PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis yesterday. Photo: Moise Amisial
By KHRISNA RUSSELL
Tribune Chief Reporter
krussell@tribunemedia.net
PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis was adamant yesterday “that everything will be reckoned” regarding his recent controversial trip to Bermuda and admitted that a $24,750 cheque paid to the Public Treasury by the Progressive Liberal Party as reimbursement did not cover the total of bills for the event.
He also told The House of Assembly yesterday that he made a decision that the government will not pay for any aspect of the trip, despite going in his official capacity as Prime Minister.
His comments came after Free National Movement leader Michael Pintard said it was a breach of the law for the government to pay for a political trip, no matter if the Public Treasury was reimbursed.
On Tuesday, the PLP released a copy of a $24,750 cheque to the Public Treasury it said reflected payment from the organisation for the trip.
The FirstCaribbean International Bank cheque was dated October 21, 2022, the day after Mr Davis returned home.
As he wrapped up a brief interview with reporters yesterday, the prime minister was asked whether this money covered the trip’s full cost. He replied: “No.”
“Everything will be reckoned,” he said when asked whether the remaining cost had been settled.
This comes amid controversy and after calls from the official opposition for the government to be transparent and reveal the documentation that shows who paid for the October 19 trip.
Mr Davis left Bermuda on October 20.
During yesterday’s House of Assembly sitting, Mr Pintard raised the issue, questioning who gave authorisation for public funds to be used to pay for the flight and other things associated with the trip.
He called for heads to roll over the issue.
“Now here we are again on a trip to Bermuda, a country I love and used to spend a wonderful time there with my mom, absolutely love it,” he said.
“What is at odds here though, is that this administration is keen on commingling government business with party business and then we put public servants in an odd position because we have them making statements that are not at all accurate. So, the statement coming from the Office of the Prime Minister was at odds with the statement coming from the PLP chairman and the CEO of the Progressive Liberal Party, two statements. Both statements on the same subject, but at odds with each other.
“So, the public is unclear on several things. One, what was the objective of the trip? Two, who paid for the trip? So, the smoke is clearing a little and we can see the pattern of behaviour. The pattern of behaviour suggests that the Progressive Liberal Party-led government paid for a trip and was reimbursed by its party apparatus, that’s just what it appears to be at the surface.
“The question is, is that not a breach of the law? Sorry, let me not ask a question, it is a breach of the law to have a government pay for a political trip and to be reimbursed by a political organisation, it is a breach of the law.
“The question is will heads roll as a result of it? The question is who authorised the payment? Who authorised the Ministry of Finance to make payment for the trip? Was it the minister of finance? Was it the financial secretary? Who authorised the treasurer to cut the cheque? Under what circumstances can a public official pay for a private situation and then later on have some people say ‘Don’t bother man I got you’.
“Which law, which set of protocols permit this government to make that decision? We believe that the law has been broken.
“So again, the government has paid for a trip, we’ve seen nothing to the contrary. I have asked at least two days ago can the government lay the correspondence on the table of the House between either the Office of the Prime Minister, the Bermudian government or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Bermudian government so we can at least understand what the objective of the trip is.
“Secondly, can we lay on the table any invoices or payments made. This may be perfectly innocent, but we’d like to see what the figures are, and we’d like to see who’s paying.”
He also said: “No, based on the dates of things circulating it looks as though it was a reimbursement, and we understand clearly that the government when it is on official business the government of The Bahamas pays for the trips and it pays for those members of the delegation. If the party was paying for the trip then that should have been stated clearly from the beginning and maintained clearly throughout this discussion.”
When he responded in the House of Assembly, Mr Davis said based on Mr Pintard’s assertions he had not demonstrated a clear understanding of how the Westminster system works.
“When the prime minister travels, he travels as the prime minister of the country and the Office of the Prime Minister takes care of the holder of that office,” Mr Davis said.
“If the prime minister is travelling and the Office of the Prime Minister pays the bill the only thing that is left to do is to determine whoever goes with him — there will be a reckoning at some point in time. There will be a reckoning.”
Mr Davis said the trip has been in the works for several months after he travelled to Austin, Texas, to speak at a crypto conference.
While there, Mr Davis said he met Bermuda’s premier and a few members of Parliament. They extended an invitation to him for a visit in October around the time when the Progressive Labour Party was to have its convention. Mr Davis said he accepted the invitation.
Later, he said the office of the premier was in contact with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ensure that he would still come.
“I then said I would go. That’s what I said I will go and travel as prime minister. As it evolved the question was how would I get there and it turned out that for me to get to Bermuda going would spend one night in New York, coming back I would spend one night in New York.
