The Tribune

By CELESTE NIXON Tribune Staff Reporter cnixon@tribunemedia.net QUESTIONING who will pay for the losses caused by the ongoing road works project, the DNA has challenged Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham to clarify his proposed repayment scheme. At a press conference outside the Democratic National Alliance (DNA) headquarters yesterday, Mt Moriah candidate Wayne Munroe said compensation for those adversely impacted by the New Providence Road Improvement Project (NPRIP) should not come from the public's purse, but rather from those responsible for the delays, poor design plan and disorganisation - the contractor, Jose Cartellone Civiles (JCCC). He said Mr Ingraham "should be holding JCCC accountable for the damage they have caused and not let them off the hook again at the expense of the Bahamian people. "The government has taken a cavalier attitude, in our judgment, to cause the Bahamian people to pay for damages caused not by the Bahamas government but by Jose Cartellone," Mr Munroe said. Speaking at the FNM Carmichael constituency office opening on Tuesday evening, Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham announced the government will go door-to-door asking those affected by the ongoing road works to detail their losses before the launch of the repayment scheme. Businesses on Baillou Hill Road, Market Street and Prince Charles Drive will be the first to be assessed. Mr Ingraham said over the next two weeks, the government will compile information, including the businesses' expenses, revenue, profits, accounts receivable and payables during the period 2007 to 2011. Mr Munroe said he has been advised that Deputy Director of Economic Planning in the Ministry of Finance, Hugh Chase, has been instructed to engage 25 persons, who will be paid $210 per week, to carry out the assessment of losses to businesses over a two-week period. He said the qualifications of these persons are unknown and challenged the Prime Minister to clearly outline the government's repayment scheme. "It is far from clear that the government intends to compensate all of the persons affected. "This acting in secret while you have damaged people openly is just wrong," Mr Munroe said. The DNA are also cautioning business owners not to rush to accept inadequate compensation and sign away their rights to full repayment. He said: "It is absolutely wrong for a government to use financial hardship as a weapon against its people and we in the DNA are of the view that that is exactly what the Free National Movement government intends to do."