By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
PRESS Secretary Anthony Newbold said it “serves nobody” when Cabinet ministers contradict themselves publicly as National Security Minister Marvin Dames and Attorney General Carl Bethel have done over the Royal Bahamas Defence Force’s response to the Byron Ferguson plane crash.
Long-time political observers said Mr Bethel’s criticism of the RBDF last week was extraordinary, and Mr Dames’ rebuttal yesterday was also highly unusual.
The statements came days after Commodore Tellis Bethel admitted that the RBDF’s own communication in the matter was lacking. Mr Bethel had argued that the RBDF was not sensitised to accident disaster recovery.
Yesterday, Mr Newbold was asked how Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis feels about Mr Dames and Mr Bethel contradicting themselves in public.
“Well, obviously that serves nobody,” he said.
“The prime minister has promised that he will have a full review of what has happened with respect to that plane crash.
“We know there are two investigations ongoing now. Once those reports have been completed, they will be reviewed and recommendations, decisions made as to what happened. Lots of talk in the public and media about that plane crash and the way it has been handled.
“The prime minister has spoken to the family. I have spoken to the family. You know the person in question, (is) the son of a former colleague of ours, Agnes Ferguson, so everybody wants the family to have some closure and the family is going to wait for those investigations to be completed, they will be reviewed and everything that’s happened will be addressed but some comments were made (by public officials). (I have) no comments on those.”
Asked if Dr Minnis wanted Cabinet ministers to withhold comments until the completion of the investigation, Mr Newbold said: “All the conversations going on about this investigation and crash, they won’t serve anybody to continue talking about them until those investigations are done and reviews completed.”
Comments
Well_mudda_take_sic 6 years, 1 month ago
Minnis ain't gat no tongue! LMAO
joeblow 6 years, 1 month ago
Actually , it serves the public, because it means someone lyin' and they didn't have time to get their 'story' together!
Gabor 6 years, 1 month ago
Precisely. Every time they part their lips it is to cram in another foot.
bogart 6 years, 1 month ago
The issue should be fully analysed....wid all evidence......then...blame over dis horriffic accident.....corrective measures ....taken after.....true.......many challenges now ...will appear......one should not sideline others...........after decades of the RBDF mission seems to be purely Defence of the Islandss from invaders.......evdn after decade of drone use elsewhere is there some effort to utilize dis technology for surveillamce an defemce....even after decades of inability to defend against invasive destructive tieffing poachers have there been efforts to coordinate seek support from Cuban authority to help apprehend slick poachers.....even after decafes of minor Penalty charges for poachers........ now jus increased to larger deterring penalties...even after devades of apprehending illegal migrant boats at sea an da Defemce Force dragging den back to Nassau an then semdkng deem back in other direction..is there common sense of charging them at closest island and from dere sending them back.......
sheeprunner12 6 years, 1 month ago
This Cabinet situation will unravel just like Trump's Cabinet ........... but we have no checks and balances like the USA Congress ......... One man rule here ............... Screwed until 2022.
DDK 6 years, 1 month ago
Then screwed again............
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