PM: HELICOPTER RIDE NOT WORTH DISMISSAL
By PAUL G TURNQUEST
Tribune Staff Reporter
pturnquest@tribunemedia.net:
EXPLAINING for the first time his reasons for not accepting the resignation of his Minister of the Environment Earl Deveaux, Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham said yesterday the controversy surrounding his minister's "free ride" on the Aga Khan's helicopter does not raise to the level of calling for his dismissal.
Acknowledging that persons could argue whether or not it was the right decision to make under the circumstances, Mr Ingraham still stressed that Mr Deveaux "did nothing" deserving of resignation.
"What I find very fascinating about this whole question about Earl Deveaux and resignation is the Opposition hasn't raised it in the House (of Assembly at all. At all. But I wonder why," he laughed.
"There was no basis upon which Earl Deveaux ought to resign. He's done nothing deserving of resignation.
"Whether or not he should have taken a flight to Abaco, judgmental, but it doesn't rise to the level of dismissal and Bell Island is a place that doesn't have regular flights.
" I've been there twice, I went there once on the Defence Force boat and once I went there on the Aga Khan's helicopter, and I went there to have lunch with the King of Spain and took my grandchildren to meet with the Aga Khan's grandchildren.
"And then I asked while I was there, 'Listen I can't come this far without stopping in Black Point to hail the residents there'. So we landed there and I went there and shook some hands in Black Point and came back to Nassau. Since that time, just yesterday, somebody told me, an official, he had to go to Cat Island on a developer's aircraft to check something and on the flight with him was the member of Parliament, the deputy leader of the PLP (Philip Davis) on the same private aircraft," Mr Ingraham said.
However Fred Mitchell, the Opposition's MP for Fox Hill, said the Prime Minister's comments only reinforce the notion that it was OK for Earl Deveaux to accept the Aga Khan's ride, because the Prime Minister himself had done the same thing.
September 30, 2010
tribune242
A political blog about Bahamian politics in The Bahamas, Bahamian Politicans - and the entire Bahamas political lot. Bahamian Blogger Dennis Dames keeps you updated on the political news and views throughout the islands of The Bahamas without fear or favor. Bahamian Politicians and the Bahamian Political Arena: Updates one Post at a time on Bahamas Politics and Bahamas Politicans; and their local, regional and international policies and perspectives.
Showing posts with label Earl Deveaux resignation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Earl Deveaux resignation. Show all posts
Friday, October 1, 2010
Friday, September 17, 2010
Earl Deveaux - Environment Minister - Guilty of Self-incrimination!
By Dennis Dames:
Did the Environment Minister actually resigned, or did he offered his resignation to the prime minister – in light of revelations that he had accepted a free ride in the Aga Khan's helicopter while he had an application before his Ministry?
There is a distinct difference between a resignation, and offering to do the same; so what exactly did the minister do? If the minister was genuine about quitting over the much talked about and legitimate issue – then he would have done the honorable thing; and no one could have changed his mind - in my opinion.
The story got even more embarrassing: Dr Deveaux admitted he accepted a free ride in the Aga Khan's 12-seater luxury helicopter to attend a film screening in Abaco with his wife and two friends before going on to the Aga Khan's private island in the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park with Bahamas National Trust (BNT) executives to do a land assessment.
How foolish could a government minister be? This is a clear case of conflict of interest that deserves a complete public explanation without further insult on the minister’s behalf.
According to newspaper reports: When Ms Roker's co-host interjected: "So you tendered your resignation?"
"Absolutely," Dr Deveaux said.
How dishonest could Dr. Earl Deveaux be?
Well, if the answer is “absolutely” – then how is it that the environment minister Deveaux is still the environment minister Deveaux?
The answer is clear for all to see; there was NO RESIGNATION!
To add insult to injury, the minister stated further in the press - the following: Dr Deveaux said: "This is not a matter where a minister was compromised in any decision he was making, or in any action he did, and if it is, then every government elected by the Bahamian people should summarily resign, because you find me one that did not use the boat, the plane, the golf cart, or the means to do their job."
Minister Deveaux incriminated himself by the following in my view: Recalling the meals he has shared with investors, and a boat trip when his offer to pay for gas was turned down, Dr Deveaux said the notion these actions compromise his ability to function objectively as Minister of the Environment is "ridiculous".
He maintains he frequently travels in planes and boats belonging to developers, including a plane to see the Ginn project in West End, Grand Bahama, and a boat belonging to the developers of Baker's Bay in Abaco, as he said such means are often necessary for viewing development sites.
To put the icing on the minister’s cake of insult, the following was attributed to him: And Dr Deveaux said the actions he takes are transparent and acceptable by reasonable people.
I imagined that reasonable people are all of us who accept the old saying: The more things change, the more they remain the same.
God help us all.
Bahamas Blog International
Did the Environment Minister actually resigned, or did he offered his resignation to the prime minister – in light of revelations that he had accepted a free ride in the Aga Khan's helicopter while he had an application before his Ministry?
There is a distinct difference between a resignation, and offering to do the same; so what exactly did the minister do? If the minister was genuine about quitting over the much talked about and legitimate issue – then he would have done the honorable thing; and no one could have changed his mind - in my opinion.
The story got even more embarrassing: Dr Deveaux admitted he accepted a free ride in the Aga Khan's 12-seater luxury helicopter to attend a film screening in Abaco with his wife and two friends before going on to the Aga Khan's private island in the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park with Bahamas National Trust (BNT) executives to do a land assessment.
How foolish could a government minister be? This is a clear case of conflict of interest that deserves a complete public explanation without further insult on the minister’s behalf.
According to newspaper reports: When Ms Roker's co-host interjected: "So you tendered your resignation?"
"Absolutely," Dr Deveaux said.
How dishonest could Dr. Earl Deveaux be?
Well, if the answer is “absolutely” – then how is it that the environment minister Deveaux is still the environment minister Deveaux?
The answer is clear for all to see; there was NO RESIGNATION!
To add insult to injury, the minister stated further in the press - the following: Dr Deveaux said: "This is not a matter where a minister was compromised in any decision he was making, or in any action he did, and if it is, then every government elected by the Bahamian people should summarily resign, because you find me one that did not use the boat, the plane, the golf cart, or the means to do their job."
Minister Deveaux incriminated himself by the following in my view: Recalling the meals he has shared with investors, and a boat trip when his offer to pay for gas was turned down, Dr Deveaux said the notion these actions compromise his ability to function objectively as Minister of the Environment is "ridiculous".
He maintains he frequently travels in planes and boats belonging to developers, including a plane to see the Ginn project in West End, Grand Bahama, and a boat belonging to the developers of Baker's Bay in Abaco, as he said such means are often necessary for viewing development sites.
To put the icing on the minister’s cake of insult, the following was attributed to him: And Dr Deveaux said the actions he takes are transparent and acceptable by reasonable people.
I imagined that reasonable people are all of us who accept the old saying: The more things change, the more they remain the same.
God help us all.
Bahamas Blog International
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