|
[page 21]
21
like I say, by mistake he wound up in jail, and I believe he just got
out now, in April. Two years. That's it.
Senator KERRY. How much would the cocaine be worth that he
transited?
Mr. GARCIA. Well, right now I understand you can actually buy
it on the streets of Miami for about $17 ,000, $18,000. Sometimes it
can go as low as $16,000 a ki.
Senator KERRY. And he brought in 600?
Mr. GARCIA. He was bringing in 600. By the way, I believe half of
the log got lost, which usually happens.
Senator KERRY. We are now joined by the chairman of the com-
mittee, Senator Pell, and I wonder, Senator, if you have any ques-
tions you want to ask. We are just at the end of Mr. Garcia.
The CHAIRMAN. It may have been covered. Was there any men-
tion, any question asked with regard to the relationship with Cuba?
Senator KERRY. Yes.
The CHAIRMAN. It was asked? I have no questions. Thank you.
Senator KERRY. Thank you.
Well, then, Mr. Garcia, if you would just sit tight, we may come
back in the course of the questioning.
Mr. GARCIA. Yes, sir.
Senator KERRY. We would like to turn to Mr. Bannister if we
could. Mr. Bannister, would you stand, please, and raise your right
hand?
Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but
the truth, so help you God?
Would you state your full name, please?
STATEMENT OF GORMAN BANNISTER, MIAMI, FL
Mr. BANNISTER. I have a statement.
Senator KERRY. Could you just state your full name?
Mr. BANNISTER. My full name is Gorman Bannister.
Senator KERRY. And where are you from?
Mr. BANNISTER. I am from New York.
Senator KERRY. You say you have a statement you would like to
read to the committee?
Mr. BANNISTER. Yes, sir.
Senator KERRY. Go right ahead.
Mr. BANNISTER. My name is Gorman Bannister. I am 32 years
old. I am an American, and I grew up in America. I was schooled
in America through college. My family is Bahamian, from the Ba-
hamas. My father’s name is Everett Bannister. At one time he was
the influence peddler of the Bahamas bar none. I spent 14 years of
my life in a cocaine trap. By God's will I am here today to tell
about it.
The path that God chose for the Bahamas has practically been
destroyed by man. A new path must be undertaken to avoid Baha-
mians from suffering from its newly escalated style of living. This
new style of living cannot be maintained as long as it is based on
ungodly resources such as greed, drug selling, and influence ped-
dling. I have chosen to tell of the factual lifestyle of Bahamians of
all segments of the society so the world can understand and assist
that beautiful country in reaching its true path.
[page 22]
22
If we do nothing about the selling and abuse of cocaine, mankind
will be condemning yet another generation to endemic cocaine ad-
diction. The type of high octane materialism is <sic> in the Bahamas
is
not conducive to long-term prosperity for any country or mankind.
Senator KERRY. Thank you very much, Mr. Bannister .
How do you come to be here today?
Mr. BANNISTER. Well, as a result of circumstances coming about
in the Bahamas, personal circumstances, my drug use, I decided
that I felt someone had to speak of the injustices done to certain
individuals in the Bahamas and the injustices being done in regard
to mankind. So, the things that I was privy to through my knowl-
edge of working with my father, I decided to disclose them to a re-
porter of the London Times.
Senator KERRY. How long ago did you do that?
Mr. BANNISTER. I think it was about the beginning of April, ap-
proximately.
Senator KERRY. Of this year?
Mr. BANNISTER. Yes, sir .
Senator KERRY. And subsequent to that did you contact the Drug
Enforcement Administration?
Mr. BANNISTER. Yes, yes, I did, because I realized that some of
the things that I knew could be detrimental to myself legally, so it
was best that I contact them before they contact me, and contact-
ing them and being here today and being a Federal witness I real-
ized was all part of the situation of helping myself and letting the
world know firsthand of what is really going on in the Bahamas on
a sociological level. As far as drugs are concerned, as far as influ-
ence peddling is concerned, and as far as greed.
Senator KERRY. Where did you go to school here in this country?
Where did you go to college?
Mr. BANNISTER. I graduated from the University of Bridgeport in
Connecticut.
Senator KERRY. What year did you graduate?
Mr. BANNISTER. 1978.
Senator KERRY. While you were at school, were you receiving
considerable amounts of money from your father?
Mr. BANNISTER. I would say considerable amounts of money in
the normal sense of being a college student.
Senator KERRY. How much money--
Mr. BANNISTER. I was getting about $500 a month from my
father.
Senator KERRY. In cash?
Mr. BANNISTER. Oh, yes, in cash. And then if I needed money in
between that point in time I could get it. My schooling was paid
for.
Senator KERRY. And at some point did you return to the Baha-
mas?
Mr. BANNISTER. Yes, I returned to the Bahamas in 1976. I left
school for 2 years. I returned in 1976. I returned in 1975, and I
went back to school in 1976, and I graduated in 1978. After 1978, I
was living in the Bahamas on a full-time basis..
Senator KERRY. And at that point you started to work for your
father?
[page 23]
23
Mr. BANNISTER. Yes. Well, I was always working with, you know,
during the summers and during my hiatus from school for a year.
But that is when I started working for him full time.
Senator KERRY. At what point in time did you become a drug
user?
Mr. BANNISTER. From 1973.
Senator KERRY. What kind of drugs were you using?
Mr. BANNISTER. Marijuana, cocaine.
Senator KERRY. And you became a heavy user?
Mr. BANNISTER. Yes, I became a heavy user, yes, I did. As the
availability in the Bahamas itself became easier, I became a heav-
ier user.
Senator KERRY. Now, can you describe that to us? What sort of
drug availability was there in the Bahamas in 1978 when you re-
turned?
Mr. BANNISTER. OK, well, let me go, if I may, Senator Kerry, let
me--
Senator KERRY. Absolutely.
Mr. BANNISTER [continuing]. Go to 1973. In 1973 cocaine was--in
the Bahamas itself, cocaine was practically unheard of. You had
very few people who--you had very few people who had cocaine to
sell. You had cocaine on a street level, but then there was probably
only two or three people who actually were controlling it, and co-
caine was unheard of. I mean, cocaine was to the point where--I
mean, this is during the time when they were bringing marijuana
through Jamaica into the Bahamas in a regular suitcase, maybe
with some newspaper over it.
I mean, smuggling was really unheard of at that point. It was,
you know, it was unheard of. Through my associations with differ-
rent people in the Bahamas and through my family name, I was for-
tunate enough, even though it has worked out to this point now to
be unfortunate, but at that time I was fortunate enough to have a
top connection, one of the top two or three people in the Bahamas,
for cocaine.
