The co-chair of the Coalition for Responsible Taxation (CRT) has stressed the need for increased government accountability and legislation protecting whistleblowers following a recent headline-grabbing forensic audit into the Public Hospitals Authority (PHA).
CRT Co-chair Gowon Bowe told Guardian Business that while he could not comment on the findings of the audit directly, he believes that the initial reports illustrate the greater need for freedom of information in the country, arguing that it would help identify similar "leakages" in the government infrastructure.
"The matters that are now being identified really show where there is potential leakage and damage being incurred by the government because of either corrupt practices or a failure to ensure compliance with policies and procedures.
"Equally, we need to have legislation that is going to protect persons who are willing to come forward and blow the whistle on either bad behavior or outright acts of fraud and corruption," stated Bowe.
The Nassau Guardian reported on Monday that a forensic audit into the PHA's supply of pharmaceutical drugs and medical supplies reveals a $10 million difference in pharmaceutical inventory between Princess Margaret Hospital's (PMH) physical count and what was reflected in PMH's computer system.
Bowe added that the recent audit highlights the need for the government to address other qualitative issues facing the country, rather than focus solely on value-added tax (VAT) and tax administration.
"If we are trying to get our fiscal house in order, the main thing we have to be ensuring is that we're closing up loopholes where money is escaping from the system without being deployed for social benefit of others.
"If we put it quite candidly, we have a very significant [expense] on National Health Insurance already. The question now is are those funds being used effectively?" asked Bowe.
The audit also raises concerns over the formation of a shell company "quickly established for the purpose of transacting" with the Bahamas National Drug Agency (BNDA), which is administered by the PHA.
The forensic audit covers both the Ingraham and Christie administrations, from July 1, 2006 to June 30, 2013. PHA Chairman Frank Smith issued a statement earlier this week that the current PHA board had commissioned the recent audits and is currently reviewing them.
"Anything that leaves itself open to corruption or bad behavior now needs to be curtailed. That goes straight to our freedom of information initiative that we've been pushing. There needs to be legislation that allows information to be disseminated so that the public can evaluate the operating and financial efficiencies of a lot of the government agencies," said Bowe.

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