Davis calls for clarity on who won contracts

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

PROGRESSIVE Liberal Party leader Phillip “Brave” Davis yesterday called for more accountability and transparency by the Minnis administration on the awarding of COVID-19 related contracts.

“It is relevant, I think, to note here that since last March, he (Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis) has had the power to reward his political donors and insiders with pandemic spending contracts – without being transparent or accountable and without having to debate his choices in this House or defend his decisions to the public,” Mr Davis said.

“The anti-corruption non-profit group Transparency International has said COVID-19 is a corruption crisis as well as a health and economic crisis.

“In their report they talk about the importance of ensuring that funds for COVID treatment and relief are ‘not lost to corruption and reach the intended recipients’.”

He added: “So on the one hand, we have Transparency International recommending that countries ensure open and transparent contracting. And then on the other hand, the competent authority has so far refused to answer the simplest questions from the Bahamian public—questions, like who was paid how much, and for what? Millions borrowed in the name of the people—don’t the people deserve answers?”

On Wednesday, The Tribune reported that the government has failed to meet the Office of the Auditor General’s demand to provide ownership details on all the companies awarded COVID-related contracts despite this being deemed “pivotal” to good governance.

The revelation was in the Office of the Auditor General’s report on how the government used the proceeds from last June’s emergency $250m International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan that kept the country and government afloat during the pandemic’s peak. It also reveals its request for information on who beneficially owns these entities remains “pending”.

Yesterday Mr Davis also said while his party supports legislation to replace the COVID-19 state of emergency, it will not agree to another extension of the Emergency Powers Orders.

While making his contribution in the House of Assembly, he criticised the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and blamed the country’s current situation on bad decision making by the Minnis administration.

Mr Davis insisted that the Minnis administration has failed the Bahamian people, who he claimed have suffered much during this health crisis.

“Mr Speaker, we are behind nearly every other country in the region in the number of cases and deaths per capita, and we have vaccinated a smaller portion of our population,” the Cat Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador MP said during a debate on a resolution to extend the emergency orders to November 13.

“We were near the bottom in our region to begin vaccinations, Mr Speaker. We have had (about) 16,000 recorded COVID cases in this country…No country has had it easy. But governments in other Caribbean countries have led their countries through the crisis more effectively.

“…Mr Speaker, not once during this pandemic has the government offered the people a comprehensive plan to manage the health and economic emergency. As a result, the country has moved from crisis to crisis. The government is stuck in a cycle of under-preparing and then scrambling to cope,” Mr Davis continued.

He added that new legislation to replace the current emergency orders should have been enacted long ago and accused the government of failing to plan in advance.

“We have said for a long time that public health measures can be enacted via ordinary legislation, and that it is preferable to do so,” Mr Davis said. “That is still our position. But now the government has put the country in the following position: cases, hospitalisations, and deaths are rising and no new public health legislation is ready despite earlier promises.”

“The Prime Minister has been given vast powers, and he has failed us. The Prime Minister has been given great power and failed. We recommend that the competent authority be expanded to include multiple senior medical and public health professionals. For all the reasons I’ve outlined, it would be foolish to continue on this same path and expect a better result.

“Hence, we do not support the extension of the emergency order. We do, however, support public health and safety measures being brought through ordinary legislation,” Mr Davis added.

While giving his party’s recommendations to help defeat this new surge of cases, the opposition leader repeated his party’s ten-point COVID-19 response plan, which includes more COVID testing, expanded contact tracing and additional support for positive COVID-19 patients in isolation.

Comments

tribanon says...

And to think Minnis kept promising over and over again before the May 2017 national general election that an FNM administration led by him would be the most transparent one ever and that it would be the people's time.

Since May 2017 the very deceitful, sinister and evil Minnis has given us (his plebes) nothing but bunkum galore as is the telling trademark of pathological liars of the highest order with the worst of intentions.

Only someone much worse than Davis could make even Davis, a well known corrupt scoundrel, look so good. And that's because Minnis is by far the most corrupt, incompetent, arrogant, nasty and evil PM our country has ever had, period!

Posted 12 August 2021, 10:59 a.m. Suggest removal

IslandWarrior says...

Brave is really the last person to talk about accountability and transparency; he is yet (after 6 years) to explain how BFG PPP Ventures I Limited (PPP1) ended up on the Floors of Parlemant, Or the issue of Ron's Auto and 5 Million Dollar Purchase Deal that turned into 4 Million by The Time the Check got to the landowner. And lets not for get about the WELLS LOI SAGA and the guarantee of $ 40,000,000 in favor of Stellar Energy to secure the FEL (feasibility) studies. hello!

Posted 12 August 2021, 11:46 a.m. Suggest removal

tribanon says...

