The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporters

rwells@tribunemedia.net

FORMER FNM Chairman Darron Cash criticised the co-chairs of Urban Renewal yesterday over their handling of an audit report that shed light on “concerning” details of community development initiative.

Mr Cash insisted that the “first words” out of the mouths of the politically appointed leaders of the programme – Cynthia “Mother” Pratt and Algernon Allen, should have been “thank you Auditor General Bastian”, and not the “vicious personal attack” he said the pair launched after aspects of the report were made public.

“I will do what the prime minister’s political appointees failed to do. I say thank you to Auditor General Terrance Bastian for doing your work. You deserve a Profiles in Courage Award for having the guts to tell the truth,” Mr Cash said in a statement. “We accept your report and we will do better, now that we know better.

“I cry shame on the former deputy prime minister and minister of national security. She of all people should know better. As a former minister of national security, she should know better than to shoot the messenger.”

He added: “These former Cabinet ministers should know that the auditor general does not report to them nor does he report to the prime minister.

“His is a constitutionally independent position that does not bow to the directives, wishes or winks and nods of the politicians.”

Earlier this week at a press conference called to defend the plan, Mrs Pratt 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 that while he respected the auditor general’s report, Mr Bastian was “ill-advised or misinformed” while conducting the audit.

He went on to question the “true motive” behind the investigation.

Mr Cash urged Prime Minister Perry Christie to immediately release the auditor general’s full report.

He said the prime minister must not shirk this responsibility. Mr Cash added that Prime Minister Perry Christie had to publicly accept the report without delay while making a stated commitment to correct all the weaknesses in the Urban Renewal system.

The former FNM chairman said Mr Christie has to publicly express his confidence in the independence of the Office of Auditor General.

Mr Cash called on the government to place a “moratorium” on all Urban Renewal spending until it is able to give a “full and satisfactory” account of how the project is spending money.

The report, which was based on a study for the period July 1, 2012, to September 30, 2014, revealed that 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.

The report, obtained by The Tribune, also raised concerns about Urban Renewal’s “weak” internal controls that can lead to “abuse”.