If ever there was a time when the attentive public is desirous of ‘swift” justice that time is surely now as they get both whiff and smell of some of the corruption-tinged allegations now swirling around the head of this or that person previously working for the National Insurance Board.

Today we re-new our call on the authorities to move with all deliberate speed to bring this matter to speedy closure. When the chips are down- the masses of our people still yearn to know and believe that the laws on the books apply to each and every Bahamian.

In addition, the masses of Bahamian people yet yearn for the soon-coming of that day when the Law is applied without fear or favor. We must re-state and re-cite our fullest agreement with the proposition which teaches and ensures that a person charged with an offense is to be presumed innocent.

We are also quite aware that no one should be put in a position where he might condemn himself; thus his right to remain silent and that, in order to be convicted there must be contested positions in open court as led by prosecution and defense.
Like so very many other right-thinking Bahamians, we want to know about what really did go down at National Insurance to cause all the furor and innuendo that now engulfs a number of current and former employees of that star-crossed government owned entity.

Not only do we want to know what happened, we want to know if anyone is going to be charged with any wrong-doing. And most of all, we take this opportunity to let this administration know that the Bahamian people want them to come clean and let the chips fall where they may.

And lest there be some other mistake concerning the extent of the people’s justified anger about what they have heard concerning the National Insurance issue; let it also be known that these people are also angry because things are tough for them.

They are therefore in no mood to turn a blind eye on this scandal.

The hurt for many continues; so too does the gravy train hum for some others who are mired in games now being played out in other sectors of this or that state-owned entity.

Enough remains enough!

In addition, even as we look in on scandal’s NIB face, we are reminded of the fact that this nation now reels not only at the hammer blows inflicted by a world-economy over which it has little to no real control; but that the so-called man in the street now cowers in the cold shadow of poverty on the hoof –but yet, an ever expectant people now demand transparency, accountability and responsibility from all who lead and all who would lead.

But above all else, the Bahamian people demand action, results and transparency from those elected to serve them. In addition, they are now demanding the same from all those nameless, faceless bureaucrats who work with, for and under the command of politicians.

From the report of Auditors the National Insurance Fund has been pillaged and somehow or the other been diverted from their proper use. Now that the report is published, the people expect action from the Attorney General.

In his statement of the obvious, Minister Gibson says that, “…As soon as we make a decision based on the recommendations of the AG’s Office, then one of two things will happen:- “He will either return to work or he won’t return to work.”
There is no way that the Director of NIB Algernon Cargill can return to work, given the content of the report. We all must now wait to hear, see and understand what the Attorney-General’s Office has to say on the matter concerning the stewardship of the people’s money.

The time is now [not nigh] for demanding that the Hon. Shane Gibson show and tell the Bahamian people all that he knows concerning whatever it is that has come to light in the aftermath of that forensic audit into the affairs of the National Insurance Board ordered and/or sanctioned by his colleagues in the Cabinet.

Let it be known that we shall have none of that good old fudge that some among us are prepared to feast on when there is information in hand that might hurt this or that favored character of ours’. The chips –as they say- should be allowed to fly where ever they may.

Someone might yet find himself convicted for having completed some delicate exercise in dealing with or even stealing money that was ours and not his or theirs.