There as <sic> no such thing as freebasing then. It was unheard
of. It
was snorting the cocaine, sniffing the cocaine. It wasn't a partying
situation at that point. It was a social thing like drinking cham-
pagne. It now goes to 1978 if you want me to. 1978, the availability
of cocaine was rather, not rather easy, but it was relatively easy. It
was relatively easy. You would be able to get cocaine. There was
very little freebasing going on then. You would be able to get co-
caine.
The reason why I said it was rather easy, because now at this
point you were able to get extremely quality cocaine at the street
level whereas in 1973 you only had two or three people that you
could get that from.
Senator KERRY. So, in 1987, today, as we sit here--
Mr. BANNISTER. Right.
Senator KERRY [continuing]. How would you describe the situa-
tion in the Bahamas?
Mr. BANNISTER. They have a saying that in the Bahamas there is
a church and a bar on every corner in the Bahamas, and that is
correct. But they have added something new to that now. There is
[page 24]
24
a church and a bar and a house for cocaine on every street in the
Bahamas, and that is correct.
Senator KERRY. Have you noticed any change in the last few
years with respect to the enforcement process in the Bahamas?
Mr. BANNISTER. Well, the majority of the police that were crook-
ed have been arrested or kicked off the force, so as a result of that
the corruption level has subsided somewhat. I am talking about di-
rectly in the interior of Nassau, but I don't know too much about
the outer islands because I never had to even venture that far to
deal with drugs, but I would assume that the same type of activi-
ties that have gone on before--
Senator KERRY. Well, we do not want you to make assumptions.
Mr. BANNISTER. Oh, I am sorry.
Senator KERRY. I want you to talk about what you know about.
Mr. BANNISTER. I don't know about that.
Senator KERRY. OK. Now, when you went back in 1978, you
became--will you describe your father's business, tell us what he
did?
Mr. BANNISTER. OK. Well, my family moved back to the Baha-
mas in 1967, when the Pindling government took over if--I believe
it was 1967.
Senator KERRY. Did your father already know Mr. Pindling?
Mr. BANNISTER. Oh, yes, he had known Mr. Pindling for years,
yes.
Senator KERRY. Where did he know him--
Mr. BANNISTER. From childhood. See, my parents migrated to the
Bahamas about 38 years ago, but then my father always--
Senator KERRY. And you were living in New York?
Mr. BANNISTER. Yes.
Senator KERRY. And at the time the Pindling government came
in in 1967, your father went back?
Mr. BANNISTER. Yes, but he always was in touch and sympa-
thized with the cause of the black man in the Bahamas. They had
certain Bahamian social groups in New York that all the Baha-
mians would gather for events. Certain political people from the
Bahamas, like Mr. Pindling, and Mr. Nadage, and people of those
type who were senators at that time, they would come up, and my
father was like, he was like the Bahamian--he was like the Baha-
mian connection abroad, in New York, so he always was in contact
with and sympathized with the black cause.
Senator KERRY. What did your father begin to set up as a busi-
ness when he went back?
Mr. BANNISTER. Yes, when he went back my father--any father
and <sic>--and it was the prime minister's dream always was to have
an
internationally black-owned airline, one that was totally owned by
black people, and that is what they set out to do, and it was called
Bahamas World Airlines.
Senator KERRY. And at that point in time did your father meet
Robert Vesco?
Mr. BANNISTER. Yes. Well, to be accurate about it, I was away in
school, in school at the time that Robert Vesco actually came into
play, so I don't really know the mechanics of how he came into
play. At that point Robert Vesco was the man that put Bahamas
World Airlines on the map.
[page 25]
25
Senator KERRY. And what did your father do for Vesco?
Mr. BANNISTER. My father was a conduit for Robert Vesco to the
prime minister. My father was a conduit between the two of them.
Senator KERRY. How much money did Vesco invest in the Baha-
mas? Do you know?
Mr. BANNISTER. I don't know. I don't know.
Senator KERRY. Did he invest money through your father?
Mr. BANNISTER. Oh, definitely.
Senator KERRY. And how do you know--
Mr. BANNISTER. He opened a bank in the Bahamas.
Senator KERRY. How do you know that?
Mr. BANNISTER. Oh, well, I know that because of the dealings
that he had with my father. My father had carte blanche at the
Bahamas Commonwealth Bank. In one particular instance, my
father sent a minister who was a minister of the government up
there to collect $10,000. He needed a $10,000 loan from this bank,
Bahamas Commonwealth Bank--
Senator KERRY. Was there anything unusual about somebody
getting a loan from the bank?
Mr. BANNISTER. There was nothing unusual about it if my father
sent him. It was not so unusual because he picked the money up
from the guard at the door. You know, the guards who open the
doors at the banks? That's who he picked the money up from, the
minister. No papers. No--
Senator KERRY. $10,000 in cash--
Mr. BANNISTER. Yes.
Senator KERRY. Do you know what it was for?
Mr. BANNISTER. I don't know. He probably had some personal
problems or--
Senator KERRY. But you do not know?
Mr. BANNISTER. No.
Senator KERRY. OK. Now, did your father introduce Vesco to the
prime minister?
Mr. BANNISTER. I don't know.
Senator KERRY. Did Vesco use his money to buy protection from
extradition?
Mr. BANNISTER. Definitely he did. As a matter of fact, the extra-
dition laws that they have now, even though they might have up-
dated them somewhat, but the extradition laws that they have now
was started by Robert Vesco. When I say started, they made that
law to protect Robert Vesco from extradition.
Senator KERRY. And can you describe what took place, in what
way Vesco got that? Do you know?
Mr. BANNISTER. No, I don't. I just know that the judge who gave
the ruling is an African. His name is Emanuel Osadabe, and he
was a judge, and he retired, and he now works in the law firm of
Kendall, Nadage, and he--
Senator KERRY. Mr. Nadage--
Mr. BANNISTER. He is an African. He is a foreigner.
Senator KERRY. And Mr. Nadage is a former cabinet minister as-
sociated with Mr. Pindling; correct?
Mr. BANNISTER. Certainly.
Senator KERRY. Now, at some point in time your father went to
work for Resorts International?
[page 26]
26
Mr. BANNISTER. OK.
Senator KERRY. Is that correct?
Mr. BANNISTER. I wouldn't exactly say went to work for them,
but he was--
Senator KERRY. Well, would you describe the relationship?
