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PAC should pack

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The following was posted as a comment to the The legalized violence blog by BU family member Artax – Blogmaster

I believe the PAC, in its current format, is a waste a complete of time.

Any Committee that is mandated to investigate financial infelicities uncovered by the AudGen’s Office, as outlined in his reports, but is comprised of politicians, more so LAWYERS and members of the ‘ruling administration’……

…… the process becomes a political exercise and provides an opportunity for the Opposition Leader to engage in political grandstanding.

The PAC plays a crucial in the governance system, by upholding transparency and accountability with ministries, departments, SOEs and quasi government entities and can invite ministers, permanent secretaries or other ministry officials to the committee for questioning.

A chairman essentially has authority and responsibility over his/her committee and its members; while ensuring it undertakes its constitutionally required functions and the members perform their designated duties.

How is an Opposition Leader, as chairman of the PAC, expected to build and lead a team to achieve the desired objectives, in an adversarial political system, whereby the chairman and the majority of the members oppose each other in Parliament, over the same issues they come together under a PAC to investigate?

We had a PAC hearing as a result of Transport Board’s special audit, when Atherley was Opposition Leader, which revealed several breaches of government financial rules.
There were reports of ‘missing buses,’ a HINO bus being sold to a former bus driver for $500 and other unauthorised financial transactions.

‘Not a boy ain’t get charged or locked up.’

In MY opinion, the PAC should be an INDEPENDENT body, with an elected chairman and comprised of, for example, forensic accountants and auditors, as well as attorneys knowledgeable in financial and criminal law.

Forensic auditors are trained in fraud examination methodologies, profiling, investigation and interviewing techniques, evidence gathering and management, writing reports and litigation.

After all, Barbados is a republic.

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28 responses to “PAC should pack”

  1. David Avatar
    David

    PAC in spotlight

    Opposition Leader questions make-up of body

    Opposition Leader Ralph Thorne has voiced his frustration with the Government’s majority on the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), claiming it is hindering its ability to function effectively as an oversight body.

    However, one member from the PAC from the ruling administration says nothing could be further from the truth.

    During a press conference yesterday at the Opposition Leader’s Office on Hincks Street, The City, Thorne revealed that during a recent PAC meeting, the Government members voted to prioritise an old investigation into the Barbados Water Authority (BWA) from 2019 over what he deemed the more recent and pressing housing issue.

    He said the recent Auditor General’s Report into cost overruns for the construction of Chinese houses was still fresh in the mind of the public. He described the five-year-old BWA matter as “spent” and of lesser interest to Barbadians.

    Housing

    “We went there intending to place [housing] high on the agenda for investigation by a Public Accounts Committee in a public hearing. I am unhappy to report to you that the Government members of that committee felt that the matter should go to a vote . . . and that we should go back to a Barbados Water Authority matter that was started when Bishop [Joseph] Atherley was Opposition Leader,” Thorne said.

    “I came here on a previous occasion and I promised this country that the Public Accounts Committee, under my chairmanship, would pursue investigations which the people of Barbados feel are due for investigation. I promised this country that we would look at the question of housing.”

    Representatives

    The PAC is comprised of Members of Parliament Marsha Caddle, Corey Lane, Edmund Hinkson, Kerrie Symmonds and Colin Jordan. From the Senate, the Government representatives are Senators Lisa Cummins, Chad Blackman and Gregory Nicholls. Senator Crystal Drakes is the lone Independent, while the Opposition comprises its two representatives, Senators Ryan Walters and Tricia Watson.

    Nicholls, in refuting Thorne’s charge, told the Weekend Nation: “There is no single member of the Public Accounts Committee who has voted or suggested that the matter of the report on housing should not be investigated by the committee. Not a single member has indicated that they are in opposition to it.

    “In fact, every single member has agreed that it is a matter . . . that all the reports by the Opposition, including that one, should be dealt with,” he added.

