By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Chief Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

DEPUTY Prime Minister Philip Davis has accused The Tribune of conducting a "shameful" smear campaign against him by publishing from affidavits that purport he had a close relationship with hired criminals.

Mr Davis was named in a series of covert video recordings filed in the Supreme Court against Canadian fashion mogul Peter Nygard by his billionaire Lyford Cay neighbour Louis Bacon and several others.

The Deputy Prime Minister called The Tribune's use of the affidavit irresponsible and accused the newspaper of creating political mischief.

The five videos are part of a string of allegations detailed in the affidavit from John Joseph DiPaolo, a Fort Lauderdale investigator paid for by Save The Bays. Mr DiPaolo, along with a team of retired FBI, Scotland Yard and Bahamian investigators, concluded that Mr Nygard paid Livingston “Toggie” Bullard and Wisler “Bobo” Davilma to harass the organisation and commit criminal acts.

In several of the recordings, Mr Bullard and Mr Davilma claim that they were told by Mr Davis to support Mr Nygard unconditionally as a major “sponsor” - a premise that Mr Nygard accepts as he expresses his frustration over his inability to obtain necessary legal permits and a lease to build on government property.

On Friday, Mr Davis said: "The use of an untested affidavit to make allegations that smear my character is irresponsible. It is astounding that a newspaper of record would stoop to such nonsense. This is indeed a new low even for The Tribune.  I condemn it."

He said: "The only conclusion for printing the affidavit was to create political mischief. This kind of political gamesmanship is unbecoming. It is clear from the morning daily story that I have no connection to this matter, so it is clear that the only intention is to smear."

"I express my deepest disapproval of this level of uncivil, indecent, uncultured act by The Tribune crafted in their haste to spew lies," he added.

A Supreme Court writ was filed against Mr Nygard and lawyer Keod Smith by Save The Bays directors Joseph Darville, Romauld Ferreira, Mr Smith and Mr Bacon, and Reverend CB Moss on Wednesday. They allege that the defendants orchestrated a two-and-a-half-year campaign of fear and violence to “kill or scare off” activists he saw as opponents to development plans for his Lyford Cay property.

According to the court documents, the plaintiffs compensated Mr Bullard and Mr Davilma for being whistleblowers in exposing Mr Nygard’s alleged criminal activities.