The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas National Citizenship Coalition protested over the weekend calling for Prime Minister Perry Christie and Elizabeth MP Ryan Pinder to quit politics, expressing concern that Mr Pinder could violate his “oath of Cabinet secrecy” in his new appointment in the private sector.

The protest demonstration was held in Mr Pinder’s constituency following the announcement that he will resign as financial services minister at the end of the month to fill a position with a private bank.

Rev Andrew Stewart, Chairman of the Bahamas National Citizenship Coalition (BNCC), told The Tribune yesterday that his group believes that the matter displays poor leadership by Mr Christie and represents a breach of the public’s trust in elected officials.

“We call for the Governor-General (Dame Marguerite) to fire her prime minister and we call for Ryan Pinder to relinquish his seat in the House of Assembly for bringing disgrace to the Bahamian people. . .after allowing himself to be hired by a private firm,” which Rev Stewart claims seeks “to get the benefit of the knowledge that he acquired while he was a minister of Cabinet in the same area that he has taken a job in.”

Rev Stewart has concerns about the oath of secrecy Mr Pinder took when he was sworn in as a Cabinet minister.

However, despite what Rev Stewart has claimed, there is no evidence to suggest that Mr Pinder has divulged government secrets or that the bank that hired him, Deltec Bank, did so to obtain the knowledge he acquired while a Cabinet minister.

Nonetheless, Rev Stewart was referring to the code of secrecy relating to Cabinet procedures which says that ministers must not divulge the content of discussions or opinions made by Cabinet ministers.

As it relates to ministers resigning from Cabinet, a document on the government’s website about Cabinet procedures states:

“If a minister resigns and, in stating the reasons for his resignation, wishes to refer to discussions in Cabinet, he must through the prime minister obtain the consent of the governor-general before doing so.

“The prime minister, in making his recommendation to the governor-general would have regard to the public interest and would not in any case advise disclosure of the views put forward by individual members of Cabinet or how a minister voted if the subject had been put to the vote. Although a minister cannot erase from his mind what went on in Cabinet, he should avoid taking personal advantage of knowledge acquired in Cabinet that is not public knowledge, whether this is during office or after relinquishing office.”

Rev Stewart added: “We believe what Mr Pinder has done is a breach of the governance of the Bahamas and the proper way in which things ought to take place in the Westminster system.

“Thirdly, we believe that it sends the appearance of being open to the highest bidder with the compliance of the prime minister and with his assent and support. We feel that when Ryan Pinder as a minister of financial services, mentioned that Deltec Bank was seeking his services, the prime minister should not have entertained that conversation and should have fired him on the spot to avoid the very appearance of evil.”

Although only a handful of protestors assembled on Friday to demonstrate against Mr Pinder’s departure from Cabinet, Rev Stewart said in his view the protest “got lots of support from the persons that were passing” by.

Mr Pinder could not be reached for comment yesterday.

His replacement has not been named. Last week, former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham said it is “unbelievable and unthinkable” that Mr Pinder, as a sitting Cabinet minister, would leave his position for a job in the private sector in an area that is a part of his ministerial portfolio.

Mr Christie, however, has brushed off concerns about a conflict of interest and emphasised that Mr Pinder received a “mind-blowing” offer that he could not refuse.