NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Seabreeze MP Lanisha Rolle yesterday defended her integrity and public record as she remained tight-lipped on whether she was seeking another party nomination.
Rolle told reporters at Parliament that she was “being patient” and “trusting the process” in her first public comments to media since her shocking resignation from Cabinet last week.
The former minister of youth, sports and culture did not comment further on the circumstances that led to her decision or personal motivations for demitting office and furthered that she was not aware of any specific audit being conducted at that ministry.
She maintained that her integrity as a public servant remained intact, as she underscored that audits were routinely carried out in every ministry and expressed confidence in the Office of the Auditor-General.
Rolle also sidestepped questions about social media speculation over her sudden departure and the Cabinet Office’s notice of an internal investigation.
“Absolutely not, I don’t entertain social media claims; they are what they are,” she said.
“You deal with facts, you deal with issues and you deal with truths. I don’t have time for those things.”
At Parliament yesterday, Rolle was asked to describe her proudest achievement as a minister.
She said: “There are a lot of things; I won’t speak to anything in particular. I think the record speaks for itself in terms of all that I have done. I think people themselves would speak to the work that I’ve done from social services and urban development to youth, sports and culture.
“It’s a great sacrifice. It’s hard work on a constant basis.
“It’s basically a 24-hour job and I know that I would’ve given my very best and as long as I’m serving in the public domain, I will continue to do just that.
“I’ve served from a police cadet to a police officer, to an officer of the court, and I will continue to serve.”
She added: “This is just simply a different arena. There are different rules for this arena, so I must continue to learn, continue to adjust and continue to serve.”
The Free National Movement (FNM) has ratified 30 candidates for the next general election.
Rolle would not confirm whether she was seeking re-nomination from the party.
“We will see what will happens, but my life is guided by the Lord and whatever he permits is well done with me,” she said.
“It’s up to the party when it comes to nominations, and so I would have to respect the party’s process and certainly the outcome at the end of the day.”
She added: “It is what it is; it’s just politics. Decisions are made, things are done and you make the best of it and that’s what you must do.
“You must be patriotic, you must be respectful at all times and you have to trust the process and that’s all I’m doing — being patient.”
Rolle was pressed by reporters to comment on her expectations for the audit currently underway at her former ministry.
She said: “I expect that the auditor general will do what he or she does in all ministries on a constant or yearly basis and that is to ensure that proper financial accounting procedures are followed and things are done according to the rules and procedures.
“I expect no less from that office and I think he would’ve indicated that it is their ordinary process.
“I met auditing going on at Youth, Sports and Culture; I met auditing going on at the Ministry of Social Services. Auditing continues at every ministry of the government, every year and any time. It is nothing new, not as I am aware.”
Rolle said: “The process is the process and the results are the results and I think, according to my tenure, they will always find that what I do, to the best of my knowledge and ability, is with the information that I have, is to follow those rules.
“I believe that is what will be found.”
Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said last week that Rolle is not directly involved in investigations underway at the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, nor is she being investigated.
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