It has been brought to my attention that a story entitled, ‘Padded on the spot contract is wrong,’ appeared on the FNM Website (http://www.dafnm.com/) dated September 12, 2004 with a picture of myself attached to the story.

It is unfortunate that in a time when the nation is looking to its government for immediate relief, that a scandalously incredible story would be disseminated by the Official Opposition. It is likewise a futile attempt by the FNM to try and distract the business of governance in a time of crisis, when quite frankly it is more important that I see to the repair of the infrastructure that was damaged by the recent hurricane. Nevertheless, here are the facts.

On September 5, 2004 (Sunday), I traveled along with the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister and other Cabinet Colleagues, Technical Personnel from the Ministry of Works, Senior Personnel from the Ministry of Health, Senior Church leaders and The Red Cross Personnel to Springfield, Acklins on a fact-finding mission after Hurricane Frances had all but left the Bahamas.

It was during this visit that we went to the clinic and found that the roof had been damaged and water was leaking into the premises. At that point I determined that this was not only hazardous to the building and its personnel but also detrimental to the medicinal supplies and to the lives of the residents if they were to need medical help.

At that point I spoke with noted community businessman and builder, Mr. Curtis Hanna of Acklins who accompanied my group on the fact-finding mission and I instructed him to assess the damage, as the personnel of the Ministry of Works would do the same and to negotiate a price at which the repairs could be done right away. Obviously this was not a situation that could wait and the sooner it could be done the better the chances of minimizing any further structural damage, any risk to personnel and minimizing the risk of medicine not being of quality if such was needed by the residents.

I can inform the public that the building was dually assessed and the cost for repair was two thousand, five hundred dollars ($2,500.00), and the building has been repaired. Unlike the previous Administration, the PLP Government would never give out obscene or inflated repair or construction contracts to anyone because they are delegates to a political leadership convention, like was done by the FNM Party for a musician from Acklins..

The PLP Government will always legitimately heed the call of those in need or those we may anticipate will be in need, whether it is in crisis time or anytime.

Maybe not to do with politics, but I hear alot about payoffs to get contracts, I was told direct by one contractor that he did this to get a job, plus the price was heavily inflated compared to the competition who did not offer a payoff. I wont say who or what it was for, but it was in the $100,000 price range for the contract, with only approx $10,000 first cost worth of parts. $90,000 for warranty and labour, no, I think not even close in reality, not for the type of job. The contractor continues to get government jobs. Its who you know and who you pay in the Bahamas, when it comes to getting bids on government work.

ofcourse im not directing that to anyone in the actual government, just want to clarify that, there are people in every organisation that break rules or do the wrong thing and ofcourse it is not political. Just wanted to point out what I have come across personally.

Works got things working fast after this last hurricane (i think traffic lights must be a different dept?) so anyway, I congragulate the minister on this. After all, the outislands were hit hard compared to Nassau and obviously require alot more work than nassau under the circumstances. Could use some more BEC linesmen but things seem to have got better with telephone support as the days progressed, something new and it will no doubt be even better if we are ever unfortunate to get another such hurricance or national tradgedy. I was actually talking direct to BEC control on the phone by wednesday and they knew exactly where their people were and when they would be in my area.

Rory

yea yea yea rory...
you want BR to know straight up!!!

tell him you dont like the policies rory..
tell him you feel uncomfortable with the rudderless ship...
tell him that we need better controls in government...
tell him we need less government and more responsibility!
:cheers:

yea yea yea rory...
you want BR to know straight up!!!

tell him you dont like the policies rory..
tell him you feel uncomfortable with the rudderless ship...
tell him that we need better controls in government...
tell him we need less government and more responsibility!
:cheers:



:cheers:

who you know and who you pay...the TRC is coming!

the PLP Government would never give out obscene or inflated repair or construction contracts to anyone because they are delegates to a political leadership convention, like was done by the FNM Party for a musician from Acklins..


