By PAUL G TURNQUEST
Tribune Chief Reporter
pturnquest@tribunemedia.net
DENYING charges of xenophobia and racism, Nassau Village MP Dion Smith said he would not be stepping down from his post as Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly. He said he felt he had the full support of the Prime Minister to remain in his post at this time.
Having been a tenant at Pilot House for more than eight years, Mr Smith said he has been told by “other persons in the building” that in fact members of the association, and not him, have directed “derogatory” and “racist” remarks towards other tenants and their children.
However, none of these encounters, Mr Smith said, were ever directed at himself, his wife, or their children.
“I personally cannot say that I, myself, have received some different treatment, but I am not a plaintiff in the matter. So what happened to me is neither here nor there. It is almost as if they injected this in there to seek to embarrass me and distract me. But I will not be distracted,” the MP said.
With his own family having developed the Pilot House complex, Mr Smith said that he had nothing to do with who would eventually end up owning units in the building as perhaps he was still in school at the time.
Reporter: “So at that time you did not know of their dislike for persons of a darker hue.”
Mr Smith: “At the time I didn’t know them. So I didn’t know anything about them.”
In court documents filed Tuesday, Mr Smith is accused of launching into a “tirade” at the building where he lives, tearing down notices, using racial slurs and leaving several fellow tenants fearing for their safety.
It is claimed Mr Smith directed obscene language at residents of the condominium and expressed “some demeaning views on white human beings and foreigners to the Bahamas,” according to documents filed with the Supreme Court.
Accusing The Tribune of “attacking him” in its pages by publishing evidence from those proceedings, Mr Smith deferred to his attorney Wayne Munroe as to whether or not he had any legal recourse against this newspaper.
This comment came in response to the first question asked at the press conference by the Deputy Director of the Bahamas Information Services (BIS), Elcott Coleby, who was accompanied by another Deputy Director of BIS and personal press agent for the Prime Minister, Latore Mackey. Yesterday’s press conference was arranged and hosted by a recently appointed employee to the Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation, Mr Ricardo Smith.
Dr Hubert Minnis, leader of the Official Opposition has already gone on record calling for Mr Smith to step down from his post as Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly in view of the allegations made against him. Dr Minnis said that until such time as the matter is resolved, it would be “unbecoming” of Mr Smith to remain in his position with such a “divisive” issue hanging over him.
However, Mr Smith in his defence, has flatly denied all allegations of racism claiming that he has no problem with foreigners or Caucasians as he is happily married to a “non-Bahamian” and his son’s godfather is also “Caucasian.” He also mentioned that Ryan Pinder, PLP MP for Elizabeth, a white Bahamian, is one of his best friends.
When asked if he felt he would have to face this matter when the House of Assembly reconvenes, Mr Smith said if he has to address Parliament on the matter he will do so.
“I don’t know how persons would want to continue to launch attacks at me when I am back in the House, but I realise that this is politics and this is the game people play without any objective views, people go around painting a picture of you. So I can’t say what I anticipate, but what I can say is that I have no fear because I deny all allegations and I feel as if I have done nothing wrong.”
As for his party leader’s support, Mr Smith said he didn’t think he was qualified to speak for Prime Minister Perry Christie – despite having met with him the previous day. He did add, however, that he felt he had Mr Christie’s full support at this time, but petitioned the media to ask the nation’s leader himself.
As to reports that he had put tenants at the complex in fear of their lives, Mr Smith said he was unaware of any such charges and encouraged those persons to identify themselves.
Interjecting at this point was Mr Smith’s attorney, Wayne Munroe, who said the Pilot House Association appears to be filled with persons who appear to be racists, who have made disparaging remarks about coloured Bahamian children, and have gone to the extent of locking the bathroom by the pool, and the gym in a concerted “campaign.”
Mr Munroe: “It is nothing less than that. When Mr Smith was locked in, he called me. I told him if someone was falsely imprisoning me the law permits me to knock them out, to get out. He exercised restraint, and quite frankly the Association of the Pilot House is facing a substantial lawsuit. I do not expect them to go quietly to pay Mr Smith and Mr Smith’s father and the other plaintiffs the money that they have for him.”
Mr Munroe said that a case management hearing is scheduled for December when a trial date will be set for the case to continue.
Comments
Mayaguana34 11 years, 7 months ago
Close your eyes - Imagine Dion Smith as a white man and read this again replacing white or caucasian with black or negro. I have black friends!!!! LOL!!! This is laughable though but certainly not cause for resignation.
