FREE National Movement deputy leader Shanendon Cartwright.
By LEANDRA ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
TOP police officials say they are in the advanced stages of their investigation into alleged irregularities at the Bahamas Public Parks and Public Beaches Authority under the Minnis administration and spoke to MP Shanendon Cartwright, the former executive chairman of the authority, as part of their probe over the weekend.
Police have not said whether Mr Cartwright is a subject of the investigation, and the St Barnabas MP could not be reached for comment up to press time yesterday.
The Davis administration has scrutinised past operations of the authority since coming into office.
Four months into the term, the administration cancelled all contracts at the authority, claiming external investigators found numerous lapses in internal controls.
An audit into the authority’s operations concluded that thousands were spent in the absence of “real needs on the ground” for this overspend. The review by K Christie & Co also purportedly found inconsistencies in contract signatures and that VAT returns were not filed.
Last June, McKell Bonaby, the executive chairman of the authority, said he told staff to make a police report after files from a computer in the office were allegedly downloaded and removed “after hours” without approval.
Mr Cartwright, however, has repeatedly defended his tenure.
He has dismissed allegations as “laughable”, saying they reflect the adversarial nature of Bahamian politics.
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