#TurksandCaicos, September 24, 2023 – Head missing and body found floating in Grace Bay waters on July 13, more than two months later and finally DNA tests confirm what many in who knew the man, had already guessed; that the body was that of Ryan Ronald Musgrove, 38.

Police on Friday informed the test confirmed the identity on Thursday.

“The body of a man found floating in the sea on July 13th, 2023, has been identified as 38-yearold Ryan Ronald Musgrove.  Mr. Musgrove of Blue Hills, Providenciales, was positively identified yesterday, following the results of a Deoxyribonucleic acid (D.N.A) test.  Based on police reports, officers of the Royal Turks and Caicos Island Police Force responded to calls of a body floating in the water within the Grace Bay district.

Officers from the Marine Branch and Scenes of Crime Unit arrived at the scene and retrieved the body from the water.  Following the discovery an investigation was initiated to determine the circumstances and identity of the male victim.”

The horrible death of Musgrove is classified as unexplained by Police, who also say it is being considered both a criminal and non-criminal matter.

Wilkie Arthur

Freelance Court Reporter

#TurksandCaicos, September 24, 2023 – The corruption case against Senior Police Inspector ALVIRTO SMITH and two others, namely: PAUL ANGENORD and WESLEY CAMPBELL is still underway in the Providenciales Magistrate’s Court before Her Honour Mrs. Oreika Selver-Gardiner.

The men were jointly charged with conspiracy to commit corruption, aiding and abetting corruption and a number of corruption charges dating back to an Integrity Commission investigation in 2020/2021.

The conspiracy trial that the learned Resident Magistrate has to consider and reach a decision on,(when the case arrives at it’s final date) are allegations that sometime on or around May 4, 2021, Smith and Angenord, who is a police mechanic ‘did act in a corrupt manner with one Christopher Hall in regards to a rifle firearm that Christopher Hall failed to declare.’

Wesley Campbell is also named in the alleged financial conspiracy deal or illegal agreement.

Christopher Hall, an accomplice in these proceedings went to a lawyer and then to Integrity Commission and got immunity for the firearm if he provided evidence against the others in the sordid case.

There were alleged cash and wire transfer payments to facilitate the alleged offenses.

This case has been partly-heard for months since arraignment in 2021, but there have been held, some consistent day by day proceedings over the past four weeks.

Dana Malcolm

Staff Writer 

#TurksandCaicos, September 24, 2023 – The Government expects to amend the Turks and Caicos Constitution this legislative year. In a follow-up to the opening of parliament on September 14th, the Government shared a list of the legislative changes they expected to see before the House of Assembly this parliamentary year. Included in that list was a Constitution Amendment Order.

The last time a constitutional order passed regarding the Turks and Caicos was in 2011 during the UK government takeover.

The UK and Turks and Caicos are already working to update the document to give the local Government more operating power. The country has hired Jeffery Jowell to consult on the updates but no communication on what those might look like has yet come from TCIG.

With bipartisan support,  Washington Misick, TCI Premier, is decisive in what he wants from the new document.

“As we decisively demonstrate our capacity to govern with competence and integrity, the UK must recognize, accept and endorse that we have the authority over domestic affairs. We are not asking- we’ve paid our price,” he said in the 2023 State of the State Address.

An upcoming meeting on the constitution between the UK and TCI is set for next month.