The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

THE Progressive Liberal Party claims the Ingraham administration's issuance of contracts worth millions to foreign companies contributed to the ongoing recession.

According to the PLP, more than $354 million was pocketed by those companies - which could have created jobs for Bahamians.

This assertion was among a 10-point list issued by the opposition yesterday, which they claim shows how the FNM made the country's economic woes even worse.

Ryan Pinder, the PLP's Elizabeth candidate; Jerome Fitzgerald, the candidate for Marathon; and Michael Halkitis, the candidate for Golden Isles, made the presentation.

Already this year, the Ingraham administration, according to Mr Pinder, has contracted Israeli firm Miya to complete upgrades to the Water and Sewage Company to the tune of $83 million.

Another factor which increased the recession's impact was the New Providence Infrastructure Improvement Project, which has been criticised since its inception.

Mr Pinder claimed the Public Accounts Committee discovered major mismanagement during the project.

"Jose Cartellone Construcciones Civiles, the Argentinian contractor hired by the FNM, hired low quality workers and has paid unacceptable wages, compromising the quality of work," he said.

Mr Pinder added that a project of such magnitude should have been a stimulus for the Bahamian economy, but instead caused the loss of hundreds of jobs for Bahamians and scores of businesses to close.

Other reasons presented by the PLP were the government's slow response to the recession's effects, years of neglect for Grand Bahama's sagging economy, an increase in taxes, and a failure to fight crime.