A meeting of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) yesterday was called off after all four One Bermuda Alliance members failed to attend, leaving the committee without a quorum.

Financial secretary Anthony Manders, who had been summoned to attend the meeting to present copies of the Airport Development Agreement, was present in the Senate Chamber with a lawyer.

Chairman David Burt, the Shadow Minister of Finance, said Jeff Sousa and Glen Smith had given advance notice that they would not be able to attend, but no such warning was given by either Cole Simons or Susan Jackson.

In addition to Mr Burt, PLP committee members Wayne Furbert and Lovitta Foggo were present, but the Standing Orders require a quorum of at least four members for a meeting to take place.

Addressing the media and members of the public, Mr Burt said that the OBA had requested a private meeting of the PAC in which they could discuss rescinding the summons for Mr Manders.

“Of course, that is not something that is in order,” Mr Burt said. “Once something has been issued you cannot then go back on it.

“It’s outside the rules of the House and it’s outside standing orders. So that is not something that is going to be entertained.

“For whatever reason, the members that had indicated they were going to be here are not present at this time.”

A statement by Mr Simons yesterday afternoon said that the OBA members were all unable to attend due to other professional commitments.

“Unfortunately, none of the Government members of the PAC were able to attend today’s meeting because of prior commitments already in place when the meeting was scheduled and because of unexpected professional commitments,” he said.

“Apologies have been sent to the chairman and we look forward to resuming the committee’s important work next week.”

A fresh summons was served on Mr Manders, warning him to attend the next scheduled PAC meeting with a copy of the contracts for the airport project.

Speaking after the postponement, Mr Burt said he was disappointed by the non-attendance, but that the committee would continue to press on to ensure that Bermuda gets the best value for money with the airport redevelopment deal.

“Regardless of how we feel towards the airport, where some people may be in support of it and some people may be in opposition to it, the biggest challenge we all have is the PAC is here to exercise oversight.

“That is our job, that is our responsibility, and we are supposed to do it in a non-partisan fashion.

“We do not have a place to put an opinion as to whether we believe the airport is a good project or not. That is the responsibility of the elected government.

“Our responsibility, as the PAC, is to ensure that the rules are being followed and to ensure that value for money comes from the project.

“What we know from the airport development agreement thus far is that money is being spent, the contract was signed way back in August; we understand that things are proceeding, consultants have been hired and the taxpayers are increasingly on the hook. What we do not know is to what extent the taxpayers are on the hook, to what extent are the commitments the government signed in August, and that is what we have to know as the only oversight committee in Parliament.”

A PLP spokesman said last night the government appeared to be attempting to avoid revealing details of the airport plan.

“The airport contract was signed on August 24 of last year and the PAC requested the airport contract in November,” the spokesman said. “Five months later, the people’s representatives are no closer to understanding what the OBA has committed taxpayers to over the next 30 years.

“The OBA is clearly trying to avoid revealing the details.

“If they were not, the PAC chairman wouldn’t have had to issue a summons to force the government’s hand. The promised transparency of this un-tendered project is non-existent, meanwhile Aecon continues to move ahead with the project.

“One must assume that given the five months the OBA has taken to reveal the details of the contract that they are trying to buy time.

“The PLP will not allow the OBA to break the rules and the law regarding the airport redevelopment, and our members will continue to use every avenue to ensure that Bermuda get’s the best deal for our limited tax dollars.”