The Tribune

By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Perry Christie said yesterday that next Tuesday will be the final day he meets with Cabinet to discuss the terms of the deal to take back the majority interest in the Bahamas Telecommunications Company Ltd.

Mr Christie said he met with executives of Cable and Wireless on Tuesday afternoon and the next step will be to take the proposal back to Cabinet.

“I met with the new president and the president of Lime (Cable and Wireless) Jamaica and it was really a get to know you courtesy but we discussed the final settlement,” he said.

“Let me say one way or another the Cabinet will hear from me next Tuesday and it will never be a subject again in the Cabinet in the Bahamas Tuesday after next.”

The Prime Minister said after that Cabinet meeting he will make an  important announcement to the public.

Last week, when 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.