Mr. BANNISTER. Well, the same type of relationship that my
father had with Lyndon Pindling as far as being able to consult
him on matters, of any matters, being able to speak for him in cer-
tain matters without having to consult him first, that is the same
type of relationship he had with Mr. James Crosby. Mr. James
Crosby, who is the owner, he is dead now, Mr. Crosby consulted my
father and asked for my father's advice on many subjects, whether
it be in the Bahamas, or whether it be in the United States. He
really--my father was very, was very personable with Mr. Crosby.
Senator KERRY. And was it at this point in time that you began
to keep your father's checking accounts?
Mr. BANNISTER. Yes, sir .
Senator KERRY. For how long a period did you keep the checking
accounts?
Mr. BANNISTER. I kept his checking accounts from 1978 to 1981.
Senator KERRY. Can you describe the Resorts International rela-
tionship in terms of the checking accounts?
Mr. BANNISTER. Well, my father, he had a $50,000 a year con-
tract with resorts, and they would supply him with two cars of his
choice every year. He would get approximately $1,000, and I think
the check was $1,094 every week or every 2 weeks. I would go and
pick it up, and I would just deposit it into one of his bank accounts.
Senator KERRY. Do you know what he did for that?
Mr. BANNISTER. Sure. Well, like I say, he advised--he was a con-
duit between Resorts and the government actually. That's what it a
actually was. He was a conduit between Resorts and the govern-
ment.
Senator KERRY. When you say "a conduit," can you describe that
more?
Mr. BANNISTER. Yes, when Resorts would probably be having
union problems, the management, or wanted certain concessions
added or wanted certain concessions taken away it would just be
natural for them to go through my father, and my father would, if
need be, ultimately involve the prime minister in these affairs. A
lot of times he did not have to involve the prime minister because
he could avoid a problem, whether it be union or concessions, he
could avoid that by talking directly to the person.
Senator KERRY. Is there anything unusual about that? Many
people in many cities in this country hire a law firm locally to help
them to deal with local zoning and other kinds of problems. Was
there anything that made this unusual?
Mr. BANNISTER. Well, I felt it was unusual because my father's
business was supposed to be "an airline business," so I found
it un-
usual <sic>, I mean, in the sense that if he was an airline man,
he was
an airline man, but he had so many irons in the fire, so I just
found it unusual.
Senator KERRY. Were any of those accounts used to pay expenses
for Prime Minister or for Lady Pindling?
[page 27]
27
Mr. BANNISTER. Well, at one point in time I know--I'm not sure
of how long ago it was, Lady Pindling was in London, and her ac-
count had been frozen at a place called Harrod's or Harris or some-
thing like that, because she had owed some money, and my father
jumped on the first plane and immediately when over there with
the money and paid it.
Senator KERRY. From those accounts?
Mr. BANNISTER. Yes, from one of those accounts.
Senator KERRY. Now, can you describe in some detail the rela-
tionship between your father and the prime minister?
Mr. BANNISTER. Well, I can only say that it was a business rela-
tionship, but I feel like the friendship was based around the busi-
ness relationship. That is all I could really say on that subject.
Senator KERRY. OK. Well, your father has been called the
"Prime Minister of Bahamian Business"; has he not?
Mr. BANNISTER. Yes, that's true. He was proud of that, too.
Senator KERRY. All right. Can you tell us why that was?
Mr. BANNISTER. Simply because of the fact that my father could
stop or start by a telephone call, which eventually would have to
lead to a payment, he could stop or start anything in the Bahamas.
Senator KERRY. What do you mean by "lead to a payment"?
Mr. BANNISTER. Well, he could pick up the telephone and say,
"well, <sic> I want you to do this for me, I want you to clear
an individ-
ual's money at the Central Bank, allow them to operate in this
country because it is in the interest of the country, and he is a
good businessman." Now, as a result, the Bahamian attitude would
be, sure, but what is it going to get me? And that is when the pay-
ment would come in.
Senator KERRY. So, your father was able to delay a central bank
approval of an investment?
Mr. BANNISTER. My father was able to delay one, or he was able
to enhance one.
Senator KERRY. Were you managing his money when he was ap-
proached to help General Somoza stay in the Bahamas?
Mr. BANNISTER. I was managing his bank accounts. No one ever
managed my father's money but him, but I handled his bank ac-
counts.
Senator KERRY. Can you tell us what happened when General
Somoza made that approach?
Mr. BANNISTER. Yes. Well, apparently Anastasio Somoza was
exiled or left Nicaragua, and he was in south Florida for some
time, but he wanted to leave south Florida and be in an area that
was close in proximity to his businesses in south Florida, so they
chose--some way they chose in <sic> the Bahamas. At that particular
time the prime minister and the deputy prime minister was away
at the commonwealth meetings in Africa.
Senator KERRY. What year would this have been?
Mr. BANNISTER. I can't really recall, sir. So, automatically the
rein of power was left in the hands of Paul Attley, and Paul Attley
has never been a fan of anything resembling the name Bannister,
never been a fan. Underneath Paul Attley was a man by the name
of Darrell Rolle, who was a cabinet minister. At that time he was
cabinet minister of home affairs.
[page 28]
28
So, he was more or less keeping my father abreast of what Paul
Attley was trying to do, giving him advice on how best that they
could keep Anastasio Somoza in the country temporarily until the
prime minister had come back and could actually direct this man's
chance of staying in the Bahamas, so one morning my father got
on the plane and went down to Exuma, where Anastasio Somoza
was on his boat. When he left the office he told me to wait at the
office until he come <sic> back no matter what time it is, to wait.
I did.
When he came back, he came back with a valise, and he had
money in it stacked in 1,000 bills with wrappers around it, U.S.
money, and I counted out $320,000. Several times he made me
count it out. I separated--do you want these--do you want this?
Senator KERRY. Yes, I do.
Mr. BANNISTER. OK. I separated it into--he asked me to separate
it into $280,000 and he asked me to put the other remainder,
$40,000 on the side. When I did that, and I counted it again, he got
on the telephone and--well, you say I shouldn't assume, but who
he--who he spoke to into the telephone, the words he used into the
telphone was, "May I please speak to the lady?" And apparently
the lady got on the phone, and he said, "OK, I am coming down
with the money now.” So, he went his way--oh, no, I'm sorry.
So, he asked me to take out $3,000 out of the $40,000 for personal
reasons, for myself, my mother, and my brother, he put the re-
mainder of the money in his vault. The $280,000 he put in his bag
to collect to go. I said to him, "Well, you know," I said, "it
is not
really any of my business, but I don't understand this breakdown."
You know, I could live with--I could forget about 50-50. This is ex-
actly what I told him. I said, I could even live with 60-40. I said,
"Even with this amount of money, 70-30 I could live with, but
what you are breaking it down to now?"
