Not a single member of the FNM bench has come to the defense of the Minister of State for Finance Zhivargo Laing, who is come under pressure for allegedly having involved himself in a brewing scandal out of the Ministry of Finance. Frank Smith MP for the St. Thomas More constituency brought question to the House charging that the State Minister has allegedly reduced the duty on the Mona-vie drink through the customs department by the request of a family member. It is clear that taxes cannot be levied on hard-working Bahamians whilst others connected to government officials evade taxes. Our photo above present Minister Laing defending the government’s position on Urban Renewal last June in the House of Assembly. However since the announcement of the scandal by the St. Thomas More MP, Laing who seconded the 2007/2008 budget in June last year, have yet to speak to the mid-term budget brought to Parliament last week. Laing was invisible during the march from the Cabinet to Parliament. Prime Minister Ingraham appears to be distancing himself from his junior minister in the finance department. Also again, not a single MP in the Ingraham government has come to Minister Laing’s defense.
I am truly disappointed. The man knows that whenever and whatever the matter involving a family member happens to cross your desk as a public official. You are duty bound and honor bound to excuse yourself from the matter and have a colleague deal with it. Then no matter what the decision you come out smelling like a rose.
He knew better. And I’m sure Hubert is raking him over the coals despite his most vavored son status. LOL.
Comments are closed.