    Thorne accused Government of being reluctant to investigate the Home Ownership Providing Energy (HOPE) project, a company he characterised as a private entity that received significant public funds but failed to deliver on its promises. He said the Government was now shifting its stance and reverting to the National Housing Corporation, which he claimed it had previously abandoned in favour of HOPE.

    “I complained during the Budget Debate that it seemed as if the Government was marginalising the National Housing Corporation . . . . . For all intents and purposes, HOPE has collapsed,” he said.

    “The people of Barbados want an investigation into that $60 million. I want the press of this country . . . to ask the Government why they cannot now give priority to an investigation into the matter of housing . . . .

    “We meet sometime again in September and between now and September, media, I want you to ask the Government why the matter of housing was relegated on the agenda of the Public Accounts Committee. Why are you now using the law to force a Leader of the Opposition to defer a matter of housing in favour of a spent matter of a Barbados Water Authority report?” he queried. (CLM)

    Source: Nation

  2. Artax Avatar
    Artax

    @ David

    Perhaps someone may want to explain what additional information a PAC hearing, based on the AudGen’s report, would gather other than what was already revealed in that same audit report?

  3. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    To expect any PAC to operate as Thorne wanted was not only misguided but displayed the naive wanderings of the politically immaturity.

    When has any leader of the opposition, any including Barrow or Tom, got a government of Barbados to hang itself with a mechanism it itself controls vía their numerical supremacy.

    Indeed, Ralph Thorne should be made to pay a political price for lulling the hapless people of the country into the misbelief that somehow the political animal who is Mia Mottley will give Thorne a political PAC gun to shoot her with.

    This has been his first defeat. More significant ones may yet follow at the hands of the Mottley one-man machine.

  4. David Avatar
    David

    @Artax

    The PAC should be an embarrassment to both political parties (duopoly).

  5. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    This writer has had the pleasure or displeasure of hearing Ralph Thorne refer to a certain situation or person as being ‘a toothless tiger’.

    This was at a time when Thorne had another mind.

    A right mind! Pun intended!

    Indeed, that person should have given this person, who now speaks, the conclusion earlier reached in the case of the PAC.

  6. Artax Avatar
    Artax

    @ David

    When both BLP and DLP are in ‘government,’ they manipulate the PAC to their advantage……

    …… but criticise and complain about it when in opposition.

    The irony here is, over the years, successive BLP & DLP administrations never made any meaningful attempt to improve the Committee’s viability, because to do so, would be politically disadvantageous to them.

    So, we ‘keep going around in circles.’

  7. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    The PAC should be an embarrassment to both political parties
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Why would boss tricksters be embarrassed at their success?

    WE BBs should embarrassed to have fallen for that PAC of tricks.

    LOL
    “…the PAC should be an INDEPENDENT body, …”

    Yuh think!!!!!??

    Murda!!!

    What a place!

  8. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    The most Thorne and the DLP could hope for is what we already know.

    These include the 60 million wasted on Hope.

    Certainly, a number of additional areas of malfeasance maybe gleamed from the endless borrowing.

    Plus, Thorne is said to be a top lawyer. Lawyers are said to be good liars. Well, some unprovable lies maybe conjured.

    Somewhere amongst these is the Big Lie waiting to be told in a way that would galvanize the rabble to one side.

    However, to presuppose that a titular chairman of a PAC could legally and conclusively lay a glove on this Mottley regime was always fanciful.

  9. NorthernObserver Avatar
    NorthernObserver

    @Artax
    The PAC should provide those persons employed by the target of the Auditor General Report the opportunity to explain the findings, and even question them if there are grounds.
    Beyond this PAC is not a court. As you noted, there were no follow up accountability measures in the TB PAC.
    9/10 a response that the Minister was aware is tantamount to full immunity.
    It is well understood one’s time in power is an opportunity to mek some blenzers. And nobody is coming after you.
    The PAC is theatre for party supporters, otherwise a pappy show.
    The unlucky like DI, get licks. But on Bajan soil, he remains a senior and valued member of his party. He en do nuffing wrong, he just get catch by those stinking ferners who sold him out.

