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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
 “Shrouded in secrecy”. That’s how recent media reports categorized the state of the still unreleased BTC deal between the government of the Bahamas and Cable and Wireless Communications. More than two years since the signing of that agreement, the Bahamian people are no closer to finding out the exact terms of the agreement or the alleged 2% which was reportedly regained on their behalf. Yet, the PM and his government continue to take credit for – as they put it – buying back controlling interest in the telecoms provider.
The PM’s failure to live up to his promise to table the Memorandum of Understanding is yet another example of his government’s overall ineffectiveness and raises a number of key questions. Firstly, what is the government trying to hide? After publicly touting the success of their protracted negotiations with Cable and Wireless Communications and even securing the supposed 2% on behalf of the people of this country, one would think that the PM would be pleased to provide such details to Parliament. Secondly, what has happened to the funds allegedly put into the BTC foundation?
Considering this government’s track record of corruption and financial mismanagement, all Bahamians should be concerned about how this money has been used. At the time of the announcement, the PM suggested that those funds would be put to good use, providing funding to improve and expand access to telecommunications technologies, to assist in the development of athletics and other sporting, recreational and civic activities and to assist with the expansion of the CCTV program. Have the funds actually been used for those expressed purposes? And if so, why has the government not produced the financial accounting to show it?
Furthermore, promises by this administration to launch an investigation into the deal struck by the former administration have also fallen by the way side. This despite, an admittance from the government’s lead negotiator that the deal was quote: “horrendous”. Don’t Bahamians deserve to know the particulars of that deal? Now, with a new cellular provider already licensed and preparing to begin offering services to the public, what assurances do we have that another horrendous deal isn’t being struck? This government has had long enough to make good on its public promises instead it has operated as it usually does, IN SECRECY!
The Democratic National Alliance calls on the government to finally live up to its promises on this and countless other issues. We call for disclosure of the specifics of the BTC deal as well as the arrangement with the new mobile cellular provider to be tabled in Parliament for all Bahamians to see and have access to. We must demand that this and future governments pay more than just lip service to the idea of transparency and accountability in governance, but work actively every day to ensure it.
Brenda T. Harris
DNA Candidate for Bain & Grants Town
DNA Spokesperson for Investments
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