He said, "Well, you know, Gorman, if it wasn't for the man I
wouldn't be able to do things that I do." I said, "Yeah, but
you
have to realize, too"--
Senator KERRY. That is all he said, "If it wasn't for the man"?
Mr. BANNISTER. The man. Yeah, that's how he referred to the
prime minister, "the man."
Senator KERRY. And he said, "if it wasn't for the man"--
Mr. BANNISTER. "If it was not for the man, I wouldn't be able to
do the things that I do." My rebuttal to that was, "But you
have to
understand something. If it wasn't for you he wouldn't be able to
do the things he does also," and my father said, "Yeah, but
you've
got to understand something, he's a greedy MF."
So, you want me to continue along the lines of how the money--
OK.
Senator KERRY. Where did the money go?
Mr. BANNISTER. OK. Well, I would assume--
Senator KERRY. I do not want you to assume. Just what do you
know?
Mr. BANNISTER. OK. I don't know where the money went. I don't a
know where the money went, but my father left with the money.
Senator KERRY. He left with the money.
Mr. BANNISTER. Yes, a couple of days after that he gave me
$100,000 in cash to deposit into a bank account, one of his bank ac-
counts, and, you know, it was still the $1,000 wrappers around it.
[page 29]
29
Senator KERRY. Did you do that? Did you--$100?
Mr. BANNISTER. A hundred--
Senator KERRY. They were $100 denominations?
Mr. BANNISTER. Wrappers? Yes, I believe so, yes.
Senator KERRY. $100?
Mr. BANNISTER. Yes, I believe so.
Senator KERRY. OK. And you deposited the $100,000 into your fa-
ther's account?
Mr. BANNISTER. Into one of his particular accounts.
Senator KERRY. At some point later did you take $20,000 out of
that account yourself?
Mr. BANNISTER. Yes, but not at one time.
Senator KERRY. You began to draw on it?
Mr. BANNISTER. Yes, I forged checks and I drew on it, because I
had a pretty good situation inside that bank.
Senator KERRY. I have other questions, but I want my colleague
to take over here for awhile, and then I will come back to some of
the others.
Mr. BANNISTER. OK.
Senator McCONNELL. The accounts to which you referred, how
much money would you estimate flowed through those accounts,
say, during the past 5 years?
Mr. BANNISTER. During the past 5 years?
Senator McCONNELL. Yes.
Mr. BANNISTER. Not much during the past 5 years.
Senator McCONNELL. During the period you were referring to
earlier, how much money flowed through those accounts?
Mr. BANNISTER. From like 1978 to 1981?
Senator McCONNELL. Yes.
Mr. BANNISTER. I would have to say close to $15 million.
Senator McCONNELL. Close to what?
Mr. BANNISTER. Fifteen.
Senator McCONNELL. Million?
Mr. BANNISTER. Yes, by one means or another. Yes. You see, you
have to understand something, Senator McConnell. My father had
a lot of different things going at the same. You know, he always
had five or six serious projects at the same time.
Senator McCONNELL. Did you go to Colombia with your father?
Mr. BANNISTER. Yes, I did.
Senator McCONNELL. And did you meet Carlos Lehder?
Mr. BANNISTER. Yes, I did.
Senator McCONNELL. After returning to the Bahamas, your
father tried to retrieve a bracelet that Lehder apparently--
Mr. BANNISTER. A necklace.
Senator McCONNELL. A necklace?
Mr. BANNISTER. Yes.
Senator McCONNELL. That Lehder apparently had sent as a gift.
Would you describe that gift and tell us roughly the value of it
and--
Mr. BANNISTER. I don't know. I never saw it.
Senator McCONNELL. What it was for?
Mr. BANNISTER. I never saw it, but Joe's estimation if <sic> the
gift
was a $250,000 necklace.
Senator KERRY. Let me just interrupt you. When you say Joe--
[page 30]
30
Mr. BANNISTER. They refer to Carlos as Joe, but his name is
Carlos Enrique Rivas Lehder.
Senator McCONNELL. For whom was the gift?
Mr. BANNISTER. It was for the first lady, for the prime minister's
wife.
Senator McCONNELL. Lady Pindling?
Mr. BANNISTER. Yes.
Senator McCONNELL. What else happened on your trip to Colom-
bia during which you met with Lehder?
Mr. BANNISTER. Well, they talked of the fact that the cay that he
owned, Norman's Cay was closed. My father mentioned it to him.
He said, well, their opening was, when my father came into--we
came into the complex, he was building a village, a resort, and it
was just about finished, just about finished, but when we came into
one of the complexes on the resort his first remark was, "Everett,
what is going on? You all have stopped my business in Norman's
Cay."
My father replied to him, he said, "Well, that didn't seem to
make a difference to you because now you are running it through
the Berry Islands." They started laughing amongst each other. And
he said, "Because of you we have to change commissioners of police
on the island"-he said, "Because of you we have to change police
commissioners once a month." So, they laughed about that.
At that point they asked me to leave the room, and I went
around the complex walking around, so they had private talks, but
basically what their talks were about was about the attempt that
he made on Norman Solomon's life, to kill him because he didn't
appreciate how Norman Solomon, who was an MP at that time in
politics in the Bahamas, he didn't appreciate how Norman Solomon
depicted his people as being animals, and my father said, “Well,
you should have killed him.”
He talked about the fact that Nigel Beaux had requested of him
about a week prior to our visit to either release $60,000 or $600,000
so that he could get Norman's Cay back open again. He said he did
it and he didn't get it back open. My father's remark to him was,
"Well, you know, Nigel can't get Norman's Cay back open for you
because Nigel didn't have it closed." And my father said, "Further-
more, Nigel is ripping you off, Joe." And he said, "I know Nigel
is,"
he said, "but the day that I have positive proof I will take him
off
the population count."
Then they also had more private talks when we went up to his
house. He took us to an expensive jewelry store and we got jewelry.
My father got a gold watchband to go with his watch that he had
from Tiffany's from many years ago. He got some emeralds to give
to someone. It wasn't my mother. And I got a gold bracelet.
And then they made--he made some type of arrangements. My
father told me on the way back that he was supposed to pick up
from $25,000 to $30,000 in Miami, when we got back to Miami, be-
cause he and Carlos had decided that it was best, instead of two
black men coming through customs in Colombia with money it
would be better once we get to Miami, because my father could
control his customs situation in the Bahamas. You know, he could
control that. My father could walk through there with money in
31
every pocket and there wouldn't be a problem once they were in
the Bahamas.
