The BAMSI blaze in January 2015.
By RICARDO WELLS
Tribune Staff Reporter
rwells@tribunemedia.net
AGRICULTURE Minister V Alfred Gray yesterday said he was unable to answer questions persisting over Southern Alliance, the company reportedly responsible for the insurance of the Bahamas Agricultural and Marine Sciences Institute’s dormitory, which was destroyed by fire in January.
He said all concerns about the validity of the company should be referred to Deputy Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis, who is also the minister of works.
According to Mr Gray, “all insurance question falls under the privy of the Ministry of Works”.
He added: “I am not responsible for the buildings, the cost, the overruns, the contracts.”
Initial investigations done by The Tribune
revealed that Southern Alliance is not presently registered to do business in The Bahamas by the Insurance Commission of The Bahamas (ICB). Sources at the ICB yesterday suggested that if the company was in fact responsible for insuring the BAMSI dormitory it would have had to be done without the ICB knowing.
On Sunday, while touring BAMSI in North Andros, Free National Movement Leader Dr Hubert Minnis claimed Southern Alliance “does not exist”.
Mr Gray held a press conference yesterday to discuss issues related to the $23m agricultural site. He insisted that he was not the person to speak on any issues concerning claims made by Dr Minnis.
Mr Gray said: “I have no idea of exactly what took place in regard to the contractual arrangement, I really don’t know. You would have to speak to the deputy prime minister about that.”
Attempts to reach Mr Davis were unsuccessful yesterday.
The contractor at the centre of this controversy, Audley Hanna of Paradigm Construction, did not want to comment when contacted on Sunday.
Last week in the House of Assembly, Mr Davis admitted that the dormitory destroyed by fire was not insured at the time of the incident due to negligence on the part of the contractor.
Mr Davis explained to parliamentarians that the contractor failed to pay the annual insurance premium that covered the structure.
On Friday, Mr Hanna told The Nassau Guardian that he thought the building was insured at the time of the fire. He said that the building was insured by Southern Alliance.
On Sunday Dr Minnis pegged the cost of repair of the dorm at $2m to $3m. He said the government would be “out of line” to “burden the already heavily taxed Bahamians” with an additional $2m when the government has been totally irresponsible.
“From our estimation and observation the building needs to come down, and you’re talking about an excess of $2m to replace this,” said the opposition leader.
Shortly after the January 15 fire, Mr Hanna estimated that it would cost the government around $120,000 to repair the damage. However, he said that projection was expected to increase.
Dave “Davo” Moxey, 50, of Fresh Creek, Andros was charged with arson on February 16. He is accused of setting fire to the dormitory.
Comments
John 9 years, 9 months ago
The radio shows falling like flies. Elections fever is officially in the air. Time to get crazy!
asiseeit 9 years, 9 months ago
V. Alfred Gray is about as slippery as they come. The man just said that he has nothing to do with the construction of BAMSI and threw the DPM under the bus. Who is the minister of agriculture? Does BAMSI not fall under the ministry of agriculture? Once again these suckers are more worried about getting elected than looking out for the interests of the Bahamian people. See how fast he has pointed his finger at someone else, what scum. Look at me Gray should be sacked forthwith, he is a politician who looks out for himself not the Bahamian people.
TalRussell 9 years, 9 months ago
http://tribune242.com/users/photos/2015…
mangogirl01 9 years, 9 months ago
Wow! Another 'bluewater' company! No trace of Southern Alliance Insurance in the phone books, what the hell this Government doing? No listing on www.bahamaslocal.com! http://www.bahamaslocal.com/newsitem/12…
duppyVAT 9 years, 9 months ago
This is all leading to another Commission of Inquiry and the infamous 1984 "I do not recall" declarations by those on the witness stand ..................... PC and VAG sure have a mess on their hand .............. no matter how they try to dress up this pig, this is full of stink mud
realfreethinker 9 years, 9 months ago
Boy how soon we forget. VAG the fag was all over the news boasting about how much the government has invested in bamsi. Now that the shit has hit the fan he dont know anything about bamsi and the contracts. Crooks,liars thieves
TalRussell 9 years, 9 months ago
Who am I in Cabinet? Why am I even being asked answer to insurance questions over BAMSI? When I spoke as the crown minster responsible for dealing with the arson fire that had occurred at BAMSI, I did over spoke my ministerial pay grade level. Comrades little did I now at that particular time that it is in fact the DPM who is responsible for all insurance matters.