Honourable Minister Roberts:

Let me remind you that the Bahamian people rejected the FNM Government on May 2, 2002, as such they returned the NEW PLP Government to the high responsibility of governing the great country.

It is high time that the PLP start to act as though they are the government of this country and not as though the FNM is the government and the PLP is the oppostion. To that end, let me warn, that as the years and months pass we the Bahamian people will not tolerate from any member of the government any form of padding of contracts, 10% for contracts and the likes.

I am not confident (personally) that we are getting honest representation in goverment now, but really soon the facts will be laid bear for all to hear and see. Time is longer then rope.

In time, what is done in the dark will come to light.

Honourable Minister Roberts:
Let me remind you that the Bahamian people rejected the FNM Government on May 2, 2002, as such they returned the NEW PLP Government to the high responsibility of governing the great country.
It is high time that the PLP start to act as though they are the government of this country and not as though the FNM is the government and the PLP is the oppostion. To that end, let me warn, that as the years and months pass we the Bahamian people will not tolerate from any member of the government any form of padding of contracts, 10% for contracts and the likes.
I am not confident (personally) that we are getting honest representation in goverment now, but really soon the facts will be laid bear for all to hear and see. Time is longer then rope.
In time, what is done in the dark will come to light.


I wish I could agree with you but it seems that shady dealings sometimes never come to light. Too many times I have seen blatant examples of conflicts of interest and corruption go forgotten and unpunished.

What Say You?

I wish I could agree with you but it seems that shady dealings sometimes never come to light. Too many times I have seen blatant examples of conflicts of interest and corruption go forgotten and unpunished.
What Say You?

I agree ...

but really soon, what The Rt. Honourable Hubert A. Ingraham, he will start chipping at some of the corruption that has already come to him.... notice he is careful and reflective...., I do not know if you had the honour of listening to him during the last debate when he spoke on the speach from the throne.

The information that is coming to him from all sections will make you dazzle..., why do you think that we have so much Ministers with broken Ministries ... Look at the Minister of Utilities not have much to do with all of the Utiliies, like Telephone, water etc.... the scandals are there and public officials are turning whisle blowers, but much proof is needed and it is beign gathered as we sit....,

I agree ...
but really soon, what The Rt. Honourable Hubert A. Ingraham, he will start chipping at some of the corruption that has already come to him.... notice he is careful and reflective...., I do not know if you had the honour of listening to him during the last debate when he spoke on the speach from the throne.
The information that is coming to him from all sections will make you dazzle..., why do you think that we have so much Ministers with broken Ministries ... Look at the Minister of Utilities not have much to do with all of the Utiliies, like Telephone, water etc.... the scandals are there and public officials are turning whisle blowers, but much proof is needed and it is beign gathered as we sit....,


I remember the last time that Hubert Ingraham promised to bring corruption allegations to light was when he promised to reveal the results of his investigation into Tommy Turnquest having the bill for his victory party as leader of The FNM forwarded to the recipient of contracts awarded by Ministry of Tourism when he was the Minister. At that time he promised to investigate Dion Foulkes' awarding of contracts to delegates at The FNM convention who were in position to decide the leader and deputy leader results. Some of these delegates received construction contracts with no prior construction experience. Dion Foulkes awarded contract after contract to Mal Jack even after they had been shown to produce substandard work when they did it at all. The Bahamian people had to pick up the check for $1 Million dollars to repair shoddy work by this firm, yet they still received contract after contract from The Ministry of Education, but The FNM feels that the $2,500.00 contract that The present Minister of Works awarded during an emergency situation is evidence of contract padding.

Brent Symonette awarded a contract worth millions to a company of which he was a principal during his tenure at The Airport Authority, he says that he did nothing wrong. Yet these same people have a problem with a small man receiving a contract for $2,500 under an emergency situation.

