A senior opposition figure has accused government of outright withholding key financial information, arguing that unanswered questions about major public projects and spending have become too frequent to ignore.
Senator Ryan Walters, the shadow minister of finance in the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) launched a broad attack on what he described as an embedded culture of secrecy, evasion, and disregard for public accountability.
In the latest development that has attracted the opposition’s criticism, the Central Bank Governor Dr Kevin Greenidge, refused to disclose the total cost of the BiMPay instant payment platform.
But in a statement — published before the Governor made a public apology and stated that “the cost of BiMPay to date for phase one; the entire payment infrastructure, not just the app, is approximately $6.7 million, against an approved budget of $10 million” — Senator Walters said the controversy surrounding BiMPay is not an isolated incident, but the latest example of a long-standing pattern in which public officials treat legitimate media and political scrutiny as irritants.
“The recent controversy surrounding the refusal to disclose the cost of the BiMPay project is not simply about one question, one journalist or even one public official.
“It is symptomatic of a culture that has become embedded within this administration. A culture where legitimate questions are viewed as irritants, scrutiny is treated as opposition and transparency is increasingly considered optional.”
He continued: “The government does not own the public purse. Ministers are not custodians of private funds. Every dollar that passes through the hands of government, its ministries, statutory corporations, state-owned enterprises and public institutions belongs ultimately to the people of Barbados. Citizens therefore have an unquestionable right to know how their money is being spent, whether value is being achieved and whether appropriate safeguards exist to protect those resources.”
The financial critique highlighted several areas where the government has allegedly failed to provide clarity, according to Senator Walters.
He also raised concerns about undisclosed costs for external consultants retained since 2018, unanswered questions about ministerial travel expenses, limited information on fuel import costs relative to pump prices, and the absence of data on the cost-benefit analysis of the We Gatherin’ 2025 initiative.
Senator Walters also pointed to the ongoing sale of the Holetown Civic Centre, noting that plans are advancing despite the total cost not being disclosed to taxpayers.
Turning to infrastructure and healthcare, he referred to a major pandemic-era development in the north of the island that has reportedly been repurposed without clear explanation.
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, the government constructed a health facility in St Lucy at a reported cost exceeding $125 million,” the opposition lawmaker said. “Today, that facility no longer serves its original purpose and has reportedly been repurposed to house migrant labour. Barbadians deserve to know what became of that substantial public investment that clearly had a place in extending access to healthcare to citizens.”
Senator Walters also raised concerns about state-operated entities and cultural spending, specifically naming HOPE Inc. and CARIFESTA. Despite millions of dollars in public funds being channelled through HOPE Inc., and issues identified by the Auditor General, he said a new minister recently confirmed the entity is still spending without having presented a single annual financial report for public scrutiny.
He called for an independent audit into CARIFESTA, where expenditure reportedly rose from $8m to $34, well beyond original projections. He noted that hundreds of millions of dollars allocated to related infrastructure projects remain incomplete, even as deadlines shift and costs rise.
“The public deserves facts, not merely assurances and political talking points,” the DLP spokesman said, questioning the absence of comprehensive project evaluations.
Senator Walters’s critique then turned to the country’s social safety net, focusing on the National Insurance and Social Security Service. While reaffirming the DLP’s historical support for social protection initiatives such as the Solidarity Allowance and the Cost of Living Cash Credit initiative, he said that compassion must not replace compliance.
He questioned whether funds transferred from NISSS to finance these temporary government programmes have been fully repaid.
“The funds within the National Insurance Scheme belong to the workers who have contributed to them over decades and must be safeguarded accordingly. This is about the protection of workers’ contributions, pensioners’ benefits and the long-term sustainability of the country’s most important social protection institution. To date, clear answers have not been forthcoming.”
He also raised an issue with the continued delay of the mandatory actuarial review, an independent assessment intended to identify early risks to national insurance and social security, which, when taken together, point to a troubling pattern.
“Viewed individually, government may attempt to explain away each of these concerns,” he said. “However, taken together, they reveal a disturbing pattern. Questions are asked. Most ignored. Answers are promised. Time passes. Reports never appear. Audits are delayed. Costs increase. Deadlines move. Accountability disappears. This pattern is now too consistent to be dismissed as coincidence.”
Senator Walters said the opposition does not object to government spending itself, but to what he described as the absence of oversight and reporting. He called on the administration to publish outstanding audits, reports, expenditure details, and the actuarial review without delay.
“Accountability is not a favour granted by government to citizens. Accountability is the price of holding public office,” he said. “Transparency is not achieved through PR stunts, speeches, press conferences or political rhetoric. Transparency is achieved through disclosure. Until the necessary information is placed before the public, legitimate questions will continue to be asked, and the Democratic Labour Party will continue to demand answers on behalf of the people of Barbados.”
(RR)
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