Progressive Labour Party MP Zane DeSilva will appear before the Public Accounts Committee this afternoon to give evidence about the Port Royal Golf Course improvement project.

The initiative came under fire in a special report by the Auditor-General on the “Port Royal Golf Course Improvements Capital Development Project” that was issued in October 2014.

Auditor-General Heather Jacobs Matthews criticised the $24.5 million project for going over budget by more than $10 million.

The report also said the project was flawed because of “lack of oversight, cost overruns and inadequate accounting”. In May 2015 the PAC heard that the excavation contract for the project went to Island Construction, owned by Mr DeSilva, which was the only company that submitted a bid.

Contracts were handled by a project manager who had been strongly recommended for the job after handling a similar project in Barbados, while Island Construction also got the contract for irrigation and importing sand for the golf course.

Mr DeSilva is expected to appear before the PAC in the Senate Chamber at 2.30pm.

A statement released by the Public Accounts Committee yesterday evening stated: “It is expected that the Standing Committee will deliberate on matters relating to the golf course renovations and facilities improvements work during the Port Royal Golf Course renovation project, as highlighted in the special report of the Auditor-General on the Port Royal Golf Course Improvements Capital Development Project, dated October 2014.

“MP Zane DeSilva will appear to give testimony to the committee on this matter.”

At the same hearing in May 2015, Wendell Brown, the former chairman of the board, defended the project going more than $10 million over budget.

“We built a course that Bermuda could be proud of,” Mr Brown said.

“OK, we went over budget, but it’s a PGA course and that was the mandate.

“I make no apologies that we blew the budget. We delivered this so Bermuda could benefit from the PGA [Grand Slam of Golf].”

The Public Accounts Committee is chaired by David Burt, the Shadow Minister of Finance, and is made up of Members of Parliament.

It is authorised by the House of Assembly to look at public expenditure.

The committee also investigates findings reported by the Auditor-General in the annual and other special reports.