Deputy Prime Minister Philip Davis
By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
DEPUTY Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis expressed confusion yesterday over the US State Department’s criticism of the government’s bidding and contract issuance processes, noting that the Bahamas government never interferes in the US’ domestic issues.
“That is something I need to speak to them about,” he said when asked about the US State Department’s 2014 Investment Report, which expressed concern about “undue interference” by the government when awarding contracts.
“I don’t know what they mean by it,” Mr Davis added. “I don’t understand. As a government, we don’t question their processes. Nor do we interfere, nor do we engage in their domestic issues.”
Mr Davis added that he approves of the government’s procurement processes, suggesting that concerns exist because of the competitive nature of contract bidding.
“The challenges with handling contracts and when you’re going out to bid and such is you always have chatter about the process because it is a competitive exercise,” he said. “Competitors have a way of expressing their concerns and their uncertainty about whether or not they’ll be the successful bidders. And when they’re not the successful bidders, there’s always attempts to find reasons why maybe they didn’t get it. But people ought to be very careful how they cast aspersions on people’s character.”
Mr Davis said he will seek a better understanding of the US’ concerns so he can speak more informatively about them.
As has been widely reported this week, the report described the government’s procurement process as “particularly problematic.”
“Over the last year, the embassy (in Nassau) has received several complaints from US companies alleging a lack of transparency and undue government interference with bidding in procurement processes,” the report said. “There has not been a sustained effort to ensure that opportunities for abuse of the system are minimised. The process lacks transparency; there is no requirement to engage in open public tenders and award decisions are not subject to challenge or review.”
The report said the government has failed to use legislation to support its claims of transparency, fair play and equality.
While the report did not give specific examples of complaints by US companies about the procurement process, local concerns about transparency in the government’s granting of permits and contracts have been raised several times this year.
In April, the government was criticised by some for choosing a selective tendering process to award a contract to Holiday Industrial Builders International (HIBI) to construct a new building for the Ministry of National Security on John F Kennedy Drive.
The government was also criticised by the environmental group Bimini Blue Coalition for allegedly being secretive in granting dredging permits to Resorts World Bimini.
More recently, the government’s decision not to initiate a public tendering process to select a company to remediate the New Providence Landfill has also drawn criticism.
Meanwhile, Mr Davis told The Tribune yesterday that the government is “still discussing” the issue of imposing campaign finance laws in accordance with a promise by Prime Minister Perry Christie in 2012.
Comments
JohnDoe 10 years, 5 months ago
I am often reluctant to use the word "stupid" but if any statement has ever qualified to be labeled stupid, it is the DPM's statement above. The fact of the matter is that our procurement process is nothing more than a black box, intentionally structured by our politicians of both parties to disguise the government interference and self-dealing that is taking place on a daily basis. And by the way, try to read the Statement from the US State Dept. Mr. DPM and you may understand why it is relevant and consistent with the purpose of the report and not interfering in our domestic affairs. .
proudloudandfnm 10 years, 5 months ago
I swear though. The USA has no foot to stand on. They would not even entertain a Bahamian contractor doing any kind of work for or in the USA. This is the country that destroyed Iraq just for fun then demanded only US contractors be used to re-build.
Screw em. Let the PLP mess them right up.....
aloethree 10 years, 5 months ago
False statement, proudloudandfnm I am a Bahamian and I have had several opportunities for contracts in the U.S.A.. I was a non american and had the opportunity to have had those contracts without interference. i have been home for 3+ years and have not received 1 contract neither have i been entertained
So in a country where i have a birth right and have had no opportunities to be an entrepreneur other than being ran around in circles with no answers or transparency there is definitely something wrong, with how business is conducted in the Bahamas.
The U.S.A. watches persons and business activities its there duties to make statement to warn potential investors about standards and vodoo practices in The Bahamas.
GrassRoot 10 years, 5 months ago
ok so why was not RENEW Bahamas picked for the dump? Bahamians first, right? Seems the Government does not even pick Bahamians if they are better.
GrassRoot 10 years, 5 months ago
yes they were, meant WASTE NOT, sry.
asiseeit 10 years, 5 months ago
DPM, look no further than the Dump and you may get an idea as to what they are talking about. Trash talking is correct!
asiseeit 10 years, 5 months ago
What this boils down to is that the mighty U.S. does not want another Haiti on it's doorstep. They do not want a failed nation on their doorstep and they see the writing on the wall or more to the point they have been like a fly on the wall and hear everything that is going down. You figure you slick but old Uncle Sam knows exactly what you are doing!
asiseeit 10 years, 5 months ago
Why doesn't our esteemed DPM head on up to D.C. and have a word with Uncle Sam?
proudloudandfnm 10 years, 5 months ago
Please! The US is tinkled pink over Haiti. Now they get to go in and take over. Wait they already took over....
They probably wishing for another earthquake so they can take over a few more countries....
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 5 months ago
Misses the point. The report was not written for the consumption of the Bahamian public and if my understanding is correct, the report is not solely about the Bahamas. It was written for US investors giving them an overview of the investment climate in several jurisdictions. For anyone to say that corruption is not a major issue in the Bahamas, almost scratching African nation levels, that person would have to be a liar. For anyone to say there is no political interference in awarding of contracts, that person would be equally untruthful. Just because Republic of Uncle Sam may be guilty of the same does not remove the fact that it happens here, and just because "they" say it does not give grounds for it to be dismissed.
