By KHRISNA VIRGIL
Tribune Staff Reporter
kvirgil@tribunemedia.net
OPPOSITION Leader Dr Hubert Minnis last night named Deputy Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis as the mastermind behind an alleged “set up” of former Free National Movement (FNM) Senator and Chairman Michael Pintard amid allegations of a murderous plot orchestrated by Canadian fashion mogul Peter Nygard.
Afterwards Prime Minister Perry Christie questioned whether one of two men named in court documents as being hired by Mr Nygard to allegedly commit crimes, made a threat on his life after leaving a meeting at Dr Minnis’ west New Providence home.
Mr Christie several times questioned what was discussed between Dr Minnis and Livingston “Toggie” Bullard during these meetings. He also chastised Dr Minnis for not calling the police when told of the allegations, adding that the Killarney MP allowed his chairman “to go and be set up”.
On Monday, Dr Minnis admitted to The Tribune that Mr Bullard, a self-professed “gang member”, asked to meet him to warn Mr Pintard he was about to be “set up” by members of government. He previously said he did not discuss Mr Nygard in those meetings but met with Mr Bullard twice more, when the criminal brought him fish.
Last night in Parliament, Dr Minnis referred to the Deputy Prime Minister, linking him to the alleged plan and read portions of sworn statements from Mr Bullard and Wisler “Bobo” Davilma. However these comments were not allowed into the record of the House.
He said after Mr Bullard came to his home and explained that “Davis and them planning on setting up your chairman”, he did not inform police, but instead called Mr Pintard and told him not to attend any meeting. He said Mr Pintard defied his request.
“Mr Bullard came by my residence, a constituent, and he said to me and I quote utilising his exact name, that ‘Davis and them planning on setting up your chairman Mr Pintard’. Mr Speaker, the words he said was ‘Davis and them planning on setting up your chairman’.
“I subsequently called my chairman and I said to the chairman that if you were planning on attending any meeting I would advise you not to attend because I have been informed that you are being set up.
“Mr Speaker the chairman attended a meeting. At such meeting the chairman was recorded.”
Dr Minnis referenced the men’s sworn statements to substantiate his points; however Fox Hill MP Fred Mitchell rose to have these comments withdrawn because he said the documents Dr Minnis referred to could not be relied on as truth.
Mr Mitchell also said it was fascinating to see the company Dr Minnis keeps.
The Prime Minister then stood to weigh in on the back and forth as seated MPs taunted and jeered the Opposition leader.
Mr Christie repeated that his life had been threatened by the men allegedly hired by Mr Nygard but warned that there should be no further discussion of the matter in the House of Assembly as it would cause the session to deteriorate into false allegations.
He said: “I have asserted in this House, in papers filed, my life was threatened. The member now acknowledges that the person was in his house talking to him. Am I now to assume what level of conversation they had of me? Did he (Mr Bullard) leave there and go and threaten my life? What was the meeting about?
“Toggie, Boogie however it is. I am just telling you how it could be. This member admitted to meeting these people and, Mr Speaker, that is why we must be very careful of this because it would deteriorate this debate into false allegations that demeans this House and the good honour of this House. We should not go down that road.”
Lie detector
Dr Minnis said he accepted responsibility for what was said to him, adding he had no problem speaking with police. He then shouted passionately to members seated on the opposite side that he was prepared to take a lie detector test, suggesting that this would determine whether he was truthful in his previous statement to the House.
Dr Minnis said: “I know what I heard and I know what conversation I had. If you are that concerned Prime Minister, I am prepared to take a lie detector test. Would you do it?”
Responding, Mr Christie said he would like Dr Minnis to take a test as to whether he rented his building to the Ministry of Health when he served as Health Minister in the previous Ingraham administration.
“It is not for me to subject myself to a lie detector test because I am not one of those who is subject to any investigation I think,” Mr Christie said. “You need to, because when you were faced with your chairman threatened to be set up you ought to have called the police.
