FORMER State Minister for Legal Affairs Damian Gomez.
By AVA TURNQUEST
Tribune Chief Reporter
aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
SEEKING to avoid an “unnecessary situation,” State Minister for Legal Affairs Damian Gomez yesterday softened his self-imposed deadline for filing proposed Election Court petitions to declare the Long Island and Killarney seats vacant due to conflict of interest.
Despite his declaration last week that the petitions would be filed by today, Mr Gomez told The Tribune that he is still in discussions with an informal and bipartisan group to possibly circumvent the bid and its costly ramifications. However, he said, he was still prepared to file if there was no compliance from opposition MPs Dr Hubert Minnis and Loretta Butler-Turner.
“We’re trying to avoid a situation that’s unnecessary,” he said.
“I’m prepared to do it if it comes to that, but I’m hoping that it won’t. This isn’t me actually picking on anybody, it’s trying to get everyone to sign onto minimum standards of behaviour that improves the image of parliamentarians.”
Mr Gomez has claimed that Dr Minnis and Mrs Butler-Turner are in contravention of the Constitution’s conflict of interest rules because they allegedly did not formally declare in Parliament their ties to companies that held government contracts.
Yesterday, he said: “We need to go further than we have in making the system transparent and it’s that objective that is more important than the short-sighted political rhetoric of finger-pointing.”
“I’ve been in discussions with different persons in respect to the process going forward in terms of transparency. I’m trying to get bipartisan support for a universal principle that if you hold public office you ought to be transparent in your dealings.”
Dr Minnis has maintained that he disclosed the Public Hospitals Authority contract held by his company in Cabinet, when he was health minister. FNM Senator Carl Bethel has said Dr Minnis also disclosed the matter in the House of Assembly. Mrs Butler-Turner has denied that she has any shares in any company that has a contract with the government, and announced intentions to sue Mr Gomez over the claims.
Mr Gomez said he understood the opposition leader’s position but that did not mean that his efforts were sufficient under law, adding that he has not spoken to Mrs Butler-Turner since she threatened legal action.
He acknowledged that the country would be forced into two costly bye-elections less than two years from a general election, if his petitions were successful.
“That’s the misfortune of it,” he said, “I’d prefer them to just comply with the Article 49 of the Constitution. I don’t want it to seem that I’m trying to get them out, just for them to do what the law requires.”
As for the informal grouping, Mr Gomez said it was comprised of a “couple parliamentarians” seeking to take the discussion on transparency deeper than an isolated incidence.
“It’s about process,” he said, “it’s about defining what is misconduct. It’s with me and persons interested in transparency. There are a couple parliamentarians who are involved in it.
“People who have reputations that they value, who don’t want to be connected with dishonest behaviour and it’s in the interest of all honest people to have other people behave honestly. So the discussion is one of trying to persuade people that this is the way to go.”
He added: “What we’re discussing is important, but it’s important that discussion take place than it being seen to be fighting what should really be accepted by all.
“This notion that this is a political issue is really false,” he added.
Last Thursday, the Central and South Eleuthera MP told The Tribune that he was still gathering information on new allegations against the opposition MPs to be included with the mounting evidence he plans to present.
At the time, he underscored that this proposed legal battle, which was a personal decision and is being carried out by his attorneys, had nothing to do with the Christie administration or the Ministry of Legal Affairs.
Comments
DillyTree 9 years, 2 months ago
Gomez is an idiot. If he were really interested in dealing with "conflict of interest" and corruption in government, he doesn't have far too look and could do well starting with his own party.
Zakary 9 years, 2 months ago
Mr. Gomez, if you want to fight corruption, then please apply the same rigorous standards to your own party, after all, they happen to be the government and the decision makers, so it is their conflicts of interest that can and are bringing the country into disrepute.
What you say is good but fantasy man, I’m sorry, not happening. This is politics in its rawest form, to play the paragon of truth, but render justice selectively. Partisan politics is where it’s at and from their position they view corruption in their ranks as eating bread or drinking water.
His reputation is at risk though, some people already see him as a hypocrite. I thought the trick was to attack both sides simultaneously to give an air of neutrality, and then pounce when the electorate is distracted with legal fireworks.
As for me, I can’t even begin to take his anti-corruption image seriously because he’s still in Cabinet. He set his deadline though, so the opposition looks like they’ll have to get ready for some legal jangling. You can almost smell the vitriol in air. What a country we have.
Edit: Just read the article again and it's interesting that "he softened his self-imposed deadline", that's just asking for media annihilation...
