Leader of the Democratic National Alliance (DNA) Branville McCartney called the Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Science Institute (BAMSI) a “crime scene” after he said there are way too many scandals involved.
During a press conference yesterday with other DNA members, Mr. McCartney questioned the millions of dollars invested in the North Andros institute.
“From the start, there was lack of honesty in terms of the mission of BAMSI in particular a relation with the COB relation,” he said.
“There was also lack of accountability or accounting when you have the Minister of Agriculture V. Alfred Gray saying that he has spent over $50 million, but the prime minister and the minister for finance states that they only spent $23 million.”
Mr. McCartney said on top of the money that seems to be “missing”, there are other issues happening at BAMSI that the government need to bring to light.
According to Mr. McCartney, a Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) general was hired as a contractor for the school.
He said the contractor claimed he wasn’t aware that the contract for the burnt male dormitory building did not have Contractors All Risk Insurance.
Therefore, Mr. McCartney expressed confusion as to why this matter is not being given the attention it deserves.
“I don’t see how we as Bahamians could sit here today knowing firstly the contractor cannot give an account for how much money he has received,” he said.
“And on top of that, he gave a bogus statement saying he thought the property was insured by a company that doesn’t even exist.”
Mr. McCartney said from the beginning of BAMSI, DNA members were not on board. He said scandals like these assure him that BAMSI was entirely a “bad idea”.
“We said it from day one that it was going to be a mess and indeed it is,” he said.
“ Everything this government has done has turned out to be a hot mess and BAMSI is included. We want an account as to all of our money that was spent on BAMSI.”
Mr. McCartney said the government is to blame for the millions of dollars missing and wasted on BAMSI.
He demanded to know what the government plans to do about the contractor who didn’t have the building insured as he was required.
