Friday, March 20, 2015
By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
NEARLY three months after the revelation that a French energy company paid more than $300,000 to a Bahamian government official to secure a BEC contract over a decade ago, the identity of the person that allegedly accepted the bribe remains a mystery.
When asked yesterday if there were any new developments in the matter, Attorney General Allyson Maynard Gibson said: “No, there is not.”
Her comment came after a former attorney general, who asked to remain anonymous, told this newspaper three months ago that under agreements between the US and the Bahamas, it should not take long for Bahamian officials to obtain information connected with the matter.
In addressing the matter, however, Mrs Maynard Gibson has said officials will provide the public with updates “within the appropriate time.”
She has added that public comments about the matter could harm the government’s efforts to pursue it in the future.
“We want to be thorough about the process,” she said. “I would ask the public to be patient and also to judge this administration, not just the political administration, but the administration that is operating the Attorney General’s Office at this time on its record.”
The bribery claims were unearthed in a $722m plea agreement between Alstom and the United States Justice Department on the matter.
In December, Tribune Business revealed that French energy company Alstom (formerly ABB) paid more than $300,000 to a government official to secure the purchase of a slow diesel generator for the electricity company nearly 15 years ago.
Earlier this month, the Democratic National Alliance (DNA) called on the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) to investigate the matter.
DNA Leader Branville McCartney accused the government of being content to “overlook criminal activity when it occurs in the upper echelons of our society.”
Comments
Economist says...
The reason why we have such a high murder rate is because of the example that is set by our politicians. Sadly, they are the problem.
Posted 20 March 2015, 2:14 p.m. Suggest removal
Cobalt says...
Actually...... it is the Bahamian people and the way we operate that is the problem.
Think about it....... Bahamian politicians are pulled from a pool of Bahamian citizens known to most of us. Politicians are nothing more than an extension of the Bahamian people. The same dishonest, scandalous, incompetent, disgraceful practices that our government is known for, is actually pulled from a reservoir of habitual methods and practices that are common place in Bahamian culture.
Bahamian people are just as dishonested as the crooked government representing them. That's why we "the people" will never see change in our country even when we change governments! All of our practices, mode of operation, and thinking (or lack there of), are identical.
Until the citizens of the Bahamas change; we will never see any change in our country! Mark my word.
Posted 20 March 2015, 3:34 p.m. Suggest removal
Cobalt says...
Do you really think that any government personnel is ademently trying to uncover a bribery scandal???????
Please..... don't make me laugh. All of them are guilty of taking bribes at some point or the other. And if that's not the case they..... they are close friends and colleagues with someone who has. As a matter of fact.... Hubert Ingraham never fully gave an explanation as to the alleged bribe taken by Earl Deveaux when he took a chartered helicopter ride to Exuma! To this day we're still waiting for full disclosure.
Posted 20 March 2015, 3:50 p.m. Suggest removal
TruthHurts says...
"....... Hubert Ingraham never fully gave an explanation as to the alleged bribe taken by Earl Deveaux when he took a chartered helicopter ride to Exuma! To this day we're still waiting for full disclosure."
I guess you didn't get the memo.. that particular situation is on back log. He's still working on it! What these 'goones' fail to realize is that Bahamians have memory like elephant; it's very very long. We don't forget nuttin!
Posted 20 March 2015, 5:49 p.m. Suggest removal
duppyVAT says...
Stack up FNM scandals against PLP scandals since 1967 and compare their records .............................and then calculate the scandal ratios per year for each party ............................. SMDH
Posted 20 March 2015, 6:53 p.m. Suggest removal
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