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Davis: I had doubts over BAMSI insurer

Deputy Prime Minister Philip Davis

Deputy Prime Minister Philip Davis

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

WORKS Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said yesterday he had doubts about the insurer of the Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Science Institute’s fire damaged dormitory.

This comes after concerns over the insurance company were raised by FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis, who claimed on Sunday that the insurer named by the building’s contractor does “not exist.”

However, Mr Davis said he would speak more on the issue of the dormitory’s insurance once he gathered more information. He said he was hopeful that he would be able to release a comprehensive statement today.

On Sunday, Dr Minnis told The Tribune that Southern Alliance, the company in question, is not in fact a registered company in the Bahamas.

“The deputy prime minister had said the insurance had lapsed, insured by Southern Alliance,” Dr Minnis said. “We have checked Southern Alliance and that is not a registered company in the Bahamas and therefore there has to be some explanation to the Bahamian people as to what exactly is going on.”

When contacted about these claims, contractor Audley Hanna of Paradigm Construction would not respond to questions.

Mr Hanna had said that he thought the dorm was insured by Southern Alliance at the time of the fire.

Initial investigations by The Tribune revealed that Southern Alliance is not presently registered to do business in the Bahamas by the Insurance Commission of The Bahamas (ICB). Sources at the ICB suggested to this newspaper that if the company was in fact responsible for insuring the BAMSI dormitory it would have had to be done without the commission knowing.

Last week in the House of Assembly Mr Davis admitted that the dorm was not insured. He said it was due to negligence on the part of the contractor.

Mr Davis explained at the time of the fire, the contractor failed to pay the annual insurance premium that covered the structure.

The fire broke out on January 15. Dave Dion Moxey, 50, aka “Davo” of Fresh Creek, Andros, was charged on February 16 with arson, accused of setting fire to the dormitory.

Comments

DonAnthony 9 years, 9 months ago

Can anyone save us from these incompetent buffoons? Mr. Davis is in charge of a massive ministry, overseeing the largest public works project in the Bahamas and they are not even aware that an insurance policy has lapsed at a nonexistent company? Someone needs to be fired and perhaps charged with a crime. We can not afford much more of this absolute incompetency!

DonAnthony 9 years, 9 months ago

Papa's time is done, in fact he should have never come back for his last term, just like Mr. Christie. Old tired ideas, with the same incompetency. We desperately need a younger leader with true vision and competency to lead this country forward, a complete break with the past. Only problem is I am not sure that person exists in either party right now.

B_I_D___ 9 years, 9 months ago

Southern Alliance...AKA DPM Davis back pocket!!

GrassRoot 9 years, 9 months ago

pushing around hot air. It does not matter whether Southern Alliance is registered to do business, question is whether (I) there was a policy, and (ii) if the policy covers this situation. And EVEN IF it is covered, whether Southern Alliance is able to perform. Not rocket science. Legally it is clear. The guy that burnt down the place is responsible as he created the damage. I take he cant pay. So onus is back on the owner of the property, i.e. the government. I wonder why the government has not taken out umbrella coverage. If they really rely on contractors' polcies, I would not set foot on any government property during construction ever again.

B_I_D___ 9 years, 9 months ago

WAIT WAIT WAIT!! I think I've got it!! Contractor was a Hanna...is he any relation to the A.G.? I seem to recall her name, amongst a slew of others that are on the board of directors of one of the numbers houses. Perhaps this 'Southern Alliance' is yet another entity/spinoff from one of the numbers houses, let's say she was on the board of FML(not too sure)...wonder if Southern Alliance is affiliated with FML...not quite a 'legal' entity, so they never registered the company...something for our crack team of investigative journalists to enquire about!!

TalRussell 9 years, 9 months ago

I am unable, not to beg the question of the honorable DPM: Is he aware whilst there are different kinds of fallacies that have been made by many a PLP crown minister, that this is the most illogical explain-it-away since the defense offered over the questionable Stellar Waste's 650 million dollars Letter of Intent (LOI)? But then again, they both came right out the mouth of the same DPM?
So, my Comrades, there you have it.
Let me be the first to say it. The intent of the Andros insurance policy, was always intended to be about as "non-binding" as permanent-secretary Renard has always claimed his 650 million LOI to be about?
Amen for the DPM, if it means, he is calling-out for the honourable V. Alfred, to stop hiding behind da Andros bushes?
Come-out V. Alfred and face the music like a real man minister - not passing the blame onto the DPM!

http://tribune242.com/users/photos/2015…

SP 9 years, 9 months ago

............... NOBODY Can Dodge, Bob, Shuck And Weave Like Brave Davis ..................

Gatta love Brave Davis........This guy is the worst of the best......A Freedom Of Information Act will come one day before or after the death of Phillip Brave Davis.

He or his offspring will have a heavy load to carry for a VERY, VERY LONG TIME!

duppyVAT 9 years, 9 months ago

Brave is a crook ............ what else do you expect from him?????? Now he training another one (Forbes). This is a real sad corrupt situation going on with Public Works/UR2.0. We will look back at Neko and Frank and call them saints as compared to this crew.

ThisIsOurs 9 years, 9 months ago

Nobody thought it was odd that no insurer appeared on the property to start an investigation by Day-2?

ohdrap4 9 years, 9 months ago

in this day of color copiers and scanners, anyone could makeup an insurance policy, and have a seal made and attach a stamp.

isn't there a famous movie line " i am my own police".

"I am my own insurer"

realfreethinker 9 years, 9 months ago

Brave is a bold face liar. how could he get up in the house and definitively say that the building was insure at the time of the contract singing, and now say that it looks like the company does not exist. what evidence he had to say yes it was insured. Corrupt to the core. My grammy always say a liar ia a theif and a theif is a murderer. Now I understand what she meant.

ohdrap4 9 years, 9 months ago

And, lest we forget, he is unaware where the village road potholes are.

B_I_D___ 9 years, 9 months ago

He doesn't travel that far east...too close to the prison, makes him nervous!!

SP 9 years, 9 months ago

........................ LOL ........

Hogfish 9 years, 9 months ago

i warned yoll time and time again about 'sticky-finger' davis.

we in deep deep shit if he ever becomes pm.

duppyVAT 9 years, 9 months ago

Hogfish ................ he will not become PM..... even PLPs wont allow that to happen. And if he does.............. we wont last very long

Hogfish 9 years, 9 months ago

i can only hope and pray you are right

SP 9 years, 9 months ago

.................. "Sticky-Fingers" Davis Cannot Operate In A Vacuum! ...................

The hierarchy of the PLP and FNM are just as "sticky-fingers" as Davis!

happyfly 9 years, 9 months ago

the point everyone is missing is that the General Contractor is completely liable for the damage. The usual CONTRACTORS ALL RISK is imposed on a contractor to avoid them having financial crisis in exactly this kind of circumstances. If he has failed to insure himself, then he has to pay out of his own pocket.

No doubt the contractors partners are PEP's which will lead to a whole other reality these days

SP 9 years, 9 months ago

If we had a REAL Attorney General.....Brave Davis would have been in a similar position...

http://news.yahoo.com/holder-declines-p…

asiseeit 9 years, 9 months ago

If you had doubt's and did nothing, you sir where negligent in you duty to the Bahamian people. Also very interesting the sip, sip that the contractor was your election general. Can you say CRONY or conflict of interest. Just from these two points you should resign.

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