Free National Movement (FNM) Chairman Darron Cash yesterday expressed concern over the Urban Renewal small home repairs program.
The program, which targets inner-city homes in need of small scale renovations, was launched last week. The government has allocated $10 million for that program in the current budget.
Cash said while the FNM supports the program, it is concerned about how the money will be distributed.
"This is not a new program, as it existed under the Free National Movement government," Cash said in a statement.
"It is important to note that the FNM regards this as a worthy public policy initiative that goes to the heart of meeting real needs of persons -- mainly the poor and elderly -- who have literally struggled to keep roofs over their heads.
"What is new is the announcement that the Christie administration will operate this program under the banner of Urban Renewal and in the process substantially increase the amount of funds assigned to the initiative.
"The FNM has cause for great concern. The last time this approach was taken, the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Rt. Hon. Perry Christie used portions of a $15 million slush fund to pay for certain elements of the government's 2012/2013 political agenda -- including urban renewal.
"To date, the Bahamian people have still not received a proper accounting of how the $15 million was spent, and we are almost half way through a second budget year."
In the 2012/13 budget, the government allocated $15 million to introduce initiatives like Urban Renewal 2.0 and facilitate home repairs and community improvement in the inner-city.
The FNM has repeatedly called for an accounting of how that money was spent.
"We have every reason to expect that even with the first cloud of suspicion over the heads of Christie administration officials about how the previous slush fund was used, and as yet another set of no-accountability bid contracts is issued, there is little reason for high confidence that this new process will be fair," he said.
"This administration's record thus far has been way too abysmal and far too many contractors marginalized to inspire confidence."
Cash said another "critical gap" in the program is that it fails to recognize the significant needs of working families in non-urban communities where the need for home repairs is prevalent.
He said many residents in areas like Carmichael, South Beach and Garden Hills among other areas are in desperate need of similar assistance.
"A key test will be the Christie administration's ability to identify needs in constituencies that their members do not represent," he said.
"The FNM will be watching closely to see if the sidelining of contractors believed to be supporters of the FNM will continue to be standard operating procedure in the Ministry of Works and Urban Development."
Urban Renewal also launched its foundation, which seeks donations to carry out additional home repairs.
At the launch of the Urban Renewal Foundation earlier this month, Deputy Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis assured that the small home repairs program will be transparent.
He noted that the co-chairs of the Urban Renewal Commission, former Deputy Prime Minister Cynthia 'Mother' Pratt, and former Member of Parliament Algernon Allen will oversee activities and approve expenditure of funds.
Davis said while the government has allocated a significant amount, the money is not sufficient to address the many programs that Urban Renewal is seeking to carry out.

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