By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

THE Democratic National Alliance’s economy spokesperson Youri Kemp yesterday called for criminal charges to be brought against those Department of Social Services’ employees guilty of defrauding the department.

Mr Kemp, the DNA’s Garden Hills candidate for the upcoming election, said the common PLP practice of reassigning corrupt individuals will not do in this circumstance, as the accusations levelled at the employees are “unacceptable” and “distressing”.

A report by Auditor General Terrance Bastian tabled in the House of Assembly on Monday, detailed how staff members of the Department of Social Services participated in a “fraudulent” scheme in which they used food coupons intended for Bahamians on welfare to purchase groceries.

The report also flagged an additional $4m paid to suppliers without proper authorization.

As a result, one employee was terminated and several others placed on administrative leave.

In a press statement released to the media on Thursday, Mr Kemp said because the department is tasked with assisting the “poor and needy” any reports of “theft, corruption or abuse of power” must be met with extreme prejudice.

“Such individuals should be named and made to face criminal charges of theft,” he said.

Mr Kemp went on to criticise Social Services Minister Melanie Griffin, at one point raising questions about her election status.

He suggested that Mrs Griffin’s “nonchalant and near apathetic” attitude towards the claims should be viewed as a sign of things to come if she returns to office.

The audit covered the period of July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2015.

The former Inter-American Bank (IDB) consultant indicated that in 2012 the Bahamian government received $7.5m earmarked for upgrades at the Department of Social Services.

He suggested that those upgrades, as outlined by the Inter-American Development Bank, were intended to create “efficiencies” in the dispensing of benefits and create an “identifiable” assessment system for persons seeking assistance.

“The DNA demands that the minister immediately come clean about exactly what money was spent,” he stated.

“Every day, (the DNA) meets with residents in communities across this island and the country at large. We have heard the countless horror stories of hard-working Bahamians who have simply been unable to meet the demands of life; unemployed men and women whose only source of assistance comes from Social Services.”

“What recourse do these people have if we allow persons to deny them even these smallest of comforts? It is our responsibility to those less fortunate among us to ensure that the services which have been allocated for them in the government’s budget actually reach the homes and tables of those who need it most,” added Mr Kemp.

On Tuesday, Mrs Griffin lamented the findings and promised further investigations. However, she remained mum on whether the investigations would be conducted internally or externally.

In November of 2014 the Department of Social Services introduced prepaid debt cards to curb abuse of the department’s food coupon system.

When introduced, Mrs Griffin said the card was one feature of wide-ranging upgrades to the Bahamas’ social safety net, a programme being financed with $7.5m from the IDB.