Senior PLPs butt heads
By JUAN McCARTNEY ~ Guardian Senior Reporter ~ juan@nasguard.com:
Tension has erupted in the Progressive Liberal Party over the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the House of Assembly's failure to meet regularly and shed light on how the Ingraham administration is spending the public's finances, The Nassau Guardian has learned.
The party's national chairman Bradley Roberts has reportedly criticized the party members for not taking the job seriously.
He reportedly believes opposition members — who hold the majority on the committee — are missing key opportunities to hold the government's feet to the fire as it relates to public spending.
The PAC is responsible for auditing government accounts and ensuring that money designated for public spending is being properly managed.
The Nassau Guardian understands that Roberts has threatened to take on this issue at the PLP's National General Council's next meeting.
The Guardian also understands that former chairman Glenys Hanna-Martin has taken exception to the criticism levied by Roberts on this matter.
Chief Clerk Maurice Tynes said the PAC is obligated to report to the House of Assembly at the end of every parliamentary session. He noted that Parliament was prorogued earlier this year, however, the group did not present a report.
PAC, which is chaired by Bain and Grants Town MP Dr. Bernard Nottage, has reportedly not met since the new team was appointed.
Other members of the PAC include Fox Hill MP Fred Mitchell, St. Thomas More MP Frank Smith, South Abaco MP Edison Key and Pineridge MP Kwasi Thompson.
Smith said last night the committee has not met "in a little while" and he could not say when it will meet again.
It is reportedly Roberts' contention that the opposition is missing key opportunities to expose any shortcomings that may exist related to the public purse and how money is being disbursed.
Roberts said last night he had no comment on the matter. Nottage could not be reached.
The Guardian understands that several other issues have caused contention among the upper echelon of the party. Recently memos were circulated within the party by its top brass to parliamentary members warning them to bring their public disclosure filings up to date, according to inside sources. The party has also recently expressed internal concern that PLP leader Perry Christie failed to spend the $200,000 allotted for MPs to spend in their constituencies in the 2007/2008 and 2008/2009 budgets.
The tension comes as the PLP seeks to get a jump on the upcoming elections.
The PLP has recently named several candidates that it proposes to run in the upcoming elections.
July 6, 2010
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