FREE National Movement leader Michael Pintard and Works and Utilities Minister Alfred Sears.
By EARYEL BOWLEG
Tribune Staff Reporter
ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
FREE National Movement leader Michael Pintard says Works and Utilities Minister Alfred Sears is “unsuitable” for his portfolio.
During a press conference outside the Ministry of Public Works, Mr Pintard spoke on topics such as the “mismanagement of roadworks” and the “disastrous situation” residents on Family Islands are facing as a result of the “dereliction of duty” by this administration.
The call for Mr Sears’ resignation was repeated as the FNM leader rehashed the BPL fuel cost issue.
“The public would recall that we have called for Alfred Sears’ resignation for two things,” Mr Pintard said.
“One, failure to make sensible decisions, even though he was given sound advice by those persons who put in place the hedging programme, who also shared with him the possibility of raising a substantial amount of money in order to help the further development of BPL. His bad decision has led to 163 percent increase in fuel costs over a 13-month period,” Mr Pintard told reporters.
“He has denied that he received sound advice more than eight separate times and we have found footage with him admitting now fully that he did in fact know, but it wasn’t just him. It was also the prime minister who got the same advice and failed to act. Alfred Sears having not resigned should be fired by the Prime Minister and the Prime Minister should then clarify why he went, he got the advice that he did not. He has claimed that it wasn’t him.
“The reality is we know that the technical people gave him advice as well, he should start his penance by first firing Alfred Sears. Alfred Sears is unsuitable for this portfolio.”
The Marco City MP also mentioned roads being in a “state of disrepair” and brought up the matter concerning project timelines.
“Alfred Sears’ words cannot be taken seriously. So we don’t know when he projects a timeline for roadworks whether we can believe it’s going to happen – he has no credibility to continue to preside over this massive amount of infrastructure works – roadworks, sea walls, bridges, docks.”
After Press Secretary Clint Watson announced that work on Village Road should be completed by December 12, Mr Sears later said paving of the road is actually expected to last through the end of this month, but should be “substantially” completed before the start of the new year.
Prime Minister Davis has also announced major road works for 2023.
In response to that, Mr Pintard answered: “We believe it when we see it. The bottom line is Alfred Sears is his primary act on these matters. So we know that that’s dead on arrival. This is the same Prime Minister who announced that there will be investigations into the Ministry of Transport with respect to whether the minister hit an officer.
“We haven’t heard anything else about that investigation. In fact, he had denied initially there wasn’t an investigation until the commissioner confirmed there was an investigation that he said they will follow up on the investigation. Nothing has happened. It’s the same the Prime Minister who intervened and several persons were suspended from the Ministry of Transport around the taxi plate issue, but we’ve heard nothing else.”
“So when the Prime Minister makes an announcement, unfortunately, he is going into a dangerous zone where the public will begin to doubt whether or not he is speaking candidly, accurately, or truthfully.”
Meanwhile, Mr Pintard criticised the handling of some Family Islands’ water supply. There has been a huge outcry over Central Eleuthera’s disruption of water experienced a number of times this year.
The opposition leader claimed not only Eleuthera is challenged with regular supply of water but so is San Salvador and Abaco.
Bacchus Rolle, parliamentary secretary in the Ministry of Public Works and Utilities, responded to the insinuation of a water challenge in San Salvador which he said is not true.
He said water production has got better not worse on the island, thanks to the presence of Club Med.
Comments
Flyingfish 1 year, 4 months ago
Wow, Pintard for once finally, is saying something not completely hypocritical for once. Yes Alfred Sears is a disgrace and utterly incompetent. He screwed up BPL Funding, Messed up our roads, and Can't provide water to people in this country yet is near silent on what his ministry is planning to do about correcting it.
When he does open his mouth he gives us useless and fancified anecdotes of the said Progress. There is a traffic light right east of Rawson Square that is destroyed, not to mention all the buildings to follow it. Great metaphor for public works in this country and how the Minister isn't even aware nor care for the area around his place of work.
Worse of all we got a PM (manager) who won't fire him and is unaccountable himself. I think it is time the people in this country move to get a new manager running this country because they don't understand who is the servant and who is the boss.
immigrant 1 year, 4 months ago
If I or anyone that I know performed as Mr. Sears has, I would be terminated with cause. His failure at BPL resulted in crippling tax hikes to our utility bill. He can't provide drinking water to Eleuthera. People are LITERALLY DYING because of his inactions on road works and repairs. Does he have any success? Any???
themessenger 1 year, 4 months ago
Agreed!! Completely useless and out of his depth, but then, only an idiot would have appointed a lawyer to do a job that requires an engineer or at the very least someone with knowledge of construction. Typical of the PLP to give someone a job just so they can have a job.
hrysippus 1 year, 4 months ago
The only decent and honourable course of action for a cabinet minister caught out lying in parliament is for that minister to resign, sadly cabinet ministers who are members of this particular political party do not have a stellar record of doing the "right thing" back even to their first administration.
birdiestrachan 1 year, 4 months ago
Mr Pintard is a comedian he runs from pillar to post no rhymes no reason , lost confused a blundering idot Mr Sears is highly qualified , with a heart for the people , he does not need the job he has much to fall back on, Mr , , Pintard has no job and no qualifications
themessenger 1 year, 4 months ago
Birdie that old Bahamian expression "when you dumb, you dangerous" was coined just for people like you. Alfred Sears may or may not be a good lawyer, but when it comes to engineering and construction, he probably doesn't know one end of a pickaxe from the other and probably can't change a lightbulb. The man is completely unsuitable for a Minister of Works, but then you would probably have a dentist look at your piles.
birdiestrachan 1 year, 4 months ago
This is for the ones who do not know better Mr Wells was not a doctor , the doc said he was not a Polotican, mr, sears is very smart and he have engineers and others to advise him give it some thought smarty pants, The ministers may change but persons who work in those departments remain , you all smart just like doc and Pintard and Could lie doc just as smooth said his light bill increased from 350 to over two thousand take issue with that, he did it on the floor of the house
TalRussell 1 year, 4 months ago
If an individual of Mr. Sears pedigree can't retrieve from his DNA database what is required for patching potholes, then we're even more f**ked than we thought.
Switching Mr. Sears for another minister is not a solution.
The problem is in the funding of a broken system to remain in its political place that has aged whilst it cries out to be shredded, — Yes?
themessenger 1 year, 4 months ago
@TalRussell, ma comrade perhaps you should ask the residents of Village Road what their opinion of Mr. Sears DNA database is as it relates to managing potholes, Yes?
TalRussell 1 year, 4 months ago
@ComradeTheMessenger, as one has his ears on ground, have you heard about some kind of security arrangement operated by foreign identity, is coming, or done in place,---- Yes?
birdiestrachan 1 year, 4 months ago
Doctor Darville is a engineer and also a doctor he is available if necessary brillance all around I suppose they say PLP all the way and all the time
BONEFISH 1 year, 4 months ago
There needs to be on-going maintenance program on the island of New Providence. Indeed the entire Bahamas.Public buildings, roads,parks,green spaces,road signage and drains need to be maintain regularly. The ministry of works under this PLP government no longer seems to be functioning. They were not doing much before.They are simply worse. Just awful in their performance.
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