By P.J. Malone
Environmental Activist, Vivian Whylly while being interviewed on JCN’s The Platform television show, opined that fashion mogul Peter Nygard has been denied justice because at four years he has yet to have been given permission to rebuild his home on Nygard Cay.
Mr. Whylly expressed that The Government of The Bahamas needs to grant Mr. Nygard a permit and allow him to rebuild his home.
When asked by the show’s host, “Wouldn’t the Government be in contempt of court since this matter is under judicial review?” Mr. Whylly responded, “A lady in Old Fort Bay was charged and convicted with killing her husband, and sentenced in a shorter time than it takes the Government to make a decision on Nygard.
“You have to be able to reasonably expect due process to be done in a timely manner. It’s been 4 years of wasting time.”
Mr. Whylly also expressed the view that the public doesn’t know a lot about the injunction, and that they are simply aware that there is an ongoing feud between two neighbours.
Save The Bays has taken the Government of The Bahamas to court for a judicial review concerning the decision to issue permits to Mr. Nygard to rebuild his home after it was mysteriously burned down a number of years ago. Mr. Nygard is still waiting to be granted permission to rebuild.
About the Bahamian people, Whylly states: “All they know is a feud. That’s how bad this is—the newspaper ads and all the rest of that have nothing to do with the court moving on the case.”
Mr. Whylly feels that the court can deal with any contempt of court matters while at the same time dealing with the substance of the case on the injunction.
He went on to use this analogy: “If you pay your light bill and they turn your light off, they breach the contract. Peter [Nygard] pays his taxes. Make a decision. That’s all the Government should concentrate on and do.
“Where’s Mr. Nygard’s Swift Justice?” Whylly asks.
“You see, criminal matters are not the only matters in front of the court. There are civil matters also. And if it takes you four years, 48 months,” The show’s host finishes the statement, “for a court to do a judicial review, there is no swift justice. And justice delayed,” Mr. Whylly completes the statement, “is justice denied.”
Mr. Whylly reiterates that Peter Nygard has been denied justice.
Additionally, Mr. Whylly expressed these views:
“I believe that Mr. Nygard has been attacked repeatedly, and is continuously being attacked. Lyford Cay is not a sovereign country. Nygard is a friend of The Bahamas. The people who don’t like Mr. Nygard live in Lyford Cay, and they’re trying to dictate to The Bahamas how they should deal with Mr. Nygard.
“The [Bahamian] people know that this is a bunch of money by Save The Bays to make Mr. Nygard look bad. For what? That’s what the Bahaman people need to know. Why are they doing all of this to make Nygard look bad?
“People read the newspaper and come to me on the streets and they say, ‘Mr. Whylly, thank you for explaining what’s going on.’ Mr. Nygard has been almost a ragdoll in the pitbull’s mouth when it comes to their attempt to discredit him.
“Mr. Peter Nygard has been unfairly treated in The Bahamas because of undue influence by Save The Bays. I am saddened that the people in The Bahamas are not being allowed to benefit from being able to go in Lyford Cay, and being able to use the doc at the park.
“The Government should act. They should act in favour of granting Mr. Nygard these things. Because he hasn’t done anything not to be granted that.”
