After more than 2 weeks of political grand standing on the part of government officials, members of this corrupt and inept PLP administration have finally been forced to come clean about the latest in what has seemingly become a string of missteps and misdeeds, all at the expense of the Bahamian public purse.

For weeks now, public speculation and media investigations overturned no evidence that the company, which allegedly issued an insurance policy for the 2.6 million dollar BAMSI dorm building even existed; this despite assurances from both the contractor and the Deputy Prime Minister that the policy had merely lapsed. From the floor of Parliament today however, the DPM, who is also the Minister of Works, finally admitted that the male dormitory at the multi-million dollar BAMSI facility on North Andros was not insured as he had previously suggested.

The saga surrounding BAMSI started long before today’s admission by the government however. Since the beginning the highly touted project has been plagued by controversy. The dishonesty of this administration that BAMSI was affiliated with the College of The Bahamas, when they were not was the first indication of the same old PLP trying to fool the public! The failure of contractors to pay their workers on time, which in turn led to the arson that consumed that building, was the next controversy. That fire though was merely the catalyst which unearthed an even more destructive truth: that PLP cronyism was alive and well in North Andros.

Rather than simply accepting responsibility for the shameful mismanagement of that project, the Minister dismissed public concerns as nothing more than a distraction, encouraging Bahamians to see the big picture. The BIG PICTURE, is that this administration which consistently bemoans the state of the country’s finances has consistently shown itself wasteful with the public funds while overtaxing an already burdened electorate. The BIG PICTURE is that 2.6 million dollars has literally gone up in smoke because of government ineptitude. The BIG PICTURE is that this government CANNOT BE TRUSTED. THE BIG PICTURE is that Bahamian people must not be made to pay for PLP cronyism.

And what solution has the government offered? According to the DPM, the government plans to reconstruct the building at a cost of 5.5 million dollars. That figure is more than double the initial estimate. According to the Minister, the increase in cost takes into consideration the cost to reconfigure the units from single to double occupancy, ordinary inflation, and VAT. Will taxpayers be forced to bear the burden of this increase? Will a new contractor be engaged to complete the work and what penalty will the current contractor face as a result of his negligence.

In the wake of this shameful admission, the Deputy Prime Minister must now do the honorable thing and IMMEDIATELY step down from his post as Minister of Works taking with him his team of technocrats who illegally mobilized money from the treasury to satisfy a partisan agenda. After encouraging the younger members of his party to step down following their own public misgivings, it would be HYPOCRITICAL for the DPM to remain in that post having been responsible for overseeing the loss of millions of dollars in taxpayer money. The question is not whether the DPM should resign but WHEN?!

The government’s handling of the BAMSI project raises some key concerns and again highlights the need for an overhaul of the public procurement processes in this country. As with countless other government contracts, the Christie administration failed to hold a transparent bidding process, instead, awarding the 2.6 million dollar contract to long time party supporter Audley Hanna. Hanna, is president of Paradigm Construction but also serves on two Government boards and is currently a Stalwart Councilor within the Progressive Liberal Party. Just last year, the US government expressed its mistrust of the procurement process citing concerns raised by potential US investors. At the time, the Christie administration dismissed those apprehensions, however their handling of the BAMSI contracts prove just how well placed those concerns were.

This incident further raises some serious questions about the insurance status of other buildings currently under construction at BAMSI, and on a wider scale, throws into question the viability and legality of ALL OTHER CONTRACTS awarded by this PLP administration during this political term in office. Take for example the recently awarded contract on JFK, next to the Paul Adderley Building. The contractor for this building has very close ties to the PLP and indeed the Minister who awarded the contract but who was found liable for shoddy construction on a previous government building; that building being the building right next to it…The Paul Adderley Building. True to form, there was also no bidding process for this contract and when asked about it, the arrogance of this administration was that they did not have to send it out for bidding!! Is that building also uninsured? At the time of the “giving” of the contract, was there a valid business license in place for the contractor? In light of these troubling revelations the government must submit to a detailed independent audit of ALL its government contracts, the details of which should be tabled in Parliament.

The Democratic National Alliance repeats its call for the implementation and enforcement of a Freedom of Information Act. NO LONGER will we sit idly by while government officials play God with the welfare of this nation. In order to move forward, future governments must embrace the idea of transparency and accountability as an integral part of our country’s national development. Then and only then will we really see progress.

Branville McCartney
DNA Leader