Pintard Promises Public Accounts Committee Will Follow the People’s Money

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NASSAU , BAHAMAS – Members of the newest Public Accounts Committee have been named, and with the opposition holding the majority on the five-member body, Marco City MP Michael Pintard says they’re ready to take a closer look at how taxpayer dollars are being spent.

Our Chinasa Outten caught up with the opposition leader outside the House of Assembly and tells us what’s first on their agenda.

The Public Accounts Committee’s newest members are ready to hit the ground running, according to Opposition Leader Michael Pintard.

He’s joined on the committee by the FNM’s East Grand Bahama MP Kwasi Thompson and Killarney MP Michela Barnett-Ellis.

Representing the government on the committee are Nassau Village MP Jamahl Strachan and West Grand Bahama MP Kingsley Smith.

Wednesday was set to be their first meeting under a new legislative term.

Ahead of that meeting, Pintard told reporters the opposition intends to make full use of its majority stake on the committee.

In a social media post, Pintard insisted they’ll follow the people’s money, examine the Auditor General’s findings and ensure accountability is more than just a slogan.

Michael Pintard – Leader, Opposition

“I spoke with one of the permanent secretaries who testified during the last session. We expect that within a couple of weeks, we’re going to release at least two of the reports, and we just want to make sure that the statements they made on the record, that they agree that this is what was reflected in the previous testimony, and we’ll then proceed and release those reports.”

Among the matters expected to receive immediate attention is the controversial audit into the 2023 CARIFTA Games.

The 23-page audit highlighted a deficit of more than $800,000 and identified several concerns, including questions surrounding the registration of the organizing company and other financial discrepancies.

Pintard says that report will be first on the committee’s agenda.

Michael Pintard – Leader, Opposition

“It will be the first report that will be put out, and that will be out in very short order.”

According to the opposition leader, the findings could raise further questions about oversight and accountability.

Michael Pintard – Leader, Opposition

“There were a tremendous amount of irregularities and a lack of oversight, and the report will confirm some of that. And then, of course, the Auditor General’s report — we in fact looked into that — and the Auditor General, both past and present, had some interesting things to say that I think the public would find instructive.”

With the Public Accounts Committee now reconvened, all eyes will be on whether the promised reports shed new light on government spending and whether officials will be called to answer questions stemming from the findings.