The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribuneemdia.net

While agreeing with a US government report that the Bahamas’ public sector procurement/contract process “lacks transparency”, a leading businessman charged that the US was guilty of much the same and called for a change in the “status quo”.

“I agree that there is no transparency in the process,” said Dionisio D’Aguilar. I think the FNM complained that they did the process properly by having sealed bids and then opening them in the presence of the contractors.

“I think every government is guilty of awarding contracts to its cronies. While I don’t agree with it and we should implement laws to allow for transparency, to see who got what and who quoted what, the reality is that this happens everywhere in the world.”

Mr D’Aguilar added: “While the US might complain about it they to are very much guilty of it. You often hear about corruption charges of public officials in the US. You hear these stories in all the major cities of the US. I don’t say that to defend our people or what goes on, but I’m just saying it goes on everywhere.”

According to the US State Department’s report, the process of issuing government contracts in the Bahamas “lacks transparency” as there is no requirement to engage in open public tenders. And decisions are not subject to challenge or review.

Prime Minister Perry Christie expressed his disappointment with the US Department of State’s 2014 Investment Climate Statement on the Bahamas, saying it used only what “opposition sources” were saying and did not give an objective assessment of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) government.

“What really upsets me is we know what we have to do to get it right, and we just are not in any particular rush to get it right,” said Mr D’Aguilar. They just don’t want to correct it. When people get in power they drink the kool-aid that is served and just don’t want to do what is right.

“We are still operating our government the way we have for the last 30 years, and we are becoming a dinosaur and I think it is manifesting itself in the fact that there is no growth or projected growth in our economy. We need to change the way we govern in order to make things happen. It’s the same old status quo. Bahamian people deserve a new deal from their politicians.”