The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribuemedia.net

THE SUPREME Court hearing into whether the constitutional rights of FNM chairman Darron Cash have been violated took place in a judge’s chambers yesterday.

Carl Bethel, Mr Cash’s lawyer, and Crown counsel Lauren Klein and Darren Henfield, appeared before Senior Justice Jon Isaacs yesterday morning concerning the FNM chairman’s constitutional motion seeking redress for the violation of his constitutional right to privacy.

The media was not privy to proceedings, however, and Mr Klein offered no comment on the proceedings other than “the matter is still before the court.”

Mr Bethel, however, said that “any personal business or political matters will not be in anyway abused by the authorities.”

“We’ve agreed on a framework that we are going to work on to provide the necessary assurance and hopefully to bring closure to this very distressing matter. I want to reaffirm, as we reaffirmed in court, that our chairman, as a law-abiding citizen, is at all times fully prepared to assist the lawful authorities, in particular the Royal Bahamas Police Force, in any investigation of any matter in which he could assist them, as is the duty of every citizen,” the attorney added.

“This case is not about citizens performing their duty, it is about some wider issues and we are in negotiation. We have agreed on a framework and we do believe that this matter will be amicably resolved in the best interest of the Bahamian people.”

Last Thursday, police raided Mr Cash’s home, seizing two laptop computers and a cellular smart phone belonging to him. Mr Cash’s two small children were reportedly whisked away by the family’s housekeeper in an attempt to shield them from the dramatic ordeal which came as a result of an ongoing investigation into operations at the Bank of the Bahamas (BOB).

Both Prime Minister Perry Christie and National Security Minister Dr Bernard Nottage have since denied having any prior knowledge that police planned to execute a search warrant of the FNM chairman’s home.

Outside the Supreme Court yesterday, Mr Cash expressed his gratitude to his attorneys, his wife and colleagues for their assistance and support.

In recalling his formative years in the Kiwanis youth group where he was taught about active citizenship, Mr Cash said this experience has only “stiffened my resolve to get engaged in public service.”

“Because as I said to my FNM family last night and to the Bahamian people, my name may have been on the document, but this is not about me. It is about the foundations of our institutions in this country.”

Mr Cash concluded that he has “seen numerous instances where there are opportunities for us to improve and strengthen those institutions, and I, once this matter plays out, will double my effort to work to strengthen our institutions to really make this country a great country, a nation of laws, rather than a nation of men.”