The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Senior Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

YOUTH, Sports and Culture Minister Mario Bowleg said he is not surprised by an audit that found numerous problems at the National Sports Authority.

“I wouldn’t say it was a surprise, but knowing some of the information prior to the election and prior to the former minister having to resign, it’s just facts that came to light,” he said.

“I wouldn’t want to respond on the audit because it happened before my time, but at the end of the day there were some things that came to light. But again it’s not up to me, it’s up to the Prime Minister if they are going to do anything with that.

“... I know there are some things that need to be fixed which I will have the power to fix and that’s with some personnel, ensuring the things are supposed to be done in the right way and the controlling of the finances as it relates to contracts.”

The report of Auditor General Terrance Bastian covered the period between July 1, 2018 to January 2021.

The report found “poor maintenance practices at the agency, inadequate inventory controls and boards that were not able to carry out the functions of the authority, among other things.”

The report found that a contract was awarded without Cabinet approval and also instances where cheques to contractors were made out to named individuals, no companies, and collected by a senior official of the Ministry of Youth, Sports & Culture.

“We were concerned about the following,” the report said.

“(A) The micromanagement of the operational affairs of NSA. Section 8 of the Sports Authority Act, 2011 indicates that ‘the minister may give to the authority directions of a general or of a specific nature as to the policy to be followed by the authority in the performance of its functions as appear to the minister to be requisite in the public interest.’

“However, documents obtained suggest that circumvention of controls may have occurred.

“(B) The awarding of a contract without Cabinet approval along with the receipt of items by NSA before payment was effected.”

In its conclusion, the OAG said: “Having examined the accounting system, we conclude that there were many failures of executive management in breach of the Financial Administration and Audit Act 2010, Financial Regulations 1975 and the Sports Authority Act 2011.

“We have noted our observations in the report and concluded that besides several control functions in need of overhaul the accounts are being fairly maintained.”

Earlier this year, former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis ordered a lockdown of the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture before receiving an internal audit that led to the resignation of then-Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture MP Lanisha Rolle.