Philip 'Brave' Davis
By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
DEPUTY Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis yesterday defended Prime Minister Perry Christie’s decision to intervene with a local bank to save the home of VAT coordinator Ishmael Lightbourne.
Speaking to the press outside the Foreign Affairs and Immigration Ministry, Mr Davis said people must learn to separate the actions of Members of Parliament from the actions of the Government.
Mr Davis asked what could be wrong with making a request if one of his constituents asked him to do so.
He added: “I don’t know how it could be an abuse of power. We are representatives of the people. We are often called to intervene when assistance is asked of us. It would be disingenuous to call it an abuse of power.”
Asked if intervening with institutions on the behalf of people could put pressure on those institutions, he said: “Ask the person who is to exercise the request. They shouldn’t feel any way. Requesting doesn’t mean the intervention will be successful. It’s ultimately a personal arrangement between the borrower and the lender.”
“You must separate the government from the individual MP’s,” he said. “The government is not intervening. Persons are intervening. The ultimate decision is still on the lending institution.”
Two weeks ago Mr Christie revealed that after learning about Mr Lightbourne’s financial situation, he called the managing director of First Caribbean Bank and asked her what he “as Prime Minister” could do “to stop (Mr Lightbourne) from being put out of his house today?”
His statement was given following revelations that Mr Lightbourne had failed to pay various taxes in years.
In response to Mr Christie’s statements, critics and opposition members condemned his intervention as an inappropriate “abuse of power” – one they said is not being done to aid a list of other Bahamians who face the possible repossession of their homes.
Mr Davis also admitted that he has personally called banks to intervene on behalf of other Bahamians. He said that sometimes his interventions have been successful, while at other times they were not.
Comments
jackbnimble 10 years, 7 months ago
The assinine-ness of this Government continues to baffle me. "You must separate the government from the individual MP’s,” he said. “The government is not intervening. Persons are intervening." So the Perry Christie intervening and asking the bank what he can do "as Prime Minister" is NOT the Government? I guess as "Prime Minister" Perry Christie is not representing "the Government. #iamsoconfused!!!
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 7 months ago
On point. It makes no sense. If we have government representatives who can willy nilly ignore their responsibilities legal and ethical as government representatives, why don't we encourage all policemen to ignore their responsibilities as policemen when "they" feel it's warranted?
Honestman 10 years, 7 months ago
Once again Davis treats Bahamians as if they are clueless and gullible. In reality, educated citizens of The Bahamas have considered the argument and concluded that the PM was wrong to interfere with due process of law. This was as clear a case of favoritism as you will see and Davis's defense of PGC is no more than you would expect. Bahamians would have been more impressed with the PM if he had come out and said: "On reflection, I allowed my feelings of compassion towards the plight of my friend to override my better judgment. I was wrong to have interfered with due legal process and apologise for this error"
Don't hold your breath waiting for said apology!
birdiestrachan 10 years, 7 months ago
Mr. Lightbourne must have a plan as to how he will pay for his property. I understand it is prime property. It will be easy to sell. No PM in the world can keep his property for him if he does not pay his loan at the bank. The Manager at the Bank must have the satisfaction that he can meet his obligation to do so. there are many who have no means or hopes of paying off their mortgage. there is no hope for them; there is no free lunch. or free house.
B_I_D___ 10 years, 7 months ago
You missed that snippet from the PM then...he suddenly realized that he was grossly underpaying Mr. Lightbourne for his services...in other words, he gave him a healthy raise, out of the governments payroll/bankroll...AKA the tax payers money bailed this man out of his home. Significant enough of a raise that he could make a payment to the bank I would presume...probably retroactively adjusted his salary up to give him a bonus of sorts to allow for a lump sum payment.
