A growing political and accountability controversy has emerged in the Bahamas surrounding McKell Bonaby, chairman of the national Beaches and Parks Authority, who is facing intense public pressure over the agency’s persistent lack of transparent spending disclosures and a years-long absence of independent public audits. As the Progressive Liberal Party’s candidate for the Mount Moriah constituency ahead of upcoming political contests, Bonaby released a formal public statement pushing back against growing criticism, asserting that every cent of taxpayer funding allocated to the authority has been properly documented and accounted for. To date, however, no detailed spending breakdowns, project-level financial reports, or independent audit documents have been released to the general public to back up these claims.
In his defensive statement, Bonaby framed the authority’s spending as a direct investment in Bahamian livelihoods, noting that more than 1,200 local contractors receive work and compensation from the agency on an ongoing monthly basis. He argued that every expenditure translates directly to tangible jobs, economic opportunity, and critical support for communities spread across the country’s island chain. He also highlighted the agency’s expanding operational scope, pointing out that it now oversees more than 250 public parks nationwide — a major increase that has required expanded staffing, upgraded equipment, and new operational infrastructure, including a modernized fleet management system to maintain the authority’s assets.
Bonaby further claimed that robust internal financial controls are already in place to prevent mismanagement. He explained that all vendor payments are tied to formal, valid contracts, require active business licences and up-to-date tax compliance certificates, and are backed by full supporting documentation and photographic evidence to confirm contracted work was completed as agreed. Even with these assertions, the statement failed to include any concrete financial figures, specific project details, or verifiable documentation to substantiate the claims of proper oversight.
The call for public transparency comes after repeated instances in recent years where the Beaches and Parks Authority’s spending has exceeded official budgeted allocations, even as the poor upkeep and deteriorating condition of multiple public parks drew sharp criticism from residents and public officials. Bonaby countered that his administration has made unprecedented progress on accountability: he confirmed that audited financial statements covering all agency activity back to 2014 have now been completed for the first time since the authority was founded, framing this milestone as a major breakthrough for fiscal responsibility in the agency. He also sought to draw a clear political contrast with the previous Free National Movement (FNM) administration, alleging that under the previous leadership, the authority routinely approved payments without formal contracts, accepted incomplete work from contractors, and allowed vendors to operate without required business licences or tax compliance clearance.
When reached for comment on Bonaby’s allegations, Shanendon Cartwright — the FNM’s candidate for St James and the former head of the Beaches and Parks Authority — declined to issue any formal response to the claims. The controversy continues to simmer as observers and opposition figures press for the immediate release of the completed audits to allow for public verification of the authority’s spending practices.