Page 642 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 12 April 1994
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MR DE DOMENICO: Mr Berry says, "You are not allowed to hang them". We are not talking about hanging anyone, Mr Berry - perhaps save you tonight. Do you think it is right for taxpayers' money to be put on the line to do deals with a private company registered in a tax haven and whose directors and representatives have been either convicted of SP bookmaking or arrested for SP bookmaking, not once, not twice, but on numerous occasions? Do you believe that you have gone through this meticulously, in the same way as the Chief Minister did when she awarded the casino contract? Once again, it is interesting to compare this with that. We are talking about similar amounts of money. Mr Berry, I want you to answer this question when you get up on your feet again: Do you think it is wise for governments to enter into gaming contracts which are negotiated or partly negotiated by people convicted of SP bookmaking offences? If the answer to that question is yes, I am very concerned if you are entering into any contract with anybody, to be very honest with you. If the answer is no, why did you allow Mr McMahon to sign the contract and why did you not know that Mr McMahon had been charged with SP bookmaking? Why did you allow Mr Bartholomew anywhere near this contract if you knew that he had been convicted twice for SP - - -
Mr Berry: Where was Bartholomew near the contract?
MR DE DOMENICO: Mr Berry, you suggested it. You suggested that Mr Bartholomew was in town once during July whilst the thing was being talked about.
Mr Berry: So he is not a signatory to the contract, then, is he?
MR DE DOMENICO: No, he is not a signatory to the contract.
Mr Berry: He is not a shareholder.
MR DE DOMENICO: I do not know.
Mrs Carnell: How do you know?
Mr Berry: And he is not a director.
MR DE DOMENICO: Mr Berry would not know whether Mr Bartholomew is a shareholder anyway. What Mr Berry should have known, if he was doing his job properly - - -
Mr Kaine: What was Mr Bartholomew's interest?
MR DE DOMENICO: We do not know that. Perhaps he is a director of Oak Ltd. I do not know. All I know is what Mr Berry told us, and told the Assembly. Mr Berry told the Assembly that his information was that Mr Bartholomew was involved in only a minor way during one meeting in July. You said that in the house. He was involved in a minor way. I do not care how he was involved. The fact that he was involved and the fact that he had two prior convictions for SP bookmaking would ring alarm bells in my ears, let me tell you.
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