The Tribune

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said criticism of how his administration used $100,000 in travel expenses before last year’s by-election was the result of “some misinterpretation of allocation of funds”.

According to the mid-year budget performance book, a $50,000 allocation dated November 29, 2023, was for “prime minister and delegation travel to the Family Islands”. Another $50,000 allocation, dated December 4, 2023, was for “per diem and accommodations for PM and delegation travel to the Family Islands”.

Mr Davis told reporters yesterday he would not speak about the matter, but said more may come out about it during the mid-term budget debate, which begins this week.

“I mean, who are they to accuse me of such things?” he asked, referring to the FNM.

FNM leader Michael Pintard has called on the police and the Office of the Auditor General to investigate how public funds and resources were used in the lead-up to last year’s by-election.

The Office of the Prime Minister dismissed criticism of the travel expenses last week, saying: “During the prime minister’s visits to West Grand Bahama and Bimini in October and November of last year, he inaugurated a new government complex with multiple services, he visited children benefiting from his school breakfast programme, he signed a $100m Ocean Cay expansion Heads of Agreement, he reviewed current and new infrastructure projects, including major airport and road improvements, and he led a Cabinet meeting focused on Family Islands development.”

“On days during which he conducted official business and then at night met with Bahamians in his capacity as leader of his party, should he have flown back to Nassau, then returned on another flight paid for by the party? Who precisely would that have served? This attempt to generate controversy defies common sense.”