Министерство жилищного строительства Белиза опровергло обвинения в связях убитого гангстера Уоррена Эллиса с правительством

The Ministry of Housing and Land Reform said last night that there is no record that Warren “Spy” Ellis, who was executed in a brutal gangland murder last week in Abaco, was awarded contracts by the government under its housing program. “The ministry has reviewed its contracting records covering the period since the Davis administration first took office,” the ministry said in a statement. “There is no record of any contract being awarded by the ministry during that period to Mr. Ellis. There is also no record of a contract being awarded to any company identified in the ministry’s records as being owned or controlled by him.” The ministry said that since the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) took office, the Davis administration has expanded the housing program, working with Bahamian contractors and increasing private sector participation, including through public-private partnerships. “This has allowed more Bahamian contractors to take part in the construction of affordable homes and supported the continued expansion of the program,” it said. The ministry’s statement followed comments from Prime Minister Philip Davis, who, on Friday said he was tired of the allegations that Ellis was linked to the government. Davis was asked to respond to reports that Ellis received contracts to build homes in Central Pines, Abaco. “What is the factual basis to answer that question,” an exasperated Davis asked reporters. “Tell me where you got that information from and I will deal with it. I’m tired of these allegations man. Why don’t y’all ask me about how UpSkill Bahamas is impacting The Bahamian people? Why don’t you ask me how the food breakfast program is assisting our people? Why don’t you ask me about some of the initiatives that we have?” A day earlier, Davis was asked to respond to allegations that he and his government had a relationship with Ellis. The Tribune reported that Ellis was linked to contracts for housing work in Abaco in 2022 and that several construction workers “confirmed that they had worked for Ellis on the project”. Ellis had multiple run-ins with the law over decades. Following his murder on Monday, a photo began circulating showing Ellis, North Abaco MP Kirk Cornish and two others all dressed in Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) paraphernalia during the 2026 election campaign. When asked about Ellis on Thursday, Davis said, “I have no personal relationship with Warren Ellis or Spy.” When asked if the photo of Ellis and Cornish “could give the perception that there was some relationship that he had with the party,” the prime minister smiled. “Because of your own thinking and your own mind? What perception? “Presence speaks to what? First of all, these questions of presence and association has to be looked at to what our system is about. Understanding our system will give you the answer as to why politicians may be photographed with others who you might not believe they should be photographed with. “We have what is called the Westminster system. It is a representative government. “I’m elected by persons who expect me to represent them. So if my constituent, whoever he or she may be, comes to me for representation or to advocate on their behalf, I’m obliged to speak and hear them. “If they take a picture with me, what is wrong with a picture? Yes, we say a picture speaks a thousand words, but why would you want to make something out of nothing?” In 2001, Ellis was charged with murder and attempted murder after Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) Nurse Joan Lunn was killed at the hospital during a botched hit on a patient. Ellis’ charges were later dropped after he agreed to testify against Kendon Brown, who was sentenced to life in prison for manslaughter and attempted murder. After a failed assassination attempt on Ellis led to the death of his girlfriend in 2003, Ellis moved to Abaco. Following the relocation, Ellis was charged with the murder of Timothy Henfield, along with an extradited drug dealer in 2008. In 2017, he was injured during a shooting that killed his friend, Trevor Thompson. In 2023, prosecutors dropped a proceeds of crime case against Ellis and his wife, after the couple was arrested in 2018 when police allegedly found $14,000 stashed in his suitcase. Surveillance footage of Ellis’ murder showed that four men armed with automatic guns ambushed him outside an auto parts store in Marsh Harbour, Abaco. The graphic video showed that Ellis was shot nearly 100 times. The masked gunmen appeared gleeful as they shot Ellis. A teenager, who walked out of the store the same time as Ellis, was shot in the leg but survived the ordeal. A woman who exited her car the moment the bullets started flying, also survived the killing, but the gunman taunted her before escaping. She fled the scene in her car. The gunman, who drove off before her, turned right and she subsequently turned left.