The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

OPPOSITION Leader Dr Hubert Minnis yesterday criticised Prime Minister Perry Christie for failing to allow the FNM its own independent review of a dropped fire arms possession case.

Despite assurances by the nation’s chief that executive FNMs would be allowed to make their own conclusions of the matter, Dr Minnis said his team, which includes former Attorney General Carl Bethel, had still not been able to get the ball rolling.

The FNM have for weeks been urging the government to shed more light on why the case was discontinued.

“I want to point out,” Dr Minnis said, “that the last sitting here in Parliament the Prime Minister had said that he would allow me to review the file.

“I believe the Prime Minister. He said it I believe him.

“Everyday we have called the Cabinet Secretary (and) we still have not gotten a date to review the file.”

Last week, after Mr Christie made the announcement that the FNM’s request to review the matter would be granted, Dr Minnis said he wrote a communication which pinpointed his party’s main grievance with the matter.

The letter said: “To the undertaking given by the Rt Honourable Prime Minister January 9th to permit the leader of the opposition to review the file in the matter with particular regard to the issue of whether there was any consideration of national security affecting the discontinuance of the above matter.

“I write in order to seek your assistance in scheduling an early and convenient date for my review of the file together with my legal advisor and former Attorney General Mr Carl Bethel for the purpose of determining whether the opposition can support the conclusion arrived at by the Honourable Attorney General and/or acting Attorney General.

“I am available for such purpose at your convenience and await your timely response. 

Back in December, Deputy Chief Magistrate Carolita Bethell dismissed charges against George and Janet Hayes who each faced a charge of possession of a firearm and ammunition. They were found by authorities in 2010 with a .380 pistol and 19 live rounds of ammunition for the weapon.

Jerome Fitzgerald, acting in the absence of Attorney General Allyson Maynard-Gibson and her junior Minister Damian Gomez who was also out of the country, concluded that there were sufficient grounds to classify the case as a national security matter.

Mr Fitzgerald has claimed that based on the notes and recommendations attached to the Hayes case when he assumed the position, the decision to discontinue was made.

So far there has been no clear indication of what the notes said or who wrote them.