By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Chief Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

URBAN Renewal’s Small Home Repairs project was yesterday declared a “resounding success” after an independent review concluded the initiative’s first phase had received value for money, directly contradicting findings in an auditor general’s report.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Works Philip “Brave” Davis tabled the technical evaluation report commissioned on phase one of the programme’s Small Home Repairs component – a copy of which was obtained by The Tribune – in Parliament yesterday.

The technical report disputes Auditor General Terrence Bastian’s findings that 12 homes in the project were incomplete, and that value for money could not be determined.

It revealed that only two of the 12 homes identified did not receive value for money; however, the report did not make a determination on three of those homes because there was no opportunity to conduct an inspection in two homes, and one home was still unfinished.

In one instance, it was revealed that auditors assessed the wrong home in Englerston, incorrectly stating that the $30,000 contract was not executed when in fact the home was completely rebuilt with full value for money achieved.

“Yes, the technical team identified some failings,” Mr Davis said, “however, the findings are substantially different from those previously cited.”

“It is very important to rest any erroneous information that may have been provided to the public as a result of the ‘leak’ of the auditor general’s draft report,” he added.

The ministry’s report concluded that the project was a “work in progress” with approximately 90 per cent of the initial scope of repair works completed, adding that phase one of the project operated “above average given the intended purpose and its initial programme methodology.”

It explained that the programme would improve tremendously if recommendations outlined in the report were implemented, such as the strict enforcement of proper construction supervision during repair works.

The report was conducted by technical firms Island Dimensions & Development Co Ltd and J D Chisholm & Associates, and had a sample size of 80 homes or 25 per cent of the 312 homes repaired during the project’s initial phase.

The technical team established a four-point grading scale for works: poor, incomplete with no value for money; average, scope of works is complete with standard quality of work and value for money; good, scope of works completed with quality of workmanship above average; and excellent, initial scope of works and financial commitment was exceeded with excellent quality of workmanship.

Pointing out that the technical team graded the majority of repairs sampled as “average to good”, Mr Davis said officials were examining areas of under performance with the view to having issues remedied at no further cost to the government.

The sampling took into consideration percentages of repairs in each constituency to ensure that the integrity of the results could be successfully tested.

The report explained that the initial scope of work was not inclusive of all the work needed to restore full functionality to the homes given the amount of funds allocated for each home, and the project’s mandate to address only the most urgent requirements.

Issues

The independent report tabled yesterday speaks only to the technical issues raised in the auditor general’s report, and does not address other concerns raised by Mr Bastian, such as the revelation that contracts worth more than $10,000 were issued to contractors without proof of ministerial approval.

Mr Bastian’s audit covers the period of July 1, 2012 to September 30, 2014, and surveyed a sample of 75 homes. Mr Davis noted that the audit’s main critique stemmed from the programme’s departure from normal audit procedures of the government.

“This ambitious undertaking is the brainchild of the architect of Urban Renewal,” he said, “whose experience over time recognised that the current system, purposely designed, operates too slowly – bureaucratic inertia.

That is why, by executive decision, Urban Renewal has been set apart to meet its mandate with a sense of urgency and, when necessary, immediacy. This immediate response to the challenges of the poor, the disfranchised, the unemployed, parents with at-risk youth and children, and the elderly cannot be achieved within the trappings of our bureaucracy.”

Mr Davis said the government was actively working on the audit’s recommendation that an independent statutory body be created to oversee the programme.

He explained that he commissioned the independent report because he was “troubled” by the audit, adding that special attention was given to those homes which Mr Bastian’s report determined had little or no work.

In an interview with The Tribune last week, Mr Bastian said the government’s decision to challenge his department’s report into Urban Renewal with an independent review was surprising and unprecedented.

However, yesterday Mr Davis explained that the original audit was conducted by accountants, and its findings should be tested by experts in the field of construction.

He highlighted the dispute over repairs conducted by contractor Omar Thompson, who defended his work on a Montagu home and accused Mr Bastian of potentially slandering his name.

The ministry’s report determined that Mr Thompson’s workmanship was of good quality, and that the scope of work was complete, satisfying the contract.

That report also noted that seven of the 12 homes identified did not have a completed scope of works on file, and in these instances, estimates from the contractor were used to conduct the assessments. Another seven homes did not have an inspector listed on file. The proper management of documents was among the recommendations outlined in the audit report.

Yesterday, Mr Davis said that there was nothing in the auditor general’s report that changed the government’s mandate to invest in Bahamians through Urban Renewal 2.0 and its Small Homes Repair programme, adding that “nothing on earth is perfect”.

He underscored that the hiring of ex-offenders to assist with repairs encourages them to continue to seek gainful employment and thus abstain from criminal activities.

Given discrepancies highlighted by the ministry’s report, Mr Davis suggested that Public Accounts Committee Chairman Hubert Chipman may wish to interview Mr Bastian over the veracity of some of the findings in his report.

Mr Davis went on to defend the government’s continued investment in the programme citing the impact it has had on poor communities.