By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune News Editor

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said police officers interviewed him earlier this year as part of an extensive criminal investigation into his administration’s COVID-19 food assistance programme.

Dr Minnis, who The Tribune contacted, said three senior officers interviewed him for over an hour. He said police gave him the option to be questioned at a police station or a neutral location. He chose the latter and was accompanied by his lawyer.

In the first official confirmation of the criminal probe, Deputy Commissioner of Police Leamond Deleveaux said yesterday that more than 75 people had been interviewed so far.

However, he insisted Dr Minnis is not a suspect in the investigation.

“He was seen as a witness,” he said. “He provided us with information but he is not a suspect and he was seen only because he was the Prime Minister at the time.”

DCP Deleveaux has recently spearheaded other politically sensitive investigations, including those resulting in former Water and Sewerage Corporation chairman Adrian Gibson and former Youth, Sports and Culture Minister Lanisha Rolle being charged with crimes.

The scope of the investigation into the food programme is unclear, but it comes after Davis administration officials have repeatedly said the programme lacked proper oversight.

“It would appear that the Davis administration, because of their poor governance and lack of agenda for this country, are looking for deflection from their governance and tax, spend and waste type of governance,” Dr Minnis said yesterday. “Let it be known that I will not be used, nor will I be a deflection, and if the police want to question me again, they can call me at any time.”

Asked how he felt being interviewed by police, Dr Minnis said: “I was not disturbed at all because I knew that throughout my governance I was very transparent and honest with the Bahamian people and if we face a similar disaster, I will ensure again the Bahamian people receive the necessary tools and equipment for their survival.”

Last month, Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis accused an unnamed non-profit organisation of going on a spending spree, buying two high-end trucks and boats with public funds that were meant to provide food assistance during the pandemic.

That was one of several criticisms Mr Davis has made about the programme since taking office in 2021.

He previously said his administration had struggled to determine how the $53m issued to the National Food Distribution Taskforce was spent.

Dr Minnis praised the programme yesterday and its leader, Susan Larson, saying they performed admirably. 

 “They utilised the services of NGOs and ensured that individuals throughout the length and breadth of The Bahamas were provided with food at a time when it was needed most,” he said. “People received the food in an orderly and humane fashion as opposed to what was seen throughout other countries of the world where there was mass demonstrations and unrest for food. We avoided that because of the manner in which the NGOs and Susan Larson and those had functioned. I am proud of that grouping.

 “Brave Davis and those are on a witch-hunt, and they must be very, very careful.”