March 28, 2012
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE by NEMA
NASSAU, The Bahamas – The National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, is setting the record straight regarding reports that the Agency paid funds to a Mr. Howard Johnson, FNM Candidate for South Eleuthera, for unexplained services.
At the outset, the public is advised that there is not one vestige of truth in such reports. This is borne out by the fact that the Editor of the Bahamas Press Blog, in another of his scurrilous character assassinations of government officials, and in typical cowardly fashion, has attempted to cover him/herself by suggesting that a senior politician “MAY HAVE DIRECTED OFFICIALS OUT OF NEMA TO PAY JOHNSON $10,000 FOR SERVICES…”
Captain Stephen Russell, Director of NEMA, in a statement issued Wednesday, March 28, 2012 has confirmed unequivocally, that every payment for supplies, goods and services, whether for clean-up, repairs and construction, has been, and continues to be, made payable by cheque, directly to the providers of goods or services, in accordance with financial regulations.
Additionally, each such cheque is signed by the Director of NEMA and co-signed by the Secretary to the Cabinet or another approved signator in her absence.
If the editor of Bahamas Press or anyone else has supporting documentary evidence that NEMA would have made payment(s) to Howard Johnson as alleged by BP, then such person/persons is invited to show proof forthwith. In the absence of such evidence, however, the allegation by Bahamas Press remains what it is – a scurrilous character assassination of another government official – the Director of NEMA.
—END—
