The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

Why the Prime Minister’s Press Release on Baha Mar was a complete insult to the Bahamian people.

On Monday evening of this week, Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Perry Christie, gave the nation the “good news” in a nationally televised press conference, his first in some time. The Prime Minister’s news was that an agreement had been reached between the Bahamian government and the Export-Import Bank of China for them to complete the stalled $3.5bn resort.  

The Prime Minister said that under the agreement/deal, former employees and unsecured creditors would be paid “a significant part and possibly all” of the outstanding money owed to them but missing from the announcement were certain key details, such as how much will be borrowed to complete the resort and who the new buyer was.

Later on during the week, then pressed for certain details, the public then found out that the particulars of the “deal” had been sealed by the court for “commercial reasons”, whatever that means in this case.

Members of the public and the Official Opposition, Free National Movement, questioned the sealing of the “deal” made by the government on behalf and best interest of the Bahamian people; questioning the secrecy and lack of transparency of the government.

The Prime Minister quickly retorted, lashing out at critics of his government and this “secret” deal, intimating that anyone that would expect openness and transparency from his government is not fit to serve the people as an elected official. The Prime Minister then went on to explain that if the people could understand the huge amounts of monies being transferred between the parties involved in the deal then they would appreciate the need for the sealing of the particulars of the “deal” and why the people whom he represents will be kept in “the dark” until he and his government sees fit to let them know what the “deal” entailed; I would just like to interject here that we, the people, still await the particulars of the BTC deal to get the “two per cent” back.

One thing that the Prime Minister does not seem to appreciate is the fact it is because of the amounts of money that the people realise that must be involved is why the people are demanding that the details be outlined and why they want to know exactly who are these “parties” who are a part of this “deal”.

Yes, they want to know the details of the “deal” and who these “parties” are that the Prime Minister refers to.

The greatest insult to the Bahamian people, in my opinion, then becomes in the wake of a total lack of details of this “deal”, the Prime Minister and the Progressive Liberal Party now wishes for the Bahamian people to commend them for a job well done, after they have “corrected” a problem totally of their own making.  

I am simply shocked, amazed and appalled by the fact that the government and its supporters actually expect the Bahamian people to give them “kudos” for finally correcting a monumental wrong created and brought about through their sheer incompetence, ineptitude, laziness and greed.

This failure to be proper stewards of the people’s affairs has cost the Bahamian people millions of dollars to correct, lost in investments, lost revenue, and money spent in negotiating this “deal” to correct this wrong, which has also come with a credit ratings downgrade.

In no way, shape or form should this government be congratulated or expect to be praised for bringing about this situation and then “fixing” it; they (the Progressive Liberal Party government) should instead be made to apologise to the Bahamian people for the hardships brought on them (the Bahamian people) through their incompetence in bringing this situation about; unless as theorised, this entire situation was all brought about to force the Developer, Sarkis Izmirlian, out and hand the project over to the Chinese; in which case they should be made to pay in the greatest way possible for endangering the lives and livelihoods of the Bahamian people for their own selfishness.

The Progressive Liberal Party fails for one reason, it is their nature.

ADRIAN RAMSEY

Nassau,

August 28, 2016.