The Tribune

By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement Chairman Michael Pintard yesterday criticised Attorney General Allyson Maynard-Gibson for not yet issuing a decision on the investigation into the alleged judicial interference by MICAL MP V Alfred Gray.

Mr Pintard also criticised Mrs Maynard-Gibson and the Office of the Attorney General for purportedly seeking a legal opinion that dismissed the legality of the Public Accounts Committee’s actions as it investigates the government’s Urban Renewal programme.

Both issues, Mr Pintard said, were examples of Mrs Maynard-Gibson and the government “being willing to act expeditiously when it serves the interest of the PLP, but refusing to act expeditiously when it serves the interest of the Bahamian people.”

Regarding the Gray investigation, Mr Pintard said: “In terms of the pace with which she has moved, we are not surprised. Our leader (Dr Hubert Minnis) stated he fully expected she would take an inordinate amount of time. This is the PLP way.

“The PLP is quick when it wants to (be) and it is proven, in watching certain legislation (passed by) the PLP that benefits persons that they have close relationships with, such as gaming. But on other matters they have been exceptionally slow.

“The most grave matter would be the Rubis case, where they did not release the report when they had it for over a year. So we expect that the Gray report is another example of them moving quite slowly to do what they know they have to do.”

Last week, Police Commissioner Ellison Greenslade confirmed that the police report on Mr Gray’s alleged judicial interference was completed and passed on to the Office of the Attorney General. Commissioner Greenslade told The Tribune that he sent the “complete file directly to the attorney general around 3pm (last) Monday.”

The report is expected to outline Mr Greenslade’s position – subsequent to consultations with his executive team – on whether anyone should face charges before the court based on the findings of the investigation.

However, it is unknown whether or not Mrs Maynard-Gibson has reviewed the file, and attempts by The Tribune to get her to confirm as much were unsuccessful yesterday.

Yesterday, this newspaper reported that a legal opinion purportedly sought by the Office of the Attorney General dismissing the legality of the PAC’s investigations into Urban Renewal may have interfered with House Speaker Dr Kendal Major’s decision to summon Urban Renewal’s co-chairs to appear before the PAC.

Dr Major told The Tribune on Monday that his office has not issued any instructions for the programme’s co-chairs, Cynthia “Mother” Pratt and Algernon Allen to appear before the PAC. He suggested that the legal opinion, which was reportedly sought from international and local attorneys, might have delayed him from performing that action.

“Certainly the attorney general is seeking to run interference on a matter that appears to be in hand,” Mr Pintard said on the issue. “No legal opinion was requested of her. It is reported that it appears it comes from the attorney general’s office. If that is the case it appears she is acting to benefit her colleagues as opposed to trying to promote accountability and transparency which is what we gather the auditor general is seeking to accomplish.”

In March, the FNM alleged that Mr Gray used his position to have a man in his constituency freed, following conviction and sentencing. Mr Gray has maintained he contacted Mayaguana island Administrator Zephaniah Newbold, the sentencing magistrate, to offer “legal advice”, but has strongly denied that he in any way attempted to sway the course of justice.

He said he only advised the administrator that he had the option of granting bail, since an appeal had been filed. However, Mr Newbold has said he released the convicted youth, 19-year-old Jaquan Charlton, outright “after an order came forth.” He said the young man had not been released on bail as Mr Gray had claimed.

According to a letter Mr Newbold sent to the chief magistrate on the matter, he alleged he was threatened by Mr Gray to release the accused teen.

Meanwhile, on April 16 Mrs Pratt and Mr Allen refused to appear before a scheduled hearing with the PAC concerning the specifics of a scathing audit that was leaked to the media. They said they could not make that scheduled meeting because of short notice and prior engagements.

In a letter, however, the co-chairs also said that the audit was illegal because it had not gone through proper parliamentary channels and had not been tabled in Parliament. They have also said the audit is incomplete. The co-chairs said they would appear before the PAC at an appropriate date only if the report were removed from the scope of questioning.

Days later the legal opinion was leaked to the press. This left Dr Major “shocked” and “taken aback” by the document, which he called “unprecedented.”

Although asked about the matter, Mrs Maynard-Gibson has not confirmed if the document originated from her office.