The Tribune

PM Perry Christie, Gregory Moss and the PLP government owes Algernon Cargill and his family an apology

EDITOR, The Tribune.
 
 A SPECTRE is haunting the Progressive Liberal Party government, and that spectre is the saga that is currently engulfing the National Insurance Board and its chairman, Mr Gregory Moss. Prime Minister and leader of the PLP Perry Gladstone Christie is probably regretting the day he gave his blessing to Moss to receive the PLP nomination for the Grand Bahama constituency of Marco City. That area, which was once held by Free National Movement founder Sir Cecil Wallace-Whitfield, has figured prominently in each of the past three general elections. Whichever party has won Marco City in the 2002, 2007 and 2012 general elections has won the government. The PLP hitched its Gold Rush wagon to the train of the Grand Bahama based attorney and businessman. The party felt that the former Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce president was a more appealing candidate than the FNM’s Norris Bain and Zhivargo Laing. In May of this year, it was reported that Moss had spent $1 million to acquire the Silver Sands Hotel in Freeport. It has been estimated that the cost of renovating the dilapidated property would be $5 million. Moss told the media that within the first nine months the redevelopment of Silver Sands will start. December marks the eighth month since Moss made this announcement and the people of that community eagerly awaits this much needed project to commence. Obviously this major announcement during the height of the silly season raised his profile among the many thousands of unemployed Grand Bahamians.
 Some have insisted that the Silver Sands announcement was a PR stunt by Moss. Moss and the PLP simply told the people what they wanted to hear. Still, with a deep recession dogging the economy in Grand Bahama and an FNM member of Parliament in the person of Laing having to constantly fight off allegations of wrongdoing in the Mona Vie incident, Marco City was Moss’ for the taking. The people in Marco City are now probably suffering from buyers’ remorse. Alas, Moss was touted as being a much better candidate than his predecessor. There were rumours that he wanted to be the minister for Grand Bahama and that he felt jilted after being passed over for the job. That post was given instead to Dr Michael Darville, the PLP MP for Pineridge. Some seven months into his representation and the only significant accomplishment that Moss can point to is the suspension and public humiliation of NIB director Algernon Cargill. Since his appointment as board chairman at the government’s wealthiest institution, Moss has been embroiled in one soap opera saga after another. Who needs Lifetime or the Soap Network Channel? Moss has come under fire for appointing an individual on the Board who was accused of misappropriating funds from a Grand Bahama based company. Moss has defended the individual by stating:’ “These aspersions that are being thrown about, are being labelled against him by the FNM, but frankly, in my opinion, with at least the passive support of the PLP.’’ Also, the director of NIB has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation after serious allegations have been levied against him.
 These allegations have been brought against Cargill by the NIB chairman. A 22-page letter outlining these allegations were published on an Internet news source that has been in forefront of a series of attacks against Cargill in recent times. Interestingly, the Cargill matter was also discussed on a popular radio talk show several weeks ago. Seeing that the host of this particular radio programme always appears to be jittery over receiving libel lawsuits, I find it curious that he would even attempt to discuss such a sensitive matter while on air. The radio host is a PLP. Cargill has hired attorney Alfred Sears in order to clear his name. Sears is a former PLP member of Parliament and minister in the first Christie government. Everyday this matter gets more and more convoluted. Cargill has also fired back at the NIB by alleging in an affidavit that Moss has been spending NIB money as if the organisation were his own. Cargill alleges that Moss spent nearly $1,300 in one day at the British Colonial Hilton. And this is at a time when many homeless Grand Bahamians are reportedly sleeping on the beaches in Freeport. The affidavit also alleges that Minister of Labour and National Insurance Shane Gibson was unaware that Moss had in his possession an NIB-issued corporate platinum Visa credit card and that he had instructed the NIB to give $15,000 for a heart surgery for a Grand Bahama resident, which, according to The Nassau Guardian, was outside the NIB’s policy and the National Insurance Act and Regulations. As if the NIB saga were not enough, a Nassau based daily has published an article which alleges that Moss is being sued by two partners and a lender for some $400,000 in a commercial development in Freeport. And so the plot thickens. For what it’s worth, there are never any dull moments with the Marco City MP. And this man is supposed to be one of the bright future leaders of the PLP. Give me a break. The PLP has sold Marco City voters a bill of goods. Moss should resign as MP for Marco City. He should also step down as chairman of the NIB.
 If Cargill wins his lawsuit against the PLP stacked National Insurance Board and Chairman Moss, he will still not be able to repair the damage that this board and Moss have done to his good name. For all intents and purposes, Cargill’s career and reputation have been severely tarnished. He is finished. If the allegations are true, it should have been handled in a professional manner. Throughout this whole unsavory process, one gets the sense that the Board was determined to do in Cargill. If it is true that Cargill is an FNM supporter, as has been insinuated in some segments of the press, then I guess he should not be surprised at what these people have done to him. Cargill is just one of many FNMs whose lives have been left ruined in the wake of the Gold Rush’s destructive path. And these people say they believe in Bahamians. For what it’s worth, the NIB saga is a classic and tragic example of a government bullying one of its own citizens. Whatever is the final outcome of this tragic story, the prime minister and his government owes this man and his family an apology for what they have put him through. But I wouldn’t hold my breath for one moment, and neither should the Cargill family.
 
THE WHISTLEBLOWER
December 3, 2012.