Letter to the Chairman of the Committee
from Helen Garlick, Special Prosecutor, Turks and Caicos Islands
Thank you for agreeing to see me tomorrow. I
have forwarded a copy of a letter I sent yesterday to the Minister.
As you will see, on this occasion I have decided not to wait for
his answer before copying it to you.
I continue to register my extreme concern at
the financial position and at the consequences of the fact that,
against our wishes, the SIPT is now a major burden upon the budget
of the TCIG. In addition I am becoming alarmed at the failure
to implement some of the key recommendations made by Sir Robin
Auld, the more so, since it appears that Her Majesty's Government
are intent upon returning the Islands to full Parliamentary rule
by the summer of 2011. If that is so, then it is imperative that
the key recommendations are implemented without further delay.
From my viewpoint these are:
45. "The Attorney General's Chambers
should be strengthened with adequate numbers of high quality staff
of a disposition to withstand political and other pressures … (with)
suitable and secure premises." To my knowledge, nothing has
been done to take this forward. I believe that it is essential
that these changes are made now, so that the strengthened AG's
office has had several months to bed in and to establish itself
before the elections.
55. Early implementation of the Integrity
Commission Ordinance. My understanding is that although a Chairman
and Commission members have been selected, there are no funds
to employ investigators to obtain and analyse the financial information
that the Commission may demand of past and present public servants.
If the Commission was in operation, it would be a valuable partner
to the SIPT's work. More important, an effective Integrity Commission
will provide lasting and vital support for clean public life in
the TCI, long after the work of the SIPT is done. As with the
reforms to the AG's Chambers, the Commission needs to have had
time to become embedded in TCI national life and to have established
its reputation as a force to be reckoned with, before the return
to elected rule.
I must also mention the importance of securing
safe and suitable court buildings for the trials that will result
from our investigations. I have insisted that the trials must
take place on Providenciales. The safe transportation of witnesses,
their housing and the secure handling of evidence will all be
impossible to ensure on Grand Turk. The Chief Justice and his
Deputy agree with me on this and have added their concerns that
the current Supreme Court building is insecure and overcrowded.
A secure and suitable building needs to be identified now and
plans need to be made for its refurbishment.
I look forward to meeting you tomorrow.
2 March 2010
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