Former DRA Managing Director Katherine Forbes-Smith.
By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Senior Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
FORMER Disaster Reconstruction Authority Managing Director Katherine Forbes-Smith said a claim on social media that she sold a generator intended for Hurricane Dorian victims for personal profit is a “bold-faced, malicious lie.”
Mrs Forbes-Smith recently filed a lawsuit against the government for alleged breach of contract. In a statement released yesterday, she said she has been attacked by “social media trolls” and is the victim of a “witch-hunt” which she thinks is designed to compel her to drop the legal action.
The generator claim was made on a social media site that is supportive of the Progressive Liberal Party.
Mrs Forbes-Smith said in a statement: “For more than a week, an army of political operatives and social media trolls have continued to publicly and relentlessly drag my name through the mud in connection with a matter that is currently before the courts. I believe this to be a conscious and coordinated witch-hunt, designed to intimidate me into abandoning the proceedings.
“This underhanded campaign has now culminated in a bold-faced, malicious lie.”
“It is claimed that while serving as the Managing Director of the Disaster Reconstruction Authority (DRA), I ‘stole’, and then sold for personal profit, a generator that had been donated to the government of The Bahamas as part of the Hurricane Dorian relief efforts.
“Out of respect for the judicial process I have been reluctant to break my silence in the face of these attacks. But enough is enough. I cannot and will not allow my name to be maligned with such a brazen and contemptible falsehood.”
Mrs Forbes-Smith said she acquired the generator for use at her private home in September 2019 and that the unit was personal property and not donated to the government’s disaster relief effort.
She said the acquisition of the generator was in the works before she became involved with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) as a volunteer and months before she was appointed head of the DRA.
“I acquired the unit before any generators donated to the government, through NEMA or otherwise, had arrived in Grand Bahama,” she said.
“At no time was the generator in question in the possession of NEMA or any other government agency, nor was it ever stored at a NEMA warehouse, as has been claimed. “Unfortunately, it turned out that the unit was not purpose-fit for residential use, so on the advice of my electrician, I contacted the Freeport power company to inquire if they were in need of such a generator. The response was affirmative and the company agreed to purchase the unit.
“I vehemently and categorically deny the allegation that I stole a generator from the government, or from anyone else. I likewise deny that I acquired a generator intended for the government’s disaster relief efforts by any other means.
“This false, unfounded, cowardly attack has caused direct harm to myself and my family. I have wrongfully been branded a criminal and my family’s private information, including banking details, has been illegally acquired and made public. No one should be subjected to this kind of abuse for seeking to have a matter decided by the judiciary, which is the protector of everyone’s rights under the law.
“I will not be intimidated. The matter in question will be decided in court based on the merits; it will not be derailed by fake news campaigns or cheap political stunts. In the meantime, I reserve all of my legal rights with regard to those who continue to damage my reputation by spreading false and destructive claims.”
Comments
birdiestrachan 2 years, 8 months ago
If what she is saying is TRUTH it should be easy to prove. she would have receipts of her purchase. the documents from customs
IF Ms: Smith is nothing else. She is a SNOB in her lipstick.
moncurcool 2 years, 8 months ago
The people who claim she sold government property need to prove that what she sold was government property.
Further, if that is so, why would a private entity buy stolen material from government?
You are innocent until proven guilty. But small minded people jump to conclusion without all the facts and say you guilty and have to prove yourself innocent. Sad.
sheeprunner12 2 years, 8 months ago
Why do we do this to the people who "volunteer" to take on these national leadership roles???
Do you think that the average Joe or Jane Doe will want to be in their shoes???
Now, if there is tomfoolery going on ......... it should be investigated.
But the frenzied media and the "hater" political groups make more drama out of these things than is truly necessary.
M0J0 2 years, 8 months ago
lol is all you can do, if she had proof I don't see how accusations should have her in a frenzy. Let the courts do their job or produce the evidence if not hush ya teeth ya stole and sold.
ohdrap4 2 years, 8 months ago
For 9000 per month, I csn volunteer too.
KapunkleUp 2 years, 8 months ago
Me too. One can only wonder what her qualifications are to justify such a salary package.
bahamianson 2 years, 8 months ago
" abuse and fake stories"' someone definitely listens to the American News. We don't talk like that over here.
