The Tribune

By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Staff Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement Leader Dr Hubert Minnis yesterday pledged the party’s full support for a probe into recent claims that a government official was bribed to secure a contract at the Bahamas Electricity Corporation.

Dr Minnis and Phenton Neymour, former minister of state for environment, both expressed support for an investigation into allegations that French energy company Alstom (formerly ABB) paid more than $300,000 to a government official to secure the purchase of a slow diesel generator for the electricity company in 2000.

Dr Minnis said the party would never condone corrupt behaviour, and that it was the government’s responsibility to fully investigate the allegations.

“The FNM was built on a foundation,” Dr Minnis said, “of transparency, honesty, integrity. We urge the Christie government to pursue this matter to the end. The public wants to know who was involved in any form of corrupt practices.”

He said: “Now that this information has been released via the (Tribune) and the court system, they have a responsibility to the Bahamian people to pursue the matter to the end.”

Dr Minnis added: “They would have our 100 per cent support in pursuing this matter. We do not condone corruption.”

The events, that allegedly took place between 1999 and 2001 during the Ingraham administration’s second term in office, were revealed in a $722m plea agreement between Alstom and the US Justice Department.

Dr Minnis and Mr Neymour did not become elected officials until 2007; however both men said the matter was never discussed at the Cabinet level during their respective tenures.

Mr Neymour said: “My position is, as an FNM, the law is the law. I know nothing about it, but the point is at the end of the day, as the minister (of state for environment) none of that came to our attention at that particular time or during my time there.”

He said: “Nor do I feel that anybody at BEC knew anything about it.”

Mr Neymour dismissed PLP Chairman Bradley Robert’s claim that the generator purchased from Alstom was problematic, adding that all of the generators at the Clifton Pier site were problematic at some point.

Mr Roberts, current PLP chairman and former minister of works with responsibility for BEC, raised concerns about the Alstom contract while in office in 2003.

Mr Neymour said: “That is irrelevant to the discussion, the only thing that is relevant is if this really happened, because it doesn’t fall in line with our (FNM) organisation.

He added: “So we’re just as interested as everybody else.”