Police officer denies cavity search and mistreatment of Shanique Myrie
A Barbados police officer accused of conducting a cavity search on Shanique Myrie denied the allegation when she took the stand before the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) today.
Constable Sirphene Carrington also insisted that she did not make any derogatory remarks or searched the luggage of the Jamaican national who was denied entry into the island on March 14, 2011.
During cross examination Myrie’s Attorney, Michelle Brown sought to suggest that Carrington was “gruff, rough and boisterous with her client”.
Brown told the court that prior to taking Myrie to the bathroom during which a demeaning vaginal search was conducted, Carrington said she hated Jamaicans and accused Jamaicans of being liars who came to Barbados to steal men.
“Ms Myrie was never in the bathroom. Ms Myrie was not subjected to a cavity search...,” Carrington said.
Carrington, who was assigned to the Barbados Drug Squad, for two years, testified that she was present during an interview conducted by her superior officer, Constable Everton Gittens but she hardly spoke during the interview, which she estimated lasted for about 15 minutes.
Carrington maintained that Gittens did not search Myrie’s bag or her cell phone - rejecting claims levelled by Brown.
The police officer said Myrie was questioned in relation to the purpose of her visit to Barbados, where she was staying and her relationship with her host.
Carrington told the court that after the interview was completed Myrie was taken to Customs where her bags were searched by officials there.
Carrington said no drugs were found and Myrie was returned to the Immigration office.
The police officer said she left the airport along with Gittens soon afterwards.
But Brown sought to bring into question the accuracy of Carrington’s statement suggesting that it was near identical to the one provided by Gittens.
Carrington maintained it was written by her and no one helped her to word the statement.
Gittens had delivered his testimony ahead of Carrington’s.
Pressed why Myrie was selected for the police interview, Carrington told the court that as a normal practice police interviewed passengers who are referred to the Immigration Supervisor.
Gittens also told the court that he had a feeling Myrie was a drug courier but he later dismissed the thought after conducting an “extensive interrogation” with the Jamaican national.
He told the court he felt Myrie came to work.
The police officer said Myrie was not under arrest and if she wanted to she could have left.
Gittens, who is also assigned to the Barbados Drug Squad, strongly denied suggestions he showed Myrie blue folders which represented Jamaicans who had tried to enter Barbados with illegal drugs.
Gittens also rejected suggestions from Myrie’s lawyer Nancy Anderson that he cut a slipper owned by Myrie, denied her a phone call and threatened to take here to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital to be x-rayed for drugs, while attempting to persuade her that if she told him the truth he would help her.
“I did not make any threats to Ms Myrie,”he said.
During Brown’s cross examination, the police constable stoutly defended his colleague Constable Carrington.
He said Carrington had not made any derogatory statements to Myrie neither did she take her to the bathroom.
“I was the senior officer on duty, no such statement would have been made by Ms Carrington.
“Ms Carrington did not go to any bathroom with Ms Myrie, “he said.
Gittens told the court he discovered Myrie was lying about her host in Barbados after having separate conversations with Pamela Clarke, the woman with whom Myrie said she was staying.
The officer also spoke to Daniel Forde the man who came to the airport to collect Myrie. In a witness statement, Forde said he had asked Clarke for her name and number to give to a visitor he was expecting from Jamaica.
The Trinidad-based CCJ is hearing testimony in the case brought by the 25-year-old Myrie, who alleged that when she travelled to Barbados on March 14, 2011 she was discriminated against because of her nationality, subjected to a body cavity search, detained overnight in a cell and deported to Jamaica the following day.
Source: Jamaica Observer
Dominican military officials among 35 arrested in drug bust
Authorities in the Dominican Republic have arrested 35 people -- including military, police and customs officials -- in a drug bust at the country's busiest airport.
The arrests were made in connection with the seizure of a private jet carrying 682 packets of cocaine in 26 suitcases, the country's drug enforcement agency said Thursday.
The plane had been scheduled to leave the Punta Cana International Airport for France, with a layover in the Azores, authorities said.
A lieutenant colonel, a major and four captains were among those arrested, authorities said. Four Frenchmen also were arrested.
The arrests were made after an investigation that began seven months ago, as investigators also tracked other cases involving the shipment of hundreds of kilograms of cocaine to different countries in Europe, drug enforcement officials said.
Police charge McKeeva Bush
The former Premier of the Cayman Islands, William McKeeva Bush, has now been charged and is due to appear in court early next month.
Mr. Bush answered his bail this afternoon (Wednesday 20 March) and was formally charged with two counts of Misconduct in a Public Office, four counts of Breach of Trust by a member of the Legislative Assembly (contrary to S.13 of the Anti-Corruption Law 2008), and five counts of Theft (contrary to S.241 of the Penal Code 2007 Revision).
The 57 year old charged is said to in the misuse of government credit card and importing explosive materials.
Mr. Bush has been bailed to appear in Grand Court on 12 April 2013.
Meanwhile, His Excellency the Governor Duncan Taylor made it clear upon the Prime Minister’s arrest in December last year, that this was a police investigation not a Foreign and Commonwealth Office Investigation and that the premier’s arrest had nothing to do with the recent arrest of the former Turks and Caicos Premier Michael Misick in Brazil.
