By KYLE WALKINE
Tribune Staff Reporter
kwalkine@tribunemedia.net
PRIME Minister Perry Christie yesterday expressed his disappointment with the US Department of State’s 2014 Investment Climate Statement on the Bahamas, saying they used only what “opposition sources” were saying and did not give an objective assessment of the Progressive Liberal Party government.
According to Mr Christie the report was “puzzling”, but it caused him to reiterate that “better days are ahead” for the Bahamas.
“I am satisfied that those who sat and wrote the report for the state department made obvious mistakes in writing that report,” the Prime Minister said as he pointed out several errors in the US State Department’s report. “It’s important that I do not allow the emphasis we’re placing on developing our country to be misconstrued by people who might just happen to read a paper and not have a full understanding of what is taking place and the effort we are making as a government across the board.”
“In fact, let me state as Prime Minister, my disappointment because they picked up in a similar fashion of Wikileaks, what opposition sources were saying; not what in fact an objective assessment the government was saying since being elected. That’s what I find so puzzling. But listen, the message for me is (that) better days are ahead. That statement from me as Prime Minister on behalf of me and my government will be the true measure of the success of our agenda for change.”
“The annual statement by the state department is meant to present an objective assessment of economic and fiscal situations in our country. Unfortunately, some have been led to draw on specific points in the statement to present a negative tone in respect of the plan of action that my government laid out in our charter for governance prior to the election and which we are aggressively pursuing during the course of our present mandate, which is five years. It is simply inappropriate to look at a snapshot of the current situation and draw negative conclusions on the success of our plan.”
The US State Department’s report, released late last week, pointed directly at the PLP’s campaign promises, which they labelled as “unfulfilled.”
It also spoke of international economic rating downgrades which Mr Christie dubbed as “inaccurate” and “misleading”.
“I must take the opportunity to correct one statement in the state department’s assessment to the effect that both Moody’s and Standard and Poor’s (S&P) downgraded our credit rating in 2013,” the Prime Minister said. “In actual fact, Moody’s announced a downgrade in December 2012, but clearly stated that this reflected the worsening in the government’s balancing sheet since 2007, largely on the basis of a low and inadequate revenue base. Nothing to do with 2013 and 2014.”
“S&P did not downgrade our rating, as the report said. Rather they’ve revised their outlook to negative in November 2012. Importantly, both agencies announced that our efforts at fiscal and tax reform to restrain spending and broaden the tax base through the medium term would be critical to underpinning and potentially improving the credit rating of our country.
“Moody’s for example proclaimed after this year’s budget that our fiscal reforms are credit positive and that they should ensure debt sustainability. We thus have a logical and fully articulated economic and fiscal plan for the full duration of our current mandate.”
The report also spoke of corruption in high and low levels in the government.
“According to Transparency International’s 2014 Corruption Index, corruption remains a problem of government with top officials frequently facing allegations of administrative graft, domestically and from abroad,” the report quoted from Transparency International’s website.
The report also spoke about government issued contracts, which they called “problematic”.
“Successive administrations have reneged on or renegotiated contracts executed by previous administrations. Over the last year, the Embassy has received several complaints from US companies alleging a lack of transparency and undue government interference with bidding and procurement processes,” the report said.
According to the US State Department’s report, the process of government issuing contracts “lacks transparency” as there is no requirement to engage in open public tenders and awarded decisions are not subject to challenge or review.
The Prime Minister did not entertain questions from the media with regard to this or any other parts of the report.
Comments
B_I_D___ 10 years, 4 months ago
The PM seems to be confused and indecisive about a lot of things lately...
proudloudandfnm 10 years, 4 months ago
PLP new slogan....
Governance coming soon!
According to Mr Christie the report was “puzzling”, but it caused him to reiterate that “better days are ahead” for the Bahamas
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 4 months ago
Governance coming soon
BOL, so true
ohdrap4 10 years, 4 months ago
And:
The diet starts tomorrow
asiseeit 10 years, 4 months ago
I would never expect any other answer from ANY of our politicians. These guys are so crooked that a Z looks straight to them. Ducking, kickbacking, crony rubbing, uttering Lie's, wasting, outright stealing, and any other negative thing you can think is the hallmark of governance in the Bahamas. FACT! These guys are LAWYERS, they will give you copper and tell you it is gold, then the judge will tell you that in fact copper is gold and gold is gold as well. Twistmouth can't done!
BDN 10 years, 4 months ago
They actually looked confused in that photo. Not unnatural though..
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 4 months ago
Did he even read the report?
TalRussell 10 years, 4 months ago
C'Mon Comrades of the press why the pretend how it is PM Christie who is the one to blame for the way you are reporting, while forgetting he's not the first PM with polices the US government have tried knocking out of the ballpark.
