The Tribune

PROGRESSIVE Liberal Party Chairman Bradley Roberts has dismissed an opinion piece published in The Nassau Guardian last week as “fake news,” while also accusing former PLP MP George Smith of allegedly supplying the information in the report to the newspaper.

The report in question, published in the daily’s National Review section, said the PLP predicted a win of 14 out of 39 constituencies thus far, based on information supplied by a source.

Mr Roberts denounced the report and declared “beyond a shadow of a doubt” that the source in question was former Exuma MP George Smith, who he said has not been actively involved in the operations of the PLP for several years.

Mr Roberts’ statement said: “In my opinion the said article falls squarely into the ignoble category of been FAKE NEWS (sic)!”

“I note that this very same newspaper sought an electoral prediction from the FNM and correctly contacted the official source, that party’s national chairman, and identified the same. To use George Smith’s opinion, hides his identity, bypasses the party’s chairman and project Smith’s personal opinion as the official position of the PLP is unseemly even for opinion journalism . . .”

When contacted yesterday, Mr Smith, a PLP stalwart councillor, said he had not seen Mr Roberts’ press release.

He said Mr Roberts’ allegations were not true, adding that he would give an “appropriate and measured response” at a later date.