'No surprise' at PM's visa silence

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Deputy Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

PROGRESSIVE Liberal Party Leader Philip “Brave” Davis said yesterday Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis’ silence over the FBI’s probe into an alleged visa scam in the country is not surprising as he castigated the government for its late response to the allegations.

Mr Davis further insisted that claims related to this were not an issue under the former Christie administration.

He was asked about the claims of bribery for work permits which were contained in a report by the FBI as part of wider visa fraud probe not long after Attorney General Carl Bethel said the Royal Bahamas Police Force’s Anti-Corruption Unit would be probing the allegations.

“The fact that he’s gone silent is not surprising,” Mr Davis said. “He is taking a page out of the playbook of someone else I think of not responding and being accountable or transparent in dealings with the Bahamian public.

“The question is that we, including we here in opposition, we here in media, have to continue to press him to respond to the questions that the Bahamian people requires an answer.

“Again (this is) a display of the hypocrisy, which has been their mantra in office from being elected.”

He added: “I think we took the position that the government ought to take it up with the US authorities because once they were aware of the allegations one would have expected that they would have made it known to the authorities here and they would have collaborated and coordinated an effort to determine the efficacy of the allegations and move forward. So it is a bit late now to say I’m going to engage the Anti-Corruption Unit up to the names are out there being scandalised.

“There is a process. Allegations are made all the time and once the allegations are made until you’ve reached the point where you think it needs to be tested in the court against the person, you ought not to make known that person’s name. In fact there is now legal authority to suggest the police is investigating that person’s name ought not to be made known unless the person is charged.”

In prepared remarks, Mr Davis called on the government to lodge a formal protest on the issue to the US government.

“Our spokesman on immigration, Senator Fred Mitchell has notified the government via the foreign minister of our concern and our intent to make a public call for the government to address this by way of seeking some explanation and lodging a formal protest on this issue to the US government for the record. This is all the more important as the reputation of senior government officials have been called into question.”

He questioned how an untested document with hearsay evidence could be produced in court in the US alleging malfeasance in office against Bahamian individuals whose names have been made public.

“We must be mindful of the fact that these actions have serious implications on their professional and personal life and should be handled with the highest sensitivity. If you recall, in a recent case, even though the name of the individual involved in a bribery case that surfaced in proceedings in the US was known, it was not disclosed until formal charges against him was levied. That is the precedent one which should be followed in this case,” Mr Davis said.