The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

LONG Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner yesterday questioned whether taxpayers will have to foot the cost to repair the dormitory that was destroyed by fire at the Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Science Institute (BAMSI) last month.

During her contribution to the 2014/2015 mid-year budget debate, Mrs Butler-Turner asserted that the men’s dorm at BAMSI was not insured at the time it was hit by fire.

Agriculture Minister V Alfred Gray told The Tribune last week that a report from police investigations was expected last Friday. However, he suggested in the House of Assembly last night that the government had not received it.

Mrs Butler-Turner said: “I will ask again for the second time, that the building destroyed by fire at BAMSI in Andros was not insured and the money to rebuild it will have to come out of the public purse.

“If this is the case, it is another example of how public funds are being thrown down the drain by this government.”

However, Mr Gray said he could not answer Mrs Butler-Turner’s question. He explained to parliamentarians that at the time of the fire, a contract was in place for the building, which included all-risk insurance.

Mr Gray said: “I said in parliament before, we had a contract on that building and the contract was still enforced. When the contract was signed, Mr Speaker, there was an all-risk building insurance at the time of the contract being signed. The contract was still enforced.

“So I have to say that the government was not negligent. If there is any negligence at all, Mr Speaker, we will soon know and it would have to be at the feet of the contractor.

“We are seeking to find answers, but I don’t know the exact answer to the question if it was insured at the time of the fire. I only give the public what I know.”

On January 15, the men’s dorm was extensively damaged by fire. Preliminary reports from police said it was the result of arson and that the blaze began in the structure’s roof.

Yesterday, Dave Dion Moxey, aka “Davo” of Fresh Creek, Andros, was charged in Magistrates Court in connection with the fire.