The Clifton Review

The Clifton Review is a bi-weekly column that examines the question of the Clifton project along with the evolution of the war between two billionaires, the links to unsavory characters, the use of the courts for personal agendas, the involvement of the Government opposition party (the FNM), and the attacks on the Government of The Bahamas.

Some time back, we covered the start of this war with articles describing the battle over easement rights. The next major action in this war has involved taking the Government to court. In a series of articles, all will be explained with the details laid out in full.

By P.J. Malone

If someone gave you hundreds of thousands of dollars to take care of your dire needs, would you turn around and punch him in the mouth and kick him in the gut?

That is in essence what we have done to fashion mogul Peter Nygard. We have taken his hundreds of thousands and punched him in the mouth and kicked him in the gut.

There is no question that Peter Nygard is our most precious benefactor. Is that how we treat those most precious to us?

Can we say about any other individual in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas that he provided generous resources to our most vulnerable—our children with physical and mental challenges; that he gave hundreds of thousands to our most gifted athletes—those of whom we are most proud; that he financed the positive growth and development of our youth—our most treasured resources; that he financed many community events and regattas—those activities that lessen our stress, bring joy to our hearts, and extend our lives; and that he assisted with the medical needs of many near and dear to us?

This is the measure of the man who we have taken and punched and kicked!

All of us have watched Peter Nygard suffer the indignities of being taken to court countless times and accused of all manner of things, and of having evil men plot against him and attempt to set him up for a potential crime he had no intention of committing. We have watched his years of indignities and done nothing:

– we silently watched as Peter Nygard’s neighbour bought up all of the property surrounding Nygard Cay; and then we silently listened to the reporting of a real estate agent, who claimed to be working on behalf of ‘a Nygard Neighbour’, who threatened Nygard if he didn’t sell his property;

– we silently watched Nygard’s neighbour block off  Peter Nygard’s access and prevent him from entering his own property;

– we silently listened to the recordings of a Lyford Cay executive plotting against Peter Nygard on behalf of Nygard’s neighbour;

– we silently watched Peter Nygard’s house be mysteriously burned down;

– we silently watched Nygard’s neighbour form an organization that has created roadblock after roadblock and gone to the extremes to stop Nygard from getting permission to rebuild his home.

– we silently listened to the tape recordings of evil individuals conspiring to pay individuals to accuse Peter Nygard of plotting murder; we silently watched these individuals take Peter Nygard to court to accuse him of such heinous acts even though their secret recordings of Nygard reveal Nygard totally refusing to break the law.

– we watched these individuals use these lies against Peter Nygard with international human rights organizations to cause The Bahamas’ name to be put on a list with rogue nations who kidnap, torture, and kill their citizens.

What have we done to assist this man in need, a man who assisted us when we were in need?

It didn’t have to be our son or daughter who he made life easier for at Stapledon School; it didn’t have to be our son or daughter who went to Nygard Cay for days filled with fun, food and inspiration; it didn’t have to be our brother or sister whose medical expenses were paid; it didn’t have to be our niece or nephew who was sponsored to fulfill a life-long dream and participate in the Olympics; it didn’t have to be our sailing sloop or our family island regatta or our community event he sponsored.

It was our fellow Bahamian that Nygard loved and supported! Need you wait for your turn to be in need to care enough? Need I wait until my children are in dire need? God forbid! There go we all but for the grace of God!

What will we do to right the wrongs against Peter Nygard?

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing”! (Edmund Burke).