This time around like I hear it said so much recently, Mack will have a land slide victory. We anticipate that he has a very good George Towner that we would like to see as Premier and Mack the speaker of the house. Dont worry , while you are sleeping Mack is planning. A Great man.

      • Anonymous says:

        Thank you for your response but I fear you are clutching at straws if you anticipate the vast majority of the people of the Cayman Islands placing their confidence and trust in Mr.Bush in future elections. They would have needed to have been asleep during hs recent trial to do so, surely. But let us see, miracles happen, and meantime let us pray Mr.Bush obtains the much needed professional treatment for his addiction to gambling. 

        • MEM says:

          Yeah, we all didn't expect him to get in last time either, please don't forget it is up to the bayas.

      • Anonymous says:

        An addict is an addict, it doesn't matter who you are, and addicts are inherently unreliable and untrustworthy individuals who often have a problem with the truth. I'm sorry, but that is how it is. Ask any professional who treats them if you doubt my words. Do you imagine the Caymanian public are somehow unaware of this reality about addicts or are fool enough to think it matters not in regard to who they elect to leadership positions? If you do I reckon you and your fellow supporters of Mr.Bush are desperately in need of a reality check yourselves!

  3. Notch says:

    Drowning men will cling to even a straw and foolish dogs, bark at flying birds. Get in toruble with the law and you shall surely spend your last farthing.

    • Anonymous says:

      Oh, "your last farthing" – I thought you said something else at first!

  4. Anonymous says:

    Misick, Bushsick and Whodatisick. These guys are like ignorant teenagers who hate their parents because their parents lay down rules such as, do well in school, no drinking and smoking, pull your pants up, act civiilly. To Nevermind the fact that the parents have been through this all and know better. Alas, at least one ignorant 'sick" is going to write "But we have the right to make the same mistakes too". Nevermind how stupid such a comment makes one.

    • Whodatis says:

      Didn't realize I was a leader of a country – you seem to be confused.

      Anyway, I now only have two words for you; "war criminal".

      • Anonymous says:

        If one word is "Chagos" and two words are "war criminal", then what do you do for three? "Chagos war criminal" perhaps?

        • Judean peoples front says:

          That is the star prize of both the George Foreman grill and the dual rotisserie oven right there! Not been won since 1997.

    • Anonymous says:

      You must be the biggest ediot in the Cayman Islands or where ever you are from. Can't you see the munipulation of the UK in that case? I hope that you become a victim of their conspiracy very soon and I will wait to hear what you have to say then.

  5. Anonymous says:

    It seems to me that if our OT leaders conduct themselves with ethical integrity they would have little to fear. That's often what they tell the populance.

    The UK no doubt have it's problems….but I cringe to think where we might be without some UK oversight. 

    Additionally,the specifics of these cases have some glaring differences….also by Missick running away only adds more suspicion.

    • Whodatis says:

      Re: "The UK no doubt have it's problems…"

      That's one way to put it I guess.

  6. Anonymous says:

    Birds of a feather…

  7. Anonyanmous says:

    The affairs of TCI and GCM have some similar elements but are entirely different.  We know the outcome of GCM.  The TCI saga is yet to be tried in court and as a result the verdict is unknown.  

    What concerns me most is the refusal of the UK government to let the TCI defendant have his right to a trial by jury when the UK is the one that appoints the judge in the trial.   Where is the fairness and transparency in that?  In my opinion all these trials are just pieces on a chess board played by the elected arm of the UK parliament.  A cooling mechanism to show charasmatic leaders within their terrorities that the UK still have the ultimate power.  

  8. Whodatis says:

    Dear Misick and Bush,

    Further to my previous advice to both of you;

    Next time, quit dabbling in petty things like money games, Vegas casinos, D-list celebrity spouses, alleged corruption and such.

    The big lotto is in the war crimes / prop-up-then-pull-down-a-dictator / kill half a million people / lie and illegally invade a foreign country gigs.

    Just look at how the British PM in question is living at the moment. International property portfolio, talk tours, chairman of a oil company based in the very country that he illegally invaded – and not a court trial or copper in sight … this could be you fellas!! Get with the freakin' program man!

    Any questions?

    Best regards,

    Whodatis

  9. Anonymous says:

    Birds of a feather

  10. Anonymous says:

    What's worse than an endorsement from Misick? Two endorsements from Misick.

  11. Anonymous says:

    From the horse's mouth!  The circus gets freakier by the day.

  12. Anonymous says:

    Happily, this does not help Mr Bush much. If I am erecting subtle (in my view) arguments with the Internal Revenue Service that everything I do is above board, I am not assisted if Al Capone makes a big public pronouncement of solidarity and commonality of purpose.

