This past week was very disappointing one for many, as the budget debate came to a close – blue print of bad governance and for fiscal mismanagement by the former Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) government being laid out leaving many in total amazement and others physically nauseous; with all being left up to the office of the Attorney General to prosecute who needed to be prosecuted, wherever criminality could be proven but with the Attorney General saying that he had not yet received any files on misconduct on which to bring anyone before the courts as they should be.

“Bethel; No file received on misconduct” – The Tribune 23^rd June 2017

Excerpt from this article; “Attorney General Carl Bethel said his office had not received any files in relation to complaints of misconduct of former government officials.

He said whatever information that is sent to the Office of the Attorney General in the future will be dealt with under due process.  However, he added the many allegations against the former administration that have emerged from the House of Assembly warranting criminal prosecution have other avenues of redress.”

This then would suggest that the door is still open to holding the former administration to account for it many cases of alleged malfeasances, as audits and investigations are still ongoing and also shows clearly why there is URGENT need for anti-corruption legislation.

“Carl Bethel: Public justifiably horrified – AG says Christie administration appears to have abandoned good governance.” – The Nassau Guardian 24 June 2017

Excerpt from this article; “Attorney General Carl Bethel yesterday said there is something ‘rotten in the state’ as he reference a number of reported cases of alleged misfeasance by the Christie administration highlighted in the House of Assembly.

He said while his office will take a balanced approach when looking at such matters, he noted Bahamians are ‘justifiably horrified’ by some of the allegations of wastage and are calling for action.

The budget debate in the House of Assembly….has began to reveal the excessive spending that the PLP indulged in Bethel said as he contributed to the 2017/2018 budget debate in the Senate.”

This brought the response from some members of the PLP and some of it supporters; claiming that the people get ‘swing’ because look at all the wrong that we did and what will you all do about it?  

It is as if the former administration is admitting to the wrongdoing and also making the claim that if you were not going to do anything about it, the country might as well have left them in government to finish the ‘job’ that they started.

Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Senator Dr. Michael Darville in lying out his case went on to say, “………the people are tired of political talk.  He encouraged the government to ‘get to work’.

If you have something on some ministers that you believe is criminal carry then to the police’, he said

Darville added that so far; all of the claims made by the current government have been ‘just talk’.

So the former minister calls the allegations of mismanagement of the public purse “just talk” but the question is, are they true?

Senator Mitchell then went on to say, “………..he is unaware of any act of malfeasance on his part or on the part of Senator Dr. Darville, who is also a former minister.

He objected to Bethel’s’ implicit threats’.

Mitchell added: ‘Don’t come in here being fast and loose, quick and clever.  If you have something…..say so.’

The former minister’s comments came after Bethel pointed to the 2011 Caribbean Court of Justice that gave the go ahead for the attorney-general of Belize to take legal action against two of it ministers for monetary losses suffered by the state as a result of malfeasance.

Bethel said he was merely making a note of the case.”

So clearly the Attorney General, Carl Bethel knows of this ongoing issue, as does Senator Fred Mitchell but it seems that Senator Michael Darville is still unaware of what is going on, as he was during the past five years and someone needs to sit him down and clue him in.

Indeed, Senator Mitchell needs to get Senator Darville up to speed and very quickly as to what he is “justifiably horrified” of when Attorney-General Carl Bethel mentions the recent legal action that Belize recently took against two of its ministers and the possible ramifications that it could have on the members of the former administration because if it was up to me Senator Darville would be one of those name at the top of the list to be investigated for ‘monetary losses suffered by the state as the results of malfeasances.

The Progressive Liberal Party continues to fail for one reason, it is their nature.

END