It is now common knowledge that both cabinet ministers have been judicially condemned for their improper behaviour with respect to their involvement with one Barbara Hanna in the Frank Smith matter.
In the absence of any credible rebuttal to the magistrate’s condemnation that suggests they indeed acted improperly, why are they still, as a minimum, cabinet ministers?
In fact, to the best of my knowledge and information, neither minister has sought to explain away what they did with respect to this matter.
The facts that the magistrate relied on in arriving at her determination are irrefutable and have not been challenged!
In response to requests for their resignations, the National Security Minister dismissed them as jokes, while his erstwhile colleague, after being quiet on the matter for what seemed like forever, finally simply said, “The devil is a liar”. Wow! What disdain!
Both the good gentlemen, in my opinion, are highly educated men. In fact, I also believe them to be intelligent and I don’t say that facetiously. Herein lies the conundrum.
In the absence of them saying that what they did was fair and proper and otherwise in accordance with established protocols and best practices, why would they want to remain in office?
Do they believe that they ought to be censured for their bad behavior but resignation is too harsh a penalty?
Or do they see nothing inappropriate in their reported behaviour in this matter?
Others have been harshly dealt with for voting against matters that they believe would hurt their constituents, rather than voting yes as protocol dictated. These are the real heroes.
For his part, the Prime Minister has broken his promise to speak to the matter during his recent sojourn in Grand Bahama.
The nation ought to hear directly from him, soonest, his rationale for keeping these men in cabinet. I just hope he embraces this teachable movement and does the proper thing. The world is watching!
