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'Resignation letter sent to Moss's office'

As of Thursday, January 3, 2013

By PAUL G TURNQUEST

Chief Reporter

pturnquest@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Perry Christie has demanded the resignation of the Chairman of the National Insurance Board, Gregory Moss, The Tribune understands.

Well-placed sources confirmed that the letter from the Office of the Prime Minister has been sent to Mr Moss’s office in Grand Bahama.

If Mr Moss does not answer the letter by the end of the day, The Tribune understands that the Minister with responsibility for National Insurance, Shane Gibson, will be forced to fire Mr Moss, who also serves at the PLP’s Member of Parliament for Marco City.

This move comes after Mr Moss published a press statement on his Facebook page where he hit out at the Prime Minister, stating that he did in fact still have the NIB issued credit card that Mr Christie had assured the public he no longer had.

Speaking with The Tribune yesterday, Minister Gibson said that he was “extremely disappointed” when he read Mr Moss’ comments.

“I had personally instructed Moss not to use the credit card and I had informed the Prime Minister that he no longer had use of the credit card.

"I think the only difference was that he never turned it in, but he was instructed not to use it until after the forensic audit at NIB”.

Mr Gibson said he was also distressed by Mr Moss’ remarks as the chairman was instructed to avoid speaking on the matter by a court injunction taken out and agreed to by NIB’s now suspended Director Algernon Cargill.

“So when you look at that, and the forensic audit it would be totally inappropriate for him to speak to that.”

Mr Gibson said that he has since instructed the National Insurance Board to cancel both credit cards that the Board has until they can properly develop a “policy of credit card use” for them at NIB.

With Mr Moss’ impending resignation, and the fact that the Board’s Director is on suspension, Mr Gibson assured the public that NIB’s day-to-day functions will not be hampered.

“The day to day running of the Board is done and supervised by the management. The Board of directors met once a month. The day-to-day is done by the executives and the staff at NIB. Moss was not an executive chairman,” he said.

Mr Gibson said he will not be stepping in to play a larger roll with the Board at this time saying it was “unnecessary” for him to do so.

When contacted by The Tribune yesterday, Mr Moss said that he had “absolutely nothing to say” on the matter.

However, in his statement on Tuesday, he said: "My conscience is clear as is my resolution that should it ever be determined that my services as Chairman of NIB are no longer required, then it will be my honour to continue to serve the people of Marco City and the wider Bahamas from my seat in Parliament."

Up until press time last night, the government had yet to release a statement on Mr Moss.

Comments

dacy 11 years, 11 months ago

shame and scandal in the PLP, nothing new!...so what else is going on in the country

proudloudandfnm 11 years, 11 months ago

Sorry Apostle but the on thign the PM does not have and frankly has never had is a good handle on his senior ministers. PGC is still the weakest most inept leader this independent Bahamas has ever had. We need leadership, we need another HAI in our PM office...

242 11 years, 11 months ago

If Moss didn't release his arrogant statement and embarrass Christie he would never been asked to resign.

jackbnimble 11 years, 11 months ago

Like dey say, when you dig one ditch, dig two. He dug one for Cargil, now he in one too.

ucargill 11 years, 11 months ago 

            It is shameful and disappointing when persons charged with maintaining the public trust act in a manner that is consistent with self-interest, personal financial gain, and smoke screens. Sad is the day when personal agendas supersede ones’ duty to pursue the greater good and maintain the public trust. And yet, actions of persons like Gregory Moss and his cohorts point to a lack of leadership where effective leadership is measured by one’s ability to motivate and redirect others to achieve an expressed higher order goal. I refer to the symptoms embroiled in the letter written by Mr Moss..
             The Bahamas needs a prosperity measure that works. Focusing on my brother to malign his character is not an effective prosperity measure and doing so does not benefit the country or affirm the public trust. What is the actual track record of success of this government? Although a solid foundation is in place, the Bahamas’ educational system still leaves so much room for improvement and no intervention strategies are in place. The crime rate is so high that people are afraid to go out at night and husbands fear for the safety of their wives and children. 
                 People who lack courage operate in the darkness or the shadows. And yet, these ineffective leaders operate in the shadows when they use pawns to focus on maligning my brother’s character while they stealthily pursue personal financial gain, stimulate the public to chase red herrings and operate with smoke-and-mirrors. Until there is a list of these successes, the country is being mismanaged, funds are being misappropriated, and the public trust is being violated. Albert Einstein said that insanity is characterized by doing the same thing and expecting a different result. To become effective, the current leadership needs to think anew, journey down the road less traveled, and cease persecuting innocent men like my brother.
                 As a Princeton graduate, an MBA, a Ph.D. in educational administration, a minister of word and sacrament, and an educator with almost thirty (30) years of experience, I believe the lack of attention to justice given by the current government, and the lack of impartiality demonstrated by the party of my grandfather reflect a downward spiral. Further, I am personally offended by the blind-eye extended to the excellent work of my brother. Under my brother’s leadership true transformation was experienced by the average Bahamian, and impartial accountability was required of all businesses and special interest groups  who had previously circumvented the national insurance laws of the land. My brother pursued the greater good and maintained the public trust. And now, the government and the party (to me they are fundamentally identical) need to act with deliberate speedy to make my brother whole.

