By SANCHESKA DORSETT

Tribune Staff Reporter

sdorsett@tribunemedia.net

MINISTER of State for Grand Bahama Kwasi Thompson yesterday claimed that the former Christie administration spent nearly $250,000 on two contracts for marketing and public relations for the Ministry of Grand Bahama in the lead-up to the general election and said he in “unable to find a record of what was done” in relation to one of the contracts.

During his contribution to the budget debate in the Senate, Mr Thompson said persons were paid $9,375 per month for “closely monitoring talk shows and editorials” instead of marketing Grand Bahama internationally.

He also said a second contract was issued for $6,000 a month, with a retainer of $15,000 that had “nothing to do with marketing Grand Bahama for investors but more about marketing the Ministry of Grand Bahama before election”.

“The government has allocated $500,000 to establish the Grand Bahama Investment Promotion Board, the item previously identified as marketing Grand Bahama. I can say that we will not be using our funding in the manner the former Minister for Grand Bahama (Dr Michael Darville) used his funding,” Mr Thompson said.

“The former government spent $150,000 or $9,375 per month for a 16-month contract dated December 2015 expiring May 2017 for public relations for the Ministry of Grand Bahama, closely monitoring talk shows and editorials to generate responses and preparing positive editorials or responses to negative ones, and not internationally marketing investment opportunities. In addition, the former government in June 2016 agreed a one year contract again for public relations for a retainer of $15,000 and $6,000 per month totaling some $87,000. Again, this had nothing to do with marketing Grand Bahama for investors, but more about marketing the Ministry of Grand Bahama before election.

“That’s two marketing contracts for essentially the same thing for the same period of time. That period of time just happened to be just before election. I will let the public draw their own conclusions. Unfortunately, I am unable to find any record of what was done for the second contract. Needless to say, we will not be renewing any of these contracts.”

Mr Thompson said the new Investment Promotion Board will be used not to market the ministry, but to market Grand Bahama internationally.

“It will be targeted after doing the necessary research and after consultation with our stakeholders,” he said.

“This should include among other things building an interactive website, with investment opportunities, producing a Grand Bahama prospectus and a social media campaign targeted at bringing investors to Grand Bahama. We are focused on growing Grand Bahama, the people told us to govern and govern we will.”