The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

AS work associated with the Potter’s Cay Dock redevelopment continues to progress, members of the Free National Movement and the Democratic National Alliance yesterday spoke out against reports that costs could balloon to as much as $12 million.

FNM Deputy Leader and Shadow Minister of Finance Peter Turnquest has condemned the Christie administration for the “mind-boggling and incredibly unsatisfactory” nature of the three-phased project.

Sounding the alarm over the run away cost, the East Grand Bahama MP questioned what long-term affect these costs could have on the 2016/2017 budget and national debt, stressing that funds being provided for the project still have not been accounted for.

Mr Turnquest noted previously the Christie administration gave the impression that $3.1 million had been allotted for the project.

“Certainly Parliament has not approved of these additional expenditures and the failure to return to the House for supplemental expenditure approval is the height of disrespect and arrogance on the part of the government and the minister(s),” he said.

He added that any increase in that original budget should not stand and the Bahamian people should be enraged at the careless planning and spending on the project without any kind of justification and/or approval.

Mr Turnquest claimed the government has been busy granting contracts with extraordinary price tags, which still have not been “reasonably justified” in scope or proposed results.

He said the Ministry of Works should provide the public with every contract granted over the last four months, along with detailed quantity surveyor reports to justify the “outrageous contract sums.”

Moreover, he said, the government should also provide the budget for approved contracts and the sums that have been authorised for them.

He said while it is universally agreed upon that the Potter’s Cay area needed to be redeveloped from a cultural and commercial point of view, there still needs to be a level of oversight to ensure that costs are kept in check.

“Stretching the limits of imagination, the length of time required for a return on this investment will run well into our great grandchildren’s time and with a burgeoning national deficit this kind of run away expenditure just cannot be justified.

“The minister must be made to account for this unbelievable overrun and where not substantiated, made to return those funds to the Treasury forthwith. It must be apparent to all.... that this government is reckless and unapologetic in its blatant disregard for proper fiscal planning and control,” Mr Turnquest said.

“The arrogance and uncaring conduct of ministers and the many seemingly inflated contracts being given to cronies is proof that this government cannot be trusted and has lost all respect and moral right to govern. The secrecy in which they conduct the Bahamian people’s affairs speaks to a larger issue of government’s disregard for the need to be transparent, accountable and responsible.”

Meanwhile, DNA finance spokesperson Youri Kemp said he is startled by the purported increase because no report issued to date, considers the needed repairs to the dock portion of the site.

He said: “The scope of works and estimations of the works already sound dodgy, because if you were to tell me that you can get an adequate cargo building and new roadways for $3.1 million, but the stalls themselves cost $9m, you have got to think we are nutty.

“Also, where is this scope of works anyway? Why are these statements from Minister (Alfred) Gray and Minster (Glenys) Hanna-Martin so disjointed? When did this go out to bid and who won the bid? Who would sincerely win a bid for a $3.1m piece of this scope of work understanding what the transport side needs for that dock?

“This does not go anywhere near the works needed to make the dock safe and secure in the long-term. The dock needs to be fortified, the docking area needs to be expanded, a fuelling station needs to be put on site and a new slip area for loading and offloading vessels needs to be at the site as well,” Mr Kemp said.

“In addition, the dock repairs need to go hand-in-hand with the refurbishment of the old bridge, which is crumbling on top of people every day, from what we have been led to understand. Also, the dock was envisaged to be a part of the entire downtown and Bain Town redevelopment efforts, what happened?”

The Christie administration announced plans for a three-phased, 16-month project earlier this year.

Last week, the government announced that the total redevelopment of the area is expected to cost around $12 million. A statement from the Bahamas Information Services said the Ministry of Transport and Aviation has oversight of the scope of works currently underway at Potter’s Cay. This scope includes the construction of the boardwalk, the sidewalks, the landscaping, the parking lot, the road works, the fencing and a new cargo holding building. This aspect of the project is estimated to cost about $3.1 million.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources will oversee a proposed $9 million project involving the fish and food vendors and the stalls, the statement said.

As proposed, the project would lead to demolition of the existing stalls and the construction of 65 news stalls, several of which will be constructed over water to offer more space between the bridge and the bulkhead at Potter’s Cay.

If approved, the total cost of the updated plan could push redevelopment costs to around $12 million.