When we got back to Miami--oh, I should also mention that
while we were waiting for our Avianca flight in Bogota we were
stopped and searched by an inspector, the police physically
searched us, took us in the room and physically searched us be-
cause they said that the person who brought us to the airport was
a known drug trafficker. Of course, they didn't find anything be-
cause we didn'thave <sic> anything.
So, when we got to Miami on our way to the Ionosphere Club,
which is a club in the Eastern Airlines part of the airport, we
stopped and my father made a phone call. The person who he
spoke to didn't speak English at all, so I got on the telephone and
tried in very crude, broken English--broken Spanish to explain,
and it didn't work. So, apparently she put someone on the phone
who spoke English. My father spoke to him, and when he got off
the telephone, he said, we had to wait about 45 minutes.
So, we went into the Ionosphere Club. We went in and we sat
down. In about approximately half an hour to 45 minutes, someone
came with a brown valise, a woman, kind of short, maybe a little
chubbyish, with reddish hair, came with a brown valise. At no time
did I see what was in the brown valise. But I--well, I shouldn't say
I suspect. At no time did I see what was in the brown valise, but
being the type of man that my father is, it had to have been that
money that he was talking about.
Senator McCONNELL. Had your father then dealt with Lehder
before the trip to Colombia?
Mr. BANNISTER. From my understanding--
Senator McCONNELL. Had he had prior dealings?
Mr. BANNISTER. Yes. You see, you have to understand, Senator
McConnell, I was--Carlos Lehder was unbeknownst to me. I
didn't--I had heard the name maybe once or twice prior to that. I
had never--I had never pried into who he was because I had my
own little drug haven working right in my back yard. My back
yard was my own island of drugs, because they would come and
just bring it to me, so I didn't, you know, I was--I was not--I was
not involved with the outer islands. I was not involved in who
Carlos Lehder was. It didn't make a difference to me who he was.
But I had heard my father talk about this gentleman who he went
to see in Freeport. My father talked about it in amazement. This
guy had about eight different passports. And he walked through
customs just like you or I would.
Senator McCONNELL. So, it was obvious your father had had
prior dealings with him?
Mr. BANNISTER. Apparently, because also as I recall now on our
way down to Colombia I was trying to pry into really what my
father was--what we were going there for, because at least if I was
going to die at least I wanted to know why, you know.
Senator McCONNELL. Why did he take you along?
Mr. BANNISTER. That is a good--well, he told my mother for his
protection. I don't know what protection I could be, because Carlos
was a man who traveled with four armed guards in a Jeep in front
of him with M-16's and four in a Jeep in back of him with M-16's.
[page 32]
32
So, I don't know what protection I would have been. I would have
just been another one they would have killed if--
Senator McCONNELL. Regardless of what he told your mother, why
do you think he took you?
Mr. BANNISTER. Well, my father and I have always had a thing
with each other where he could discuss things with me, I could give
him my ideas irregardless of how we feel, and I wouldn't care how
he accepted what I said, and maybe--I would hope that possibly he
let me be privy to certain things for such a day like this, to when it
had to be spoken, I would hope that is the case.
Senator McCONNELL. When your father returned to the Baha-
mas, did he continue to deal with Lehder?
Mr..BANNISTER. Yes, over--for about 3 to 4 weeks Carlos and him
were in constant contact. Carlos had an office in Bogota. They were
in constant contact. But I would like to go back a step to finish
what I was saying to you that I was prying with my father on why
we were going to Colombia. My father said to me--because I think
this is important. My father said to me that--he said, "Well, me
and Joe have got to settle some old business first before we talk
about anything new. OK?"
Now, back to your question. For about 3 or 4 weeks they were in
constant contact after we came back from Colombia, because Carlos
was very, very incensed over this necklace situation. And I think it
was really over principle. I think at that point he had gotten fed up
over being like a pingpong ball between people in the Bahamas. So,
he was very incensed, and they were constantly--see, the necklace
was in the hands of either George Smith or Nigel Beaux. George
Smith is a member of parliament. As a matter of fact it was given
to George Smith.
Senator McCONNELL. Tell us who Nigel Beaux was.
Mr. BANNISTER. Nigel Beaux is--was Carlos Lehder's lecherous
lawyer, I would say. And the bracelet was give to George Smith be-
cause George Smith was a member of parliament for the Exuma
Cay for Georgetown, where Norman's Cay is located. It was given
to him and it was supposed to be given to Lady Pindling.
Lady Pindling refused it, and then it became a situation of, well,
what cup is the ball under. My father would go to George, and
George would say he gave it to Nigel. My father would go to Nigel
and Nigel would say George got it. And so it got to a point where
one day the same two pilots who took us from Bogota to Cali and
then to Amena to see Joe came into our office with another man
who they listed as a navigator--I doubt very seriously that he was
a navigator. So, they made it known that they came to see about
the bracelet, the necklace, but they also bought eight passports for
my father to get visas for certain Colombians to go to the Bahamas
and to the United States.
But they were really adamant about this necklace, so my father
said, "Well, you know, I am trying to work it out." And my father
really did honestly try to work it out, because several times I went
with him to George Smith's house, Minister Smith's house, and my
father sat down with him really and one time emphatically said to
him, "George, you have to really, really, really understand this,"
and my father, I can honestly say this in the eyes of God, that he
really tried to locate this necklace, because my father said to him,
[page 33]
he said, "George, you have to really, really understand that this
necklace has to be returned," and my father made it explicit, "You
have to understand that this necklace has to be returned." Well,
it
was still--the pingpong game still kept going on.
Senator McCONNELL. Did it ever get solved?
Mr. BANNISTER. I don't know.
Senator McCONNELL. Did Lehder get his--
Mr. BANNISTER. No, but I know that--I beg your pardon?
Senator McCONNELL. Did Lehder get his problem solved?
Mr. BANNISTER. I don't know. I know that my father was able
to--my father tried to pacify the pilot and the so-called navigator,
but the navigator said, "Listen, we came for the necklace, Joe sent
us for the necklace, and that is what we have come for, the neck-
lace, plus the eight passport situation," but they came mainly for
the necklace, so my father got Joe on the telephone and apparently
my father pacified Joe in some shape or form that Joe said, "OK,
leave the passports and come back.' I don't think the bracelet was
ever--the necklace was ever recovered. I don't know.
Senator McCONNELL. Was that the last of your knowledge, then,
of Lehder's involvement in the Bahamas?
Mr. BANNISTER. Of Lehder's involvement in the Bahamas?
Senator McCONNELL. Yes. You don't know anything after that?
