The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE Tribune Business Reporter nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net MINISTER of the Environment Earl Deveaux said yesterday the findings of a report by two engineering firms which revealed overpayment to contractors hired to develop landfills on several family islands had been forwarded to police, stating "much waste could have been avoided" had earlier action been taken. Minister Deveaux, in response to an interim report of The Public Accounts Committee noted in the House of Assembly yesterday it was the Ministry of the Environment established in 2008 which had hired the Engineering Group and Shepherd U Management to undertake an assessment of the works of the landfill projects. The landfill projects were funded by a $23.5 million loan from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in October 1999 along with a $10 million injection from the government. Minister Deveaux said: "The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Solid Waste Project was the basis of an agreement between the government of the Bahamas and the IDB signed in 1999 to address nationwide solid waste management." He noted that the Auditor General's report which the Public Accounts Committee drew reference to two weeks ago was based on reports completed in October 2009 by the two firms. Minister Deveaux recalled he had received a number of reports and requests from sub contractors particularly for work done in Cat Island, South and Central Andros regarding outstanding payments and moneys owed to them. He also recalled that visits to various landfill locations revealed that works had not been completed in many of the family islands. In some cases where work was completed, operations were not going smoothly. "These concerns among others prompted me to direct the permanent secretary to identify and engage firms willing and competent to complete assessments for the various landfills. Shepherd U and The Engineering Group were engaged to do so." He noted that based on the report, six firms had executed works in twelve islands with all of the contracts having been issued between March and December 2006. The report noted, for instance, that True Blue Heavy Duty trucking had been overpaid by an estimated $146,000 for the Millerton, Long Island landfill, with the estimated value of work completed at only $69,000. The report also noted that West Side Equipment had been overpaid by an estimated $87,564 for the South Eleuthera landfill; $65,624.20 for the Central Eleuthera landfill; $178,263.50 for the South Andros, Mangrove Cay landfill. The report noted that Super Sea Marine Limited had been overpaid by an estimated $190,301.92 for the Love Hill Central Andros landfill, with an estimated value of work completed at $177,393.60. Minister Deveaux said: "The Ministry of Environment was created in July 2008. The matters of incomplete landfill sites, overpayment and non-payment remained unaddresed and outstanding during the period from 2006 until the Engineering Group and Shepherd U Management were hired by the Ministry of the Environment to undertake a review in 2009 and subsequently provided the details to the Auditor General and there after to the police for their further action. These matters remain pending with the police." He added: "The engineer's investigations confirmed the original suspicion and the abuse stopped when we discovered it. Had similar decisions been taken in 2003 or 2004 when the alarm was raised, or even 2006 when these contracts were executed, much waste could have been avoided."