“Former administrations rushed the process and didn’t get the desired results”
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Chairman of the Bahamas Public Parks and Public Beaches Authority McKell Bonaby said yesterday that the ongoing investigation into the former administration’s management of the authority will not be rushed.
The investigation comes after an audit, which was conducted by K Christie & Co after the government came into office, revealed that hundreds of thousands of dollars were issued during the last administration without any real identifiable need.
Speaking to Eyewitness News on the matter, Bonaby said: “We are taking our time with the process, we are not rushing.
“Former administrations rushed the process and didn’t get the desired results,” he said.
“We are working methodically.”
He insisted, however, that “It’s not a political process. We are just following the facts and wherever the facts carry us that’s where we’ll be.
Bonaby did not indicate when that investigation is expected to be completed.
He revealed in Parliament on Thursday that there were also several contracts issued by the former administration that “did not meet the legal standards”.
During his contribution to the 2021/2022 midyear budget debate, Bonaby outlined what he said was “sweeping irregularities” with the sweeping contracts issued at some $76,000 per month.
He called the revelations alarming.
He said there were issues regarding lack of signatures on the required forms, multiple duplicate contracts, and “sweeping contracts” issued by the board, which he believes were null and void from inception.
Bonaby further questioned that given the sweeping contracts didn’t have the proper signatures and could be considered voidable “should legal action be taken to return the monies to the public purse?”
The prime minister has instructed the accounting firm to carry forward with those in-depth inquiries to see where it leads and wherever it leads, the chips will fall where they may”.
The initial report concluded that the Bahamas Public Parks and Public Beaches Authority requested and received consistent supplemental funding beyond its annual budget in the last three fiscal years.
The authority ran over budget in its award of contracts by $6.8 million between July 2019 and June 2020, and by $13.7 million between July 2020 and June 2021.
Up to October 31 of the current fiscal year — July 2021 to July 2022 — the authority spent nearly $9.3 million of its annual budget and would have overspent by $12.7 million if allowed to stay on that trajectory, the report outlined.
The authority was paying out some $2.7 million monthly to 12,000 to 14,000 vendors.
