Press Secretary, Clint Watson led the weekly press briefing held at the Office of the Prime Minister this week where he was questioned by reporters about the controversial trip taken to Bermuda by a delegation of government and Progressive Liberal Party officials headed by Prime Minister Davis.
The Prime Minister gave an explanation of the circumstances surrounding the decision to take the trip and the payment for it in the House of Assembly. He also promised a reckoning and reimbursement to the government.
At the press briefing, Mr. Watson told reporters, “we’re still waiting on the final figures to come in and that’s why Prime Minister would have said yesterday whatever is owed the Progressive Liberal Party will pay as the bill comes in. What you would have seen paid, the check issued, would have been for the airline. And so the bill for the hotel, he has instructed for the Progressive Liberal Party to pay that as well. And so, whatever the figures are, he said in the house yesterday, he will release them as they come in and he’s made aware to them, he’ll release them to the Bahamian people.”
Mr. Watson went on explaining, “it was an official visit to meet with the Premier. Prime Minister upon seeing also a part of the invitation was to speak at a political party conference automatically said, well this is going to happen I don’t want this to be a government expenditure if I’m going to speak at a political party. So upon leaving, he left on a Wednesday returned the following day, on a Thursday, his instructions were to have the Progressive Liberal Party carry the tab for this trip because we’re going to be speaking at a political convention. Its not an official duty if you’re speaking at a political convention even though there other items that he would have done in visiting with the Premier, visiting with the cabinet that would have been official. he made the decision just for full transparency to have the PLP carry that tab.