“I decided that was inefficient for me. I would be out of the country too long.”
He said the initial estimates for the trip started at $150,000 and “then that’s when the trip started slipping out of my mind”.
However, Mr Davis said they were able to use a Bahamian airline, which agreed to do the trip at a reasonable cost.
“By this time this was like two days before the trip. I was thinking whether or not I was about to postpone the trip for another time, but since we were able to do that, that was how it evolved. I was going as the prime minister of the country.
“In the meantime, the premier also invited the PLP because the PLP of Bermuda was formed by the PLP of The Bahamas.
“Once they said they were coming as well I said well OK they could come, a 50-seater plane was being chartered and they came. I then said we will reckon, but by the time that had been done, I had already made the arrangements.”
“The day I was leaving I left instructions,” he went on, “that my senior policy advisor, because PLPs would be on the flight, to make sure we will pay for the charter at least and make arrangements when we get into Bermuda we will pay for the hotels, and we reckon and reimburse whenever we get all of the receipts. That’s what the decision was.
“At the end of the day the question is who paid for it? The government will not pay for it. In fact I have decided that they will not take care of whatever I went for. I will pay for it myself.”
Comments
Sickened 1 year, 6 months ago
For some reason Tribune no longer wants us to comment on soooo many stories. Only 1 of 8 stories to opened to comment - and none of them are court matters. What happened? PLP getting upset?
KapunkleUp 1 year, 6 months ago
I noticed that too. I guess they recon some stories are too controversial to comment on.
One 1 year, 6 months ago
Yes, I notice it too. They select what we can share opinions on and even remove comments they don't like.
LastManStanding 1 year, 6 months ago
I can understand disabling commenting on the legal matters, but it seems as if all but the headline stories are locked these days. They aren't the first to do this though, this is a regular occurrence with the CBC in particular. The effect is much more pronounced in this country though because there aren't many forums for discussing Bahamian issues in a semi-anonymous manner in the first place.
John 1 year, 6 months ago
The Tribune/Guardian is short staffed. They just had that big buss up. So maybe they don’t have no one to monitor and censor the blogs. Just scrolling down past those inserts ( that are supposed to be advertisements) is a horrible turnoff.
realfreethinker 1 year, 6 months ago
Leopard can't change it's stripes. Same old corrupt PLP.
KapunkleUp 1 year, 6 months ago
This speaks mountains. If the ruling party cannot even keep their own accounting in order, how are they going to manage the whole country?!
AnObserver 1 year, 6 months ago
Why did the govt foot the bill to begin with? If a manager at a private company paid for their kid's birthday party with company funds, and then offered to repay when everyone found out, they'd still be fired, and rightfully so. Why are these guys being allowed to get away with it? What they did was theft, pure and simple. Lock them up.
DonAnthony 1 year, 6 months ago
Amen. Same old corrupt PLP.
rosiepi 1 year, 6 months ago
This is nothing but rampant corruption, if the quote for the airfare alone was $150k and Davis in his capacity as the head of the PLP wrote a cheque for $24k what logical conclusion can be drawn? The only capacity Davis played was as the headliner speaker at the PLP leadership conference, where he urged them to enjoin it’s decision to sever ties with Britain. He promised the PLP that his gov’t would sanction an “honorary counsel” appointment to Bermuda, in other words another govt paid PLP operative. This is what representative government in the Bahamas looks like and it’s shameful.
bahamianson 1 year, 6 months ago
Tribune is getting like Yhe democratic news in the united states. Tell us all the information and let us decide, Tribune. You should not decide what your audience should see because it benefits you.
DDK 1 year, 6 months ago
The PMH HAS insufficient hospital beds, medicine and medical equipment for the The People of The Bahamas, the roads are full of put-holes and half of the government buildings are full of mold (LOL) but this blatantly corrupt excuse for a government can go joy riding off to Bermuda. They just happened to get catch. By the way, The FNM should remove the mote from their own eyes....,.,.
