|
|
Turks and Caicos Premier and First Lady involved in violent confrontation
PROVIDENCIALES, Turks and Caicos: The Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) Michael Misick, and his estranged wife LisaRaye McCoy-Misick were involved in a violent confrontation at the Premier’s mansion on Wednesday night, according to reliable sources.
The fight, which reportedly occurred in the presence of a number of government officials, including the Minister for Health and Education, Lillian Been-Boyce, resulted in both Misicks seeking emergency medical attention for bites. Each has filed a police report against the other.
On Tuesday, Michael Misick had released a brief press statement, saying, “I am announcing that I am separated from LisaRaye McCoy-Misick.”
LisaRaye had returned to the TCI this week, reportedly to negotiate a divorce settlement but, according to our sources, this process had gone very badly from her standpoint. Misick is said to have refused to allow his wife to stay at the Premier’s mansion and she is believed to be staying at a local beach resort.
On Wednesday night, for unknown reasons, LisaRaye decided to confront Misick at his mansion, which resulted in the violent altercation.
The April 2006 marriage between Misick and his American actress bride, which reportedly began as a fairytale union, started to unravel early this year under a shroud of controversy and speculation.
In April 2008, just two years into the marriage, Misick was accused of sexually assaulting a US citizen on a visit to the Premier’s mansion in the TCI. Just days after the allegations were made, the Premier issued a televised statement that “strongly and categorically” denied the charges.
It was reported that the female visitor in question was a friend of LisaRaye’s, who was visiting the actress and staying at the Misick home.
In early August, information from the First Lady’s publicist stated that the Premier was spotted at the Turks and Caicos Music Festival with entertainment personality BET VJ Rosci, while his wife was in New York City (NYC). Unconfirmed reports say Rosci stayed at the Misick home and hosted guests as if she were the lady of the house.
Simultaneously, reports and photos of the First Lady with a mystery man in NYC surfaced on the Internet. According to her publicist, “The reports were false” and “the pictures could have been taken as she was walking by,” adding, “LisaRaye is still married and would not do anything to compromise her situation.”
Misick said in his statement on Tuesday, “I am committed to dissolving the marriage amicably,” adding, “I believe that this is a private matter and will have no further comments.”
However, Wednesday night’s incident would seem to indicate that the process will be neither amicable nor private.
In addition to the allegations of sexual assault, this is not the first time that the Premier has been involved in physical violence. In July last year, a confrontation between Misick and opposition Member of Parliament, Arthur Robinson, reportedly led to Robinson being punched in the chest several times by Misick.
The incident stemmed from an attempt by Robinson, along with Shaun Malcolm, then national chairman of the People's Democratic Movement (PDM) opposition party, to videotape Misick’s return to the country by private jet at a time when Misick had been accused of being an "absentee premier" by the opposition.
However, after videotaping Misick's arrival at the airport, Robinson and Malcolm were leaving the vicinity of the airport when they were accosted by Misick and his armed bodyguards, who reportedly confiscated the video camera belonging to Malcolm being used for this purpose.
Robinson claimed that Misick himself reportedly punched him (Robinson) five or six times in the chest.
In separate interviews with Caribbean Net News, both Robinson and Malcolm confirmed the reports and added that, subsequent to the alleged assault on Robinson by Misick, the premier’s office attempted to persuade the local police not to accept complaints in the matter from the opposition politicians.
This has led to further claims of obstruction of justice by the opposition politicians, as the police force in the Turks and Caicos Islands, a British Overseas Territory, is under the control of the governor, not the elected government.
Misick, in a subsequent address to the country, claimed that it was Robinson who attacked him. Misick indicated in his statement that he saw someone adjacent to the airport pointing an object at him, and he was unable to determine whether it was a camera or a firearm. He went on to say that he feared for his life, yet apparently nevertheless drove directly towards the perceived threat, presumably thereby placing himself squarely in harm’s way.
Misick is said to have been successful in influencing those officials involved in local law enforcement and the administration of justice to drop the matter, which accordingly never came before the courts to adjudicate.
Observers in the TCI are therefore watching the latest situation with great interest to see if it is similarly dropped without legal proceedings being commenced by the authorities. The Premier’s position may be somewhat different on this occasion, given a stronger British presence in the country as a result of a recently appointed Commission of Enquiry to investigate numerous allegation of widespread corruption within the local government.
|
