The Tribune

By KEILE CAMPBELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Philip Davis and Aviation Minister Jobeth Coleby-Davis ignored questions over the plane crash off the Florida coast involving Eric ‘Player’ Gardiner yesterday, while FNM deputy leader Shanendon Cartwright led a protest outside the House of Assembly demanding answers about allegations of political links to drug trafficking.

Mr Davis walked away without answering questions about any Progressive Liberal Party connection to Gardiner and how the flight was chartered, after one survivor told local US media that West Grand Bahama and Bimini MP Kingsley Smith had helped them get seats on the flight that was forced to ditch off the Florida coast when both engines failed.

Mrs Coleby-Davis ignored questions about whether the crash would be investigated and how the aircraft was able to fly despite the plane not being licensed.

Mr Smith also did not respond when questioned whether he had any involvement in chartering the flight from Marsh Harbour to Grand Bahama. Mr Gardiner was allegedly carrying $30,000 when rescue teams reached him and ten other survivors of the crash.

The silence from senior government figures came as the opposition pressed the Davis administration over Top Notch Builders, a company connected to Mr Gardiner that has won government contracts.

FNM leader Michael Pintard questioned whether Finance Minister Michael Halkitis had ever served as president or director of Top Notch Builders. Mr Halkitis denied this and declined to comment when asked how a company purportedly led by a convicted drug dealer secured government contracts.

Outside the House of Assembly, opposition members wore name tags saying “not politician-1”, which Mr Pintard said was intended to signal that they were not the people US authorities may be seeking.

He called on Mr Davis to address what he described as ‘gangsterism’ surrounding members of the administration, claiming the Prime Minister has full knowledge of those involved.

“We're saying that he should speak up and deal with the individual or individuals, but again, this is the same prime minister who was clearly aware when he signed the contracts related to the housing project, or he was involved as minster of works with the Eight Mile Rock project that involves a Bahamian now in US custody, he knew all along who the individuals were,” he said.

Mr Pintard criticised Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell and Mr Davis for speaking about the matter “like defence attorneys”, after Mr Mitchell said the plane crash controversy will be a ‘nothingburger’ when the truth emerges.

“It's a nothingbuger to somebody who lacks concern about the reputation of the country being savaged, because people believe politicians are working with gangsters to move drugs from south to the US through The Bahamas,” Mr. Pintard said, describing the prospect of five years having people in government positions working with gangsters as “worrisome”.

“We're gonna have more of this, more reputational damage, and that's the cause for deep concern.”

Outside Parliament, Mr Cartwright led about a dozen protesters carrying signs questioning the identity of “Politician-1”.

“We know that the Office of The Prime Minister would have put out a statement, a statement is not enough, and silence is not enough,” Mr Cartwright said, further questioning how in 2026 the same person who swore oaths in Parliament last week also “tried to cut a cocaine deal”.

“Today, as the government chuckled into the House of Parliament, one of those persons is Politician-1,” Mr Cartwright said.

Mr Cartwright said the Prime Minister was duty-bound to protect the country’s reputation and answer the questions facing the public.

Responding to Mr Mitchell’s characterisation of the controversy, Mr Cartwright warned that the government risked further damaging public confidence by dismissing the allegations.

“This cuts at the heart of our democracy, and every day, every session that the government does not give answers, it will continue to leak confidence from this government and continue to call into question this institution,” Mr Cartwright said.

He said Bahamians were enraged, hurt and disgusted by the allegations in the DEA affidavit that a politician was involved in arranging drug deals in Parliament.