From Turks & Caicos Weekly News

The current chairmanship of the Progressive National Party (PNP) is secure for now as the anticipated April elections has been postponed indefinitely.

The Weekly News confirmed this with current chairman, Trevor Cooke on Thursday (March 26).

In February this year, this publication reported that former Premier Michael Misick had expressed his intention to contest the chairmanship of the PNP.

However, to date, Cooke said he has not been formally informed of this, although he is aware.

He said that so far, neither Misick nor anyone else has indicated to him that they intend to contest his position.

In February Cooke told this publication that the elections for chairman would be held when members gather on April 24, 25 and 26.

However, Cooke also revealed that the elections for executive members will no longer be held next month.

Instead, when special congress is called on April 24, there are only two items on the agenda, neither of which involves electing a chairman.

“We are only dealing with the new constitution of the PNP, and we have a vacancy on the executive that we are going to be filling; these are the only two issues that we will be dealing with in the special congress,” Cooke said.

He assured that the vacant position is not for that of chairman of the party.

Asked if the election is off, he stated: “I guess. But I won’t say it’s off, we will probably have a national executive congress (NEC) at some point prior to the elections, but it’s just not taking place at this meeting in April.”

Questioned further about the issue, he added that he does not have any idea when it will be held, but that the executive council will determine a date at their next meeting, following the special congress.

Previously, Cooke had indicated that he is prepared to graciously concede the seat to Misick, should he be elected to chair the party.

He had stated that if Misick puts his name up, only then will he make a decision on whether to run again, further stating that either he or Misick is quite capable to lead the PNP into elections next year.

Cooke noted that Misick has a lot of experience to contribute to the party and that he has put in a lot of work over the years.

However, the entire issue of whether the former Premier will run, when the election is held, or who will run against him, could very well be irrelevant.

On February 27, Chief Justice Margaret Ramsay-Hale had indicated to Misick and his local counsel, Beryn Duncanson that she is concerned about his political aspirations.

The local media were not present in the court when these concerns were raised, however, the following Monday (February 30**), when the corruption accused appeared before Ramsay-Hale in a judicial review hearing, the issue came up again, and this time the press was present.

Duncanson asked the judge for further clarifications about her statements the previous Friday, querying whether it was a warning to the defendant to cease his political manoeuvrings, or if it was merely a personal concern.

The Chief Justice replied that she had already dealt with the issue on Friday, before addressing the media that what was said on the issue was not for publication.

Duncanson, who is also legal counsel for the Weekly News, enquired whether the judge was issuing a gag order to the press, to which a visibly irate judge walked off the bench while irritably informing the lawyer that he could tell the press whatever he pleases, then slamming the door on her way out of the courtroom.

Following the hearing, the Weekly News asked the former Premier if he is still going to run for chairmanship of the party, to which he replied: “I have no comment.”

However, Duncanson recently spoke on the issue with this publication.

Recounting the February 27 hearing when the Chief Justice aired her concerns, he said: “On Friday the judge basically gave an indication from the bench that she was concerned about reports that my client, Mike Misick was intending to run for chairmanship of the party (PNP).

“She said that she had read with some concerns, reports about his intended political involvement, and that it could be an issue affecting his bail.”

Duncanson said he took exception to her saying this, to which the judge pointed out that the standard did not apply about whether or not he is innocent until proven guilty.

He conceded that while a judge has the authority to amend bail, it should be exercised within reason.

He told this publication that: “The man is already on $10 million bail, which he had bail posted by a number of persons, and it seems like that is not enough.”

Duncanson stated that Misick is a career politician, but unlike his co-defendants, as well as the two lawyers who are charged separately with cheating the public revenue, it is only in his case that an attempt is being made to restrict him in his career.

“None of the others are restricted in their bail conditions pending their trials; they are continuing their normal lives of practising law and whatever else, notwithstanding the fact that they have been charged with some serious fraud… yet nobody is saying let’s confine them to the yard and stop them practising.

“These are all crimes of dishonesty; they are all there practising and dealing with money that will be heading to the Government, yet nobody is trying to restrict them.

“What is it so special about Mike Misick?” the lawyer stated.

While some of his bail conditions were not made public when he was granted bail by the former Chief Justice Edwin Goldsbrough in January 2014, Duncanson assured this publication that there is nothing in the undisclosed conditions that restricts Misick from political activity.

Misick, who is long touted as a man of the people, intends as chairman of the PNP to reconnect the Rufus Ewing-led Government with the people who elected him and his ministers to office.

He feels strongly that there is a disconnect between the Government and the people.

He is also of the belief that if something is not done about it, the PNP’s chances at the polls in 2016 could be in jeopardy, and help is needed to get the party back on track.

Meanwhile, the former Premier is still to face trial for corruption related offences that he is alleged to have committed during his terms in office (August 15, 2003 to August 9, 2006 and August 9, 2006 to March 23, 2009).

That trial is set to start on December 1, 2015, pending the outcome of the Privy Council decision on two appeals currently before them.

For more on this story go to: http://tcweeklynews.com/pnp-chairman-pick-put-off-new-date-to-be-set-at-next-nec-p6010-149.htm

**NOTE: Only in TCI are there 30 days in February

IMAGE: Michael Misick www.tciaffairs.com