Published on Saturday, July 5, 2008 - Caribbean Net News
PROVIDENCIALES, Turks and Caicos Islands: Recent announcements by the government of the Turks and Caicos Islands concerning the sale and development of Salt Cay and Joe Grant Cay have been linked to the change in laws by the government in 2007 concerning the visa requirements for members of certain specified foreign countries. And the editor of a local weblog has called for the government to make full disclosure of the details of these developments.
The revelation was recently brought to the fore in an editorial published online by the TCI Journal dated July 3. Citing a December 4, 2007, memo from the Ministry of Home Affairs, the article stated that “…the TCI government changed the laws so that visas were not required for people entering the Turks and Caicos from Slovakia, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Malta and Russia, along with a handful of others…”.
“It did not take very many investigative resources to find out that the developers of Salt Cay are from Slovakia, Czech Republic with holding companies in Cyprus, Malta and interests in Russia,” the article continued.
The author of the editorial expressed concern that over 400 acres of land currently designated as a Special Historical Area in Salt Cay was “turned over… to the developers without this being part of a larger understanding”, and reported that there were “documents present about a group offering to purchase Joe Grant Cay for $500,000,000”.
“Then there are published reports in the international press of members of that group being closely associated with individuals known for laundering narcotics money, and in the same time frame changes are made so visas are not required from Colombia and Honduras…” the article said.
In a letter dated November 6, 2006 from the Turks and Caicos Islands Investment Agency (TCInvest), the government agreed to this new development on Joe Grant Cay in exchange for $500,000,000 with one Arturo Malave – a foreigner who was thought to be on a TCI government immigration “stoplist” at one time, but whose name has since been removed by the current government.
The article also reported as coincidental that the Minister fro Natural Resources, Fisheries and the Environment, MacAlister Hanchell and the country’s Premier, Michael Misick were planning a trip to Russia in the coming week.
Since Misick and his government made the announcements of the developments in the two TCI territories, there has been public outcry at the manner in which Crown Lands were being sold, and to whom, as well as the environmental impacts of the development of these islands.
For his part, however, Misick has attempted to address the concerns of the residents saying that his government was commitment to the social and economic development for the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
But the TCI Journal has called for the government to come clean to the nation about the sale of the lands.
“The Country needs and demands a full airing of the details, plans and individuals associated with the developments on Salt Cay and Joe Grant Cay. The Misick, Hanchell, Hall, Boyce Government needs to stop treating the people of the Turks and Caicos as morons and start treating them as adults who have a stake in the future of the Country and a right to know what commitments are being made on their behalf,” the TCI Journal said.
The development of the uninhabited island of Joe Grant Cay will see a five star resort, low density upscale golf course and villas; while new infrastructure on Salt Cay – the world’s first green island – will include a 75-villa resort, including an 18-hole golf course, marina and harbour, along with other new renovations.
By Tricia N. Henry, Caribbean Net News Staff Reporter
Email: tricia@caribbeannetnews.com
