Dr Brown: “A Long, Expensive Witch Hunt”
The fact that “no one is prepared to accept responsibility for spending over $2.2 million on a 6-person, full-time police unit dedicated solely to prosecuting him” is “shameful,” former Premier Dr. Ewart Brown said, adding that “it is bad enough that this money has been wasted, but it is shameful that the people in authority appear to accept no responsibility whatsoever.”
“$2.2 million is the admitted cost between 2013 and 2016, revealed by a Royal Gazette PATI request. How much money and manpower can we assume was wasted between 2011 and 2013? How much more money will be wasted? Who is in charge?
“Earlier this week, Senator Woolridge issued a press release in an attempt to distance the OBA Government from the ridiculous expenditure and state: ‘this is a Government House initiative, and not one of the Government, or indeed the OBA’s.’
“Governor George Fergusson, in a televised interview a few days later about the investigation of financial allegations in Bermuda, said: ‘These things are above all for the Police to investigate and the prosecutors to work out whether they can bring a prosecution to bear. My job is to make sure these investigations don’t have unreasonable obstacles and to help obstacles be taken away…’
Dr. Brown went on to question who is in charge, and to challenge all of those in authority to “man-up”.
Dr. Brown said, “The fact is that the OBA does have control over the Police budget. This OBA Government is directly responsible for presiding over throwing away taxpayers’ money at a time when crime in Bermuda is at an all-time high, when the Police themselves have had their budget slashed and received redundancy notices, when our elderly need medicine, our children’s schools need repair, people need jobs and our families need help. At what point will the Premier stand up for the people of Bermuda and say that no more taxpayer money will be allocated for this senseless pursuit?
“The fact is that the Governor is culpable beyond being an obstacle-remover. It was a Governor who started this investigation. At what point will the Governor say to the Police that enough is enough?
“If the Police have not found any clearly prosecutable evidence of criminality after investigating for over 5 years; spending well over $2.2 million dollars [including $168,000 on accountants], and; having 6 law enforcement professionals do nothing else but investigate one man while murderers and robbers are on the loose and gangs are running rampant, what is the point?
“The fact is that the Commissioner of Police owes the taxpayers some answers after 5 years. After spending all of this time and all of this money, can the Commissioner of Police at least tell the public whether the Police were able to substantiate David Bolden’s allegations?
“Can the Commissioner tell the public who is the Minister clearly implicated in the allegations, and whether charges will be brought against the Minister? What is the status of the specific allegation that David Bolden brought against Dr. Brown that started all of this?
“Isn’t the public owed some information after 5 years and over $2.2 million? As of now, all we have are unfounded, senseless allegations aimed at my medical clinics and an illegal arrest of my Medical Director — is that what has consumed all of this Bermudian taxpayer money? At what point will the Commissioner of Police tell the Bermuda public something substantive?”
Dr. Brown quoted Mark Twain — the famous author and frequent Bermuda visitor — who said: “It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.”
Dr. Brown said he believes that the “reason for the long, expensive witch hunt” is that it “started in bad faith – that those looking or directing the looking were convinced he was a criminal, so they used the Bolden allegations as an excuse to search high and low for a crime.”
“They knew for sure that I was a criminal, but they cannot find a crime. They will not find a crime, because I have not committed a crime,” he said.
Dr. Brown added, “So, where will this end? Does the Governor feel obliged to continue? Does the Commissioner of Police feel bound to have to ‘come up with something’ in order to justify spending millions of dollars?
“I challenge the Governor and the Premier to take charge of this – not the Police investigation which they both claim they do not control. I challenge the Governor and the Premier to take charge of the expenditure of the Bermudian taxpayer dollar – to assume responsibility for these expenditures that are absolutely ridiculous in light of all of the challenges that Bermuda faces and when compared to the fruitlessness of this investigation that has morphed into a relentless persecution.
“The Premier owes a duty to the taxpayer to explain why he has allowed this tremendous drain on public resources that Bermuda can ill afford. And, the Governor must state just how much more he is prepared to commit to this witch hunt.
