Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis.
By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis wants the representative of a non-profit organisation in Abaco to meet police and divulge details about a corruption allegation he made or apologise for the statement.
According to a report, Ian Goodfellow, of 25 United, claimed at a town hall meeting on Monday that an NGO requested a meeting with the government to discuss the Cooper’s Town School and was told the meeting would require an upfront payment of $30,000. He claimed it was an example of corruption, the kind the Minnis administration pledged to fight.
Dr Minnis told The Tribune he has raised the matter with Commissioner of Police Anthony Ferguson. “What he said, that NGOs are being confronted with corruption, making it difficult for them to progress and that in fact he is aware of a particular NGO who wanted to have a meeting with government and was told that if they were to pay $30,000 they could have such a meeting, that is overt corruption if that is the case,” Dr Minnis said. “I have asked the commissioner to call in Mr Ian Goodfellow to get all the information, the details, so that we may prosecute the individual or individuals who are trying to corruptly obtain money from NGOs. We do not tolerate it. I think Mr Goodfellow, if he has such information, it is his responsibility to give such information to the police for it to be investigated thoroughly.”
He added: “If he does not give such information, then we have corruption in society because of individuals like him who have such information and refuse to step forward and reveal such information; and in the absence of that, if he cannot validate such information then he needs to apologise to the Bahamian populace for such statements that he’s made.”
Ken Hutton, head of the Abaco Chamber of Commerce and one of the lead private sector organisers of recovery efforts in Abaco, said he has not been able to corroborate Mr Goodfellow’s allegations.
“I reached out but was unable to confirm specifics of the allegations so it’s very difficult to operate on hearsay,” he said yesterday. “If this stuff happens, it needs to be made public and if they don’t want to go to the ministry, they can come to people like the chamber so it can be pursued.”
Iram Lewis, minister of state in the Ministry of Disaster Preparedness, Management and Reconstruction, said he has written Mr Goodfellow’s NGO concerning his allegation.
“He’s going to have to answer and will have to prove,” said Mr Lewis, who attended the town hall meeting where Mr Goodfellow made the allegation. “He wanted to talk, I allowed him to continue to talk and now it’s time for him to provide evidence. There’s no way we as a government could stand back and allow anyone to cast those kind of aspersions so recklessly and not do anything about it.
“I allowed him to vent and spill his guts and say what he thought he had to say and now the reckoning is here. It disturbed me also in that I felt kind of bad because if you are here to lend humanitarian support and bring relief there’s no way you should throw it back in the people face. That is not a thing to do because it’s as if you want people to feel undignified,” he said.
Mr Lewis also said he received a note from one of the largest NGOs advising it doesn’t know where the allegation came from.
According to its Facebook page, 25 United is an NGO dedicated to providing disaster relief by uniting teams of 25 volunteers with experience in emergency medical response, public safety and construction who are ready to be deployed within days of a disaster to help stabilise communities.
Comments
ThisIsOurs 4 years, 4 months ago
30,000 seems like a small amount...they got a steal
Well_mudda_take_sic 4 years, 4 months ago
It must have been a small roof not requiring many "shingles".
xtreme2x 4 years, 4 months ago
shingles......lol.....Shame and shingles almost rhyme
bahamianson 4 years, 4 months ago
so, what does the commissioner of police do all day, that is the question? well, i guess the commissioner can give the good doctor medical advice when needed . commissioner, do your job, then think about all that money you make for.....?
shonkai 4 years, 4 months ago
As usual, instead of launching an investigation itself, the government does what it always ddoes, shout louder and shoot the messenger.
TalRussell 4 years, 4 months ago
Abaco's Relief Volunteer Comrade Ian, might still get his chance to avoid making colony's PM's naughty list - provided he rushes off register as a Citizen Snitch with the Chief of the colony's Royal Constabulary. You can't make this up, you just, can't.
ThisIsOurs 4 years, 4 months ago
Citizen Snitch lol
TalRussell 4 years, 4 months ago
Or, comrade Ian could avoid running risk being forever classified on the Jib as a volunteer Citizen Snitch to completely bypass the Royal Constabulary Chief, by having his call rerouted to either Miami or Toronto. You can't make this up, you just can't that to bypass the Chief - Ian gets collect a $1,000 Cash Reward discreetly dropped off at some secret location.