Venezuela cutting off contact with U.S. diplomat
Venezuela is cutting off contact with a top U.S. diplomat, the country's foreign minister said Wednesday.
Foreign Minister Elias Jaua said Wednesday that his country's representatives would no longer be talking about improving U.S.-Venezuela relations with Roberta Jacobson, U.S. assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs.
Jaua accused the United States of trying to interfere with Venezuela's upcoming presidential election and criticized comments Jacobson made about the April 14 vote in an interview with Spain's El Pais newspaper.
The United States has been denying a steady stream of accusations from top Venezuelan officials since President Hugo Chavez's death on March 5.
"The United States categorically rejects allegations of any U.S. government involvement in any plots to destabilize the Venezuelan government or to harm anyone in Venezuela," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said on Monday.
Brazil doctors' council backs abortion reform
As the Senate in Brazil debates reform of abortion laws, the body that regulates medical practice has for the first time backed the legalisation of abortion on request.
The Federal Council of Medicine called for the legalisation of terminations during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.
Currently, it is allowed only in cases of rape, abnormal brain development or when the mother's life is at risk.
But wider availability of abortion is opposed by the Roman Catholic church.
Nearly a quarter of a million women a year seek treatment in hospitals after undergoing unsafe procedures, the doctors' council said.
"It's important to highlight that it's not been decided that the (27 regional) Councils of Medicine are favourable to abortion, instead it's the autonomy of women and doctors," the president of the FCM, Roberto Luiz D'Avila, wrote on the statement.
'Violence and death'
Brazilian senators are currently looking into a proposal put together by lawyers and specialists to change the existing criminal code.
The amendment would add other cases in which terminations would not be considered a crime:
- On request up to 12 weeks into the pregnancy
- In cases of foetal anomalies that would make life impossible after birth
- When the pregnancy is the result of insemination or in-vitro fertilisation without consent.
The reforms, however, are meeting strong opposition in the country, especially from the Roman Catholic church.
"What we consider serious in this context is the 'educational', or rather, the 'diseducational' power that an important body such as the Federal Council of Medicine has - the power to create mentalities," Bishop Joao Carlos Petrini, from the powerful National Conference of Bishops, told newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo.
The doctors' council endorsement only strengthens a "mentality that favours violence and death", he added.
The Brazilian senators recently postponed a deadline to present their findings on the controversial reform.
Abortions are illegal in most cases in the majority of Latin American countries, with the exception of Uruguay, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guyana and French Guyana.
-BBC
Police issues warning to all Liquor licenced businesses for Bi-Elections 2013
The Police have been charged with the responsibility of maintaining Law and Order at today’s Bi-Election.
Officers from Division “B” will be posted at all Polling Stations in the Cheshire Hall & Richmond Hills constituency. The public are requested to stick to the rules at the polling stations and to follow any instructions given by the police or the Presiding Officers so that the process runs smoothly.
No bars or liquor stores in the Cheshire Hall & Richmond Hills constituency will be open. Restaurants in the area will not serve any alcoholic beverages during polling hours which are from 7am to 7pm.
The laws state “No intoxicating liquor to be sold, offered or given in any premises on polling day during polling hours, or at any political meeting prior to or during polling.” Please visit the police web site at www.tcipolice.tc or www.facebook.com/RTCIPF for further information.
HE and Cabinet developments
His Excellency Governor Ric Todd chaired the meeting of the Turks and Caicos Islands’ (TCI) Cabinet on Wednesday 20 March 2013 at the House of Assembly Building on Grand Turk.
At this meeting Cabinet:
- Welcomed a presentation by the OECD Global Forum Peer Review Team who are visiting to review TCI’s legislation, processes and capacity to exchange tax information effectively with international partners. The team complimented TCI on the progress it had made in this area since 2011 and noted their positive impressions of the current situation. The team’s report will be finalised by the end of the year. Cabinet underlined TCI’s commitment to meet high standards and fulfil all its international obligations in this area. Cabinet confirmed that it would respond promptly and appropriately to any recommendations from the Team;
- Agreed that the Governor would sign into effect regulations to increase accommodation tax from 11% to 12% with effect from 1 July 2013; and that the draft legislation allowing for increases in stamp duty agreed by Cabinet on 13 March would be laid before the House of Assembly at its next sitting; and that, if House approval was given, the appropriate regulations to implement these increases would be signed by the Governor to give the increase effect from 1 July 2013;
- Recommended that the Governor appoint Mr Hartley Coalbrooke to the NIB as Deputy Chairman as a Government representative;
- Accepted a proposal from the Minister of Finance that there be a moratorium for one year on the issue of all gaming licenses while the Government undertook a review of the operation of the gaming industry on TCI and the legislation and regulation in force;
- Discussed a report containing proposals on reform of the regulatory framework of the electricity sector on TCI and agreed these proposals, particularly with regard to transparency, renewable energy, rate of return and power cost adjustment. Cabinet asked the Energy and Utilities Commissioner to continue work on this subject, including consideration of possible legislative changes, and to report back to Cabinet after further discussion with the industry in 6 to 8 weeks time;
- Considered a proposal to extend NHIB coverage to persons unemployed for more than 90 days and to returning unemployed graduates. It agreed to take a decision on this at its next meeting when it had seen and reviewed information on the costs and affordability of the proposal;
- Discussed the use of the TCI National Stadium and Gustarvus Lightbourne Sports Centre for non – sporting purposes. It agreed that it was important that these multi-purpose facilities should continue to be used for a wide range of purposes, both to serve the community and to raise revenue, but that further attention should be given to improving planning and scheduling of bookings;
- Agreed to reinstate the 10% pay cut for staff of the Community College with effect from 1 April 2013, with the additional resources required found from elsewhere in its proposed budget for 2013/14 and/or from increased revenue raised by the Community College;
- Agreed to issue tenders for the provision of bus transportation for schoolchildren on Providenciales and North and Middle Caicos;
- Considered a revised FSPS, including revised estimates for recurrent revenue, and asked the Ministry of Finance to complete work on it as soon as possible. Meanwhile it noted that budget preparations should continue with a view to the 2013/14 budget being finalised and approved by the first quarter of next financial year.
