Wilkie Arthur
Eagle Legal News
Saturday 22nd March 2025 – Turks and Caicos Islands – The defendant was allowed entry into the Turks and Caicos Islands through a work permit to live and work as a kiteboard instructor.
On Sunday, 2nd March 2025, Turks and Caicos Immigration Border Force authorities moved in on The Abandoned Bar, Leeward Highway, Grace Bay, Providenciales, and found him allegedly working there as a Disc Jockey (DJ).
He was arrested and charged with two immigration offenses.
Count #1: Unlawfully Engaging In Gainful Occupation
The allegations stated in court on Monday, 17th March 2025, the accused, not being a belonger of Turks and Caicos Islands, in contravention of the Immigration Ordinance, at The Abandoned Bar on Leeward Highway, Grace Bay, Providenciales engaged himself in gainful occupation namely a Disc Jockey.
Count #2: Failing To Observe Conditions Of Work Permit
The allegations are that, That at The Abandoned Bar on Leeward Highway, Grace Bay, Providenciales, having been granted a TCI work permit, failed without reasonable excuses to, observe a condition on the said permit kiteboard instructor.
WESLEY KLIP, 34 of Terneuzen, Netherlands appeared before her honor, Mrs. Oreika Selver-Gardiner, and pleaded guilty to both charges, but after giving the learned Resident Magistrate his explanation, the Magistrate told the accused the matter has to go to trial.
His explanation was not in support of his guilty pleas because he said he wasn’t being paid for his DJ services. This information would need testing in a trial. He was unrepresented, but the Hon. Magistrate advised him he could still get an attorney for when the matter is called again next week on 25th March 2025.
Klip is on $2,000.00 self-signed bail.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecution was represented by Senior Public Prosecutor Ms. Tassja Mitchell, who assisted the Court in advising that the accused guilty pleas do not line up with his explanation to the Court. The matter will have to be tried.
The case follows strong remarks delivered by newly appointed Border Force/Immigration Minister The Hon. Jamell Robinson, who during a parliamentary proceeding warned against such and other breaches of the Immigration Ordinance; he promised breaking these laws would not be tolerated and would attract the penalties outlined in the Ordinance.
