PAC To Deliberate On Airport Redevelopment
[Updated] The Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Public Accounts will conduct a Public Hearing on Thursday [Feb 19] where they will deliberate on the proposed airport redevelopment.
In November 2014, the Government announced they had reached an agreement with the Canadian Commercial Corporation [CCC] to build a new airport terminal building, with Finance Minister Bob Richards saying it is expected to cost in the “range of $200 million”, and the “financing will rely entirely on the future revenue streams from the new airport itself.”
The Government announcement of the PAC meeting said, “The Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Public Accounts will conduct a Public Hearing on Thursday, 19th February 2015 at 2:30p.m. in the Senate Chamber at the Cabinet Building.
“It is expected that the Standing Committee will deliberate on matters relating to the proposed redevelopment of the L.F. Wade International Airport and the reasons why the Accountant General gave the Government permission to deviate from the traditional tender process. The Committee will hear testimony on these matters from the Accountant General.
“The Public Accounts Committee is comprised of Members of Parliament and is authorized by the House of Assembly to closely examine and report on matters relating to the accounts showing the appropriation of the sums granted by the Legislature to meet the public expenditure of Bermuda. The committee also investigates findings reported by the Auditor General in the Auditor’s Annual and other Special Reports.
“The current Chairman of the Committee is Mr. E. David G. Burt, JP, MP. Members of the public are invited to attend and observe the hearing to be held in The Senate Chamber at the Cabinet Building, 105 Front Street, Hamilton, HM 12.”
The last PAC meeting was held last week, with the committee scheduled to deliberate on public funding for the America’s Cup, however it ended with both the Government and PAC Chairman referring to it as “unfortunate.”
Update 5.23pm: The Govt. said the meeting will now be held in the Library at the House of Assembly.
So, when are you going to have the public meetings about Port Royal etc?
The PAC needs to be seriously de politicized. Burt should not be the Chairman. This is a guy who thought it was ok to allegedly offer booze online with no license. Lord help us if he was ever to become Finance Minister.
You are aware the PAC has an OBA Majority.
If they voted for it, why is it political?
You may hate Burt, but he’s not the committee, it’s bi-partisan for a reason!
You must be referring to the debate on the America’s Cup funding.
The OBA members may have agreed to a meeting about it but they have been completely stymied on getting the Port Royal matter etc. in front of the public. Why is that?
Lots of claims of Bipartisan committee….if you think this is truly the case I have ANOTHER bridge to sell you.
If the Chairman won’t table the Port Royal matter for discussion it won’t happen.
THAT is why politics needs to be kept OUT of the PAC. No PLP politicians, no OBA politicians.
If you don’t think this should be the case please answer one question….WHY?
The Chairman has already publicly stated:-
“Regarding the Special Report on Port Royal, the Government should be aware that the PAC deliberated on this matter within two weeks of the report being tabled. Furthermore, the Government is aware the Public Hearings for this report have been scheduled for April.”
PAC Commitees of Commonwealth Legislatures always consists
of members representing various parties of that respective Legislature and are chaired by the Opposition Leader. The ignorance and the lack of knowledge by most bloggers est incroyable!!! PAC operates in the same fashion as Senate Committee hearings on Capitol Hill and those you see on C-Span and at Westminster where current expenditures and topical issues are examined. Our democracy is evolving and maturing.
It’s a bipartisan committee. But the Chair has assumed for himself a lot of executive functions not approved by the Committee has a whole. He has creatively interpreted minuted decisions by the Committee to support a number of actions never contemplated, like speaking with the Governor and sending out a witness summons with a threat of criminal sanction.
Burt couldn’t do much worse that the current finance minister – that’s a fact.
Why is it that all of you OBA Bloggers ignore then fact that the PAC has more OBA MPs than it does PLP MPs?
@ RU Kidding?
Couldn’t do much worse that the current finance minister??? really!?
I agree his delivery could use a bit of polishing but at least he has a basic understanding of how an economy works. If he didn’t have to spend so much of his time breaking it down to a 4th graders level of intelligence (so most people on this island get some idea of the level of trouble we are in), he could probably go about doing his job.
As Finance Minister…yes he could.