- Agreed that the Acting AG would submit to the House of Assembly draft legislation on bearer bonds and consequential amendments to legislation following the appointment of the Director of Public Prosecutions
Cabinet will meet next on Wednesday, 27 March 2013
Gov Ric Todd tells Gordon Butch Stewart he regards Beaches as an important element of the Economy
The Jamaica Observer newspaper has carried an article about an interview it conducted with His Excellency Damian Ric Todd in which he praises the Jamaican-owned Beaches Resort which is part of Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart’s Sandals Resorts International.
Governor Todd told the paper he had always said, whether in public or private conversations with Mr. Stewart that he regarded Beaches as an import element of the Economy because it is the TCI’s biggest single resort. He said it probably brought in a third of the air arrivals to Providenciales and therefore a major contributor to airlift, which brought profitability to both airlines and other businesses.
In a conversation with Mr. Stewart, Governor Todd said he told him it was important that Beaches understands that it has a set of corporate and social responsibilities in the TCI. Governor Todd said he believes Beaches took this very seriously – wanting to be a good employer contributing to the development of society.
He also said they have to pay attention to the things the people of the TCI are worried about – such as developing employment opportunities in the short, medium and long term.
Gov Todd told the Observer that Beaches has plans to expand operations in the TCI and that TCIG is happy to support the Group in their development plans, subject to the protocols of planning and associated matters.
Illegal Haitian Immigrants Intercepted, to be Repatriated
The Ministry of Border Control and Labour and the RTCI Police Force have sent out a message in the strongest possible term that it will not tolerate any illegal migrants breaking the laws of the TCI as they relate to illegal entry into the country.
At approximately 5:00am, on Tuesday March 19, 2013, a boat carrying 115 Haitians was detected by the TCI Coastal Radar Station. It was subsequently intercepted by the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands (RTCI) Police Marine Branch, south of Providenciales.
The passengers - comprising 86 males 29 females, including two minors -were attempting to enter the Turks and Caicos Islands illegally and without regard for immigration laws or regulations.
The Ministry of Border Control and Labour and the RTCI Police Force are keen on sending a strong message of zero tolerance to any individual(s) attempting to enter the Turks and Caicos Islands illegally. In that regard, any of the passengers identified as repeat offenders, will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Likewise, anyone proven to be in any way involved in the facilitation of this type of human trafficking, is liable on summary conviction, to a fine of $15,000 or to a term of imprisonment of three years or both fine and imprisonment, in accordance with Section 69 (2) of the Immigration Ordinance.
It is the commitment of the Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands to maintain protection of its borders and to unequivocally demonstrate the resolve to ensure that safe haven will not be afforded to those who attempt to circumvent normal immigration procedures.
The Ministry of Border Control and Labour says arrangements for repatriation of the individuals in question are at an advanced stage and are expected to be completed by the end of this week.
Children were among the 116 illegal Haitian immigrants who were intercepted in Provo Tuesday
Two (2) minors were reportedly among the 116 illegal Haitian immigrants who were intercepted by the Marine branch of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force on Tuesday 19th March in the territorial waters of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
The vessel was intercepted in the area early the morning.
Here’s Damen Bovie with more on this story.
Officials at the Coastal Radar Station in Providenciales told RTC News that the Haitian sloop was tracked by one of its employees during the early hours of this morning and a report made to the Marine branch of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force, who apprehended the vessel with the illegal immigrants on board. They were handed over to immigration for processing and subsequently detained at the Detention Centre on South Dock Road in Providenciales, where they await repatriation.
The two minors, having been assessed by the Human Rights Commission and the Red Cross, were placed in the Provo Children’s Home.
Meanwhile, the Red Cross would be happy to receive items of clothing, toiletries or any such donation to add to their collection, in order to be able to render any such humanitarian assistance that may be needed.
This is Damen Bovie for RTC News.