The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

The United States Department of State 2014 Investment Climate Report revealed the corrupt nature of doing business in the Bahamas and how acts of corporate malfeasance continue to go unchecked and unpunished.

This report was quickly rejected by government officials, including Foreign Affairs Minster Fred Mitchell and notably Cleola Hamilton, who gave an inspired, provocative and misinformed rant during her contribution in the House of Assembly.

This was in July of 2014 and we all remember Christie saying that he was puzzled by the report.

Just six months later, the Bahamas is at odds because court documents in a US district court revealed that a senior government official took bribes from a French company called Alstom, and this official who is called “Official X” ensured that Alstom won contracts from the Bahamas Electricity Corporation (BEC).

On December 22, 2014, Alstom agreed to pay fines in excess of 770 million dollars and pleaded guilty to its role in an international criminal ring where officials were bribed in order to secure lucrative contracts.

Now get this. In some of the countries where Alstom operated, officials have already been fired and indicted.

But in The Bahamas, one month to the date after this colossal fine, the word is that we are waiting for reports from the United States.

Do you really think that the Investment Climate Report was a lie? Even in the face of damming and irrefutable evidence, The Bahamas government seems to be dragging its feet to name ‘Official X’ and charge him/her, all at a further cost to our already tarnished international reputation.

If we are trying to become an upright nation, we cannot in good conscience sweep this major issue under the rug. But if we are a corrupt nation, then I guess it will be business as usual.

DEHAVILLAND MOSS

Nassau,

January 22, 2015.