Furbert: We need more accountability from the Premier

Statement by Shadow Tourism Minister Wayne Furbert 

The contradiction between Tourism Minister Shawn Crockwell' s account of the events surrounding JetGate and the claims made by the Premier have created more questions than answers about the Premier's relationship with the investor Nathan Landow, and the reason for the divergent accounts.

The Premier was not upfront with the people of Bermuda about the junket taken by he and his colleagues in violation of the Ministerial Code of Conduct.  Were it not for this story being leaked by an OBA insider, the public might never have known that this dubious action was taken by key members of the OBA government.

The Premier was not upfront with the people of Bermuda when, once the JetGate 3 were caught violating the Ministerial Code yet  he failed to reveal that the business manager of his private enterprise was also on that private jet.

The Premier's claims that his business manager was simply, "bumming a lift," have now been contradicted by the Premier's own Tourism Minister who claimed last week on Magic 102.7's The Sherri Simmons Show that the Premier's business manager not only attended the secret meetings with the developer but also made presentations at the meetings.  

This chain of events paints a very disturbing picture of a Premier, who prior to the December 2012 election, preached transparency, openness and accountability, yet now seems more focused on cover-ups and potentially making backroom deals than in being honest with the people of Bermuda.  

In the interest of transparency, openness and accountability, we call on Premier Cannonier to come clean with the details surrounding this entire trip and to be accountable to the people for he and his Minister's actions.