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 4 months ago
I'm no diplomat but I'm certain embassies are only established to gather intelligence on the host country. Sure closer ties are nice, but it's intelligence they're after. Embassies are staffed with intelligence officers., possibly a foreign concept to the PM. It's laughable (and I'm sure the embassy is laughing) that they need a local newspaper as their info source. Did the PM forget his and Shane's phone have been bugged for two years now?
TalRussell 10 years, 4 months ago
Comrade, if common sense would lead you to believe that likewise the US government had also listened-in on the telephone conversations of PM "Papa" Hubert and his foreign minister Tommy, how long before US Embassy cables of such phone calls, can be expected to make their onto the front pages of our newspapers?
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 4 months ago
But common sense did pass my way Tal, I cited two years since that's how long present govt has been in and present govt is the topic of the article. The US doesn't need a newspaper to tell them anything other than possibly the sentiments of the Bahamian population, but they could probably get that by putting on cargo shorts, floral shirts and heading to Arawak cay for intelligence gathering and a conch salad....
asiseeit 10 years, 4 months ago
Tal, it is the same with ALL governments we have, FNM/PLP are the same, they look out for them and theirs and to hell with the nation. Contracts are awarded to cronies and outright crooks just because they are in a party. Look at the airport in Abaco, how much do you think that should have REALLY cost. Can we as a nation continue to support these wasteful, negligent, and criminal practices our supposed leaders are so addicted to? This is about our country, this is about our future, this is about what is right, this is about The Bahamas returning to glory, WE NEED A Freedom Of Information Act so as to hold the perceived princes that run this country in check! Have they not run amok for long enough and are the effects of their poor governance not painful enough for anyone to see there is no other choice!
Reality_Check 10 years, 4 months ago
The U.S. Government knows the full extent to which the Christie administration (and their politically connected business cronies in the private sector, like Snake) have crossed the line in back-room financial deals of one kind or another. The NSA has listened to all of the right phone calls made by corrupt politicians, other government officials and their private sector business cronies. THEY KNOW ALL THAT HAS GONE ON AND ALL THAT IS GOING ON MR. CHRISTIE, AND IT'S NOT A PRETTY PICTURE! All of the corrupt deal making and failed policies of both the Ingraham and Christie administrations have created a perilous drag on our economy thereby causing serious harm to the Bahamian people. The U.S. Government is not the least bit happy with what it knows about our government and rightfully so given our geographical proximity to the U.S.
dahasamo 10 years, 4 months ago
In the experience of my particular business since 2012, either no bids have been invited or when they have been, there has been no public opening.
Well_mudda_take_sic 10 years, 4 months ago
Why is Christie still permitting Baltron Bethel to milk our Public Treasury as a consultant? Leeches like Bethel are a big part of our problem today when it comes to back-door deals and failed government policies.
jlcandu 10 years, 4 months ago
As usual, the PM is in Christieland and has no sense of reality. Idiot!!!
The State Department is merely reporting on actual results, not what this idiot government thinks in its mind what is going to happen. Clearly if you look at the long list of promises the PLP made during its campaign (can you all recall "governance from Day 1"), they haven't fulfilled any as far as I know.
People, since successive Bahamian governments have been dealing with China, this is now making the U.S. very uncomfortable ... That may be one of the many reasons they are listening in on cell phone conversations.....
Christie needs to go!!! And the sooner the better!!!
John 10 years, 4 months ago
AMERICA got caught with its pants down when it was revealed that they had every cell phone in this country tapped. Rather than accept blame and shame, they now try to shift the focus to the Bahamian government by saying they are ineffective, incompetent and corrupt at different levels. The great ole USA has the power to topple virtually any government on the planet and since they have all the phones tapped and have gathered other intelligence (spying) on this government, don't be surprised if certain elements of information is leaked should the Christie government continue to ruffle feathers and not decide to tow the line, like a proper US ally and benefactor. The US will never answer the allegations of phone tapping and if they say the web shops will not be licensed and regulated or that Bahamians cannot gamble in casinos, then that is how it will be as long as their overheated press continue to churn out US Dollars to prop up the US economy and make it appear to be the most powerful country on earth. And if the US dollar should ever collapse then we are still going down with it. At one time we did have some inter island commerce that could have sustained us for a few months but that has been wiped out.
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 4 months ago
Aaaah John, if only they weren't ineffective, incompetent and corrupt, they might have a leg to stand on....
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 4 months ago
Ahah! And what's your verdict on that?