“It is bad enough that this money has been wasted, but it is shameful that the people in authority appear to accept no responsibility whatsoever.”
Oh yes let’s not waste taxpayers money.
That’s nothing the UBP OBA has supported the financing of the Morgans Point Hotel project by committing to provide a guarantee of up to $165 million. I thought we had ZERO money!!
Is this the same oba who forced furlough days on it’s governement workers claiming that the PLP BIU spent all the money. They claim 800 mill is missing but has anyone been sent West Gate. LOLOLOL
Bob the Builder was going around scaring the crap out of everyone like it was Halloween. Now we spend spend spend.
The Mask is off UBP.
It’s a guarantee. No money changed hands.
Just like the BNTB PLP guarantee of $200mn.
And if you don’t think our finances are in bad shape I say that’s because you don’t know how to read the audited financials on the consolidated fund or the external credit rating agencies analysis of our financial position.
And this Government has halved the $400mn deficit the PLP left behind.
They increased the deficit more than 2,600% in less than a decade and then so,d us out to foreigners via their need to borrow to pay basic operational costs.
Just because you can’t understand the nuances of our financial position doesn’t mean they aren’t true. Because their are. Read the most recent S&P and Moody’s reports for an independent assessment of our finances if you don’t want to believe the OBA.
lastly, the fact that the civil service eats up 60% of revenue is unsustainable. Just ask the 3000 civil servants in Barbados who were made redundant due to the same issue. So you should be thanking this government for suggesting a continuation of furlough days and hiring freezes. Because not one public sector worker has lost their job during the downturn while thousands of private sector jobs have been eliminated.
Your comment confirms the disconnect in knowledge about how an economy works. Look, without doubt we have a massive civil service in contrast to other countries. The people who work in the civil service are totally supported by tax payers and the number of tax payers has been declining as more and more IB expats leave the island.
In the mean time we need to create employment for unemployed Bermudians and the best way to do that is to guarantee the Morgans Point Loan.
Its not a claim by the OBA, it is a fact. It was deemed missing by the AG While the PLP were in power. Nobody went to Westgate after the TSteet scandal either. Just because you cant find the money stolen after a bank was robbed does not mean the bank was never robbed.
@ Eyes wide open,
Your post and comments are further proof that intelligence and wisdom is not guaranteed to us as humans no matter how long one inhabits the earth. LMAO
PS. You should change your screen name to Mind Well Shut.
Yep!! $800 MILLION goes missing under his watch and he is questioning $2 million?? Dreb without a doubt is taking pages from the misick book!! I don’t care if it takes $20′million of police spending, if that amount gets to the bottom of where our $800′MILLION went, it is well worth it!!!
A. By your own admission you havant paid taxes in this country for years, so our 800 mill not yours.
B He wasnt the premier for the entire PLP administration. Sooo 800 mill didnt go under his watch.
C. The investigation is in regard to evidence given during David Boldens trial when he alleged that he skipped meetings with the BDA Government because Ewart wanted 10 percent of his company and 60 percent of whatever commissions Mr Bolden would make from doing business with the Bermuda government. This was more than five years ago.
D. Research is always a good thing.
Speaking of research? First off I NEVER said I don’t pay taxes, that is an outrages lie! I happen to pay a huge amount of taxes because of my business, I can assure you I pay more in taxes a year to the government than a heck of a lot of Bermudians earn in an entire year!
Second of all, the plp finances were actually pretty good right up until Alex Scott was ousted, the financial mess started right after that, care to guess who was the next Premier? I will give you a clue, is initials ar EB, and it is also a fact that by the time Premier Cox took over, the Fiscal mess was well known and the only thing Paula had left was, NO choice but to run huge fiscal deficits, because we where already BROKE!! So you see, there was one Premier that presided when the real fiscal mess happened!!!
