Official Opposition Leader Philip 'Brave' Davis.
By KHRISNA VIRGIL
Tribune Staff Reporter
kvirgil@tribunemedia.net
DEPUTY Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis yesterday insisted that “the truth always trumps a good story” in relation to his alleged connections to Livingston “Toggie” Bullard and Wisler “Bobo” Davilma, two men allegedly hired by Peter Nygard to carry out crimes.
Speaking in the House of Assembly last night, Mr Davis admitted that he associates with many young men who have had run-ins with the law.
Prime Minister Perry Christie afterwards weighed in on the situation, saying while there are no laws in the country to govern how much money can be given to political campaigns, he would never jeopardise his integrity for $5m.
He was referring to a secret recording of Mr Nygard, filed in court, where he says he gave the Progressive Liberal Party $5m to fund its campaign only to be met with “fake promises” from the prime minister.
Mr Christie also dedicated a portion of his communication to speak of Free National Movement Leader Dr Hubert Minnis, claiming that he was the one who first told the Killarney MP that several FNMs would be seeking an audience with the governor general to have him removed as opposition leader. Mr Christie went on to joke, however, that he could give Dr Minnis some of his supporters from Mason’s Addition, who would gladly back him at public meetings for “$30 a piece”.
Meanwhile, Mr Davis did not go into detail about his alleged connections with Mr Davilma and Mr Bullard, except to say that he has assured the Royal Bahamas Police Force that he would not discuss the controversial matter.
He said until the contents of several conflicting accounts disclosed in sworn affidavits have been tested, everyone should have an open mind.
He branded the ongoing situation as “political mischief” aimed at destabilising the governing Progressive Liberal Party.
“Mr Speaker, nobody should be surprised that I have associations with many young men with the central purpose of getting them to understand that anti-social behaviour and lives of criminality are harmful to them, their families and their communities,” Mr Davis said. “In my discussions with many young men it is almost invariably suggested that men released from prison without some intervening socialisation is a disservice to their person and to our society as many as they say demons continue to exist in their heads. An adjustment to freedom is a journey with many challenges and temptations to them.”
He continued: “They argue that any realistic assessment that challenges and confronts released prisoners who have no institutional support to assist in their adjustment to society could help in our own understanding of why these men become repeat offenders and often with violent consequences and high recidivism rates.
“There are many similarities among despondent young men. Many have brushes with the law and many had previous convictions ranging from serious to misdemeanors. Many are unemployed and claim to be unable to find work primarily because of their criminal history and many feel abandoned, neglected (and) valueless. They are all clearly suffering.”
Mr Davis said he would remain tight-lipped on the allegations that have been in the public domain since the story broke, honouring his promise of silence to authorities.
“I say though until such times that these conflicting accounts have been tested our minds should remain open. Keeping an open mind is a difficult thing particularly if it is not profitable to kill a good story with truth.
“Some misguided soul once said that a good story always trumps the truth or otherwise don’t kill a good story with the truth. That’s misguided I say because in the end the truth always trumps a good story,” Mr Davis said.
As he wrapped up the mid-year budget debate, Mr Christie spoke on the economy and boasted of his administration’s work this term.
He also made several jokes directed at Dr Minnis, suggesting that he was in desperate need of supporters.
“That’s why the leader of the opposition should be careful when he talks to me because I can take away his constituency from him, the people who nationally support him. He must be very careful,” Mr Christie said.
“I try to be fair to him. I even told him when he was under siege. I helped him when the appointment was made to go to Government House because the other the members were there. But he grabbed some fellas who we loaned him,” he said, seemingly referring to former PLPs Andre Rollins and Renward Wells joining the FNM last year.
“I am just telling this House this for the first time. He made it five, five and then they made an effort to say well we better persuade the other member of the opposition, the member of Parliament from Marco City (Greg Moss), he said he ain’t getting in that I guess because it stayed five, five. That’s the only way he is sitting here today.”
He added: “I even told him he could use my people in Mason’s Addition to carry to public meetings, pay them $30 a piece and carry them to meetings, I even told him that.”
Comments
sheeprunner12 8 years, 1 month ago
Brave is a pathological liar ......... who never admits he is wrong .............. even when he was caught red-handed with the BAMSI contracts, he has not admitted his wrong doing ....... now this new scandal ......... and Perry will not fire him in the best interest of the public
sansoucireader 8 years, 1 month ago
They're lawyers. That's what they do.
cmiller 8 years, 1 month ago
I can't believe a word anymore that comes from the mouths of our governing party.
