The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net  

MINISTRY of Works officials are still working to determine if the contracts issued for the Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Science Institute are all insured, despite Prime Minister Perry Christie’s affirmation that they are.

When asked to comment on the matter yesterday, Arnold Forbes, Minister of State for Works, stood by his previous statement that the contracts issued by the ministry are being reviewed to see if they include insurance.

“I’m the kind of person who likes to be sure what is going on and that everything is right,” he said. “Based on that, it’s difficult for me to tell you everything is up to date at this point in time because we are still looking into it.”

Mr Christie did not explain the basis of his confidence when he told reporters Wednesday that he was told all of the contractors working at BAMSI have insurance.

In view of the contradiction, FNM Deputy Leader Peter Turnquest yesterday questioned who – if anyone – gave Mr Christie insight into the matter.

He also suggested that the prime minister’s statements may have been an attempt to stem the flow of criticism over the matter, which has dominated headlines for several weeks.

“It shows the arrogance of the government,” said Mr Turnquest. “It’s the same arrogance that led Mr Davis to mislead the house. What basis does the prime minister say all these files are insured? Who is giving this advice to him? They ought to go through the process to make sure documents are there. I believe the prime minister was making a statement on beliefs and not on evidence. Maybe he hopes it is insured, but you can’t hope when running a country; you have to know.”

The House of Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has said it wants to investigate matters relating to BAMSI contracts.

Mr Turnquest, who is one of three opposition members who sits on the committee, said the group sent out “formal requests” for information concerning the contracts yesterday.

They expect to get the documents they seek “over the course of the week,” he said, adding that they will then schedule preliminary interviews in connection with the matter. On Wednesday, PAC Chairman Hubert Chipman asked Speaker of the House Kendal Major to allow the proceedings to be broadcast live on television.

The Christie administration’s credibility has been called into question over the BAMSI controversy.

Last month, Deputy Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said, during a House of Assembly session, that the BAMSI dormitory damaged by fire in January had contractor’s all-risk insurance. However, he said, at the time of the fire, the policy had lapsed because the contractor had not paid for an extension.

However, last week he admitted to parliamentarians that the building was never insured. He said he did not know this until he reviewed the contractor’s file on March 2.

The building, which had an original contract price of $2.6 million, will cost $5.5 million to rebuild, Mr Davis has said. The dormitory will be reconfigured for double occupancy instead of single.