PM: I’m Not Going to Go Down the Rabbit Hole This Young Man Wants Us to Go

Advertisement

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Is government paying for the legal services of a Bahamian locked up abroad on drug charges? That question was raised by an opposition member in Parliament on Thursday.

It’s a case that has grabbed local and international headlines, and today the opposition used debate on the budget as an opportunity to hold the government’s feet to the fire once again.

Ever since the news broke, proceedings in Parliament have appeared to steer back to the Gardiner case.

He was among 11 survivors of an Election Day plane crash.

Days later, he was detained by U.S. authorities in connection with an international drug trafficking scheme and was allegedly carrying $30,000 at the time of the crash.

As parliamentarians passed expenditure heads as part of the budget process, Long Island opposition MP Dr. Andre Rollins raised the issue while referring to consultancies under the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Legal Affairs.

The amount allocated for the upcoming fiscal year is $3.6 million.

The question was posed to Prime Minister Philip Davis, who initially did not rise to answer.

Dr. Andre Rollins – MP, Long Island

“Can you say for the record that no public funds, or funds tied to any member of the government, either by that person or an emissary of the government, are being paid to assist with the legal services of Jonathan Eric Gardiner?”

Still, Rollins persisted, saying the prime minister should clarify. Davis eventually offered this response.

Philip Davis – Prime Minister

“I’m not gonna go down the rabbit hole that this young man wants us to go. I indicated that that line item is set up for the payment of legal services provided to the government, not to any individuals.”

But Rollins wasn’t pleased, telling the House that the prime minister did not answer his question.

The Office of the Prime Minister also released a statement saying the prime minister has never traveled on the plane involved in the crash, but noted that the pilot had flown the prime minister during an earlier period when he utilized Pineapple Air.