And the last part of your nonsense concerning Bolden, yes that is part of the reason the investigation is going on, but not ALL of the reasons!!
There is nothing more pathetic than those that refuse to see and accept what is right in front of their very own eyes!!!!
It would really be a blessing if you are proven WRONG!!!!!!!!KANGOOCAR
One recalls the monstrous, horrible messages you had blogged only a few months ago.I will keep watch.
I have no fear of being proven wrong!! And care to post what horrible messages is posted a few months ago? I only speak in the blunt truth and if you can’t face the truth, I can’t help you!!!
It was $890 million, closer to $900 million that was reported unaccounted for in the AG report.
Sadly Bermuda’s Laws are against the small man. Unemployed and desperate, take a loaf of bread to feed your children and you will be convicted of stealing. Now go to the top level. Try the system and find it is unethical but not illegal, like the Bermuda Housing Corporation case, and then tens of millions can then go to the pockets of those who know how to beat the system. No laws are broken because there were no laws. Therefore nothing criminal.
Exactly wahoo, lol
Notice 104 dislikes? Wow!
It’s an economic war against us Dr. Brown. They use the Governor as an excuse and he is only too happy to assist. No one is responsible in a Westminster System of government – oh, but you already know that.
The PLP declared economic war on Bermuda a long time ago.
The investigation started in 2011. More than a year before OBA came to power.
Sounding like Misick now.
Don’t hurt them with actual facts and truths lol. Guess his PLP/UBP buddies noticed something too…
He should be thrilled that such a thorough investigation stands to maintain his good name and reputation.
Even though Im not a big fan of Dr. Brown, he does have a point.
..in full agreement here, Onion Juice.
The point is on the top of your head.
He’s obviously learned a lesson from his friend Misick and is jumping ahead of the prosecutors and investigators Trying to score points in the court of public opinion. Must think we’re all dumb like his loyalists.
Clearly nothing this man can say or do will convince you so why even bother comment? I mean the police have investigated for 5 years and the man is still free, could this mean that there really is nothing?……then I woke up and realized this is a black man you are talking about, this same thing has been going on for years..they will attack him relentlessly, why? because they can’t control him or keep him in his ‘place’ and he’s too wealthy..There cannot be a successful black man who goes by his own rules…this just cannot be allowed.
I don’t kno why people dislike this post. it’s absolutely correct I feel the same way about this article and this comment.
do you honestly think they’re investigating him because he a black man and not because he’s allegedly corrupt? Paleeese
He’s not just a black man. Dr. Brown is a strong black man. Get it right.
Calculating is the better adjective.
Best form of defence? Attack.
Deflection…hmmm?….seen this mannerism somewhere before…
LOL, he thinks he’s so important that he can pressure the Police to release information.
This article had about 3 real paragraphs that were repeated several times over..
My. Did he just say wasting tax layers money. He’s nit deceiving us again is he.
Ironic coming from the man who travelled around BDA in a motorcade, with armed Police in attendance. I am also led to believe that he took two armed Police officers with him when he went overseas regardless if it was official or personal travel. Add to that his entourage wherever he went and start counting the pennies. I guess with a bit of digging I could come up with some more dirt, but why bother. He achieved his objective of closing down Front Street which only resulted in job losses to middle of the road hard working Bermudians.
Front streets only objective is to close down Ewart.
As he put Bermuda in the state its in!!! How you all forget..
Front Street has no influence, and hasn’t for many years. IB is the main stay of the Island and is not owned by Bermudians which is now a downside as they have no allegiance to Bermuda. At least “Front Street” was owned by Bermudians who knew if Bermuda did well so did they. Because of the debt, Bermuda is now owned by faceless non Bermudian bankers who just want to get paid, and don’t care how.
When he should have been concerned about our money he was spending it like a drunken sailor on shore leave. Now he is complaining about taxpayer money because is is being used properly and could impact him.
