Wells and govt quiet on resignation issue

The Nassau Guardian

Wells and govt quiet on resignation issue

The fate of Parliamentary Secretary Renward Wells remained unclear yesterday as the embattled Bamboo Town MP refused to reveal whether he would resign over claims that he acted outside of his authority.

The government has also remained silent on the issue.

As previously reported, The Nassau Guardian confirmed that Prime Minister Perry Christie asked Wells to resign as parliamentary secretary in the Ministry of Works for signing a letter of intent for a $600 million-plus waste-to-energy plant at the New Providence landfill without Cabinet instructions.

Wells was expected to make a statement in the House of Assembly yesterday, but he remained quiet throughout the proceedings.

Wells’ wife and several constituents sat in the gallery of the House, but several of them left before it suspended.

When The Nassau Guardian attempted to interview Wells outside the House, he declined to speak on the issue. Asked if he intended to address the matter in Parliament, Wells said ‘No’ before walking away.

Wells signed the document with Stellar Waste To Energy Bahamas Limited (SWTEB).

By signing the document, Wells acted above his pay grade, sources said.

When asked for an update on the controversy, Deputy Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis said on Monday that he still needed to determine whether Wells did anything wrong.

“From all accounts there ought to be concern, but the question is whether he did anything wrong, or whether he did anything that in any way is contrary to established protocols,” Davis said.

Davis told The Nassau Guardian in an earlier interview that Wells did not have the authority to sign the letter of intent.

Wells previously confirmed that he was prepared to resign, if it would mean protecting the integrity of the Westminster system he swore to uphold.

The letter of intent stated that it was signed on July 4 by SWTEB Principal Dr. Fabrizio Zanaboni and Wells, former chairman of the National Energy Task Force.

According to the letter of intent, SWTEB aims to construct a fully self-funded waste-to-energy plant at the landfill that would burn garbage in order to produce up to 70 to 80 megawatts of power, around 29 to 33 percent of New Providence’s total power demand.

It would involve the project developer putting up 100 percent of the cost of the development of the facility, which would take two years to construct.

 

 

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