Sandals assisting in international probe in Turks & Caicos Islands

Sandals Resorts International is assisting international investigators probing the activities of the former government in the Turks and Caicos Island.

Dimitri Singh, the attorney for Sandals Resorts International, said in a statement that international authorities have been conducting an ongoing investigation in the Turks and Caicos Islands concerning activities connected to the Islands' former governing administration.      

Sandals Resorts International operates a Beaches Resort in the British Overseas Territory and according to Mr. Singh, the company "has voluntarily agreed to co-operate with the ongoing investigation and has also launched its own internal probe."

According to Mr. Singh, this internal probe "has uncovered various unauthorised transactions that have been linked to a former senior officer of Sandals Resorts who was also closely associated with the governing Turks and Caicos administration at the time."

Mr. Singh noted that this information has been turned over to the relevant authorities.

The attorney added that the ongoing international investigations are not linked to a probe involving another former director of the hotel, Patrick Lynch.

In August 2009, Britain disbanded the local government and suspended the Turks and Caicos Islands legislature after a Commission of Inquiry found widespread corruption under the watch of former premier Michael Misick. 

At the time, officials in London said the return of direct rule would be in place for at least two years.

Governor General of the Turks and Caicos Islands, Gordon Wetherell, said systems were being put in place to hold elections by July.