The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

Having just read today's Tribune Editorial (Friday, August 10), I felt compelled to jot you these few lines regarding the newly appointed NIB Executive Chairman's demands for expensive office and vehicle, etc.

The concern that comes immediately to mind is to what extent is the multimillion dollar, state-of-the-art office complex recently completed in Freeport under the Ingraham Administration, being utilized? Perhaps some investigation should be conducted in this regard because, if space is available in that complex, then there should be no need for additional office accommodation in Nassau for the Chairman.

It should also be borne in mind that for every MP domiciled in the Family Islands, the Government pays for air travel, accommodation, per diem and ground transportation to facilitate their attendance in Parliament. Payment for this expenditure comes from Cabinet Office Budget. Of course, a substantial sum is paid to caterers for breakfast and lunch for all MP's and Senators attending Parliamentary meetings.

Under these circumstances, therefore, it seems to me that the Chairman can very well use these times from 8:00-10:00 am, during the extended lunch period or even after House Meetings to attend to matters requiring his signature/approval at the NIB. As already indicated, meetings can be done via tele and video-conferencing and the NIB is pretty advanced technologically beginning in the early 1980's under Minister Ingraham.

So, what is now reportedly in progress as cited, is, in my opinion, downright victimization and abuse of public funds.

With respect to the new Government's touting of plans to upgrade the RBDF's fleet, etc, the media should recall the Press Conference held in the Cabinet Room on the Friday prior to the May 7th elections when the then PM announced, inter alia, the Government's approval of requisite funds to procure the vessels. This approval came not on the spur of the moment but as a result of the RBDF's thorough research, requests for proposals and eventually bids from various internationally recognised shipbuilding companies – an exercise that was ongoing for more than a year. So, by not admitting/acknowledging that all the groundwork had been completed by the previous Government, this Administration is attempting to make itself appear efficient when it has done nothing except approve budgetary expenditure and bask in related PR. The press needs to enquire as to what kind of research this Government had conducted in order to award

some $200 million of public funds to a supplier(s) of the vessels.

Finally, I have noted with interest, Fred Mitchell's response to the death of the Government’s Audit Department’s employee in New York. However, I'm still wondering about the apparent secrecy surrounding this matter...

CONCERNED CITIZEN

Nassau,

August 10, 2012