By RICARDO WELLS
Tribune Staff Reporter
rwells@tribunemedia.net
FORMER Immigration Minister Loftus Roker yesterday urged Prime Minister Perry Christie to address the corruption and conflicts of interest claims made by State Minister for Legal Affairs Damian Gomez.
The Pindling-era Cabinet minister said while he does not dismiss the allegations put forth by Mr Gomez, the only statement that matters on the ordeal is that of the country’s leader.
“The fellow went public,” said Mr Roker.
“If (Mr Gomez) is alleging these things publicly, why the heck is the prime minister so quiet? If (Mr Gomez) has evidence, the prime minister cannot remain silent.”
According to Mr Roker, Mr Christie’s silence on the matter opens the door to tremendous criticism.
“Does Mr Christie know and (is) choosing to turn a blind eye to politicians on all sides? If Mr Gomez knows, then Mr Christie knows – well he should know.”
Two weeks ago, Mr Gomez told The Nassau Guardian that the government is not being serious about battling outright corruption by serving politicians. He insisted that no administration to date has shown that it was serious about dealing with corruption in Bahamian politics.
This week, he said he intends to seek leave from a judge to file Election Court petitions against Free National Movement Leader Dr Hubert Minnis and FNM Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner alleging that both parliamentarians are in violation of the Article 49 of the Constitution – a section with respect to conflict of interest.
Mrs Butler-Turner has denied his allegation and has said she intends to sue him for defamation. Dr Minnis said his lawyer is looking over Mr Gomez’s accusation.
“Where is the prime minister on these statements,” asked Mr Roker.
“A minister speaks on behalf of the government on every matter. Has this been discussed around the Cabinet table? Did (Mr Gomez) tell the prime minister this beforehand?”
In a move to clarify his comments he drew comparison to his time of service in two Pindling Cabinets.
He said: “Mr Pindling wouldn’t have remained silent on matters like this. You might not have agreed with his conclusion but he would have addressed it and resolved it.
“I never made any public statements before Mr Pindling knew it. As major as my anti-corruption speech was, (Mr Pindling) and other high-ranking PLP’s were made aware of my sentiments before I presented publicly.”
Mr Roker is the second former Cabinet minister to question Mr Gomez’s motivation in as many days.
Former Deputy Prime Minister Brent Symonette on Monday said he does not believe that Mr Gomez is whole-heartedly working on behalf of the Bahamian public with comments he has raised in recent weeks.
Mr Symonette said if Mr Gomez had issues with unaddressed corruption in government, he should resign from Cabinet.
Comments
asiseeit 9 years, 4 months ago
This is like asking the head of a mafia family to stop his gangsters from doing their illegal acts. These gangsters are GREEDY and their illicit behavior is unsustainable, it is killing our country. If this is not stopped in the next election cycle The Bahamas is done. That will be a legacy these politicians can be proud of, WE DESTROYED A THRIVING COUNTRY IN LESS THAN 50 YEARS!
TruthHurts 9 years, 4 months ago
Ain't that some sh*$!! I agree! However, I like the fact that these dogs have turned on each other so that all their garbage will come to the forefront. No more hearsay or assumptions..factual information in their dirty dealings, so we (Bahamian public) can hang them all with. BE GONE!
TruePeople 9 years, 4 months ago
It is obvious that the PM has no control over his party. Should we still consider him the leader of the country?
get your house in order
B_I_D___ 9 years, 4 months ago
He's certainly not my leader and I do not consider him or respect him as one.
The_Oracle 9 years, 4 months ago
If half of what they ALL done over the last 50 years comes out it will take 100 years to sort through it all and start prosecuting them all, and seizing the ill gotten assets!
Islandgirl 9 years, 4 months ago
Then the time to start is right now.
MonkeeDoo 9 years, 4 months ago
The ONLY way forward is a Commission of Inquiry and even then it is not foolproof. Rev. Drexel Gomez minority report in 1984 did not accept that SLOP did not know how money got into his bank account. Neither will Perry, Bernadette Steffan nor Adam know how money got into their accounts unless this was banked at HSBC in Beijing or Hong Kong. Unless the government can be overturned there is no hope of any Commission of Inquiry. If the DNA stay mobilized there is no hope of any Commission of Inquiry. Just on the off-chance that the government could be changed there is no point in naming and shaming people, they need to be prosecuted and have the proceeds confiscated.
