A convenient lie not upheld by Attorney General DeFreitas - claims of corruption are next

The Attorney General of the Turks and Caicos Islands, Kurt DeFreitas, could be Turks and Caicos' only hope for someone making decisions independent from the UK. Yesterday DeFreitas announced that Turks and Caicos has dropped sexual assault charges against former Premier, Michael Misick. The charges against Misick were dropped once the evidence of the assault was found to be woefully lacking.

These sexual assault charges were rumored to be UK's insurance policy should allegations of corruption not be proven.

What's more, is that DeFreitas further announced that separate assault charges against Misick would also be dropped. Misick was accused of assaulting elected member of Parliament Arthur Robinson in 2007. The lone eye-witness is a proven maligner and political opportunist, former PDM Chairman Shaun Malcolm. According to the statements made by Robinson and Malcolm, the former Premier assaulted them while they were admittedly surveilling Misick with a video camera to entrap him in wrong-doing.

The two separate assault charges are just two of the several charges looming over Misick resulting from his reign as Premier for the previous six years in Turks and Caicos.

This year, Misick resigned after a UK investigation found him to be corrupt. The UK has since moved into the Turks and Caicos Islands along with a special prosecution team, headed by UK's Helen Garlick, to bring multiple charges against Misick and several of his cabinet members.

Suspicion and eye brows were raised when the UK executed a mass firing of local government officials and suspended jury trials for the entire population of the islands.

Many islanders were rightfully alarmed suspecting a witch hunt by UK with their imposed legal supremacy behind them.

On October 23, islander and lawyer, Anthony L. Hall, wrote a commentary published in Turks and Caicos Weekly rightfully admonishing DeFreitas for his belated findings in the assault charges. Anthony L. Hall points out that the sexual assault charges were unfounded and that "... this witness (“Vanessa”) claimed not only that all of the acts were consensual but also that the complainant initiated them." Mr. Hall further makes two additional important assessments, for which one I respectfully disagree.

The first is Hall's opinion that "... it is far more important for us to have confidence in [DeFreitas'] ability to manage the administration of justice in the TCI than it is for them to have confidence in his ability to consult in the abstract with authorities in the UK." In other words, DeFreitas works for the people and truth, he does not work for the agenda of the UK authority. I can imagine Mr. DeFreitas being caught between a rock and a hard place. On the one hand, he is drawn to his calling of upholding justice and truth and on the other hand, if he does not act fully alongside the UK's claims, he might also be suspected of corruption. These days in Turks and Caicos, nobody is immune from UK's long arm of the law. In fact, the people of Turks and Caicos have had their rights to a jury trial stripped, as the UK calls islanders corruptible. It appears that anyone who does not agree with the UK's agenda, is conveniently corrupt or has been corrupted.

I will respectfully disagree with Mr. Hall on his second important point. Mr. Hall appears to have little tolerance for Mr. DeFreitas' long tardy decision to drop the sexual assault charges calling for DeFreitas "... to either resign or be removed from office!" Mr. Hall, what is our alternative? Look at what has happened in the registrar department, the tourism department, the deputy governor, the list goes on. They have all been squeezed out of their posts as local officials and replaced by puppet UK cronies. Mr. DeFreitas made an important decision yesterday to drop the charges of assault against Misick. In so doing, Mr. DeFreitas has reinvigorated confidence that someone, at least someone, is acting outside of the UK agenda. This is a clear move in the right direction.

An independent decision was made by DeFreitas, however tardy it might be. The warning bells of the imminent take over of the islands was sounded a year ago. The people of Turks and Caicos trusted that the UK would be fair in their investigation and therefore they welcomed the UK, showing full cooperation. Now we see evidence and signs that this is a probe to support an agenda. No excuses should be afforded on behalf of the UK at this point. This does not mean a revolt or aggressive posturing against the UK. Many of the people of Turks and Caicos are sophisticated and educated people. It's time that Turks and Caicos' citizens make their voices heard and finally ask UK to leave and allow new elections or reinstate Mr. Galmo Williams, who was duly installed 6 months prior to UK's take over.

DeFreitas needs to continue to make independent decisions in Turks and Caicos, free from the UK's watchful and disapproving eye. This is about right and wrong and people's confidence in DeFreitas and justice. UK, let Mr. DeFreitas decide with his expertise not with pressure from your agenda. If we do not have Mr. DeFreitas to make proper decisions, you willfully entice lack of confidence therefore of any puppet government that you have currently installed or will install in 2011.