Parker-Edgecombe Hits Back at DRA Chairman

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Former State Minister for Disaster Preparedness Management and Reconstruction Pakesia Parker-Edgecombe is hitting back at Disaster Reconstruction Authority Executive Chairman Alex Storr, who called contracts issued post-Dorian in Grand Bahama into question.

Parker-Edgecombe is challenging how figures were released without a completed audit. She adds, there seems to be some hypocrisy relating to contracts.

Berthony McDermott reports.

Disaster Reconstruction Authority Executive Chairman Alex Storr told The Nassau Guardian while less work was done on Grand Bahama in the aftermath of hurricane Dorian, more money was spent, adding that one company received as much as $1 million a month.

He said he’s seen bills of $400,000 and some as high as $500,000 a month while on Abaco the highest bill was just over $300,000 on one site and up to $180,000 on another site.

However, former state minister for Disaster Preparedness Management and Reconstruction Pakesia Parker-Edgecombe is questioning these figures, saying how can they be validated?

Storr said work in Grand Bahama was severely overvalued and questioned why the cost in Grand Bahama was so much higher than that of Abaco.

He said an audit of the DRA’s accounts is ongoing.

The authority has failed to comply with the law, which mandates that the DRA’s audited accounts be submitted to the minister responsible three months after the end of each financial year.

A copy must then be laid in parliament. It also requires all contracts awarded within a fiscal year be publicly disclosed at the end of the fiscal year.

To date no contract has been made public.

The former West End and Bimini MP said there’s some hypocrisy present as it relates to the handling of contracts.