When Mr Gray reached this point in his lengthy explanation to the House on November 26 as to how his Ministry could have allowed the fishing vessels in without the required documentation attached, he was obviously uncomfortable. It was painfully obvious that the public was not being told the whole story. It was also obvi ous that a public servant was being made a scapegoat. What is so disgraceful about the charade is that, because as a civil servant his lips are sealed, Mr Deleveaux cannot defend himself.
This is an injustice that cannot be allowed to pass unchallenged. Mr Gray informed House members that when the boats arrived in the Bahamas on November 11 he and his permanent secretary were in Panama. Mr Gray attempted to clear himself, of all blame by his absence, but we must remind him that no matter where he was, under the Westminster system, he is still responsible for whatever happens in his ministry. When it achieves, he takes the praise, when it fails, he takes the blame. It’s all very simple.
Having removed himself and his permanent secretary from the scene -and, presumably in his mind from all blame – he failed to say that he left behind an acting minister, and, we believe, an acting permanent secretary, who should have been consulted by Mr DeleVeaux.
Mr Gray said that Deputy Director Deleveaux at the time of the ships’ arrival was acting on behalf of his director who was on vacation.
When pressed on this matter all Mr Gray would say was that “the department accepts responsibility for the premature issuance of the permit.”
It was during that period when ostensibly all the top guns were “out of office” that Acting Director Deleveaux approved the application for Customs to allow the boats in duty free. In the meantime, the Immigration Department in Freeport – although the Director of Immigration had written a letter from Nassau denying permits to the Koreans accompanying the vessels- issued the permits at the request of the Bahamian company, Netsiwell. According to Immigration Minister Vincent Peet this was done by the officer in charge in Freeport, who apparently can ignore the instructions of his head of department and make his own decisions after he has examined the request and all the facts before him. A rather strange turn of events, it would seem. If this is in fact how it works, then the Director in Nassau might as well go on vacation.
Mr Gray said he did not believe that Mr Deleveaux consulted the acting permanent secretary, or the acting minister. He would have us believe that when this application, with all its irregularities, came to his desk, Mr Deleveaux made the decision on his own.
This is where we come to the parting of the ways with Mr Gray. Quite frankly we have had to work with public servants for too many years -probably even before Mr Gray was born – to know that this behaviour does not fit the mould.
We do not know Mr Deleveaux, Jr, but we know his father, and we suspect, the son, like the father, comes from the old school, where he follows the rule book. Edison Deleveaux, if he runs true to form, would never have made such a serious decision, with a document so flawed, without being given instructions from some very senior person or persons – and we don’t mean in the civil service,
If what we suspect is true, then it would be a cowardly act to hang this man out to dry.
I suspect that Mr Deleveaux is a hard working civil servant, whose one desire is to retire with an unblemished reputation. That reputation was taken from him in the House of Assembly by Minister Gray who would like the public to believe:
“The Deputy Director, in an error of judgment, based on whatever the circumstances at the time presented to him, he acted in an error of judgment.”
And then said Minister Gray: “I apologise on behalf of my Ministry and Permanent Secretary. I have spoken to Mr Deleveaux and he will be more vigilant, if he is allowed to do so the next time.”
Those last few words are rather ominous, what does Mr Gray mean by them?
We suspect that there are some cowardly men hiding behind this civil servant whose lips are sealed by his office.
As a result of this – and all the other unexplained irregularities in this affair – there should be a thorough investigation. The Opposition should not rest until the public knows the full truth of this whole unseemly affair.
Editorial, The Tribune
