The Tribune

By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Chief Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

THE bitter war of words between Senator and former Cabinet minister Fred Mitchell and activist lawyer Fred Smith has been given new life with the formulation of a personal campaign forged by the latter.

Mr Smith, QC, yesterday confirmed to The Tribune that he and other private citizens have masterminded the organisation Bahamas Against Mitchell (BAM), which has placed several full-page ads in The Tribune depicting Mr Mitchell as the country's "greatest danger to democracy".

Mr Smith's admission as BAM's chairman follows a pledge by Mr Mitchell to fully investigate the funding source for those ads, which the former immigration minister called defamatory.

In a press statement, and also at an Official Opposition press conference yesterday, Mr Mitchell noted that the ads were distinctly similar in style and content to ads run during the 2017 general election campaign by a number of organisations with ties to Mr Smith and Save The Bays.

Mr Mitchell announced his intent to lodge a formal complaint of breach of privilege in the Senate.

"I am satisfied that the ads are designed to injure me in my office and in my character and ultimately to silence me in my office by the use of money which cannot be matched by my private or party resources and therefore disclose a prima facie breach of privilege," Mr Mitchell's statement read.

"I will look to the Parliament of this country for its protection. The ads have certainly caused a great deal of consternation and distress to my family and to my political colleagues."

Mr Mitchell's remarks were intended to be read in the Senate, which convened briefly yesterday, but were instead released as a press statement.

For his part, Mr Smith stressed that the BAM campaign was a personal effort and argued that the ads published did not contain defamatory content.

The QC maintained his belief that Mr Mitchell was obsessed with both him and the environment group Save The Bays, adding that BAM was committed to lobbying against Mr Mitchell to ensure that he was never in a "position of power ever again."

"Fred Mitchell is a wolf in sheep's clothing," Mr Smith contended, "but his last five years as a Cabinet minister has demonstrated that he vomits bile against anybody that has a different opinion of him.

"(Fred Mitchell) is opposed to freedom of expression, he abuses his office, he promoted immigration policies that were inhumane and degrading. He was a promoter of discrimination, vitriol, and hate towards people," Mr Smith claimed.

"Anybody who disagreed with Fred Mitchell became public enemy number one," Mr Smith continued, "this kind of person in public office is not good for the body politic. So this organisation is committed to keeping a magnifying glass on Senator Fred Mitchell on all of his activities, to prevent him getting into a position of power ever again."

In his statement yesterday, Mr Mitchell referred to a request issued by the Registrar General in April for Save The Bays to disclose documents detailing the organisation's purpose, objective, and activities, inclusive of financial statements.

Acting Registrar Deirdre Clarke-Maycock has explained that this was a perfunctory request to update and ensure compliance of organisations on its registry; however, STB filed an application in the Supreme Court to block the request.

Yesterday, Mr Smith said the matter was adjourned last week and has not yet been heard.

Mr Mitchell said: "It is important in my view to determine where the money trail leads and who is behind this. Indeed, if I am to receive recompense it is absolutely crucial to know where the sourcing of the money is and the identity of the individuals who are seeking to defame me and injure me in my public office."

To this, Mr Smith said: "As long as Fred Mitchell is seeking power, I will continue to discourage support for him, he is a danger to democracy. He doesn't have to dig deep. I'm here."