Log In

Reset Password
BERMUDA | RSS PODCAST

OBA: PAC has revealed Govt working in an unacceptable way

The Opposition One Bermuda Alliance yesterday criticised what it described as “poor judgement and careless behaviour at the highest levels of government” in the wake of the latest report from the Public Accounts Committee.The PAC report, which was tabled in the House of Assembly on Friday, supported the Auditor General’s conclusion that a paid consultancy arrangement between the Bermuda Land Development Company and its Chairman and Deputy Chairman was a fundamental conflict of interest and that the money received by the pair should be repaid.It also criticised former Public Works Minister Derrick Burgess for his role in the affair.In a statement released yesterday, OBA leader Craig Cannonier said that the bipartisan committee’s report “reveals an inner circle of people exploiting a situation to serve their interests before the public interest.“And it shows a senior Minister operating without regard for rules and regulations and openly defying the Premier.“All of this is completely unacceptable.”And Mr Cannonier dismissed a statement by the Premier that good governance legislation had been passed since the controversial consultancy arrangements.“This situation did not require new legislation to stop it from happening. All the rules and regulations to make sure people do not misuse public funds were already in place,” Mr Cannonier said.“But in this instance, people completely disregarded those rules and regulations.”He added: “The BLDC situation reveals poor judgment and careless behaviour at the highest level of government. If our political leaders do not enforce the rules, if they do not set the highest standards of conduct, then Bermuda has a serious challenge. People need to know that the people at the top are doing the right thing.“That wasn’t the case at the BLDC.”Mr Cannonier also questioned why Premier Paula Cox supported Pastor Leroy Bean as a general election candidate, given that she had ordered him fired from his position as BLDC Deputy Chairman for his role in the consultancy arrangement.“Surely, the Premier had a choice in the matter — a choice to send a signal about what is acceptable and what is not,” Mr Cannonier said.Asked for the ruling party’s official reaction to the PAC report, a spokesman said: "The PLP introduced landmark good government reforms that strengthened whistleblowers, increased penalties on wrongdoing and made the tendering process more open and clear.“The OBA hasn’t offered any ideas. Paula Cox and the PLP are standing strong for Bermudians by surely and steadily working to make government work better for our people.”United Bermuda Party MP Charlie Swan said that the report highlights “the need for our elected officials to be accountable for their actions.”Besides the BLDC controversy, the PAC also reported that Financial Instructions were breached during the period advertising agency GlobalHue was the official agency for Bermuda and that it had attempted to destroy the career of a veteran tourism official after he refused payment when the company did not provide proper invoices for its claims.And the PAC report states that GlobalHue was given the licence to ignore established protocol because of its relationship with the then Premier and Minister of Tourism.Mr Swan said that the official former Director of Sales and Marketing Glen Bean should be commended for revealing wrongdoing.“The report clearly demonstrates how ministerial influence can adversely affect the operations of departments and ministries,” he said.“The report clearly sets out how ministerial influence can adversely affect the public purse — the examples are unrefutable.”