Government Silent Over Nygard Questions
By KHRISNA VIRGIL
Tribune Staff Reporter
kvirgil@tribunemedia.net
THE government remains silent following calls from the opposition that several PLP MPs tender their resignations after being filmed at a private meeting with billionaire businessman Peter Nygard.
While
official government spokespersons had no comment and the Prime
Minister’s press secretary said he was out of the country, sources
inside the PLP sought to downplay the matter claiming it was of no
importance.
However, FNM chairman Darron Cash said the surfacing of the video confirms that the Christie administration is compromised.
“The
emergence of the now famous Nygard video of the PLP near-full cabinet
descending on his exotic retreat to kiss his ring and genuflect to him
confirms what we already knew,” he said. “This PLP administration is far
too compromised to govern effectively.
“From
the Prime Minister on down there continues to be enormous public doubts
and concerns about whether the pre-election deals made by the PLP leave
them sold to rich, usually foreign special interests.
“Once again, it appears that under Mr. Christie’s leadership, talk is cheap but money buys access and influence.
“The
Bahamian people deserve to know how many other foreign investors are
laying claim to the Bahamas’ Prime Minister as their man.”
The
professionally shot and edited film was posted on the YouTube website
by user “PeterNygard1” on October 9, 2012, but was being shared around
the internet over the weekend, collecting dozens of comments on the
social media site “Facebook.”
So far, the short eight minute 33 second film called “Nygard Takes Bahamas Back” has been viewed 4,227 times on YouTube.
Mr Nygard is shown celebrating the PLP’s victory at the polls following the May 7 General Election.
Later
he is introduced to Deputy Prime Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis,
Education Minister Jerome Fitzgerald, Housing and Environment Minister
Kenred Dorsett, V Alfred Gray, Agriculture Minister, Health Minister Dr
Perry Gomez and Housing Minister Shane Gibson.
The footage goes on to show Mr Nygard injecting himself with what he describes on screen as an anti-aging medication.
The FNM has tried to link the PLP and Mr Nygard’s support for research into stem cell therapy.
Mr Nygard, a resident of Lyford Cay, has said it is essential The Bahamas embraces what is happening in the stem cell industry.
Recently
in the House of Assembly, FNM leader Dr Hubert Minnis accused the
government of “rushing” stem cell legislation through Parliament.
Dr Minnis suggested that the government was pushing the law to appease Mr Nygard.
Over
the weekend, FNM Deputy Leader Loretta Butler-Turner said each of the
Ministers in the video should tender their resignations
She said: “Just seeing the way that they are with Mr Nygard. It seems as though he feels that he is cozy with the government.”
This claim has been denied. PLP Chairman Bradley Roberts has said that Mrs Butler-Turner’s concern made no sense.
He
said that records are available to support that the stem cell facility
in Freeport was licensed under the current leader of the Opposition Dr
Minnis who was the Minister of Health at the time.
July 15, 2013
