Former Tourist Board Director will go to trial says Supreme Court judge

By Dana Malcolm

Staff Writer

#TurksandCaicos, November 21, 2022 – A criminal trial has been order for Ramon Andrews, former Director of the TCI Tourist Board after failing to have the case against him thrown out.

Andrews, who was investigated and arrested by officers from the Integrity Commission, was charged in 2019 for corruption and financial misconduct. His attorney Oliver Smith, KC argued that the Integrity Commission officers acted outside of their remit when they arrested him as that was a power reserved  for those in public office i.e. policemen.

The Integrity Commission Ordinance maintains its officers are not policemen.

However, leaning on court documents shared by the TCI Sun Newspaper, Supreme Court Judge Shiraz Aziz rejected Smith’s argument maintaining that “The fact that the section states that the officer is not a police officer does not of itself mean that the officer cannot or shall not arrest or charge someone who he is investigating or where as a result of the investigation, there is evidence which can support a charge.”

While the judge maintained that the specification was to keep the Integrity Commission officers separate from the Royal TCI Police, not reduce their powers of arrest thus the trial will go forward, he did admit the language of the law lent to varied interpretations.

Andrews was appointed in 2016 and in 2019 became the subject of an “extensive investigation” and was charged by the Integrity Commission.  Details on the case have been miniscule, shedding no light on the extent of his alleged corruption and financial misconduct.

There was talk of up to $100,000 in misappropriated funds but at the time of that public report, Andrews told Magnetic Media the amount of money promoted on social media in the case was inflated.

He was put on administrative leave by the Tourist Board and was succeeded by Pamela Ewing who has since resigned the post.

The matter was argued on behalf of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions by Willin Belliard, prosecuting attorney and (Governor’s appointed) member of the House of Assembly.