The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

FREDDIE Solomon Ramsey has yet to file an appeal against his convictions on multiple bribery related charges stemming from the Alstom SA/Bahamas Electricity Corporation (BEC) scandal, The Tribune has learned.

Ramsey, who was spared imprisonment, had 21 days to lodge an appeal against his conviction and/or sentence since Justice Bernard Turner, on July 8, imposed a $14,000 fine on the 79-year-old insurance executive relating to French company Alstom SA’s payment of more than $300,000 to a BEC board member to influence the awarding of the New Providence Phase Two and Three contracts between 1999 and 2003.

No documents had been filed with the Court of Appeal up to yesterday concerning the matter, with a full a week remaining for Ramsey - who maintained his innocence during trial - to do so.

Ramsey was previously acquitted of two counts of conspiracy to commit bribery and two counts of bribery concerning the Phase Two contract. However, he was convicted of two counts of conspiracy to commit bribery and 12 counts of bribery concerning the Phase Three contract. The 18 charges against Ramsey - four of conspiracy to commit bribery and 14 of bribery - concerned the New Providence Expansion Phase Two and Three contracts.

It was alleged that Ramsey, being concerned with others, did conspire to “solicit, or accept any advantages and an inducement to, or reward for, or used influence in procuring” for ABB Generacion and Alstom SA in the New Providence Expansion Phase Two contract with BEC between 1999 and 2003.

It was further alleged that Ramsey, on seven occasions during the same period, solicited and received a total of $321,107.81 in bribes from Alstom SA, formerly ABB Generacion.

At Ramsey’s sentencing hearing two weeks ago, Justice Turner told Ramsey that he would have two months to pay the $14,000 fine or spend six months at the Department of Correctional Services.

The judge also said he saw no reason why he should not order the entire $221,457.81 Ramsey allegedly received from Alstom as a result of the scandal be repaid, which the judge said should be paid to BEC or any successor of BEC within nine months.

Failure to pay off the $221,457.81 within that time, Justice Turner said, would result in that sum being applied to Ramsey’s real property tax and/or him facing a separate term of six months’ imprisonment.

Justice Turner also said that sum should be paid to the country’s Consolidated Fund should BEC (now Bahamas Power and Light) no longer be considered a public body.