Last week.
Announcing that John Hickey would be relieved of his cabinet duties over accusations he has filed duplicate expense and travel claims to the House of Assembly totalling over $3700.
"I have done what I have done because, as the premier of the province, if I have a person in my cabinet [with] any kind of cloud over at all, [I must] either ask them to resign or move them aside until that cloud passes or is dealt with."This week, the Auditor General issued a public report, recommending the matter be referred to the police.
The local constabulary has opened a file.
Williams response - contrary to a longstanding tradition designed to protect the integrity of government and the administration of justice - was to restore Hickey to cabinet and begin an orchestrated spin campaign involving Williams himself, Hickey and Kathy Goudie, another member of the legislature accused of submitted duplicate claims.
