Flip-flopped or Lied? Dr Smith again with U-turn on Gov’t negotiation team
This is also the case when some Members have answered questions in the House of Assembly (HoA) for the past six years, according to the Opposition, the media and civil society. Today June 13, 2017 at the Eighth Sitting of the Second Session of the Third House of Assembly, it was just yet another example of the misinformation given by the Premier to the HoA and the people.
Lies or memory loss?
It was on April 20, 2017 when answering a question posed by the Opposition Leader Hon Fahie about the Government and Delta Petroleum (Caribbean) Ltd’s negotiations, Premier Smith named his administration's team as Senior Pastor Dr Melvin A. Turnbull, Commissioner of Customs Mr Wade N. Smith and former NDP political candidate Mr Kevin C. Smith.
The three individuals are to negotiate on Government’s behalf, for the compensation payout to Delta Petroleum (Caribbean) Ltd.
When asked on April 20, 2017 by Hon Fahie if there was anyone from the Ministry of Finance on the negotiating team and why as the matter is now out of the courts and the financial matter is likely to cost government millions, Premier Smith said “no” there was “no one from Finance” and that the negotiating team was chosen because they are persons who are best able to negotiate, and who “report to me the Minister of Finance”.
Well today June 13, 2017 the public is not sure if he flip-flopped or was just lying as the Premier is now claiming to have told the public on April 20, 2017 that he “had always said someone from the Ministry of Finance was on the negotiation team”.
However, he never did so according to the records, therefore, it appears the Leader of Government Business Hon Smith is caught in another lie or was misinformed by his advisors or has memory challenges.
Wendell M. Gaskin a part of negotiating team
In addition, our newsroom has unearthed that the person from the Ministry of Finance who had always been on the team that Premier Smith failed to announce is Deputy Financial Secretary Wendell M. Gaskin.
Members of both the Government and Delta negotiating teams have been required to sign an oath of secrecy that bars the public from knowing how monies will be spent to compensate Delta Petroleum after they won the case at the London based Privy Council after government moved there in 2014 once they lost at the Appeals level.
The heart of the case was when Delta was accused of off-loading a shipment of fuel without the presence and knowledge of the Customs Department, resulting in a seizure by Government. However, the company had stated that the basis of the seizure by Customs was the failure of Delta Petroleum to comply with certain directions previously issued by the Commissioner of Customs, Mr Smith, and not a failure to pay custom duties on dutiable fuel; as such, the seizure was unlawful.
In April of this year, it came to light that Government incurred some $71,000.00 in legal fees as the Customs Department, hence the Government suffered its final loss at the Privy Council, when on October 17, 2016, it upheld the decision by the Court of Appeal in January 2014, which had ruled in favour of Delta.
It was our newsroom that also announced the compensation negotiation team of Delta Petroleum, which includes Vernon A. Lake, Managing Director of the company; Bevis A. Sylvester, the Regional General Manager; and David V. Fulwider, Chief Operating Officer from the Petrolatum's giant New York Headquarters.
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26 Responses to “Flip-flopped or Lied? Dr Smith again with U-turn on Gov’t negotiation team”
He done toss Neil under the bus. Who next?