Prime Minister Perry Christie
By AVA TURNQUEST
Tribune Chief Reporter
aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
PRIME Minister Perry Christie yesterday said the warnings issued to Baha Mar CEO Sarkis Izmirlian by two of his Cabinet ministers is not the position of the government.
He said that while the recent comments by Foreign Affairs and Immigration Minister Fred Mitchell and Labour Minister Shane Gibson about the developer were not sanctioned by him, he accepted their remarks. He also said he was not forewarned that the ministers were going to say what they did.
He also responded to Mr Izmirlian’s recent statement that he was in a fight with the government, telling reporters that the developer did not understand the true meaning of his own words.
“The ministers were reflecting their feelings,” Mr Christie said. “Most of the ministers who spoke said they were doing it because they were offended that there was disrespect to the Office of the Prime Minister. So my point is I accept that that’s what they said, I accept that that’s why they said it.
“But it was peculiar to them, and the government of the Bahamas is spoken for and on behalf of by myself in this particular matter and that’s the position I’m taking.”
Speaking to the status of negotiations over the stalled project, Mr Christie said he recently wrote to Mr Izmirlian advising the developer to meet with China Construction America and China Export Import Bank to settle the matter because “windows of opportunity” were closing.
“I wrote a letter to Mr Izmirlian indicating that it was very, very important, because windows of opportunity closing, that he meets with the contractor and the bank to settle the matters because the matters are between Baha Mar, the EXIM bank, and the construction company.”
On Tuesday, in a memo sent to Baha Mar employees, Mr Izmirlian said in his 13 years working on the Baha Mar project, he “never imagined” he would be “fighting” with the government over the $3.5b Cable Beach property.
Yesterday, Mr Christie said: “No, there was never an intention to be in a fight. I only got involved because he (Mr Izmirlian) invited me to help. I stayed involved because he kept on asking me to help, and I never intended it to be a fight, it never should be a fight and I’m surprised to see that he said he didn’t expect to be in a fight with the government.
“I don’t think he understands what a fight with the government is. When you fight with the government, that’s a real fight. There’s no such thing as a fight with the government.”
The developer has been embroiled in a war of words between the government, and its general contractor China Construction America (CCA), since the resort filed for bankruptcy on June 29.
Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell has repeatedly chastised Mr Izmirlian over the bankruptcy filing and what he termed as numerous “attacks” on Mr Christie’s handling of the matter.
Earlier this week, Mr Mitchell warned the developer that his permanent residency status could be revoked. He also suggested that Mr Izmirlian consider living elsewhere if he cannot conform to the expected conduct of “economic guests.”
He also hit out at Mr Izmirlian during a speech at the United Nations last week.
On Wednesday, Labour Minister Shane Gibson defended Mr Mitchell’s public warnings to the developer, and further suggested that the government should now begin performing “psychological evaluations” on all foreign developers seeking to do business in this country.
“Some ministers have made remarks,” Mr Christie told reporters at the ground-breaking ceremony for The Pointe, a new development borne out of CCA’s acquisition of the British Colonial Hilton and the adjacent 6.1 acre property.
He said: “They made remarks and I’ve noted the remarks. They were not remarks that they spoke to me about, to say I’m going to say this and do that, and they made remarks and those remarks reflected how they felt.
“But from the point of view that all of the remarks they made were personal and peculiar to the minister,” Mr Christie said, “it does not reflect the view of the government.”
“The government’s view would be reflected by me in the correspondence I write and the position I take on behalf of the government, and I think each minister said so.”
Last month in response to a scathing press release from the resort, Mr Christie openly questioned the mental health of the Baha Mar CEO.
The government’s statement read: “It is particularly regrettable, that at a time when rationality and cool heads are required to deal with the current crisis at Baha Mar, the company’s leadership appears to be going to pieces under the mounting pressure.”
It continued: “The prime minister said that today’s statement from Baha Mar has given him grave concern for the state of Mr Izmirlian’s mind.”
Comments
christee 9 years, 4 months ago
Well if it is not the position of the government then you need to discipline them. You weak, poor excuse for a leader.
ObserverOfChaos 9 years, 4 months ago
Exactly right! So, they work for the govt paid by the govt, but don't represent the govt? hmmm....sounds like BS to me....
TruePeople 9 years, 4 months ago
Bey dey seem like dey only know to lie jed. Bey open he mouth, and it's juss lies dat fall out. Thats how simple dis gov't think Bahamians is; we guh believe any fool dey sey it ein even gat to make sense
Regardless 9 years, 4 months ago
Life is indeed stranger than fiction. No one could even imagine the lunacy!
