Gray in clash over Acklins regatta

Minister of Agriculture V Alfred Gray, right, held a press conference on the Acklins Regatta, which was interrupted by Acklins Trade and Development Association chairman BJ Moss, left, who criticised the minister. Photos: Tim Clarke/Tribune Staff

As of Friday, June 12, 2015

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

WHAT was expected to be a routine press conference about dates for the coming Acklins regatta turned chaotic yesterday when members of the Acklins Trade and Development Association interrupted the event to criticise Minister V Alfred Gray’s decision on who will spearhead the regatta.

The dispute occurred at a press conference at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Marine Resources’ headquarters on East Bay Street.

Moments before ATDA Chairman BJ Moss began to shout his disapproval of Mr Gray’s decision, the MICAL MP read his prepared statements then rushed out of the press conference without answering many questions from the press, saying he had a radio show appearance.

Amid concern that the regatta would be cancelled because of a dispute, Mr Gray revealed that the government would allocate its usual $35,000 to the festival, which is scheduled to take place between July 31 and August 3.

What proved controversial, however, was Mr Gray’s decision to recognise a group, headed by Dilworth Gibson, nephew of the late “King” Eric Gibson, as the official regatta committee rather than the committee established by the ATDA, which has spearheaded Acklins’ regattas for the past 37 years.

Mr Gibson was chosen by the ATDA to serve as commodore of the Acklins regatta last year. However, when the association declined to re-appoint him this year, citing past problems with his performance, he formed a new committee which has since fought the ATDA for the responsibility to host the event.

Negotiators attempted to get the two factions to reach a compromise by forming one committee. However, Mr Gibson’s group reportedly refused to join forces with the ATDA.

“…Several weeks ago, two committees presented to the ministry calling themselves the Acklins Regatta Committee,” Mr Gray said yesterday. “On Wednesday, June 10, 2015, I tried personally, by holding a meeting with Mr Enos Johnson and Mr Dilworth Gibson, to further encourage them to work together; this last effort did not meet with any more success than the efforts before.

“As minister with responsibility for regattas, I have made a decision for the good of the people in the Acklins community…That I will use the committee with whom I worked last year, headed by Mr Dilworth Gibson as commodore. It is my hope that Mr Gibson and Mr Johnson can still work together for the success of this regatta.”

Mr Johnson was selected this year as the ATDA’s choice for regatta commodore.

Members of the ATDA have accused Mr Gray of “meddling” and “playing politics” in the matter, claiming he wishes to appoint someone he believes to be a member of the PLP. Acklins regattas have always come under the portfolio of the ATDA, they say, noting that the minister doesn’t appoint committees to oversee regattas in other islands where precedent usually determines who oversees such events.

Mr Moss, the ATDA chairman, ran as the FNM candidate for Nassau Village constituency in 2012.

Nonetheless, as proof of his desire not to been seen as operating with political motivations, Mr Gray said he distanced himself from the matter by appointing his Permanent Secretary Rena Glinton and a regatta consultant Rev Dr Philip McPhee as negotiators responsible for leading the two sides to a resolution.

This was disputed by the ATDA, which insisted that throughout the controversy Mr Gray was the main point of contact for both parties.

When The Tribune asked Mrs Glinton for details on the nature of the dispute between the two factions, she replied: “I don’t know.”

TalRussell 8 years, 10 months ago

Comrades thanks be Tribune for bringing us readers da V. Alfred's humour column.

thomas 8 years, 10 months ago

We will be stripped of all we have and all that we are.

duppyVAT 8 years, 10 months ago

Chickens are coming home to roost ............. Gray has ridden the backs of MICAL people too long ........... how can sensible people in Inagua, Mayaguana and Crooked Island support this jackass of a human being?????????

Gray is cut out of the same mould as Pindling, Brave, Fweddy, BJ, Glenys and Perry etc who live high off the hog while their constituents grovel in the mud of ignorance, poverty and hopelessness

Well_mudda_take_sic 8 years, 10 months ago

This man Gray has made a laughing stock of all those who voted for him in the last general election. He has betrayed the fair minded hard working honest people of the southern most Bahamas islands and has done little in many years to uplift their standard and quality of living. Decent paying jobs in these southern most islands are nowhere to be found thanks in large part to this imbecile Gray who only thinks about feathering his own nest. Hopefully he is sent the message he deserves in the next general election. The moral turpitude of this disgraceful man has no boundaries. What a corrupt soul and loser this man is by every definition!!!

Emac 8 years, 10 months ago

These MICAL idiots who voted this junglist in only getting what they deserve. Dey too like trade dey votes fer ham and turkey. They keep voting this man in even after he keep turning around and betraying them. Like they say, if ya see a donkey ya ride it. The MICAL crew are the donkeys!

duppyVAT 8 years, 10 months ago

I am sure that Inagua, Mayaguana and Crooked Island people are not happy with this moron who loves to pontificate about how much he loves them ................... he is far worse than J Russell Ford who sent all of the Inagua TI peeps home ............ They should not allow him to hold another meeting in their communities for the rest of this term.

SP 8 years, 10 months ago

....... "There is an old saying in China -- 'Evil Actions Bring Evil Onto Ourselves',".......

V. Alfred Gray has PLENTY skeletons hidden in MICAL ready to come out and point fingers at him starting with his connections to illegal Dominican fishermen operations from his constituency under his protection.

What say you Alfred?

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by SP

SP 8 years, 10 months ago

... Example Of What A REAL Government Does To Protect Fisheries Territorial Waters ...

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NOT cut secret under the table partnership deals to the detriment of the country!

What say you Alfred?

ThisIsOurs 8 years, 10 months ago

He chose to work with the committee he worked with last year...what a travesty. What happened to the committee who pulled this event off for the past 30 years? This man is so dishonest...he really needs to be kicked out of the House. In my best fake British accent "have you no decency sir?"

ThisIsOurs 8 years, 10 months ago

Wait a second, doesn't the festival commission have jurisdiction here? What is Gray doing butting in again. Thee AG really needs to take that case forward, he can't help himself

duppyVAT 8 years, 10 months ago

Someone in the Tribune needs to go to Acklins and investigate the palace that V Alfred Gray is building up there with government labour and resources ............... but he was so quick to holla about the 52 weeks program under the FNM............................he is a dutty lying teefin crook.