By LEANDRA ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
BISHOP Silbert Mills has condemned what he calls a “nasty attack” levelled against him after police reportedly searched his church in Abaco.
The local religious leader went live on social media shortly after reports circulated that his church had been searched by authorities for Hurricane Dorian supplies owned by the Disaster Reconstruction Authority.
A government official confirmed the reports to this newspaper yesterday, saying some items were seized from Bishop Mill’s church by police last week.
However, the official could not offer any additional details.
Addressing the reports on Facebook yesterday, Bishop Mills expressed disappointment over what had taken place and the rumours being circulated to taint his name.
Taking viewers on a tour of his church, Bishop Mills showed different supplies he claimed he either bought or received from NGOs post-Dorian.
He also revealed that some housing items, particularly mattresses, were also placed in his church for storage for church members and for the DRA.
“Now upstairs where they went and took these beds,” he said. “I am going upstairs now where someone who had no permission to go went and they went through and through this place and taking pictures. In our storage, we had I think there’s about a dozen or so beds that we got permission from the DRA to have here from the (former) managing director to help when we had the All Hands and Hearts who had no place to stay and they needed a place to stay so we provided accommodations for All Hands and Hearts with the permission and we have all of the information, where some have been through looking, deep looking into our church and taking photographs and don’t have the story behind it.
“This is so very nasty and vicious of the devil,” he said.
Bishop Mills said the unexpected search came after Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander visited him on Friday, allegedly inquiring about some kitchen cabinets.
“The kitchen equipment was stored here by order of the DRA and we stored them here for them and in fact what we should do is charge them storage. Now as far as this is concerned, these stuff that’s left here were donated to us by Bahamas Striping (Group of Companies)and so for someone to come in this church,” he added.
“That addresses every situation. We gave the police a copy of the messages that were in my phone from 2020, authorising us to store the kitchen equipment.”
The Abaco resident said his reputation spoke for itself, insisting he was no thief and that his conscience was clear.
“I have no fear. If the government thinks or someone from the police thinks that there was something inappropriate, bring the cuffs and take me up there and I will answer every question and provide every detail,” he said. “It is clear that the equipment that was here was held in storage for the DRA.”
Bishop Mills is the owner of the Bahamas Christian Network, a broadcasting station in Abaco that provides news for the island.
He is also the head pastor of Friendship Tabernacle Church, having served in that role for some 18 years.
Commissioner Fernander did not respond to a request for comment up to press time.
Comments
ThisIsOurs 1 year, 7 months ago
"we had I think there’s about a dozen or so beds that we got permission from the DRA to have here from the (former) managing director to help when we had the All Hands and Hearts who had no place to stay and they needed a place to stay so we provided accommodations"
They used supplies fir hurricane victims to house intl volunteers??? Im sure they did this with a good heart, its a misuse of donor funds. The volunteer operation should have brought in their own bedding and paid the church separately for use of the building they are not allowed to dig into supplies for victims. Who was in charge of the DRA authorizing all these weird transactions and receiving 16,000 dollar generators for "home" use?
Hoda 1 year, 7 months ago
You are definitely a paid agent.
ThisIsOurs 1 year, 7 months ago
correction "informed" paid agent.
NO donor will donate items thinking they might be used by the people offering assistance as opposed to the intended victims. in the world of charity organizations it is a faux pas and an abomination. If the team offering assistance needs housing that is budgeted separately and planned beforehand even if it means living in a tent.
Hoda 1 year, 7 months ago
Definitely a paid agent, talking about 19 1 inch thick prison mattresses on a wall. However, I'm sure if u or anyone feels you have been robbed and deprived of your cushion mattress the Bishop will give it you
ThisIsOurs 1 year, 7 months ago
lol. Ah Lord.
TalRussell 1 year, 7 months ago
'Who-the-ever' is truly 'a keeper stacked high quantity mattresses' that belongs to furthering' the good works of God ... Hears not words a poking' around religious premises policemen, whilst voicing suspicion ... Where's your 'Certificate of Possession's' little piece of paper? ... But still 'tis it not' better be left feeling a positive vs nasty attack when there 'was no possession generator' suspicion raised ― Yes?
