LONDON (AFP) - Britain ordered Friday the suspension of local government in its Caribbean territory of Turks and Caicos following a long-running wrangle over alleged corruption, the Foreign Office said. The move came five months after the eight-island tax havens premier resigned to give way to a unified government following a probe which found systemic corruption among the ruling elite. After careful consideration, I have instructed the (islands British) governor to bring into force today an order in council which will suspend ministerial government and the House of Assembly for a period of up to two years, Foreign Office minister Chris Bryant said. This would allow the governor to put the islands affairs back in good order, he said. The suspension was imposed after London drew up legislation allowing it to strip the territorys Cabinet and elected assembly of their powers under a 2006 constitution and to put the British-appointed governor in control. A probe was launched in July 2008 into allegations of corruption in land sales, distribution of govt contracts and development deals, the granting of voting rights and misuse of public funds. In March, Turks and Caicos Prime Minister Michael Misick resigned after an investigation pointed to a high probability of systemic corruption or other serious dishonesty among the ruling elite. The British minister said suspending local government was only decided upon after all other options failed. This is a serious constitutional step which the UK government has not taken lightly but these measures are essential in order to restore good governance and sound financial management, Bryant said. It remains our intention that elections should be held by July 2011, if not sooner, he said. The governor and his advisors have much to do but I know that many people in Turks and Caicos Islands will welcome this move and have high expectations for the end outcome. I encourage them to work with the governor to rebuild stability and confidence in their territory. The islands-which locals claim were visited by Christopher Columbus in 1492 have been at one point part of the Bahamas and of Jamaica, but were granted their own governor in 1973. The current democratic system was set up under the 2006 constitution, which provides for an appointed governor, a cabinet made up of a premier, six ministers and an attorney general, and a majority-elected House of Assembly. About 32,000 people live in the territory, according to the Foreign Office, many of them British citizens, and it derives most of its income from tourism and as a tax haven.