ED 9 years, 4 months ago
You have no control over your cabinet!! ha-ha-ha....what an idiot we have for PM. You are a joke and whatever respect you have left can only be found within your cabinet equally mentally unstable followers. Step down and make your way Sandilands.
thomas 9 years, 4 months ago
So what are you going to do about it.
bigbadbob 9 years, 4 months ago
damage done expats are leaving and telling people back home how stupid it is to do bussiness with bahamas. the rules change like there underwear.
ED 9 years, 4 months ago
I love my country and my people and despair at what is being done to our reputation because of this government. PLP = corruption, the world knew that before but now it is much more clear. I don't' encourage friends and family to come visit the Bahamas. This PLP government is even more crooked than the last - it is not safe to be under the rule of these egomaniacs. Those Bahamians that can and foreigners are leaving....the stench is sickening.
realfreethinker 9 years, 4 months ago
Did the PM not hear about collective responsibility ? Man this can't be happening. When will the nightmare end ?
MonkeeDoo 9 years, 4 months ago
Unfortunately, as bad as it is it ain't going to end anytime soon. They have so much to hide that they can't quit now. They are like the raccoons that put their hand into the jam-jar to grab the goodies but are too stupid to let go so they can escape the cutlass coming down on their necks. Most of these will have to leave this country and seek asylum somewhere else if the people change the government because any new government will be duty bound to seek redress from this corruption. It would be God's Justice if Fred Mitchell had to seek asylum in Haiti.
gbgal 9 years, 4 months ago
In my opinion, a minister of the government has the obligation to hold the personal view for private discussions with colleagues and friends but speak only to the policies of the government in the public arena when necessary. This takes a whole lot of discipline to refrain from the petty, personal confrontations with citizens but maintains the admirable stature of the diplomat.
MonkeeDoo 9 years, 4 months ago
Look at PGC picture. Either his clothes are small or he is swollen up like a bullfrog !!! Policeman ain't no better.
ohdrap4 9 years, 4 months ago
it is the 'fit clothes fashion' it was invented by gay designers to make average size 14 woman look bad.
MonkeeDoo 9 years, 4 months ago
Does history repeat itself ? My mind is running on the Commission of Inquiry that looked into Hawksbill and all that. We need a Commission of Inquiry now, not a bankruptcy hearing.
shantelle 9 years, 4 months ago
“I don’t think he understands what a fight with the government is. When you fight with the government, that’s a real fight. There’s no such thing as a fight with the government.”
This does not even make any sense ! No wonder the country is in such a poor state if the leader cannot even string an articulate sentence together.
Chucky 9 years, 4 months ago
I'm gonna go out on a limb and suggest we as a nation must be on the verge of financial ruin, bankruptcy or something; what else could drive such nonsensical attacks against and investor?
We must need this online now, and without it we can't make our debt payments? Why else would they attack an investor, as if we drive one investor of this caliber away, we will never get another one.
One thing our political fools are not considering is how well the worlds elite stick together. Izmerilain can lead a charge to crush our nation if we're not careful!
I'm not even gonna mention or suggest what it's possible for him to do or have done to the leaders themselves..............I'm sure many people are worrying about this!
Wideawake 9 years, 4 months ago
Loose lips sink ships....it it too much to hope for, that loose lips can also sink Governments???? Please!! Pretty Please !!!!
Franklyn 9 years, 4 months ago
My concern is how will my company be paid for work done for Baha Mar directly? And why is nothing being said to small companies by Baha Mar, the small companies that are caught in the meddle of this mess. Bahamian companies with employees who have not been paid for work done back in March of this year and having to hold-off supplies and subs who don't care that you are having a problem getting paid outstanding from Baha Mar - I could not get my outstanding from Baha Mar for over 5 months.
Please pay us!
DillyTree 9 years, 4 months ago
Talk to your PLP government -- they've made it impossible for Baha Mar to take advantage of Chapter 11 proceedings and an $80M loan to pay employees and get the resort up and running in reorganisation. Everyone would have gotten paid and the resort would have been able to open.
As it stands now, this PLP government have made a complete cockup of things and pushing for a winding up of the whole resort. At this rate, you'd be lucky to get paid at all. Ever.
I feel your pain, but the way this government is going about things is only prolonging the agony and with court battles and protracted "negotiations", this mess could take years to fix -- if ever.
Well_mudda_take_sic 9 years, 4 months ago
There's no hope for Bahamian private-sector creditors ever getting paid anything near what they are owed if Baha Mar goes through a liquidation process of any kind under the supervision of the Supreme Court of The Bahamas. At best they would receive very few pennies on the dollar once the local liquidators, the local crony lawyers and the Christie-led PLP government have picked the juicy carcass clean and sold the remains off to the highest corrupt bidder favoured by the likes of Christie, Maynard-Gibson and Baltron Bethel.
