Fifteen names surface in Turks and Caicos land scandal

PROVIDENCIALES, Turks and Caicos Islands -- According to reliable sources, the names of 15 people have surfaced in connection with the sale of 2,500 acres of Crown land on Middle Caicos -- reported to be the largest, yet secretive, sale of Crown land in the history of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

A team of investigators is reported to be traveling widely to interview the individuals in question.

The land was transferred to a corporation reported to be owned by a Miami-based developer after the 2007 election and, with only a 50 percent down payment, freehold title was granted. The second payment was due on February 11 of this year but it is unknown if it was paid.

The Miami development firm has been experiencing financial difficulties and shortly after the Middle Caicos deal was consummated it lost its office building Florida as a result of foreclosure.

The land in question, reportedly worth between $100,000 and $300,000 per acre, was sold for only $6,000 per acre with only $3,000 per acre paid into the Treasury. The land transfer documents indicate the whole blocks of land transferred total 1,050 acres; however, surveyors’ records for the same blocks place the acreage at more than twice that amount and reportedly over 2,500 acres.

It is not known how and to what extent the individuals now under scrutiny may have participated in the land deal but it seems to have been the practice in several recent questionable dealings in Crown land for local people to be used as facilitators to provide a belonger discounted price for land flips or as belonger corporate stockholders.

Local attorney Clayton Greene, former Speaker of the House and current leader of the Progressive National Party (PNP) reportedly represented the purchaser of the Middle Caicos land and he has consistently denied any other involvement in the matter.

Nevertheless, he may face allegations of a conflict of interest in that, when he represented the buyer, he was also representing the seller (the people) as the Speaker of the House.

These latest revelations follow reports that the transaction will be the subject of court proceedings during the second half of 2011.