The UDP will endorse Tracy Taegar-Panton as its candidate for the Albert division tomorrow evening at the House of Culture. And while no less than Party Leader Dean Barrow is expected to be there to consummate her so- far- unopposed ascent, her ride got suddenly rocky today when the PUP threw a political stink bomb her way. They say Taegar Panton led to a BTB employee being fired because she balked at renting a building from Taegar-Panton's mother for the BTB.
Here's how it goes: In 2013, Jonelle Hemmans was in charge of a European Union funded tourism project. She says the then Director, who was Laura Esquivel Frampton - allegedly told her that a decision had been made to rent the building owned by the Taegar family on Regent Street. Hemmans opposed it citing EU project guidelines it would have been a conflict of interest to rent a building from the CEO's mother.
Hemmans was subsequently terminated as project coordinator. She sued for wrongful dismissal and in her claim she alleged that the then Director told her, that she was making her, quote, "freaking frustrated". The judge agreed and the Tourism Board had to pay Hemmans the tidy sum of, $110, 625.76 with interest and lawyer's fees.
Now, the PUP says that it was Taegar Panton who shouted at Hemmans - but they either got their dates wrong, or want us to do so. Taegar Panton was the CEO in the Ministry at the time - having left the Director's post in 2009.
Taegar-Panton sent out a release today responding to the charges. Her release calls it "PUP LIES AND MUDSLINGING."
It says that she rejects any suggestion that at any time she, quote, "acted from any conflict of interest position while serving at the BTB."
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