By MORGAN ADDERLEY
Tribune Staff Reporter
madderley@tribunemedia.net
MICHAEL Halkitis, former State Minister for Finance, denies Financial Secretary Marlon Johnson's remarks that the Christie administration understated its travel budget.
In a statement released yesterday, Mr Halkitis said Mr Johnson's remarks were "materially incorrect" and not reflective of the budgeting done under his tenure as state minister.
On Monday, Mr Johnson told The Nassau Guardian that while the travel budget for the current government was increased, these figures are simply accurate representations of expenses that were "not properly budgeted and accounted for" under the last Progressive Liberal Party government.
Mr Johnson said the Christie administration had travel "centralised," which allowed for "indiscriminate spending."
"It was not properly budgeted for and accounted for," he told The Guardian.
"So a lot of what seems like increases - and this is the point the minister made and there are some examples of them in the annex of some of the major ones - are just proper accounting for known commitments because the net impact of that is in years past the budget was effectively understated."
Mr Halkitis opened his statement by quoting these remarks.
He then said: "This is materially incorrect and does not accurately reflect the budgeting done when I was minister.
"All expenses for travel by the Bahamas government were estimated and budgeted for in accordance with known, understood and lawful procedures. To suggest otherwise is inaccurate."
Mr Halkitis claimed that the current government is trying to paint the PLP in a negative light, calling these remarks "political propaganda."
"The FNM budgeting exercise and narrative are simply an exercise in moving facts and figures around to suit the narrative that they wish to portray of some kind of misfeasance and blame the PLP," he said.
"That is not the role of the financial secretary. It is regrettable that not only is the information inaccurate but it is also putting once again in the mouths of a public servant, political propaganda that bears no or little relationship to the truth."
On May 29, Press Secretary Anthony Newbold told reporters that the Minnis administration's promised "travel spreadsheets" are expected to be released at the end of the year.
He added that the delay is to ensure that the reports are thorough, and include information such as delegation size, expenses, and location.
While in opposition, the Minnis-led Free National Movement criticised the former PLP administration for what it referred to as "wasteful expenditure" for travel allocations.
Throughout that term, the FNM criticised the PLP for both the frequency of trips and the size of the delegations.
When elected in May 2017, the Minnis administration promised to curtail government spending on travel and give the public a full accounting of every trip executed.
Those accounts, as proposed, would include details of the trip's location, duration and purpose.
To date, the expenses of only one trip taken by Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis have been disclosed.
Comments
birdiestrachan 5 years, 10 months ago
No one should believe anything that comes out of those FNM Fellows mouth. They tell to many lies. they accuse Mr: Mitchell of excessive traveling , But they are travelling all over the place with small armies. They are trying to hide their travel expenses, being the true liars that they are.
Mr: Halkitis you are so much more brilliant than Turnquest and Johnson, and they are all well aware of this fact. They have yet to present their traveling expenses. so Johnson is just spinning the masterful liar that he is.
TalRussell 5 years, 10 months ago
Regardless, can't make this up cause it ain't likes the Comrade Michael and his PLP's - have been spotted out at airport - manhandling Imperial red shirts board the aircraft's fly them off and away many foreigner lands they've been spotted on the publicpurse's dimes - since but 10th May, 2017..... Why shouldn't come shocker how it now costs far less import aircraft's into colony islands.
sheeprunner12 5 years, 10 months ago
Why is Halkitis not locked up like the other PLPs for gross malfeasance???????
He was the practicing Minister of Finance for five years with Perry and Brave.
And by what was presented in the 2017 and 2018 Budgets, he was indicted.
Truism 5 years, 10 months ago
What is the sheepish one speaking of. The man just said what MJ is presenting is a calculated lie. He just challenge the acting FS let's listen for the response or the lack of response.
birdiestrachan 5 years, 10 months ago
sheeprunner there is no evidence against them. the FNM Government has brought three bribery charges one does not look good at all. Do you think that if the FNM Government had evidence that any of them had stolen anything. The FNM in their mean spirit would have paraded them through the streets hand cuffed and shackled
get over it now it was FNM campaign lies and the peoples time voters fell for it..
sheeprunner12 5 years, 10 months ago
Soooooooo, where did the $3 Billion unaccounted borrowing (and $1 billion VAT) go during the past PLP government????? ....... and the FNM still has to pay over $300 million of Perry's bills??????? ........ Pray tell????????
It sure did not go in the infrastructure, Dump, civil service reform, or resource development ......... Maybe we should check the Swiss, Panama, and Cayman bank accounts of the Pingdomites.
Truism 5 years, 10 months ago
Please do that Sheepie, cause these forensic audits are not only costly, but what is being discovered make the civil service look even less corrupt than civil society. LMAO
killemwitdakno 5 years, 9 months ago
UNLESS YOU HAD EACH REPORTED ON A ACOUNTABILITY OPEN GOVERNMENT SITE, SHUT UP.
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