Thursday, January 12, 2023
By LEANDRA ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
POLICE Commissioner Clayton Fernander confirmed that officers questioned former Cabinet Minister Lanisha Rolle and her husband yesterday as a part of their investigations into the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture.
“Yes, at this time they are being questioned,” the police chief said when asked to respond to reports circulating on the issue.
“They came into custody yesterday (Tuesday). They were released pending last night, to return this (Wednesday) morning so at this hour, I believe they are still speaking to investigators at this time.”
Reports first circulated in November that Mrs Rolle was under active police investigation as a part of their probe into the ministry. Deputy Commissioner of Police Leamond Deleveaux later denied those reports when contacted by The Tribune and only said police were only looking into some “irregularities” at the ministry.
However, he did not say if those irregularities occurred when the Minnis administration was in power or during Mrs Rolle’s tenure, explaining that the investigation into the matter was still in the early stages.
When asked why Mrs Rolle and her husband were being questioned, Commissioner Fernander replied: “Well, I can’t say exactly what the officers put to them, but you know what was circulating in the media. We are speaking to them at this time.”
Mrs Rolle resigned from Cabinet in February 2021 for “personal reasons,” she said at the time.
Her departure came after former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis ordered a lockdown of the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture.
The Tribune had previously reported that when ministry officials and the board of the National Sports Authority became concerned that established processes and procedures were not being followed, they took their concerns to Dr Minnis.
The Auditor General was in the midst of auditing the NSA — which manages and develops sporting facilities — at the time.
The audit was later tabled in the House of Assembly in November 2021, months after the Davis administration was voted into office.
The audit - which was conducted between July 1, 2018 to January 2021- uncovered several red flags, including “poor maintenance practices at the agency, inadequate inventory controls and boards that were not able to carry out the functions of the authority, among other things.”
The report also found that a contract was awarded without Cabinet approval and also instances where cheques to contractors were made out to named individuals, no companies, and collected by a senior official of the Ministry of Youth, Sports & Culture.
However, Mrs Rolle has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, saying her track record spoke for itself.
Most recently, she told reporters last November that she believed in due time, the truth will be revealed.
“I have resigned from Cabinet from February 23 of 2021 and since then, we are here today. I recall the last official audit report disclosed, to my information, that the accounts of the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture (were) fairly maintained,” the former Cabinet minister said at the time.
“I did not hear that another audit or any further investigation was going on and so we are where we are today. I trust the police. I have been a police officer. I have served the country in that capacity for 11 years. I served in the Cabinet. I served as a member of Parliament. I served as an officer of the court and I trust that the due process of the law will be followed, the rule of law shall take its course and justice shall prevail. I trust the Lord in all of that.”
Comments
Sickened says...
Regardless of political affiliation any and all red flags should be investigated and ANY wrongdoing, if found, should be punished.
But if poor maintenance practices is a crime then every government ministry and permanent secretary needs to be prosecuted - because there is not a single government building, industrial plant, car or bathroom that is properly maintained.
Posted 12 January 2023, 9:40 a.m. Suggest removal
KapunkleUp says...
Agreed but I am pretty sure there is an unwritten/spoken rule between the PLP and FNM not to prosecute any high level official regardless of party affiliation. History kinda confirms this.
Posted 12 January 2023, 11:32 a.m. Suggest removal
ExposedU2C says...
This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.
Posted 12 January 2023, 11:32 a.m.
ThisIsOurs says...
again?
Posted 12 January 2023, 5:07 p.m. Suggest removal
ThisIsOurs says...
Im trying to figure out what her husband have to do with this? He's not in the Ministry of Sports is he?
Posted 12 January 2023, 5:08 p.m. Suggest removal
annmon says...
This is going to drag on until it is swept under the rug just like every other politician who has been under investigation. Only the 'nobody's' are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Posted 12 January 2023, 12:21 p.m. Suggest removal
Bahamianbychoice says...
It really is sickening the nepotism and cronyism, Bahamians are tired of this from all politicians. Sadly sports in this country is just as bad or worse that regular politics. If they are serious about about investigating I hope they also loop in the BOC and some of these Federations to look at. There were athletes that had their accomplishments embellished by the Ministry, while other athletes seemed to be sabotaged. Why is that and who gained from that?
Posted 12 January 2023, 12:31 p.m. Suggest removal
birdiestrachan says...
This is the woman who bought the silly cookie jar to the house of assembly
-
Posted 12 January 2023, 12:47 p.m. Suggest removal
ExposedU2C says...
And the corrupt PLP parliamentarians led by roly-poly Davis brought their entire cookie bakery to both the house of assembly and senate.
Posted 12 January 2023, 1:24 p.m. Suggest removal
TalRussell says...
Comrades, walk with me back to 2016 memory lane.
Seems not much has changed since **Minnis's Comrade Senator** "Sister" appeared in a Tribune article in 2016 **by Adrian Gibson** titled, The undignified saga of Senator Lanisha Rolle.
The same Adrian Gibson who was later to become the currently embattled House-elected MP for the out island of Long Island.
"Twas an article that also brought Free National Movement **(FNM) political hopeful Lincoln Bain** into full focus.
Like I keep saying. You just cannot make up such 2016 in the news that was to combine the three **non-fictional characters' ** to fast forward as the three RedParty characters' **is still making the hair on our arms rise** news in the year 2023, ---- Yes?
Posted 12 January 2023, 1:09 p.m. Suggest removal
Sickened says...
Don't forget about all the PLP MP's that also got suddenly rich during their term in power. This is not a political problem - this is a 'corruption in government' problem. I kicked out the FNM for not doing enough to put strong anti corruption policies and procedures in place - I hope you do the same if the PLP sit small and continue to allow corruption to flourish!!!
Posted 12 January 2023, 1:32 p.m. Suggest removal
TalRussell says...
@ComradeSic, sounds be the case of a VotingPopoulaces' thinking is lot like that of Lot's.
Lot, should've learned that living in Sodom has its devastating consequences and we would've think that Lot would've realise, “Life in Sodom is not such a great option. I should get myself the hell out of this city as fast as possible.”
Yet, after everything he had experienced, **Lot still chose to live in Sodom.
Fast forward 2000+ years and thinkin' tis the same. Slow to learn tis time to change we ways, -- Yes?
Posted 12 January 2023, 2:16 p.m. Suggest removal
bahamianson says...
This lady wanted the medals/awards to have her face on them. She only had power for a.short time and was.already dictating to the country.
Posted 12 January 2023, 2:11 p.m. Suggest removal
TalRussell says...
@ComradeBahamianSon, and 'twas that Popoulaces'Purse's $100 thousand
dollars Christmas Tree, ---- Yes?
Posted 12 January 2023, 4:09 p.m. Suggest removal
ThisIsOurs says...
"*Suggesting that EDI “integration” will also produce greater efficiencies and reduce the cost associated with clearing imports, the Ministry of Finance said: “EDI submissions, while reducing revenue losing errors, are also quicker, which means that the importer can get his goods released by Customs much faster. A submission, which can take days to prepare under UI, can be done in hours through EDI.*"
Customs simply paid for a very bad system that was ill suited to facilitate the processing customs brokers actually have to do. I recall when they first implememted Click2Clear they said *this the way the system works and theyll have to do it this way*... basically. Said at the time that this was backwards design. What Finance is now doing is essentially forcing customs brokers to pay for new software to cover up their badly designed software. Which ultimately means the Bahamian people will see increased import fees due to another poor contract award. bleeding GDP
Posted 12 January 2023, 5:04 p.m. Suggest removal
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