TalRussell 2 years, 8 months ago
Indeed many anxious learn if there's more to dislike in de definition of whaat's Free, may be precisely why for more than a week, de pressure of an whole army of political operatives has gotten to opening of all kinds soars ain't rushin' heal a suing for half a million dollars former Managing Director Comrade Sister who when asked, not if she stole de generator but how she came to acquire de generator and whether she had a receipt for de acquired item...De Sister said, she had no further comment on the matter. Whaat?**
Can't just make this Cookie Jar kinds stuff up. Now, can we?― Yes?
OMG 2 years, 8 months ago
Having been a true unpaid volunteer for over 20 years raising thousands of dollars it was obvious that the asumption that anyone involved with cash or goods normally takes a cut. Having personally been accused of misapropriation of funds on a local forum without any proof whatsoever I can empathise with this lady .
ThisIsOurs 2 years, 8 months ago
I don't know about this generator deal... but the handling of the domes was pure incompetence. And thats the most generous tag that can be put on it. Why would anyone buy 200 domes for 6 million them complain that ~7000 was too hard to find to install them? It doesn't make any sense. And sounds EXACTLY like Oban. For some odd reason, Minnis shadow always seems to be around these incomprehensible million dollar deals
John 2 years, 8 months ago
When your government threatens to increase taxes or implement more aggressive ways to collect taxes while the country is still in pandemic and many haven’t even started to recover yet, then you read of all the wastage of public funds, mismanagement of public funds, t’ief in of public funds, sweetheart deals on the taxpayer dime. The Bahamas ain’t a real place.
bahamianson 2 years, 8 months ago
I totally agree, John. This place is ridiculous.
BMW 2 years, 8 months ago
Lets look at this in a common sense kinda way. She is supposedly a highly paid business lady correct? Now you would imagine that she would keep records, correct? Well my commonsense tells me something just aint adding up! #1. Just produce the documents showing purchase and importation of the said unit! #2 The sale of said unit to Freeport Power, there should be a paper trail with in Freeport Power, correct? Just common sense.
ohdrap4 2 years, 8 months ago
Well One time the question arose about a computer which I purchased and I was able to produce a 5 year old invoice from amazon as proof and the email from the freight forwarder to show payment of vat, etc...
I say this because nowadays it is not paperwork only. Those emails with invoices and receipts stay there forever.
Also those notification emails for your credit card can be useful to show you paid your bill.
TalRussell 2 years, 8 months ago
@ComradeBMW, In politics it's said common sense Is neither common nor sense. For example, when you're asked a straight, Sister, did you whilst still in your politically appointed position, not bother with getting a receipt for de item?...Why not be thankful that there's an whole online army was constricted out from de colony's popoulaces, who are out and about in search for such confirmation of a receipt. Reasonably correct, ― Yes?
John 2 years, 8 months ago
REad betwix the lines: She said she "AQUIRED" the generator. Said nothing about purchasing it. So maybe she does not want to disclose how she aquired said generator and from Whom. Not that it may involve dishonesty but it is something she may not want to disclose.
TalRussell 2 years, 8 months ago
@ComradeJohn, would you care enlighten what is an example of to obtain provenance data,― Yes?
John 2 years, 8 months ago
You seem already well familiar with this concept or strategy so maybe it is you shouldest enlighten we
John 2 years, 8 months ago
In the US, when they want to destroy a politician or some public figure, (males especially),they would usually accuse them of sexual misconduct, not necessarily crimes and line up the victims one after the other and the stories would be more salacious than believable and maybe that's what gets the public's attention and support even. There was one recent victim who claims her predator, a public figure who was in his 70's spent hours raping her. Hours? .
Here in this country the lean seems to be towards accusing a person of dishonesty and/or corruption. maybe because sweet hearting is more of a 'given" in political and public life, and, even to some degree in religious circles.
.
But the public is growing tired and intolerant of hearing of all these acts of malfeasance and no one is ever brought before the courts and successfully convicted and none of the stolen or mismanaged loot is never recovered, And the flip side of this coin is when innocent people have their names and even that of family members dragged viciously and unceremoniously through the mud. And their lifestyle is crippled, their public name is tarnished and nothing happens to the accuser(s)
moncurcool 2 years, 8 months ago
You are so correct.
the question I am asking is why didn't the anonymous accuser take the information to the police?
mandela 2 years, 8 months ago
If this accusation is true, this would mean Freeport power and light has committed a receiving act which is a crime.
John 2 years, 8 months ago
Trying to run a home on a 15 K generator. Either she has a very large home which she can afford off such a lucrative contract or she has shares in Focol and willing to light up several other homes in her neighborhood., just saying. Actually more than several.
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