Sandals voluntarily assisting probe in Turks & Caicos Islands

Saturday, January 22, 2011

THE attorney for Sandals Resorts International said yesterday that the hotel chain had been voluntarily co-operating with international authorities investigating the former Turks and Caicos Islands administration.

Dmitri Singh, the general counsel for Sandals, said in a statement that during its own internal investigations, Sandals had unearthed various unauthorised transactions that were traced to a former senior employee who was close to that administration. The information was turned over to the investigators.

Following is Singh's statement:

"International authorities have been conducting an ongoing investigation in the Turks and Caicos Islands concerning activities connected to the Islands' former governing administration.

"Sandals Resorts International, which operates a Beaches Resort in the Turks and Caicos, has voluntarily agreed to co-operate with this ongoing investigation and as a result also launched its own internal investigation.

"In the course of our internal investigation, various unauthorised transactions were discovered which have been linked to a former senior officer of Sandals Resorts who was also closely associated with the governing Turks and Caicos administration at the time. This information has been turned over to the relevant authorities.

"We are satisfied with the progress of the investigation thus far and are committed to co-operating with the authorities as required.

"We wish to clarify that contrary to assertions made by another former director of Sandals Resorts, Mr Patrick Lynch, in his recent statement, this issue is not linked to Mr Lynch and is a completely separate investigation.

"As stated, this matter is in the hands of investigative authorities and we are therefore constrained in making any further comments at this time."