DDK 1 year, 6 months ago
Not to mention "Gov’t in near-$40m deficit for August"!!!! They just can't help themselves.....
birdiestrachan 1 year, 6 months ago
Comments are for some stories , if the FNM is at fault there will be no comments or so it seems
moncurcool 1 year, 6 months ago
Ignorance is not bliss
ThisIsOurs 1 year, 6 months ago
so the only stories open for comment is the one that puts Brave Davis in a bad light. Like when Nygard was open for comment but Adrian Gibson was not.
birdiestrachan 1 year, 6 months ago
None is so corrupt as the FNM remember Mr Pintard toggie and boggie OBAN give away of BTC , the gun man Barry Major , volience paying for a sour pussy cat to go on trips to call the Bahamas corrupt that is what he did with our money This same FNM Government wanted two tickets per year for their wives one hundred or 250 per day for their wives ,
And now they talk
Sickened 1 year, 6 months ago
Does that make this okay? That's your argument? Typical 6th grade mentality.
moncurcool 1 year, 6 months ago
It is so sad and shameful that you are blinded by loyalty to party as opposed to fidelity to country, that you cannot speak truth to power.
moncurcool 1 year, 6 months ago
Davis really think the Bahamians are all fool. He is traveling to a political party convention and trying to say he traveling in the capacity of the OM of the Bahamas? What then is the benefit to the Bahamas for the trip?
Sickened 1 year, 6 months ago
Ask Birdie. She seems fine with it. I guess she doesn't contribute much to the treasury so her thinking is... it ain't my money! Meanwhile, for the rest of us, we're thinking... they spending my money on WHAT!?
moncurcool 1 year, 6 months ago
LOL. Makes no sense to ask birdie anything. Typical University of wulff road graduate who cannot think beyond yellow.
But as you say, these guys just spending our money. Maybe it is time we really use the Westminster system, and like the UK just did, pressure the PM to resign.
TalRussell 1 year, 6 months ago
I'm just saying it tickles my stomach now a colony's popoulaces, awaits see how the premiership's press secretary/choir leader Comrade "Clintee", attempts to explain why showcasing the $24,750.00 cheque, was just mere downpayment towards the Bermudian travel bill of $88,888.888?
Is this shi%, even lawful if uttering a fake cheque?
Reminder of the uttering of that fake OBAN document and how that turned-out ― Yes?
LastManStanding 1 year, 6 months ago
Everyone and their potcake knew exactly what the PLP was when we voted them out in a landslide 5.5 years ago, yet Bahamians saw it fit to vote in the exact same people that they had just kicked out. Why is anyone surprised? More importantly, when will Bahamians give a third party a chance? Can't keep doing the same things over and over and expecting different results.
ThisIsOurs 1 year, 6 months ago
The FNM is apparently no better. Everybody and their cocker spaniel realize that in 2021 so decided not to vote for either of them. When the PLP said the carnival pay us 200,000 to facilitate their operation the FNM basically say ~what wrong with that? When they in is their turn and we then we in is ours
Godson 1 year, 6 months ago
What is the matter with us? Why can't we stop stealing?
DonAnthony 1 year, 6 months ago
Yes. This was a straight up attempt to steal from the Bahamian people. PLP should be ashamed of themselves. The sense of entitlement is reprehensible.
Godson 1 year, 6 months ago
You would think that it was sufficient, only yesterday, Adrian Gibson was brought before the court, for us to now learn.
Man, you'll make it a shameful enterprise and endearment to be known as a Bahamian.
You would think that the Prime Minister would have been keen TO prevent such a fiasco of thievery.
NEVER... under Mr. Hubert Ingraham.... NEVER!!!
John 1 year, 6 months ago
So had it not been for the hiccup in the PM and company’s flight schedule, this entire event would have gone on unreported by the media and without knowledge of the Bahamian people. The ole people use to say’. Don’t matter how much dark glasses and big clothes you put on, God will still find a way to strip you down and expose ya tail.’ And Brave Davis dem right back in the house today trying to lie and cover up more scandals and missteps surrounding the BPL fuel hedging saga. Like they ainn ger never learn .. until they five years run out.
Baha10 1 year, 6 months ago
Given recent back to back resignations by UK PMs in a matter of weeks following the same system of Government that we supposedly emulate … are resignations not in the cards … or will we simply continue to follow those aspects of governance that “we like”?!?
birdiestrachan 1 year, 6 months ago
Just pay the bills no need to come to this they can be expected to be watched very carefully I do believe that it is a good idea to do the right things and God will be on your side , the PLP looked good in Bermuda , there is no need to give the FNM folks high blood ulcers and reasons to talk fluff and loose sleep
themessenger 1 year, 6 months ago
Birdie, crawl back under your rock like the good little crab 🦀 you are. If the Bahamas was a First World country and if Davis & Co had even a shred of honor they would resign, in fact in a First Word country they would probably go to jail. Just goes to show how low our morals are and how corrupt and dysfunctional we truly are,SMT
sheeprunner12 1 year, 6 months ago
What does it take for a Bahamian PM to resign?
If we say that honour is the most prized characteristic in the Westminster system, what is worst than deliberately stealing from the Treasury and still not admitting to it, even when you are publicly exposed?
That is why the PLP will lose the next election and continue this dishonored fake system of democracy.
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