Updated Monday 4:24 PM
By the Caribbean Journal staff
The Turks and Caicos has issued a warrant for the arrest of former Premier Michael Misick, the government announced today.
Interpol has authorized a “Red Notice” for Misick, who was the country’s Premier until allegations of widespread corruption led the United Kingdom to impose direct rule on the TCI in the summer of 2009.
The warrant was issued by the Turks and Caicos and served by Interpol, a government spokesperson told Caribbean Journal.
The TCI’s Special Investigation and Prosecution Team said it has sought to secure the attendance of Misick at its offices in Providenciales for the past several months “in respect of allegations of corruption and money laundering during his time in office,” according to a statement.
“Every opportunity has been given to Mr Misick to voluntarily surrender to the SIPT’s jurisdiction for interview,” the SIPT said. “Despite previous indications from Mr Misick’s solicitors that he would attend for interview, he has failed to do so.”
Last week, Misick and Turks and Caicos Governor Ric Todd had engaged in a war of words after Misick questioned the morality of the government and called for a probe into its conduct.
“The hypocrisy of Mr Michael Misick in calling into question the morality of anyone clearly knows no bounds,” Todd said in a statement last week. “His alleged disrespect, and that of his administration, for the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands were laid bare in the Commission of Enquiry Report of 2009.
“To be clear,” Todd said, “this listed in tremendous detail the probably of systematic corruption in the government and legislature of the TCI. These matters are now the subject of a criminal investigation by the SIPT. Mr Misick should return to these islands as soon as possible to face the questions that the SIPT has for him.”
Misick is reportedly in the Dominican Republic.