PM DISMISSES CALLS FOR EXPLANATION ON REFUSING MINISTER'S RESIGNATION OFFER
By ALISON LOWE
Tribune Staff Reporter
alowe@tribunemedia.net:
THE prime minister yesterday laughed off calls for him to explain his decision to reject Environment Minister Earl Deveaux's resignation offer last week.
Asked by this newspaper to account for the rejection of the offer or provide any comment on the acknowledged fact that Dr Deveaux accepted a free ride in the luxury helicopter of a billionaire Exuma resident who has an application to dredge in the Exuma Land and Sea Park before his ministry, Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham was dismissive.
Mr Ingraham was in the process of leaving parliament following the morning session in the lower chamber yesterday at the time the questions on the issue of Dr Deveaux's relationship with the Aga Khan, which the Opposition has termed "a conflict of interest", were put to him.
However, Mr Ingraham refused to provide the justification for his decision or any other comment on the matter, instead continuing on his way out of parliament.
Last Thursday Dr Deveaux told Island FM radio host Patty Roker on "The Morning Boil" that he tendered his resignation to the prime minister the previous Monday - the same morning he saw an article on the front page of this newspaper outlining how he had accepted a free ride in the luxury helicopter of the Prince Karim Aga Khan, the billionaire leader of an islamic sect, while having the Aga Khan's application to develop the island before the Environment Ministry that he heads for consideration.
The prime minister, he said, rejected the offer, and no other official statement was made on the matter.
Dr Deveaux had admitted flying on the 12-seater helicopter to attend a film screening in Abaco before going on to Bell Island -- the island in the Exuma Land and Sea Park owned by Prince Karim -- with BNT executives the next day.
The Environment Minister has also stated he was "minded" to approve plans submitted by Island of Discovery Limited, understood to be headed by the Aga Khan, to dredge and excavate at least 8.8 acres of marine sand flats, rock and vegetation for two channels, 12ft and 14ft deep, to construct a barge landing and 20 slip yacht basin, and roads across the 349-acre island. He passed the plans on to the BNT for their input.
September 23, 2010
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