Bahamianbychoice 4 years, 4 months ago
Many stories of corruption and stealing are coming out of Abaco and GB from locals and the NGO's (local and foreign). Videos have been posted on Facebook. Mr. Goodfellow is highlighting what many on the ground trying to help are facing. It is just astonishing the government's arrogance....
Hoda 4 years, 4 months ago
Can you share the link if they are online?
Further, are people prepared to accept that if corruption - which i assume we mean bribery or taking and hoarding goods - is being carried out by civil servants or ordinary front line persons - in my mind if some MP was asking for 30 grands they would have already been put on blast publicly.
Early this year 2 customs officers and a spouse get catch stealing the John Bull shipment - you think we can count on them to not have sticky fingers in the circumstances
bogart 4 years, 4 months ago
Stealing, fraud, corruption been going on since King Hatchet was a hammer. Trailers with stolen cars, trailer with chicken, juice declared as sports drink, Auditor Bastian Road Traffic and other areas, BoB no forensic audited list goes on and on...and no balances. No FOIA, campaign finance reform, any Ombudsman and many lawyers will cite conflict going up agaonst Govt. and after victim defrauded has none to pay anyhow. And Mr. Laroda on the parliamentarians financial audits always say his agenty is still trying to do the job going on years. System has been going on for decades alternating last 25 years and every 5 years past one party gets the token victory as the present party gets ruled out.
Seems just more sayings an common words like shingles, hand go hand come, gettin juiced, greased, all fer we, it is what it is, is who ya know, and more......
Hoda 4 years, 4 months ago
Yup, I accept that. I just wonder if people are prepared to accept that just as much or more of it occurs at the hands and feet level of corporations and public institutions - though it might not be headline news
TheMadHatter 4 years, 4 months ago
Why would a NGO pay money to come in and give assistance? If, for example, they did pay $30,000 - how do they intend to get that back and more to make a profit? I did not know they were selling anything or taking in funds of any kind? Or is it that they can they post pictures of them doing things in the Bahamas on their websites and then get donations from their supporters in their home country, which would total more than $30,000 plus their travel and materials costs to make a profit? I guess i"m not understanding the scheme.
Hoda 4 years, 4 months ago
I think we gotta watch these NGO’s though we may be thankful for their help. I saw a documentary on YouTube called Bahamas: Hurricane Hell, they were in the shantytowns and other area putting up tents and structures after the govt asked them to stop because it was delaying the clean up process. They asked the cameras not to show their face so they dont get in trouble.
I think some of these NGOs have agendas
bogart 4 years, 4 months ago
Talking about putting up tents reminds of the Frye Music Festival organizers requesting free Crown lands.
ThisIsOurs 4 years, 4 months ago
The Bahamas is BIG business, they don't want us to know it. The foreigners know it. They come here and they see money lying on the ground. Take a taxi ride from the airport and youll get the rundown on who you need to see.
People who know people in power know the value of the service. Do you remember Adrian Gibson personally escorting an investor to Bannister's office for an introduction? Remember Fitzgerald asking Izzy for 20,000 I'd be surprised if that was less than the 100th request he'd received. Remember Ramsey and the BEC engines? How Kreuger get to the PM'S office? Remember the senior police officer saying "a spinning wheel is not evidence of illegal activity?".
You need to wear a safety mask in public not to catch the corruption bug
TheMadHatter 4 years, 4 months ago
Which is probably the real reason that those who oppose my plan for U.S. statehood, actually oppose it. The games would have to stop.
TalRussell 4 years, 4 months ago
Don't recall readings nothing in newspapers about NGO's for Hypocrisy Volunteerism - having accepted Gifts Fishes, So true, so true that you can't make it up, you just, can't.
DiverBelow 4 years, 4 months ago
Anyone who believes corruption is a victim-less crime or accept it as a pay-to-play requirement are ignorant to the devaluation of the country & culture as a whole, the government as a credible governance agency & the individuals as greedy thieves in another Third World Country. For any investor, N.G.O. or individual spending their time & treasure, corruption cost is funding that is NOT AVAILABLE for their contribution to the community & economy. An ugly sore on the face of a nation, irrelevant of their relationship with the US, look at the company your keeping, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, or Haiti & Venezuela as ultimate examples. After Dorian, You have experienced how the world values The Bahamian People. Show your TRUE CHRISTIANITY BY CONDEMNING THE PRACTICE, BY ANYONE. BE PROUD BAHAMIANS.
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