ThisIsOurs 1 year, 7 months ago
The problem I see here is alot of people putting themselves forward as relief organizations have no idea what is and is not proper protocol. And clearly the past DRA management who authorized this and the 16,000 generator for "home use" doesnt know proper protocol either.
Hoda 1 year, 7 months ago
No the problem is you and your ilk are paid agents. We get it tho, the plp is on a blatant withhunt its payback season lol
Hoda 1 year, 7 months ago
I understand that its duplucitous to claim to be intelligent and informed yet using clearly biased social media gossip to justify maligning people behind an alias.
ThisIsOurs 1 year, 7 months ago
maligning??? Lawrence Rolle himself told the reporter that he would wear the clothes he got as donations for the poor. And in this story Silbert Mills tells the reporter he was given permission to use DRA mattresses bought for hurricane victims for humanitarian staff. I quoted them, Did you read the story?? I didnt imply they were corrupt, I said they clearly dont understand the conflict.
Lol this is laughably crazy. Ah Lord. Fadder give us strength
Hoda 1 year, 7 months ago
Post the International standard that says u must not give the volunteers a cushion to lay their head on
ThisIsOurs 1 year, 7 months ago
I truly hope no church or charity has you in charge of any donation campaign, this is common sense. but here you go
from good360
"Reminders of proper use of donated goods:
Your organization may use donated goods only as direct charitable donations to people in need. Your organization must not sell, trade, barter, or otherwise transfer any donated goods in exchange for money, property, or services. Prohibited transfers include listing the donated goods for sale or trade on websites, in stores, at flea markets, or in any similar manner. Your organization must not use donated goods for raffles, auctions, or any fundraising activity. Your organization must not accept anything of value (including voluntary donations) in exchange for the donated goods. Your organization must not give any donated goods to its volunteers, officers, directors, employees, or contractors for personal use.
Sickened 1 year, 7 months ago
Boy God seems to be shining a spotlight on Bishops recently. Their day of reckoning must be coming. I suggest they truly find God and follow his message instead of just speaking it.
ThisIsOurs 1 year, 7 months ago
For @hoda who should be banned worldwide from administration of any charity:
from good360
"Reminders of proper use of donated goods:
Your organization may use donated goods only as direct charitable donations to people in need. Your organization must not sell, trade, barter, or otherwise transfer any donated goods in exchange for money, property, or services. Prohibited transfers include listing the donated goods for sale or trade on websites, in stores, at flea markets, or in any similar manner. Your organization must not use donated goods for raffles, auctions, or any fundraising activity. Your organization must not accept anything of value (including voluntary donations) in exchange for the donated goods. Your organization must not give any donated goods to its volunteers, officers, directors, employees, or contractors for personal use.
Hoda 1 year, 7 months ago
Sir I ask for the internationally agreed document not one organization's rule. Again please post the universal document signed and agreed. Further this organization donates food it would make sense not to give the food to workers to eat. But that was real cute.
ThisIsOurs 1 year, 7 months ago
You have no clue. Ah Lord.
ThisIsOurs 1 year, 7 months ago
You are unqualified to work with ANY charity. It doesnt make one wit of difference what your product is, the purpose of a charity is to assist people in dire need. ALL charity organizations have this policy and if yours doesn't noone should be giving you anything. You shouldnt be giving clothes, bedding, food, money, sanitary pads, water ANYTHING you collect under the guise of "helping the less fortunate" to your staff or volunteers. If your donors want to assist you with administrative costs or release you from this standard protocol, they will explicitly tell you. They will says something like, here's an extra case of water for your staff or here's some fruit use it how you see best. It is not your place to decide how to willy nilly use donated items or pick through donated items deciding what looks good on you and is too good to give to the poor
ThisIsOurs 1 year, 7 months ago
The biggest fallout from Dorian is everybody think they could operate a charity and get big donor money but nobody wants to do the research to understand how to run these organizations in an accountable fashion, further noone should question what they do with what they got because they doing "good"
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