He certainly can do worse….ALOT worse. He might even be as bad as Paula “the Cog” Cox.
What funds have appropriated by the legislature that would bring this project within the scope of the PAC
I am starting to get the Impression that Mr Burt wants to use the PAC to further his own personal agenda, and not that of Bermuda
And we have a winner. Like the AC, there’s nothing to deliberate on here – no money has been spent. Burt is playing politics.
It may be personal, but I for one want to know why this project was not put out to tender.
Given this is a bipartisan committee, it would seem the OBA members are just as interested in the reasons as I am.
You keep saying it is bipartisan. It isn’t. It has a slight appearance of such but that is it. No politicians should be in the role of financial oversight of other politicians….ever.
When are they going to discuss Port Royal?
Shhh. Port royal never happened.
The PAC has already stated that a number of public meetings on Port Royal are scheduled for April.
Why are we waiting for April? I’ll remember you said that Mr. Starling. I’ll bet my next paycheque it doesn’t happen.
Beats me – I’m not on the PAC. I just know they have issued a statement that they’ll be holding the meetings in April.
PAC Chairman has already stated:-
“Regarding the Special Report on Port Royal, the Government should be aware that the PAC deliberated on this matter within two weeks of the report being tabled. Furthermore, the Government is aware the Public Hearings for this report have been scheduled for April.
In fairness to David Burt (words I NEVER anticipated saying), the PAC did read out a list of documents at the last meeting suggested by the Auditor General for subsequent disclosure from govt officials. So it seems they still need to gather documents.
Why the Auditor General could not give them to the Committee is beyond me.
To deliberate on a project that has not even been agreed to by the Government. Burt is playing us.
Guess you missed that big signing ceremony last year.
Unfortunately this too will be another ongoing verbal battle between the Opposition Party, (Progressive Labour Party) and the Government, One Bermuda Alliance. It’s time for the O.B.A. to lead the way forward benefiting everyone and not them who are “friends and family” as did the former Government. Remember they’d basically done as they’d wished
How do you know no monies have been spent already for AC? It’s impossible to believe that not one penny has been spent already during this preparation period. You think $77 million will be spent all at once in one go? Funnel it through the BTA and we will never know now would we considering it’s a ”private’ entity? The BTA don’t have to reveal the details of their expenditures. Govt just publicizes the lump sum grant given. Do we know the details of the expense of the BMA, Pension Commission etc? The perfect financing vehicle imo. Wake up people.
So PAC is going to ‘deliberate’ (read complain) about something which is an unquestionable improvement?
Deliberate about the 20 mill that all but disappeared at Port Royal.
PAC Chairman:-
“Regarding the Special Report on Port Royal, the Government should be aware that the PAC deliberated on this matter within two weeks of the report being tabled. Furthermore, the Government is aware the Public Hearings for this report have been scheduled for April.
I think this is a good idea. Get everything on the table, get the whole truth on record, tell everyone the full story. This way, in the next election cycle when the half truths start flying and all the politrics start coming out they can be ended with a proverbial thud when the PAC report gets dropped in the middle of the debate.
The half truths are already flying….like references to bipartisan committees etc.
Politics.
Why oh why does Bermuda need a new airport?
@ Bermuda First……… Agreed !
We do not need to sell our souls to the dictates another country for another institution.
We are already up to our eye balls in comitments.
We need keep and maintain what we have after all it still earns much needed revenue.
Bermudians built the City of Hamilton , Barkley, Ceder Bridge L.B.E. building why go else where, we have the talent here to do up grade.
Bermuda needs to be better and different that any other destination with hospitality with a cherry on top.
Do not sell us short !
A red carpet treatment would work with all staff in proper aeronautical attire and include the Taxi drivers.
Airports are no different to a Bus or Train terminals .
Central station N. Y. has not changed much in decades Airports are not museums or national monuments.
There is not one airport on the planet that I would care to spend any more time the absolutely necessary.
Now ! where is the beach
Bermuda, think and look before you leap.
This makes me sick to my stomach.. we know the simple modifications needed at our existing terminal which could be expanded, our focus needs to bo on the causeway and the new 4 lane drawbridge. Bermudians have been in absolute denial about this situation for decades. WAKE UP!