Honestman 8 years, 1 month ago
Christie has the temerity to joke in Parliament while "Rome Burns".
ThisIsOurs 8 years, 1 month ago
There were simply too many allegations that needed testing in the past year, actually since the 2012 election. Remember the information the DPM went to court to prevent Ingraham from revealing before the election? There always seems to be some damaging information to cover up. This is not normal or seemly for the second in charge of a nation.
John 8 years, 1 month ago
Stop being rude and disgusting like Donald Trump. Does everything thing you say have to contain assaults, insults and profainity. You must be paid well?
ThisIsOurs 8 years, 1 month ago
Maybe someone who knows about criminal law can advise, but when have you ever encountered the police telling the subject of an investigation to "be quiet"???? Technically this sounds better than Bobo and the two fish but it's just as unbelievable. Once again someone ducks for cover behind the a police Commissioner, the AG and the BEC Bribe Taker, Alfred Grey and Interfering with the Judiciary and now Davis Bobo and the murder plot.
The last info the DPM gave was that he went to the police and they "didn't question him", that's different from "they told me not to say anything", but it didn't make sense either. What would make sense is if he went to the police and he exercised his right not to speak.
John 8 years, 1 month ago
If you go to any police station, the first thing they should do is caution you and that you do not have to say anything, if you wish to say something or have someone write it down for you. Also whatever you say can be used in a court of law against you..duh! At the end of your statement you are again suppose to sign off saying you have given the statement at your own free will.
ThisIsOurs 8 years, 1 month ago
The police commissioner said "justice is blind", so they should treat the DPM and gangster Bobo exactly the same in this mucky affair. I'm pretty sure they won't advise Bobo not to say anything.
birdiestrachan 8 years, 1 month ago
This is no mystery, it is as plain as the nose on ones face, It was a set up design to make the PLP look bad. Now those fellows. one of whom visits Dr: Minnis house has already given three different stories. which of the three should any one believe? they already admitted they paid the men, they can not back away from that, it backfired on them. they said Scotland yard was involved now that has been dropped. and we only hear the FBI. only.
birdiestrachan 8 years, 1 month ago
As for Pintard no problem he works for the law firm.really but he will find out soon enough once those fellows have used you they will drop you. you are useless to them Whenever I see Pintard or his partner John Bostwick I will run like hell. just in case, They may believe those young men in Bains town are foolish. but they can buy them and sell them. Pintard knows that now and john has already been convicted of a crime, ,
ThisIsOurs 8 years, 1 month ago
The details don't help Pintard but it must be the worst kept secret that the US has had some serious concerns about the DPM and his connections, going on YEARS now
ThisIsOurs 8 years, 1 month ago
Don't forget birdie, they have the tapes...and a new AG (you know the phone tapping research project that Fred Mitchell marched to the US to complain about. The Nygard recordings must be a joke in comparison). I think Christie knows Brave's goose is cooked, that's why he refers to him as a "wonderful aspirant"
Yallserious 8 years, 1 month ago
Birdiestrachan thank you. ..finally someone with a measured, cogent, objective response...
ThisIsOurs 8 years, 1 month ago
You almost had me at "measured" but you fell off the cliff at "cogent". Reminder, this the same birdiestrachan who said VAT was good for her and her kids because it would ~"help them lose weight".
birdiestrachan 8 years, 1 month ago
The USA has their own problems to deal with. It is not as if they are this Heaven on earth in case you all have not noticed. Those young men have three different tapes, Which of the three do you all believe. ? I know the one that puts the PLP in a bad light,. The Bahamas is the only home I have and I am doing just wonderful, and I thank My God for the Bahamas. Now you all just go ahead and allow persons who are from foreign lands and persons who do not really care feed you all with crap, The out spoken QC is good at it. But at the end of the day I am not dependent on PLP, DNA nor FNM.
ThisIsOurs 8 years, 1 month ago
I don't know which one of their accounts to believe. But I'll take Nygard's words as gospel simply because he didn't know he was being taped and because neither Shane Gibson or Perry Christie have asked that he see a psychiatrist or be deported. I'll continue to wonder how one high ranking cabinet minister can get mixed up in do much allegations of corruption so frequently and how Bobo the gangster got 132,000 from his ministry.
sheeprunner12 8 years ago
This Brave photo has a haunting resemblance to a Haitian voodoo priest in the movie "The Serpent and The Rainbow"
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