PRESS secretary Clint Watson admitted yesterday that the full cost of Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis’ trip to Bermuda last week is still not known and he was unable to say how much money was spent on hotel accommodations, transportation, food, per diem and other trip-related elements.

However, he was adamant Mr Davis wanted to maintain a level of transparency over the controversial trip.

Mr Watson also refused to say who gave authorisation for public funds to be spent for the flight or whether there had been Cabinet approval.

The latter, he said he would have to confirm, adding that in normal settings, Cabinet would give approval beforehand.

  However, he told reporters yesterday during a weekly press briefing that as Mr Davis was also minister of finance, he was able to make certain decisions on his own.

 Earlier this week, the Progressive Liberal Party released a copy of a cheque for $24,750, reflecting money the ruling party reimbursed to the Public Treasury to cover the cost of a chartered Western Air flight to Bermuda.

 “As for breaking the law I can’t speak to that,” Mr Watson said in response to a question about whether any laws were broken in the process, as has been claimed by Free National Movement leader Michael Pintard.

 He said officials were looking to see whether a breach of law had occurred. He went on to say that this was not something that occurred regularly - referring to there being instances where a political party would reimburse the government for spending on a trip.

 Mr Watson continued: “I don’t know that. What I can say is remember the prime minister is also the minister of finance and so he has jurisdiction to approve and to make determinations on certain things. In this case when he recognised it was an element that involved political parties he made the decision himself to handle the finances from his political party and not to use government (money).

 “No one asked him to do that. No one suggested that to him. That was his determination just based on what he felt he should do.

 “As minister of finance he can do that. He didn’t have to come and say this wasn’t an official trip. He could have said yes, it was an official trip and we’re going to move on or whatever.”

 On Wednesday, Mr Davis said he made the decision that the government will not pay for the trip, adding that the trip’s expenses would eventually be repaid to the Public Treasury in full, even for himself who travelled as prime minister.

 However, he admitted that the cheque from the PLP did not cover the full costs of the travel.

 His comments came after Mr Pintard said it was a breach of the law for the government to pay for a political trip, no matter if the Public Treasury was reimbursed.

 As for why many of the expenses were yet known a week after the trip, the press secretary chalked it up to inefficiencies within the public service.

 “That’s not uncommon. You are talking about a public service sector, you won’t have that a week later,” Mr Watson said.

 Pressed further on it, he responded: “What happens is when you approve a trip you approve the trip to travel. What happens is the accounting takes place from the back end as to who actually went, did they receive per diem, was it actually processed, what hotel was used, was it approved, what was the other hotel. All of that comes in the back area to your expenses for travel because things change and that has to be done on the back end.”

 Regarding the optics the situation has created, Mr Watson said Mr Davis was concerned, which is why he addressed the matter at Parliament.

 “I think he would have proved that yesterday in the House of Assembly.

 “He took time out of the people’s business to explain and to give an account and I think that speaks to the importance of wanting to make sure people have clarity on what transpired by taking the time in the House of Assembly and I think that speaks volumes as to the importance of the Bahamian people.

 “The prime minister has always said that his administration will be accountable to the Bahamian people, will be transparent and that’s just not in the good things, it’s also in things that may appear challenging, things that may appear grey areas and that’s why he would have taken the time out yesterday to explain that.”

 Mr Davis’ trip drew scrutiny after it was revealed that he spoke at a political convention for Bermuda’s ruling Progressive Labour Party. He travelled to Bermuda with a delegation, including former Prime Minister Perry Christie, on October 19 and returned on October 20.