PKMShack 9 years, 4 months ago
PLP all the way. thanks DNA and the grass roots who like foolishness, next time you vote think
My2cents 9 years, 4 months ago
Let me just say...the PM made no sense.
He knew ahead of time the inflammatory, unprofessional, undemocratic, thug-like, unconstitutional comments, his sitting ministers, representatives of the government, were going to make. But he did not stop them knowing that they did not speak for the government? He knew beforehand that Izmirlian (not the only developer) had issues with CCA, and still thought he was 'helping' by doing nothing? And later, another government representative commends them for a job well (NOT) done? Then he, himself, progressed the BahaMar scenario toward liquidation while the developer thought he was still in negotiation? And he wonders why the developer feels like he is fighting the government? Unbelievable!
John 9 years, 4 months ago
I'm voting PLP next time and maybe all this will make sense to me (NOT)
DillyTree 9 years, 4 months ago
Prime Minister Christie needs to grow a backbone and put his stupid buffoons of ministers in their places. Firing them would be best, but at the very least put a damn muzzle on them, please, before they spew any more stupid and dangerous remarks.
Well_mudda_take_sic 9 years, 4 months ago
It's not a case of rogue Cabinet Ministers at all...the likes of Mitchell, Gibson, Maynard-Gibson, Gomez, et al and one Mr. Baltron Bethel are all doing as Christie directly tells them to do or indicates by his very own conduct he wishes for them to do with his full blessing!
Reality_Check 9 years, 4 months ago
Fred Mitchell's head has never been screwed on straight and he has always been most uncomfortable in his own skin. Fred's efforts to re-write history to his liking are well known to all who know him for what he really is: An imbecilic pseudo-intellect! Lest we forget, Fred Mitchell in the late 1980s, while head of his newly formed political party, "The People’s Democratic Force", burned a copy of the Bahamas Constitution. According to The Tribune reporting of this event, "The bold protest was held at Mr Mitchell’s favourite watering hole for launching his protests — the fig tree in front of the Supreme Court building in Parliament Square. About 100 curiosity seekers gathered to watch the spectacle." The Tribune article went on to quote the following declaration by Mr. Mitchell at the time he burned The Bahamas Constitution: "So this afternoon, we send a message to the man most directly responsible for this state in our country, Sir Lynden Pindling, because as Prime Minister he is responsible for appointing the Chief Justice. We burn this constitution to light a fire for freedom. We will present to the Prime Minister the ashes of this constitution, as a reminder of how our country is being destroyed.” Fred would now have us all believe that foreigners previously welcomed and living in our country for many years have no rights under The Bahamas Constitution. Christie should never have appointed this perpetually angry tootie-fruity tart to the position of Minister of Foreign Affairs. There has never been, and likely never will be, an individual more ill-suited for that position than Freddy Boy!
Well_mudda_take_sic 9 years, 4 months ago
Freddy Boy is the type of guy who would enroll in a month or two of executive program courses at the John F. Kennedy School of Government and then tell the whole world a few years later that he holds a full fledged two-year degree of Master in Public Administration from Harvard University. What a loser!
Honestman 9 years, 4 months ago
The only conclusion any intelligent person can arrive at is that Perry Christie is hopelessly compromised as leader of this band of ......................you name it. He would like to lead and be a real statesman, no doubt, but everyone has too much on everyone else inside this "Mafia style" cabinet. In true Italian fashion, they are all "made men" and once you are "in" you cannot leave. No one can be fired.
sheeprunner12 9 years, 4 months ago
I have been saying this for years ........ and it started with the "godfather" - SLOP
Well_mudda_take_sic 9 years, 4 months ago
Christie, Maynard-Gibson et al believe the Biblical saying "An eye for an eye" is no different than "They stole so we should be able to steal". The only problem is, these politician who have allowed themselves and their family members to be corruptly conflicted for greedy self-gain obviously missed attending church that Sunday morning when the sermon was all about that one commandment which says "Thou shalt not steal"! In fact, the whole damn Christie-led PLP cabinet must have missed attending church that same Sunday morning!!
truetruebahamian 9 years, 4 months ago
I understand that while all attention is focused on the fireworks initiated by the two silly boys, (Mitchell and Gibson) that there are bills currently being pushed through for first and second readings, one important bill deals with taxes and demanding annual licences for solar panels and their provision of electricity to homes and apartments and businesses. I know of no other countries that would do this, but instead they provide cost cutting incentives for alternative energy supply, this could be another nightmarish nail in the coffin of this administration, as these ideas of licensing the conversion of sunshine to power will not ever be respected or paid by anyone. Myself and all I know included. In many areas where there is no public power supply available, solar is a way to power the basics of daily necessities. and all persons must have the choice to purchase power from a government entity or use private alternatives on their own homes or businesses
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