Bonaby: Beaches and Parks Contracts Alarming

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Public Beaches and Parks Authority Chairman McKell Bonaby revealing what he called alarming details into contracts issued under the former Minnis administration, as debate on the midyear budget wrapped up Thursday night.

Multiple sweeping contracts issued by the authority under the Minnis administration topped $76,000 per month, according to Bonaby.

As controversy continues around the authority and its past leadership, Bonaby revealed sweeping contracts had some irregularities.

According to Bonaby, no board secretary signatures were found on those substantial contracts.

He said the contracts were $45,926 per month for one contract, $11,625 per month on another contract, $12,400 per month on another contract, and $6,951 per month.

He said the accounts department should’ve brought the matter to the attention of former Executive Chairman Shanendon Cartwright.

He also asked that if these contracts were voidable, should legal action be taken to return the monies to the public purse?

He further questioned whether board members will be protected, particularly given the fact that they did not meet for two years.

Cartwright has come under fire after it was revealed late last year that the authority consecutively overspent its budget by millions of dollars and issued a rash of contracts ahead of the 2021 election, some of which were duplicates.

Cartwright quickly responded, saying the meeting minutes would reflect that sweeping contracts were unanimously approved by the board.

Cartwright also addressed duplicate contracts, saying they were not a sinister attempt to double pay, but instead a system issue.

He said he met 50 to 60 duplicate contracts when the Free National Movement came into office in 2017.