The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

ATTORNEY General Allyson Maynard Gibson said yesterday that statements by parliamentarians about whether MICAL MP V Alfred Gray allegedly interfered in a court matter could affect the ongoing police investigation, adding that such public statements are highly improper.

Her comment came during a Senate sitting yesterday after FNM Chairman Michael Pintard spoke about the issue.

“People are assumed innocent until proven guilty and an arrest does not mean that somebody is guilty,” Mrs Maynard Gibson told The Tribune after the Senate’s morning session. “And this is not an arrest; this is an inquiry and so it is highly improper for, in the House of Parliament, there to be any discussion of this matter. He, Senator Pintard himself, would be very, very upset if anybody that he is aware of, including himself, was being questioned by the police and in Parliament the matter was being discussed. It’s clearly something that could possibly cause the entire investigation to be affected and to his credit Senator Pintard did not persist.”

The FNM has accused Mr Gray of abusing his power by contacting the Mayaguana island administrator, Zephaniah Newbold, last week to offer what he called “legal advice” regarding a young man convicted in his constituency.

The administrator was also the local magistrate presiding over the case. Shortly after that phone call, the FNM has alleged, Mr Newbold released the accused man, days after he had sentenced him to a three-month prison term.

Although Mr Gray has denied attempting to sway the course of justice, he has confirmed that he called the administrator to inform him that he had the option of releasing the man on bail because, he said, an appeal had been filed.

However, The Nassau Guardian has reported that Mr Newbold released the man after an “order came forth.” He was not released on bail.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Perry Christie told the House of Assembly that Mr Gray had asked to be relieved of his ministerial post of local government pending the outcome of a police investigation.

Acting Commissioner Anthony Ferguson told The Tribune yesterday that police have not yet questioned anyone about the matter.

“We were just given instructions to carry out investigations,” he said. “We have not yet started to (question anybody). I don’t want to say anything else on it, other than to say we have the investigation (before us).”

Mr Ferguson could not say how long the investigation might last. When asked if the teen in question, 19-year-old Jaquan Charlton, would be taken into police custody given that he was reportedly sentenced to prison by the island administrator before being released, Mr Ferguson said that decision would be made by the courts and not the police.

When asked to weigh in on the controversy, FNM Senator Carl Bethel said he feels as though the government is trying to suppress the Official Opposition from raising the issue in Parliament.

“What is unacceptable is the use of (a) parliamentary mechanism to frustrate legitimate comment by the opposition on matters of public importance in Parliament. That is unacceptable. That is not what a democratic society does. We will await the report of the findings of the Royal Bahamas Police Force.”

The portfolio of local government was transferred to Minister of Financial Services Hope Strachan on Wednesday. Mr Gray has retained his substantive post as minister of agriculture and marine resources.

However, the FNM has called for his full dismissal from Cabinet in view of the allegations against him.