The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Deputy Chief Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

PRESS Secretary Anthony Newbold said "adjustments" will be made to the list of statutory board appointments and committees, adding that despite there being errors inclusive of at least two deceased appointees, he could "absolutely give no assurance" that these blunders won't recur.

However, he said, the only assurance he could give is that both Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis and the secretary of Cabinet are going to be vigilant over what comes out of the Cabinet Office in the future.

He was yesterday unable to give answers on how erroneous information was included in the published list last week, suggesting it was human error despite there being an application process in addition to lengthy Cabinet meetings over the appointments.

"There are some adjustments that need to be made to the boards," Mr Newbold said yesterday during a press briefing at the Office of the Prime Minister.

"(There were) some oversights."

The Tribune confirmed last week that Mildred Williamson, of Mayaguana, was listed as having been appointed to the Advisory Committee on Cooperative Development; however, it was confirmed that she died in 2015.

Brian Gibson, who was appointed to the National Junkanoo Committee, is also deceased, The Tribune was told.

Another discrepancy highlighted was the listed appointment of "Charley Reubin" to the Anti-Doping Commission.

This newspaper was advised that the correct name for the appointee is Charles Robbins. Errors were also said to include repeated names from the previous year, according to a government official who did not have authorisation to comment on the matter.

Mr Newbold also said on Tuesday: "We want to be as good as we possibly can. From the prime minister's standpoint he would like perfect, but what he promised was effective and so whatever boards we have they better be effective and that's his ultimate aim for these boards that were appointed to be effective.

"(The oversights) were brought to his attention right away and I assure you because I had a conversation with him, the secretary to the Cabinet and the PS (permanent secretary) in his office and those are being addressed."

Asked to explain how deceased persons were appointed in view of applications needing to be submitted, Mr Newbold said: "They probably couldn't have gotten an application and that is one of those boards that you have to look at and say 'What happened with this board?' There were individual applications. Were they all looked at or did they look at this board and say this board looks good, reappoint them?

"They can slip through them because they are human. We wouldn't want it to happen again, but it can happen as it obviously did," he further explained.

"There is absolutely no assurance that anyone can give you that it won't happen again. I can give you an assurance with it happening the one time the prime minister and the secretary of Cabinet are going to be very vigilant with what eventually comes out to the Cabinet," he added.

As for remuneration, Mr Newbold said respective ministers have some oversight over this, adding that not all board appointees receive a stipend for participation.