Wednesday, October 26, 2022
THE Progressive Liberal Party released a copy of a $24,000 cheque to the Public Treasury it said reflected payment from the organisation for Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis’s recent trip to Bermuda.
The FirstCaribbean International Bank cheque is dated October 21, 2022 in the amount of $24,750.
This comes amid controversy and after calls from the official opposition for the government to be transparent and reveal the documentation that shows who paid for the October 19 trip. Mr Davis left Bermuda on October 20.
In a brief statement issued last night, the PLP said it wanted to make the payment public and added that it will “continue to share records of the reconciliation of any additional associated costs and payments.”
Communications Director in the Office of the Prime Minister Latrae Rahming said Friday the travel costs were covered by the Progressive Liberal Party, adding any further questions should be directed there.
However, on the weekend Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell said the trip was a standard official visit to another country at the invitation of the Premier of Bermuda E David Burt, who is also leader of Bermuda’s Progressive Labour Party.
“The standard procedure is for most, if not all, flights of the prime minister to be arranged through the Office of the Prime Minister,” Mr Mitchell said.
“When settlement of expenses are done, there is a reckoning as between personal expenses and public expenses. That procedure was followed in this case and there is nothing unusual about it.”
This week, Free National Movement Leader Michael Pintard highlighted the “conflict” in the two men’s statements on the trip and called for transparency.
Yesterday, FNM Chairman Dr Duane Sands also waded into the debate and said the details around the trip were “smudgy”.
He released a voice note on the issue before the PLP’s statement was issued.
Dr Sands said: “Was it a government trip or a PLP political trip? Or both, or neither? It seems that the primary mission was to get mixed up in the internal political affairs of another country. And as the facts emerged, the Office of the Prime Minister, Cabinet ministers and others started explaining, except, yup the stories didn’t line up.
“The PLP and the government have dug in, it seems, as the stories they have told can’t all be true so now the chairman of the PLP is saying they finish with that. No, sir, the Bahamian people aren’t finished yet, they want you to come clean for a change.”
He said people want to know whether the large delegation “of ministers, civil servants and political hangers on” met with the opposition party in Bermuda as well as the governing party.
He said people also need an explanation on why Mr Davis spoke at a partisan, political rally in Bermuda and questioned if he would be speaking next at a Republican rally in the US or a Labour Party event in the United Kingdom.
Comments
M0J0 says...
wonder what they will have to say now.
Posted 26 October 2022, 9:54 a.m. Suggest removal
bahamianson says...
When was it paid compared to the gentleman whom said the PLP paid for the trip last week. So, did they pay for the trip from last week, or did they wroite the check after the public complained. It is easy to resolve
Posted 26 October 2022, 11:02 a.m. Suggest removal
M0J0 says...
As Mr. Mitchell said, its settled after the trip. Least it was settled and not just left hoping it wont surface.
Posted 26 October 2022, 11:33 a.m. Suggest removal
Sickened says...
It's still corruption. Using the public treasury to pay for a political trip is ILLEGAL (in most countries at least - here I guess it's the norm)!
Posted 26 October 2022, 12:05 p.m. Suggest removal
birdiestrachan says...
,Mr Davis should wear as his breast plate ! If God is for me who can be against me ! So they paid for the trip so what is wrong now? Was it written on the right paper or was the pen blue or black
Posted 26 October 2022, 12:27 p.m. Suggest removal
Sickened says...
Lord have mercy. You God fearing people don't even know between right and wrong. No wonder you think God is for Brave. You probably think he's going to heaven too? Lol!
As a visionary... I foresee me laughing big time at the gates of hell when a whole bunch of yellow shirts come filing in with a look shock on their faces.
Ignorance of the law doesn't exempt you from the law.
Posted 26 October 2022, 2:29 p.m. Suggest removal
sheeprunner12 says...
Bravo
Posted 26 October 2022, 12:41 p.m. Suggest removal
TigerB says...
They lie, up to yesterday it was believed that the trip was paid for...heck they should do an audit. I'm sure they spent more than what on da check, the PLP is a partying party. So now all of a sudden, they produce a check for something that was already paid for? Nonsense. It means they paid for it with the people's money after all.
Posted 26 October 2022, 1:56 p.m. Suggest removal
realfreethinker says...
Smoke and mirrors. This check is only for the flight. Who paid for the hotel, food, transportation, per diem? This stinks to high hell. The plp chairman said it was an official trip if so then why does the plp pay the money back. If it was an official trip, why wasn't the public told the PM is out of the country as is protocol?
Posted 26 October 2022, 2:15 p.m. Suggest removal
M0J0 says...
say what you must at least something came back instead of nothing. A bird in the hand is better than trying to search under the table.
Posted 26 October 2022, 2:38 p.m. Suggest removal
birdiestrachan says...
They represent the Bahamas well , No utterance of the Bahamas corrupt like that other fellow
Posted 26 October 2022, 4:30 p.m. Suggest removal
Bobsyeruncle says...
Anyone else think it's fishy that the check is for an exact "rounded" amount - $24,750? Maybe if it had been something like $24,648.15 it would look more convincing
Posted 26 October 2022, 4:48 p.m. Suggest removal
BONEFISH says...
The PLP party in the Bahamas is simply unfit to govern. They can't learn from previous mistakes. They don't know proper procedures in governances. They can't do what is right and proper for this country. They can't remove corrupt persons and practices from their party.
Posted 26 October 2022, 5:48 p.m. Suggest removal
TalRussell says...
I'm saying my piece before my Comrade Jesus and spirit of the late Sir Henry Milton Taylor!
I'd offer three times better than the NumbersMans' odds, if after checking the 1953 calendar, this **isn't confirmed as being the first and only on record of a speedy** $24,750.00 cashable non post dated cheque for a Bill was ever got paid stretching over a span of 69 years, was offered as 'payment in full' of a Bill,** by the PLP.
The party sill has unpaid bills goin' back when was led by mulatto Comrade Henry Milton Taylor, since was founded way back on the 23rd of November of 1953 ― Yes?
Posted 26 October 2022, 6:15 p.m. Suggest removal
ThisIsOurs says...
why is commenting enabled here but not on the kanoo story?
Posted 26 October 2022, 8:58 p.m. Suggest removal
tribanon says...
If the cost of the trip in question had nothing to do with government, and everything to do with the PLP, then how is it government paid for the trip in the first place? Why is government making payments (advanceing funds) on behalf of the PLP for travel costs that have nothing to do with government?
Posted 26 October 2022, 9:28 p.m. Suggest removal
hrysippus says...
The other big unanswered question is who exactly gave the PLP party the money to enable it to pay this unexpected bill that they probably never expected to have to pay.
Posted 27 October 2022, 8:09 a.m. Suggest removal
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