This latest story in nothing but a pre-emptive strike taken from the Misick playbook.
typo—***is nothing***
The fact is that no one can tell the police how to do their job. As long as there is a lead that leads to another they will follow it. It seems as though there have been plenty of leads in this investigation for them to follow. All in good time as they say. I do understand that he needs to build up his own case in the court of public opinion and I don’t blame him for that.
Spend 2 to 5 million in order to recover the missing 800 million; I think it’s worth it.
Could a charge be just around the corner?
Is Dr. Brown suggesting that an investigation should be dropped after spending $2.2 million?
That would “set the bar” in a way wouldn’t it?
the point being it shouldn’t take 5 years or 2.2 million, what they trying to dig up? evidence the Jesus Christ is real? this is an obvious witch hunt.
Nah. A ‘witch hunt’ is a search for something that doesn’t exist. His statement doesn’t deny something exists, interestingly. He just says “the Police have not found any clearly prosecutable evidence”.
Lawyer words.
I remember him saying that they’d never be able to prove anything. Classic Freudian slip.
@ mixitup,
So how long should it take and how much should it cost all knowing one? lol
Financial crimes are extremely tough to prove as I would imagine most would attempt to cover their tracks very well, ever heard of the term money laundering?. It’s not like cheques would be signed in their names or they would just transfer money to their personal accounts. Keep digging BPS.
@ Spit Bouy: Money laundering goes all the way back to slavery. It also regards to the changing of company names and its people right up to this day.
@ Whistling Frog,
Which form of slavery?? I would bet Money laundering etc goes back to the first time rulers/govts levied taxes on their subjects and citizens so a lot further than chattel slavery if that’s what you meant.
Clearly the BPS have the bit between their teeth and if any politicians past, present and future are suspected of and proven to have handled ‘the peoples’ money loose and fast (can’t say stolen until proven) then they should be prepared to be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of our laws.
It took the French 17 years and an undisclosed amount of money to put Chirac in jail.
EB complains of wasting money? Makes my day!!!!! Thanks Ewart for that belly laugh
Kinda reminds me of Hillarys case…
Hilary will beat your big mouth Trump any day.
She’s already been selected…courtesy of her FBI friends…
Killary for Prison!
My Grinny used to tell me “when you smell flatulence a deucy is nearly always about to drop!”
The fact that you idiots still think he is guilty is a sign of the times. No evidence to back up any of your suspicions after five years and I can still feel the vitriol hate. I wonder where these suspicions imminate from.
Dr. Brown has now attacked the governor, the police, and the oba. and we have him allegedly fighting bean in the PLP This man is picking fights with everyone like he has something to prove, or maybe something to hide.
It’s called running scared.
Show me the evidence.
Charge me.
All takes time EB.
Time.
Let the investigation run its course. Then. Let’s see who was wasting tax payers money!
If there’s nothing to hide. Hmmm
Brown is scum. He ruined this island, and he continues to do so.
..and you are making your fine contribution. RIGHT???
CONTOURS??
Throwing around nasty insults such as this one from ‘contours’ is totally wrong and should not be allowed in print. Last time I checked the law a man, any man, is innocent until proven guilty, and at this point Dr. Brown has not been accused of any crime.
I also disagree with the comments made by Dr. Brown about this investigation but not quite for the reasons he might think. Allegations of corruption were made in court against Dr. Brown and these allegations need to be fully and properly investigated. This has nothing to do with the OBA, nor can the Government suddenly decide that the investigation should come to a stop because of the cost.
Like it or not, this investigation has to be comprehensive. It has to look at all the facts of any and all allegations made. At the end of the day it is in Dr. Brown’s best interest to have this matter fully investigated. If, after a very lengthy investigation, with no expense spared, there is no evidence to press charges against Dr. Brown then he will have been exonerated despite all the naysayers who have decried him for all these years.
And if after this very lengthy investigation the file is submitted to the Director of Public Prosections, who at present happens to be a former Minister in the PLP Government, and he – not the OBA or the general public – decides if there is sufficient evidence to press charges, then Dr. Brown will have every opportunity to challenge the evidence and hire the best of lawyers to defend him.
