What’s all the fuss about? Davis defends BPL gifting contracts to PLP faithful

OFFICIAL Opposition Leader Philip 'Brave' Davis.

As of Thursday, September 21, 2017

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Deputy Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

OFFICIAL Opposition Leader Philip “Brave” Davis said he sees nothing wrong with awarding contracts to party supporters or the justified circumvention of the tender process a day after it was revealed companies owned by Progressive Liberal Party supporters received lucrative Bahamas Power and Light contracts under the Christie administration.

In an interview with The Tribune yesterday, the PLP leader further attempted to remove the spotlight from the dealings of his party while it governed, questioning whether the contractor for work at the Stephen Dillet School went through the proper tender process.

Extensive repairs to the school on Wulff Road are still not complete and its opening was delayed, leading officials to this week assign students of the school to other campuses in New Providence.

Mr Davis was responding in the aftermath of several shocking assertions from Works Minister Desmond Bannister on Wednesday in Parliament.

“There is nothing wrong with not going through the tender process,” Mr Davis told this newspaper yesterday. “I would be surprised if the board has no justification for it.”

He continued: “Are you saying that because you are a PLP, that you are disqualified from engaging in works with the government because it’s a PLP government?

“I don’t think that a PLP is disqualified from doing business with the government because the PLP is in government or any FNM, just as the Free National Movement is now doing business with FNM contractors. “They are not disqualified.

“As I indicated there must be some justification and again I would be surprised if there is none,” he added.

During Wednesday’s House meeting, Mr Bannister shed light on instances where the tender process was not followed under the former PLP administration. Ernst & Young highlighted this in a forensic audit into Bahamas Power and Light.

Among the troubling instances was a contract to Bahamas Courier & Logistics (BCL), a company owned by former Education Minister Jerome Fitzgerald’s father. BCL was handed the contract over Pinder’s Customs Brokerage despite this company having the best bid.

The audit further found in two separate instances, J S Johnson was the winning contractor in the bidding process for insurance coverage, but both contracts totaling $14,183,159 were ultimately issued to Sunshine Insurance, the company of Sir Franklyn Wilson, a Progressive Liberal Party supporter and financier.

In a statement yesterday, Sunshine Insurance refuted assertions political influence was used in the awarding of its contracts with BPL.

“At no stage has Sunshine Insurance ever used any political effort to seek to influence the outcome of a tender process,” the insurance broker said yesterday. “Sunshine Insurance prides itself on operating to the highest international standards and does not participate in any unlawful or unethical practice. Any statement to the contrary is simply false.

“Our sense of corporate citizenship and contributions to our community are extensive and well-documented.”

Earlier in its statement the company said: “Sunshine Insurance (Agents & Brokers) Ltd takes very seriously its role as a responsible corporate citizen. As a result, it is necessary to address the remarks made by the minister of works in the House of Assembly and the consequential comments in the press.

“At the outset, it is important to note that Sunshine Insurance is an insurance broker. As is the industry norm, in this role as a broker, Sunshine Insurance does not retain clients’ premium. The clients’ premium is passed on to insurers, less the commission earned. Therefore, Sunshine Insurance earns commission on business it places with insurers.

“In the context of a broker, in 2013, Sunshine Insurance participated in the BEC/BPL sealed tender process for the provision of their insurance coverage and was awarded the bid.

“In 2017 – four years later – Sunshine Insurance again participated in the sealed tender process. The insurance contract was renewed in June 2017 to the period June 2018. The current minister of works was in office at that time.”

BPL also spent $4,592,041 with Penta Industrial Services, the company of PLP Chairman Emeritus Errington “Minky” Isaacs. There was no indication a competitive process of obtaining alternative quotes or competing bids took place, Mr Bannister said.

Mr Isaacs was contacted yesterday but declined comment.

Honestman 6 years, 7 months ago

Davis just keeps on digging the PLP's grave with his pathetic attempt to justify PLP corruption. Franklyn Wilson is no better with his defence of the contracts awarded to Sunshine. Of course there is nothing wrong with a government awarding contracts to its own supporters but ONLY within the terms of a fair and transparent bidding process where the awardee can be seen to have tabled the best bid (not always the cheapest). It is clear from yesterday's revelations that contracts awarded by PLP/Power Secure did not meet this standard.

tell_it_like_it_is 6 years, 7 months ago

So true... some ppl just don't know when to keep their mouth shut. Shameful!

Tarzan 6 years, 7 months ago

Hilarious! Nothing to see here, move on! We stole tens of millions but it was our right to steal as much as we could, and given the chance we will do it again. What's wrong with stealing?

Well_mudda_take_sic 6 years, 7 months ago

Repost: This short pudgy imbecile with his short stubby grubby dirty yellow sticky fingers has somehow managed to forget that he was a senior member of the most corrupt cabinet in the history of our country. Davis played an instrumental role in suppressing law enforcement while he and his fellow cabinet members under the corrupt Christie-led PLP government were lining their pockets and the pockets of their family members, business cronies and political friends. The directors they appointed to the boards of government owned and/or controlled entities allowed themselves to become mere puppets who all too easily kowtowed to the misconduct and fraudulent activities of the more senior Christie cabinet ministers, and Davis was certainly one of those corrupt cabinet ministers.

screwedbahamian 6 years, 7 months ago

If we, the Bahamian Peoples elect a CORRUPT, CORRUPTED AND SHAMLESS government then we can only expect CORRUPTION AT IT FULLEST. So you have a problem with it??

