FNM leader Hubert Minnis
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Should Deputy Prime Minister Philip 'Brave' Davis resign over the BAMSI fiasco?
- Yes
- No
301 total votes.
By KHRISNA VIRGIL
Tribune Staff Reporter
kvirgil@tribunemedia.net
THE Free National Movement yesterday demanded the immediate resignation of Minister of Works Philip “Brave” Davis after he “misled” Bahamians as the party revealed plans to request a nationally broadcast Public Accounts Committee hearing into matters related to the Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Science Institute.
If Mr Davis does not resign or is not fired by Prime Minister Perry Christie, the FNM threatened to march through the streets of New Providence in the name of democracy.
This comes in the aftermath of several revelations that suggest “malfeasance” during the contract awarding process of the $2.6m BAMSI dorm that was damaged by fire two months ago, party leader Dr Hubert Minnis said.
The matter led Mr Davis to make two conflicting statements in the House of Assembly. Mr Davis told Parliament on February 25 that contractor’s all-risk insurance had been engaged at the start of the project, but because of negligence by the contractor the policy had lapsed.
However, last Wednesday Mr Davis admitted that the building was never covered by insurance, a fact he said he did not learn until receiving the contractor’s file on March 2.
The contractor, Audley Hanna, president of Paradigm Construction, had only provided an insurance quote for coverage to the Ministry of Works.
The differences in the two statements, Dr Minnis said during a press conference at the party’s headquarters, warrants recourse.
“By High Parliamentary Convention,” Dr Minnis said, “there is only one recourse when a Cabinet minister misleads Parliament – he must resign.
“The FNM hereby demands the immediate resignation of Mr Philip Davis. Prime Minister Christie’s entire government and leadership are called into question if he does not.
“There can be no excuse-making. There can be no distorting of the issues.
“...This saga further reveals Prime Minister Christie’s weak leadership in allowing an inexcusable pattern of mis-statements and untrue comments on the part of the minister of works which warrant and demand his resignation from office, or his being fired.”
Dr Minnis said to mislead the House deliberately, or to come to the House and make a false statement knowingly or unknowingly is the same thing. He told party supporters that it was a fundamental breach of the standards of conduct and the duty of a Cabinet minister.
He insisted that his party was concerned about the way the Christie administration will allocate and spend the public’s money on BAMSI.
“BAMSI is projected to consume $100m of the public’s money. To date, the country is unclear on how much of this money has been spent and exactly what the balance will be spent on.
“Furthermore, Parliament has not had site of the business plan to get a sense of how the Bahamian people will recoup such a hefty investment in an initiative that competes with the very commercial and educational enterprises it vows to assist.”
The government now projects that it will cost $5.5m to reconstruct the damaged dorm, which will be reconfigured from single occupancy to double. Mr Hanna has said he is willing to rebuild the dorm without cost to the government if he is re-engaged.
Comments
birdiestrachan 9 years, 9 months ago
Minnis never wanted BAMSI to work. He has always been against it. and this fire has given him much fuel for fire. The man wants to be PM so bad, but he lacks vision. If he wants to march, then march. he does not have one single idea as to how to move this country forward. He only knows what is wrong. and every and any fool knows what is wrong. we need men and women with wisdom who know how to fix what is wrong . and that is not Minnis.
birdiestrachan 9 years, 9 months ago
Well I am happy you got that off your chest. But what I wrote is TRUE, Now you tell me ;any thing that the Dr. has said. or any vision he has displayed.. Mind,, you all Papa was just like that no VISION at all..
TalRussell 9 years, 9 months ago
Comrades I hope you caught Minister “Schultz” V. Alfred’s brief appearance this morning just before the 9 o'clock hour on the Carlton Smith Connected talk show, as he defended what has become an Andros’s BAMSI outgrowth of blunders, by the Honourable “Shultz” pushing his: "The no see, hear or speak nothing about BAMSI movement theory” If you didn't tune in live, please treat your listening pleasure to the show's online March 16, podcast which hopefully should be uploaded in a couple of days. Let's just say. I think the show’s host Carlton fell short by not giving his growing audience the listening pleasure satisfaction, they were so looking forward to enjoying this morning, by his giving the BAMSI minister, too much room dance around his otherwise excellent questions.
http://tribune242.com/users/photos/2015…
Emac 9 years, 9 months ago
It is PLP ass kissers like birdie who have helped to make the Bahamas what it is today, unlivable! Unfortunately, birdie kind comes a dime a dozen. This group would always find an excuse for the PLP, because of one or more of the following reasons: They are uneducated, uninformed, crooked, lazy or hooked on the same dam drugs that our so-called father of the nation allegedly allowed to flow throughout these islands.
