Issued by: Raynard Rigby, National Chairman
Date: Tuesday, the 31st October, 2006

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The Progressive Liberal Party is fully satisfied and remains supportive of the work of the Government over these past 4 years. We have been a transformative government and have brought positive changes to the economic and social climate of The Bahamas. The Bahamian economy is at its strongest ever and there remains a heightened level of optimism in our society. Many Bahamians still have confidence in our Party and our leadership.

The PLP is also satisfied that there is no factual basis whatsoever to the scurrilous reports of the Tribune spin doctors that there exists a ‘meltdown’ in the government. Not only is it utterly ridiculous and amateurish for such an assertion to be published, it remains a fact that the Tribune will stoop to any low level, to showcase the bastardization of any journalistic integrity that they have left, all to seek to discredit this Government and our leadership. Even now one wonders whether they will ignore this news release of positive information in favour of more muck-racking and negativism aimed at this successful government.

Every day there are clear signs for all those who wish to see that this PLP Government is hard at work fixing the problems left by Hubert Ingraham and ensuring that the lives of Bahamians are improved. There has been no other government that has done so much in such a short time in office. These are the facts and no matter what the Tribune reports the PLP will not be deterred in its mandate to serve the interests of the Bahamian people.

The PLP also finds it surprising that with all of the turmoil in the FNM concerning Mr. Ingraham’s dictatorial approach to the selection of candidates that no report of these facts has found its way in that newspaper notwithstanding the Tribune’s assertions that it is engaged in balanced reporting. It is important for the Tribune and John Marquis to be fair and honest in all of its reporting. We are fully satisfied that the Tribune’s usual bias reporting against the PLP will not discourage this government nor will it prevent us from carrying out our mission to serve the interests of the Bahamian people.  In fact, we are happy to report that a number of former leaders of the FNM have voluntarily joined the ranks of the PLP and have committed themselves to ensuring the PLP victory.

The Progressive Liberal Party publicly goes on record to refute and deny the vicious and mean spirited attempts by the FNM and its agents to suggest that Minister Shane Gibson and this PLP Government have done something wrong in the issuance of permanent residency to Anna Nicole Smith.

For the record, the Progressive Liberal Party stands with and will continue to support this PLP Government in its efforts to establish a new and progressive immigration policy. The FNM’s record on immigration is a blundering one, full of examples where they have acted in the interests of themselves and their cronies. The FNM should also remember that there are examples where they granted permanent residency to individuals in a period of less than two weeks.  The lies, distortions and half truths that continue to reach the front pages of the mainstay newspapers concerning the matter involving Ms. Smith will not daunt this Party in the support of our leadership.

There is no evidence that has been put in the public domain, and we are satisfied that none exists, that has reached the level of any wrong doing in respect of the grant of the permanent residency to Ms. Smith. The facts are that the cheque was made payable to the Public Treasury and the Department of Immigration has a record of receiving the cheque. As far as we are aware, there is no allegation that the cheque was made payable to Minister Gibson.  There is no evidence and no allegation has been made that the Minister received any monetary benefit for the issuance of the permanent residency permit to Ms. Smith.

The PLP is not surprised that the Tribune and the FNM have been seeking to make this a public issue. The FNM should be the last to lecture any political party on credibility and honesty in public life. In fact, the public is still waiting on a report from Hubert Ingraham after his investigations into the ministerial misconduct of Tommy Turnquest and Dion Foulkes. The allegations against the two gentlemen involved the misuse of their ministerial offices to receive kick backs. Zhivargo Laing should remember these facts and it will also be wise for him to remember that charity begins at home and that his call for an enquiry into the grant of the permanent residency to Ms. Smith does not mirror his stance on the serious allegations made against his colleagues, Tommy Turnquest and Dion Foulkes.

The PLP is also appalled at the Insight article that appeared in yesterday’s Tribune authored by John Marquis. The contents are defamatory and amount to an unlawful intrusion into the private conversations of the Minister and his Permanent Secretary. It will be wise for the Tribune and John Marquis to refresh their memories about the Listening Devices Act and the fact that they may have committed a criminal offence under the Act. This may well be a matter which requires the investigation of the Police. If this is what the Tribune and John Marquis are teaching the reporters at the Tribune then the public should not be surprised of the increasing amount of sleaze and mean-spirited lies that appear in that newspaper on a regular basis.

The PLP is well aware of the longstanding relationship between the Tribune and the FNM and as the election approaches, we know that the Tribune will use its pages as a means to campaign for the FNM and to attempt to dishonour the integrity of this PLP Government. We will answer all of the outlandish allegations that they will print and we will not be deterred in our criticism of the Tribune. Just as they enjoy freedom of the press we have a corresponding fundamental right to freedom of speech.