Bahamas News
10-14-04, - 12:16 AM
FNM: Miller wrong on EU56m
BY Keva Lightbourne
Nassau Guardian
Trade and Industry Minister Leslie Miller was taken to task on Tuesday for alleging that $56 million in EU funding has not been accessed by The Bahamas because of the "inefficiency" of both the former Progressive Liberal Party and Free National Movement governments.
At a press conference held at the FNM Mackey Street headquarters, party leader Senator Tommy Turnquest heavily criticised Minister Miller for what he claimed were "ill-informed" statements.
"It is the view of my party that Minister Miller is again ill-informed and this is his latest attempt to misinform and mislead the Bahamian public on general funding arrangements under the EU, Lome and Contonou Agreements," Mr Turnquest said, adding that the minister suffers from an acute case of "foot-in-mouth" disease.
Speaking at a press conference held at his ministry following his return from Brussels after attending the Parliamentary Assembly of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries, where he had gone to procure financial assistance following Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne, Minister Miller told the media that negligence on the part of the respective governments, in particular the civil servants, cost The Bahamas millions of dollars of allocated funds over the past 25 years.
Mr Miller explained that he was apologetic about the misconception that The Bahamas does not need funds for hurricane relief and Family Island development, and added that he also expressed regret that those who had the ball in dealing with EU regarding funding for the country, "dropped the ball and did not bother to pick it up."
The minister had promised to bring back $35 million for hurricane relief.
However, on Tuesday Mr Turnquest challenged Mr Miller to produce evidence to back up his "untruthful assertion" that The Bahamas was eligible to receive $56 million in EU funding but did not because of gaffes of previous governments and the inaction of civil servants.
Mr Turnquest explained that since 1975 and the first Lome Agreement, The Bahamas has accessed EU assistance for infrastructural development, for institutional building and for export promotion. "Minister Miller does not appear to have understood anything of what was explained to him in Brussels. Contrary to the misinformation that he seeks to promote in the press, EU funding is allocated to specific national or regional projects. The funding remains committed to the specified project until its completion. Only then can government negotiate with the EU to pool any leftover funding with separate funds to fund new projects," Senator Turnquest said.
He added that in 1992 when the FNM took office it successfully negotiated with EU to pool left over funding from projects initiated under the Pindling Administration, and to use those funds to carry out important infrastructural development projects in "long neglected" Family Islands.
"It was the policy of the FNM Government that assistance provided under the Lome Agreements ought to be used to promote the objectives for which such assistance was intended - that is, to put in place and sustain infrastructural projects needed to accelerate economic and social development of The Bahamas generally and of the Family Islands in particular," Senator Turnquest said.
He continued that in early 1997, The Bahamas signed the Second Financial Protocol under Lome IV, and had accessed some $24 million under successive Lome Conventions since 1975. Since 1992, Senator Turnquest said the FNM Government had used pooled leftover funding available, but unused and unplanned for by the first PLP to:
- Construct and pave the Great Harbour Cay Highway between Treasure Cay and Marsh Harbour, Abaco
- Reconstruct and pave the Queen's Highway in Long Island from Seymour's to Gordons
- Electrify North Cat Island
- Construct a new airport at Rum Cay
- Set aside the funding to construct and repair the main road in Acklins from Sprint Point to Chesters and Lovely Bay.
"The FNM's Government efficiency in applying those funds to important social and economic development projects influenced the EU decision to increase the allocation to The Bahamas under the Second Financial Protocol," the former Mount Moriah MP said, while urging Minister Miller to read his ministry's files.
He called on Mr Miller to play by the EU rules, and appreciate the fact that accessing funding from EU is a lengthy process, as it seeks to ensure that there are no improperly planned projects and no corruption in the process. Additionally, Mr Turnquest said a waiver to permit the use of non-European goods on EU funded projects requires additional lengthy negotiations.
"Though frustrating, the demands from the Europeans for EU funded projects are reasonable from their point of view. Clearly, they do not wish for their tax-payers money to be spent corruptly or inefficiently, and to the extent possible, they would wish for their funding to be spent on European goods which create jobs for their citizens," Mr Turnquest explained.
The Guardian attempted to contact Minister Miller for his comments on the matter, but was unable to speak to him up to press time.
