By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Chief Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

FORMER PLP Chairman Raynard Rigby yesterday described the conflict of interest claims lodged by his own party against Opposition Leader Dr Hubert Minnis as “political nonsense.”

Mr Rigby said the allegations against Dr Minnis were “irresponsible” and “erroneous” as he hit out against what he considered to be an old, tired culture of politics that has long blocked esteemed professionals from entering public life.

He insisted that “small minds” had to get out of politics before the country could attract the cadre of leaders required to propel the Bahamas forward.

“What is irresponsible in our system is to continue to make allegations against persons who wish to serve in public life when there is no basis for those allegations,” Mr Rigby told The Tribune. “That is why we will continue to have people who are not at the apex in their professions to continue to serve in political life.

“We will continue not to have our best minds and talents serving in the House (of Assembly) because of current politicians playing by the old tired rules of making erroneous allegations that have no basis in fact. When we change that culture is when we will have those with the best minds serving our country.

“The small minds have got to get out,” Mr Rigby said.

Progressive Liberal Party Chairman Bradley Roberts has accused Dr Minnis of conflict of interest and abuse of power, and also called for his resignation from Parliament, regarding his interests in a company that has a lease agreement with the Public Hospitals Authority (PHA).

Dr Minnis’ company, Leechez Investments Ltd, was awarded a two-year contract with the PHA to rent its Stat Care building in 2005, before Dr Minnis entered politics. However, the arrangement was continued on a month-to-month basis while he served as minister of health from 2007-2012, and is continuing.

Dr Minnis did not declare the contract when he registered as a candidate in the 2007 general election, and has since claimed that it was unnecessary to do so at that time because his company was a separate entity.

He maintained that he declared his interests in the company after he was elected to office, and that the allegations were an attempt to besmirch his character.

Mr Rigby, a lawyer, yesterday supported Dr Minnis’ explanation. He said the PHA was a statutory corporation that may not have sought Cabinet approval for the lease agreement. Mr Rigby served on the PHA board of directors during the 2002 Christie administration, but said he could not recall whether the matter had come before that body.

The PHA has stated that it did not wish to comment on the matter at this time. When contacted by The Tribune, PHA Managing Director Herbert Brown said he was out of the country.

Meanwhile, Mr Rigby explained that determining factors in the controversy would be whether a new lease was brought before Cabinet while Dr Minnis sat as health minister, and if so, whether he disclosed at that time.

“Historically it (candidate declaration) has been interpreted to mean, ‘do you have a personal contract with the government’ not whether you are a shareholder in a company that has a contract,” he said.

“So if that is the case, then I’m not sure there is any technical issue. The law is such a thing if we want to clarify or improve on the declaration, there is a simple way to do it – the PLP is in power.”

“You have to first look at the facts, and if there was no formal lease between PHA and the company at the time he filed the nomination form then he was being honest, and even if there was a lease he may also have been honest because the lease was between PHA and his company, or a company in which he is a shareholder. The PHA is still leasing the building today – well it can’t be a conflict today because he’s not sitting in the Cabinet, so when did the conflict occur?”

Mr Rigby added: “It’s just all political nonsense, it’s all nonsense.”

Both former and sitting parliamentary commissioners, Errol Bethel and Sherlyn Hall, have declined to comment on the matter.

Mr Hall referred The Tribune to the Office of the Attorney General when questioned about Dr Minnis’ nomination papers.

The conflict of interest allegations against Dr Minnis were first raised in 2013 by then PLP Ft Charlotte MP Dr Andre Rollins in the House of Assembly. Dr Rollins, now independent, has since said he was “lured” into making the claims by a senior PLP and regretted making the accusations.