By AVA TURNQUEST
Tribune Staff Reporter
aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
THE US State Department’s report on the government’s failure to fulfil election promises has validated long standing opposition criticisms, FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis said yesterday.
Pointing to concerns outlined in the report over the lack of transparency in the awarding of government contracts, Dr Minnis renewed calls for access to information on several public contracts.
Dr Minnis said the Bahamian people must demand greater accountability or risk a continuation of the “status quo”.
“If (Prime Minister Perry Christie) gets away with these things today, in terms of the victimisation,” Dr Minnis said, “these are what you call wrong. Today once you get away with a wrong, it will fester and become bigger wrongs. If (Christie) was able to get away with reversing or overturning the vote of the people on gaming, in his mind that would be right
because the people said nothing or did nothing about it.”
He added: “He said he has five years, that’s five years to do what? Continue to do wrong?”
In it’s 2014 Investment Climate Statement on the Bahamas, the State Department’s Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs concluded that the country’s competitive edge as an investment destination had deteriorated. The report pointed to diminished foreign direct investment and downslides in international rankings.
In its comprehensive review, the report raised significant concerns over the “structural weakness” of the regulatory system, which it said lacked the framework for governing competition policy, anti-trust policy and government procurement.
The report read: “Government procurement has been particularly problematic in the Bahamas. Successive administrations have reneged on or renegotiated contracts executed by previous administrations. Over the last year, the Embassy has received several complaints from US companies alleging a lack of transparency and undue government interference with bidding and procurement processes.
“Other areas of concern include the discretionary issuance of approvals and licences from various government agencies, the National Economic Council and other related authorities. In most instances, there is a general lack of transparency with an extremely limited to no possibility for review or appeal of a decision.”
The report added that the government will “face continued internal and external obstacles” to successful entry to the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
Yesterday, East Grand Bahama MP Peter Turnquest said the report was not surprising, but ill-timed as the country fights to maintain investor confidence for economic recovery.
Mr Turnquest, the FNM’s Shadow Minister for Finance, said: “It’s a shameful indictment on the current government and supports the position that the opposition has continuously repeated, that the government lacks transparency. There are too many questionable contracts that have been issued without transparency, no bid for contracts or closed tender contracts.
“The government,” he said, “has yet to share the details with the Bahamian people. Details with respect to the building project on JFK, the National Health Insurance contracts, the cost of the South African consultants on gaming. The government has been very unwilling to share the details.”
Comments
TalRussell 10 years, 5 months ago
Comrade Minnis how come I have sitting in front of me copies of reports when this same US government had said harsh words against the polices of you own PM Papa Hubert? Have you yourself never read these leaked US Cables?
asiseeit 10 years, 5 months ago
Dr. Minnis, yinna ain't no better so just hush. The FNM make noise just to make noise, why not try and be productive in some manner. Find out and expose the crooks, cheats, and any other rotten apple. Submit some useful idea's, stop the wastage, anything, just stop making noise to make noise. Most people I talk to including myself think both the FNM and PLP are rotten to the core, maybe try and change that.
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 5 months ago
True, tired of Dr Minnis running from pillar to post like a beaver. Chose your platform, chose the priority issues that you want to address. The Report doesn't need your say so, on its lonesome it's a slap in the face for the government. Let one of your team address this. You look at other priority issues
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 5 months ago
Dr Minnis what are you going to do to ensure that your Ministers and yourself are accountable to the people should you become the next government.
Reality_Check 10 years, 5 months ago
Minnis, let me assure you that the U.S. Government has quite a few grave concerns about you as well, and rightfully so.
Well_mudda_take_sic 10 years, 5 months ago
And here we have the word of "generalcrazy" aka Fred Mitchell.
EasternGate 10 years, 5 months ago
I am convinced that Fred stalks this column daily under many different aliases
asiseeit 10 years, 5 months ago
I hope the politician's do troll this site. Maybe they will start to understand that people are done with their crap. One more election and if nothing changes I am starting to pack my bags. You gotta know when to abandon a sinking ship!
sheeprunner12 10 years, 5 months ago
I agree ................. this is real peeps commentary .............. no fakers here
TalRussell 10 years, 5 months ago
Comrades their own red supporters have told me over and over again, time after time that Comrades Minnis, Loretta and Daron are sick people politically and says instead of fighting over which one will lead their party into what is certain-to result in even further pumm-eled-tation, they is needs to go seek help to heal themselves, after how badly these three as a team have lead the red shirts party over these past past 2 years.
carlh57 10 years, 5 months ago
shows how out of touch this PM really is with the state of affairs.....for him to be confused about this report...he's the one that has caused it!
JohnDoe 10 years, 5 months ago
Equally puzzling is the response of the FNM to this US State Dept. Statement. If the PLP is out of touch, then certainly the FNM is not much different. The DNA has not reached a level requiring a comment. As a people, we have sat down and allowed these politicians to dumb us down so effectively that we now behave as if we are psychologically enslaved to them. My heart cries for my country because, in my view, our core values have evolved to become inconsistent with incentivizing our politicians to act and behave in a manner that is best for the Bahamas as opposed to their personal interest.
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