So the cops have spent a lotta money and time….You would have thought that if they haven’t found anything they would have dropped the case ages ago….ponder, ponder, ponder.
Okay, so thus far we’ve spent a bit more than the cost of EB’s Beyoncé Vanity Concert, but of course that was a wise use of the taxpayers money wasn’t it! Oh and how about all the overseas ‘oversize’ black SUV transportation for our illustrious former Head of State, and let’s not forget the 7 star hotel evaluation that was deemed essential for our tourism Supremo!
Thanks for the laughs EB and thank you for being such an illustrious defender of the public purse during your reign of shame.
He has always reminded me of Lance Armstrong.
And while I’m thinking about it, let’s not forget the trip to China – the ‘New Frontier’ for Bermuda Tourism, another blue chip investment using the peoples money. Every day I’m overwhelmed by the sheer volume of Chinese tourists running around Hamilton. And last but certainly not least, my absolute personal favorite ‘Faith Based Tourism’, EB please remind me how much return on investment we made on that one? And just to be absolutely clear, when I say ‘we’ I’m talking as a Bermudian taxpayer, not a politician!
If I remember rightly, the Faith Based Tourism contract was drafted so incompetently that we (the taxpayers) were not even able to recover our money from the fraudulent organization that received the funds?
Now that we have PATI, perhaps we should take a closer look at the civil servant responsible for drafting the Faith Based Tourism contract, imagine if he or she still holds a position of trust where they can exercise any form of fiscal control or influence over the public purse, a very frightening thought considering what I hope was, at best, fiscal incompetence.
More likely, whoever was responsible was demoted into a position of very limited responsibility where they can cause no further damage to the economy of Bermuda, well that’s how it happens everywhere else in the world!
Well let’s not speculate, let’s find out – who wrote the Faith Based Tourism contract and what happened to our money? Enquiring minds want to know – any comments?
In the end I doubt it will be wasted …it took the French 25 years to prosecute Jacque Chirac…only a matter of time and getting closer
This man is toxic. The world (and Bermuda) would be a better place without him.
This dude really has some nerve – talking about “wasting the taxpayers money”.
Sadly, no one in the PLP will agree publicly cuz they’ve told to toe the line.
When one plays with fire one should expect to get burnt
YUP!!Peter.
Also, the horrible, nasty racism existing in Bermuda, currently, I hope that those who dish out that racism get burned too.
Yes and Bermuda is not an ounce more PROGRESSIVE since the reign of big spenders n fact we are back to the 60s we are even still learning what homosexual means also but that’s how these folks like things as its all they know , the oppressed doing the oppressing all this nonsense is all about MONEY. Packaged up as racism when it suits .
“I am not a racist. I am against every form of racism and segregation, every form of discrimination. I believe in human beings, and that all human beings should be respected as such, regardless of their color.” — Malcolm X
Doctor Brown said ” I have a score to settle” and that is what he has tried to do..
I’ve looked all through the statement and can’t find anywhere how much money was spent investigating and arresting the Auditor General when Dr Brown was Premier.
fey ??
?
yo hardtalk
you forgot to mention the fast ferries
Dreb conveniently forgets that many other investigations have taken 5 years or more, just look at some of the successful gang/murder convictions. The problem with financial investigations is that the evidence and witnesses can be spread throughout the world, not just 100yds away on the roadside.
Drebs recent increase of public profile (who’s he going to give money to next??)seems to suggest that he knows that the net is closing and he is courting public favour to help protest justice when it finally prevails.
If they haven’t found wrong doing all this time they would have dropped it. it takes time to follow the money and build a rock solid financial case. Especially when there are layers and layers of companies and trusts to peel back.
The person being investigated critiquing the investigation into himself. A newspaper printing it and us commenting on it. Its all stuff of legend.
Proof positive that money grows on trees in Bermuda .
If he’s innocent then bolden lied under oath.
