The Tribune

By TANEKA THOMPSON

Tribune News Editor

tmthompson@tribunemedia.net

THE attorney for Caribbean Music Festival Ltd has said it is regrettable that the internal affairs of his client’s dealings with the Ministry of Tourism have “contentiously” made it into the public domain, adding that “every penny” received from the government and spent can be accounted for and verified.

A war of words between Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe and former company director Alfred Sears was reignited last week, after the former told a journalist that Mr Sears must be the one to answer for why the Caribbean Muzik Festival has been delayed.

A press release issued by Obi Pindling, attorney for the company, sought to clear up lingering questions over the controversy.

“It is with deep regret that the internal affairs of the company and the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism have now ‘contentiously’ found its way into the public domain,” Mr Pindling wrote. “This is something that the company went to great pains to avoid. Despite numerous public statements by the minister of tourism about the Caribbean Muzik Festival, my client made a conscious decision not to publicly reply, but instead to reply privately to the minister and the officials at his ministry.

“The primary reason for this was because despite public perception, my client and the Ministry of Tourism were ‘strategic partners’ in this venture.”

He said the full details of this partnership are outlined in a Host Country Production and Promotional Agreement executed on December 15, 2014.

While not commenting on the exchange of words between Mr Sears and Mr Wilchcombe, Mr Pindling wrote: “Every penny of the monies received from the Ministry of Tourism pursuant to the aforementioned agreement was deposited into the company’s bank account in Nassau on which all three of the company’s directors - Tomlinson, Sears and Edwards - were joint signatories. No transaction could occur without two signatories.

“Every penny spent from that account was spent on and towards the promotion and hosting of the Caribbean Muzik Festival scheduled for October 28 to 31, 2015.

“ ... Every penny spent is well documented and can very easily be accounted for and verified. Most importantly, no event tickets or packages were marketed and sold locally or internationally.”

The four-day festival was postponed last year after two nights of activity.

Although the Bahamas government is not responsible for the event, the Ministry of Tourism is one of its major sponsors, having invested more than $600,000 in the festival.

After Mr Wilchcombe criticised Mr Sears for the second time this year over the postponement, Mr Sears criticised Mr Wilchcombe for “lecturing him on integrity” while not giving full disclosure about the circumstances surrounding the delay of the Caribbean Muzik Festival.

Both are members of the Progressive Liberal Party.

Mr Sears, the PLP’s candidate for Fort Charlotte, plans to challenge Prime Minister Perry Christie for the party’s top post at its next convention. Mr Wilchcombe has previously voiced his support for Mr Christie in the leadership race.

Last week Mr Sears accused the tourism minister of playing “gotcha” politics with the issue.

“I again reiterate that the making of innuendos, insinuations and allegations of wrongdoing by a public official, without full disclosure, against an individual without addressing the party in contract with a public entity does not contribute to the ease of doing business in the Bahamas or increase the confidence of Bahamian and foreign investors in contract with the government,” Mr Sears said.

“It is not the right way to conduct the business of the country. The minister admitted in the interview that he has not contacted me with regards to any of the claims or assertions that he has sought to make in the press. I would expect that the honourable thing would be to contact me and request answers before making such reckless public statements.”

Mr Sears was a director of the festival until he resigned last December. He has previously disclosed that he is also a “minor shareholder” in the company Caribbean Music Festival Ltd.

Mr Pindling wrote that the company intends to fulfil the terms of its contract.