Grace and peace,

Rev Ursula Cargill, M.Div, Ph.D. Princeton, Class of 2007

ucargill 11 years, 11 months ago

Mr Moss’ letter clearly shows that the leadership team of the National Insurance Board is ineffective, motivated by self-interest, and incapable of maintaining the public trust. 1. It was acceptable for Mr Moss to contribute to and allow the vilification of my brother; however, Mr Moss only became concerned about vilification when he believed it was happening to him. How can any person be deemed an effective leader when he or she can only relate to events based on personal experience and not based on justice, the law, the public trust or the greater good? 2. Mr Moss mentioned a relationship with God in the same context as his support of the philosophy of the PLP, and that his press statement would be forecasted and colored by this relationship. It is fundamentally impossible to be loyal to God and a political party simultaneously. Loyalty to God necessitates that one subjugate the law of the land and definitely ones loyalty to a political party to the greatest law of God – the law of unconditional love. The law of God is grounded in true justice, unconditional love and pursuit of the greater good – no matter the consequence. Clearly, Mr Moss elevated his personal reputation, his position in the Parliament and his role in the Party above the law of God; therefore, Mr Moss lives both in the world and of the world.
3. Mr Moss’ self declaration of being a nationalist is questionable, at best. Attacks on my brother’s character and reputation, coupled with the Bahamas’ resources spent to investigate an honest man are clearly contrary to the national good. After an initial internal audit revealed that my brother had done nothing wrong, a more detailed/forensic audit was commissioned which I know will also show that my brother did nothing wrong. What is the cost the Bahamian public will pay for this forensic audit and who is conducting the audit? I am prayerful that NIB contracted with a Bahamian auditing company so that at least Bahamian funds will remain in the country. Also, what has it cost the country (in time, money, resources, and opportunity cost) to investigate my brother? The removal of my brother during a period when his effective leadership led to growth and accountability at NIB also cost the country. Mr. Moss and his cohorts need to stop talking about being nationalists and start actually putting the country first. 4. Mr Moss used my brother’s name when he stated that he received an NIB credit card from my brother. He neglected to state that he received the credit card from my brother after he ordered that my brother get him the credit card. My brother merely complied with the demand from his supervisor.

ucargill 11 years, 11 months ago

  1. Mr Moss admitted that he used the NIB card in a manner that is inconsistent with NIB policy, procedure and the law when he stated that his use of the NIB credit card led to him reimbursing the Board $811.10. By his own admission, Mr Moss stated that he expended Bahamian public funds for his personal use and that these expenses were charged directly to the NIB card; however, he neglected to state that he also incurred personal charges on the NIB card that were actually billed to the Hilton’s room-service and not directly to the card. From the time that he incurred these $811.10 in charges to the time that he reimbursed the Board, Mr Moss misappropriated NIB/Bahamian funds. Reimbursing these funds does not correct this wrong. And yet, Mr Moss was not arrested, terminated or reprimanded for this misuse. It took the press release to effectuate Mr Moss’ termination. This delay necessarily means that the leadership in NIB is ineffective and sorely lacking.
  2. Mr Moss misrepresented altruism when he obligated NIB to pay Doctor’s Hospital $15,000. Even though the chairman may have a threshold of $50,000 without Board pre-approval, NIB funds are strictly dedicated to work-related injuries - not to every medical issue experienced by sick Bahamians who call Mr Moss for money. Therefore, Mr Moss misappropriated NIB funds when he authorized payment for an injury/diagnosis that was not work-related. Why was he not reprimanded for misappropriating at least $15, 811.10 in Bahamian/NIB/public funds?
  3. Mr Moss failed to mention that he and/or one of his cohorts also authorized NIB to purchase a condemned or dilapidated building from Tiger Finlayson for $15 million. This purchase was attempted under my brother’s leadership; however, my brother refused to approve such a deal which failed to provide any contribution to the greater good or public trust. This deal was approved within days after my brother was moved to the side. Was my brother maligned, attacked and removed in order to get hands on these NIB funds?