John 10 years, 4 months ago
Too bad the real motive behind your various posts dude
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 4 months ago
"Dude"?
happyfly 10 years, 4 months ago
Perry and the boys are confused because they think the truth is whatever the way the wind blows out their mouth. They been telling fibs for so long they believe themselves. Crime is down, unemployment is down, numbers ain't gambling so the referendum don't count, the country need VAT because we going broke but got to increase government spending......next thing is the drug boys are the good guys again...and you wonder why uncle sam is stressing
banker 10 years, 4 months ago
We are truly the laughingstock of the world. Christie doesn't make any sense when he speaks. The words are there but it is just words without meaning. Nobody has the guts to say that he is off his rocker because they never had it so good with an easily confused Christie. Baltron Bethel was showing signs of mental decrepitude even when he was with the Hotel Corporation and nobody said anything. And you have partisan apologists like TalRussell who when any observations of the truth in regards to the pathetic state of the PLP, they jump to the fore defending the imbeciles. It is no wonder that foreigners think that we are nation of retards, and ripe for the picking. They pluck our goose regularly.
With the PLP cabinet, the overall IQ is the largest shoe size divided by the number of people in the cabinet. The collective IQ of the PLP really declined when Kenyatta Gibson left, mainly because of his large feet.
It is really really sad that no one has the intestinal fortitude to show that Christie is plainly off his rocker.
sheeprunner12 10 years, 4 months ago
Perry don't be puzzled.................. be ashamed of your government's ineffectiveness and corruption
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 4 months ago
the overall IQ is the largest shoe size divided by the number of people in the cabinet
LOL...not much, but I hope someone gat big foot...Shane Gibson thinks they created 30,000 new jobs cause 30,000 "new" people paid NIB...LOL
SP 10 years, 4 months ago
This reminds me of then Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham 2012 campaign where he said "he hoped the electorate would give him another term to finish what he had started".
Finish what Hubert....Destroying the country? Giving away strategic state owned assets like BTC to dumb white foreigners? Flooding the country with Haitians? Borrowing hundreds of millions for infrastructure improvements and giving the contracts to foreigners to take the money out of the country? Playing Bo-Peep with the freedom of information act?
Now P.M. Christie say's he is puzzled by U.S. criticism. Call an election Mr. Christie and we will enlighten you on casino gambling, illegal Haitian migrants, renewable energy, land reform and several others'.
Talkin' fool is very serious thing....Being fool is something else!
Regardless 10 years, 4 months ago
Let us not forget that many business owners were not paying any NIB contributions for a long time until they were exposed.
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 4 months ago
Let us not forget that the the man largely credited with getting those account payments in was fired....
John 10 years, 4 months ago
well Obama, the president of the United States did not have kind words for the US Congress either. He said that congress has been purposefully dragging its feet when it comes to getting certain things done in the US, like immigration reform. So he has pledged to go it alone, when necessary, to get things done. Especially those things he promised on the campaign trail. He will not let them turn him into a lame duck president, at least not at this point. Likewise the Bahamas has a democratically elected government. While there will always be some level of US and other foreign meddling and influence, caution must be exercised so as to not allow it to undermine those in government to run the country effectively and with some degree of independence. This is strong testament that we need to diversify our economy away from tourism and become more self sufficient. WE ALWAYS TEND TO JUMP when the US speaks rather than digesting exactly what is being said and test8ng the credibability of it.
wave 10 years, 4 months ago
Not to worry Sickie, your PLP boys will throw you a bone for your blogs!
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 4 months ago
There's a huge difference between governance in the US and locally. Obama needs the opposing party to ok much of what he does. it's the main reason nothing's gotten done. Locally, PGC and his party have all the power. There is no opposition.They can do whatever they want, implement any initiative they please, get the funding and the people. But still nothing's gotten done...well I take that back, quite a number of committees have been formed.
John 10 years, 4 months ago
Maybe you need to firm a government then.
sheeprunner12 10 years, 4 months ago
While Perry and his henchmen are in Antigua ................ see if yall could build some linkages with CARICOM countries, Cuba and the DR to lessen the 85% reliance on US imports and exports trade ................. then yall could say KMA Uncle Sam............ until then be quiet!!!
John 10 years, 4 months ago
Maybe we should also learn to heard sheep
sheeprunner12 10 years, 4 months ago
Yep go look at New Zealand's economic model that Perry so likes to quote
JohnDoe 10 years, 4 months ago
These Investment Climate Statements are issued by the US State Dept. annually on over 100 countries. The purpose of the statements are primarily to provide guidance and information to potential US investors in these countries on the general economic outlook of the country, the country's business risks, market barriers, transparency and the ability of the government to execute it's strategy. All of these factors are critical to potential investors as they engage the governments of these countries in negotiations. I am therefore, puzzled as to why our government is so defensive and sensitive about what is essentially a factual summation of their performance to date. The fact that our government may believe that better days are ahead is of little value to a potential investor in analyzing business risk or market barriers. The fact is the PM and his party made some extravagant promises to get elected and most of those promises remain unfulfilled. Some have asked why is the US State Dept. commenting on the fact that our government have not delivered on their promises, even calling this meddling or irrelevant. The answer is that it is relevant because it speaks directly to our government's competence and ability to formulate and execute their stated strategy, which would certainly be of interest to potential investors in selecting which governments they would want to partner with as they make their investments. Some have also stated that Obama also has unfulfilled promises, which is indeed correct. Unfortunately, we still live in a world and are the victims of the age old maxim that "he who has the gold, makes the rules".
