Sen. Turnquest accused Minister Miller of violating the prime minister's Code of Ethics by renting office space to the Bahamas Telecommunications Company.
But the FNM leader's credibility came into question even as he launched the attack because he too faced similar criticisms after it was disclosed that he rented his Highland Park home to Justice Austin Davis.
"That's far from the truth," said Sen. Turnquest, who insisted that Minister Miller was involved in impropriety.
But Acting President and Chief Executive Officer of The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) Leon Williams yesterday denied all accusations of impropriety regarding the recent selection and lease of office space in the Summer Winds Plaza on Harrold Road for use by its Directory Publications Department.
His statement was in direct response to charges made by Sen. Turnquest who called a press conference Saturday in front of the building owed by Minister Miller.
On Saturday, Sen. Turnquest said, "The Free National Movement is appalled that Batelco has leased three rental units from Summer Winds Plaza…It is clear from press reports that Minister Miller does not understand the concept of conflict of interest, nor the issue of propriety becoming of a Cabinet Minister, and we now call on the prime minister to act in accordance with the Code of Ethics, as established by this government and presented to parliament on June 25, 2002."
But Mr. Williams said in a press release that BTC is "Completely satisfied" that the procedures followed regarding the one-year lease agreement were "totally transparent."
He insisted that, "Absolutely no impropriety occurred."
Sen. Turnquest said, "We are very concerned and disappointed that we have to bring this matter to the attention of the prime minister in a forceful and public way…if nothing is done in this instance, the prime minister and his Code of Ethics will be viewed as one big farce and the Bahamian people will realize that the PLP government is far from what it purported to be – a new PLP."
In what escalated into a heated discussion in front of the plaza Saturday, Deputy Leader of the FNM Sidney Collie urged Minister Miller to accept or reject the allegations.
"Mr. Minister, you heard the leader's press conference," Mr. Collie said to Mr. Miller who was on property at the time. "If anything is incorrect in his press conference, say so. If the allegations that your building is being rented to your government where you are a minister is so, produce the lease that the terms and conditions of the lease can be available for the Bahamian people. If it is not, set the record straight right now."
Minister Miller said BTC approached his daughter who is responsible for the shopping center. "They came here…I didn't go to anyone looking for no tenants. BTC said they wanted to get three units. They looked at the three units. The rent is $2,000 per month – cheaper than any other place they could have gone."
Mr. Collie questioned whether the minister is the beneficial owner of the majority of the shares.
Minister Miller then explained that, "The building belongs to Summer winds Investments Company, a company of which I am associated with…there's no conflict whatsoever. Any corporation or any entity has the right to lease from who they please. I didn't go and ask nobody for no lease."
"They say they want to be close to BTC and they are here. What you want me to do?" he questioned.
The FNM leaders have demanded that the minister responsible for BTC Bradley Roberts make a full public disclosure of the terms of the lease, including the rental and maintenance payments, the length of the lease and the amount of money spent to refurbish and outfit the rental spaces.
"The public also ought to be told whether BTC advertised for rental space or utilized the services of established rental agencies to assist in their search," Senator Turnquest said. "We also question whether any other rental options were considered as we understand that the Teachers' Credit Union Building immediately to the west of Summer winds was available for rent."
According to Mr. Williams, during its recent search for appropriate facilities, BTC officially engaged the services of two real estate agencies that both reportedly presented a number of potential properties.
"The properties were fully evaluated and with the exception of one, all others were deemed inappropriate for reasons ranging from inadequate space and parking to unacceptable locations," Mr. Williams said in his release.
He added that due to the imposed time constraints for the launch of the company's GSM cellular network and the December deadline for phone directories, BTC's management agreed to the one-year lease of three units at the Summer winds Plaza from Summer winds 2000 Investment Company Limited, at the monthly cost of $6,500.
Mr. Williams said BTC decided to relocate its Directory Publications Department from its Camperdown Technical Centre on Prince Charles Drive to more suitable facilities capable of providing a proper business setting for its customers, due to the fact that its present space was identified to house the company's new GSM cellular network.
Sen. Turnquest, meanwhile, said any suggestions that he himself was involved in a conflict of interest were "utterly false."
"I had my house at number 23 Marlin Drive in Highland Park up for rent in 1996 when I moved out. Caribbean Management Reality called me and said they had someone to rent it and it happened to be Justice Austin Davis who had a rental allowance and he used that rental allowance to rent my house, but it was negotiated through Caribbean Management. Obie Wilchcombe brought it up in the Senate I think and I released the lease arrangements and it was above board.
"When the government changed the way in which it was dealing with rentals for the government and it decided that it was going to pay rentals directly on behalf of judges, Justice Davis moved out of my house, so as a cabinet minister there would be no semblance of impropriety on my part. I know how to act as a cabinet minister and I hope Leslie Miller knows how to do the right thing."
By Hadassah Hall and Macushla Pinder, The Bahama Journal
