Thursday: Public Accounts Committee Meeting
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Public Accounts will conduct a Public Hearing on Thursday, 10th December 2015 at 2:30p.m. in the Senate Chamber.
A spokesperson said, “It is expected that the Standing Committee will deliberate on matters relating to the proposed redevelopment of the L.F. Wade International Airport. At the last public meeting, the committee heard testimony from the Accountant General and the Interim Director of the Office of Project Management and Procurement.
“During that testimony, the Accountant General indicated that his permission for a waiver on relevant Financial Instructions was not requested or given in regard to the Airport Development Agreement being executed earlier this year.
“The Committee unanimously resolved to call in the Financial Secretary as a follow up to this matter. The Committee also unanimously resolved to question the Financial Secretary on the issue of sanctions, or the lack thereof, for continued violations of Financial Instructions.
“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 of the Government of Bermuda and, in particular, to investigate 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 Burt.
“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.”
Heritage Wharf? Port Royal?
But don’t you know, it is more important to distract and delay talking about those by discussing a memo where the Accountant General gave clearance for the Minister Finance to deviate from financial instructions and sole source with the only stipulation being that he be updated on relevant negotiations relating to financing for the project… Who the hell is the financial secretary supposed to sanction on this matter, the Accountant General for not remembering what he signed off on over a year ago?? Just how far does Mr. Burt think he can keep riding this dead horse if he keeps flogging it??
JET GATE, JET GATE, JET,GATE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Onion Juice, can you please explain in detail how Jet Gate affected you or any other tax payer in any way??? While you are at it, explain in detail how the huge cost overruns on the Port Royal, Heritage Warf, Dame Lois Building and Berkley School just to name a few, affected us??? I will patiently await your words of wisdom on this matter???
“…explain in detail…”
Good one.
You mean where a former premier took a free plane ride just like another former premier, only in this case, nobody received anything from the government and no tax dollars went to anybody?
GOLF COURSE GOLF COURSE GOLF COURSE PIER PIER PEIR MISSING MONEY MISSING MONEY MISSING MONEY and on and on I could go
Do not vote for Burt in any election ever.
He needs to get the message that us Bermudians don’t tolerate unethical behavior.
He needs to step down from the PAC so the Auditor Generals findings can be pursued and those responsible found accountable. Him being junior minister of finance at the time covered by the report means he has a conflict of interest.
The Public Accounts Committee looks at public accounts. For public money. Owned by the taxpayer.
Jetgate, as you call it, has nothing to do with that, despite your moronic and idiotic childish posts.
Next time, get a competent adult to check what you’re doing.
Until you have something to say on the AG reports, which you’re predictably absent from, you’re comments are pretty irrelevant. Kinda like laughing at someone with s*** on their face when you have s*** on your face.
Talk about deflection from the “real” problems of the wasted public funds from Port Royal, Heriage Wharf, TCD and Berkley. Let’s go Mr. Burt, sink your teeth onto those! We are waiting for the ball to drop.
Don’t forget Grand Atlantic. I’d love a list of the people who profited out of that.
How can he sink his teeth into matters where he was the deputy finance minister? Burt needs to plead the fifth lol.
You’d think the Account G would have to be called back in at some stage in order to explain the clear contradictions stemming from his first appearance.
With respect to the Auditor’s report, I think it’s fair to say that the public, regardless of their political tilt, anticipate that absolutely nothing meaningful will come from PAC on this.
The airport….again.
This time for the accountant general to clarify his comments at the last meeting. This will end up in a tit for tat about what he agreed to as presented by the OBA in response to those comments. It will all be about definitions.
Meanwhile, nothing to talk about in relation to the Auditor’s Report which is something that is the remit of the PAC. Kick that can down the street Mr. Chairman. Kick it good.
Not even for the accountant general to clarify. He’s not being called back in.
My bad, it is the financial secretary. All the more evidence of this becoming a definition ping pong game.
I anticipate Burt spending 12 meetings talking about what could be with the America’s Cup and splitting hairs over the commas in the memo that gave permission for Richards to proceed with airport negotiations, but will spend a combined 12 minutes on Port Royal report and Heritage Wharf report. Fox guarding the hen house indeed! Mr. Burt, former Junior Minister of Finance and advisor to the Premier and Finance Minister, cannot extricate his involvement in the period in Bermuda’s history with the most missing money and overspends and the least clean audits.
Burt sitting in judgement of his own actions as Jr Finance Minister.
Can all the members resign like how the cooler heads in the PLP Shadow Cabinet did? The same mentality of following Mr. Bean applies here for following Mr. Burt.
Why even in opposition; must these individuals be allowed to continue to do damage to Bermuda?
In the words of the current Premier of Bermuda in regards to PAC “what a waste of @%$#! film”.
They literally do NOTHING of value but crusade for their chairman’s pet project; to complain and complain and complain about the Airport.
Where’s the meetings on FACTUAL issues raised by the AG? Where’s the follow up to Port Royal, Heritage Wharf, etc.
WASTE OF TIME!!!!!!
Resign Burt, you are a complete waste of space.
The Chair will not ever review the past transgressions despite the AG report. His position is pure and simply PRO plp with blinders on, and you would want this clown as a future possible Finance Minister. Shows the past will come back to haunt us again and if you turn a blind eye and and fail to acknowledge the past they hope it will be forgotten.
The Chairman is holding Town Hall meetings in opposition to this topic, yet is allowed to Chair Meetings on the same topic?????
Only in BERMUDA….. Are people that STUPID??????
Jumpin’ fish, barkin’ dogs, PAC, SAGE, FPC – what do they all have in common???? They ain’t go no bite. They are a total waste of time and money. Whilst the oba aren’t stealing our tax monies, they sure are as useful as t*** on a bull.
But please…they are a standing committee and as such …well…the polite thing to do would be to…well some one offer them chairs to sit down in….the tedium should be broken up BT tea at ten and three….closer early on Thursdays…
I can’t for the life of me understand why we have a PAC that is chaired by someone incapable and unwilling to do an unbiased professional job of dealing with the public funds. This is a committee that is a total waste of time. Has it ever held anyone to account? Gosh it just keeps getting more and more ridiculous.
you know Bermudian people, lets be fair, what has taken place has, and continues to AFFECT US IN A BIG WAY.
Do you think, by any chance, we could assess what is more crucial to us as of now (today) The topic is the airport, that is the affecting agenda of today, for Bermuda as a whole..
I like the rest or most Bermudians would like justification, accountability. We continue to go backwards, can we not address what is taking place today.. so as it not to continue, come full circle, in the wrong doings. Let us go through the proceedings, once over, we can then deal with what has taken place.
This back and forward gets us in no better position than we started. You all sounding like a bunch of kids fighting over candy ( best way i could put it ) WITHOUT sounding like you.
peace, love and simplicity at ALL times
Who was responsible for nominating the PAC in the first place? How could Burt be elected as Chair? This boggles the mind.
Is there anyway that the public can proceed with investigations without the input of the PAC?
Are they so inept that they cannot deal with more than one thing at a time? How much are these turkeys being paid?
Burt needs to resign from the PAC!