MonkeeDoo 9 years, 2 months ago
Well said Ikalikl: Bring Christie and the Maynard-Gibson to justice and you will be a true Bahamian hero. Let them go and you are just a clanging cymbal.
TalRussell 9 years, 2 months ago
Comrades, this PLP cabinet, has be the biggest suckers for punishment and disappointments cuz why else would they keep setting deadlines. they either cannot meet or never had any intentions to meet.
Don't they understand how much they are fast heading to become the 2017 General's laughing stock of political candidates?
Why even bother make this stuff up - when we have our own Comrade Minister Damian to write he own Bahamaland Live's satire.
Sickened 9 years, 2 months ago
"United Nations - Perez Molina, 64, became the first Guatemalan president to step down when he submitted his resignation at midnight after a judge issued an order to detain him on charges of fraud, illicit association and receiving bribe money."
"Otto Perez Molina went from president to prisoner on Thursday after his resignation was accepted by the nation’s Congress.
The 64-year-old former general stepped down after an arrest warrant was issued against him late Wednesday in connection with his alleged role in a corruption scandal that saw officials take kickbacks for reducing import taxes for companies."
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/worl…
PM Christie must be a little bit worried now.
Zakary 9 years, 2 months ago
“This notion that this is a political issue is really false,” he added.
Says the man who’s not only a sitting member in parliament but also a Cabinet Minister in the government’s entourage preparing for legal action against select opposition members. That’s the epitome of politics buddy, I’m no fool.
At the time, he underscored that this proposed legal battle, which was a personal decision and is being carried out by his attorneys, had nothing to do with the Christie administration or the Ministry of Legal Affairs.
If this is truly a personal decision, then why are you still a Cabinet Minister? And if it had nothing to do with the Christie administration then I think we’d better call it the Gomez administration, cause he sounds like the real boss. The headline should say “Government ‘In Discussions’ as self-imposed deadline nears.”
proudloudandfnm 9 years, 2 months ago
Typical PLP.....
God, thank you for giving me the good sense not to be a PLP.....
MonkeeDoo 9 years, 2 months ago
I don't know if Gomez reads this "news behind the news" but if he does he should look into what involvement Steffan P. Christie had with CCA in acquiring the Hilton and getting the Government Approvals for the development. Don't ask Steffan, ask the bloody Chinese who they paid and how much. Whatever permissions they got should be rescinded forthwith and they should be made to get them without any insider help. Steffan Christie should forfeit any profits that he got ( if any ) because he should not have been involved.
Baha10 9 years, 2 months ago
Alas, even the glimmer of hope fades away. Very disappointing. Only one thing left to do, Resign … oh, sorry, that word does not exist in "we" Bahamas Dictionary, most likely on account of our D- average, far too hard to understand! March on Bahamaland, march on … , oh, sorry again, where did everyone go?!?
a2z 9 years, 1 month ago
On the floor... LOL They all went to work on the next 'project'.
sheeprunner12 9 years, 2 months ago
He has succeeded in making himself a FOOL amongst Bahamian politicians ....... and that is hard to do .................... Is he blind to what is happening on the Cabinet side of his party????
a2z 9 years, 1 month ago
All the build up was for nothing. Posturing. That's what these men do. And the people remain ignorant and suck it all up as gospel. He even get his daddy to pave the way for y'all good Christian people to listen to him. Silly, silly people.
Emac 9 years, 1 month ago
No one who joins the PLP party could ever fool me. From the get go, I always say anyone who want to be a part of these gangsters 'looking fer sumtin'.
cmiller 9 years, 1 month ago
I got fooled for awhile because I was soooo glad that SOMEBODY was willing to go out on a limb and REVEAL corruption!! Sadly, this little sorrowful guy only wants to go after the two top FNM posts. HOW DISAPPOINTING!!!! SHAME ON YOU DAMIEN AND YOUR FATHER FOR THIS BUILD UP OF HOPE!!!!!!!
ThisIsOurs 9 years, 1 month ago
SEEKING to avoid an “unnecessary situation,” State Minister for Legal Affairs Damian Gomez yesterday softened his self-imposed deadline
What a disgrace, completely disappointed
MonkeeDoo 9 years, 1 month ago
He is turning his sights now on AMG and Adam Christie at Baha Mar as well as Steffan Perry Christie and CCA and the Pointe now. Once PGC and AMG are locked up Obie will become PM and he will appoint Damien to be AG. Baha Mar will now be able to tell it like it is, as to who got what contracts, and AMG is already exposed. This place will be so clean by Christmas the people could eat their Turkey right off the street.
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