The Tribune

THE Progressive Liberal Party said it has no confidence police can conduct an impartial investigation stemming from the findings of an audit of the National Sports Authority.

The PLP said under the direction of National Security Minister Marvin Dames, police cannot investigate the matter in a non-partisan way.

On Monday Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said he is referring the matter concerning Auditor General Terrance Bastian’s report into the National Sports Authority to the commissioner of police for “proper investigation.”

PLP chairman Fred Mitchell, pictured right, said the party took note of Dr Minnis’ comments. “We want to make it abundantly clear that the PLP has no confidence that the Royal Bahamas Police Force under the direction of Marvin Dames as minister of national security can conduct an impartial, non-partisan and independent investigation,” Mr Mitchell said in a statement. “Any investigation in these circumstances will be tainted by political bias and therefore will not be worth the paper it’s written on. We again call for Marvin Dames to resign or be dismissed.”

Last week it was reported that during his audit of the NSA, Mr Bastian found that contracts for work issued by the entity were not transparent and its financial allocation from the government increased by more than $3.3m in the fiscal year containing the May 2017 general election.

Mr Bastian’s report further uncovered how one company received more than $1m in taxpayer funds, but did not complete any of ten deliverables promised to the NSA.

The auditor general’s report also concluded NSA’s accounting practices did not fully comply with regulations and weaknesses were apparent.

On Friday, former Sports Minister Dr Danny Johnson defended his ministry’s accomplishments during a profanity laced radio interview with talk show host Nahaja Black, where he accused auditors of doing a poor job. He said the paperwork was there to account for money spent by the ministry. “And we got to get over this thing in the Bahamas,” he said on the talk show. “Yinna got to get used to black dudes like me making money of our own.

“You used to white fellas making their own money, but yinna still scared of n like me having my own. I ain’t come to take none from y’all. I don’t need none from y’all. We have money.”

And in a letter to the editor released on the weekend, he said he took “full and unmitigated” responsibility for the conduct of affairs, administration and protocols of the Ministry of Youth Sports and Culture during his tenure.