...Mr Deputy Prime Minister Brent Symonette, and the political red herring of conflict of interest

Symonette steps down as airport chairman in 2001

tribune242 editorial


ON MONDAY we discussed the claim by two PLP former ministers in the Pindling cabinet that the country now faced a "constitutional crisis" because Deputy Prime Minister Brent Symonette had "admitted" that his family had shares in a company awarded a government contract. They called for his resignation from politics.

We said that we would return to the discussion on Tuesday, but got sidetracked by Police Commissioner Greenslade's call for tougher sentences to deter crime.

As 100 murders were recorded over the weekend with shootings continuing, the Commissioner was asked if police were doing enough to get crime under control. Commissioner Greenslade replied that the police were doing their best. They were arresting the suspects and taking them to court, but after the courts charged and released them, it was no longer a police matter. Today Senator Dr Duane Sands said that the record-breaking murder count would be three times higher if it weren't for the country's skilled doctors who were saving many lives.

All this is true, and if one follows the plot all steps lead to the courts. The doctors would not have so many critically wounded on their operating tables, if when the police took their assailants to court, the courts returned them to prison to await trial, rather than releasing them on bail into the community.

It is now up to legislators to set penalties that will not only frighten would-be law breakers, but like it or not, limit the courts discretion in granting bail.

And now back to Mr Symonette and the political red herring of conflict of interest.

In 2001 Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, through the Minister of Transport, asked Mr Symonette to resign as chairman of the Airport Authority for apparent conflict of interest in awarding a contract to a paving company in which he had an interest. Six days after the matter was drawn to his attention, Mr Symonette resigned. Today he admits that in his efforts to get the job done quickly to prevent the threatened downgrade of Nassau International Airport by the FAA, he acted without consulting the Airport Authority's Board of Directors - most of whom were out of the country, preventing him from getting a quorum to call a meeting. However, on their return, they met and ratified his decision.

Mr Symonette's action was typical of a successful businessman, accustomed to making decisions and getting the job done efficiently and on time.

However, he will admit today that he was in the wrong, because in his position, he was no longer a private businessman, free to make immediate decisions, but a servant of the people who had to go through a slowed down process. This is the very reason that private enterprise is far more successful than any government undertaking, and the very reason why governments should never waste taxpayers' money by dabbling in private enterprise.

Three companies tendered for the airport paving job at that time. Bahamas Hot Mix, in which Mr Symonette had an interest, offered the lowest bid. "Bids came in on the 21st," Mr Symonette explained at the time, "they started work on the 29th, August."

To save money for the taxpayer, keep the FAA happy and save the downgrade of the airport that would affect tourism, Mr Symonette in August, 2000 awarded the contract to Bahamas Hot Mix to pave the airport's perimeter.

He said that at the time -- unable to get a quorum for a board meeting -- he declared his interest to the Chief Engineer before the contract was issued. The Prime Minister was also aware that he held shares in the Hot Mix company. And the information had been a matter of public record from August 22, 1992.

Although by his decision he saved the taxpayer money and achieved greater returns as a result of the contract, sacrificing many hours away from his own business for the airport, and, unlike past chairmen, never receiving pay for his services, Mr Symonette will today admit an error of judgment. Today he says many "mea culpas." He has since divested himself of his Bahamas Hot Mix shares. The shares have been transferred into a trust for his children. These are the same shares that are the centre of the current argument.

It was PLP Bradley Roberts, MP for Grants Town, who initially brought the matter to parliament in 2001 levelling charges of corruption and conflict of interest against the Ingraham government.

Behind the scenes Mr Roberts was himself in personal conflict with the Airport Authority chairman. Mr Roberts was a shareholder in a company that had a monopoly on all food and beverage handled at the airport, both in the airport building and for all incoming aircraft. This monopoly embraced the whole airport area as far as Coral Harbour, some claimed it took in about a five-mile radius. At the time that this monopoly was being challenged, Mr Symonette happened to be the chairman in the background asking unpleasant questions.

And so Mr Roberts' exposé in parliament was no surprise.

More on this subject tomorrow, unless our attention gets diverted to another subject.

September 21, 2011

tribune242 editorial

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