TrecoH 11 years, 7 months ago
This looks like it will be a long and drawn out affair...then it would be forgotten. Wonder if the PM will come out with a public statement on the matter?
TalRussell 11 years, 7 months ago
Comrade Dion in my mind seriously avoided addressing the accusation, as to why the COP phone number was at his ready and what led to his making such an urgent request to the COP?, after having now been wildly reported by the mainstream media?
The Tribune is not claiming that their story was based on some wild gossip but taken directly from official court documents? This is common practice for the media to rely on details contained in filed court documents, not have ask someone for details.
"At that time, when I picked up the phone to call the police, MP Dion Smith made a comment to say that he knows Commissioner Greenslade and dialed the number on his phone and I heard him say “Commissioner Greenslade, this is Dion Smith, if you get this message, give me a call, it’s urgent!” and he hung up his phone."
I get the feeling from reading between the lines that PM Christie is not too happy with this right now? This story has all already shown enough long legs to send it marching towards the PM's office.
by TalRussell
bahalatin 11 years, 7 months ago
I think Greenslade has enough on his hands already, why does an MP have to call him just because the guard refuses to open the gate for him; he does have a key and can very easily walk out of the car and swipe the card and open the gate himself. The guard was told not to extend help to anybody on the list and let them enter by their own means ie, get your a$$ out of the car and open the gate, but I guess MPs have some higher social standing even when they haven't been paying for the services they expect.
John 11 years, 7 months ago
As the value of property in the Bahamas goes up so goes the number of Bahamians being displaced, uprooted and disenfranchised. Don Smith today only represents many Bahamians who were were forced out of gated communities and condos and even off" private islands' in the Bahamas. While Bahamians in New Providence and the Central and Southern Bahamas struggle to pay taxes and to survive, go visit the northern part of ABaco and the surrounding cays. People who live in these areas go shopping in the US and return home and pay no duties or taxes. They build homes and run entire estates without putting a dime (Bahamian 10 cent has two fishes) in the public treasury They live as though the Abacos are an extension of Florida so much so that Bahamian currency is as like a $4.00 note And when you speak out they call you racist or that xeno word, whatever it means...
BDN 11 years, 7 months ago
You state this point saying foreigners do not pay their dues. The first article claims that Dion Smith owed fees and had not paid them. If this claim is true, would this not mean that a Bahamian is not paying what he owes? I think we also have to remember that we have many different colour foreigners. I see in some of your posts from other articles about white foreigners. It seems that you are perpetuating the topic of racism as well. I have heard what you are talking about people who live in those areas going to the US to shop. Bahamians do the same thing... I bet when you go away you stuff your luggage with dirty laundry to hide what is beneath it.
concernedcitizen 11 years, 7 months ago
by foriegners J Brown means white people
concernedcitizen 11 years, 7 months ago
J Brown ,Don Smiths family owns the building and sold to those foriegners ,although you use the word foriegner to mean whitey ,geez lousie get a grip you xenophopic blowhard ,,bahamians are the same as the other 8 billion souls on earth ,some good some bad ,,next you,ll tell me we are the israelites ,you know hitler had a touch of xenophobia also ,,,,lmao
John 11 years, 7 months ago
As I have said before, foriegners come here with their prejudices and try to turn the cards on Bahamians to make them appear racists. Show me any post where I refer to 'white foreigners" in the context in which you refe, or any context, for that matter, and I will apologise o you in this forum and in Rawnson Square during the next opening of parliment. As for smuggling under dirty underwear when I travel, no thats a little too shoddy for me.
concernedcitizen 11 years, 7 months ago
dude you continually put down whole nationalitys ,does that make you feel special ???do you know every american and how they act ???they are 90%of our guest ,without them and the US embargo on cuba we would be eatin each other ,,but if it makes you feel better to think you are better than another 300million souls because of something you had nothing to do with ,ie ,where you were born have at it ,.,you try to get around it but your a racist and blame your lot in life on the white boogey man ,,aren,t you embarassed to say whitey has tricked us from time immortal and is still doing so ??