Mr. BANNISTER. Well, I know that my father did make another
trip to Colombia.
Senator McCONNELL. Oh, he did?
Mr. BANNISTER. Yes, and I think Nigel Beaux was with him at
that time. I am not sure. But I know my father did make another
trip back to Colombia after that. And then, see, you have to under-
stand, that is when I started to drift away from my father. My
drug habit got enormous, so--
Senator McCONNELL. OK, one final line. Did your father have
anything to do with the departure of the charge at the American
Embassy, Mr. Antipas?
Mr. BANNISTER. I cannot say that positively. I can only say that a
communique was intercepted by some contact that the prime min-
ister had here in the United States, and I saw the communique.
The prime minister gave it to my father. And I can't remember
verbatim exactly what was said, but I know that it was along the
lines of, "We think that Everett Bannister's telephone lines, lines
of communications should be scrutinized. We think that he should
be watched very carefully. We think that all his movements should
be scrutinized very heavily. And we also feel that we should consid-
er extradition."
Probably, possibly, maybe about a week after that--I don't even
think Antipas had time to pack his bag. I think he left all his stuff
in his desk. He just--just was gone.
Senator McCONNELL. So, your judgment is that your father did
have something to do with that?
Mr. BANNISTER. My judgment?
Senator McCONNELL. Yes.
Mr. BANNISTER. Yes. My knowledge of it, I don't have.
Senator McCONNELL. It is your surmise then?
Mr. BANNISTER. Pretty much so. I would bet my money and
borrow money from a loan shark also.
[page 34]
34
Senator McCONNELL. Mr. Chairman, go ahead.
Senator KERRY. Let me just follow up on that for a minute. You
saw the cable?
Mr. BANNISTER. Yes, I did.
Senator KERRY. And you know specifically that your father com-
plained to the prime minister; do you not?
Mr. BANNISTER. My father got it from the prime minister .
Senator KERRY. And they discussed this? You are aware of that?
Mr. BANNISTER. Well, apparently they must have.
Senator KERRY. What happened after that?
Mr. BANNISTER. Well, after that it wasn't long after Antipas was
gone.
Senator KERRY. Well, how soon?
Mr. BANNISTER. I can't really, really recall, but it was quickly.
Senator KERRY. You described it to be me earlier, you said you
do not even think he had time to pack his bags.
Mr. BANNISTER. No, I don't. That might have been--that might
have been an exaggeration on my part. But that was only in an
attempt to explain to you the quickness of him leaving.
Senator KERRY. Did your father warn Carlos Lehder that police
raid on Norman's Cay? <sic>
Mr. BANNISTER. Yes.
Senator KERRY. Do you want to describe that?
Mr. BANNISTER. Well, as I recall, he just made a phone call to
Carlos letting him know, well, the police are going to--
Senator KERRY. You heard the phone call?
Mr. BANNISTER. I beg your pardon?
Senator KERRY. You heard the phone call?
Mr. BANNISTER. Oh, yes, yes, yes.
Senator KERRY. What did he say?
Mr. BANNISTER. You see, you have to understand, my father had
a private line, and most of the time I answered it, and at certain
times when my father would call Carlos I would do the calling and
then my father would get on the line.
Senator KERRY. Did your father have a number of phone contacts
with Carlos Lehder?
Mr. BANNISTER. In the 3- to 4-week period that I know of, yes.
Senator KERRY. Regarding--
Mr. BANNISTER. Carlos would call and say he is Giamo Gomez,
and Giamo Gomez is a real live person who I met in Colombia.
Matter of fact, he is the gentleman who took us to Colombia.
Senator KERRY. What was the substance of those conversations?
Was drugs part of the discussion?
Mr. BANNISTER. Not really. Apparently the discussions was based
around whatever private talks they had, because my father is a
person who is very paranoid about the telephone, even though he
has millions of them, but he is very paranoid about them. Their
conversations was based on apparently prior talks that they had
had while we were in Colombia, which I was not privy to. I don't
know. But I know my father did call him one time and told him,
"Listen, the police are going to aid <sic> Norman's Cay on
a certain day,
clean it up.” And when they went there, they didn't find--they
didn't find--I don't even think there were people there. I don’t
know. They didn't find anything.
[page 35]
35
Senator KERRY. And--all right. Now, what about Nigel Beaux?
What was his relationship to the prime minister?
Mr. BANNISTER. I have no idea.
Senator KERRY. Do you know whether--do you have an opinion
as to whether or not Nigel Beaux will be extradited?
Mr. BANNISTER. I wish he would be, personally.
Senator KERRY. Why is that?
Mr. BANNISTER. Because he is a greedy, lecherous, unscrupulous
individual.
Senator KERRY. But what do you know about whether or not he
might be extradited? Do you think he will be extradited?
Mr. BANNISTER. That is a rough one to call, Senator Kerry, be-
cause to extradite him, even though he should be, would start a
very dangerous precedent for the Bahamas, because there are a
number of people that are under extradition. And I think if he is
extradited first, I think my father should pack his bag because he
would be next.
Senator KERRY. Now, do you know specifically--let me come
back to the conversation. You mentioned something about Norman
Solomon and an attempt to kill him or something.
Mr. BANNISTER. Yes.
Senator KERRY. When you were down in Colombia with Carlos
Lehder and your father--
Mr. BANNISTER. Yes.
Senator KERRY [continuing]. Do you want to describe that discus-
sion in a little greater detail?
Mr. BANNISTER. OK, that--
Senator KERRY. How did the subject of Norman Solomon come
up?
Mr. BANNISTER. Well, they were just kicking around--in his car.
We were in his car.
Senator KERRY. Let me go back for a minute. Norman Solomon
was a member of parliament.
Mr. BANNISTER. Norman Solomon is an opposition member, but
he was a member of parliament at that time.
Senator KERRY. Correct. And Norman Solomon was very dis-
turbed, was he not, about drug trafficking on Norman Cay?
Mr. BANNISTER. Yes, he was. As a matter of fact, he was one of
the first ones to actually uncover it.
Senator KERRY. And Norman Solomon actually went to the au-
thorities to try to get them to do something about it; didn't he?
Mr. BANNISTER. Yes, he did.
Senator KERRY. Norman Solomon went to United States authori-
ties as well as Bahamian; did he not?
Mr. BANNISTER. That I don't know. I don't know if he went to
U.S. authorities.
Senator KERRY. And what then took place? What happened to
Norman Solomon?
Mr. BANNISTER. Well, one day his house and his car was blown
up.
Senator KERRY. With a bomb?
Mr. BANNISTER. Yes.
Senator KERRY. OK.