JohnDoes 10 years, 7 months ago
All of these crony higher ups in the PLP will never discredit PGC. Even when his mistakes are blatantly obvious to the dumbest of the dumb. They still make excuses for his actions. For sure this is the last term for the PLP, hopefully for many years to come. We need some fresh, new, young meat in Parliament. These cronies are simply sticking to their own lazy agendas from the time they first entered politics, and we all know their main goal is to secure a healthy retirement in 'paradise' by gobbling up as much cookies as they can, making even the cookie monster look bad, before their exit. Who knows if they even have an agenda because we are definitely not seeing what we were promised. I hope this is the last lap for traditional Bahamians to see that the PLP is not the answer. We got independence yes, but that was due to Pindling on behalf of the PLP, but what else have we really gained as a country from this Party other than Urban Renewal?
Emac 10 years, 7 months ago
I agree 100%
realfreethinker 10 years, 7 months ago
And the jury is still out on urban renewal 2.0
spoitier 10 years, 7 months ago
I agree with most of your post, but I hope you don't think the FNM is the new young meat.
JohnDoes 10 years, 7 months ago
Nope I dont think any is capable FNM, PLP, or DNA, I feel when the election season hits, there might be a new spring.
242in404 10 years, 7 months ago
Why do you discount the DNA? They haven't even had a chance to show what they can do or who they are. I can see why someone would think the PLP or FNM are incapable, because they have PROVEN so. This automatic opposition people seem to have toward the DNA only shows that Bahamian people SAY they want something "new"--yet their minds are still too narrow to give something new a chance. So continue to bend over and take it.
Reality_Check 10 years, 7 months ago
I wonder what this stumpy little guy's highly educated children and the friends of his children must think of him. One can only begin to imagine the abuses this fella has already inflicted on so many and is prepared to go on inflicting on anyone given his failed moral compass that allows him to publicly declare that he stands behind the PM's warped sense of right and wrong. Just another clucking idiot!
JohnDoes 10 years, 7 months ago
I think thats why they call him 'BRAVE' lol.
GrassRoot 10 years, 7 months ago
Its all in line with our politicians approach. What the PM did is daily business. They don't know any different. WTF are you all complaining about? Someone to file a criminal complaint. There are anti-bribery, corruption and nepotism laws in the Bahamas. just use it.
wearedone 10 years, 7 months ago
And the people keep voting them in. When will the people of this country grow some balls and revolt? A real revolt, not 20 people walking in the streets in Downtown. How many times does the government have to crap all over the people for everyone to wake up? There is power in numbers, time to demonstrate it.
JohnDoes 10 years, 7 months ago
Maybe Spain and Ukraine will be of some encouragement.
asiseeit 10 years, 7 months ago
Not surprising, the political class will protect each other no matter what. The Bahamas has a new form of segregation, the political class are the whiteys of yesteryear and the rest of us are the downtrodden. Welcome to the Bahamas 40 years after majority rule suckers.
Reality_Check 10 years, 7 months ago
White men would not inflict on black men the kind of abuse now being inflicted by black men on black men. Lord help us!
JohnDoes 10 years, 7 months ago
Lets agree to disagree. No matter how many years or centuries. There is no excuse for what the white man did to the black man. Lets not forget they used black baby's as crocodile bait!
Reality_Check 10 years, 7 months ago
Just thinking about all of the elderly people and young children with asthmatic conditions or other breathing difficulties who are being suffocated by the smouldering public dump...many of them probably wish they could be eaten by a crocodile to put them out of their misery.
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 7 months ago
Wow, he's a very bright lawyer, he knows what abuse of power is. He knows why "how we can call this abuse of power", because it is. If a police Sargent father tries to help his daughter by asking a non ranking officer to destroy a police report, he has used his position to interfere with the normal process of things. That is abuse of power. The fact that the father was "trying to help" someone is irrelevant.
JohnDoes 10 years, 7 months ago
A very bright 'criminal' lawyer. His skills are that to prove even the most obvious criminal innocent. They dont call him 'BRAVE' for nothing lol.
sheeprunner12 10 years, 7 months ago
Is the "obeah king" at work again???????????????? Between the Lodge and the voodoo, the PLP always seems to have a spin on things.......... Christians Unite!!!!!!!!!!!!
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