By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Tribune Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

DISASTER Reconstruction Authority Chairman Alex Storr said there were several options for temporary housing after Hurricane Dorian, adding that if there had been practical thought, the results would have the former government spending a “fraction” of the $4.6m it expended on domes in Abaco.

DRA financial statements tabled at Parliament show that Brickell Management Group (BMG) received $4.6m of $6.4m for infrastructure and construction of 213 domes on storm ravaged Abaco, but discontinued the work having only completed about 16 percent of the structures.

 Mr Storr suggested that the best possible solution was not capitalised upon.

 However, Mr Storr said Sebas Bastian’s BMG should not carry the blame alone, blaming the former administration.

 While the DRA has determined that no further money was owed to the company, BMG’s initial position was that they were owed $1,129,182.

 They were prepared to settle for a sum of $1m, which was further reduced to $600,000, the audit said.

 But the chairman yesterday maintained that the DRA board said it owed nothing more to BMG.

 “I would say this, since I have been chair, I have been pitched several proposals for temporary housing that would have been far more suitable, more comfortable at a fraction of the cost,” Mr Storr said yesterday when he was asked if the undertaking was a waste of taxpayer funds.

“With some practical thought more could have been done to get the best possible solution for the residents in those disaster zones. We are working feverishly to plan and research to avoid making similar pitfalls in the future.”

 Asked about the money in dispute, he said the conversations “seemed to have stalled.”

 “The board has taken a position that we feel that we don’t owe them anything based on what was done, what was paid out, what we received and what we were able to locate,” he said.

 “They were contracted to build some 200 odd domes and only built a small percentage of that but received the lion’s share of the money so that was the big issue.”

 Asked whether there were plans to recover some of the money from BMG, Mr Storr said the company should not carry the blame alone.

 “Part of it and don’t put any of the blame on Brickell. Part of it was the former administration that was in place and the DRA received items and inventory from Brickell that can’t be accounted for. So, we can’t say that we received those. Brickell may have turned over goods and a fair amount at that, but we can’t locate it and that is a big part of the problem and some of the kitchen items that were located were a part of that.

 “Stuff could be floating around someplace in Abaco and we still have the forensic audit that may bring up even more items that may go forward for investigation. So, even with the completion of the financial audit there is a lot out there and a lot will be done, and the chips will fall where they may when it’s over.”