Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre has blamed a conspiracy for the resignation of Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) President Dr. Hyginus ‘Gene’ Leon.
“ I make no bones about it and this is not personal to anybody, to any function to the bank, a conspiracy is what caused Gene Leon to resign,“ Pierre, Saint Lucia’s Finance Minister, told parliament on Tuesday.
“Gene Leon was removed from his job by three people on a whistleblower accusation,“ the Castries East MP asserted.
He indicated that the Governors were left in the dark.
“This is the President of a Bank. Three people walk into his office and tell him give up his laptop and give up his telephone because there’s a whistleblower complaint,“ Pierre stated.
He explained that Saint Lucia was not among the three countries.
Pierre spoke of the need to respect institutions but also personnel in those institutions.
“I did not go public at the time because I thought that good sense would prevail and it was not possible for three people to cause the President of a Bank, a man of the calibre and status of Gene Leon to basically lose his job,“ the Saint Lucia Prime Minister said.
Pierre emphasised that he supports the CDB.
Nevertheless, he declared that some of the institution’s rules need changing.
Pierre noted that Leon did not await the outcome of the investigation but resigned.
He also observed that a foreign firm conducted the investigation.
“The lawyers that were used to prosecute him were foreign lawyers. The Bank didn’t find it fit to use any regional lawyers Mr. Speaker,“ Pierre told parliament.
“And when I caused a resolution at the Board of Governors to get a second opinion on the first opinion of these foreign lawyers, I was outvoted,“ Pierre disclosed.
To desk thumping from MPs in the House of Assembly, he expressed Saint Lucia’s full support for Gene Leon’s work at the CDB.
Last month, the Saint Lucia-based law firm Fosters, acting on Leon’s behalf, gave the CDB until May 4 “to negotiate an amicable separation.”
Fosters said it would go to the courts in Barbados “or any other jurisdiction more appropriate, to enforce our client’s legal and constitutional rights“.
In a five-page letter dated May 2 and addressed to the chairman and members of the Board of Governors of the Barbados-based CDB, Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines Dr Ralph Gonsalves had branded the case against Dr. Leon as “flimsy”.
‘For me, Gene Leon’s integrity remains intact, though unsuccessful attempts were made to have it impugned,” Gonsalves wrote.
Leon, a Saint Lucian, was the sixth President of the CDB and assumed office on May 4, 2021.
PHOTO: Stock image
This guy is always wading into things he knows nothing about. Sounds a lot like Rovergate where he went to the Courthouse to ensure “Justice was Served” Also telling the the organization had little trust in Regional lawyers to pursue the case/investigation.
Look at all of the lodge men defending each other.
Anon the jackass in you has risen again “this guy is always wading into things he knows nothing about “. He is the prime minister he knows more than nobody you. Why are we so tight with CDB ?? Who is their biggest client ?? Who are their biggest debtor?? Who put us in that position to the sum of USD$ 43 million dollars plust interest ?? Yes yes and yes your head yellow clown face so this PM has to know everything. We could not even get anymore credit from them because we owe them so much so hush yourself if you don’t know what you are taking about
Three men demand or cease laptop and cellphone, foreign lawyers…. this expose pure wicket deeds beyond imagination. Ralph and PJP may know a lot more indulgent in all but this have consequential effects. Its disgusting!
This is so funny because it sounds exactly like what you’ll did with the SLDB manager.
@Anon. Why would you say that? For sure, He knows more about the case than you. He is a governor of the bank. He read the report. He said exactly what Ralph Gonzalves said. So both of them are wrong? You know more than them?SMDH – Shaking my Damn Head
By his cryptic one-liner, @The Honorable Lucian Highgrade is pretending to the field negroes that he is not a house negro! Why? He senses that massa will kick him out, even though he has been more servile & voracious than massa’s pet dog; and wants to prevent vengeful field negroes from tearing up his @$$.
Getting back to the issue under discussion, massa’s house negro at the CDB plantation, Gene, even after a long career of obedient servitude (a functionary, aka economic hit-man, at the World Bank), was sent to the fields. Why? Could be one (or all) of several reasons:
Perhaps Gene, as incompetent as any St. Lucian civil servant, was spending too little time/working too slowly on massa’s goals in Haiti, Guyana & the wider region.
Perhaps, he has had a Saul of Tarsus moment (doubtful) and refused to reprise his role as economic hit-man, against his own people (maybe Pabs gave him a talking to, or he recently re-read Eric Williams’ “Capitalism & Slavery” with more mature, critical thought).
Perhaps, he and Pip have been making too many concessionary overtures towards Maduro in Venezuela; or secretly to the BRICS+.
Perhaps, the three alpha house negroes/dogs from Jamaica/Guyana/Barbados (the 3 nameless whistleblowers?) are seeking a bigger personal/national payout/share from the “kaka dent” communal bribe on offer from massa.
Perhaps, massa thinks he should take a more forceful tack (a la the Zionists towards the Palestinians) in securing his natural wealth/treasure, which inconveniently lies under the sovereign lands of Haiti & Venezuela (Guyana being the squatter, thereon).
Perhaps, massa feels the need to consolidate whatever plantations he presumably owns, from the national economic & social freedoms (win-win versus zero-sum), world-wide in hot demand, & widely advertised by the BRICS+.
Whatever the reason(s), it is/they are not surprising. One is reminded of the old saw, “if you lie down with dogs, you will get up with fleas.” More appropriate however is the lesson learned from the story of the scorpion and the frog, a cautionary tale of innate nature & change!
@Nudge the fool fudge…..Perhaps you need to have your head examined AGAIN for that compulsive nutty neurological disorder of yours
Perhaps you need to take your meds to control your psychotic system psychosis, if that’s not working I have some special Highgrade that was reaped from our highest point pure and obscure for my “special” clientele this weekend, yeah that should do it; you need help. Remember express service is available always look for the Highgrade Brand.
@Nudge. Some body should nudge you to see a shrink.
There must have been some good reasons for whistleblowers to report him and the bank to take action. That is normal. Now tell us what does the investigation report say? the whole report. Why did he resign so quickly before when it came out? Was he cleared of all charges?
@The Honorable Lucian Highgrade/@Quo Vadis: The truth hurts, doesn’t it?
But be strong! On the other side, after the pain, is relief & freedom from the yoke of mental slavery…if you really want it.
Three whistleblowers but our PM will say conspiracy just like the COP in waiting!
The four MDC’s haven’t commented on de Leon guy’s departure. Only Gonzalves who is a dodgy character , negro hitler in A&B and de st. Lucian pm have. What is surprising is de guy Leon resign. Why? De investigation still ongoing. We shall see what we shall see sooner or later.