By KHRISNA RUSSELL

and LEANDRA ROLLE

LABOUR and Immigration Minister Keith Bell yesterday accused the Minnis administration of the “indiscriminate callous haemorrhage” of the public purse to buy extravagant furnishings and decor for an ambassador’s apartment in Europe.

He said more than $1m was spent on lavish items, including middle chairs that cost nearly $40,000, a rug at $18,475, $14,000 for a lamp and $10,000 for a mahogany scroll among other costly purchases.

And while the items were being bought as part of a renovation of this ambassador’s apartment, Mr Bell said the official, whom he did not name, stayed in an expensive hotel at a cost of $20,000 per month.

The renovations at $550,000 or 644,161 euros, together with the hotel stay racked up more than $1m in costs, the minister claimed in the House of Assembly.

He made the revelations during his contribution to the 2022/2023 budget debate yesterday.

“Recently I have seen and I have it here to table if needed an invoice for an ambassador’s residence undertaken by the last administration’s term in office and I wonder if the purchases were governed by the same process,” Mr Bell said.

 “Remember when I had this figure up, we jumped from 2018 where there was a decline of the $215m in deficit because of the increase in VAT, we jumped to $799m in 2020 and it skyrocketed to $1.38b, which for a grand total of $2.777b. I am submitting that given the contracts I have in my position that in many respects some of the deficit is attributed not to genuine cases related to COVID or the hurricane but mismanagement and abuse by the former administration.

 “Why would the government need to purchase and let me get it right a desert modern upholstered queen size bed covered in shambley damask white orchard print fabric at a cost of approximately $12,000?”

 House Speaker Patricia Deveaux then asked for which ministry the bed purchases were made.

 To which, the minister replied: “Madame Speaker, I was very clear at the beginning that the honourable for Killarney unfortunately, he is not here today but he came in indicating that an incorruptible government came in on an agenda for trust and they were accountable, transparent and prudent in the people’s finances, but how could he justify then the purchase of a Duke polished steel mirror for $14,000 – a mirror!”

 Marco City MP Michael Pintard then rose on a point of order, saying: “I think the speaker asked a wonderful question, which ministry, which department it was so you are able to lay it because we are interested and there are many ambassadors so I’m asking which ministry and which department because we are as anxious as you are.”

 Mr Bell replied that the ministry was the foreign affairs and added the items were for the ambassador’s residence.

 However, Mr Pintard said: “Madame Speaker, there are those of us unfamiliar with what the member is saying. We are as anxious to learn as others in this place. No member has the right to assert accusations in a presentation without any verification for it to move on. So, all we’re asking for as he makes an accusation, he is duty bound to lay it so the rest of us could examine it.”

 Mr Bell continued that his comments were related to the furniture for one apartment for one ambassador appointed under the former Minnis administration.

 “What is significant about this and the reason I chose to use this is because this was done at the time when Bahamians were losing their jobs and had to pull their children out of university, lost their homes and had nothing to eat, was in the dark, had to go to the pump. Was arrested by the police while going to the pump and was convicted. Now, we have to clean up all of the mess. We have to clean it up.”

 “…There’s a rug for $19,000 and I ain’t get to the part where they decided to stay in the hotel while they’re renovating at $20,000 a month. So, see you got to be fair – but, Madame president, I had to pray about this because you see what they did, they pushed us and former administrations – both PLP and FNM – so far back. They push us far back with this debt and it doesn’t matter who you are and how much money you get. Who purchases a mirror for $14,000 or rug for $19,000? Who does that?”

 He continued: “The individual under the former administration started with the entrance foyer, spent $10,000 on a mahogany scroll. See I was very clear. I ain’t know about exquisite furnishings so you have to help me with this, but this is what it is.

 “Purchased a polished mirror for $14,000 for the foyer area now, purchased a lamp for $2,000. Then went to the first area from the foyer, you get to the front room. Purchased a cream coloured table for $5,000, a sofa for $14,500, a lamp for $3,000. Then they went to the bedroom. One purchase, a bed now, this ain’t the bedroom set just the bed, the bed for $8,737. Purchased a cocktail table at $9,000, another table for $14,300, a brass and quartz shade for $7,800, and it just goes on and on and this Harper Franklyn blue rug for $18,475.”

 “In the dining room, the dining room table was $9,000,” the MP also said. “That ain’t the chairs. The two end chairs were $6,000 each and the middle chairs were $39,000.”

 Mr Bell said he was making the point as the Official Opposition has repeatedly criticised the Davis administration about its travel habits, which have brought considerable business back to the country.

 He said: “At the end of the day some 644,161 euros or $550,000 was spent to furnish this one apartment. More than half a million dollars. One apartment.

 “We have the contracts coming out of beach and parks authority, which were issued out of the office of the prime minister. We now have the indiscriminate callous haemorrhage of the public purse of over half a million dollars and coupled with the monies that were spent at the hotel is over a million dollars.

 “This The Bahamas’ money. It’s a European country.”