DEPUTY Prime Minister and Minister of Works Desmond Bannister, pictured, has accused the Progressive Liberal Party of launching a “misleading and defamatory” attack on him in an attempt to distract the Bahamian people.
He said he will not respond to the “scurrilous allegations”, adding he is tempted to reveal the “tens of millions” in corrupt contracts he alleged were issued by the PLP.
His statement on Friday was issued after allegations surfaced on social media last week regarding contracts issued by the Ministry of Works and a controversy involving contracts at the Water and Sewerage Corporation.
“The PLP has once again shown itself to be a vicious, nasty and desperate organisation,” Mr Bannister said on Friday. “This week in their failing attempts to distract the Bahamian people from their record of incompetence in office, they launched a misleading and defamatory attack on me and on honest, hardworking Bahamians.
“Whilst I am tempted to respond and to disclose the tens of millions in corrupt contracts that were issued by the failed PLP administration and their shady and unscrupulous dealings, I am guided by the high ideals and principled approach that the Bahamian people expect from me.
“I will not dignify the PLP’s deceitful attacks by responding to their scurrilous allegations and permitting them to distract me from the campaign. On September 16, the Bahamian people will see the last of the corrupt PLP.”
Yesterday, PLP leader Philip “Brave” Davis pushed back at Mr Bannister’s assertions, saying “serious allegations of corruption continue to engulf this FNM administration in its dying days in government.”
He accused the Minnis administration of remaining silent in the face of these allegations. He again called on the police and the attorney general to launch investigations into the allegations immediately.
“With each serious allegation of corruption, members of the government have adopted the same tactic,” Mr Davis said. “First, a deafening silence. Then, after days of outcry by members of the public and the media, they issue statements condemning the PLP.
“They don’t dispute the facts. They don’t deny the wrongdoing. They merely blame the PLP when the media and public are asking simple questions.
“This would be pathetic if these allegations weren’t so serious.
“. . .Once again, I call on the attorney general and the commissioner of police both to uphold their statutory duties and instruct the Anti-Corruption Unit at the Royal Bahamas Police Force to launch investigations into these scandals immediately. This unit exists specifically to investigate allegations such as these.
“. . .The Bahamian people deserve to know the truth of what this FNM government has been hiding,” Mr Davis said.
Comments
tell_it_like_it_is 2 years, 7 months ago
Tit for tat, butter for fat. You kill my dog, I kill your cat. It never ends SMH 🤦♂️ While the country perishes!!
ThisIsOurs 2 years, 7 months ago
I am not a black Bahamian! Those are scurrilous allegations and anyone who says otherwise Im suing for libel! or is it defamation? I already have my defence. Ill have Fred Smith take black paint to court to prove Im not black and Ill have him argue that the constitution is null and void, hence Im actually a British citizen. There.
Our poor country, we cant get it out the grips of these men who just salivating to get their hands on our land and our treasury. Samuel prophesied about them over 2000 years ago.
"7And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them."
Notice that the voice of the people is NOT the voice of God. People can chose a leader God does not want. He allows them the choice and the consequences
This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots. 12And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots. 13And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. 14And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the BEST of them, and GIVE THEM TO HIS SERVANTS. 15And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to HIS officers, and to his servants. 16And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to HIS work. 17He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be HIS servants. 18And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day."
scary. een nuttin change
TalRussell 2 years, 7 months ago
Once again, speaks to September 16's thirst to maintain their grip on governance power, — whilst disrespectfully wearing the RedParty's election campaigns bright decorative red colour, — blinded by the singular objective to distract away from all things leading to unanswered SEWAGE RELATIONSHIPS questions, — And doing so, — heartlessly. — Whilst Funerals Homes are becoming overwhelmed deaded bodies - and they're not being a cold refrigerated, — Yes?
birdiestrachan 2 years, 7 months ago
Banister is having a hell of a time fooling himself..if had he had any evidence of corrupt PLP contracts. He and doc would have exposed all of them. Remember Ms Osboure Banister.
Clean and of high ideals. Banister and the doc do not even know what that is.
whogothere 2 years, 7 months ago
"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men, even when they exercise influence and not authority, still more when you superadd the tendency or the certainty of corruption by authority."
1887, John Dalberg-Acton, Member of Parliament
TalRussell 2 years, 7 months ago
Shirley Street's Tribune is doing their Hail Red loyalty salute to go quiet in the closing days of the 2021 election — by avoiding negative coverage of the SEWAGE's Adrian Gibson aka Tribune columnist, — Yes?
TigerB 2 years, 7 months ago
Did anyone saw today's Punch headlines?
WETHEPEOPLE 2 years, 7 months ago
Bahamians do not be fooled. Bannister is a crook! He dosent want to address the alegations because he knows there is not one word of truth that would come out of his mouth. It is you Bannister who has mislead the people, so save your whataboutism for someone shallow enough to not see whats going on. Come september 16th, have your bags packed sir.
TalRussell 2 years, 7 months ago
Hear me out, whilst I may have misgivings over the works ministry — I have seen zero make drift away from the straightness the works minister.— Yes, to his being politically petty-mined — but I've seen zero which would alter his being detached from other reds amongst the House-elected, politically appointed and influencers in and around a government are smelling of the odor rotten stinks of corruption. — Yes?
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