More to come in the scandal of wasted funds at NIB for FRIENDS, FAMILIES AND Damn LOVERS!

Nassau, Bahamas — As forensic auditors comb NIB looking for fingerprints and financial payments, a closer inspection is advised on a contract signed by the Board for the Robert Smith Adolescent Centre at Sandilands.

Many Bahamians don’t remember the details about this contract, but we remember it intently, particularly during the 2012, May 7th General Elections. The revelations were repeated on the campaign trail by the MP for Cat Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador Philip Brave Davis, who charged that “someone’s hands, feet and head” was deep in the Cookie Jar!

Floyd Wilmott and Algernon Cargill are close relatives.

And both are agents of former Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Hubert Ingraham.

The National Insurance Board entered into a contract with a company named Telco Enterprises in January 2010 to have completed the centre, which was 60% complete at the time of the takeover.

Readers would remember how documentation tabled in the House of Assembly revealed in late 2011 how the government spent over $12 million on the centre. Floyd Wilmott’s company Telco Enterprise Company was to build two new facilities at the Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre, nearly double the original contract signed under the previous administration.

Responding to question by the opposition at the time, Hubert Ingraham told the Parliament that the government contracted Telco Enterprises Ltd. for the completion of construction of the Robert Smith Child and Adolescent Centre and Special Education Unit at the Sandilands Rehabilitation Unit for just over $12 million.

But get this: the original contract signed under the PLP in February of 2006 with Penn’s Renovations and Construction totalled $7.1 million.

Following defeat in the 2007 general elections the contract was cancelled by the Ingraham administration for “political reasons”, and awarded to Wilmott’s company despite the company bidding nearly $1 million more than the other competing contractors.

Again, wasting away National Insurance money and putting the fund at risk.

After cancelling the contract with Penn’s Construction, the project was put to tender in August 2009.

Five bidders were pre-qualified. However, according to Mr. Ingraham on the floor of the House, two companies withdrew their bids leaving Telco Enterprises bidding $8.1 million, Inline Projects Company bidding $6.5 million and Bro-Kell Construction bidding $7.4 million.

And guess what happened? Algernon Cargill [Wilmott’s relative], Patrick Ward and Hubert Ingraham all agreed for NIB to foot the bill for Telco Enterprises.

UNBELIEVABLE!

The completion date was set to be for 60 weeks, which means the building was supposed to open by early 2011, but guess what? We are headed into 2013 and the building is sitting, collecting dust, cannot finish or open!

Who thief da damn money?

Now get this, we at Bahamas Press have been following the development closely and from what we know the National Insurance Board had to shell out more money in order to complete the project, doubling the investment in order to feed Cargill’s relative.

Auditors in their search for answers must ask:

Why did NIB had to shell out more money to a relative of the Managing Director when he failed to complete the project in the contracted period?

Why was no alarm raised regarding the excessive wastage and naked abuse of the Board?

Why is the building to this day not opened?

Did the contractor use the money to purchase supplies or was it used to present kickbacks for a close family member?

And how is it once again Cargill’s special electrician – Kenuth’s Electric – was awarded a $2.217 million for electrical works at the Sandilands project? How did the $5,000 printer plug man get the contract for this work also? Did he complete the work? Boy we tell ya, “If ya don’t laugh you will cry!”

The saga continues at NIB…

We report yinner decide!