........//https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKpX-5jQjQ0
ThisIsOurs 9 years, 9 months ago
Wow why is he Minister if agriculture if he has no responsibility for agriculture's biggest initiative?
TalRussell 9 years, 9 months ago
Comrade cuz tis convenient pass on responsibly to a fellow cabinet colleague. This begs the question cuz NO WHERE in the 9.5 million dollars Carnival 2015 budget is there a provision for the payment of Liability Insurance to financially protect the public, participants or the people's public treasury in the event harm results at any of of the public events? Who exactly is the government's insurer of record and why were they not utilized to insure BAMSI? is the minister now admitting that that the PLP cabinet ARE NOT responsible for ensuring that all government funded projects are properly and sufficiently valued insured? If not, what exactly is the responsibility of this PLP cabinet, when committing taxpayers monies?
SP 9 years, 9 months ago
................ V. Alfred Gray Is Just Another "Shell Minister" ..................
Dr. Rollins already told us......Ministers have portfolio's but are not actually given any responsibility or work to do.
Gray is just another "dunce" being given directives of what and when to speak. He has no input, and is no part of the decision making process.
This idiot has NO CLUE whats happening with BAMSI or anything else.
jackflash 9 years, 9 months ago
This is a matter of National Security and therefor should not be spoken about!
Case Closed.
TalRussell 9 years, 9 months ago
http://tribune242.com/users/photos/2015…
SP 9 years, 9 months ago
Bahamas continues 40+ years of doing nothing, nonsense and pure political stupidity
Meanwhile......Cuba moving at the speed of light to right itself:
http://www.ahora.cu/en/sections/cuba/mo…
New leadership now
SP 9 years, 9 months ago
AGRICULTURE Minister V Alfred Gray was always the "go to" Minister for BAMSI.
Nobody spoke more in Parliament concerning BAMSI than AGRICULTURE Minister V Alfred Gray.
Mr. Gray now suddenly only understands Creole regarding BAMSI and DPM Davis never spoke nothing but Creole.
What a dodgy team of jackass's we have as leaders!
ProfessorTinker 9 years, 9 months ago
Not only does Gray have no answer, Gray does not even care and will never get an answer because when you are taking a 20% kick back how can you provide answers. The man that burned that building should be a hero. That was a whistle blowing tactic that exposed this corrupt government. That’s why Gray was so adamant about saying on the news that if the guy came to him he would have paid the guy what was owed out of his pocket at the expense of burning the building down. How about calling the lousy contraction that over-bid the building and ask why he is not paying his people.
Honestman 9 years, 9 months ago
This stinks to high heaven. The contractor had no insurance - was that because he couldn't obtain insurance? If so, why could he not get insurance? An insurance company will not offer contractors insurance unless the contractor can satisfy the insurer as to his credentials, track record and ability to provide certain financial guarantees. So why was this contractor appointed? I don't think I really need to ask the question, do I? Now we have the deputy Prime Minister claiming that the contractor was in fact insured but, on investigation, the company he quoted does not exist. Why does this administration continue to dig even bigger holes for itself when it finds it nefarious deeds exposed? Is the PLP incapable of being up front about anything?
ThisIsOurs 9 years, 9 months ago
Dr Minnis now needs to investigate whether the other contractors had insurance at the time they were awarded their contracts, not whether they have it "today", whether they had it at the time they were awarded contracts
SP 9 years, 9 months ago
Dr. Minnis really needs to investigate the insurance status of the new building going up on JFK Drive and other government building in the country.
Are they also insured by Southern Alliance?
Flowers should take bets on this question, because I'm ready to bet 9 to 1 and box the 9, that the deceitful duo have pulled the same trick across the board!
ThisIsOurs 9 years, 9 months ago
True. It's unbelievable the amount of underhandedness going on. It would be "ok" if you gave a contract to a friend who had a reputation for professionalism, always paid workers, under budget, efficient etc, that would be "ok", cause we would get value for dollar, but why are their nepotismy, cronyistic friends always so incompetent?
I'm thinking Dr Minnis needs to deputize the entire country with the amount of investigations he has to handle, and I'm serious about that.
asiseeit 9 years, 9 months ago
Any Bahamian who has an once of patriot in their bones better come forward and speak if they know of any underhanded dealings. The future of the country is at stake, the future of your children is at stake. You can send letters, or make phone calls to news outlets or the police. These politicians and their ilk need to FEAR US, not the other way around! SOUND OFF, BLOW THE WHISTLE, MAKE NOISE, THIS IS OUR COUNTRY!
afficianado 9 years, 9 months ago
Incompetent just like his boss
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