On the heels of Prime Minister Perry Christie denouncing his financial involvement with businessman Mohamad Harajchi in regards to renovating his Cable Beach home, other ministers came forth on Friday and also denied any entanglements with the Iranian tycoon.
On Wednesday, Mr Harajchi gave startling claims of how he funded the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) during the 2002 election campaign to the tune of $10 million. However, only a cancelled cheque in the amount of $100,000 was produced to support his claims. At the time, he also made allegations against Minister of Works and Utilities Bradley Roberts, Deputy Prime Minister Cynthia Pratt and Minister of Housing Shane Gibson. He also claimed that he offered assistance to 90 per cent of the PLP’s cabinet.
The Guardian was unable to reach any of these individuals on Wednesday for a response, but following a reaction from Mr Christie on Thursday, other ministers stepped up to the plate and cleared the air.
Firstly attacking Mr Roberts, Mr Harajchi alleged on Wednesday that he was asked by the Works and Utilities Minister to financially assist him with the educational expenses of a relative. He claimed that the relative wanted to attend a school in the United Kingdom. Mr Roberts responded Friday while on vacation in Europe. He said that Mr Harajchi’s claim was “a sick and deliberate lie, and only a demented mind could conjure up such a lie.”
In a statement, Mr Roberts explained that, while in opposition in December 2001, a Bahamian mother that he had just met, was desperately seeking funds for legal studies in the UK. He claimed that the woman asked him to seek assistance from Mohammed Harajchi. “This request was passed on. I do not know whether Harajchi ever rendered any assistance. My personal assistance for education to family and others is well known. I have never sought financial assistance from anyone for education for any family member,” he said. Mr Roberts said he had warned the Bahamian people that he had come to learn that Mohammed Harajchi was a “dangerous man,” and he would have more to say on the issue when he returned from vacation.
Accusations were also levied against Mr Gibson. Mr Harajchi alleged that he took Mr Gibson to tour a pre-fabricated home factory in Canada. The factory, he said, provided pre-fabricated housing with a 25-year guarantee. He said upon returning to the capital, several meetings were held with Mr Gibson, who eventually said the pre-fabricated homes were too expensive.
Mr Harajchi claimed that a deal was worked out that could possibly allow Mr Gibson to offer an 800-square-foot home to Bahamians for $49,500. He added, however, that he later read in the press that the same size home was being offered by the government for $73,000. Mr Harajchi said more than 10,000 Bahamians were presently waiting to own a home, but they would not get one immediately, because the government was only building 20-30 homes a year.
In response, Mr Gibson admitted that, after being constantly “hounded” by Mr Harajchi, he accompanied him to Canada. He added, however, that he later found out that the homes showed to him were too expensive and the price offered by Mr Harajchi did not include property.
Mr Gibson pointed out that Mr Harajchi was a multi-millionaire and, if he wanted to build homes, he could establish his own housing company without needing the services of the Ministry of Housing. “If he is saying that he can build houses cheaper than I can, then let him build it. He does not need me. He is a permanent resident of The Bahamas, and if he says he would build houses for Bahamians, he does not need me,” Mr Gibson said, adding that Mr Harajchi had more money at his disposal than most people in the world. “This is not one of those communist countries where everything you do has to go through government. This is a free enterprise in our society, and everybody is free to invest in anything they want to invest in,” he continued.
Mr Gibson said Mr Harajchi only wanted his “own way.” He explained that the government built homes cheaper than anyone else in The Bahamas, and if Mr Harajchi could build cheaper homes, he should prove it. “All he does is talk,” Mr Gibson said.
Mr Harajchi further alleged on Wednesday that he funded the installment of burglar bars at the St. Cecelia constituency headquarters of Deputy Prime Minister Cynthia Pratt. However, Mrs Pratt in a report that aired on ZNS, retorted that she never approached Mr Harajchi at any time for such a contribution. She said that such a claim was “erroneous” and a “total lie.”
“I don’t know what is driving this man to say what he said, but this is not the first time that he has told a lie on me. This is about the fourth time. I don’t know where he is going [and] why he is doing this, but why would I ask him for burgular bars for a constituency headquarters,” Mrs Pratt questioned.
She further stated that installing security bars at her headquarters was not a consideration. She said there were no burgular bars on her headquarters prior to the elections, nor were any bars there now.
Mrs Pratt said it was her belief that Mr Harajchi’s accusations are a part of “smear campaign” that he is launching to destroy the government. She added, however, that such moves would not work.
Mr Harajchi is the owner of the now defunct Suisse Security Bank and Trust Ltd., which was located at the Orissa House on East Bay Street. The bank began its operations in 1993, however its licence was revoked by the Central Bank on March 5, 2001, amidst allegations of money laundering. Despite his brash claims against the PLP on Wednesday, Mr Harajchi said he was and would never be interested in Bahamian politics, and his funding the PLP during the 2002 elections was not a move to have his licence reinstated.
Mr Christie also claimed that at no time before the 2002 elections or after, did he promise Mr Harajchi that steps would have taken to restore the licence of his Suisse Security Bank, nor did he say anything that could have led him to draw any inference that he would.
Tamara McKenzie, The Nassau Guardian
