PLP leader Philip Davis. (File photo)
By KHRISNA RUSSELL
Deputy Chief Reporter
krussell@tribunemedia.net
PROGRESSIVE Liberal Party leader Philip “Brave” Davis was critical yesterday of two government bodies set up to handle relief and reconstruction in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian.
A “mess” was how Mr Davis described the leadership of Iram Lewis, state minister for disaster preparedness, management and reconstruction and Managing Director of the Bahamas Disaster Reconstruction Authority Kay Forbes-Smith.
He said yesterday that he had no confidence in the Minnis administration’s ability to conduct this effort, adding it created too much bureaucracy.
He also defended the Small Homes Repair Programme under the former Christie administration. Mrs Forbes-Smith announced the government will roll out its own version of the programme on February 10.
“…We were not giving half the funds down to contractors and giving the rest without the works being done,” he said yesterday during a press conference at PLP headquarters, speaking about the PLP’s version of the programme.
“Contractors were mobilised anywhere from 10 to 20 percent depending on what works needed to be done and inspections were done in phases and contractual amounts released upon the contractor completing that phase. On completion there was always a small retention to ensure that there was no remedial work to be done and once we were satisfied that no remedial work was necessary going forward (and) no check lists then the funds were released so I don’t know where she got that from.”
He also said: “She (Mrs Forbes-Smith) is a disaster and she presides over the disaster committee.
“I am concerned because on all accounts she is a divisive figure and we are not confident that she will be discharging that function in a non-partisan way.”
Regarding Mr Lewis he had similar comments.
“Again, another disaster because it just appears to be one bureaucracy over another.”
Mr Davis also slammed the government over its resolution last week to borrow $587m to pay for Hurricane Dorian related costs, saying much of the money had nothing to do with the disaster.
Comments
Sickened 4 years, 9 months ago
Leadership of the PLP is also a mess.
xtreme2x 4 years, 9 months ago
LOL
Hoda 4 years, 9 months ago
What is this man talking about, i watched the interview the reporter was referring too, all was said was that they have involved Vendors in the planning because ‘they say they have been down this road with the govt before and we dont want the same mistakes to happen’. I guess they dont want anyone to bring up Reckley and Gibson.
avidreader 4 years, 9 months ago
You all talk all you want but I can tell you from first hand experience that the pace of work in Marsh Harbour is pitifully slow. BPL is not applying sufficient manpower and resources to a desperate situation. They have dressed up immigrant workers in BPL uniforms and assigned them to cut up lengths of downed aluminum power lines into manageable lengths for removal. They have a few trucks along the main roads installing insulators on the tops of the new tall poles that have been erected. There seems to be a reluctance or an inability on the part of the power company to assign the needed resources to confront what is admittedly an unprecedented situation. True, the revenue base for BPL will be much reduced when power is finally restored but the management of the company surely is capable of understanding that the general lack of sustained electrical power in the residential areas of Marsh Harbour is a tremendous hindrance to those residents trying to restore their properties to some semblance of normalcy. Let's be reasonable here: 5 months without power in the commercial and residential heart of the island is a very serious situation.
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