The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Chief Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement Deputy Leader Shanendon Cartwright urged the government to “come clean” about the possible involvement of a Canadian company in the operations of the Parliamentary Registration Department.

Mr Cartwright named the company, Canadian Bank Note, and raised concerns in the House of Assembly about its potential role in handling aspects of the electoral process.

He referred to comments made by Wayde Watson during last year’s parliamentary debate, in which the government was said to be seeking a modern solution to replace the existing parliamentary registration system and engaging a vendor to implement it.

“Nobody wants to say who the company is or confirm to say what is their involvement and it’s a serious concern when you talk about potentially a foreign company involved again in such a fundamental process for the Bahamian people,” Mr Cartwright said.

 Mr Watson, parliamentary secretary in the Ministry of Economic Affairs, responded by distancing himself from the matter. He said he never named any vendor.

“I just don’t want him to pull me into some advocacy of which he is presenting today because there’s clearly no support in that regard,” Mr Watson said. “What we’re doing in the Ministry of Economic Affairs with respect to digitisation is all in the best interest of the Bahamian people and I haven’t been made aware of any malfeasance or any disruption in the Parliamentary Registration Department.”

 He added that Canadian Bank Note is not new to The Bahamas and has an established presence, noting that the company is responsible for the country’s e-passport system and has produced Bahamian currency.

 Still, Mr Cartwright pressed for an official explanation from National Security Minister Wayne Munroe, who has ministerial responsibility for the Parliamentary Registration Department.

 Mr Munroe has previously rejected opposition claims that a Canadian company was hired to manage parts of the electoral process. He reaffirmed his position while referring to comments Mr Pintard had made to the press.

 “Marco City is a man of words and what he said to the press is that a company was managing and I simply used his words,” Mr Munroe said. “St Barnabas will learn that I will not be drawn.”

 Mr Cartwright pointed out apparent contradictions between Mr Watson’s and Mr Munroe’s responses — one confirming the use of a vendor and the other denying it.

“There seems to be a conflict, Madame Speaker, and if I had to believe someone, I gone believe the member for Bains and Grants Town because he don’t just mess with words like that,” he said.

 In reply, Mr Munroe noted that the former Minnis administration had also engaged foreign companies in the department’s operations.

 “That is their record, so that’s why we wait to hear about concerns and not what people think,” he said.