Thursday, February 11, 2016
By KHRISNA VIRGIL
Tribune Staff Reporter
kvirgil@tribunemedia.net
FREE National Movement Chairman Michael Pintard yesterday insisted that Prime Minister Perry Christie and Works Minister Philip “Brave” Davis clarify the circumstance surrounding claims that a former senior government official was granted a substantial loan from the Bahamas Development Bank.
Mr Pintard was referring to questions the party has raised over why former Progressive Liberal Party Cabinet minister Darrell Rolle was reportedly allowed to borrow approximately $200,000 from BDB when he, along with another man, should have been directed to a commercial bank.
Mr Pintard questioned if the loan helped finance the building of the female dormitory at the Bahamas Agricultural and Marine Science Institute (BAMSI). A company that Mr Rolle has interests in was awarded that contract.
Mr Pintard said: “Given the nature of what has been alleged to be the purpose of the funds why did they not go to a commercial bank to obtain the funds which we understand to be a little over approximately $200,000, while many micro and small business enterprises have challenges borrowing $10,000, $15,000 and $20,000 to either start or sustain their business enterprises.”
“We would like to know, what was the process by which they obtained the loan? Did they fill out an application and follow all of the regular protocols that ordinary businesses would have had to go through? We also want to know what was the purpose of the loan? Was it to mobilise them for the contract which they eventually received from the government to construct the female dormitory in Andros?”
He continued: “Having obtained the contract in Andros and having been paid in full by the government, is it accurate that they were paid somewhere between $2.5m to $5m? Could the government clarify that figure?”
Mr Rolle has admitted to The Nassau Guardian that he has interests in a company that was awarded a BAMSI contract.
However, he has denied that cronyism was involved in the contract awarding process.
Fort Charlotte MP Dr Andre Rollins raised the issue in the House of Assembly last week, days after Mr Pintard released a statement on the matter.
When contacted recently by The Tribune, Mr Rolle chose not to comment.
Comments
TruePeople says...
Teefin'! Like usual....
https://soundcloud.com/true-people-ente…
Download the Full Mixtape @ https://1drv.ms/1nBkJtR
Posted 11 February 2016, 1:32 p.m. Suggest removal
birdiestrachan says...
Pintard should take a break. banks are not suppose to make public to whom loans were given. besides why does he not ask Mr: Cash he seemed to know all about the bank of Bahamas business. Pintard wants the banks to make a list of all customers who have loans at the bank and how much they owe? It makes no sense. But then again Pintard makes no sense. He should stick to comedy.
Posted 11 February 2016, 2 p.m. Suggest removal
sheeprunner12 says...
This is a public institution lending our public funds .............. stupid
Posted 11 February 2016, 2:57 p.m. Suggest removal
asiseeit says...
Sheeprunner12, you would find you can explain the situation to a brick wall and it would understand better than Birdie the DOE-DOE bird.
Posted 11 February 2016, 3:06 p.m. Suggest removal
newcitizen says...
Don't feed the troll. She's just trying to waste our time with nonsense
Posted 11 February 2016, 6:53 p.m. Suggest removal
GrassRoot says...
sweet, the government's bank gives you 200,000 to cash flow a contract of 2.5 to 5,0 that the government gives you and you are not even a contractor. Nothing wrong with this picture from your perspective?
Posted 11 February 2016, 3:15 p.m. Suggest removal
birdiestrachan says...
Banks are not allowed to publish the names of persons who have been given loans. If they were allowed to do so you may be surprised to see the Names.
Posted 11 February 2016, 3:38 p.m. Suggest removal
realfreethinker says...
birdie birdie please open youe eyes. I beg you for your grand children sake. can't you see how these guys are raping this country. Isn't there a sliver of chance that you will take off the yellow tinted glasses and seeins what's going on
Posted 11 February 2016, 4:30 p.m. Suggest removal
TruePeople says...
Birdie seems to enjoy being taken advantage of. She's like the wife who say beat me more
Posted 11 February 2016, 4:42 p.m. Suggest removal
themessenger says...
Birdie, I think even you wouldn't be surprised to see the the names and the amounts "loaned" to political animals like you, but we'd all be very surprised to find that any of them had paid any of it back.
The list that was recently published by Resolve concerning certain repossessed properties was was a political who's who.
Posted 11 February 2016, 3:47 p.m. Suggest removal
EasternGate says...
Why do you guys entertain "Birdie"? Nobody could be so stupid. He/she is playing a game
Posted 11 February 2016, 4:38 p.m. Suggest removal
TruePeople says...
Sometimes i wonder... honestly. Even Tal is be talking sense these days
Posted 11 February 2016, 4:43 p.m. Suggest removal
newcitizen says...
Honestly, she is just a troll. It's best not to feed them.
Posted 11 February 2016, 6:51 p.m. Suggest removal
tonymontana says...
the higher up the tree this birdy ass climbs , the oxygen depletes her brain and floats out her ass
Posted 11 February 2016, 5:38 p.m. Suggest removal
Godson says...
This gravity of the communication as seen in you'll conversation is a sure indication that we are in the Lent.
Posted 11 February 2016, 7:08 p.m. Suggest removal
newcitizen says...
Forget about Birdie and her comments. Is this really the kind of thing we as Bahamians are willing to accept? These so called leaders are stealing from the Bahamian people. They are blatantly abusing their positions of power to profit for themselves! Rolle is an MP in the sitting government who managed to get himself one of the larger government contracts available, then goes to a government run bank that is suppose to serve and entirely different purpose to get a $200,000 loan. The man profited from his position of power. And where do you think that money came from? It came from the tax paying people. It is Bahamians money! It's just an old boys club and only those on the inside get to prosper. They do not even try and hide it. Yet the Bahamian people just take it? How is that we get lied to, over and over and do nothing. The government will never need all that tear gas and riot gear it bought with the Chinese money, because we will never actually stand up for anything. It's shameful that we just accept such outright abuses of power. It is time to take a stand.
Posted 11 February 2016, 7:10 p.m. Suggest removal
tonymontana says...
thats the problem in this country we then lent out every damn thing , we stay in lent season
Posted 12 February 2016, 5:35 a.m. Suggest removal
SP says...
**Turks pirates coached by Bahamian pirate cousins? ... Too many similarities to ignore!**
http://www.tcinewsnow.com/topstory-Loca…
This improper BDB loan to Former Progressive Liberal Party Cabinet minister Darrell Rolle is one of many corrupt *"mirror activities"* strongly suggesting Turks politicians were tutored from Bahamian politicians play book.
“Yes, you see, there’s no such thing as coincidence. There are no accidents in life. Everything that happens is the result of a calculated move that leads us to where we are.”
― J.M. Darhower, Sempre: Redemption
Posted 12 February 2016, 8:26 a.m. Suggest removal
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