The Tribune

THE Progressive Young Liberals accused the government yesterday of mismanaging the New Providence Infrastructure Improvement Project, and said the additional money allotted to the scheme could have been used to benefit young Bahamians. At a press conference at the Ministry of Agriculture's Gladstone Road site, Young Liberals Keenan Johnson, Phylicia Woods, and LaTore Mackey said there can be no acceptable excuse for why the project is now costing the public more than $200 million, with $93 million in cost overruns. "This is the largest government cost overrun in living memory. This $93 million in overruns equates to almost $4 million per mile of road - this is unbelievable," Mr Johnson said. The president of the PLP's youth arm said $4 million per mile could have paid for 298 young men to attend the Youth Empowerment and Skills Training (YEAST) programme, or 65 young people to attend the College of the Bahamas for four years. Mr Johnson said the money could also have created lifelines for many who have lost everything in the recession. "Many of the closed businesses were owned by young Bahamians who were brave enough to venture into entrepreneurship. The Ranfurly Home, church outreach programmes and other charities whose budgets were cut by the FNM could have benefited from the $4 million in cost overruns of one mile. "The FNM does not put Bahamians first. They would rather build things instead of people. It is not possible to build a nation by leaving the people behind," he said.