The Tribune

By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Chief Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

EAST Grand Bahama MP Peter Turnquest yesterday defended the auditor general against “inappropriate” criticism levied by the co-chairs of Urban Renewal following what some have called a “scathing” audit of the initiative and its Small Home Repairs programme.

Mr Turnquest said that the report had been requested by the Public Accounts Committee, adding that integrity of the post held by Terrence Bastian should not be questioned.

He was responding to comments made by Fox Hill MP Fred Mitchell, who attempted to downplay the significance of the audit findings.

Mr Mitchell told the House of Assembly that an audit only represents a “snapshot” and is often not a true representation of a project.

However, Mr Turnquest said Mr Bastian undertook a comprehensive review of Urban Renewal and his report “shows some serious issues that we ought to be concerned about, and if it is in fact representative of the whole, then the work of the Public Accounts Committee becomes that much more important.”

“So I don’t want anyone to prejudge the process,” he said, “I think it was particularly inappropriate for the co-chairs to say what they said.

“The integrity of the auditor general must not be questioned, no more no less than the chief justice, no more no less than the attorney general, no more no less than the commissioner of police,” Mr Turnquest, a member of the PAC, said. “His office is independent, it has to be independent and he has to conduct his affairs without fear or favour and he reported what he found.”

On Tuesday, Urban Renewal 2.0 Co-Chairs Cynthia “Mother” Pratt and Algernon Allen blasted Mr Bastian for his audit on the initiative’s Small Home Repairs programme. Mrs Pratt called Mr Bastian “unfair” and said she “resented” being thought of “in a negative light” as a result of the report.

She said she was “concerned” that Urban Renewal had now become a “political football” with poor people “caught in the middle”, and questioned whether Mr Bastian really cares about the poor or is more concerned with “nit-picking”.

Mr Allen said the report signalled a “clear abdication of the auditor general’s responsibility to pursue truth and fact”.

The report, which was based on a study for the period July 1, 2012, to September 30, 2014, revealed 11 contractors were paid $171,000 to conduct small home repairs, but upon onsite inspections conducted by the auditor general, it was revealed that little to no work was done at all or it was unsatisfactory.

The report also criticised the Small Homes Repair programme for its lack of “due diligence, level of transparency and accountability,” as well as having too many “gaps” in its execution, quality of work done, and overall management.

The report also said Urban Renewal 2.0 has “weak” internal controls, leaving the programme open to “abuse.”

The document has not been tabled in the House of Assembly, but was leaked to the media earlier this week.

Standing on a point of order, Mr Mitchell charged that the report “fits conveniently” into the political narrative of the Official Opposition, which he termed as “death by 1,000 cuts”.

“An auditor general report is only a snapshot of what he finds on the day he shows up to the place,” Mr Mitchell said.

“I’m not saying anything else other than that. So that means he could say receipts weren’t available for this, but receipts may be available the day after he leaves, whether it’s one day or two days, it’s only a snapshot of what he finds when he is there.”

Mr Turnquest then stood on a point of clarification and accused Mr Mitchell of misleading the public.

“(The audit) was requested by the PAC and forms a part of our report,” Mr Turnquest said.

“It speaks to the operations, the weakness or strength of internal controls surrounding the operation of the agency. So it is a little bit misleading to say it’s a snapshot.

“The auditor would have gone in and conducted a review based upon a sample size that they would have determined statistically the sample size they deemed necessary to reach a conclusion. No audit covers 100 per cent, every auditor takes a sample based upon whatever parameters he determined.”

However, Mr Mitchell responded saying that the opposition was challenging the government on the basis of a leaked document. Mr Mitchell referenced a personal experience with an auditor general, when it was reported that a million dollars was missing from his ministry.

Mr Mitchell said: “It may have been that he (auditor general) couldn’t find it the day he showed up at the ministry, but it certainly wasn’t missing and it proved to be the case after the fact. So I’m saying after the auditor general leaves the receipts may show up, the books might be found, so on and so forth.

“All I’m saying to the public is do not rush to judge on this”, he added.