The Tribune

By PAVEL BAILEY

Tribune Staff Reporter

pbailey@tribunemedia.net

LONG Island MP Adrian Gibson’s former fiancée told the Supreme Court yesterday that she took full responsibility for her actions as a business partner with him, while maintaining she entered an immunity agreement to tell the truth.

Alexandria Mackey gave the evidence under cross-examination by defence attorney Damian Gomez, KC, during the ongoing trial tied to Water and Sewerage Corporation contracts.

She agreed the charges she faced were serious and carried serious consequences. She also accepted that she was a target of the proceedings and that the seriousness of the allegations influenced her decision to pursue immunity.

Ms Mackey previously entered a plea agreement granting her immunity in exchange for her testimony against Gibson. She said she pursued the agreement after Tanya Demeritte was arrested and returned to The Bahamas, having learned she could be arrested.

She denied a defence lawyer’s suggestion that former Assistant Commissioner of Police Deleveaux threatened her with deportation or action against her parents.

“I knew I needed to tell the truth,” Ms Mackey said, adding that her immunity depended on telling the truth.

Mr Gomez suggested she made the deal to save herself. Ms Mackey said the threat of prison made it important for her to testify, but insisted her decision was based on telling the truth.

The defence challenged her account of corporate records, putting it to her that she was hiding documents relevant to the investigation and fabricating claims about providing documents to Mr Gibson. She denied those suggestions.

Ms Mackey said she told police certain documents were sent to Grand Bahama, though Mr Gomez described that claim as a recent fabrication. After reviewing her record of interview, she acknowledged she did not mention trust documents at that time and could not recall which interview she raised them in.

She said she and Gibson were shareholders in Elite Maintenance and Oak Bay Limited and maintained she told police who owned the companies. She said Tanya Demeritte was also a shareholder.

Ms Mackey agreed she retained attorney David Cash to represent her and Ms Demeritte and that he negotiated their plea arrangements. She also confirmed her mother paid the $10,000 fine required under Ms Demeritte’s agreement.

She accepted she did not register the beneficial owners of the companies and agreed she did not sign bank documents identifying herself as a beneficial owner.

She said Jerome Missick and Joan Knowles were listed as beneficial owners in bank records as part of a plan to keep the true owners undisclosed.

Ms Mackey said she received money from Oak Bay Limited but could not recall the amount.

She also said Gibson spoke with director nominees at the company’s inception to outline their roles, though the defence denied this. She said she discussed directorship with Ms Demeritte and agreed she never heard Gibson give instructions to Joan Knowles.

Ms Mackey acknowledged she and Gibson were in a relationship and said he told her what to do for the companies and that she complied. She agreed she filed company documents and made withdrawals for legal reasons.

Gibson, the former executive chairman of the Water and Sewerage Corporation, has been on trial since November 2023 alongside Donaldson Jr, a former general manager, Joan Knowles, Peaches Farquharson, and Jerome Missick over contracts awarded during his tenure.

Senior Justice Cheryl Grant Thompson is presiding.