The Hon. Attorney General Rhondalee Braithwaite Knowles OBE QC confirmed today 3^rd July 2019, the arrest of Canadian Attorney Peter Karam of the law firm Karam & Missick. 

This matter is being undertaken through joint efforts and collaboration between the Governor’s Office, the Attorney General’s Chambers, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force (Financial Crimes Unit).

Following a provisional warrant of arrest issued by the Chief Magistrate, Tanya Lobban-Jackson on 28^th June 2019, Canadian Attorney Peter Karam was arrested and brought before the Court and subsequently released on Conditional Bail following a brief Hearing on 2^nd July 2019.  

Mr. Karam is the subject of an Extradition Request made lawfully and properly by the Republic of Argentina to the Turks and Caicos Islands in accordance with the relevant Treaty in place between the United Kingdom and Argentina, as extended to the Turks and Caicos Islands.

This Extradition Request was made with the assistance of INTERPOL, who issued a Red Notice (international arrest warrant) for Peter Karam and others.  These Red Notices were published by INTERPOL on February 12, 2019.

Following his arrest, Mr. Karam will have the opportunity to consider whether he wishes to contest his extradition.  If he does not contest the extradition, and there are no other outstanding issues, then everything possible will be done by Turks and Caicos authorities, in collaboration with his legal advisers and the Argentine authorities, to ensure that he is transferred to Argentina to answer to charges connected to an alleged criminal conspiracy to launder assets obtained through criminal activity contrary to the laws of Argentina.

The terms of Karam’s bail have not been made public.  The Extradition Hearing is scheduled to be heard on 2^nd August 2019.

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The Turks and Caicos Islands Civil Service is pleased to congratulate Ms. Dominique Gardiner on her appointment to the post of Crown Counsel with the Turks and Caicos Islands Government’s Attorney General’s Chambers.

Ms. Gardiner obtained her undergraduate degree with honours in Law with Accounting & Finance from the University of Liverpool in June 2016 and in July of 2017 completed the Legal Practice Course along with an MSc in Law and Business from the University of Law in Manchester, United Kingdom.

Commenting on Ms. Gardiner’s appointment Deputy Governor Her Excellency Anya Williams said;  “We are pleased to formally welcome Dominique to the Turks and Caicos Islands Civil Service.  Ms. Gardiner interned with the Attorney General’s Chambers, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Financial Services Commission during her studies and after completing did a joint pupillage with the Attorney General Chambers and Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in pursuit of being called to the Turks and Caicos Islands Bar which was accomplished in July 2018.  Ms. Gardiner was temporarily appointed to the post of Crown Counsel prior to her appointment and we are pleased to now have her permanently join our Chambers team.”

In commenting on her appointment Ms. Gardiner said; “The opportunity to serve as Crown Counsel within the Attorney General’s Chambers is one that I am truly grateful for. I am eager to contribute to the Chambers’ efforts of upholding the rule of law in the Turks and Caicos Islands, and to working along with highly skilled, experienced and hard working professionals. My aim going forward is to provide high caliber legal support and representation to the Public Service as I develop in this profession.”

The Hon. Attorney General QC said; “It is a pleasure to welcome Dominique Gardiner into the Civil team in Chambers.  The employment and development of bright young Turks and Caicos Islander attorneys is a core goal of our succession planning. Dominique comes to the post with a stellar academic record and has made an impressive start.  She will add value to the work being done by the civil division and in Chambers generally.  We are very pleased that she has chosen to start her career with us.”

ENDS

The Hon. Attorney General Rhondalee Braithwaite Knowles OBE QC welcomed the return of Principal Crown Counsel, International Mrs. Khalila Astwood Tatem to the Office of the Attorney General on Monday, 1st July 2019 following completion of her Master of Laws degree in International Maritime Law at the IMO International Maritime Law Institute.

The IMO International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI) held its 30th annual Graduation Ceremony on Saturday 15 June 2019 at the Malta Maritime Museum, Vittoriosa. The Ceremony marked the successful completion of an intensive year of studies in all the areas of international maritime law- including the law of the sea, shipping law, marine environmental law, maritime safety and security law and maritime legislation drafting, and a number of workshops and seminars.

During the Graduation Ceremony, Fourty-eight students (from 36 countries) in total graduated from the Institute’s programmes. Thirty-nine students were awarded the Degree of Master of Laws (LL.M.) in International Maritime Law, one student was awarded the Diploma in International Maritime Law and seven students were awarded the Degree of Master of Humanities (M.Hum.) in International Maritime Legislation. One student was awarded the Degree of Magister Juris (M.Jur.) in International Maritime Law in absentia.

Mrs. Tatem commented; “I am proud to be the first Turks and Caicos Islander to have attended the IMO International Maritime Law Institute. A primary goal of IMLI is to provide professionals with training in all aspects of maritime law and to equip them to assist their countries to better implement the IMO instruments. Although the program was very intensive, it was also very rewarding and provided numerous networking opportunities. I am grateful to all who supported, encouraged and in any way assisted me.”

Mrs. Tatem was successful at obtaining a scholarship from the IMO and received funding support from the Deputy Governor’s Office through the Professional Development Fund.

The Hon. Attorney General was delighted to see the ongoing development of Turks and Caicos Islander Attorneys and applauded Mrs. Tatem for having pursued her interest in an area of the law for which there is so little expertise in the Islands and congratulated her for having represented the Turks and Caicos Islands so well and graduating with distinction.

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