Prime Minister Perry Christie and members of the Cabinet.
By CELESTE NIXON
Tribune Staff Reporter
cnixon@tribunemedia.net
THE government will seek to prevent any future government from awarding contracts after the dissolution of Parliament, said Prime Minister Perry Christie following the discovery of contracts awarded by the FNM up to election day.
Describing the contracts as "bribes," Mr Christie said he is concerned about contracts awarded under the former government just prior to the 2012 General Election.
He said: "We have been very concerned about the port deal, we have been concerned about the way in which the former government in the last days and few weeks before the election took place - offering people jobs.
"We know that is clearly wrong we have indicated that we are going to take steps to prevent any government, including ours, from doing that kind of thing because it is bribery and is offensive. We are not going to allow that to happen."
During his address in Parliament yesterday, Prime Minister Perry Christie said the government will soon table legislation to prevent the Government from entering into contracts, including those of employment, or the payment of public funds between the date of the dissolution of Parliament and the date of election unless contracts are determined to be essential by an independent statutory body.
"We have been left with sizable, ongoing capital expenditure commitments and a legacy of contracts entered into in the final days of the former administration," he said. "We are committed to putting an end to such practices."
Mr Christie said the government will determine if a commission of inquiry is necessary to investigate these matters.
The government is currently in the process of reviewing contracts and programmes, said Mr Christie. While one or two contracts have been suspended, he said, no contracts have been reversed and are only being dealt with following legal advice.
Prime Minister Christie said the newly-formed PLP government has not changed its position on BTC and intends to move forward exploring options to have the majority shares transferred back to the government. He said: "We remain faithful to our commitment to explore all lawful means by which majority ownership of BTC can be restored to the Government and the Bahamian people."
While Mr Christie could not give an exact time frame as he said meetings will be set up with the majority owners as soon as possible, with the objective of gaining back the majority interest.
Comments
Oracle 12 years, 5 months ago
Why is it that NOT A SINGLE ONE of these persons is willing to look the camera directly in the eye while this statement and claims are being made....is it because the claims and statement are questionable...is it that some of these "professionals" have external code of ethics tied to their profession and therefore they don't want to be labled as unethical in making unsubtantiated, non-independently verifiable statement to benefit their own self interest
getrightbahamas 12 years, 5 months ago
ur grasping for straws!
concernedcitizen 12 years, 5 months ago
This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.
notsogullible 12 years, 5 months ago
And whose funeral was this photo taken at? Or are the long faces because there's no money left to pay the pipers and line the pockets?
242 12 years, 5 months ago
Once again it does look like they are at a funeral.
Concerned 12 years, 5 months ago
Our leaders' faces tell it all - "What is being said is a pile of garbage and I'm glad it is not me saying it". Eyes don't lie.
Arob 12 years, 5 months ago
Prime Minister Perry Christie is still in the campaign mode. Now is the time to remind the PM of the idiom "People in glass houses should not through stones" which can be translated as "do not criticize others if you have weaknesses yourself." or as the late Michael Jackson wrote " I'm Starting With The Man In The Mirror I'm Asking Him To Change His Ways And No Message Could Have Been Any Clearer If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place (If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place) Take A Look At Yourself, And Then Make A Change (Take A Look At Yourself, And Then Make A Change)"
positiveinput 12 years, 5 months ago
Its funny how 242 could have pointed out when someone else uses a comment to insult him, yet he, concerncitizen and notsogullible is doing the same. By the way if you take your own advise and comprehend a picture instead of trying to be insulting you would notice that the Prime Minister is in the middle of speaking and the group around him is listening attentively. 'Oracle', this is a still picture that was randomly taken, no instructions were given (say cheese) when it was took, so when an individual is speaking, most people tend to look in the direction of the speaker or do some other means of focusing on what is being said. I strongly think to look at a camera-man relentlessly wondering if now is when hes going to take the shot only distracts a listener.
Arob 12 years, 5 months ago
"Positiveinput" it is not about a photograph. There can be many interpretations including "Oracle's". The words of the PM should be our concern and we "the people" should ensure congruence between what he says and the behavior of his government.
positiveinput 12 years, 5 months ago
Ok Arob, in reposnce to your comment all I am trying to get across to especially 242 is that under a different headline he stated to me I only know how to insult - try to insult. So give me your honest opinion, comparing the men in the picture to that of being at a furneral, or classing our Prime Minister, a male as a Queen; wouldn't that be trying to insult. Lets put right where right is whether we support fnm or plp. Like you said its not about a photograph because under the headling FNM Criticises Budget For Playing The Blame Game - those men express the same 'funeral' expression or theres a pic of Butler-Turner that many plp's if wanted could have criticise and make spot of but again I fully agree wiith you that it is not about the photograph, so instead of scolding me, start with notsogullible and 242. I'm am more a you start I finish person so now you'll understand my post to 242 originated from another headline.
concernedcitizen 12 years, 5 months ago
with all due respect positiveinput ,and i like your screen name,i wasn,t even looking at the pic,,,and i try to be positive ,but remembering 2002 to 2007 and seeing the same people ,its hard
positiveinput 12 years, 5 months ago
Respect acknowledge at the same time respect return also. Still it was just disturbing for '242' and 'notsogullible' to make spot (insulting remarks) of a picture, when under another headline wanted to scold an individual for insulting a comment that was post first bythem. You just ended up getting mixed up with them as a result of posting we have a 'queen' which showed a level of insult towards a male prime minister. We would comment about our school children attitude towards authority (teachers/administration) but look at us grown-ups. Posting negative comments about our ministers (administrative personnel) facial appearance or comparing a male to the likeness of a queen; what more should we expect from our kids.
Majority of persons commenting try to be insulting because of political preference. If the PLP headlines says 'X', FNM post why not 'Y' or vice-versa, when its logical that if both supporting team discuss their veiws as real adults we would conclude that using whomever party plans with the involvement of various points from the other party, this - OUR BAHAMALAND would be a better place. Remember the saying 'No man is an island', lets take it on step further 'One political party alone does not make up the island'.
242 12 years, 5 months ago
I was referring to the dark colors they been wearing lately. Point taken pisitiveinput. The man is Prime Minister. I do not support the plp but I support the Bahamas. However before making my previous statement i noticed on ur previous statements you called me and others dumb and stupid simply because we disagreed with a point of view. Like I said I will try to refrain from insulting Prime Minister Perry Christie. There are sevetal paryies but there is one country you me and all of us love. Which will be 39 years old this year.
concernedcitizen 12 years, 5 months ago
with all do respect ,i always thought PGC was honest and kind hearted just a little weak ....after the BPC thing and the people he brought back i am no longer of that belief,,, 20 yrs ago i witnessed someting w/ my own eyes that i was willing to overlook ,as i get older and less liberal ,i am not ..i will never insult a blogger ,but people that run for office and deal with our money put themselves in the position to be judged....we pay them ,they don,t pay us ....i don,t like our new goverment and the people around it ,but i do love my country and wish for the best ...
proudloudandfnm 12 years, 5 months ago
I am so tired of all these nutty accusations! Present some evidence before you run ya mout about bribery! What contracts were signed? What services were ordered? When did negotiatons start on the contracts? Was the opposition informed? Did the opposition vote on any of them? Give us the detials and let us decide. Um some of us don't exactly trust you.
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