The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE Public Hospitals Authority’s deficit increased between 2011 and 2014, according to financial statements tabled in the House of Assembly.

National Security Minister Dr Bernard Nottage tabled the audits for the periods ending June 2012, June 2013 and June 2014.

It is the first time the Christie administration had tabled such statements for the PHA since the start of its term, although the law mandates that such statements be tabled annually.

Nonetheless, the audits conducted and tabled were not designed to provide an opinion on the “effectiveness of the (PHA’s) internal controls.”

The 2012 audit was conducted by Grant Thorton while the subsequent ones were conducted by Baker Tilly Gomez (BTG).

Of the most recent audit, BTG said: “…As at June 30, 2014, the authority’s current liabilities exceed its current assets by $23,109,897 and that it has an accumulated deficit of $83,241,629. These conditions, along with other matters as set forth…indicated the existence of a material uncertainty which may cast significant doubt about the authority’s ability to continue as a going concern without the continued support of the government of the Bahamas.”

As of June 2012, the PHA’s current liabilities exceeded its current assets by $18,627,997, bringing the accumulated deficit for the period up to the $73,041,576.

And as of June 2013, the PHA’s current liabilities exceeded its current assets by $28,770,082, bringing the accumulated deficit at that time up to $73,179,802.

Meanwhile, it is unclear what the status is of a forensic audit expected to be performed on the PHA.

Prime Minister Perry Christie said in 2015 that his government would order another PHA forensic audit.

His comment at the time came after Princess Margaret Hospital’s internal auditor and external auditors, including Grant Thornton, HLB Galanis and Co, and UHY Bain and Associates raised red flags about the operations of the PHA.

The UHY Bain forensic audit, for instance, suggested a culture of slackness and corruption was pervasive in the PHA.

Since Mr Christie’s statement in 2015, it’s unclear if any subsequent forensic audit has been conducted.