WORKS Minister Desmond Bannister in the House of Assembly.
By Ricardo Wells
Tribune Staff Reporter
rwells@tribunemedia.net
WORKS Minister Desmond Bannister said yesterday the former administration issued $200m worth of contracts without going through bidding, as he announced that there will be changes to the tender and bidding processes at the Ministry of Works.
Mr Bannister said the key changes, once implemented, would mandate that all contracts being financed by the government go to a tender process.
The comments came in an interview with reporters before yesterday morning’s Cabinet meeting.
The Carmichael MP said the move would ensure transparency and value for the Bahamian people.
“We are working at changing (the process),” he said. “Under the former administration, they had $200m in negotiated contracts that were just negotiated out.”
Mr Bannister added: “There was no process whereby persons could come in and bid on contracts. They were simply negotiated to, I guess, the political supporters….. that’s over $200 million.
“We are seeking to change that process so that the process is more transparent and the process endures to the benefit of Bahamians.”
When asked yesterday what guidelines he felt needed to be implemented as a part of the changes, Mr Bannister added: “I think when we change that process, you are going to see lots of things happening.
“So, for example, I was in Eleuthera the other day and we have to spend anywhere from $10m to almost $40m to replace a bridge which is critical for Eleuthera and which is critical for tourism.
“When we change the process for negotiating contracts, people would have to bid on them; the process.”
Mr Bannister continued: “You are going to see more value for the Bahamian people because nobody is going to be able to take their best buddy and say, ‘hey listen, you can have this contract and you can come in and pay us $30m and this is your contract.’
“The extent to which that was done, where for example someone could get a $22m contract by the negotiation process. That process is unheard of. Should never happen in the Bahamas again,” he said.
Comments
BahamasForBahamians 6 years, 1 month ago
Peter, Desmond and FNM's across the country - we are exhausted with the PLP rhetoric you guys are continuously going to for a scapegoat.
Newsflash. You guys are only 4 months out of your 1 year mark. We do not wish to hear anything else about the previous administration.
Can you tell us - what is the dollar value of contracts given out by this administration since May? A little birdie reckons one of the FNM slush contracts is that $3million dollar wall being built on Blue Hill road near The National Insurance Board.
themessenger 6 years, 1 month ago
More to The Pointe, pun intended, name the contracts put out to tender since coming to office, their dollar value and to whom they were awarded.
realfreethinker 6 years, 1 month ago
Typical plp never want to hear the truth. if you dont fix the crap in the system they are bound to be repeated. Your boys really fooked this country over. It's going tp take many years to fix the shit y'all left
John 6 years, 1 month ago
This is what drove the Bahamas economy into an economic tailspin. Too much money was not being accounted for. Money was being spent faster than it was coming in and government was hardly getting value for money on most of its expenditures. And that was only a small part of corruption that helped to bring the PLP down. In the main time Ben Carson, the heart surgeon who ran for US president is under investigation. Carson is Secretary of Housing and officials want to know how he was allowed to purchase a dining set valued at $31.500 for his apartment as secretary, when the total furniture allowance for the apartment is $5,000. Carson was estimated to worth $29 million before running for president.
ohdrap4 6 years, 1 month ago
because the better things in life are free.
Dawes 6 years, 1 month ago
You can mandate all you want, until the powers that be enforce the penalties for not adhering to the mandates nothing will change. Still waiting to hear of a single MP being punished for not doing their disclosure. The fact of the matter is we all know that when the PLP was in power there were plenty fake contracts and over priced contract given to cronies. We all also know that this will continue with the FNM. All we hope for is that it is at a lesser rate then it became, as there is little hope of us Bahamians holding the political class to account before a collapse happens. After it happens is another matter.
bogart 6 years, 1 month ago
.....WHERE WAS HER MAJESTYS LOYAL OPPOSITION???????? In all fairness with the election over .....all that has changed is the Minister of the losing party is not there,, at the Ministry ......so why arent the remaining staff be held accountable ???
Someting is wrong that after 50 plus years of governance whichever MP was in charge is held accountable as though they are the simgle person in the Ministry!!?....does the Govt of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas not have checks and balances procedures...????? ABSOLUTELY CORRECT FOR THE MINISTER TO POINT THIS DEFECT OUT. 200 MILLION IS A LOT OF VAT, BUSINESS LICENCE FEES, CUSTOMS DUTIES BAHAMIAN PEOPLES SWEAT AND HARDSHIP.....NOW WHAT......THE 200 MILLION EVIDENCE IS THERE......???
Gotoutintime 6 years, 1 month ago
I'm shocked!!
birdiestrachan 6 years, 1 month ago
Banister who detest persons who exercise their god giving right to speak to the media acts as if this privilege is his and his alone. Do nothing at all just blame the PLP. Banister even the peoples time voters will grow weary of you.
OMG 6 years, 1 month ago
Oh yes Birdie hide everything. Come to Palmetto Point and the huge mountain of curry excavated at great cost to provide a level surface for the " hospital". Not only that but it was purchased from a prominant ex PLP minister when clear title is now under debate. Of course no hospital., no tenders, mind you lots of ground breakings at the taxpayers expense. Remember the old adage " to forget history is to repeat history".
The_Oracle 6 years, 1 month ago
Making new rules or even laws won't change the fact that both parties have in the past ignored or subverted the rules and laws. The jury of popular opinion will one day rule on this group also. If there is no accountability, there is no rule or law that will be adhered to by any of them, due to either expediency or corrupt favoritism.
bogart 6 years, 1 month ago
.......having made the statement the good Minister did not make public the names and amounts be known..... otherwise as you comment Delphi you are entirely true... One would also expect no rebuttal from the opposition.....in essence a nomenklatura.....
TalRussell 6 years, 1 month ago
Ma Comrades, would've thoughts with so much "winning" for It's the People's time governance - Imperial Crown Ministers wouldn't have so much time focus on the previous administration's ways awarding contracts - Likes its new news voters... Same as Oban's past troubles contained public records should NOT have sprungs as new news on Imperial red government?
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