Mr. BANNISTER. Unfortunately, he wasn't there.
[page 36]
36
Senator KERRY. What was the discussion with Carlos Lehder
about that incident?
Mr. BANNISTER. Well, we were in his car, and they were just
talking about various people in the Bahamas, and Carlos was
saying, “Well, you know, you know, Everett, you know, I was
behind that bombing of Norman's place, you know, so I really tried
to kill him because I didn't like how he depicted my Colombian
people as animals." See, you have to understand, Carlos Lehder is
a very patriotic gentleman. Or was. And he said, "I didn't like how
he depicted my Colombian people as animals," he said, "so, you
know, I really tried to kill him." My father said, "You should
have," and that was the extent of it.
Senator KERRY. Now, was there any discussion about reopening
Norman’s Cay.
Mr. BANNISTER. In my presence? No. See, they had several pri-
vate discussions of their own. The only discussion came where--
where he spoke of Nigel calling him, because Nigel apparently had
most of his money in the Bahamas, but Nigel obviously had to get
permission to use certain moneys.
Senator KERRY. Now, you heard Mr. Garcia testify that he paid
your father money in Miami so that he would be taken off the stop
list.
Mr. BANNISTER. Yes, I heard that.
Senator KERRY. Do you remember that transaction?
Mr. BANNISTER. I don't remember the transaction exactly. I just
know that I was living in Miami at this particular time, for about 6
months. I was working with an insurance company that was inter-
ested in opening up captive insurance offshore in the Bahamas, so I
went over there for training, and my father came over to my apart-
ment, and he was there for like 3 days, back and forth on the tele-
phone, wondering where this guy is, you know, I'm not used to sit-
ting and waiting for people.
Then one day I dropped him over to an apartment building on
Key Biscayne, and when I came back home he was already home,
and then he had money when--
Senator KERRY. He had money with him?
Mr. BANNISTER. Yes, when as before he did not.
Senator KERRY. And do you recall seeing that money?
Mr. BANNISTER. Sure. I didn't see $10,000, because my father is
not that, you know, he is not like that, you know. He--
Senator KERRY. OK. That is the same apartment building that
you recall going to with Mr. Garcia subsequently?
Mr. BANNISTER. Yes.
Senator KERRY. And pointing it out?
Mr. BANNISTER. Yes.
Senator KERRY. Now, when people are caught in the Bahamas
for dealing in drugs or helping in the trafficking, do they go to jail?
Mr. BANNISTER. Sometimes. Sometimes. Depending on your
status.
Senator KERRY. What does that--
Mr. BANNISTER. You might not even make the jail cell.
Senator KERRY. What does that mean?
Mr. BANNISTER. Depending on your status. But I shouldn't say
that. That is wrong, because nowadays the situation is that if they
[page 37]
37
pick you up for drugs, more than likely you are going to spend
some time in the jail cell, because it is so controlled now that they
know who is in this particular house at a particular time, because
they watch these places. A lot of the people every day get fined for
drugs. Not many. Not many go to jail. But a lot of people go to jail
as a result of drugs through vandalism, through assaults on women
and things like that, so that is a result of their drug use.
Senator KERRY. How recently have you been in the Bahamas?
Mr. BANNISTER. As of April.
Senator KERRY. As of April. And how long were you there for
prior to the April period?
Mr. BANNISTER. Prior to the April period? I was there for 7
months.
Senator KERRY. Can you describe the situation with respect to
drugs in the Bahamas during the 7 months?
Mr. BANNISTER. Sure I can. Sure. It is a very tense, very volatile
situation. As I told you, you can buy drugs on every corner, every--
there is a drug dealer on every corner of every street in the Baha-
mas.
Senator KERRY. Are there more drugs there now than you have
ever seen before?
Mr. BANNISTER. Sure, there's people who are giving it away. You
can get--you can get--would you like for me to tell you some, give
you a little quote of the prices or something?
Senator KERRY. Absolutely.
Mr. BANNISTER. You can get a factory sealed kilo of cocaine still
in the bag from Colombia for $2,000 in certain places.
Senator KERRY. And what is the same price for that in Miami?
Mr. BANNISTER. I wouldn't know. I have never bought a kilo of
cocaine. Would you like me to find out?
Senator KERRY. No, we can do that. [Laughter.]
Mr. Garcia, what is the price of that in Miami, a kilo of cocaine
now?
Mr. GARCIA. It has gone as low as $16,000 a kilo. Right now I be-
lieve it is around $18,000 or $21,000. It all depends--
Senator KERRY. So, $16,000 to $18,000 in Miami or $21,000 for an
item that is selling for $2,000 in the Bahamas?
Mr. GARCIA. Yes, definitely heard that it goes $3,000, $2000,
$3,000--
Senator KERRY. You confirm that lower price in the Bahamas
today?
Mr. GARCIA. $3,000, $2,000.
Senator KERRY. Why is that, Mr. Bannister? Why is it so low?
Mr. BANNISTER. Well, that is because of the fact that there is
such an influx of drugs into the Bahamas now. I honestly believe,
and this could be far-fetched, if I could give you my belief, I honest-
ly believe that when the drug trade became very sophisticated from
Colombia, through the Bahamas, I honestly believe that there was
so much thievery amongst people who were not really involved in
the organization of drugs, that the Colombians took a conscious
effort to say, "OK, well, you guys, we pay you all anyway for let-
ting our drugs come through and you .still rob our boats anyhow, so
we are going to drown you in cocaine. If you like cocaine that
[page 38]
38
much, we will drown you in it." This is what I firmly believe. And
so as a result of that now--
Senator KERRY. In order to prevent the thievery?
Mr. BANNISTER. No, in order to--no, in order to principalize the
fact that the transshipment of drugs was something that was made
within the organization above all the lower class. It was made by a
handful of people who decided that this is how drugs would be
transshipped through the Bahamas. But then as a result of Baha-
mians being very adventurous, they decided that, well, you know,
we have got to stop, we have got to take some of this. We just can't
let it all go through.
Senator KERRY. Now, in your experience, both dealing with your
father as well as recently, are there drugs able to come through
partly because officials are letting it come through, or largely be-
cause they are letting it come through?
Mr. BANNISTER. OK. I think it started out not partly. I think it
was--basically that's the reason why. But now what has happened
is, there are so many Bahamians in the majority that have made
money off of drugs, have done some positive things in regards to
being able to continue their drug operation, that it has gotten out
of the hands of higher officials. See, it is very difficult, it is very
difficult for an assistant superintendent of police in Nassau to stop
what is happening down on one of those cays, because what goes on
down on one of those cays goes down on one of those cays until it
reaches--the information reaches Nassau. I mean, I have heard of
instances where the police were helping fuel planes that had drugs
on them. So, you know, it's--
Senator KERRY. And are you aware by personal knowledge what
the state of the situation is today, right now?
