|
Home
Up
| |
|
|
|
|
Dr. Brown's
speech on allegations against him
The following is a copy of a speech that Premier Dr. Ewart Brown made Friday
night, June 1.
I consider it my duty to speak with you this evening about the publication
of serious allegations against me and other named persons, on the front page
of today's Mid Ocean News. Today is one of the darkest days for journalism
in Bermuda.
The lurid treatment the newspaper gave those allegations, calculatedly
ignored the fact that the very investigation referenced by the Mid Ocean
News completely exonerates me of any unlawful act. This information,
however, was relegated to a minor position, on Page Eighteen in the second
section of the newspaper. The same report confirms that the investigation
found no basis on which to lay any charge against the members of the Bermuda
Government whose reputations were shredded by those involved in the
conspiracy that culminated in the sensationalism of the report in the Mid
Ocean News.
The publication of material purported to be extracted from confidential
official files of a criminal investigation, establishes blatant malice in
intent and raises profoundly serious questions about the means by which the
newspaper came into possession of documents to which only a limited number
officials had access. The conclusion that the scurrilous scandalisation of
elected officials in today's Mid Ocean News is a politically linked
conspiracy involving high offices, is close to inescapable.
Given all relevant circumstances, the Honourable Attorney General today
wrote to the Deputy Governor of Bermuda requesting an immediate and in-depth
investigation of the circumstances by which documents restricted to a
limited number of officials were made available to the Mid Ocean News. I
have sought counsel's advice on the legal options available to me in
response to the scurrilous use of the information in today's Mid Ocean News.
Prior to today's defamatory publication in the Mid Ocean News, I had raised
directly with the Governor of Bermuda, the issue of the security of the
files of the BHC investigation.
We know, now, that reference to the Governor did nothing to protect elected
representatives of the Bermudian people from the character assassination
carried out by conspirators who must be flushed out and called to account
for their vile and unlawful actions. I take this opportunity to again call
upon the Governor to discharge the responsibility of his office, by taking
swift and meaningful action against the perpetrators of this nefarious
scheme.
He must see this as his obligation. Should he fail to do this, the
constitutionally elected Government of Bermuda will lose confidence in the
current Governor. In that event, we will have no choice but to suspend
further business with him.
On a personal note, I give my fellow Bermudians the assurance that my
professional practice and my business interests have long provided me quite
adequately with the means to live in relative comfort.
I am blessed with the good fortune of being married to a businesswoman of
independent income. I have absolutely no need to seek to improve my net
worth by any questionable actions. I deserve to be given credit for being
sensible enough to keep my hands clean and my character beyond question.
Still, the attempt to assassinate my character is painful to my wife and to
our relatives; as it must be to others affected by this savage assault. I
am, nonetheless, grateful to the countless persons who contacted my family
today to express their outrage at the outrage that has been committed
against me and my colleagues. Such injustices should not come with the job I
am doing, but I do not doubt that they will continue, and indeed intensify.
I knew that from the beginning. However, I will continue to use all the
resources of the Government to improve the lives of all in Bermuda.
I remain unbroken and unbowed. Thank you. May God bless you and your loved
ones. |
Comment:
“completely exonerated of any unlawful act”? Did I miss something? It appears
that neither the police nor AG consider they had insufficient evidence to
prosecute. At least one officer believes the premier should have been
interviewed, that there was evidence to suspect an offence. From the Premier’s
perspective, it appears the police did not consider there was evidence that
would satisfy the ‘beyond the balance of doubt’ requirement, this is a far, far
cry from ‘completely exonerated’. Indeed, whilst DPP Kulandra Ratneser ruled
that the Premier had not broken the law, the Mid-Ocean News reveal that the
island’s top prosecutor suggested the possibility that civil charges could be
brought against Dr. Brown over his dealings with the BHC.
What of ethics, the Premier’s moral
principles? It appears these have been called into question.
Possibly now the Premier realises
that his people (via BHC) overpaid him more than $100,000 for his house, he will
refund the monies? Hopefully, the Premier will provide the relevant invoices
and evidence of payment for the building of his home? Cedar beams from the post
office? To whom do they belong if not the people of Bermuda?
As for the “profoundly serious
questions about the means by which the newspaper came into possession of
documents”, get real. They were quite likely handed over by someone who rather
than having any political agenda, saw the investigation for a sham or considered
the issues too serious to be left ignored, buried by those who may have
alternative agendas.
Let’s see if the Bermuda press and
public will do what the police shied away from; asking some pertinent questions
and demanding answers. Ewart is entitled to appoint lawyers, but why would he –
all that’s need are some simple explanations accompanied by the relevant
paperwork – surely he will have maintained meticulous records, he and his wife
are business people?
Or is the outburst, the indignation,
intended to mask a more sinister truth? Is there real fire in the smoke
currently swirling around the island’s leader? Who will lose confidence in whom
first?
The papers are out the allegations
are circulating, you cannot put them back into the box.
Answer some questions Dr Brown, stop
the rhetoric and bravado. The excessive reaction appears deigned to distract
from the real issues; did you make money out of nefarious schemes, if so how
much and how will you make good on your actions? The innocent gush with
information and have nothing to hide – the allegations are out, so put a stop to
them by demonstrating that they have no base in fact. We’ve seen part of the
prosecution hand, now show us your rebuttal evidence …. or are we to be
subjected to more ‘big man’ posturing, name calling and attempts to deflect the
blame onto others?
If $8,000,000 had not been
disappeared from the BHC coffers you would not be in this position. The BHC is
a Government quango, you are the government … where does the buck stop? Where
was all the bravado, the indignation, when the Bermuda police failed to locate
and return the millions of dollars lost “through backhanders, questionable
accounting practices, fraudulent deals and inflated invoices with building
contractors".
$8,000,000 misappropriated and only
one prosecution ( Terrence Smith). Just how does a Government quango lose such
a sum? How are you unable to account for the funds? Just how is it that a
police service is unable to investigate such a huge loss, that the monies can
simply vanish?
| |
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
|