“When I was faced with the reality that these allegations were made I called the Minister for National Security and said I would wish for the authorities to be involved. The immediate response was let the police investigate. You allowed your chairman to go and be set up.”
Dr Minnis then asked: “Mr Speaker, everyone to listen to me carefully, the Prime Minister said you allowed your chairman to be set up - are you admitting that my chairman was set up?”
Mr Christie then insisted that he was referring to Dr Minnis’ comments and that it appeared that some event would take place that was against the law. He repeated that the Killarney MP should have acted in a way consistent with what he did when he found out that there was a possibility that the law was broken.
“What you did in your home I presume you will be able to explain to police. If the police apprehend these people who were in your home, if they say what you say, then that’s it.”
Mr Christie added: “The point of the matter is I have no knowledge. The point is why did you allow your man to walk into that what you say was a trap?”
In an affidavit from US investigator John Joseph DiPaolo, filed in the Supreme Court on March 9, Mr Bullard and Mr Davilma accuse Mr Nygard of hiring them to commit crimes against members of the Save The Bays group.
Mr Pintard was named in court documents as being instrumental in uncovering the alleged Nygard conspiracy.
However, Mr Nygard has filed an affidavit and supporting statements alleging to show evidence that Mr Pintard and his billionaire neighbour Louis Bacon committed crimes while participating in a plan to implicate him in a murder plot.
Comments
TalRussell 8 years, 9 months ago
Comrade even I couldn't have invented the two main characters 'Toggie' & 'BoBo' even if I had tried, or the well-known ‘MO’ of Dr. Andre. I would have been accused being too ‘fishy’.
Comrades today we can sit back to await to read exactly how the Tribune will cover Dr. Andre's latest remarks that shouldn't leave any am·bi·gu·i·ty in minds reporters, nor Dr. Andre's, that Minnis's involvement with at least one of the individuals connected to the Nygardgate caper has placed Minnis - 'beyond Redemption?
-Comrade Dr. Andre, just likes first leader and father of the Red Shirts Cecil Wallace-Whitfield once said: “Free at last! Free at last! Thank God almighty we are free at last!” -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sb_g4jk…
TalRussell 8 years, 9 months ago
http://tribune242.com/users/photos/2016…
proudloudandfnm 8 years, 9 months ago
Get ready LBT!!! You will lead the FNM in 2017!!
Be ready!!
Economist 8 years, 9 months ago
Minnis you are bringing down the FNM. If you remain leader of the FNM, the PLP will win the next election.
TalRussell 8 years, 9 months ago
Comrades ain't going happen for Loretta.
The Dame residing in the big pink house up on Mount Fitzwilliam, done got's the name red shirt awaiting royal signature from Buckingham Palace, before going public.
Plus it seems Loretta has been having government issued car where to legally park issues to deal with?
Like I keep saying, why bother making this stuff up. This reality TV daily in we Bahamaland, and we don't even have pay one red penny to greedy Cable Bahamaland to watch it.
http://tribune242.com/users/photos/2016…
TalRussell 8 years, 9 months ago
Comrade so true but still it doesn't change the deteriorating perception many have of the red shirts.
TalRussell 8 years, 9 months ago
Comrade the Honourable Chairman "Big Bad Brad' referred to Dr. Andre as a 'loof."
proudloudandfnm 8 years, 9 months ago
Minnis is destroying the FNM.
He must be replaced.
LBT is the best bet, she is a hard worker and a genuine leader.
Minnis must step down. If he is the good man all of his supporters say he is then he will admit he is not the leader the party needs and he will step down.
If Minnis does not step down it means he is a selfish man out for his own selfish gains....
MonkeeDoo 8 years, 9 months ago
Tal: What happened to Columbus Statue in the picture of the Pink House on Mt. Fitzwilliam ? Did someone take it down ? Next thing you know they will break that damned dock out west down. !
