By KHRISNA VIRGIL
Tribune Staff Reporter
kvirgil@tribunemedia.net
PRIME Minister Perry Christie claims he cannot reveal who donated money to the PLP’s election campaign – and will remain unable to do so until campaign finance reform is finalised.
When asked yesterday if Canadian fashion designer Peter Nygard was a major financial supporter of his party, Mr Christie said he could only disclose such information after getting permission.
Mr Nygard has already told the media that he has given financially to both the PLP and FNM; a claim former FNM leader Hubert Ingraham denied.
“When people donate money on a confidential basis,” Mr Christie said. “You don’t have the right to disclose it unless they give you the consent to do so.
“You could ask the question of me whether or not we are going to reach a point where there is campaign finance reform and people who donate to political parties will be named. That’s the issue going forward but right now, anyone could donate to a political party and do so anonymously. That is what is the position is today.
“But if he (Mr Nygard) says he donated to the PLP, fine.”
Mr Christie further hit out at the opposition for claiming a “cozy” relationship exists between the government and Mr Nygard, which they believe places the Christie administration in compromised position, specifically regarding the Stem Cell Research Bill.
He told reporters it was unfair that the FNM had not been criticised in the same way for their relationship with foreign investors.
“I am worried that Hubert Ingraham could fly around South Africa, knight Sol Kerzner, and no one thinks any less of him. He could jump on a plane or helicopter and go fellowship with their Aga Khan and no one thinks less of him.
“But all of a sudden someone thinks less of these young fellows who went out to Nygard Cay and met with Nygard as if they had given away something, even if Nygard made a substantial donation to the PLP. All my political life I knew the operatives who raised money for the FNM in Lyford Cay.
“Lyford Cay residents (who) donate to the PLP would tell me ‘Why is it that these people defame the PLP in such a way?” Mr Christie said.
He later suggested that persons may have taken issue with Mr Nygard’s preference for the PLP because of Mr Nygard’s flamboyant public image.
“I assume that they feel they could take advantage of the image of Nygard and colour the PLP with that. I presume that’s what it is,” Mr Christie said.
Comments
BiminiHomeowner 11 years, 4 months ago
PM Christie's relationship with Genting & RAV Bahamas here in Bimini should be met with as much scrutiny as his relationship with Mr Nygard over in New Providence.
This Government has given ZERO credit or consideration to any other of the resorts or businesses in Bimini, and has ignored repeated requests from every other resort to finalize the Marine Reserve on the North island.
The Bahamas looks weak and desperate when their leaders are so quick to roll over for anyone waving money around.
USAhelp 11 years, 4 months ago
Shame on you our upstanding PM is honest credible and easy to buy his support.
ThisIsOurs 11 years, 4 months ago
Their stance seems to be "money is good no matter where it comes from".
I was also troubled by Loretta Butler-Turners's statement that MPs accept gifts from various individuals all the time...I did not know that that was an accepted practice...so if a notorious drug dealer comes to you and gives you thousands of dollars for a new community center, you would have no qualms about holding a press conference to say what a good fellow he is.
No wonder Carlos Lamb was the election general...they see nothing wrong with it...
Why do banks have to go to such great lengths to comply with AML laws if the head of the country isn't held to a similar standard?
We are living in bizarro world.
hnhanna 11 years, 4 months ago
Getting caught with your pants down is a serious matter and that’s what happens in Nygard affair
concernedcitizen 11 years, 4 months ago
IT won,t go anywhere ,the majority of PGC and PLP supporters think,, get what you can from that creepy whitey ,,who knows his people probably had slaves once ,,who cares if we gotta let him inject himself w/ embryonic cells ,,,long as we put more than our neighbor in the collection plate on sunday we,ll be blessed ..lmfao
JohnDoe 11 years, 4 months ago
Kerzner has invested billions of dollars in this country while Nygard, it is alleged, has literally reclaimed millions of dollars of our land. As a country that relies on FDI as an essential platform of our economic growth, for the PM to compare Nygard to Kerzner is very instructive of the mindset of our politicians. In addition to not providing a business friendly environment, our politicians can't seem to differentiate between a foreign investor that provides intrinsic benefits to the Bahamas and those who bring us negative press and with little to no benefits. They only seem to be concerned with "what's in it for me, baby". Until we start electing a different type of politician we will continue to experience much of the same.
concernedcitizen 11 years, 4 months ago
we had a different set ,the people set him back to coopers town ,he did roads and hospitals and you could work for a pay check ,,the people don,t like that ,they rather sit back in Urban renewal for there chickin snack and sweet soda money ..
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