  13. Empty Chair says:

    Yea, "birds of a feather flock together"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  14. Anonymous says:

    He is right in more than one way. Same bunch, same things…

    • Anonymous says:

      Which one was coaching?  Misick I am sure was the coach.  Similar land sales or give aways.  Could that be coincidental?  Clean hands and a pure heart, needed private security and medical incidentals in the casinos.

  15. Anonymous says:

    It did not prove innocence but rather legally there was no case.  

    • Anonyanmous says:

      16:25 However you want to state it as a matter of semantics the man was found innocent by a jury of his peers.  Operative word "NOT GUILTY".  Get over the verdict and go find another cause there are many to choose from …. lets start with unemployment and the regression of the Native Caymanian way of life.

      • Anonymous says:

        A jury of his PEERS

      • Anonymous says:

        PREACH IT 7:09

      • Anonymous says:

        The regression in the Native Caymanian way of life started when we decided to overlook morals for finacial gains, and when we piu people like Mac on a pedestal and became his followers. When are we going to get back to having leaders with impecable moral standards? On one hand we sit and complain about how things are so tough for our Camanians but we dont see that the leaders we elect and follow are not of a good morall character, where do you think as a society we will go but down? 

      • Anonymous says:

        Top on the agenda, should be Nation Building Fund.  Investigate, investigate.

        • Anonymous says:

          You fool. The National Building funds was investigated as well and it turned up "0." 

      • Fred the Piemaker says:

        Or how about the Ritz Carlton commissions and planning variation,  the Stan Thomas letter, the Ritz tax repayment moratorium, the Cohen refinancing, the dynamite intervention….As you say, plenty to choose from.   

        • Anonyanmous says:

          13:49 Yesterday's news stop living in the past, today is even almost gone… live and think for tomorrow because there is nothing you can do about yesterday except don't repeat the same mistake tomorrow… now go help the Caymanian people get jobs so that tomorrow they don't have to rob and steal to eat… jobs so that they can pay their bills to have a roof over their head, lights and water to take a bath and drink.  

        • Anonymous says:

          Cant leave out the turtle farm financing

        • ThIs WrItInG Is VeRy IrRiTaTiNg says:

          Agreed, let's start round 2 immediately.  Hopefully there will be another knock down or a knock out.  I doubt this fight will go the full 12 rounds.  

      • Anonymous says:

        He was not found innocent.  The jury determined there was not sufficient evidence to establish a finding of guilt beyond all reasonable doubt.  That is much more than semantics.

  16. susan says:

    I know I will take some flak from loyalist, but as bad as Misick is I surely hope he gets off too to set a precedent. We may have problems with our leaders, but we are not dumb to not see that there is a bigger elephant in our room. Something has to be done about this. The wiretapping, the constant spying, the thingsthey do behind everybody's back … 

    • Anonymous says:

      Susan, you are RIGHT!

      I do hope the people of these islands can wake-up and see the bigger picture before it's too late.

      There is only so long Mckeeva Bush can be the scape-goat for the U.K's dirt.

      Jus' sayin'

       
    • Anonymous says:

      You know these things how? Because Mac said so and you believed him?

    • Anonymous says:

      The longer you smoke that split the more para you"ll get

    • Judean peoples front says:

      I am sure my neighbour has a secret transmitter in his attic. I have heard Morse code being tapped out probably to a secret receiver in London. 

      There are also a lot of people coming and going on bicycles.

      Maybe it is time that the law was changed. Any permit renewal will come with random house searches for transmitters, codes or any material connected to the resistance movement.

  17. Anonymous says:

    Missick's and Bush's commonality; well isn't that something to laugh about!

  18. C. says:

    Note:  "The corruption investigations in TCI stemmed from a report which had identified systemic corruption in the country in 2008 WHICH LEAD to the suspension of the country’s constitution and direct British rule for over two years."  WHICH LEAD, but it never had to lead to this / Just to show what modern colonialism is about. Although Misick may have truly been corrupt, they deliberately suspended the country's elected LA, the people's Constitution, swapped the democracy for a dictatorship. Do you see what I mean?  They could have prosecuted the man on his own soil without going to lengths about it. Just when TCI was becoming prosperous, they declared full rule, the MPs in the UK watched, and business owners were intimidated. They deliberately reduced TCI back to 100 years and say it was good for the country.

    MODERN DAY COLONIALISM AT ITS BEST! 

    • Anonymous says:

      Yes 15:53, that's right! SPOT ON!

    • Judean peoples front says:

      Too right. There I was, 10 years behind the bell as a fully qualified leper and up pops the UK and cures me. Takes away my livelihood with not even apology. I lost everything thanks to the UK. Bloody do holders!

  19. Anonymous says:

    That's right the UK is ridiculous they need to be exposed!!

    • Anonymous says:

      Be specific, it's the Monarchy that needs to be exposed. LMAO, because it will NEVER happen.

    • Judean peoples front says:

      In letters ten feet high all over the Public buildings.