TalRussell 8 years, 9 months ago
Comrade MankeeDoo I vote for turning that damn ex·trav·a·gance 'dock' of Izmirlian's, into a tourist attraction shrine, so visitors can pay to photograph, how not to blow $800 million of daddy's billions, and $2.5 billion of the Chinese bank's loot.
lionfish 8 years, 9 months ago
Minnis met Toogie- Boogie. Davis also met Toogie-Boogie. Maybe Christie should be afraid that Brave is the one who put the hit. Brave has more to gain..........just sayin'.
lionfish 8 years, 9 months ago
Mr Davis has acknowledged that he knew the criminals for several years;
Honestman 8 years, 9 months ago
Hubert Minnis is a walking, talking disaster for the FNM. The PLP should be hanging its head in shame over the party's relationship with Nygard and a strong leader of the opposition should be having a field day in the HOA. Instead, we have Minnis looking so incompetent it appears that HE is the one with more to answer!!! An FNM convention is needed NOW. There is too much at stake for the FNM to allow Minnis to continue destroying the party's credibility.
dahasamo 8 years, 9 months ago
Nygard is recorded disparaging the PM and plotting with thugs to do harm to Bahamians. How did all this dirt get swept under the rug and the focus now being put on the FNM? This reminds me of the Gish Gallop.
ThisIsOurs 8 years, 9 months ago
This government has been and is awful, there's more than enough evidence and historical context to support their awfulness.
But Hubert Minnis is a separate question. He is excellent at something, otherwise he would not be the success he is today. He may even be a good leader, but it's not showing because our times require someone who can think quickly on their feet and produce a strong response, and he doesn't have it. That's not a bad thing, it's just not right for the here and now. I don't think Mrs Butler is the person either. Duane Sands is the personality we need now, he is calm under pressure, he has had years of training for it and he produces excellent responses in the heat of the moment. Sometimes the person you need most comes in a package you least expected and you have to close your eyes and try the spirit. If you care about this country, Duane Sands, Jeff Lloyd, Rollins., Hubert Ingraham advising.
licks2 8 years, 8 months ago
I guess you don't know people like you think you do. . .one of those names you called is far worse as any snake the PLP can bring forth! The good Doc may not be the best speaker right now. . .BUT HE CAN BE TAUGHT TO DO SO. . .BUT TRAINNING A CROOK TO NOT BE SO CORRUPT IS ANOTHER STORY. . .BUT TRAINNING A CONDERSENDING BRAT TO BE A CARING PERSON IS A TASK OF MACK TRUCK PROPORTION. . .THEREIN LAYS THE GOOD DOC'S "RIGHT STUFF". . .HE IS COMES ACROSS AS "TRUE TRUE" TO MOST PEOPLE. . .AND HE CAN OUT-THINK ALL OF LBT THEM SEVEN WAYS TO SUNDAY. . .AND OVER TO MONDAY IF THEY ARE NOT LOOKING!! Now on the other hand, LBT comes across as "gimmicky" and condescending towards most of our people! I don't understand why some of you ask for a different kind on leader than we had in the past. . .YET AT THE SAME TIME INSISTING THAT HE/SHE REMAIN THE SAME AS THE ONES WE HAD IN THE PAST. . .MUST BE ABLE TO PUT ON A GOOD SHOW. . .NOT BRING REFORM. . .MAKE A TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE! IF WE WANT A PERFORMER. . .THEN KEEP THINGS AS THEY ARE. Lol!
thephoenix562 8 years, 9 months ago
Pintard allowed himself to be setup.They come to you refer them to the police and you report it yourself if only for police information.You lay down with dogs,you get up with fleas.Why you crying now?
sheeprunner12 8 years, 8 months ago
The sad reality is that these "honorable" men and women are deeply entwined with the criminals of this country ................ that is why our crime rates are so high and will not go away despite the best intentions of the few honest public servants
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