  10. David Avatar
    David

    @Artax

    The modus operandi is used for every issue. It is called politics. We love it!!!

  11. Hants Avatar
    Hants

  12. Artax Avatar
    Artax

    “The PAC should provide those persons employed by the target of the Auditor General Report the opportunity to explain the findings, and even question them if there are grounds.”

    @ NO

    Auditors from the AG’s Office question those persons employed by the government entities that are targets of the Auditor General’s reports, and they must provide the necessary information that explains the auditors’ queries.

    What recommendations to problems would the PAC suggest that weren’t already outlined in the AudGen’s report, or would they present acceptable alternatives that are compatible with government’s financial regulations?

    The ‘HOPE Project’ would obviously provide political mileage for Thorne.

    And government owned entities will continue to either prepare financial statements at their leisure or, similarly to NIS, prepare and submit them in bulk.

  13. David Avatar
    David

    Unlike the PAC in England, after which we pattern our model of governance, the level of public scrutiny – especially facilitated by the media – ensures members of the PAC do their work.

  14. William Skinner Avatar
    William Skinner

    We agree with @ Artax but until we accept that we have an essentially corrupt form of government, we would just continue to spin top in mud.
    We are really in no man’s land and have been for sometime. We are convinced that we really don’t want to believe that for a very small country, there is way too much skullduggery.
    We have millions upon millions dollars squandered by these two parties. The Auditor General is treated like a puppet and we keep going around in circles.
    We are either fooling ourselves or just downright fools. Our country is quickly becoming a banana public and we are afraid to recognize the frequent embarrassments.
    We keep reinventing the wheel.
    The people are fatigued with the political crap. And the intelligentsia is obviously useless.
    Like it or not sooner or later we are going to crash on the rocks like the fishing votes.
    Who will save us from the impending collapse?
    We recommend a government of national reconstruction constructed of all the social partners, the government and opposition and the immediate suspension of the life of the current parliament. This government should be tasked to set up a road map for the next 5o years. It should be given authority to manage the country for ten years.
    The current PM will govern with two other PMs chosen by the social partnership. Each PM will be given areas of national development to manage and will report directly to the people via Parliament.
    Elections would then be held within six months after the ten years have expired.
    All citizens will have a continuous say in how the country will develop the 50 year plan .

  15. 555dubstreet Avatar
    555dubstreet

    Is the politicizing of the PAC actually Ralph Thorne’s Grandstanding and shrill calls to Media. He is in a position to contribute within the system, which is how the system is designed and works and he should be more pragmatic and professional.

  16. David Avatar
    David

    As the DLP is trying to command impossible control of the PAC, elsewhere it is trying to do the same internally.

