Press Secretary Anthony Newbold couldn’t produce a new Gazette to prove any of the portfolio areas were returned to Minister Ferreira!
Nassau – It is shocking to see how the Minnis Administration continues to shop the defense of the fact that Minister Romauld Ferreira had been stripped of much of his portfolio even after the Prime Minister’s “Fake News” assertion was proved to be a lie.
In his weekly press event, Anthony Newbold said this week that Minister Ferreira had much of his portfolio returned to him save for The BEST Commission. But last week Newbold had told the media none of the areas, save for BEST, in the portfolio appearing in the Gazette had indeed come under Dr. Minnis.
When pressed by the media for Newbold to substantiate his claims that those listed areas were indeed returned to Minister Ferreira, the Press Secretary could not show one shred of proof. Not even a FAKE Gazette copy to show the same – thus the lie continues.
BP knows what happened to Minister Ferreira in this case, but we sought to keep it quiet to see if the truth would be told by someone in authority. BEST Commission head, Philip Weech, and Minister Ferreira had a heated exchange in the parking lot of the Commission sometime before August 22. That exchange resulted in Ferreira delivering a letter to Weech which, when read, was to terminate his services from the Commission. But before the minister could have his wish, Weech raced to the Office of the Prime Minister that afternoon and informed his former SAC Classmate of 1971 [PM Dr. Minnis ] the decisions of his Minister and that he was not prepared to serve under that kind of WUTLESS Ministerial Leadership!
It was then when Dr. Hon. Hubert Minnis, Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, informed Weech that he will deal with the matter in Cabinet! It was at that following session of Cabinet when PM Minnis – before August 22 – moved a motion in the Cabinet to stripped like the bark off a tree Minister Ferreria from; “national and international organisation[s] on matters relating to the environment the Bahamas Science and Technology Commission (BEST), reefs and blue holes, international convention[s], treaties, protocols and agreements relating to the environment, the Plant Protection Act, wild animal and bird protection and natural history specimens.” A communication was sent to the Governor General informing her of the same and Weech no longer had to worry about Ferreira. Later on on August 22, 2017 an official Gazette was published informing all senior public officers of the Cabinet’s decision. And since the PM forgot – we at Bahamas Press will remind him how this all happened.
Now, it should also be noted that while Weech is heading up BEST and is now reporting to the PM, every other portfolio assignment removed from Minister Ferreira has Philip Weech serving in some capacity – thus the decision by the PM so his powerful SAC classmate does not have to deal with the Environment Minister in any way. This is how da BIG RED MACHINE of SAC rolls!
And so now that we all know this today – we will ask this again: Why deny a decision the PM made, which he, in his full power as PM, is entitled to do? Didn’t the PM say he would not take on the responsibility of any ministry at the beginning but had instructions penned to the GG to change his mind in this case? WHY LIE ABOUT THIS?!
And knowing all this, it is no wonder no member of the press can get an audience with Minister Ferreira, the PM or Mr. Weech to speak to this simple issue.
All this confusion and conundrum reminds us of a powerful line in that famous play written by Dr. Winston Saunders ‘You can lead a horse to the water’ which says: “You see dese…What you see here is WUTLESS-NESS!”
We report yinner decide!
