Dear Editor,
I am confused about recent statements made concerning the Exuma, North Eleuthera and Grand Bahama airports and am hoping that maybe someone can unravel this entanglement!
In The Nassau Guardian’s Friday, October 17 edition, the DPM is quoted as saying, “The Saudi Fund for Development has agreed to ‘reallocate’ (my emphasis) funding initially earmarked for the redevelopment of airports in Exuma and North Eleuthera to go towards construction of the Grand Bahama International Airport”… and the projects are “now fully funded ‘otherwise’.” (again my emphasis)
So who is the no-named ‘otherwise’ so casually dropped in the statement? Who exactly is financing the Exuma and North Eleuthera ‘reallocation’ shortfall?
What kind of wonderland mathematics is going on? Inquiring minds of we, the people, would like to know how these monies are being moved, ‘reallocated’, and balanced at the Treasury. Was there a recent public procurement announcement issued, bid on, and administered for these obviously significant dollar changes?
We, the people, need to be informed of who exactly is financing the ‘unallocated’ airports, seeing as right next to this article is another article stating that the Government will “not be bullied” by any investor.
Hmmmm — does this refer to a local or foreign ‘investor’ who has been introduced into the money mix — and if so, who? Without necessary confirmations to these queries, we can only speculate.
Whatever is going on, the Bahamian public deserves to know who exactly is involved in these back-and-forth changes and exchanges. This cannot be hidden in confusing wording and wonderland maths, especially since another local individual, supposedly previously involved with such goings-on, has also made confusing statements in the same newspaper.
Hmmmmm… plots magically thicken in this country where true ‘transparency’ is usually bogged down under murky mud, especially since election comin’!!
Am I missing something here? Because this confusion is unacceptable. This is why the Freedom of Information Act and other Acts on the books, such as the Public Procurement Act, Ombudsman Act, Independent Commission of Investigation Act, and a revised Public Disclosure Act that will make gubments and their politricksters fully accountable, MUST be fully enacted, as continuously stated by the Organization for Responsible Governance (ORG) that, ironically enough, is saying the very same thing in their Letter to the Editor in this very newspaper!
Bahamians MUST demand more, because we deserve better!
Yours sincerely,
Pam Burnside