Wideawake 9 years, 4 months ago
Corruption is nothing new; there have been accusations of corruption in government for over forty years! What's the sudden rush to deal with corruption? Everyone waiting on Justice Winder to make up his mind, and then announce his decision in the Supreme Court case between Baha Mar and The Bahamas government.
MonkeeDoo 9 years, 4 months ago
I think the corruption now is just so much in the Bahamian people's face that they want to get rid of it and see someone pay. That's my view. How greedy can you get taking 6 bloody shops ? And if Ospray is short 50 million dollars how much was the total pool and waterway contract worth. It is the obese greed of this corruption.
Wideawake 9 years, 4 months ago
Greed, like many vices, is insatiable...greedy people can NEVER get enough!
asiseeit 9 years, 4 months ago
I truly believe they are TRYING to destroy the country. What will they care, with all the money they have stolen they can move where ever they please. The only losers as ALWAYS are the Bahamian people. If any politician comes to me and says he/she is working for poor Bahamians i will slap their head right off, go tell your LIE'S to someone like Birdie who is to dumb to tell what is what.
Emac 9 years, 4 months ago
Yeah, but I truly believe that Birdie is eating off the fat of the land. Somehow, somewhere, this person is benefiting from this awful party, called the PLP. Further, even Blind Blake can see that Birdie's comments are written only to make the PLP look good and not to make any sense. As far as I am concerned, Birdie and the whole lot can rot in hell!
Wideawake 9 years, 4 months ago
PGC tackling corruption would be like cutting off the branch he is sitting on!!!
Sickened 9 years, 3 months ago
He's so senile he may just do it! Let's hope the he's sitting way, way up in the tree.
Wideawake 9 years, 3 months ago
What a big fall!
ObserverOfChaos 9 years, 4 months ago
Doesn't this smell like a similar situation of the sam PM's administration years ago, which ushered in another administration due to his inept handling of corruption charges? The stink of corruption follows this PM around like dog shit on his shoes.....and it aint' going away until he wipes it off for good....(which will never happen!)
MonkeeDoo 9 years, 4 months ago
asiseeit: Wherever they go can't the ICJ in the Hague dig them out ? Don't they deal with large scale theft ? You know they ain't going anywhere less cushy than here ! Like the Congo or Nigeria.
asiseeit 9 years, 4 months ago
The problem is they are all lawyers who have actually written the law of the land, they know/have put in ALL of the loopholes, so good luck with that. There will be a day of reckoning, the people are starting to understand how hard they have been ripped off. My only hope is this foolishness stops before it gets violent/out of hand.
countryfirst 9 years, 3 months ago
The PM can't stop corruption he is the main benefactor.
shortpants 9 years, 3 months ago
country first: If Mr Gomez don't start at the top PM ,AG,BD ,Shame, he only wasting time and money pissing around dancing to the tune which only Perry and Freddy hear inside their empty heads .This the game they always play ,THINKING because they may have been better educated ,we dumb and fool ,well they better think again because most of us whom didn't get to go are more intelligent and have visions .I don't know why all these talk show host with all these ideas just wasting time talking ,talking don't get up off the ass and help this country .The PASTORS ,or whatever they call themselves are useless than a penny with a hole .
Wideawake 9 years, 3 months ago
shortpants. Education does matter, but it is worthless without integrity, loyalty to family, friends and nation, honesty, compassion for those less fortunate than oneself, humility, vision, righteousness and a deep abiding respect for the Almighty!!
John 9 years, 3 months ago
A leopard may not be able to change his spots, but you have the power to control the leopard. So if you open the cage and let the leopard out then you should know what to expect. So don't cry when the rabbits and chickens and cookies go missing. Likewise if you jump in the cage with the leopard then you need not guess who's coming to dinner!
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