TalRussell 6 years, 7 months ago

Comrades! I cannot believe the acting leader of the PLP, does not know better than this?
This is the PLP mentality voters wanted nothing to do with and if this is the leadership the PLP's have to get used to - it's only a matter of a short time time before such arrogance and the disrespect for citizens start resurfacing itself to the forefront the PLP as a dying political force.
The entire leadership of the PLP became answerable to every voter this past May 10, 2017, and the PEOPLE spoke loudly. There should be NO room in the PLP, for the old guard leadership rejected by thousands PLP's and once supportive citizen voters.

Craig 6 years, 7 months ago

I believe the correct term for this type of behaivor the political scientist will say is clientelism. A very detrimental practice

DDK 6 years, 7 months ago

Truly Amazing. Another arrogant disgrace to our Bahamas. Wonder where HIS gazillions are stashed?

proudloudandfnm 6 years, 7 months ago

What a peice of garbage our next PM is....

sheeprunner12 6 years, 7 months ago

What makes this even more egregious is that the Obeah Man was the Minister responsible for BEC/BPL ........... How can citizens allow him to even contemplate leading the PLP or become PM in the future??????? ........ He is utterly shameless and disgusting to sensible Bahamians.

birdiestrachan 6 years, 7 months ago

Mr> Davis is correct. Pay attention to whom the FNM award Contracts/ Every single contract in Grand Bahama was given to known FNMs Check out what Insurance Company has the most Government insurance. Check who received the contract in Abaco and Exuma for government buildings.

MassExodus 6 years, 7 months ago

Birdie go fook yourself you ignorant a$$. If you support this garbage you are a bigger piece of garbage. You are sitting there trying to pivot this, so that we look at some other contracts apparently awarded to FNM's???? Get a motherfooking life you PLP gutter rat.

Naughtydread 6 years, 7 months ago

Birdie they give it to people who actually have the skills to get the job done and at a much better price. Yall dumb asses give the jobs to your cronies for 5 times the cost and don't even finish half of the job. Wake up you stupid asshole!

themessenger 6 years, 7 months ago

Typical asinine reaction from horses ass Brave and asshole Birdie..................

John 6 years, 7 months ago

There's nothing like watching a natural Jack A$$ dig a hole and consciously bury himself. Davis can never be prime minister of this country and every time he opens his mouth he pushes himself further away from that chair.

The_Oracle 6 years, 7 months ago

In effect he is saying so what? what are you going to do about it? And therein lies the problem. Will we do anything about it? Prosecute? seize ill gotten gains? Imprison? Bar from political office? Bar from Government office? These bastards are proud of what they do. FNM or PLP, same difference really, in some cases, just different personalities.

CatIslandBoy 6 years, 7 months ago

This is very disappointing, coming from a person who wants to lead the PLP away from their past and back into the government. Brave Davis should be ashamed of himself. I hope that Cat Island, San Salvador, and Rum Cay retires him at the earliest opportunity. Even Tal can see that he is talking foolishness.

TalRussell 6 years, 7 months ago

Comrade CatIslandBoy, just because the Christie administrated failed the PEOPLE, shouldn't mean you and I want to give the Minnis administration more governing powers. The more laws passed the less freedom does the PEOPLE enjoy. We need to delete some 100 laws from our books. We have government polices being enforced as if they were real laws...... Case in point is preventing children whose parents have no residency status to be barred from attending our public schools.
We are a better PEOPLE, than that the politicians work at turning us into.
I shall repeat that, there is NO law that requires any citizen, resident, visitor to carry on their person, or to prove to any authorities, that you are a citizen of the Bahamaland.... but such proof is demanded every day by the policeman's and immigration officials..... We even lock up citizens and residents who are unable to produce residency ID on the spot.

Regardless 6 years, 7 months ago

.....so if we take his position that it is ok to award the faithful, how does he explain that it is always the same crew that get rewarded? Looks like strictly inner circle contract awarding so one must assume there is a compelling rationale behind this selfish logic.

Regardless 6 years, 7 months ago

....on the flip side, one could look into certain leases undertaken during the previous FNM administration benefiting not just supporters but members of prominent boards. That is certainly conflict of the public interest.

The Bahamas needs to clean up its act on both sides of the political fence. While the politically connected have been enriching themselves over the years, the general populace has been neglected by selfish leaders not focused on the nation's betterment but the size of their bank accounts. The result is the crime we have today.

TalRussell 6 years, 7 months ago

Comrade Regardless, to clean up act on both sides t-shirts colours - it might require that we call in the Royal Navy's Battle Ships, and we place the flag Bahamaland in storage - to return back under the flag England?

Baha10 6 years, 7 months ago

Not a bad idea, as if you go to to the still Colonial Islands, you are immediately struck by the cleanliness and state of order, problem is I fear England would not take us back ... too far gone, but maybe, never hurt to ask ... beg if need be!

ashley14 6 years, 7 months ago

UNBELIEVEABLE MESS! Clean house and start new. It's got to be better than what you have.

Baha10 6 years, 7 months ago

Surely he has disqualified himself from ever holding Office again, much less becoming PM, or am I blatantly naive and simply a Citizen of a "true,true" Banana Republic?!?

BONEFISH 6 years, 7 months ago

This man wants to be Prime Minister of the Bahamas. His remarks and attitude just confirmed my opinion of him.He needs to be purged, jettisoned and just dumped by the PLP if they are serious about reform. But they won't. He just said openly what the rest of the people in the party thinks.

banker 6 years, 7 months ago

LOL

sheeprunner12 6 years, 7 months ago

This story should disqualify Davis from even sitting in Parliament ...... this is almost treasonous

He should be indicted for misfeasance just based on this statement - Why has Davis not been questioned by CDU and brought forward to the courts???? ...... He was the head honcho behind BPL, Bahamasair, BAMSI and the Renew/Dump deal ........ All were full of scandal and corruption

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