Minister of Labour and National Insurance Shane Gibson said yesterday he intends to release the forensic reports into the accounts of the National Insurance Board (NIB) when Parliament meets again in May. Gibson has had the reports now for three weeks. He had previously been vague on when the reports would be made public, only stating that portions were "shocking". "Parliament doesn't meet until May 1 and in any case [they're] not going to be released outside Parliament," Gibson said yesterday. "My goal is to release [them] when Parliament meets next." Gibson also shrugged off criticisms that the government is dragging its feet regarding the reports' release.

"They could say that but once the [reports are] released there will be something else, another issue for people to talk about," he said. "So people can say that, but [they're] going to be released." He said he simply wants an opportunity to "fully appreciate" the full reports. "I'm still shocked by what I find in the [reports]," Gibson said. "The more I read it, the more I'm shocked." He did not divulge anything specific from the investigation, however. He told reporters last week that he expected a legal opinion from the Office of the Attorney General by this weekend on the next course of action.

He did not comment on whether that happened when contacted yesterday. He said, "The [reports are] over 500 pages so you have to appreciate that [they have] to be properly reviewed." The probe into NIB was trigged after former NIB Chairman Gregory Moss made serious accusations against now suspended NIB Director Algernon Cargill in a 22-page letter last November.

The auditors of Grant Thornton (Bahamas) examined those allegations among other matters relating to NIB. In the November letter, Moss said NIB's board voted to fire Cargill and another NIB executive. Cargill was placed on leave pending the outcome of the audit. He filed suit against NIB and Moss. Cargill remains on administrative leave and receives his full pay with benefits according to Gibson. Moss was fired in early January after he issued a press release, suggesting that Prime Minister Perry Christie and Gibson had failed to properly defend him against accusations made by Cargill.

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