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Last Updated: Dec 12, 2019 - 10:12:05 AM |
- Senator's repayment of loan in question
- Minister Lloyd more concerned with public shaming over due process
- Questions arise whether Parliamentarians given special treatment
- Clarification needed on whether debts were declared in public disclosure declaration
- FNM administration perpetuates Animal Farm society
According to media reports, three members of the Minnis-led Free National Movement (FNM) administration - one in the Senate and two sitting as Members of Parliament in the House of Assembly, have for more than a decade, owed thousands of dollars to the Education Loan Authority (ELA) of The Bahamas.
It is alleged that the Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture - Lanisha Rolle and MP for West End and Bimini - Pakesia Parker-Edgecombe are confirmed to be paying on their debts. It remains unclear whether the loans to the two sitting MPs were always in good standing or have been serviced in accordance with the loan agreement. Additionally, we are unable to determine whether payments on the loans have only just started or recommenced.
The case of Senator Ranard Henfield is more concerning. Despite the Senator's claims that he had fully repaid his debt in 2004, no proof has been provided to support this assertion. It has also been reported by sources at the ELA that Senator Henfield had made their list of people in delinquency of their loan as recently as February 7th, 2017; at that time, he allegedly owed $89, 120.04. Should these allegations hold true and the debt still exists, Ranard Eric Henfield would have knowingly and intentionally misled the Bahamian people and deprived taxpayers of much needed funds.
This quagmire is complicated by the alleged involvement of the Minister of Education - Jeff Lloyd. The allegation is that Minister Lloyd has ordered an investigation into why Senator Henfield’s name was published with the names of ordinary Bahamians on the ELA's delinquency list, instead of being contacted as he is a sitting Senator. This suggests that Minister Lloyd, a fellow FNM, is more concerned about why Senator Henfield’s name was published on the delinquency list as opposed to whether Henfield, a member of his governing party was not repaying the Bahamian government. How would this not be a blatant example of corruption? What makes Senator Henfield deserving of such special treatment? And if Minister Lloyd is already attempting to protect one FNM member, what would stop him from trying to do the same with Rolle and Parker-Edgecombe?
This information raises serious questions: 1) If Senator Henfield’s education loan was paid, why did his name appear on the list of people with loan delinquency? Was the ELA negligent or incompetent in the handling of the Senator's loan account? 2) Why is there an investigation into why Henfield was not contacted? Why is the investigation not into whether Henfield was not meeting his obligations to the Bahamian people? 3) Minister Lloyd advocated special treatment for Henfield with his debt, would it be unreasonable to believe that Rolle, Parker-Edgecombe and other FNM cronies may have received special treatment with their loan repayment as well? Were Parker-Edgecombe and Rolle given the special treatment that would have enabled them to start making payments before their names were going to be made public like ordinary Bahamians?
The Bahamian people would also like to know whether these Bahamian lawmakers declared these debts on their pubic disclosure declarations as required by law.
The allegations involving Senator Ranard Henfield must be investigated and addressed at once. In addition the circumstances surrounding MPs Lanisha Rolle and Pakesia Parker-Edgecombe’s conduct regarding their government loans, must also be investigated, not by the compromised and conflicted Minister of Education but by an independent arbiter or ombudsman.
The Prime Minister and this FNM administration is not known for good governance. Nevertheless, we demand these investigations commence immediately and if the allegations are found to be true, these people must be removed from office. We cannot have an Animal Farm society; what is good for the goose must be good for the gender. The FNM Parliamentarians are not above the law and should suffer the consequences of their actions, like any other ordinary Bahamian citizen would have to. Equal justice under the law must at least have the appearance of being applied, and the rule of law must apply to one and all.
Omar B. Smith
National Chairman
Democratic National Alliance
© Copyright 2019 by thebahamasweekly.com
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