The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Chief Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement Leader Michael Pintard criticised Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis’ communication concerning explosive allegations of corruption involving law enforcement officers, saying his comments were “empty rhetoric” that did not point to significant action.

“We would have expected that, given the gravity of this situation, that the Prime Minister, the Minister of National Security, would have taken extraordinary measures to make sure that we have a transparent investigation into those matters,” he said  hours after a US federal indictment alleged criminal activity involving senior officers.

“The allegations are so damning that it demands that the prime minister comes to Parliament to explain what he has known and to take action in a manner that sends a clear message to the Bahamian people and the international community that he is serious about the protection of the reputation of our institutions.”

His criticisms of Mr Davis’s response came after he was prevented in the House of Assembly from speaking on a US indictment implicating several local law enforcement officers.

Citing House rules, House Speaker Patricia Deveaux denied his request during the morning sitting after claiming that he failed to make the request an hour before he wished to speak.

Mr Pintard held a press conference in the minority room of the House, which was disrupted by Coalition of Independents leader Lincoln Bain and his supporters, leading to a heated exchange.

Mr Bain criticised Mr Pintard, calling him a weak leader, while Mr Pintard accused him of being a charlatan who is “desperate for attention.”

Before the confrontation, Mr Pintard described the corruption allegations as damaging the country’s reputation and expressed disappointment in the government’s response.

He also questioned government’s plans to introduce new legislation to oversee law enforcement agencies and tackle corruption, noting that existing laws like the recently passed Ombudsman Bill and the Freedom of Information Act have not been fully utilised.

“The only thing missing is for the government to pay the money to make sure that the infrastructure, that is the IT system, is available,” he said. “So, having not used the various pieces of legislation already available to them, we don’t believe a thing he has to say about any new piece of legislation. That kind of rhetoric is too late.”

He said the government should update the Prevention of Bribery Act and amend the Public Service Commission regulations.

 He questioned whether the prime minister just learned about the US investigation into drug trafficking within The Bahamas.

“If he did not know,” he said, “that is even more damning that your partner, our partner to the north, does not trust you sufficiently that they are willing to tell you that persons very senior in our public service system is engaged in matters that can undermine the reputation of the country.”

Mr Pintard said Mr Davis’ claim that he spoke with US officials about the significant amount of drugs passing through the Bahamas is “absolutely astounding.”

He noted that the government recently passed a bill addressing the National Intelligence Agency and boasts about its extensive CCTV infrastructure, suggesting that the public should investigate how much the government pays annually for CCTV rental.

“We believe the overwhelming majority of Bahamian law enforcement agents are doing their job and doing so honestly,” he said. “However, many of their reputations are being sullied because, at the end of the day, we are not dealing with those elements that are not following the law. The Bahamian public will not reinvest its trust in law enforcement unless they see that we are serious about making sure that heads roll and that we clean up the system.”