ENGLERSTON MP Glenys Hanna Martin speaking in Parliament yesterday. Photo: Donovan McIntosh/Tribune Staff
By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Senior Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
ENGLERSTON MP Glenys Hanna Martin said she does not know the extent of the personal or political relationships Peter Nygard cultivated with people in the Progressive Liberal Party.
She added that she has never directly received money from the fashion mogul who now stands accused of sexually assaulting dozens of women over a 25-year period, many of them young Bahamian girls.
“From what I’m hearing,” she told reporters outside the House of Assembly yesterday, “he did donate to our party, so indirectly I probably did benefit from (the) funding that he gave. I’m sure members of the Free National Movement similarly benefitted.”
Nygard’s relationships with political and law enforcement officials have drawn scrutiny since he was indicted on racketeering and sexual assault charges in New York in December.
“I don’t know if you can say the Nygard issue is dragging the PLP,” Mrs Hanna Martin said.
“There are some aspects of our organisation that are being dragged in. I think if any of those allegations are true, it speaks more deeply to more systemic issues in this country that is across the board... within the system and politically.
“You can’t point the finger and say ‘it’s them, it’s them’ when this has allegedly been going on for decades and you’ve had different administrations and it’s happened. If any of this is true, it has to give us pause to reflect on this sort of grounding that we’ve had in this country and to what extent it may be our view that we desensitised ourselves to the rumours and the assertions that have popped up from time to time and just co-existed with other things. I think this is more a reflection for us as a people and to the extent that any individual is implicated by any of this activity then you know we have to see what happens there.”
The US Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York said its indictment of Nygard arose out of a long pattern of alleged criminal conduct that involved the United States, Canada and The Bahamas.
Ahead of likely extradition proceedings, Nygard, who was arrested in Manitoba, Canada in December, is trying to secure bail.
Mrs Hanna Martin said if the allegations against him are true, “it takes a lot of turning of heads for that to continue to exist without anyone raising any alarm, and it’s at all levels. While we can make a political football of it and maybe you can do that and if you do you might be throwing it on both sides, I think this is a moment where we have to reflect on ourselves as a people to see why we have now risen to a global prominence in matters such as this and these allegations which span many years.”
She added: “I don’t want to comment on any sort of involvement with personalities in the organisation because I don’t have first hand knowledge of it, I’ve seen what everyone else has seen, I’ve heard what everyone else has heard and we’ll have to see how it pans out. It may be subject of fair comment, but I do not want it to distract though from what is the issue, and it’s the issue that we all face as a Bahamian people, that this is now playing out in the global consciousness about what has happened in our country.”
Meanwhile, there continued to be a lack of clarity yesterday on how the Royal Bahamas Police Force is handling allegations that Nygard bribed certain senior police officers.
National Security Minister Marvin Dames told reporters last month that he is confident the RBPF will investigate allegations involving officers, but when asked about that investigation on Tuesday, Police Commissioner Paul Rolle told the press “you need to speak to Minister Dames.” Pressed on the matter, he said: “I said he made the comments and you can get the update from him.”
Outside of the House of Assembly yesterday, Mr Dames could not say if a bribery investigation is ongoing.
“That’s a question that you have to take up with the Commissioner,” he said.
“The point I’m making here is this, it’s standard operating procedure in any law enforcement business when names are called involving public figures in anything especially of this magnitude, I would want to know…if people were making these serious allegations about me, I would wish for my name to be clear. It’s standard. I don’t want us to get the impression the commissioner is opposing something I said, because that is not the case.”
Comments
Honestman 3 years, 2 months ago
I think the recent CBC documentary on Nygard tells you everything you need to know about your party's relationships with him.
Topdude 3 years, 2 months ago
Please Madam, do not try to get the FNM painted with the Nygard dirty brush. It is clear and unequivocal that Nygard was a funder and backer of ONLY the PLP when, in the video, in his own words, he boasts and brags that WE, the PLP, won the election.
