By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS
Tribune Staff Reporter
lmunnings@tribunemedia.net
NEIL Campbell, the acting permanent secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Family Island Affairs, confirmed the North Andros District Council was given money to have a beach cleaned, violating the law.
Councils can only accept money from the central government, according to the Local Government Act.
Some North Andros residents were alarmed to learn the North Andros District Council was paid to clean up Cedar Beach after a party over the Independence weekend. Although the $400 payment is not a substantial sum, residents fear this may point to a deeper problem.
The payment was revealed when a party promoter responded to claims that Cedar Beach was not cleaned after his event. He disclosed a receipt on social media with a note that said: “$400 for cleaning Cedar Beach after beach party July 8, 2023.” The name on the receipt was the North Andros District Council. It is unclear whether the promoter knew giving money to the council was unlawful.
Although Mr Campbell said an investigation is ongoing, he defended the council’s actions yesterday.
“It’s nothing foul,” he said. “It’s well-intentioned.”
“Ain’t nothing bad or like they pocket $300, $400.”
“Even though local government may not be empowered to do it, they were trying to find a measure in good conscience in order to solve a problem that is age-old. But that don’t give them the right.”
“When I served in other parts of the country, this is what I would do. I would say, you want to have this event? Give me a $100 or $200 security deposit. It goes towards lighting because you want to use a parking area, water, what have you, or it goes towards clean-up.
“When you clean the park satisfactorily, I will give you back your money. See now what they did, they didn’t put that proviso in it, so now we’re in this jam. That’s what I would’ve done. But I don’t know if they said give us the $400, and we will clean it.”
Although North Andros Chamber of Commerce President Darin Bethel called for the police to investigate the matter, Mr Campbell said an internal ministry investigation is all that is happening.
“If it was me, I would give him back his $400 and have him clean the beach and let him see how much it actually costs,” he said.
Comments
ThisIsOurs 1 year, 3 months ago
Having the PS explain after the fact what was in the council administrator's head and assessing them as good people so no harm done, is not how transparent systems operate. That explanation should never have been presented.
What happens when you have someone in office who is evil? Suppose they start charging 2000 dollars to cover all costs? Clearly any administrsror can create whatever rules suits them as the PS admits he also set his own rules when he held the office.
The next question the PS has to answer is, why was the no accepting money rule implemented in the first place? These administrators have zero knowlege of their responsibilities and codes of conduct.
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