TalRussell 10 years, 5 months ago
Comrades what more is to be expected by a people's who over many years have tolerated the raising our politicians in a fraternity-like environment system of displaying a complete disregard over the handling of the hard-earned monies of taxpayers? Our politicians came out of a society - we all helped to create and allow to exist here in 2014. Those of us who have owned small, medium or larger businesses, understand that it is only by holding our employees accountable for their actions that we are able to create successful enterprises. Government is suppose to work for the benefit of its taxpayers.
PastorTroy 10 years, 5 months ago
The U.S assessment of the Bahamas maybe correct, this is a known problem for years to those in The Bahamas, however Uncle Sam need to remove that huge white bolder in it's eyes too. The 'Good Ole Boys' network in the U.S is strong, connected and powerful and corrupt as ever. Ironically this assessment maybe good for The Bahamas because to have a "come one come all, come on in, just as you are without one plea" attitude can eventually lead to history repeating itself, instead of the British, this time its the Americans. I am not against foreign investments, but we need to educate our electorate, we need to make education OUR greatest investment, this is for the survival of our nation and culture. With the increasingly rapid divide between the rich and poor and the systematic annihilation of the middle class, The Bahamas is on a path of civil war. Religion no longer can pacify the poor to be comfortable. There are many documentation to prove this. We (The Bahamas) are at both a huge advantage and disadvantage because of our close proximity to the U.S. We should use this as an advantage and educate our citizens, or, soon our rich educated neighbors will buy all 700 Islands. Educated women/girls/men/boys will make better decisions in finance, family, work ethics and yes, the worse of all political choice and expectation of those in our Government. EDUCATION IS STILL THE KEY TO A SUCCESSFUL NATION/PEOPLE.
GrassRoot 10 years, 5 months ago
Nothing matters at this point, because "Perception is Reality". The damage is done, the word that the Bahamian government is for sale is out. Basically endorsed by the U.S. government. The messing around with contracts will have two consequences: (I) in the future you attract more scheissters that will try to pay everybody off to get a contract: and (ii) the ones that don't, won't even submit any offers anymore.
aloethree 10 years, 5 months ago
Stop Joking Bahamas
aloethree 10 years, 5 months ago
Every Business license has to be issued by the Ministry of Finance, for foreign suppliers,buyers, companies etc. to verify that a Bahamian Business is legit they have to contact the Ministry of Finance who then in turn get the same contacts and upperhand of the business making it hard for the original Bahamian business to make a profit they can steal the ideas or outbid the competition easily. Vodoo
aloethree 10 years, 5 months ago
So if I have a contact that will supply me 100 metric tons of Beef, and they contact my government and the officials who oversees imports and exports passes my supplier information to eg. their "Cuzin Philip" or Brother "Robert" and they inturn buy the 100 metric tons of beef before my application to import is processed this is what they (U.S.) is talking about
TalRussell 10 years, 5 months ago
It ain't cheap buy a whole government. It will set your political party back in the many millions of dollars to even take a serious stab at buying your way to control Bahamaland's powerful instruments of governing over a set of like-minded people's. Unfortunately, the minister's explanation may be about nothing more than, he and his colleagues are but victims of what we as a people, since the days of the Bay Street Boys - have allowed our politicians to get away with. Comrades it is all of "we" who have helped in the engineering of a broken, corrupt political system. How can it not be so, when as a political party, you cannot even have a hope in hell of being elected to government, or as Her Majesty's Official Opposition, unless you first mount and run many weeks of a well-funded General Elections campaign of outright lies and you keep telling the same lies over and over again, hoping to be the party chosen to operate the people's public treasury. While it may not guarantee a party's certain victory at the polls, a well-financed campaign is a good indication of how successful your party's candidates will do among voters. Although nether of the two main parties or the fringe DNA have revealed from whom they got monies from, or the amounts, some in the know think it is in the $10 million rage collectively? Comrades spending $10 million to try to win (buy) the government in a Bahamaland - with a tiny bunch of island - where only 80161 registered voters exercised their constitutional right to vote, is not only an abomination but in the opinion of many not only invites corruption, it guarantees it. Per voter, we're talking some big-time dollars? Want to begin to stop corruption? Then damn well get rid of the reasons for corruption ...campaign monies and politicians. Are you as a citizen prepared to return back to the days when you couldn't buy no politician cause you bake a couple pies for they bake sales, to fund they campaigns?
GrassRoot 10 years, 5 months ago
yep, I agree, and people are pissing onto the empty parking lot at the airport in Abaco. But you are missing the point. Bahamians don't get the business from this Government even if they are better, because they did not "match" what was on the table, or better under the table.
John 10 years, 5 months ago
Now that it was discovered that a son of a former chairman of the FNM wrote the report you wonder what extent they would go to to bring down this government even if it means destroying the country. On a brighter note the US jobless rate has fallen significantly last month and stocks are breaking through the roofs. Some are at levels they haven't seen in FIFTEEN YEARS!When America sneezes, the Bahamas catches a cold. Meaning if this (Bahamian) government gets it act together and stops slip sliding next year can be one of economic prosperity for the Bahamas. But as of now that is overshadowed by the doom and gloom VAT will bring if introduced with no positive incentives to offset it.
thomas 10 years, 5 months ago
Now that this post has been written we know just how simple minded some people are
sheeprunner12 10 years, 5 months ago
How many Bahamians are on the US State Department's pay roll?????
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