Former Prime Minister Perry Christie.
By KHRISNA RUSSELL
Deputy Chief Reporter
krussell@tribunemedia.net
FORMER Prime Minister Perry Christie said it is “astonishing” that an audit tabled in the House of Assembly asserts that political pressure from an elected official in his administration resulted in a web shop boss receiving a large contract from the Ministry of Finance.
Mr Christie was substantive finance minister and former Golden Isles MP Michael Halkitis was state finance minister when the agreement was handed to Pete Deveaux, CEO of Island Game web shop chain.
Pointing to their roles in the ministry, the former Centreville MP said he was certain there was no pressure coming from his side of the table. The report does not name any former minister.
“I have no idea why they are saying there was pressure,” Mr Christie told The Tribune yesterday.
“It would be astonishing for there to be a suggestion to say otherwise. I was the minister of finance and Halkitis was the state minister. There was certainly no pressure from our side.”
When contacted, Mr Halkitis said yesterday he had not seen the report and declined comment.
The report seemingly sheds light on how the former government doled out contracts during its time in office.
On Wednesday, House Speaker Halson Moultrie laid the report on the table.
It says a $1.46m computer supply contract had been awarded to Mr Deveaux who earned a 30 percent profit margin on the deal.
The revelation was made by former Ministry of Finance Financial Secretary Simon Wilson and disclosed to the auditor general, exposing multiple internal control and procurement failings in the Ministry of Finance.
The report, by Bahamas-based auditing and advisory firm FTI Consulting, found that the contract was awarded to a company owned by Mr Deveaux, chief executive of the Island Game web shop chain, and his wife even though they appeared to have “no prior involvement in businesses relating to information technology or computer procurement.”
Mr Wilson, who remains on leave from his post, told FTI Consulting’s investigators that he was introduced to Mr Deveaux by “a senior elected official” in the Christie administration some three months before signing the April 3, 2017 “lease-to-own” agreement for the computer equipment.
The report said Mr Wilson did not interpret the meeting’s outcome as “an implicit instruction to do business” with Mr Deveaux, but Mr Wilson “tried to accommodate” the ex-minister’s suggestion – adding that such situations were “not uncommon” within government.
FTI Consulting, though, suggested that Mr Deveaux did little to earn his $455,000 gross profit as he and his wife merely acted as brokers in outsourcing the procurement of hundreds of desktop computers, monitors and laptops to a Florida company.
Their Xua Company Ltd, which handled the contract, was likely formed specifically to handle the computer equipment deal, given that it was incorporated on February 20, 2017 - less than two months before the deal’s signing, but after the meeting with Mr Wilson and the “elected official”.
The report revealed that Xua Company was 213 days late in completing its contractual obligations, with the initial shipment “short” and incomplete, and many desktop computers lacking 50 percent of the promised memory capacity.
No rival bids were received, as the contract did not go out to public tender, with Mr Wilson telling FTI Consulting “that leases are never subject to competitive bidding at the Ministry of Finance” - an assertion that was contradicted by other ministry officials.
The report identified other discrepancies between Mr Wilson’s testimony and the ministry’s information technology officials, and suggests that the problems with the contract made have delayed the roll-out of Bahamas Customs’ Electronic Single Window (ESW) initiative that was designed to reduce the cost, time and bureaucracy associated with cross-border commerce.
Comments
TalRussell 6 years, 1 month ago
No kidding Comrade "Sherlock" Chief Reporter, is it just another - never seems go beyond walls ya office gather worthy news slow Friday morning at the Tribune........ Since when has there been ounce evidence against the integrity senior, most trusted former law partner...... Pretty much same kinds reporting keeps popping up on news pages about all supposedly ill-gotten wealth another former prime minister - seems have hidden so well that even his beloved wife and children's have never found its hidden location? The same former prime minister who had bum rides from complete strangers for man's attend his last sittings House of Assembly and take his wife grocery shopping. { Can't make this up }.
momoyama 6 years, 1 month ago
Sorry to say it (as an ex-FNM), but self-dealing seems to be an FNM habit, rather than an across-the-board habit of politicians. Ingraham (a reform PLP) knew it and so was constantly fighting and firing his colleagues to tame it. Also, so far, only one party has been proved in a court of law to have engaged in high level corruption, while the other is the target of endless media (funded by wealthy, anti-progressive interests) assaults and innuendos. Smart Bahamians are now seeing that the PLP is the cleaner of the two parties, as well as the only one interested in genuine national development. Just look at the fate of NHI, the IAAAFs, the Potter's Cay project and everything else that has fallen into the hands of this lousy crew.
