Free National Movement Chairman Carl Culmer has taken Progressive Liberal Party leader Phillip “ Brave” Davis to task over his alleged nepotism and special favours for PLP supporters during his tenure as Minister of Works.
In a statement released on Sunday Mr. Culmer lambasted Mr. Davis for gross mismanagement and using the WSC as his own “personal campaign account”.
“The facts are that while Bahamians suffered under the disastrous PLP Government, Brave and his cronies lived lavishly and used the people’s money desperately attempting to cling to power. Yet now with his back against the wall, Brave Davis – true to form – points fingers and places blame, even going so far as claiming a witch-hunt.
“For the entirety of the 2017 campaign, Prime Minister Hubert Minnis made it clear that transparency would be coming to government, that audits will be conducted on all parts of the government to shine light on every aspect and action. He also made clear that if there was any wrong doing those responsible would be held accountable – as it should be. The people clearly responded, giving the FNM an historic mandate in the past election. They wanted responsiveness and transparency from their government – and they wanted results.
“And now we are seeing the results of these audits, with egregious behaviours and actions coming to light. Brave Davis and many of his cohorts in the PLP may not like the results, but they must understand that they reap what they sow. Transparency and accountability are what is needed to start taking the steps we need to turn our country around after five years of corrupt, disastrous leadership under the PLP. No longer will government officials and elected leaders receive special treatment or hold themselves above the people they should be serving.
“The simple truth is also that as much as Brave Davis and his underlings scream and shout, rant and rave and cry witch-hunt, none of them have denied these findings of what the audits have discovered. What the country has learned from these audits is that under Brave’s leadership as the Minister of Works, he turned the WSC into his personal gift shop, using it as a de facto campaign headquarters – ordering some of his top allies to stop doing their jobs in a scheme to benefit the PLP’s re-election efforts,” Mr. Culmer said.
Mr. Culmer further stated that Mr. Davis can act the part of victim all he wants, but the real victims are the Bahamian people that were forced to struggle everyday as he abused his position and the taxpayers of this country
He added based on Brave Davis’ sense of entitlement and habitual avoidance of any semblance of responsibility, Bahamians everywhere understand this will probably not be the last time we hear of his wrongdoings.
Admitting to being a guardian angel to many people over the years, Opposition Leader Philip “Brave” Davis branded the EY audit into operations at the Water and Sewerage Corporation as nothing more than a “witch hunt” that has wasted taxpayers’ money.
On Wednesday evening, before tabling EY’s report of the water provider, its Chairman Long Island MP Adrian Gibson repeatedly suggested there was an “angel” in high places who ensured a company called Nassau Island Development not only received a hefty contract for work with WSC, but saw to it that certain rules were relaxed.