    DLP moves meeting online amid internal tensions

    The Democratic Labour Party (DLP) held its general council meeting online on Thursday amidst rumours of potential disruption, acting president Andre Worrell has confirmed.
    The meeting, originally scheduled to take place at the party’s George Street headquarters, was moved online following concerns about interference from by party members.
    “I can confirm that we had a general council meeting yesterday on Thursday, the 18th”, Worrell told Barbados TODAY. “The meeting was initially scheduled to happen in person, but we decided to have the meeting via Zoom last night. I can report that it was a very productive meeting where we were able to have issues in the party dealt with and decisions made.”
    The shift to an online format came after a WhatsApp message circulated urged party members to “STAND UP and be reckoned”, claiming that “the move to subvert this meeting should be the STRAW that breaks the camel’s back”.
    Worrell acknowledged the internal challenges facing the party: “Yes, we did face some disruption, as the whole of Barbados knows about the suspension of the president and general secretary, and as any organisation that has faced a disruption of two of its top leaders, there would be some confusion. But we are pressing ahead to get our branches’ AGMs completed before the annual conference.”
    Despite these setbacks, the acting president emphasised the party’s focus on moving forward.
    “We are getting ourselves ready,” he said. “Regrettably, we’ve had some internal challenges, and we need to get those sorted and behind us.”
    The general council meeting dealt with a report from Political Leader Ralph Thorne on parliamentary activities and the Public Accounts Committee.
    Worrell noted: “Obviously, as a party that has not had a seat in Parliament since 2018, this is the first time that we’ve had a substantive report on the matter.”
    The party also discussed Thursday’s walkout by Senators Tricia Watson and Ryan Walters and laid out plans for the annual party conference scheduled for the weekend of August 23.
    “The party is gearing up itself for the annual conference”, Worrell explained. “This year, we will only be voting for six persons to sit in a slightly different format, introducing technology by utilising electronic voting. This gives us a good opportunity to test that with a smaller number of positions that we are voting for this year.”
    Addressing the broader DLP membership and supporters, Worrell struck an optimistic tone about the party’s future.
    “We are finding our voice again, and we are trying to get the members focused,” he said. “And that is the message that I would want to send out to the members. We need your support in terms of getting the party focused on representing the people of Barbados.”
    The acting president reaffirmed the DLP’s commitment to serving Barbadians: “Although things are going on with the two people whom many of us have regard for, we need to see the bigger picture. The bigger picture is that the Democratic Labour Party, not necessarily individuals . . . is working to represent the people of Barbados. That is what Barbadians are most concerned with.”
    Worrell also commented on the media attention surrounding the party’s internal struggles with a touch of humour. “We’ve tried very hard to keep the party’s name out of the press. Yes, we have provided quite a bit—a number of lyrics for calypsonians—but I don’t really mind that. That is par for the course when it comes to politics. This year, it is us. Next year, it might be the Barbados Labour Party or something else. So that’s par for the course.” (RG)

    Source: BT

  17. TheOGazerts Avatar
    TheOGazerts

    Can I put in my two cents?

    OK? Let’s get right down to it. This is not a tale of two systems The Aud Gen Report or the PAC but is a tale of two parties.

    If we adopted the position that because a system/organization is not working effectively, then we should abandon it, I shudder to think of the number of our systems/organizations that would survive this condition.

    I am surprise that it would suddenly dawn on us that the PAC is ineffective and useless and that we should rely only on the equally ‘ineffective and useless’ Aud Gen reports.

    What caused this moment of inspiration? We have gone along with these charades for years and suddenly out of the blue we have this brain wave? Would we be railing against the PAC if the DLP was in power and it wanted to focus on one of the many horrendous failures of the DLP as it now wants to do for the BLP.

    These episodes of intense fog and then brilliance does not surprise me. The timing of these episodes does not surprise me. The fact that these episodes seem to be linked to the election cycles or administration in power does not surprise me. That’s how we roll; convenient blindness; interrupted brilliance and some sweet spin.

    I say … keep both.

  18. John A Avatar
    John A

    Do way with the PAC as that is more politics than performance and give the auditor general the powers to persue and prosecute.

    This will never happen though cause like the FTC the PAC is all fluff!

  19. The OG Avatar
    The OG

    I should not talk about cricket for I was never any good at it. I remember, fondly, my young neighbor who I thought would be the next savior of the West Indies having long spells of batting an short spells at bowling whilst for me (the other team) it was the opposite.

    Thank God for these beautiful and repeated demonstrations that life is not fair and lessons of taking your knocks and pushing forward as you get them. For the record, he never made it in cricket at any level.

    From these experiences, I gathered a love of spin. No need to huff and puff and to throw the ball as if you were a madman. The gentle run up, the slight toss of the ball though the air and the ball at the last moment coming alive and skillfully avoiding your bat. Then I would play the flight of the ball over in my mind and develop a plan to punish the next ball and in the end I would hit only air instead of a sweet four.

    I love spin bowling. I love good spinners. Clever and deceptive bowling.

