The newly appointed Bahamas Public Parks and Public Beaches Authority Executive Chairman, Jamahl Strachan met with staff and the members of the media on Monday.

The finances of the Authority became a topic of national discourse when it was reported that more than $141 million was spent by the Authority under the Davis administration. Minister of Finance, the Hon. Michael Halkitis also spoke to the issue last Thursday during a press briefing at the Office of the Prime Minister. He said that an audit had been conducted and would be laid on the table in the House of Assembly soon.

Strachan told reporters that the spending habits of the Authority will be assessed. He said, “it’s exactly what the former Chairman stated. Most and a lot of the spending was rollover. Now we wouldn’t be able to definitively speak to what it will be until we have sight of the audit itself. But what I can tell you is that the Parks and Beach Authority going forward will ensure that Bahamians see and completely restored and transformed Parks and Beaches.”

The new Executive Chairman assured that preserving the country’s parks and beaches remains the top priority. “Those dilapidated parks, those beaches that were unkept all of those things we will have milestone markers that we will engage quarterly to ensure that the Bahamian people can not only see the change but also track the changes going forward year by year.”

Strachan said he will address the matter further during the upcoming 2026/2027 budget debate.