So why hasn’t any perjury charges being laid against him after all this time?
They must be getting close
If they’re looking for that 800 million dollars as some posters on here are suggesting, then wouldn’t you think that after 5 years that at least one of that 800 million pieces of evidence would of surfaced & traced back to him? With so many out to get him wouldn’t you think that there would be a line up of witnesses with evidence in hand? So far the only evidence that has surfaced was a forged check that was introduced as evidence but was proven to be false evidence (how is the case on the forger of that check going? Oh right I remember…..).
I am far from a Brown fan but seriously, if you’ve been investigating him two years as a department investigation & three years with a dedicated task force with nothing to take him to task on as of yet? You’ve been investigating him for even longer then he was premier… let that soak in & marinate. You’ve spent over two million in just three years (as stated the full amount can’t be truly calculated & the amount spent during the years it was a department investigation can’t be calculated either so the true figures can’t be disclosed to the public. Funny though, you’re investigating a person for having people under him not being able to properly log finances but the investigating force themselves can’t even do it themselves?? Maybe there should be an investigation into the investigators… It was also stated the police are using undisclosed paid “advisers” to help in this investigations, sounds like a cushy full time job that has yielded no usable results after all these years..
Either charge the man with something or move these resources to solve the many gang related crimes & murders. Speaking of which, how big is the “full time” dedicated task force appointed to tackling that? How many full time dedicated advisers do you have on payroll to stop the murders that this country has seen become the new norm?
Best value for money Bermuda’s gotten in a long time.
This is a modern day lynching of a successful strong black man. If this would have been one hundred years or more ago, he would have been hung long before now.
Enough is enough. Leave this man to fade into total oblivion in his beloved home country of the USA.
I’d like it if I never ever heard his name again. It is like hearing about cancer or aids.
If he hadn’t brought this to our attention we probably would have forgotten.
Clearly an attention seeking tactic from a has been politician.
Enough, go away. Stay away.
Running scared.
Did we ever find the cedar beams? never mind the our missing monies
Didn’t Beyonce cost 2 million dollars and ya got nerve to open ya mouth
@ Ya serious: Yes but The America’s Cup is going to run over 70 million with the give away of Bermuda’s gateway for the next 30 yrs..
Oh the irony – the biggest waster of public funds in history complaining about waste of public funds! And “waste” is not exactly what he did…why cant we just put him on trial already! I want to know where all the money went!
Not over until the fat lady sings…..
The fat lady died…
Lance Armstrong won the Tour de France from 1999 to 2005. He wasn’t proven to be a cheat until 2012. I expect the investigation cost more than $2m. If Dr Brown has nothing to hide he should just get on with his business. I think it was Shakespeare who said he doth protest too much.
Never overlook the obvious! That is why the investigation continues,,they are still digging because they want it all!! And I would not care if it takes 20 mil to get to the bottom of this. Money well spent IMOP!
The hounds have come to a river crossing and the river water is rushing by. A 2.2 million dollar bridge has be built by the Governor and his officers, with the Premier giving a helping hand to get over the other side. But the Doctor has never crossed. He’s still here, with no signs of him being lost… LoL!
Seems to me there are 2 choices:
1. Stop the investigation before it’s done, because it has to date cost $2m and because Dr. Brown doesn’t like it.
2. Let the police – not the OBA or a political party – conclude their investigation according to their training and knowledge.
$2m across 5 years…$400k a year. Would I pay that much to know more about the regime that has literally bankrupted our country and destroyed our ability to invest in the future? Actually yes, that feels okay to me. I guess it’s up to you.
Even if they find no evidence of criminal activity, he still oversaw a period of time which history will see as the period when Bermuda went from having a public surplus, and excellent economic future and leveraged that so much for his own agenda that we now are crippled by debt, and our children will be too. That is Dr. Brown’s true legacy.
Oh but he totally got some petty payback in too, so I guess that makes it all okay.
Well he can’t use the “rush to judgement” excuse, then.