The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

TESTIMONY continued in the criminal trial of Long Island MP Adrian Gibson and his co-accused yesterday, with a defence attorney attacking a witness’ claim that she was “terminated” from a senior position within the Water & Sewerage Corporation.

Ian Cargill questioned Mynez Cargill-Sherman, a senior manager at the WSC, under cross-examination about her understanding of the word “termination”.

She replied that it meant to end or to “be relieved of something”.

This comes after she testified that Elwood Donaldson, the corporation’s former general manager, “terminated” her as head of WSC’s health and safety department.

When asked how long she had been employed at WSC, Mrs Cargill-Sherman said she began in 1989 as a clerk and moved up the ranks.

Mr Cargill, who represents Mr Donaldson, asked the witness if she held different job titles since the start of her employment at the company up to 2019.

She replied: “Yes, sir.”

Mr Cargill said: “You accept and you agree that you were elevated a number of times and that during your elevation, your job description changed, your duties would change. In other words, they would add some duties and take some duties from you.”

The witness agreed, telling the court she served in several departments during her tenure at the corporation.

Mr Cargill said: “Now, based on your description prior to 2019, you would’ve been terminated on several occasions.”

Mrs Cargill-Sherman denied this, insisting she was transferred.

Mr Cargill asked her “to this court what is the difference between your movement in the corporation prior to 2019 compared to after 2019 that leads you to believe you were terminated by Mr Donaldson”.

She said she was asked to head the health and safety department, but it was taken away from her without explanation.

Mr Cargill then noted the witness’ earlier testimony, when she agreed that some duties were added and taken away from her during her movement within the corporation.

When asked if she was demoted, the witness replied: “You could call it demoted.”

But Mr Cargill pushed back, asking: “So your salary decreased then?”

She said only her responsibility allowance decreased.

The lawyer then contended that she was the one who asked to be relieved.

She said she “cried out for help,” adding: “I was being abused and used. That’s different from asking to be relieved.”

Mr Cargill responded: “The same people who you say were abusing you promoted you and gave you good review.”

Mr Gibson, the sitting MP for Long Island, is facing charges concerning his tenure as WSC executive chairman under the Minnis administration.

The charges stem from Mr Gibson’s alleged failure to declare his interest in contracts awarded by the WSC.

The FNM politician is charged with Mr Donaldson, Jr, Rashae Gibson, his cousin, Joan Knowles, Peaches Farquharson and Jerome Missick.

Damian Gomez, KC, Murrio Ducille, KC, Bryan Bastian, Ryan Eve, Raphael Moxey, Christina Galanos, Ian Cargill and Donald Saunders represent the defendants.

Meanwhile, the Crown’s prosecutors are acting Director of Public Prosecutions Cordell Frazier, Cashena Thompson, Karine MacVean and Rashied Edgecombe.