Prime Minister Perry Christie
By SANCHESKA BROWN
Tribune Staff Reporter
sbrown@tribunemedia.net
PRIME Minister Perry Christie said yesterday he will meet with Cable and Wireless executives and members of the Cabinet next Tuesday to “cross the t’s and dot the i’s” on their new agreement.
Last month, the Prime Minister said the government had concluded negotiations with CWC for the majority stake in the Bahamas Telecommunications Company Ltd.
The next step, he said, was to take the proposal to Cabinet for their approval or disapproval - a process he said should be completed before the end of the year. However, the focus of the Cabinet meeting was shifted to crime after four persons were killed and seven others injured in Fox Hill.
Mr Christie said the key meeting is now scheduled for next Tuesday’s Cabinet and an announcement will be made to the public shortly afterwards.
“I had a formal request to meet with executives of Cable and Wireless next Tuesday in the Bahamas. They are in the Bahamas for a day and they wanted to pay a courtesy call - that is Mr Bentley, the incoming chairman, and one of the executives. I promised to meet with him and settle all the arrangements with respect to the announcements,” he said.
“As I said previously, we had a process where I negotiated directly and I appointed a group led by Fanklin Wilson, where they negotiated with someone who had the delegated responsibility to speak on behalf of Cable and Wireless. “Together we arrived at a final position. That final position was put to the Cabinet of the Bahamas but on the day that I deferred the announcement, that was the day of the last Cabinet meeting, when I had intended to present to my Cabinet the actual cross the t’s dot the i’s - the full position and that has to be done. So the arrangements will be made next Tuesday. There will be a meeting with the chairman; there will then be a meeting with me and thereafter we will make the announcements.”
Asked if the government successfully negotiated the majority stake in the company, Mr Christie said: “Obviously we have something to announce. I would want to be able to explain and have with me the negotiating committee so we can explain the entire agreement that we have arrived at. It is even more significant than BTC shares. I think it is going to be important for me to speak to the Bahamian public and to remove the speculation from the public firstly that I could not do it, and secondly that I was wasting my time; so all of that now will be answered and we will be able to show the Bahamian people what we arrived at.”
In 2011, former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham sold 51 per cent of BTC’s shares to CWC despite heavy resistance from Bahamians. During the 2012 general election the PLP promised to return the majority share of BTC to Bahamians.
Comments
B_I_D___ 10 years, 11 months ago
...waiting with baited breath...let's see just how catastrophic this move is. Gotta go into VAT because they paid a small fortune to CWC to swing a deal...they should be focusing on selling off the other utilities...not rebuying them!!
marrcus 10 years, 11 months ago
How many more years of this?
B_I_D___ 10 years, 11 months ago
too many already...
bismark 10 years, 11 months ago
dying to get their elbows in that B.T.C cookie jar!
hj 10 years, 11 months ago
PC is so confused that he really needs to retire. He "orders" the web shops to close but "the issue is complex". No kidding. He is not responsible for enforcing the laws but he will put a policeman in every corner. I expect something similar with BTC,we got the 2% back,but.....
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 11 months ago
As I said previously, we had a process where I negotiated directly and I appointed a group led by Franklin Wilson, where they negotiated with someone who had the delegated responsibility to speak on behalf of Cable and Wireless. “Together we arrived at a final position. That final position was put to the Cabinet of the Bahamas but on the day that I deferred the announcement, that was the day of the last Cabinet meeting, when I had intended to present to my Cabinet the actual cross the t’s dot the i’s - the full position and that has to be done. So the arrangements will be made next Tuesday. There will be a meeting with the chairman; there will then be a meeting with me and thereafter we will make the announcements.
What? Can we get an interpreter? I'm surprised he doesn't confuse himself when he speaks given the number of circles he runs.
