By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Chief Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

GAMING Board Secretary Verdant Scott was this week directed to take a vacation as the regulatory body prepares to issue a request for proposals for a forensic audit, The Tribune has learned.

A senior executive, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, confirmed that Mr Scott received the directive on Monday.

Deputy Secretary Bridgette Outten was designated as acting secretary, the executive confirmed.

“[Mr Scott] had a lot of vacation time, so it was decided that he use those days while the audit is carried out,” the executive said.

The pending audit will also investigate the board’s decision to award bonuses and increase salaries. One reported bonus was awarded as a result of the completion of Baha Mar’s casino license.

Gaming Board Chairman Kenyatta Gibson declined comment when contacted yesterday.

He told The Tribune last month that an audit of the board’s finances and a status review of the gaming house industry were first on the new panel’s agenda.

Mr Gibson, at the time, said these things would need to be done before any potential recommendations from the board are given to the government of The Bahamas.

It was also revealed this week that at least five employees of the Office of the Attorney General have been let go, according to an internal email released Wednesday and seen by the media.

They included two people engaged in case management, a consultant in the Attorney General’s Office and two consultants in the Registrar General’s Department.

Asked about the matter earlier this week, Attorney General Carl Bethel said: “We conducted a needs assessment and also looked at duplication of staff doing the same things.”

The Minnis administration has pledged a conservative approach to the size of the public sector, proposing a freeze on hiring while looking for ways to reduce the size as a way of cutting back on expenditure.

On Monday, 15 people were let go from the Bahamas Agriculture & Industrial Corporation (BAIC). They had been hired days ahead of the general election in May. Their firing followed similar exercises in the Ministry of Tourism recently.