It is apparent that this PLP administration continues to hand out favors to long time friends and cronies in a bid to secure support and funding.
Members of the public read with interest, media reports which heralded the construction of a new government complex which will house the Ministry of National Security. The construction of the new facilities is not the issue however. The true issue, as in many cases before it, is a lack of transparency and accountability surrounding the awarding of a multi-million dollar contract.
The government has, for the second time, opted to use a contractor that was found to have misused government supplies, and whose work, by many varied accounts, was shoddy to the say the least, eventually costing the government or should we say the Bahamian people millions of dollars. In fact, recent media reports detailed a Parliamentary Report which alluded to the defective work and also cited instances of over payments, and suspected criminal activity. An article appearing in a local daily this week further noted that the matter involving the company in question has yet to be resolved.
Certainly any company allegedly involved in such behavior should not have been in the running to receive such a lucrative government contract. The DNA is now led to question why!? Why would a government with mounting fiscal problems gamble with tax payers monies in this way? No responsible government would take such a risk!
These irresponsible actions of the government suggests that this Christie led administration has continued with its old tricks, using their power and influence to ensure that their friends, families and selected supporters are well taken care of. Less than one day after concerns were raised about the issue, government officials began their all too familiar tactics of political mudslinging in defense of what is clearly just another instance of PLP cronyism. The Democratic National Alliance asserts that the contract awarded is purely political and maintains it is the repayment of an election time debt and perhaps lays the groundwork for the party to receive future campaign donations.
Equally disturbing in this matter is the government’s tender process, or apparent lack thereof. We are informed that there was a Select Tender Process. The DNA on behalf of the Bahamian people requires answers to the following questions:
1. What is a Select Tender Process?
2. If there is such a thing as a Select Tender Process, what are the criteria to participate in such a process?
3. Who are the members involved with this Select Tender Process?
4. How many companies were invited to bid in this Select Tender Process?
5. In light of the significant contract price, did cabinet approve the Select Bidding Process?
6. Who made the final decision on this contract?
We as Bahamians ought to know the answers to these questions as it is our money this government is spending.
In the wake of yet another back door deal concluded by this administration, the DNA resumes its call for the passage of a Freedom of Information Act. Without this key piece of legislation the country and its citizens will continue to suffer from the political and economic imbalances which impede any chance of long term growth and enhanced development.
As the country continues to face a myriad of economic challenges, we have been burdened with a government who chooses to act in the interest of a select few rather than the majority. As a people we should be outraged by the lack of transparency and accountability of this PLP administration and start to prepare for a new government that will work in the best interest of this country.
Branville McCartney
DNA Leader
