By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Chief Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement chairman Dr Duane Sands has called on the Davis administration to say whether murdered businessman Warren “Spy” Ellis received government contracts, as opposition scrutiny intensifies over the administration’s alleged dealings with people linked to serious criminal activity.

Well-placed sources told The Tribune that Ellis was linked to contracts for housing work in Central Pines, Abaco, in 2022. Several construction workers, speaking anonymously, confirmed that they had worked for Ellis on the project but declined to comment further.Ellis and his wife, April Dawkins-Ellis, were pictured wearing PLP paraphanlia at a pre-election event with the party’s North Aboco MP Kirk Cornish.

Housing Minister Keith Bell neither confirmed nor denied the contract reports yesterday, said he would look into the matter but did not get back to this newspaper before news time.

Dr Sands said the government should disclose whether Ellis was ever awarded public contracts.

“It’s a very simple question to answer,” Dr Sands said, “but I think that rather than them constantly running away from the affiliations they have, they can simply confirm or deny.”

He said the public was entitled to an answer and could then decide what significance, if any, to attach to it.

“The public clearly would want to know what the answer to that question is,” he said, “and then they can derive their own opinion about the significance.”

Dr Sands sought to place the question within a wider opposition attack on the administration over people with alleged or established links to drug trafficking who have had connections to government projects or officials.

He pointed to Eric Gardiner, who was arrested in the United States in May and charged with cocaine and firearms conspiracy offences arising from what US federal prosecutors allege was a long-running conspiracy to move large quantities of cocaine into the United States.

“We already know that this administration has had a very close relationship…with another convicted narco trafficker,” Dr Sands said.

“So, this is not unprecedented with this administration.”

Corporate records have linked Gardiner to Top Notch Builder, a construction company that was awarded a public-private partnership contract for the Eight Mile Rock Government Complex shortly before the 2017 general election.

The firm also owns Complete Construction, the company developing the government’s Carmichael Village affordable housing project, which got underway during the Davis administration’s first term.

Finance Minister Michael Halkitis has previously confirmed that he served as a director of Top Notch but said his role was limited to financial and corporate services consulting.

Davis administration officials have repeatedly declined to substantively address questions about their alleged connections to Gardiner.

Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis previously said allegations contained in a US federal affidavit were “far too serious” to be reduced to political spectacle and accused the opposition of attempting to destroy people’s character.

The FNM’s scrutiny of government contracting and alleged criminal connections predates Gardiner’s arrest.

During the Davis administration’s first term, FNM leader Michael Pintard repeatedly warned the government against awarding contracts to businesses owned by “gangsters”.

In February 2024, former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis urged his successor to commit not to give criminals government contracts, saying: “I cannot go into any more detail because my life would be in danger.”

Mr Pintard has more recently called for public funding for an independent inquiry into alleged corruption, drug trafficking links, money laundering through government contracts and the alleged involvement of public officials or members of the armed forces.

The latest questions centre on Ellis, who had for years been linked to serious criminal allegations, although cases brought against him were repeatedly discontinued.

In 2001, Ellis was charged with murder and attempted murder after nurse Joan Lunn was killed at Princess Margaret Hospital during an alleged attempt on the life of a patient.

Those charges were later dropped after Ellis agreed to testify against Kendon Brown, who was subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment.

In 2008, Ellis and an extradited drug dealer were charged with the 2000 murder of Timothy Henfield.

That case was stayed the following year after the prosecution’s key witness recanted.

Ellis and his wife were also arrested in 2018 after police found more than $13,000 in their luggage at Lynden Pindling International Airport while they were reportedly travelling to Canada.

Those charges were later dropped.