Tarzan 6 years, 1 month ago
So sorry, sorry to say, but this must be the most profound case of Newspeak, since Orwell identified that political language. The PLP "the cleaner of the two parties".... You must be joking. The endemic corruption in the Bahamas is a blight across political and social lines, but the PLP is the nucleus of the cancer that is in process of destroying Bahamian society. Heaven help the country if that band of thieves ever regains power. One more round, and there will be nothing left to steal.
momoyama 6 years, 1 month ago
Talk, talk, talk, talk and repetition/regurgitation of what you have heard from the rumour mill do not represent anything of value. Please give me one shred of evidence to back up your allegations. I didn't think so.
concernedcitizen 6 years, 1 month ago
what they are talking about happened under the PLP
concernedcitizen 6 years, 1 month ago
read the business section ,,also 600 million that's right 600million walked out the front door of BOB in never to paid back loans to cronies and friends under the last PLP administration ,,and how many untold millions or billions over the years w Peoples penny savings bank and The development bank .Yes there has been corruption in The FNM and Ingraham would get rid of them but it pails in comparesion to massive theft of the peoples money under the PLP dating back to Bowe and the plumbing scandal in the early 70,s
momoyama 6 years, 1 month ago
The business section of what publication? Oh, right, yes.
momoyama 6 years, 1 month ago
....and of course you probably regard it as coincidence that the Tribune digs up this piece of unsubstantiated "news" just in time to draw attention from Brent Symonette's brazen self-dealing.
licks2 6 years, 1 month ago
I sitting this one out too. . .the stupidity is too deep for me here!! from the former PM all the way down to Momo here!! I am going to kick some rocks and watch paint dry!! Yall have at it. . .that's if yinna know how to talk stupid!!
momoyama 6 years, 1 month ago
If you sat out verbal and written communication for the rest of your days, you would only be adding to the sum total of human knowledge.
TheMadHatter 6 years, 1 month ago
"Not on my watch, and mine is a Rolex."
bogart 6 years, 1 month ago
HOW MANY YEARS DA BAHAMIAN DOCTORS WAITING FA SALARY PAY INCREASE.......??.......did Da NURSES GET DERE BACK PAY YET.....??...dis Last GO ROUND SCHOOL...TERM...DID DEM LIL SCHOOL CHRILRENS....GET...WHAT 2 PIECE....EACH...????.... ENOUGH CLOTHING .....TO WEAR SCHOOL UNIFORMS.....DIALYSIS PATIENTS BLOOD..medical health treatment...CUT FROM four hours to three hours......mudda tek sic ....dred....
BahamaPundit 6 years, 1 month ago
Lock them up. Lock them up. If you were involved with the stealing, you going to jail. If FNM does nothing, they are aiding and abetting the crime.
momoyama 6 years, 1 month ago
They already tried the "lock them up" tactic, remember. It led them to bribing people with huge, unapproved contracts and corrupting the police force into coordinating the witness statements of admitted fraudsters. Or were you dozing?
BahamaPundit 6 years, 1 month ago
Bring in the FBI. Start tracing bank accounts. Let's find out who's pockets are F@#KING VAT money's in.
Economist 6 years, 1 month ago
I agree. We should do a forensic audit of VAT from day one to now. We have paid well over a Billion Dollars in VAT so far.
