The Tribune

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

THE Opposition’s leader yesterday asserted evidence shows “private actors”, operating “outside the normal government processes”, may have had control over the $1.5m taxpayer-funded building material vouchers distributed before the general election.

Michael Pintard told Tribune Business that probes by Parliament’s spending watchdog, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), into both the vouchers and National Investment Fund (NIF) controversies have unearthed a “treasure trove” of information on how the Bahamian people’s tax payments are being managed and spent “behind the scenes”.

He spoke out after issuing a statement suggesting that the Committee, through its inquiries to-date, has uncovered “serious concerns” that the building materials vouchers acquired by the Ministry of Finance during the March and April 2026 run-up to the May 12 election were managed “through an informal arrangement outside the normal government processes”.

The controversy, and Committee probe following Parliament’s post-election return, was sparked after it emerged that the vouchers were being issued carrying the the names and signatures of Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) election candidates and officials. This raised concerns - vehemently denied and disputed by the governing party - that taxpayer monies were being employed to finance its campaign.

Mr Pintard yesterday said the Committee has so far interviewed Simon Wilson, the Ministry of Finance’s financial secretary; Jerome Fitzgerald, the Prime Minister’s then-senior policy advisor, and now minister of economic affairs; Carl Oliver, the Ministry of Finance’s director of public procurement; John Nixon, a Ministry of Finance consultant; Dwayne Ellis, a Ministry of Finance officer; and Whitney Kenny, deputy comptroller of Customs, over the vouchers affair.

Five building materials suppliers on New Providence, Grand Bahama and Abaco who provided the vouchers have also been questioned, and the Opposition leader yesterday asserted that the evidence and testimony to-date suggest the initiative had operated outside the normal government checks, controls and oversight.

“The officials interviewed have not provided the Committee with any indication that the programme was managed with the necessary and proper transparency, accountability, fairness or care for the public’s money,” Mr Pintard said.

Tribune Business previously reported that the Government’s own procurement records showed the Ministry of Finance collectively purchased more than $1.5m worth of building vouchers during March and April 2026 in the general election run-up. Some $663,437 worth were acquired in April, including $413,437 from Freeport-based Contractors Direct, with the $250,000 balance obtained from Premier Importers.

Both purchases were made by the ‘direct award’ method, meaning there was no competitive bidding, and took place on April 13, 2026 - less than one month before the general election.The vouchers were acquired for the purpose of obtaining “building materials in Grand Bahama and Abaco” - seemingly to assist still-struggling residents with rebuilding and repairing their homes more than six-and-a-half years after Hurricane Dorian devastated both islands.

Controversy, though, arose after Premier Importers revealed the vouchers had been purchased by the Ministry of Finance. But the vouchers, which were issued in “amounts of $200, $300 and $500”, carried the names and signatures of Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) election candidates and officials.

The April 2026 purchases also added to the $900,000 worth of building materials vouchers purchased by the Ministry of Finance in March. Some $250,000 was sourced from 21st Century Building & Hardware, located on Palm Beach Street, along with a further $200,000 from Wulff Road-based FYP. Some $150,000 was obtained from each of Cartwright’s Building Supplies, Pinder’s Enterprise and Hanson Building Materials to bring the total to $900,000 for that month.

Mr Pintard yesterday argued that the Committee had not been provided with the criteria for determining who received the vouchers or “a proper paper trail” linking specific certificates to the persons receiving them. There was also the absence “of an open and advertised process” for persons to apply for the vouchers.

“In simple terms, there appears so far to be no formal records showing who received the vouchers, why they qualified, who approved them and how the vouchers were tracked,” he added. “Another major concern is the level of involvement of private individuals and members of political parties.”

The Opposition leader called no names, but added: “The testimony and documentary evidence suggest that private actors, with no official government role or responsibility, may in some cases have exercised control over public resources. Of course, our laws make clear that public money and public resources must be managed for a proper public purpose and under lawful public authority.

“They cannot be placed under private or political control without clear authority, proper safeguards and full accountability.” Mr Pintard thus questioned how “private individuals and political party members” gained control of taxpayer-funded vouchers; the legal authority for this; what safeguards were put in place to protect taxpayers; and if funds were used for private or political purposes.

The Opposition leader yesterday told Tribune Business that the Committee expects to have its probes into both the building materials vouchers and National Investment Fund “wrapped up” and laid in the House of Assembly “by the second week of November”.

“We’re making tremendous progress,” he said, adding that the building materials suppliers “are pretty much co-operating and the Government officials we have called for interview with the voucher programme have provided a tremendous amount of information”.

Mr Pintard described some of the evidence submitted to the Committee as “startling, and I would even say from some persons, shocking”, but added that he is disclosing none of the details until witnesses have been shown its findings and report, and given a chance to confirm accuracy and provide a further response.

Reiterating his disappointment that Patricia Deveaux, the House speaker, has yet to give permission for the Committee’s hearings to be televised, so Bahamians “can hear and decide for themselves on the accountability and truthfulness of all witnesses that appear”, Mr Pintard added: “We are going to continue to ask the questions and hold government organisations to account.

“We have made it very clear in cases where persons thought their coming before the Public Accounts Committee is optional that it is not optional, and we are prepares to summons them if necessary.”