Minnis calls for committee to monitor hurricane spending

Fri, Oct 21st 2016, 10:45 AM

Free National Movement (FNM) Leader Dr. Hubert Minnis has called for an independent committee to oversee all funds borrowed by the government for relief efforts following Hurricane Matthew and Hurricane Joaquin.

In Parliament yesterday, the government brought a resolution to borrow up to $150 million to help cover the cost of relief efforts following the hurricanes that were a year apart.

Minnis acknowledged that the country needed assistance, but questioned the Christie administration's ability to properly manage borrowed money.

"We agree that there is mass devastation when we look at Grand Bahama, Andros and New Providence, especially the south," Minnis told The Nassau Guardian outside Parliament.

"There is mass devastation.

"We agree that homes were lost.

"We agree that lives were changed.

"We agree that businesses have been lost and we agree that it has attributed to unemployment.

"It needs to be fixed. People's lives need to change and their homes need to be corrected.

"But this government has a terrible track record of transparency and accountability.

"So when you're borrowing, we would like to see some sort of reconstructive committee with oversight [of] whatever funds there are and they have available to them an independent tender board that will be totally transparent who is not concerned with whether you are a member of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) or FNM.

"That reconstructive committee who has oversight will report to the Bahamian populus on a regular basis so that we would know how the monies are spent.

"They must come up with a plan.

"How will the money be spent over a two-year or three-year period?

"If this government believes that they can fix this overnight then they better wake up."

On Monday, Prime Minister Perry Christie told reporters the government may consider introducing a special tax to help finance Hurricane Matthew repair and recovery efforts.

Christie said yesterday there will be no new tax to defray the cost of the damage associated with Hurricane Matthew.

Minnis questioned why a hurricane tax was even considered or mentioned.

"First of all, the Bahamian people are suffering," he said.

"So many people are unemployed.

"The cost of living has increased. The poverty level has increased. The middle class has shrunken.

"Individuals cannot afford to pay their rent, light or mortgages.

"In fact, they have no lights at this particular time but they can't afford food.

"Individuals are already stressed out at their max in terms of bills so to try introducing an additional tax is outrageous.

"Who is going to pay?

"... How are you going to tax a group that is already overtaxed?

"On top of that, this government already has a problem with accountability and transparency.

"We were just taxed with 7.5 percent value-added tax (VAT) and they were talking about National Health Insurance (NHI) tax.

"You cannot tax yourself out of a crisis. In fact, in a crisis, you try to improve efficiency and that's what the government should do."

The damage caused by Hurricanes Joaquin and Matthew is estimated at $800 million, according to Christie.

He said the $800 million obligation is nine percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) and 40 percent of the national budget.

Christie said the government would not rush to Parliament to impose a tax, but "it is just a natural question to ask, to evoke a debate in the country as to how we are going to do these things".

Jayme C. Pinder, Guardian Staff Reporter

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