Minister of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Local Government V Alfred Gray yesterday denied claims that he authorised Local Government in Freeport to pay for the island administrator to go to a conference in Africa.

#His comments came after East Grand Bahama MP Peter Turnquest told the House on Monday that he had written “proof” that Mr Gray told local government to fund the trip that Mr Turnquest called a “vacation” at a time when the nation was supposed to be tightening its spending habits.

#He was referring to the Commonwealth Local Government Conference in Kampala, Uganda, Africa, scheduled for May 14 to 17.  Mr Turnquest told he House that “after the Freeport City Council agreed that the Chief Counsellor and the deputy would go, the minister authorised them to include the administrator.

This is a blatant waste of the tax payer’s money. That is $6,000 each minimum or $18,000 in total. This cannot be right when we are asking corporations and the College of the Bahamas to cut cost. They went on a vacation at the public expense, on much needed infrastructure funds.”

#Mr Gray not only denied the claim but yesterday tabled a letter from the Administrator and the Chief Councillor denying that Mr Gray had authorised the trip. This letter also said that the minutes from a meeting that stated that Mr Gray did give that order, were false.

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