The Free National Movement (FNM) yesterday called on Urban Renewal Commission Co-Chairs Cynthia "Mother" Pratt and Algernon Allen to apologize over their "wicked and unfair personal attack" on the auditor general, adding that their comments were "despicable".

Allen said Auditor General Terrance Bastian's report into the commission's Small Home Repairs program was "ignorant, ill-advised and signals a clear abdication" of his responsibility to "pursue truth".

Pratt said the report is "not fair to the poor" or the work the commission is doing. She said Urban Renewal is being used as "their football and the poor people are caught in the middle".

It was unclear whom her comment was directed at.

The FNM asserted that instead of moving to address the weaknesses in the program, the government orchestrated the attack through the co-chairs.

It said Prime Minister Perry Christie, who appointed Pratt and Allen, should ultimately take responsibility and act.

"It is simply unacceptable and improper for the honorable prime minister to sit idly by twiddling his thumbs and remain silent while the auditor general is being attacked for doing his constitutional job by persons he (Christie) appointed," the FNM said in a statement.

"...To allow his co-chairs to unleash an unprecedented attack on the auditor general is reprehensible and therefore, unacceptable to every Bahamian.

"The prime minister knows that the auditor general of The Bahamas is a consummate professional and a man of great integrity."

As was published in The Nassau Guardian, the auditor general's report reveals that there is a "lack of accountability, transparency and due diligence in the execution of the program, its management and the quality of the work done".

The report lists a litany of issues discovered in the issuance of contracts, contractor requirements and the lack of a competitive bidding process associated with the program.

It also reveals that contractors were not required to have proof of all-risk insurance and that 11 contractors were paid $171,000 for work that was either incomplete or not done at all.

The audit covers the period from July 1, 2012 to September 30, 2014.

Responding to the findings last week, Deputy Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis said he is satisfied the project is transparent and accountable.

Allen also said Bastian did not have an "appreciation of the program" when conducting his report.

The FNM said the prime minister, deputy prime minister and former minister should know it is not the duty or role of the auditor general to consider the philosophy of the program.

The party said the auditor general is mandated to examine and account for how public funds are disbursed and spent, and Bastian did that.

The FNM added that the auditor general should not be dragged into a "fabricated controversy" for doing his job.

"The despicable action by the co-chairs and the government has given the impression to all that professionals such as the auditor general are only respected if they present reports that are favorable to the government.

"If the reports are not favorable, the PLP has shown that they are all prepared to unleash wicked personal attacks on any such professional to deflect from the truth.

"This is a dangerous standard to set. We cannot allow this to go unchallenged.

"Our democracy depends on our actions. We must all push back on this style of governance.

"The co-chairs must at least apologize to the Bahamian people."

The FNM said the prime minister must do the right thing and restore confidence in the many professional public officers.

Minister of State for Finance Michael Halkitis said last week that the government intends to "dispassionately" examine the auditor general's report into the Urban Renewal Programme and address those weaknesses identified in the program.

Click here to read more at The Nassau Guardian