Dear Editor,
I write to express my profound concerns regarding the proposed reappointment of Mr. Iram D. Lewis, Member of Parliament for Central Grand Bahama, to the Public Accounts Committee. As the guardian of our treasury’s integrity, this committee must consist solely of individuals whose conduct is beyond reproach. Regrettably, Mr. Lewis’s record of accountability leaves much to be desired.
For eight consecutive years, Mr. Lewis has received a yearly Constituency Capital Grant and Constituency Allowance—combined funding in the range of $200,000 per year—without providing the mandatory accounting for their usage. As a resident of Central Grand Bahama, I, along with many of my fellow constituents, have persistently sought transparent explanations from his office. Our repeated inquiries regarding these funds, particularly in light of his likely re-election bid, have gone unanswered satisfactorily. Had I been aware of his current committee membership sooner, I would have raised these concerns decisively and advocated for his removal from any oversight role.
Entrusting someone who has consistently evaded fiscal accountability with the oversight of public funds is equivalent to placing the fox in charge of the henhouse. As Justice Louis Brandeis so aptly stated, “Sunlight is the best disinfectant.” Those who refuse to operate in the light should not be empowered to scrutinize the actions of others. Eight years of financial opacity, in this instance, raise serious doubts about Mr. Lewis’s qualifications for a role that demands absolute transparency.
The repercussions of this appointment extend far beyond the actions of one individual. The authority of the Public Accounts Committee rests on public trust—a trust that is undermined when its members fail to uphold the standards they are charged to enforce. Public service demands accountability; no official can credibly oversee others’ financial conduct while simultaneously concealing their own. To include such individuals in a key oversight position jeopardizes the very principles of democratic governance.
In light of these serious considerations, I respectfully urge the Honorable Speaker of the House and the Leader of His Majesty’s Official Opposition to reconsider Mr. Lewis’s potential reappointment, or, if he is still a member, his continued membership on this committee. Upholding the integrity of our public institutions means ensuring that those entrusted with managing and overseeing our funds are held to the highest standards of transparency and accountability.
Thank you for your attention to this critical matter. I trust that the Honorable Speaker of the House and the Leader of His Majesty’s Official Opposition will give this the serious consideration it deserves.
Sincerely,
C. Allen Johnson
Central Grand Bahama,
Freeport, Grand Bahama
