Former Cabinet Bradley Roberts sounded the alarm as he labels the Free National Movement (FNM) as unaccountable, non-transparent, and dishonest.

This stems from recent and past construction projects across the nation in which the general contractor or initial construction company was relieved of their duties causing the tax paying public millions of dollars. 

Mr. Roberts said that the most recent project causing concern stands on John F. Kennedy Drive,  just west of the Paul Adderley Building. 

He said, “It is clear that this public structure is substantially complete but work has suddenly stopped because I am advised the contractor, Lloyd Smith, has been fired. The general public and I have seen this scenario before with the construction of the Paul L. Adderley Building where incidentally Mr. Smith was the general contractor.”

He also said that during the FNM’s last term in office between 2007 and 2012, the administration fired Mr. Smith.

He added, “In a very public account of the drama that unfolded, Mr. Smith withheld the balance of the building materials connected with the project. The case was taken to court where it was revealed that he was fired without cause, so he was paid the balance of the monies owed to him, he released the balance of the material, and the FNM hired another contractor to complete the project.”

“The problem to the tax paying public was that upon completion, the cost of the building almost doubled, even though it was substantially completed. The initial cost was in the range of $12 million. The waste on this project was breath taking with no acceptable explanation coming from the FNM,” he said.

In a statement issued yesterday, Mr. Roberts listed a number of projects in the country where the same issue transpired. 

Some if these include a building project in Mangrove Cay, Garvin Tynes Primary School repairs, the remand center in Fox Hill, and repairs made to Stephen Dillet Primary School. 

Mr. Roberts invited Bahamians to watch what he calls the “latest episode involving the new building project on JFK”. 

He also advised the public to watch for the government’s explanation on the reasons for dismissing the current contractor, the initial project cost, and the completion cost after replacing the contractor.