The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

A former Cabinet minister who had responsibility for the Department of Social Services when in office yesterday urged the Government to “take heed” of the Auditor-General’s damning fraud and corruption-related findings.

Loretta Butler-Turner called for follow-up investigations into how Bahamian taxpayer monies were being spent, adding that the Auditor-General’s report raises a number of “red flags” over the Department.

Meanwhile, Melanie Griffin, the current minister of social services, said yesterday that the Government has already begun to implement the Auditor-General’s recommendations.

“We have already began to implement the recommendations from the Auditor-General to modernise the system that we have been plagued with all these years. Food coupons really were a nightmare. They were overwhelming because there’s so much paper,” said Mrs Griffin.

    The audit, for the 24 months to end-June 2015, found that a senior member of the Department’s accounts staff had given instructions to shred and destroy accounting records and other documents for the years 2010-2013.

The Auditor-General interpreted this as an attempt by Department of Social Services employees to ‘cover their tracks’ through widespread document destruction.

Terrance Bastian and his staff also slammed the Department of Social Services for “gross negligence” in allowing $4.237 million to be paid to suppliers without proper authorisation, exposing it to potential fraud and corruption.

The reported also stated that staff members at the Department of Social Services participated in a “fraudulent” scheme in which they used food coupons intended for Bahamians on welfare to purchase groceries, a scam that was not discovered by the department but instead by the food store vendor.

Speaking with Tribune Business yesterday, Mrs Butler-Turner said: “I have a lot of faith in the work of the Auditor-General’s Department. They have seemed to be doing an amazing job in being able to carry out their work, and table their reports, with fear or favour.

“I have every reason to believe that what has been tabled, to the best of their ability, was very clear and concise. I think it raises a lot of red flags, not just for the Opposition but for Government to go in and do follow-up investigations on who the public’s money is being spent.”

    She added: “If there is wrongdoing taking place anywhere, as is suggested in this report, then there has got to be consequences.

“The Government certainly needs to take heed of what has been recommended. We in the Opposition need to not make it a political football. We have to ensure that our money is being spent with transparency and accountability, and that it is reaching the largest cross-section of people it is supposed to be serving.”