Mr. BANNISTER. In the Bahamas?
Senator KERRY. Yes.
Mr. BANNISTER. As far drug use?
Senator KERRY. With respect to the flow of traffic, the transship-
ment.
Mr. BANNISTER. Not from my knowledge, see, because I never
was involved with that. All I knew, the furthest my involvement
was was the shipment from the back of a guy's car to my house. So,
I can't really fairly say. I can say to you that it has destroyed a
generation of people in the Bahamas.
Senator KERRY. Were--
Mr. BANNISTER. They have more--excuse me, sir. They have
more people in the Sandlins Mental Rehabilitation Center because
of drugs than they have of people who are mentally sick.
Senator KERRY. Could the current situation have come about
without the cooperation of high government officials?
Mr. BANNISTER. No.
Senator KERRY. Do you know what government officials were in-
volved with your father in facilitating any of the transshipments?
Mr. BANNISTER. No.
Senator KERRY. Do you know of payments made to high govern-
ment officials by your father?
Mr. BANNISTER. Well, you see, you have to understand some-
thing, Senator Kerry .This drug situation, all it did was just take
its place or take a spot inside my father's overall situation. See, my
[page 39]
39
father's overall situation, that he always had people in the police
department. He always had people in immigration. Do you under-
stand what I am saying?
Senator KERRY. Yes.
Mr. BANNISTER. He always had people in civil aviation. So, all
this drug thing did was fill a slot, you see?
Senator KERRY. Do the interdiction efforts--let me approach that
differently. Did your father ever mention to you or did you ever
hear discussions about pressure from the United States or concern
about the flow of drugs coming from our country?
Mr. BANNISTER. Well, no, not really, but I could say, and this is
very paradoxical, because as I say, my father despises drugs and its
use, and that is very paradoxical, I know.
Senator KERRY. I understand that. I read your prior transcript,
and I know you have said that, but at the same time you do not
deny that he worked with Carlos Lehder?
Mr. BANNISTER. I do not deny that he attempted to facilitate cer-
tain things for Carlos.
Senator KERRY. Let me just ask you to summarize, if we can.
From 1978 until the present moment, you have seen life change in
the Bahamas.
Mr. BANNISTER. Drastically.
Senator KERRY. How are the Bahamians responding to that now?
What is happening?
Mr. BANNISTER. Well, the Bahamians are responding to it, first of
all, with indignation as far as outside help is concerned. Baha-
mians have a way of protecting their own through anything. It is a
terrible situation, and Bahamians who truly, truly believe in God
and truly believe in what is right for mankind knows that it has to
be stopped by whatever means possible. And those are the Baha-
mians who have no interest whatsoever in the political aspects of
one government or another, because it is a very bad situation when
you have little kids, 9 and 10 and 11 years old, selling rocks of co-
caine.
You know what I'm saying? If you have $100 you could stay high
off of cocaine for about 4 days. That's the amount that they would
give you. Women and men prostituting themselves in one form or
another. Untold amounts of thievery, which very drug addict runs
that cost. <sic> Total chaos in the city because you don't know
when a
crime is going to be.
It's like the city never sleeps. People riding around in cars, at a
stoplight taking a hit of cocaine and then driving off. People get-
ting a thrill out of parking right across the street from the prime
minister's house in a little grass place and freebasing. It is totally
degenerate, and it has gotten way out of hand. It's a detriment to
mankind.
Senator McCONNELL. Let me ask, is your father a U.S. citizen?
Mr. BANNISTER. No longer.
Senator KERRY. I have some other questions, but I think I am
going to hold off on them because of the time here. Let me must
ask you one other question. Your father has currently entered a
period of less close relations with the prime minister. Is that cor-
rect?
Mr. BANNISTER. Yes.
[page 40]
40
Senator KERRY. Do you want to describe that at all?
Mr. BANNISTER. Well, you see, you have to understand, the Baha-
mian mentality is one, and I love those people, I have--I love those
people in general. I should say I like those people in general. You
have to understand that Bahamians' attitude is, I am all for what
you are doing until you get caught, then I don't know you, and this
is the position that my father is in now, and it is a terrible injus-
tice to him. This is one of the main reasons why I have decided to
speak out about it, because he has become a victim of the system
that he has helped create. There will never be any one man in the
Bahamas, I believe, in our lives that will ever have as much power
as he had, because I do believe that the prime minister was prob-
ably a recipient of every major deal my father made, but not neces-
sarily had the knowledge of everyone until after the deal was
made.
Senator KERRY. When you say "a recipient," what do you mean?
Mr. BANNISTER. A recipient of whatever the payment was.
Senator KERRY. So, your father was consistently paying the
prime minister?
Mr. BANNISTER. All the time. I mean, there would be nothing for
the prime minister's son--he is going over to Miami to pick up--
because he is a musician. It would be nothing for him to come to
the office and get $5,000 from my father. You know, just like, I
mean, the Bahamian people felt like my father was obligated to do
these things, and my father took on that obligation. That is why he
is broke today.
Senator KERRY. And how long has this division existed between it
your father--
Mr. BANNISTER. Ever since the commission of inquiry. I believe
that certain things that have been brought to light to the prime
minister naturally, him thinking of his political life probably more
than any normal politician would, he probably felt it is time to get
rid of my father as best as they could, and my father will never
rise again to the power that he has--that he had. He will never
rise again, and it is sad because maybe if he had another chance he
might do it differently. Maybe he might do it worse. I don't know.
Senator KERRY. Now, when you say this money was flowing
freely, did it flow to others other than the prime minister in the
government?
Mr. BANNISTER. Oh, sure. I mean, what I'm saying is, it would be
nothing for my father for the PLP to have a fundraising, it would
be nothing for my father to support that whole fundraising. They
would be having dinners and things. It would be nothing for my
father to do the catering, because we own a catering company in
the Bahamas, which is another big enterprise he had. It was noth-
ing for him to do those things. He felt obligated, and as a matter of
fact if the people didn't call him right away he'd call them.
Senator KERRY. Now, it is true, is it not, that millions of dollars
were flowing through the Bahamian World Airways and the Baha-
mian World 1974 Limited--
Mr. BANNISTER. Limited, yes.
Senator KERRY [continuing]. Correct, two different companies?
Mr. BANNISTER. Yes, well, they were two different companies
then, but not at the same time, though.
|