BoopaDoop 11 years, 11 months ago

Them crabs still climbing in the cage.

real_talk 11 years, 11 months ago

Misappropriating,mismanagement is a bunch of bull,STEALING is what i call it! The N.I.B funds is the Bahamian peoples', and not for whomever to do with as they see fit. Mr. neck tie man living high of (MY),THE BAHAMIAN PEOPLE money while I can barely make ends meet. The ordinary bahamian citizen would of been hauled before the courts about now for the blatent misuse of companies funds,so being that the monies that were being misappropriated is (MY) the Bahamian people money, means that whomever was stealing from me and i want to press charges;and the right hon P.G.C being the representative of the people is obligated to do as the Bahamian people wish. (Arrest the guilty party/ies without delay!) ,LOCK THEM UP NOW!!!!!

jackbnimble 11 years, 11 months ago

Now real_talk, do you seriously believe that even after this so-called "audit" that if a case was found for misappropriating our (the Bahamian people's) funds, that anyone will be arrested and hauled before the courts? Me thinks not! History has shown that Bahamian crookedry at its highest levels is never ever dealt with. We are fooling ourselves if we think otherwise. But I leave a very tiny window of hope for this Government to shock me.

concernedcitizen 11 years, 11 months ago

CARGILL HAD TO GO HE MADE THE BIG SHOT PLP,S ,BABY TIGER AND JONES ,PAY THERE NIB ,,CAN,T HAVE THAT ,,,,,,,,,,LMAO

ucargill 11 years, 11 months ago 

 My brother did not deserve to be the maligned by leaders in NIB who deliberately put personal gain over the best interest of the country. A man of courage who wanted my brother to leave NIB should have offered to buy-out his contract rather than use people as pawns, create dust blooms and use smoke-and-mirrors to attempt to force him out. My brother who is the most reasonable man I know. Only cowards 'leaked'  to the Bahamian public the 22 pages of misinformation contained in the letter from Gregory Moss to Shane Gibson. Only cowards use anonymity and the press to attempt to unlevel the playing field. I call them cowards because they operate in the dark and when the light shines on them, they scurry under baseboards and into whining burrows. It was the action of these cowards that led to this matter today. My brother had the courage to let everyone know where he stood - without prejudice. He held all people to the same standards under the law. Further, he is still a staunch nationalist who would do what is necessary for the betterment of this country. My brother is not motivated by personal interest, greed or self-aggrandizement. He does not measure his self-worth by the size of his office; neither does he measure his success by dollars and cents. My brother takes all commitments - especially his commitment to protect the public trust - very seriously. There has never been a day when my brother received any wages for hours not worked. He has earned every penny he receives. No one would dare slip my brother any envelope under the table. Neither can/did my brother give himself a bonus. Can the leaders at NIB say the same?

ucargill 11 years, 11 months ago 

 Mr Moss admitted to fraudulently using the NIB credit card for at least $811.10 in charges and should be arrested for this mis-use. Reimbursement of those misappropriated funds does not rectify this matter. Arresting Mr Moss for fraud is justice, not for my brother, but for the public trust. By moving my brother to the side, the $1.6 billion in spoils at NIB can now be reaped with reckless abandon. Who is the forensic auditor and can he be impartial? How much was this forensic auditor paid? Who is watching the forensic auditor to make sure his findings are valid and reliable? Who is now watching the contracts awarded by NIB to make sure that all contracts go through tender bidding? In the short period of time when this party/goverment came into power, contracts - one for almost $9 million - have been awarded by leader(s) at NIB without tender bid. And, some of these leaders of the government/party have the audacity to talk about my brother behind his back and say that my brother is less than honorable? What type of honor exists when cowards collude in darkness/shadows to denigrate a man of sound character and high integrity? Very sad is the day when the fox was put in charge of watching the hen-house. Further, it is shameful when government/party leaders know that public funds are being misappropriated and they do nothing to protect the public trust. Grace and peace, Rev Ursula Cargill, Ph.D.

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