sheeprunner12 10 years, 4 months ago
The biggest problem that the US has is with the politically connected scammers aka consultants that cream off large amounts of money from potential investors before the government is willing to award or permit American investors to invest in The Bahamas ..... like Sir Baltron and his son's phantom consultancy firm etc. Again we must be wary of the PLP
carlh57 10 years, 4 months ago
What a complete idiot this PM is...to not see that his own decisions (as well as lack of in some cases) has brought this onto this country...and to actually be "puzzled" that a country (USA) would stand by and not comment on Bahamas practices of deception, slight of hands, inconsistency, etc....buffoon at the highest level....Am sick of this nations government idiots and idiotic decisions...all on the back and cost of the average Bahamian....Too bad we can't ship his ass out of this country to someplace that deserves him, like an abandoned iceberg...
John 10 years, 4 months ago
You don"t sound rational and you definitely don't sound Bshamian
carlh57 10 years, 4 months ago
You mean I don't sound rational because i (along with others) can see right through the charade this PM is putting over on the people of Bahamas? Then yes, i'm not rational....
John 10 years, 4 months ago
He was elected by the people of the Bahamas. Many of the issues and problems the current government is dealing with was left behind by the former (FNM) government because they created them or they chose not to deal with them. The gaming bill and webshops, VAT and definitely the BTC saga, where service has fallen below the 1990's level. But yet we have to pay a foreign company to "mismanage" this corporation and share profits they are raping from the overtaxed Bahamian and others to the tune of 51% which is being jetted out of the country. NOT only that but BTC now has vendors selling BTC's products, Top Up and phone cards included, at the vendor's expense. This may not sound like a big deal but BTC is using Bahamians (like slaves) to generate profits which are leaving the country. And the government is now looking to put more taxes on the backs of those same Bahamians who have been duped intogiving free labor to Cable and Wireless. And the government, despite spending over $1 million to try to renegotiate the Cable and Wireless contract, missed a golden opportunity to terminate this contract or negotiate a better contract simply by invoking the non performance clause. C&W HAS SCREWED UP the cellular service in the Bahamas and now needs a Bahamian (who was fired from the company) to fix it! AIN'T WE PROUD!
John 10 years, 4 months ago
Next time you purchase your Top Up or phone card say "hello" to slavery.
500CE 10 years, 4 months ago
Putting to one side the US's statement for a moment, as that is their assessment and like any other country they are entitled to make it. The centre of the Prime Minister's argument is that the IMF, Moody's, and S&P, have collectively not made a creditable and impartial assessment of this country's economic stability and potential.
In addition, the information they have reported which specifically speaks to these issues of economic stability and potential, cannot be relied up by other agencies (government or private), to issue their own "in-country report" and assessment, as to the reality.
Governments, Organizations, NGO's and the like in the international community all look to these agencies for the financial facts. What facts has this government and the Prime Minister himself offered in response other than "the shaggy defense" (It wasn't me). Or even better still "I as Prime Minister blah blah blah..."
As Prime Minister that is not good enough! What your government is going to do, what your government plans to do, what your government wants to do - all are empty statements. WHAT is the proof of what you HAVE DONE? WHERE is the proof of what you HAVE DONE? So that any person, government, or agency, can look at it and say here are the results of such and such.
The Prime is puzzled....wait a minute, here are the facts - and you are puzzled - Aren't you the ones who are suppose to be in charge - and you are puzzled ?!?! So what was this past budget about? What have you actually signed us all up for Mr. Prime Minister and Co? And don't reply with what you are going to do, because in the end of it we the people of this country are the ones footing the bill for it - ALL OF IT.
That includes your salaries, police cars, boats, pensions, air fare, cars, fuel, stationary, electricity, computers, phones, and in some cases your personal life styles - all at our expense. So again I ask, since I'm paying for it - through taxes, through duty, through now your VAT plans - where is the tangible, hard proof. Not what you are going to do - what have you done.
The Bahamian population must ask these questions of the Prime Minister, and to all those in government these questions. Don't talk to us about the status of your post, because clearly, you all should be more concerned about the RESPONSIBILITIES OF YOUR POST!
John 10 years, 4 months ago
Next time you purchase a phone card or Top Up say hello to slavery
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