The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

HUBERT Chipman, Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has vowed to closely scrutinise the total amount of public funds spent on Prime Minister Christie’s recent trip.

The trip to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Sri Lanka and stops in Rome and London have attracted much public debate at a time when government spending has continued to be a focus, especially at a time when cost cutting measures are needed.

Mr Christie said on Tuesday that he did not know the cost of the trip because he does not handle money spent on his accommodations.

Amid calls for the government to make a full disclosure on the total cost of the trip, Mr Chipman called on the public to allow officials at the Ministry of Finance to compile their records and then determine what was spent.

“I will request the information from the Ministry of Finance,” Mr Chipman said, “and there is no question about that. But people must take note that the Prime Minister has just returned. Give his people the time to do their report.

“There is a budget for trips. So everyone knows. That budget each year is for every trip the Prime Minister goes on, not just the one to Sri Lanka and Europe. So really this is just a matter of comparing where they are at now to what is budgeted.”

The PAC, which last met in May, is comprised of five representatives, including Montagu MP Richard Lightbourn (FNM), East Grand Bahama MP Peter Turnquest (FNM), Investments Minister Ryan Pinder (PLP) and NIB Minister Shane Gibson (PLP). They have met three times. It is headed by Mr Chipman (FNM). Traditionally this committee is controlled by the Opposition.

Mr Chipman said he was not certain of just how long it would take for the committee to do its work as they were presently probing Urban Renewal  2.0 (UR).

“We are now looking at Urban Renewal because people want to know what is being done with the $15 million that has been allocated to the programme when all they see is some land being cleared down here and there or an abandoned house being demolished.”

Back in May, Mr Christie announced that UR would receive $10 million in the 2013/2014 budget. During the previous fiscal year, $15 million was earmarked for the programme.

Immediately after the announcement, FNM Deputy Loretta Butler-Turner called UR a “slush fund.”

“I do not believe,” she said, “that to this date, we have gotten an accurate account on the previous millions of dollars that was used for UR. Whether it was for the clearance of land or for the repairs of various homes, I think that this is certainly a fund that there has been no accountability.”

Mr Christie insisted the funds will be added to the Capital Budget of the Ministry of Works and Urban Development for UR and small home repairs.