These were the words of the Leader of Government Business, Premier and Minister of Finance Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1) during a press conference held on May 20, 2021.

At the time of his statement, Hon Fahie was replying to questions from the media on a list of farmers and fisherfolk who reportedly received stimulus grants from the government. The list; however, has been deemed inaccurate and incomplete as it was provided only to the Opposition Leader in response to information requested in the House of Assembly.

“We cannot be held responsible for that list that is being circulated because that is not an official list.”

“We were doing this to help with the food security, the food production, but all the persons that received that grant received a letter stating to them very clearly, and I said it before in the House, make sure you can account for every dime,” he said.

In further explaining about the leaked list, he said Opposition Leader Honourable Marlon A. Penn (R8) was the only one who received a list after he asked a question pertaining to the grant in the House of Assembly.

“The Leader of the Opposition asked the question, and he was given the list, but right after that the Leader of the Opposition asked more questions with names, and a ruling came into the House of Assembly stating clearly that in the House we should refrain from names because persons will not have a chance to defend themselves,” he said.

“So the list that the Leader of the Opposition received, he was the only one that received that list was the one, not that there is nothing that you should hide, but it should never have been disseminated in the way it had been; disseminated by anyone, I’m not saying it’s him, but he is the only one that had a copy, the list wasn’t shared with anyone else.”

Government is said to be investigating how information intended only for the eyes of the Leader of the Opposition, Hon Marlon A. Penn (R8), right, seen here shaking the hands of ex-governor Augustus J. U. Jaspert, leaked to the public.

Parts of the list are correct

The Premier stated that the list was not an accurate and complete list of recipients of grants.

“When we look at the list, there are persons on that list that was circulated is in question for us, so that is why we are saying some of the information clearly is inaccurate, but there are some parts of the list that we have validated that is so, but there are parts of the list that is not so.”

He also said how the list was leaked into the public’s domain is under investigation.