The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

FOLLOWING the resignation of former Senator and Chairman Michael Pintard from both posts last week, the Free National Movement is in discussions to appoint FNM Women’s Association President Monique Gomez to fill the vacancy in the Senate, The Tribune was told.

This comes amid speculation that Ms Gomez and FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis were at odds over his decision to appoint Lanisha Rolle to the Senate last year.

Sources within the party have said there was also controversy within the FNM after the party gave Howard Johnson the nomination to run in the South Beach constituency despite Ms Gomez’s work in the area for several years.

“Dr Minnis has been in contact with her (Ms Gomez) but there has yet to be any confirmation of whether she will be his pick,” one FNM insider told The Tribune.

When asked about this, Dr Minnis declined comment.

Mr Pintard resigned last week Monday over concerns about his involvement in a lawsuit against Canadian fashion mogul Peter Nygard.

He announced his decision to tender his resignation from public office in a series of Facebook posts.

After holding both posts for less than two years, he maintained that his resignation was not an admission of guilt.

He said: “I fear no legal or ethical wrongdoing in my role in meetings when PLP/Nygard operatives made me aware of their past criminal acts and possible dastardly and unbelievable plot that posed a potential threat to the lives and reputation of citizens of this nation.

“I resign because I want our party not to be distracted in our effort to defeat an incompetent and unethical government. Thanks again and God bless you and all Bahamians.”

He has been mired in controversy since he was named in a lawsuit filed on March 9 against Mr Nygard and his lawyer Keod Smith by four Save The Bays (STB) directors - Joseph Darville, Romauld Ferreira, Fred Smith and Mr Bacon - and Reverend CB Moss.

The lawsuit alleges that Mr Nygard engaged in a murder-for-hire scheme with criminals Livingston “Toggie” Bullard and Wisler “Bobo” Davilma, and allegedly paid them to stage several hate rallies and commit such criminal acts as arson and harassment. It was revealed that the criminals were tracked down with the help of Mr Pintard.

Bullard and Davilma were compensated for their “evidence”; however, the men later claimed they were paid for “false testimony” and that Mr Pintard negotiated the payoff. When The Tribune asked Mr Pintard if he was compensated for his role in the lawsuit, he said he would address that in a later press release.

STB Director Fred Smith later confirmed that Mr Pintard had a professional relationship with his law firm Callenders & Co and has paid the former FNM chairman in the past for services in connection with campaigns for the Grand Bahama Human Rights Association and other civic issues. However, Mr Smith would not confirm whether Mr Pintard had been compensated in connection with the Nygard lawsuit.

Mr Pintard was appointed in June 2014 after John Bostwick’s Senate appointment was revoked because of a then pending ammunition possession trial.

Mr Pintard was elected chairman at the party’s convention in November 2014.