There's simply not enough room for me to list all of the scandals Minnis has either been directly responsible for or become deeply embroiled in since May 2017. But, like me, most voters have them all in mind.

Suggest you too seriously consider voting for the independent candidate who will likely be running in your constituency.

A vote for a FNM or PLP candidate is essentially a wasted vote **unless** you want the guaranteed destruction of our country and the vast majority of the Bahamian people, **in which case** cast your vote for the FNM candidate to get that much speedier outcome.

Posted 12 August 2021, 11:55 a.m. Suggest removal

IslandWarrior says...

The DNA and The Independent candidates, and others are not putting forward anything that changes the structural defects that have decayed the spirit of being a proud Bahamian, as it were. "The faces may change, but the policies and structure of the past system of oppression are not being dismantled as it should by any modern organization seeking the office of government.

The oppressive economic structures of the past divide Bahamians into (have and have not), and our economic and industrial growth over the past 50 years has not risen above 1.5%; in fact, it has declined from 5% 50 years ago to today 0.5%.

The secrecy of how we are governed is still the nemesis in the darkroom of political corruption. So the idea of a new government that maintain this structure is a losing proposition.

If you are not talking about a complete change of our system of government, you are putting forward nothing more than a fool's game of Bahamian Politics.

The politics of state victimization, petty disregard of anything Bahamian, and a public service that serves and creates elitism of elected officials and division is still the old enemy of The Common Good and has no place in a modern government.

Dont just vote to change faces, demand more, demand change for the Common Good.

Posted 12 August 2021, 1:22 p.m. Suggest removal

tribanon says...

I can assure you I am in full agreement with the wide spead sentiment that there's not a morsel of common good left within either the FNM party or the PLP party. But what I fear even more is Minnis's all too obvious agenda to transform The Bahamas into an authoritarian police state controlled by himself and his Communist Chinese puppet masters. If that's allowed to happen, it's game over for our country and its people.

Posted 12 August 2021, 1:52 p.m. Suggest removal

proudloudandfnm says...

You really need to see a shrink about your obsession with the Chinese. It just aint healthy bro. I bet you see Chinese in your sleep. For god's sake get help, you really need it...

Posted 12 August 2021, 3:09 p.m. Suggest removal

tribanon says...

ZZZZZZzzzzzz......

Posted 12 August 2021, 3:10 p.m. Suggest removal

licks2 says...

I keep tellin you to leave trib alone. . .the point of any sane level of reasoning when if comes to Doc is passed some years ago!!! Don't get me wrong now. . .there is still some "sanity" in that there head. . .just not when it comes to MINNIS!! Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!

Posted 16 August 2021, 2:46 p.m. Suggest removal

bahamianson says...

who won contracts? wow, first of all, why did that contractor in Andros get a contract that cost us 2 million because the bamsi dorms burnt to the ground. Under mr davis' tenure, the contract was given to him, and apparently, mr. davis had no knowledge of it. All of you politicians are the same. Voting is a waste of time in the country. need a recall system. why did you go the the states before going to PMH when you contracted covid? you jumped off your boat and your supporters were left to fend for themselves. why did mr. munroe go to doctors hospital and not pmh? how can you guys say you want to lead us but think you are GODS. the rules do not apply to you.

Posted 12 August 2021, 12:25 p.m. Suggest removal

stillwaters says...

Brave even left his covid positive sick wife in Nassau to fend for herself..... doctor daughter only wanted him near her in the USA?

Posted 13 August 2021, 8:24 a.m. Suggest removal

WETHEPEOPLE says...

Im not even sure Minnis can spell transparent.

Posted 12 August 2021, 4:06 p.m. Suggest removal

SP says...

From COVID to air conditioning, landscaping, construction, right down to toilet paper, FNM has given contracts to unqualified friends, family, and lovers, who subcontract these works out to a handful of companies in on the kickback game.

This is nothing new. The PLP & FNM has done exact same thing for decades. This explains how MP's enter Parliament dragging slippers and leave with multiple houses in gated communities and multiple unexplainable assets!!

Regardless of this damming exposure on FNM corruption, Brave Davis and the PLP are **NOT AN OPTION** for a solution, unless we want more of the same & more than likely a whole lot worse.

Independents, coalition, or ANY other 3rd parties are our only hope.

Posted 13 August 2021, 8:30 a.m. Suggest removal

licks2 says...

SP. . .a brave post!! I go a lil further. . .watch how many of them politicians (all parties and independents) and their networks are involved!! Where are we going to get those "only hope" candidates from?? They are friends, family or lovers them!! The whole bunch er them!!

Posted 16 August 2021, 2:53 p.m. Suggest removal

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