Free National Movement Chairman Carl Bethel yesterday called the nearly quarter of a million dollar debt the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) has with the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas(BCB) 'shameful'."I was flabbergasted to see the report indicating that a default judgment had been entered against the Progressive Liberal Party for nearly a quarter of a million dollars owed to the Broadcasting Corporation," said Bethel in an interview with The Nassau Guardian.

"It's one thing for members to stand in Parliament and call for the government to have financial probity, and to pay the bills of the government and to manage the economy and to manage the nation's finances appropriately, but on the other hand for them to sit there and know that they owe a quarter of a million dollars, or roughly, to the public broadcasting corporation is absolutely shameful."

The Nassau Guardian reported yesterday that the judgment in default came after the PLP failed to enter an appearance in the matter.

According to invoices the corporation provided the court, the debt was racked up by various party branches, and also the party's national convention committee.

As reported yesterday, PLP Chairman Bradley Roberts acknowledged the court matter and said the claim by the corporation arises from the party's last national convention.

"It would appear that the corporation is attempting to also collect from our party debts which were incurred by individuals without the knowledge or approval of the party, some of which we understand may date back to 1992," Roberts also said.

Bethel wondered what example of fiscal discipline the PLP could be sending to the Bahamian people by failing to settle the debt.

The BCB claims in court documents thatthe PLP paid the corporation $20,000 on May 15, 2007 with a view to making installment payments against its outstanding balance in due course.

However, the party never made further payments, according to a court document filed in August.

"Of course, we know that everybody can't afford to pay what they owe one time,"Bethel said.

"And it would be unreasonable sometimes to expect that. That is why you see the Bahamas Electricity Corporation, and [other entities] such as the Bahamas Telecommunications Company making settlement packages available for hard-pressed Bahamians in hard economic times.

"I am sure that had the Progressive Liberal Party indicated that they wished to have some facility, they could have gone into the Broadcasting Corporation at anytime, arranged the facility and discharged their obligation."

Bethel said a corporation is not going to sue unless it is confronted with a total failure of a customer to respond to an obligation.

The Nassau Guardian confirmed that the PLP's debt with ZNS is the largest owed by any single customer to the Broadcasting Corporation.

The FNM chairman said any responsible'government in waiting'should set the right example by paying outstanding debts to public corporations.

Roberts said on Wednesday that the party will move swiftly to have the judgment in default of appearance set aside.

"The party will thereafter move to bring closure on this matter," he said.

Click here to read more at The Nassau Guardian