PLP leader deflects on party’s relationship with Nygard

PLP leader deflects on party’s relationship with Nygard
Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Leader Philip Brave Davis at PLP Headquarters in October 2020. (FILE PHOTO)

Davis says he will respond to Nygard matter “when appropriate”

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Leader Philip Brave Davis yesterday deflected questions regarding his party’s alleged involvement with Canadian fashion designer and long-time Lyford Cay resident Peter Nygard.

Nygard was arrested in Winnipeg, Canada, last week, after federal prosecutors accused him of a more than two-decades-long string of criminal conduct involving racketeering, sex trafficking and other crimes against women and minors.

A nine-count unsealed indictment outlined alleged crimes stemming from The Bahamas, Canada, New York and elsewhere.

During the party’s end-of-year press conference at the PLP headquarters, Davis was asked whether he was ever made aware of any concerns of how Nygard conducted himself in the country and whether he has any regrets regarding the party’s relationship with Nygard or decision to accept money from him.

“Peter, what’s his name?” Davis asked.

“My position in respect to what I heard or [have] not heard about him is that I’m more concerned about what this election is going to be about.

“I’m not concerned about a foreign action that has been brought against a foreign person who may have had an incident in The Bahamas.

“I’m concerned about the livelihood of Bahamians. I’m about the future of our Bahamians, and that is what I will be about.

“I’m not going to be involved in the lies that are going to be spun by the FNM (Free National Movement) and its surrogates. 

“I will not stand idly by and allow the PLP to be scandalized. I will be responding to them when appropriate but I will not be dealing with that subject matter to be distracted from what is needed in this country.”

Davis insisted that the country must focus on the economic crisis and the challenges the COVID-19 pandemic poses.

“You as reporters ought to be concerned about what the issues are in this country and not be distracted by lies,” he said.

A still from a 2013 video allegedly showing Progressive Liberal Party members with Peter Nygard.

Nygard has claimed he donated millions of dollars to the PLP’s 2012 election campaign.

A controversial July 2013 video showed several PLP ministers, including Davis, being entertained at Nygard’s Lyford Cay home with the text “Peter Nygard takes back The Bahamas”.

Sponsored ads from the PLP’s Facebook page have been drawing attention to the FNM’s involvement with Nygard.

“There is only one Bahamian caught up in criminal activity in connection with Nygard. It’s the FNM’s Michael Pintard,” the post says. 

The post links to a 2016 article published in a local daily surrounding Pintard’s alleged involvement with a controversial murder-for-hire scheme involving Nygard and Louis Bacon — his Lyford Cay neighbor and long-time nemesis. 

About Sloan Smith

Sloan Smith is a senior digital reporter at Eyewitness News, covering a diverse range of beats, from politics and crime to environment and human interest. In 2018, Sloan received a nomination for the “Leslie Higgs Feature Writer of The Year Award” from The Bahamas Press Club for her work with Eyewitness News.