The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

SOCIAL Services Minister Obie Wilchcombe denied that the Davis administration has launched a “smear campaign” against the former administration’s national food programme, saying the government just wants to account for the millions of dollars spent.

Last week, Mr Wilchcombe claimed the country has not been able to provide information to the World Bank on how its $100m loan was used to provide pandemic relief to hurting Bahamians among other things. This is one of several concerns and allegations raised by government officials about the Minnis administration’s National Food Distribution Task Force.

However Mrs Susan Larson, who headed the task force, disclosed detailed records on the committee’s spending habits since the initiative’s start, inclusive of food purchases, trucking, shipping, stipends and other overhead costs with The Tribune.

Still, Mr Wilchcombe again asserted that the Davis administration does not have the information it seeks about the programme.

“It’s not a political smear. We’re asking questions that must be asked,” he said on Friday. “Don’t you think we should account for $54 million?

“So, therefore, we should be accountable. So we want to be accountable. Give us the information so we can be accountable for $54m. It’s government to government - not an individual.

“We have a responsibility. How do we answer organisations? How do we answer the World Bank and others? We have to substantiate what we do. It’s not a smear campaign. What do we gain from it? The NGOs we support. We support NGOs. The ministry today works with NGOs. So it’s not a smear campaign, it’s about accountability.”

Tribune Business and another newspaper saw a report dated January 19, 2021, that was submitted to the World Bank by the task force and went so far as to identify whether persons assisted were above/below the National Insurance Board (NIB) ceiling or were not making contributions.

Despite the figures reported, Mr Wilchcombe argued that “two major newspapers didn’t print any details”.

“Two major newspapers simply talked about what someone said. Where’s the information? Where’s the details? All they have to do is provide the information. Tell Ms Larson send the details to the financial (secretary). She could send it over to the auditor general and send it to the Ministry of Social Services. All of whom are waiting for the information; we do not have the information.”

He also said: “They saw a document sent out maybe before the programme began. None of the documents that we’re referring to, we’re talking about the documents necessary for when the programme ended. And what’s the difficulty?

“If there’s a document, present it. If we lost it, send it again.”

Mr Wilchcombe said he has never spoken to Mrs Larson, however he claimed people who have reached out to her have not been able to get what has been requested.

Mr Wilchcombe also took issue with newspaper reporting when he previously raised issues about the food programme.

“When I first raised this question, it was the newspapers at that time too, they reported at the time I was talking out of my mind almost, but soon after $2 million showed up and soon after 17,000 vouchers showed up and soon after another million showed up. So are we going to say the same thing again. . .well let the document show up now.”