The Tribune

By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

THE DNA has given the government a two-week ultimatum to release the findings of its probe into Renward Wells or the party and its supporters will “march down to the Ministry of Works” and get the answers themselves.

At press conference yesterday, DNA Deputy Leader Chris Mortimer said Prime Minister Perry Christie and Mr Wells have “insulted” and “dismissed” the public for too long and if nothing is said or done in the next 14 days, the DNA will hold demonstrations and protests until the public is given answers.

Mr Wells, parliamentary secretary in the Ministry of Works, reportedly signed a letter of intent for a $650 million waste to energy plant for the New Providence landfill without Cabinet approval on July 4.

A little over a week ago, Mr Christie promised to release the findings of his government’s probe into the controversy, however he has yet to make a statement.

“Secrets and corruption are the order of the day for the PLP,” Mr Mortimer said. “Two months later, we are still talking about what happened at the dump and why the prime minister has not answered the people with respect to how a lowly parliamentary secretary can commit the government to a $650 million deal. The motto of the PLP has always been ‘give it a few days, three days and no one is going to remember it’.

“The level of corruption stinks so high in our country that we cannot forget and will not forget to hold them accountable as it relates to letting people know what went on,” Mr Mortimer added.

“Why is Mr Wells still there? $650 million represents more than what the government expects to get in VAT over the course of two years and yet the prime minister absolutely refuses to, even after he said he would, come forward and address the Bahamian people.

“The prime minister can not just dismiss the Bahamian people so cruelly and make fools out of them because he does not have to answer them. So we make this commitment: if the prime minister or Mr Wells does not answer the Bahamian people with respect to the contract, we are going to get a group of people and we are going down there and we will get the answers for ourselves from Mr Wells.

“I am putting him on notice, I am putting the prime minister on notice, I am putting the deputy prime minister on notice: you have two weeks. This prime minister will answer the Bahamian people or we will be on his doorstep with our supporters demanding answers.”

Mr Christie promised last week to “imminently” address the controversy surrounding Mr Wells, as critics accuse him of sweeping the matter under the rug.

On August 29, Mr Christie said he had “just received” information on the matter from Deputy Prime Minister and Works Minister Philip “Brave” Davis and Environment Minister Kenred Dorsett and would analyse these reports over the following weekend. However, he has not made any statements on Mr Wells since then.

This silence prompted Free National Movement Leader Dr Hubert Minnis last week to call for a select committee in Parliament to probe the Renew Bahamas contract with the landfill and the circumstances surrounding the Letter of Intent (LOI).

In June it was announced that Renew Bahamas was selected to privately manage the Nassau landfill and would remediate the site. Dr Minnis has previously questioned whether the government went through a transparent bidding process before selecting Renew Bahamas to manage the landfill.

He has also called on the government to disclose the details behind Mr Wells’ signing of the controversial LOI, which became public on July 11. Political observers have also called on Mr Christie to fire Mr Wells over the issue, which has rumbled on for almost nine weeks.

Early last month, the prime minister said he would make a decision on Mr Wells’ future after completing an investigation. He added that, in the meantime, the Bamboo Town MP could step down as parliamentary secretary, if he felt it necessary. However, Mr Wells has not left his post.