Emac 9 years, 9 months ago
Oh and before general crazy comes crawling in with that PLP and FNM thing. The same can be said about anyone who does not see faults in their choice of government, especially when it is quite apparent.
birdiestrachan 9 years, 9 months ago
Shall we talk about visionary ideas from those who dream of being PM of the Bahamas. Say what you like Mr. Pindling had ideas. The college of the Bahamas, National Insurance, Free High School education. and the list goes on. Now " the vision continues the dreams go on" The University of the Bahamas. BAMSI is a good idea, but it has problems. There should have been insurance and a fool burned the building. The legalization of web shops, take a look at the FNM's who are working for the web shops. I hate to pay VAT. but as we all know there is a need for roads and hospitals. the Out Islands are in need of docks and roads. where is the money to come from? all you Smarty pants should know and say.
asiseeit 9 years, 9 months ago
Hey Birdie, you forget that your PM told us that VAT was needed to pay down the massive DEBT this nation owes. Your memory slipping hey? Now that VAT has gone through they are going to waste, mismanage, and steal it all and we, the people, will have nothing to show for it as always. You are so busy defending and making excuses for the gangsters to realize they are ripping you off. What a fool. I wish I was dumb enough to get raped and then say it felt good because of who was doing the raping. We are no longer in the 50's and 60's wake up and grow up! Idiot!
TalRussell 9 years, 9 months ago
Comrade Minister "Schultz" V. Alfred, this morning when answering a question put to him by talk show host Carlton Smith, about how was the 50 million dollars spent to date on BAMSI, with rapid fire shot back, all about how such were with mischief making claims, cuz to date the PLP cabinet had not spent anywhere near 50 million dollars and while they had planned on spending 50 million, that no where near that amount has been spent on BAMSI? In fact, the Minster said, that while the PM in the House had mentioned a 100 million figure, you cant just twist it to say 100 million done been spent on BAMSI. However, this same Minister of Agriculture "Shultz" V. Alfred is on record as far back as September 8, 2014, of previously dismissing doubts over the BAMSI project's future, claiming that the government "had invested nearly $50 million" into the project to date. "We have SPENT almost $50 million already and we have JUST begun...and so those who would like to see it fail, tell them keeping looking," stated V. Alfred. Tell the taxpayers what who are looking ever so closely at Bamsi, were you wrong on Sept 8, 2014, or was it only this morning on the Carlton Harris talk show? What else have you told taxpayers that you will back-peddle on, as more is revealed about BAMSI?
Truth is Minister, the taxpayers can't recollect you ever before the "no insurance fire," having referred media questions about BAMSI over to the DPM. Why are you now slowly involving the DPM?
licks2 9 years, 9 months ago
My my my. . .history is the mark of what is done!! Those were good ideas. . .BUT WHCIH ONE IS WORKING TODAY ON AN INTERNATIONAL STANDARD??
And what is so ground breaking about the institutions put in place by LOP? hELL, EVERY NATION AROUND US HAD THEM THINGS WAY BEFORE WE DID. . .EEN TAKE NO GENIUS TO COPY FROM YA FRIEND'S BOOK!!
duppyVAT 9 years, 9 months ago
In historical terms, HAI cannot ever be compared with the corrupt Cabinet abuses of Pindling and Perry. Can anyone remember the issues leading up to the 1992 election???
The reason why we are switching parties every 5 years says more about our wishful thinking for party favours rather than seeking to improve governance.
What has transpired since 2002 is directly related to our growing national debt ....... government fiscal mismanagement and corruption under old Ping-style politicians
WE NEED A NEW GENERATION OF STRONG POLITICAL LEADERS WITH INTEGRITY TO STEP UP TO SAVE THIS COUNTRY FROM IMPENDING SOCIAL/ECONOMIC IMPLOSION
onlyinthebahamas 9 years, 9 months ago
Please remind me what you mean by "scandal after scandal" under the FNM Government? I don't recall! I remember good things happening under the FNM, such as nice, new highways, new hospital wing, Nassau Airport, the final contract for Baha Mar, etc, etc. What does Perry Christie have to show, except failing projects during his tenure ??
onlyinthebahamas 9 years, 9 months ago
And now the PLP wants to implement NHI!!! Who the hell will pay for this? All of those that are hard working. It's not about given the poor people access to medial care, they already have it. Anyone can go to PMH for FREE, or maybe you pay $10.00 at the most. All medical care in the public ward is already free. The Government is now paying for it, but they want the workers to pay for it. You will be paying more taxes then, not only VAT. It also means that some people who pay for private insurance now, will not be able to afford that anymore and will move over to NHI, so you will have more people draining NHI, so after a while the workers will have to pay more again. You can also be assured that VAT will go to 10% or even more next year. Mark my word! When they see all this extra money coming in, they will have more to waste or stuff their pockets with. I doubt very much, that they will use it to pay against the debt. The VAT people advised the business to have a separate bank account for VAT. I hope the government will do the same, and open a VAT account and don't touch it, unless they pay off the debt with it. Otherwise we will just go into deeper and deeper debt. And then the ultimate will happen! The B$ will get devaluated!! Then you won't be able to afford anything anymore, except bread and water.
SP 9 years, 9 months ago
................................ When You Dig One Grave For Someone Dig Two ..................................
The country didn't lose 1 cent when Renward Wells signed the LOI and Brave Davis dogged the man and forced him from office.
Renward Wells should stand in the House and remind Davis of few things!
Brave Davis cost the country $M's and money is missing as well. He set a precedence that he himself MUST now follow.
Resign "sticky fingers" Davis.
duppyVAT 9 years, 9 months ago
I agree 100% with you SP ................. Brave should do the honorable thing
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