TalRussell 6 years, 1 month ago
Ma Comrades, little doubt some since day one on this side 10 May 2017 - been involving PeoplesPublicPurse for some kinds bordering aiding and abetting at the bare minimum questionable dealings, decisions makings and outstanding questions - but without appointment independent Royal Commission - who can really know what levels, if any, they rises to? {We've journeyed too far to this side 1967/1968 to any more longer tolerates those in power make up their own set explanation facts }.
proudloudandfnm 6 years, 1 month ago
The PLP will never be anything but corrupt..
momoyama 6 years, 1 month ago
Wow, nice example of EVIDENCE. Keep it up and you'll be up there with Sherlock Holmes.
momoyama 6 years, 1 month ago
The only time the FNM was clean was when it was under the leadership of a PLP (Hubert Ingraham) who had to fire and constantly discipline his colleagues to keep them in line. He has served in cabinet in both parties and ask him which one he thinks has a more pronounced pattern of corruption.
TalRussell 6 years, 1 month ago
Ma Comrades, what is only tangible sometin' come out Imperial red shirts so far backfiring eagerness prosecute former members opposite.... and please, this is far too important just make that sometin' up... Just rely on no more than da where fingers been pointing testimonies publicly spoken before judge, so far?
momoyama 6 years, 1 month ago
When the PLP returns, it is incumbent upon them (on the behalf of all Bahamians) to seriously reform the police force in order to undo the massive damage the FNM has done in politicising the organization. I would not be so eager to "jail them" unlike the thugs on the FNM bandwagon. I just would want to save the country from their patterns of maladministration.
themessenger 6 years, 1 month ago
yama,yama,yama, empty PLP barrel making noise, just more hot smelly wind from your nether orifice. You want evidence of your party's corruption, start with the Commission of Enquiry Report.
hrysippus 6 years, 1 month ago
Perry is such a comedian, how can anyone dislike the man?
DWW 6 years, 1 month ago
YoYomama and lat lessor - shut mout catch no fly
DWW 6 years, 1 month ago
"What's your stress it wasn't my hand in the cookie jar"
ohdrap4 6 years, 1 month ago
which cave was this momoyMA HIDING ALL THIS TIME?
it was not under his watch, you need a superdome to hide political shenaningans.
birdiestrachan 6 years, 1 month ago
Love you MR: Christie you had heart for the poor people. Unlike this crew only for the rich and famous . On your watch you made sure the Bahamas had a University BAMSI is good and so is URBAN renewal.
concernedcitizen 6 years, 1 month ago
A university ,,accredited by who LMAO LMAO
BONEFISH 6 years, 1 month ago
Mr.Christie is not being truthful. This has happened on his watch.This has been going on since the Bahamas got internal self-government.It is called clientelism.It is where you trade contracts and favours for political support. It also happen under the FNM also.I was at a family gathering when somebody bragged how a senior FNM cabinet minister instructed the chairman of a government corporation to give a contact to the company,he worked for.The acting financial secretary should know about that,he use to work there.
Greentea 6 years, 1 month ago
i guess he is old and can chalk it up to Alzheimers or dementia. I remember nuthin'!!!
BONEFISH 6 years, 1 month ago
The Bahamas needs a Freedom of Information and Campaign Finance bills passed and enacted into law.Both the PLP and FNM won't say who their donors are and what they promise the donors, once they are elected to office.The t-shirts,food,drinks and entertainment cost money.Bahamians enjoy them and don't ask how they are paid for.Bahamians can't see the forest for the trees.
sheeprunner12 6 years, 1 month ago
No one needs to hear a word from Perry anymore ............ and waste money on a State funeral either.
proudloudandfnm 6 years, 1 month ago
Well at least now we know why the PLP supported Perry even though he has always been completely useless. It's a lot easier to steal when the boss is a lazy, unethical, clueless, moron...
SP 6 years, 1 month ago
Perry Christie didn't do anything that Hubert Ingraham didn't do! It is no secret they both took turns for decades watching each other back while managing a mass corruption apparatus compilation of friends, family, and lovers.
Ingraham, Christie and their Cabinets more than likely profited in some way from aiding and abetting corruption, so it should be a simple matter of following the money trail to find all the pirates that facilitated the destruction of our country for personal greed.
The only thing that matters now is will PM Minnis have the backbone to have these gangsters prosecuted as he promised on the campaign trail!
VDSheep 6 years ago
Every politician ought to be honest when they run for office ‘ and state clearly – they are running on a promise of corruption!
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