The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Deputy Chief Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

FORT Charlotte MP Dr Andre Rollins yesterday suggested there is no proper oversight on the $150m the Christie administration borrowed last year to defray the cost of the country’s recovery and reconstruction efforts needed in the aftermath of Hurricanes Matthew and Joaquin.

Dr Rollins made this suggestion in the House of Assembly after repeatedly questioning Labour Minister Shane Gibson, who is also hurricane czar, over the cumulative amount spent to date from the loan since the government acquired it.

However, the minister did not reveal a total, but instead skirted around the question and argued that if Dr Rollins insisted on knowing, he should add up the figures that were read into the record of the House during his update to parliamentarians on the government’s work post-Hurricane Matthew.

Last October, State Finance Minister Michael Halkitis moved a resolution for the $150m loan. At the time, Mr Christie said damage caused by Matthew was estimated at $600m, while Joaquin imposed costs estimated at around $200m.

The combined total of $800m as a result of both storms, Mr Christie said, equated to 40 per cent of the national budget or 9 per cent of GDP.

“Mr Speaker, through you I would like to get what I didn’t get from the minister responsible for hurricane repair and relief,” Dr Rollins said in response to Mr Gibson’s update in Parliament. “What (is) the total amount that has been expended in the relief recovery efforts to date? We came to this House to debate a resolution that was passed unanimously for the borrowing of $150m.

“I think the Bahamian people are entitled to know how much of that $150m has to date been spent and what has the lion’s share of the money been spent on. Can the minister responsible please provide that information to the House?”

Responding, Mr Gibson said: “I thought I went through that when I said how many contracts were issued (and) how much money was spent on clean up. I thought we went through that already. I didn’t give a cumulative figure, but if you look at the communication you could just add it up. One plus one is two, so everything is there.”

This sparked back and forth responses from the two MPs who each maintained their positions.

“Mr Speaker, clearly this is a lot of money that we are talking about and I’m assured that the member realises that the Bahamian people are concerned about how their money is being spent,” Dr Rollins said. “I expect the minister knows the cumulative amount and can he say for the benefit of members assembled here today and for the benefit of the Bahamian public. What is that cumulative figure? The fact that he can’t say that causes one to believe that it is not being properly overseen by the minister responsible. That is the concern that I have,” Dr Rollins said.

To this, Mr Gibson took a swipe at Dr Rollins pointing to his political history having run only once in a general election.

Expenditure

During his communication yesterday, Mr Gibson said vouchers valued at $1,133,900 for materials for home repairs were approved for 797 people in New Providence, Grand Bahama and North Andros.

Additionally, he said some residents qualified for assistance with labour and materials. In these instances, contracts worth $3,775,603.63 were issued for repairs to 298 houses. Clean-up efforts on the islands affected also carried a hefty price tag, Mr Gibson said.

In the capital, clean up of debris up to December cost taxpayers $10m. To clean up Grand Bahama, $1m was spent and North Andros, just under $300,000 was spent, the minister said. For Central Andros, clean up was valued at $40,000.

Mr Gibson said the cost of restoration to public schools post-Hurricane Matthew now stands at $9m.

He went on to note that repairs to government buildings, including the Supreme Court, the Senate, the Churchill Building and the Tracon Building totalled $3,365,488.07.

The government also is still waiting for detailed scoping of public buildings in New Providence, which require repairs.

In Grand Bahama, the minister said repairs to the Hunter’s post office have been completed at a cost of just over $108,000. A contract worth $70,562 for repairs at the administrative complex in Eight Mile Rock, inclusive of the courthouse was awarded and work is progressing, he said.

The minister of agriculture and marine resources has estimated damage to the sector amounting to nearly $1.3m.