The Tribune

By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Chief Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

THE PUBLIC Accounts Committee should seek answers from top government officials if it continues its controversial probe into the Urban Renewal 2.0 programme, according to co-Chair Cynthia “Mother” Pratt.

Mrs Pratt pointed out that she and fellow co-chair Algernon Allen were only figureheads for the government initiative, and thus did not set policy or procedures and could only make recommendations on its operations.

On the matter of donated funds, such as a $1m contribution from Albany developers, Mrs Pratt confirmed that the money was promised over a period of five years, and so far only a cheque for $250,000 had been issued.

She added that a permanent secretary attached to the Cabinet Office could answer any questions that might arise from Auditor General Terrance Bastian’s report, which found numerous areas of concern and weaknesses related to management and expenditure.

“Mr Allen and I don’t have any power, we can only recommend, we don’t sign any contracts,” she told The Tribune yesterday. “Anything major comes from the Ministry of Finance or the Ministry of Works and Urban Development – we ain’t calling the shots.”

She added: “At the Urban Renewal centres, the police don’t report to us, they report to the commissioner of police and they run the centres. You need to interview the police at the centres, not the chair, they report to the commissioner and then they send to us that they need.”

“We are not an entity to ourselves,” she added.

Meanwhile, PAC opposition member K Peter Turnquest yesterday suggested that the committee has found the legal footing it needs to carry on with its investigation. He told The Tribune that he was confident the committee would interview the co-chairs, and hoped to reveal more on the matter later this week.

In early April, Mrs Pratt and Mr Allen refused to appear before a scheduled hearing with the PAC concerning the specifics of a scathing audit of Urban Renewal’s Small Homes Repair programme. which was leaked to the media. They said they could not make the meeting because of short notice and prior engagements; however, in a letter obtained by this newspaper, the co-chairs also said that the audit was illegal because it has not gone through proper parliamentary channels and had not been tabled in Parliament.

Pointing out that the report was incomplete, the co-chairs said they would appear before the PAC at an appropriate date only if the report was removed from the scope of questioning. PAC Chairman Hubert Chipman subsequently said he would use the group’s power to subpoena the co-chairs.

Last month, House Speaker Dr Kendal Major ordered the PAC to “stay its hand” regarding the probe until Parliament can decide on the way forward.

In seeking legal advice from the Office of the Attorney General and others, Dr Major said he was informed that while the PAC possesses the power to send for persons, papers and records, the committee is only allowed to do so by way of a resolution in the House of Assembly. It was also advised that the PAC is confined to examining only documents that are tabled in Parliament.

However last month, Mr Chipman rejected Dr Major’s order. Mr Chipman argued that by seeking advice from the Office of the Attorney General concerning a parliamentary matter, Dr Major failed to respect the separation of powers that exists between the executive and the legislature.

He added that in spite of the ruling, the PAC will continue its probe into Urban Renewal and will use all of its powers to compel the programme’s co-chairs to appear before the group for questioning.

In an interview with The Tribune yesterday, Mrs Pratt reaffirmed that the pair were prepared to make a public statement on the matter as soon as the auditor general’s report is tabled in the House of Assembly.

She explained that while she was hurt by aspersions cast on her in the public sphere since the report was leaked, the spotlight was also an opportunity to showcase the programme’s positive impact on the community, in which there was immeasurable need.

“There is no question about it,” she said. “I want to speak where it will be heard by everyone. We’re getting ready, we’re going to soon speak as soon as they table the report and then I will definitely speak for the whole nation to hear me, not in secret and not isolated.”