  20. Artax Avatar
    Artax

    I agree with John A wholeheartedly.

    A perusal of my previous contributions in the BU archives would clearly indicate that, over the years, I’ve always expressed the view ‘that the PAC is ineffective and useless.’

    It was NOT an opinion that “suddenly dawned on me.”

    One of my arguments is, supposed an incumbent party loses the general election and becomes the Opposition and the former PM Opposition Leader and Chairman of the PAC.

    The former administration, through the PAC, would essentially have to hold hearing into financial concerns highlighted in the AudGen reports that occurred when they ‘were in power,’ which I believe is a conflict of interest.

    I suggested the Auditor General should be given prosecutorial authority, and used New Zealand as an example.
    That the AudGen should be responsible for investigating allegations relative to breaches of the Financial Management & Audit Rules and decide whether or not prosecution is warranted.

    Suggestions that were made WHEN the DLP ‘was in power.’

    I also mentioned the fact that the DLP dedicated three (3) pages of its 2008 election manifesto to the topic, “Good Governance,” in which they mentioned under a DLP administration integrity legislation would be implemented immediately and the Auditor General reports would no longer be disregarded.

    The BLP made similar promises in their 2018 election manifesto as well.

    We are essentially ‘going around in circles,’ because in 2024, the politicians are still ‘dancing around those issues.’

  21. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Ah, promises, promises! The only good thing that ever came from them was a song by Dionne Warrick. Time for a music break!

  22. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    Oops! Real name Warrick, stage name Warwick.

  23. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    How many of you are family to BLP and or DLP politicians ?

  24. NorthernObserver Avatar
    NorthernObserver

    @Artax
    I don’t keep a running count, but from memory, there are numerous times the AudGen has failed to get a response and/or the response didn’t address the question posed.
    Hence, a PAC provides that opportunity. Not that they still cannot attempt to dodge the question, but it’s open for all to see.
    Further information can be provided which may be beyond the AudGen remit or knowledge if they were not told/advised.

  25. x Detective Avatar
    x Detective

    This is called political masturbation by the self serving corrupt actors in parliament. All that is happening is the can of the coming dark day is getting closer. Not a day does pass that my former colleagues do not complain when they meet me about what some call the BLP Police Service. Moral is at an all time low and some days the shifts are short. The only thing that that will save the force is a foreigner at the top and retiring Dottin for good. Bertie have a lot to offer and GOB should put politics aside and use his skills

  26. 555dubstreet Avatar
    555dubstreet

    As per usual on par with the course Ralphie is missing again with the purpose and intent of Government Inquiries and his designated role in the PAC.

    It is not a vehicle to hold judgement on the Government like a Court Trial nor the correct place for him to get up on his Leader of Opposition DLP political bandwagon to play the crowd.

    It is merely a place to review Government actions for lessons learned from mistakes and Government has the legal right to accept or reject any findings and recommendations from the panel as they wish.

    Inquiries are often criticised for their remit which are limited in scope essentially being whitewashes to cover up wrongdoings or kicking problems into the long grass delaying addressing them for several years in slow proceedings.

    Like Donald J Trump’s immunity from Criminal Actions of which there are many, Government has the inherent Jurisdiction that any action taken against Government will Fail.

  27. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    billion dollar fund

    https://barbadostoday.bb/2024/07/21/440265/

  28. David Avatar
    David

    Report submitted

    THE Parliamentary Reform Commission, chaired by Sir Richard Cheltenham, met with President The Most Honourable Dame Sandra Mason at State House yesterday and formally tendered its report titled “Report of the Parliamentary Reform Commission, 2024” dated June 27.

    Appointed on May 8, 2023, the Commission was directed under its terms of reference to inquire into Barbados’ parliamentary system, process, and procedures with a view to making recommendations to strengthen Parliament, enlarge Barbados’ democracy and reflect the wishes of the Barbadian people. (PR)

    Source:Nation

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