concernedcitizen 11 years, 7 months ago
ahh his family owns the building ,were the people racist when his family was taking that green money from them and selling them condos ,funny the people only became racist after he carried on l;ike an ass ,,could it be they don,t like him b/c he is an jerk that doesn,t pay his bills and not b/c he is a black man
getrightbahamas 11 years, 7 months ago
you are all so vain and lame. cant you see that the race card is being played and only for mileage. when a person doesnt pay a fee at a condo, you dont restrict him from access, you sue him. thats how it works in the free world. to have some security guard whose house is somewhere else tell you you cant access your pwn house with no court oeder, no police action and so on is insulting. He is human and humans react. i would have done the same if my condo assc tried to restrict because i didnt pay my fees after my lawyer had already sent them notice of action for lack of amenaties and service. Yall just calm yall hip down, this ga be long.
bahalatin 11 years, 7 months ago
read the whole article next time
The report said: “I told him I cannot because Pilot House Management Company gave me a list of condo numbers where assistance should not be extended to residence (sic), guests and service personnel entering the complex. All persons on the list should be left to enter using their gate cards and keys.
He got upset because he had to get out of the car to swipe his key. Plus he had a couple drinks apparently. Probably went on telling them all about their a$$ and how his family built the place.
concernedcitizen 11 years, 7 months ago
it has nothing to do with race ,Mr Smith brought up race ..if he had paid his bills w/ green money there would be no story ..when his family sold these owners that now make up the association there condos were they racist ??maybe the people don,t like living by a loud mouth ,name dropping ,anti foriegn ranting ,foriegn meaning white ,loud mouth bill ducker ..this is 2012 in a majority ruled country do you really think whity can stop a black fella who pays his bills from living anywhere .there are black people living in lyford cay ..its so tiring when a black fella plays the ass, and then trys to blame it on white people .that old shackles and chains rhetoric gets so old ,,anyone can achieve whatever they want in this country ,,quit blaming your lot in life on some old white boogey man ..
TalRussell 11 years, 7 months ago
No one is suggesting that the deputy Speaker is guilty of anything. With due respect to Comrade Barbara something "happened", not just media gossip, at the Pilot House security gate between the deputy Speaker and a security worker? Let's wait hear from others who it is being alleged were also present?
And. this is not denied by the Honorable Comrade Elected MP and deputy Speaker Dion, or his lawyer. The deputy Speaker's own press video leaves me to believe that they were not cordially just chatting about the weather?
Even his statement that he "seems" to have the support of his PM is too weak for anyone that knows that this time around, unlike 2002-2007, even those who worked their asses off to reelect PM Christie, not necessarily his MP's, are watching how quickly he puts his foot down.
The first failure to take swift action against his MP's was considered a mistake in judgment by the PM. Not the second chance at power. It will be that he simply lacks it. These are serious accusations and until resolved he must step down. If proven to be groundless the PM can then decide if it is prudent use his talents in some other way.
I would think even Comrade Dion would decide over the coming days to stand down for the time being?
I wonder how many natives are afforded the alleged privilege to have the Commissioner of Police's telephone number to dial when in trouble, to leave an "urgent" message to call him back right away?
Me is nosy. Did the COP return comrade Dion's call?
by TalRussell
bigdee 11 years, 7 months ago
its amazing how the this new paper acts when there is a misup about any member of plp when it comes to FNM this paper is silent we are second class citzens in our own country you ever wonder why condos homes out west and pi cost so much because the y dont want the average bahamain person liveing there i have blame the plp and fnm for this things needs to change we have to make things right in the bahamas for every bahamain black white red what eever color we are we needs to stands as one red shirts gone thank you jesues no they know what it is pay for a gallon of gas in their car and guess what lots of them are hurting but rember what goes around comes around
C_MonMan 11 years, 7 months ago
Wow!
concernedcitizen 11 years, 7 months ago
if you have green money you can live anywhere you want ,,name me one case of a person with the means being denied the right to live anywhere ..i know black people that live on PI ,eastern road ,lyford cay ,the deputy speaker appeared to act the a$$ in public ,,..no, people who make an average income can,t not afford to live in high end places ,duhhh ,,
242 11 years, 7 months ago
u need to o live cuba or N Korea then where ya cant become rich
pablojay 11 years, 6 months ago
The main thing that concerns me about this sad affair is that Mr. Smith said that the prime minister has complete confidence in him.We all know that the prime minister has never shown the guts to not have confidence in any of his MP's. Remember Shane Gibson,Perry Christie said that he did not have to resign ,but when things got too hot and Shane did resign( on his own) because Perry is afraid to pressure them, Perry said that it was the right thing to do. The Bee
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