The Tribune

By DANA SMITH

Tribune Staff Reporter

dsmith@tribunemedia.net

DNA leader Branville McCartney is the latest to question the “financial prudence” of the government hosting a Cabinet meeting in Abaco.


On Tuesday the government flew all ministers and their staff out to that island for the first Cabinet session to ever be held outside the capital.

While the meeting has been hailed as a milestone by some, the FNM branded it an “utter waste of time and money.”

Mr McCartney said yesterday: “I read that there was a Cabinet meeting over there. The whole Cabinet went over and the whole Cabinet had a meeting.

“What is the purpose? Did Mr Christie give a purpose for that or is it really just politics as usual?”

Although praising the decision to hold Cabinet meetings in other islands, he questioned whether the timing should be considered suspicious given the upcoming by-election and financial state of the country.

“At this time when our debt and our financial status is at such a critical state – why risk that? I think as Bahamians we ought to find out how much something like that would have cost the Bahamian people and what would have been the benefit of that at this time. I’m not saying you can’t have it elsewhere, I think that’s a good idea, but at this time, is it prudent?”

Mr McCartney also hit out at the $185,000, 2013 Mercedes Benz which was purchased by the former government for the Office of the Prime Minister.

“That does not bode well, buying a $180,000 vehicle at this time,” he said. “That tells us a good decision was made in ensuring that (Former Prime Minister Hubert) Ingraham resigned. Honest to goodness.”