I have lost all respect for you when you try to water down these serious acts of malfeasance, probity, and uprightness and try to tar the FNM in this filthy debacle that is not likely to be erased. As a matter of fact it cannot be erased irrespective of what you and other PLPs try todo. For whatever their weaknesses might be, the FNM has never sold its soul to a foreign sexual pervert for a mess of pottage. The FNM is not known for kickbacks, corruption and perversion.
BAHAMIANS we now have on tape what is an example of the PLP modus operandi.
I still cannot fathom why Perry Christie was fawning like a slave to Nygard and why he was with a Pamper girl in Las Vegas?
ThisIsOurs 3 years, 2 months ago
she's right. Nygard was here when the PLP and FNM were in power. lots of people turned a blind eye because nobody change spots over those 2 decades.
tribanon 3 years, 2 months ago
Minnis and the FNM are just as tainted by Nygard as Christie and the PLP are. And Hanna-Martin knows it, giving Minnis good reason to fear her big loud mouth while she tries to distance herself from the whole very sordid Nygard saga.
Dawes 3 years, 2 months ago
Umm whilst i agree with a lot of what you are saying about the PLP lets not pretend the FNM are all saints. They have plenty issues as well.
birdiestrachan 3 years, 2 months ago
The complaint should have been made to the police and the evidence should be brought forward it makes no sense to paint political Parties and the police force with a broad brush. bring the evidence forward and allow justice to prevail
The PLP is an organization and so is the Police force. are they all guilty??
This is an old story by this time they should have called names if they have any
But they just lead foolish people along.
proudloudandfnm 3 years, 2 months ago
The evidence of nygard owning the PLP was brought years ago....
Sheesh.
bahamianson 3 years, 2 months ago
I see a lot of pictures and videos with Nygard and the plp. I do kot see any with the fnm. When he said we took our country back, he was sitting with the plp. Wherw are the videos and pictures with the fnm?
moncurcool 3 years, 2 months ago
How the heck can you open your mouth to take an issues only your party is associated with and try to pull the whole country into it? Seriously?
M0J0 3 years, 2 months ago
Wonder why pintard resigned then if the fnm is so squeaky clean
M0J0 3 years, 2 months ago
They all benefitted but the fnm is running these adds to fool the fools to vote the fools back in again
Topdude 3 years, 2 months ago
Was Dr. Minnis seen in the company of Nygard in Las Vegas with Bahamian Pamper Girls? No. Was Perry Christie seen in the company of Nygard in Las Vegas with Bahamian Pamper Girls at their side? Yes.
SP 3 years, 2 months ago
Peter Nygard is well known to have played the PLP & FNM like his personal fiddle! Neither party is "cleaner" than the other.
Hoda 3 years, 2 months ago
You mean he played all of NewProvidence, from the politicians and Bahamian employees he had who obviously participated and turned a blind eye. Did you watch the doc, did you see the grown Bahamian men letting him talk to them like children, talk about Bahamians, serving and pouring the liquor at the parties
Topdude 3 years, 2 months ago
Come on man. Try as much as you want to shift the focus and/or spread the blame it is singularly the PLP and Nygard Who are/were and will be in bed doing nasty, illegal and immoral things. Things that destroy the reputation and image of the Bahamas. It is little wonder we are advertised asa place for Sex Tourism.
The PLP must confess and seek forgiveness.
tribanon 3 years, 2 months ago
Minnis can't pick heads when he knows the Nygard coin has another well known side called tails. LOL
birdiestrachan 3 years, 2 months ago
The picture that was taken or statements made that we won the election does not make a person or persons guilty, There has to be more than that.
What it shows clearly is that too many Bahamians can not think for themselves. anybody can sing a song and they will join the chorus.
Bring the evidence forward.
Proguing 3 years, 2 months ago
There are several documentaries on this despicable individual on Youtube, all worth watching...
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