Saturday, January 18, 2014
By KHRISNA VIRGIL
Tribune Staff Reporter
kvirgil@tribunemedia.net
WITH two Cabinet ministers at odds over a UBS Bank executive’s custody at the Detention Centre, Prime Minister Perry Christie said he would not “enter the fray” while he awaits a full report.
On Tuesday, Emmanuel Fiaux, Executive Director at the financial institution on East Bay Street, was stopped by officials and asked to produce proof of legal residency during a road block, according to sources close to the matter.
Later Financial Services Minister Ryan Pinder visited UBS Bank to personally apologise to Mr Fiaux for the treatment he received while in Immigration’s hands. Persons who witnessed the detention reported that Mr Fiaux was “roughed up” during the ordeal.
On Thursday, Fred Mitchell, Immigration Minister defended his officers saying he was “satisfied” they did nothing improper.
Yesterday Mr Christie said he was still unaware of the circumstances surrounding the detention. However he said the government must learn from what took place.
He said: “You know, it is what it is. One minister did an apology and another minister supported his staff. Any one of us here do not know the facts. The ministers have not even had time to even report to us. So then why should I now enter the fray?
“So that the Prime Minister gives a third position on it? What has happened is we must learn from what has taken place. There is absolutely no doubt that the government has agreed about a European person being unfairly dealt with. If they were unfairly dealt with, as a Cuban being unfairly dealt with, as a Haitian being unfairly dealt with, if they are unfairly dealt with, everyone who is unfairly dealt with is owed an apology.”
Mr Christie’s comments come as officials in the aviation sector signed an agreement with Stantec Consultant Services Limited to conduct an assessment of all 28 airports in the country. The initiative is a part of the government’s continuing effort to improve flight operations in the country.
Comments
GrassRoot says...
Lets have a referendum on this to support the opinion making of the Leadership.
Posted 18 January 2014, 4:51 p.m. Suggest removal
hj says...
Typical PC, he send Ryan to apologize to the banker,and now he won't take a stand. Just curious though,why is he so afraid of his ministers? Well, it is what it is
Posted 18 January 2014, 5:09 p.m. Suggest removal
TalRussell says...
Good gracious almighty even I as a PM Christie supporter would have to give this round of confusing statements by PM Christie to go in the da's corner of da true Hubert believers. Sorry PM, but sometimes you have to call it like it is.
Posted 18 January 2014, 5:20 p.m. Suggest removal
ThisIsOurs says...
A friend said to me *it's very odd how Perry Christie always refers to himself in the third person*, then he speculated *is it possible that the prime Minister's actually someone other than
Perry Christie*? Because then, it would make sense, he really wouldn't say "I", he would say "the Prime Minister". My reply was, that's all very interesting, the next question is, who is the Prime Minister of the Bahamas? Frankie? Bradley? Fred? Nygard? Potcake?
Posted 18 January 2014, 6:49 p.m. Suggest removal
Ocaba says...
Could be multiple personality disorder. Not telling how many voices he got in he head
Posted 22 January 2014, 9:30 a.m. Suggest removal
banker says...
Isn't he the leader? Shouldn't he be telling the ministers to toe the line? Is this a free-for-all? Why does the party need a leader if each cabinet ministers operates the way he wants? My god, the ship has no rudder.
Posted 18 January 2014, 9:13 p.m. Suggest removal
TalRussell says...
My PLP Comrades don't think I'm being fair to the party when I warn them the sailing over the next three years countdown to the 2017 General Elections, is gonna get pretty interesting for the leadership of the party. I tell them that unless the party can hide da truth from Bahamalander's, it's going be one rough landing on election day.
Posted 18 January 2014, 9:59 p.m. Suggest removal
banker says...
Seriously Tal, does the PM have a medical condition that he should have attended to? Is he fit to lead? I have seen him lately and his steps seem smaller, he seems to have to think to move, and he is still as loquacious as ever, but the sentences no longer make any sense. At one time he was an impressive speaker (his speech at Clifford Park in 2002), but now it is just mush. Something bad is going on with the PM.
Posted 19 January 2014, 8:42 a.m. Suggest removal
TalRussell says...
PM's head is just fine. Just the cabinets misdirection needs to be redirected.
Posted 19 January 2014, 12:24 p.m. Suggest removal
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