What an utter mess the 41% has gotten us into....
proudloudandfnm 10 years, 11 months ago
“I had a formal request to meet with executives of Cable and Wireless next Tuesday in the Bahamas. They are in the Bahamas for a day and they wanted to pay a courtesy call - that is Mr Bentley, the incoming chairman, and one of the executives. I promised to meet with him and settle all the arrangements with respect to the announcements,” he said.
Huh?
So the cabinet thing was delayed but he meets with CWC next week? Christie is the most confusing/confused PM we've ever had. So what was the delay all about if he doesn't meet with CWC until next week.
This dude is beyond pathetic...
realfreethinker 10 years, 11 months ago
That was the seem thing i wondered he must be lying because the last cabinet meeting was suppose to discuss the deal that they will fianlize next week. man you cant write this stuff
banker 10 years, 11 months ago
I hope that we learn about it quicker than his promise to the house of Assembly last December to outline his relationship with Peter Nygard. Still waiting on that one. When it comes time to explain the deal, I'm willing to bet that he will pull the "I'm too tired" line.
Even a five year old child could answer - yes or no - do we have a majority back? Why can't he? It's too complicated for all you dumb Bahamians to understand. Maybe you can't understand the "s" in yes or the "o" in the word no.
Reality_Check 10 years, 11 months ago
Just look at his ears in the above photo. Nothing more needs to be said!
realfreethinker 10 years, 11 months ago
Pinochio ears huh ?
Cobalt 10 years, 11 months ago
Look more like some jack-ass ears ta me.
Cobalt 10 years, 11 months ago
@rory. Ahh Lord....don't be too hard on da Bahamian dummies. Dey ain know dey dumb.
TalRussell 10 years, 11 months ago
PM time for you and your cabinet colleagues get "glued. No more referendums. No more but one authorized spokesperson for the government. No more criminal numbers rackets talk. Pay no attention to Minnis and Loretta cause in time Hubert will deal with them and it go'in get pretty damn ugly over at the reds party headquarters. I was and still remain happy with PM Christie's regaining the instruments of Bahamaland's government. I think I had reached the stage, anyone but Hubert. PM is only human and mistakes have been made, What PM must do from today forward is to get "glued" to only three polices, paychecks creation, economy stimulation and returning our Bahamaland to peace.. PM, if you and your cabinet colleagues get "glued" on these three polices all else, including solving crime, immigration, increased taxes for public treasury and dealing with sustainable inflation will automatically fall into place. PM trust me on getting you "glued."
The_Oracle 10 years, 11 months ago
"three polices, paychecks creation, economy stimulation and returning our Bahamaland to peace.." Tal, those are the three things the Government has gotten involved in, which has us in the disaster we are in now! Government has no capability to Fix any one of them, and their erratic policies and flip flopping prevents Private sector confidence, which alone can stimulate the economy. Perry and Co announce restricting bail conditions, and Barnett promptly counters with a no interference in the Judiciary statement! And what is the "Glue" for? to further clog up their brains?
TalRussell 10 years, 11 months ago
Comrade The_Oracle I'll mark you down as not being supportive of my advice to the PM. It's amazing when you're only "glued" to my three recommendations how quickly a government can start to become a vital partner to finding workable solutions with the business community and citizens. It's not that you ignore all the other things a government is still responsible for but they have to fit into the glue mixture of the three main priorities to stick around for funding. Government is never involved in ANYTHING that is not costly to taxpayers. If I'm wrong tell me one thing any government has ever done for FREE?
VDSheep 10 years, 11 months ago
I used to believe BTC should not be sold; but if sold, it ought to be 49% government 49% investor and 2% to the employees of BTC. However, now that it is what it is; instead of government buying back the controlling shares - leave it as is, and let the market be opened to at least half dozen more competitors. Hopefully most of them local, including allocating - say an island or two to each competitor with access to New providence too - tying all into an overall communication system for the country. We have been governed by lawyer politicians for a hundred years; lawyer politicians cannot think out of the box! We need to get rid of most of them from politics and elect engineers, businessmen, farmers etc.
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