They must be crazy

I remember the last time that Hubert Ingraham promised to bring corruption allegations to light was when he promised to reveal the results of his investigation into Tommy Turnquest having the bill for his victory party as leader of The FNM forwarded to the recipient of contracts awarded by Ministry of Tourism when he was the Minister. At that time he promised to investigate Dion Foulkes' awarding of contracts to delegates at The FNM convention who were in position to decide the leader and deputy leader results. Some of these delegates received construction contracts with no prior construction experience. Dion Foulkes awarded contract after contract to Mal Jack even after they had been shown to produce substandard work when they did it at all. The Bahamian people had to pick up the check for $1 Million dollars to repair shoddy work by this firm, yet they still received contract after contract from The Ministry of Education, but The FNM feels that the $2,500.00 contract that The present Minister of Works awarded during an emergency situation is evidence of contract padding.
Brent Symonette awarded a contract worth millions to a company of which he was a principal during his tenure at The Airport Authority, he says that he did nothing wrong. Yet these same people have a problem with a small man receiving a contract for $2,500 under an emergency situation.
They must be crazy

I do not understand you, if it is corrupt, regardless if it is a small or big Man, it is corrupt...., what are you saying ?

I do not understand you, if it is corrupt, regardless if it is a small or big Man, it is corrupt...., what are you saying ?


This was after a hurricane, emergency steps needed to be taken. What emergency was Tommy Turnquest trying to avert when he had a contract recipient volunteer to pay $31,000.00 for a party. Or when Dion Foulkes was awarding $5,000,000.00 contracts to a company with a terrible track record for delegat votes. Or when Brent Symonette was awarding contracts for tens of millions of dollars to a company in which he was a shareholder. What about Frank Watson who used Government contracts to pay off checks which he bounced to The Government.

Hubert was supposed to straighten up all these things and present us with his findings, he never did. So don't come talk about such a benign thing as this. Your memory seems to be short and selective.

Hubert was supposed to straighten up all these things and present us with his findings, he never did. So don't come talk about such a benign thing as this. Your memory seems to be short and selective.


I am talking about present day corruption, Recall May 2, 2002, the Bahamian people dealt with all of what you are re-INVENTING. I am talking about the 10% from contactors in Housing, the no bid contracts in Water and Sewer, let me not go on as it will all come to focus really soon.

I am talking about present day corruption, Recall May 2, 2002, the Bahamian people dealt with all of what you are re-INVENTING. I am talking about the 10% from contactors in Housing, the no bid contracts in Water and Sewer, let me not go on as it will all come to focus really soon.


Those are allegations, without any evidence that I have seen. The issues that I rose are documented and indisputable. These men that are pointing to a $2500 contract as evidence of padding were the same men who conspired to award multi million dollar contracts to friends and cronies (and themselves).

They have no shame.

What say you?

Those are allegations, without any evidence that I have seen. The issues that I rose are documented and indisputable. These men that are pointing to a $2500 contract as evidence of padding were the same men who conspired to award multi million dollar contracts to friends and cronies (and themselves).
They have no shame.
What say you?

Hog Wash !!!!! -

You fail in the national interest to put aside your party political leaning .., you sould like a die heart PLP, that is unfortunate...., let me admit my support for the FNM, but when they are wrong I will speak up against, and yu refer to events prior May 2, 2002. The only one that had the implications of a fish deal was that with Mr. Symonette. He resigned.

About Tommy and Dion, I am no defender of none, they awarded contracts, I am not sure what was the beef that Big Brad had with it. A supporter I heard sponsored a party for Tommy this supporter also got a governmnet contract to a ministry where Tommy was the Minister. I am not sure if we have a law that says contracters who are supporters canot donate to their party's campaign.

Well, look at Penn and what he is doing now for the government and the contributions that he make to the PLP.

I am do not know what you are saying, in fact, the PLP knows that their actions are now going to be called into question and they are afarid...., this will be worst them any scandal you have ever seem.

Perry Christie must also be hold to account becasue he wanted to move Ministers but he did not do it to allow them to clean up their act, if they can....