By INDERIA SAUNDERS, Guardian Staff Reporter

inderia@nasguard.com

Telephone messages left by the former Immigration Minister, Shane Gibson, on the voicemail of the late Playboy playmate Anna Nicole Smith caused a minor stir Monday when they surfaced in the international media.

On the heels of his resignation after photos of Smith and himself appeared in the local and international media, Gibson has once again captured headlines in the international media after December phone messages by Gibson left on Smith's California voicemail materialized on the web site www.TMZ.com yesterday.

The web site alleged that the link to the phone messages, which is provided on the site, shows how Gibson called Smith seven times from 15 to 17 December and left six messages for her to return his calls.

According to TMZ.com, one call was left at 9:05 Pacific standard time on Smith's voicemail, which would have made it 12:05 am in the Bahamas.

The Guardian was able to access the website and listened to the messages. All they showed was that the calls were made and that Mr Gibson identified himself, indicated the local time in Nassau and asked Ms Smith to call him back. There was no suggestion in any of the messages of anything of a sexual, or improper nature. The messages were all very brief.

There was some speculation that the website obtained the messages from the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) yesterday, but this seemed unlikely as the messages were left on a machine at Smith's California address. However, Chief Superintendent Hulan Hanna said that as the official spokesperson for the police department, he had not spoken to any persons regarding the matter, and no other officer had been authorized to do so.

"Whatever assertions being made have absolutely nothing to do with the Royal Bahamas Police Force," Mr Hanna said. "Consistent with the way investigations are conducted in this jurisdiction the Royal Bahamas Police Force will not conduct public inquiry into this or any other investigations."

He added that even though no one in particular had been making demands, he wanted the public and all persons concerned to know that while in other jurisdictions law enforcement may be more liberal about investigations local jurisprudence did not allow such leverage.

"We understand that the media has a need to know because of the role the media plays in the dissemination of news and information and where we can help we will do that," Mr Hanna said. "However, the Police have remained faithful to the law and to the conventions that govern investigations in the Commonwealth of the Bahamas."

He mentioned that he could not speculate on how the web site obtained the phone messages, explaining that in the world of policing there was no room for speculating, only "black and white".

The release of Anna Nicole Smith's autopsy results will now have to wait another two weeks as new evidence in the case may change the medical examiner's earlier conclusion.

According to media reports, Broward County Medical Examiner Joshua Perper has reportedly said that he has to evaluate new evidence "which might change" his earlier unreported conclusion of what caused Smith's death.

Reports also indicate that Smith's computer will be included in the evidence that Perper will review before making a decision. Florida police have reportedly said they are seeking additional information in the case, however, they may need a court order to obtain this information.

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