BY Keva Lightbourne
Nassau Guardian
Trade and Industry Minister Leslie Miller was taken to task on Tuesday for alleging that $56 million in EU funding has not been accessed by The Bahamas because of the "inefficiency" of both the former Progressive Liberal Party and Free National Movement governments.
At a press conference held at the FNM Mackey Street headquarters, party leader Senator Tommy Turnquest heavily criticised Minister Miller for what he claimed were "ill-informed" statements.
"It is the view of my party that Minister Miller is again ill-informed and this is his latest attempt to misinform and mislead the Bahamian public on general funding arrangements under the EU, Lome and Contonou Agreements," Mr Turnquest said, adding that the minister suffers from an acute case of "foot-in-mouth" disease.
Speaking at a press conference held at his ministry following his return from Brussels after attending the Parliamentary Assembly of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries, where he had gone to procure financial assistance following Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne, Minister Miller told the media that negligence on the part of the respective governments, in particular the civil servants, cost The Bahamas millions of dollars of allocated funds over the past 25 years.
Mr Miller explained that he was apologetic about the misconception that The Bahamas does not need funds for hurricane relief and Family Island development, and added that he also expressed regret that those who had the ball in dealing with EU regarding funding for the country, "dropped the ball and did not bother to pick it up."
The minister had promised to bring back $35 million for hurricane relief.
However, on Tuesday Mr Turnquest challenged Mr Miller to produce evidence to back up his "untruthful assertion" that The Bahamas was eligible to receive $56 million in EU funding but did not because of gaffes of previous governments and the inaction of civil servants.
Mr Turnquest explained that since 1975 and the first Lome Agreement, The Bahamas has accessed EU assistance for infrastructural development, for institutional building and for export promotion. "Minister Miller does not appear to have understood anything of what was explained to him in Brussels. Contrary to the misinformation that he seeks to promote in the press, EU funding is allocated to specific national or regional projects. The funding remains committed to the specified project until its completion. Only then can government negotiate with the EU to pool any leftover funding with separate funds to fund new projects," Senator Turnquest said.
He added that in 1992 when the FNM took office it successfully negotiated with EU to pool left over funding from projects initiated under the Pindling Administration, and to use those funds to carry out important infrastructural development projects in "long neglected" Family Islands.
"It was the policy of the FNM Government that assistance provided under the Lome Agreements ought to be used to promote the objectives for which such assistance was intended - that is, to put in place and sustain infrastructural projects needed to accelerate economic and social development of The Bahamas generally and of the Family Islands in particular," Senator Turnquest said.
He continued that in early 1997, The Bahamas signed the Second Financial Protocol under Lome IV, and had accessed some $24 million under successive Lome Conventions since 1975. Since 1992, Senator Turnquest said the FNM Government had used pooled leftover funding available, but unused and unplanned for by the first PLP to:
- Construct and pave the Great Harbour Cay Highway between Treasure Cay and Marsh Harbour, Abaco
- Reconstruct and pave the Queen's Highway in Long Island from Seymour's to Gordons
- Electrify North Cat Island
- Construct a new airport at Rum Cay
- Set aside the funding to construct and repair the main road in Acklins from Sprint Point to Chesters and Lovely Bay.
"The FNM's Government efficiency in applying those funds to important social and economic development projects influenced the EU decision to increase the allocation to The Bahamas under the Second Financial Protocol," the former Mount Moriah MP said, while urging Minister Miller to read his ministry's files.
He called on Mr Miller to play by the EU rules, and appreciate the fact that accessing funding from EU is a lengthy process, as it seeks to ensure that there are no improperly planned projects and no corruption in the process. Additionally, Mr Turnquest said a waiver to permit the use of non-European goods on EU funded projects requires additional lengthy negotiations.
"Though frustrating, the demands from the Europeans for EU funded projects are reasonable from their point of view. Clearly, they do not wish for their tax-payers money to be spent corruptly or inefficiently, and to the extent possible, they would wish for their funding to be spent on European goods which create jobs for their citizens," Mr Turnquest explained.
The Guardian attempted to contact Minister Miller for his comments on the matter, but was unable to speak to him up to press time.