The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMAS Bar Association President Khalil Parker has called on the government to establish an independent public inquiry into the former administration’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mr Parker made the call as he raised concerns about the COVID-19 emergency orders’ impact on Bahamian livelihoods.

The country was placed under a state of emergency in March 2020.

However, after assuming office, the Davis administration ended the country’s state of emergency along with its associated emergency orders and enacted health and safety regulations to govern the pandemic.

Yesterday, Mr Parker said even though the government has since moved away from the emergency powers regime, it is still incumbent for officials to give a detailed account of the decisions made by its predecessors.

He said: “The emergency powers regime ended and the health services COVID-19 prevention and management of the community spread regime commenced under the Health Services Act on November 13.

“While the impact of that transition might not be felt in our day-to-day lives and though it may be an important step on our journey to normalcy, it ought not cause any complacency on our part as guardians of the rule of law and partners in the administration of justice.

“The emergency powers regime involved significant and substantive interference with the liberty, lives and livelihoods of every Bahamian citizen, resident and visitor throughout its duration. It is, therefore, essential that a clear account be given of our national response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the decisions made under the emergency powers regime.

“I, therefore, call on the government as a matter of urgency to establish an independent public inquiry into The Bahamas’ pandemic response.”

Prime Minister Phillip “Brave” Davis has previously expressed concerns about the Minnis administration’s response to COVID-19, particularly its emergency spending.

Last week, Financial Secretary Simon Wilson told reporters that finance officials had been challenged in obtaining the necessary information to determine a true picture of the former government’s COVID-19 emergency spending.

“The challenge that we have is that the information that is available with respect to the state of emergency is not easily available,” Mr Wilson said.

“It’s a real challenge. So, if you ask me about anything (to do with) the state of emergency, any expenditure, I have no information. If you ask the persons who were involved, they have no information. It has to be gathered and collated to be presented.”

In a report from the International Monetary Fund last January, the Minnis administration pledged that the Auditor General would probe all COVID-19 related spending and revenue losses in a bid to uncover any “irregularities”.

The fund, in a full Article IV report on The Bahamas, said at the time that this effort was key to fostering public trust in the government and ensuring value for money was obtained for every dollar spent.