September 11th 2006 (below) (this is a good timeline)
Just Who Received The $10,000 Cheque
http://www.bahamasb2b.com/news/story.php?title=Just-Who-Received-10000-Cheque
posted by newsadmin 133 days ago view profile
When Anna Nicole Smith's fast-tracked residence certificate made the headlines someone familiar with the security checks required for such applications told us it was "absolulely impossible" to complete the checks and issue the certificate in three weeks.
However, as a result of what Prime Minister Christie has referred to as "new records of efficiency" being introduced in the Immigration Department, Ms Smith's certificate was issued exactly 21 working days after an application was submitted to the department an Friday, August 11.
On Monday, August 14, an Immigration Department official called to set up an interview for the next day at the Eastern Road residence of Ms Smith - who also goes under the names of Mrs Vickie Lynn Marshall, Jane Brown, Michelle Chase and Anna M Smith.
On September 11, the Director of Immigration wrote a letter to Ms Tracy Ferguson, junior partner in Callenders and Co -- who had been instructed to submit the application on Mrs Vicki Lynn Marshall's behalf informing Ms Ferguson that Ms Marshall's residence permit had been approved "without the right to work."
However, although this letter was addressed to the Callender law firm, it was never sent to Callenders. It was only when Ms Smith/Marshall called the firm on September 20, giving instructions that a $10,000 cheque be delivered to her home by 7 o'clock that evening for Immigration Minister Shane Gibson that Callenders learned that the residence certificate had been granted.
On September 20, Ms Ferguson herself drove to Ms Smith/Marshall's home, where she says she saw Mr Gibson in the living room. Ms Ferguson was shown into the bedroom where she gave the envelope to Ms Smith. As Ms Smith opened the envelope her lawyer-boyfriend ushered Mr Gibson into the bedroom. Ms Smith handed Mr Gibson the cheque. The young lawyer from Callenders then left "Horizons."
The next day, September 21, the Permanent Secretary called Callenders, spoke with a senior partner and asked Callenders to send Immigration the $10,000 cheque. There was a surprised reaction when she was told that the cheque had been delivered the night before to Minister Gibson. It was then suggested that she look in the Minister's office, where it is understood the cheque was eventually discovered.
Mr Michael Scott, the law partner, then told the Permanent Secretary that not only did his firm no longer have the cheque, but that it had never received immigration's letter which informed the firm that residency had been approved. She was asked to fax the letter, dated September 11, which she did. The original of the approval letter did not arrive, at Callenders until October 9.
The Tribune has in its possession a copy of the $10,000 cheque dated September 20, a copy of the permanent secretary's fax sending Immigration's Sept. 11 letter of approval - dated September 21 - and the cancelled cheque with the Bahamas Immigration accounts stamp dated September 22.
When the unusual Sequence of events became public, Bahamians wanted to know why a government minister would interfere with the duties of the Immigration Department, and why he would personally accept a cheque on behalf of that department.
On September 25 an indignant Minister Gibson "let it be known for public information that no cheque was ever personally collected by" him or delivered by him or to him "in connection with Ms Anna Nicole Smith." He said that "anything to the contrary is a vicious lie conceived in ignorance and spread in wickedness by the FNM."
Surprisingly, Prime Minister Christie, a man noted for being slow to make a decision or commit himself to any position, once again jumped to the defence of his minister. It was obviously a repeat performance of the Keod Smith-Kenyatta Gibson episode when, acting on incomplete information, Mr Christie put himself in a politically embarrassing position.
And so at the opening of the first phases of Excellence Estates on September 25, Mr Christie declared: "You can't have it on the front page of newspapers that my minister picked up a cheque when it's a lie, outrageous lie."
However, later rumours are even more disturbing. An unconfirmed report is now making the rounds that the young lawyer is being pressured to change her story about the delivery of the cheque to Horizons. If this report is true, it is very serious. If not true. it should be denied immediately.
In the meantime, the public is entitled to the truth. We urge the Opposition to ask for the appointment of a select committee with powers to send for persons and papers and get to the bottom of this most irregular affair. And when the truth is discovered we agree - with Minister Gibson that if there has been any breach, the guilty should be "dealt with to the fullest extent of the law."
Editorial from The Tribune
post 1208 - is this what you wanted?
The Hon. D. Shane Gibson
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament (PLP)
Golden Gates
New Providence
Mr. D. Shane Gibson was born in Nassau on September 7, 1961. He is the fifth child of Gerlene Gibson of Crooked Island and Eric "King Eric" Gibson of Acklins. He and his four (4) brothers and five (5) sisters grew up in Mount Pleasant Avenue off Kemp Road, they then moved to Marathon Estates where David Shane was at the age of ten (10).
David Shane Gibson was employed at The Bahama Telecommunications Company (Batelco) in June 1984. He was overwhelmingly elected to the position of President of the Bahamas Communications and Public Officers Union (BCPOU) in 1997 and again in June 2002. He has served as full time President of the BCPOU for five (5) years.
Prior to winning the Presidency, he also served as Treasurer of the Union for six (6) years from 1991 - 1997, Administrator of the BCPOU Pension Plan from 1994 - 1997 and Trustee of the BCPOU Pension Plan from 1990 to 1999. He was reappointed as Administrtor of the Pension Plan in August of 1999 and was also a Director of the BCPOU Medical Plan holding that position since June 1997 until 2002.
Mr. Gibson has the distinction of being the youngest person ever elected as President of BCPOU. As a staunch trade unionist, he has had extensive training in that area and has participated both internationally and locally in seminars and conferences, prior to and after becoming president of the BCPOU. He has studied at St. Augustine's College, Raleigh North Carolina, Devry Institution of Technology, Toronto Canada where he recieved an Associates of Arts Degree in Electronics and Engineering and the College of the Bahamas where he obtained an Associates of Art Degree in Electronics Technology. In addition to the educational institutions that he attended, he has also studied at The International Law Institute, Washington D.C.; Trade Union Education Institute, University of the West Indies, Jamaica; British Industrial Tribunal, London, England and at Communications International, Switerland and Canada.
On May 2, 2002 he was elected as the Member of Parliament for the Golden Gates Copnstituency. Subsequently he has been appointed by the Honourable Prime Minister to the Cabinet as the Minister of Housing and National Insurance.
As avid and accomplished golfer, Mr. Gibson is a past Chairman of the Bahamas Golf Federation, Southern Division and a former manager and member of the National Golf Team. In his spare time, he enjoys golfing, jogging, softball and music.
Mr. Gibson is married to Jacqueline Elaine nee Williams and the couple has four (4) children, Shane Jr. Shamia, Jazmin and Jaimie. Formally a member of the Church of God of Prophecy, Englerston, he and his family now attend Mt. Tabor Full Gospel Baptist Church, Pinewood Gardens.
http://www.bahamas.gov.bs/bahamasweb2/home.nsf/3ef808c5751722df06256f00007c6623/2556ae0b36fe30ff06256f00006da1c5!OpenDocument