Minister responsible for broadcasting, Myles Laroda, has strongly rejected "inaccurate" claims that the Bahamas Broadcasting Corporation (ZNS) spent over $200,000 in taxpayer funds for a trip to Washington, D.C., during the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Laroda addressed the controversy in the House of Assembly, clarifying that the actual expenses for the trip, which included live broadcasts and special programming during the inauguration, were far less than reported.
The total expenditure, according to the Minister, amounted to just over $20,000, not the inflated sum that has been circulating in the media.
He said the breakdown of costs includes $3,200 for airline tickets with American Airlines, $7,000 for five nights at an 8-room Airbnb, and $1,700 for two rental cars.
Additionally, per diem allowances were provided to staff members, which is standard protocol for such trips.
The ZNS team’s trip, which took place last week, was designed to cover the U.S. presidential inauguration and produce special programming highlighting Bahamian involvement.
Despite the initial outcry over the costs, Laroda was quick to point out that the investment was far from wasted.
During their stay in Washington, he said the team conducted successful broadcasts, including interviews with key figures such as Congresswoman Maxine Waters and Bahamian Ambassador to Washington, Wendell Jones.
He added, to label the trip a waste of time is not only incorrect, but it undermines the hard work of the ZNS team who were tasked with bringing valuable content to its Bahamian audience.
In fact, Laroda noted that ZNS secured nearly $40,000 in sponsorships for the trip, resulting in a profit of approximately $11,000—further underscoring the financial success of the venture.
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