By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

URBAN Renewal 2.0 has spent $7m over the last two fiscal periods to repair hundreds of inner city community homes, according to the programme’s Co-Chair Cynthia “Mother” Pratt yesterday.

The former deputy prime minister said from 2013 to 2015, around 700 homes in 23 constituencies were renovated by Urban Renewal.

Speaking during a press conference at police headquarters about Urban Renewal’s progress and its proposed way forward, Mrs Pratt urged Bahamians to offer assistance to the initiative to help the lower class.

She said: “Over the last two fiscal periods, Urban Renewal has repaired some 700 houses in 23 constituencies in New Providence at a total cost of $7m.

“This signature programme represents improved lives of the elderly, unemployed, single parents, the mentally and physically challenged. It represents employment for hundreds of small contractors and tradespersons; some of them are ex-convicts who have been given a second chance.

“It represents an injection into the inner city communities.”

In addition, the Urban Renewal Commission presented 2,750 bags of school supplies to children in need and equipped its centres with hurricane supplies.

Mrs Pratt said the way forward for the initiative includes greater community involvement. To this end, she said in November 2015, the Urban Renewal Foundation would host a community forum to discuss and make recommendations to the government for a better Bahamas.

Urban Renewal’s Small Homes Repair programme was the subject of intense scrutiny in April after an audit on the initiative revealed that 11 contractors were paid $171,000 to conduct repairs, but upon on-site inspections, it was revealed that little to no work was done at all.

The report, prepared by Auditor General Terrance Bastian and leaked to the media earlier this year, also found that contracts for the repair of houses in New Providence totalling $10,000 or more were issued to contractors without proof of ministerial approval.

The report covered the period July 1, 2012, to September 30, 2014.

It concluded by criticising the programme for its lack of “due diligence, level of transparency and accountability,” as well as having too many “gaps” in its execution, quality of work done, and overall management. The report said that contrary to the SHR programme’s fundamental mandate, homes were repaired “where occupants were not elderly, disabled and unemployed.”

The scathing review led Mrs Pratt and fellow co-chair Algernon Allen to blast Mr Bastian for what they called an “unfair” report.

Mrs Pratt said she “resented” being thought of “in a negative light” as a result of the report and that she was “concerned” that Urban Renewal had now become a “political football” with poor people “caught in the middle”.

Mr Allen, at the time, added that while he respected the auditor general’s report, Mr Bastian was “ill-advised or misinformed” while conducting the audit.

The government subsequently commissioned an independent report to address “areas of discrepancy” in Mr Bastian’s audit. That report concluded the initiative’s first phase had received value for money, directly contradicting findings in Mr Bastian’s report.