ASK MORE QUESTIONS: OPM PS says gov’t still seeking to discover how food program money was spent

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Press Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister Clint Watson said yesterday there were still concerns related to the former administration’s food assistance program during the pandemic and how the money was spent, as he called on his colleagues in the media to “ask people who were in charge of the program”.

“And I said it last week, and I repeat it again every week, we keep asking the Davis administration to give an account for monies and spending, but we don’t put that same kind of measure of accountability to people who [were] entrusted [with] the people’s money and I would hope that my colleagues would take up the challenge to investigate it and to ask questions,” Watson said.

OPM Press Secretary Clint Watson

“And instead of, you know, doing other things, dancing around, ask people: you were in charge of the program, you were part of the program, what did you do with the money that was given to you?

“How much money was given to you?

“It’s a public program, so it’s not a private discussion.

“You should be able, as a journalist to go to any of the people who benefited from the program as far as being contracted and ask them how much were you given, how much did you spend?

“Who were the vendors you spent it with? It’s not a private matter. It’s the people’s funds and they should be able to answer you publicly on that.

“Government continues to be baffled by it as well, but it’s something the government is not reneging on or going back on.

“We continue to investigate until we get some answers with the payment people. We will continue to pursue it.”

During his mid-year budget communication, Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis said the review of the COVID-19 feed program “produced some startling results”.

Delivering his budget communication for the 2022/2023 fiscal period on Wednesday, the prime minister said the audit of the food program showed there was no accounting for sizeable portions of the funds allocated to assist citizens during the pandemic and his administration plans to take the necessary steps to “avoid a repeat of this outcome in the future”.

Financial Secretary Simon Wilson

The audit underscored numerous deficiencies, including a lack of evidence that controls operated effectively for financial reporting and monitoring.

The government has allocated around $25 million for the food assistance program in the upcoming budget and increased social services assistance and its allocations to a number of non-governmental organizations.

According to the budget, $25 million was allocated to the Department of Social Services for ‘social assistance benefits’, and another $25.2 million was allocated for the ‘food assistance program’ for a combined $50.2 million.

The line item ‘social assistance benefits for the upcoming fiscal period is zero.

Asked whether the funds were reallocated, Financial Secretary Simon Wilson said: “That wasn’t transferred. Apparently, that was the real money for the food program.

“That was the remaining money, that $25 million. That was put there to fund the food program last year or this current budget that was put there to fund the food program.

“It was not utilized as a food program ended in October as you know.”

Wilson explained that most of the funds were allocated back to Social Services and “the rest allocated elsewhere”.

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