The Tribune

By DANA SMITH

Tribune Staff Reporter

dsmith@tribunemedia.net

DEPUTY FNM leader Loretta Butler-Turner is asking what happened to the 400 jobs promised by the government upon the opening of the Resorts World Bimini Casino.

Speaking yesterday in the Minority Room at the House of Assembly, Mrs Butler-Turner said if those jobs have been created – “obviously they have not been populated yet”.

The Long Island MP also criticised the government for putting “the cart before the horse” in terms of the inability of the newly-commissioned Genting cruise ship to leave Miami after failing US Coast Guard safety requirements.

She said: “It is sad that we were put in such an embarrassing state.”

Speaking to the press about the new casino, Mrs Butler-Turner said: “I think the resort itself certainly could have a very good impact because of course the heads of agreement was signed by our administration, so we obviously believe in it.

“We believe in the investors, we believe in what they can do. We do not believe that the government has handled the details – you know the devil is always in the details – we do not believe that they have handled the details in the interests of the Bahamian people, and neither have they competently handled those details.”

She said that according to the prime minister, the resort opening should have created 400 jobs.

“I want to tell you that the breakdown is very simple. There are only 28 Biminites hired at the casino, there are 75 transplanted Nassauvians hired at the casino, and another 67 transplanted Grand Bahamians hired at the casino,” she said.

“I want to also say to you, as of this morning, we are very reliably informed and it is something that I am currently investigating, there are 12 people due to arrive to be general managers and supervisors on Bimini that are non-Bahamians and have yet to have work permits issued.

“This is a very, very serious infringement on working Bahamians, especially given the fact that we have such a large sector of our population that remains unemployed and we just last week debated the fact that we’re creating an opportunity throughout the training institute and through other mechanisms to able to put Bahamians to work. I can assure you that there are many Bahamians out there that perhaps can fit into many of those jobs that are being taken and allocated to foreigners.”

And, noting the maiden voyage of the Superfast VI has been delayed since Friday following its launch and christening, Mrs Butler-Turner said: “Clearly that shows me that the administration, led by Prime Minister Christie, have truly put the cart before the horse. Because it is, in our opinion, incumbent upon government to ensure that all the T’s are crossed, all the I’s are dotted.”

The Superfast VI will carry up to 3,000 passengers from the US port to the new Bimini casino with two trips scheduled daily the first at 9am, which will return at 7pm, and another scheduled for 9pm to 5am.

“It is sad that we were put in such an embarrassing state. And yet they went to Miami, had a celebration on this cruise ship in port, and then had to fly via plane onto Bimini for the opening of the resort,” Mrs Butler-Turner continued.

“It just seems to be a very rushed project that was not well thought out in terms of planning and it leaves a lot of embarrassment – not just for the government but for the country as a whole.

“You will also know that the reason why the ship was not able to sail is because of the fact that it has not passed its safety tests, and that is a very big thing. I think that essentially it goes to show that once again, incompetence, ineptness has definitely been demonstrated on the part of this government.

“On top of that, you would have had no less than 18 Cabinet ministers present for that opening, along with some spouses, along with aids, along with drivers, and two plane loads of people which I understand, we the tax payers would have paid for.”