The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

THE Opposition’s finance spokesman yesterday called for ‘civility’ in the ongoing public spat between the Christie administration and Baha Mar developer Sarkis Izmirlian, warning that the country’s reputation in the international investment arena could be jeopardised.

“I don’t think that the public discussions on this matter have been very positive,” K Peter Turnquest, the East Grand MP and Free National Movement Deputy leader, told Tribune Business yesterday. “We have to turn this whole discussion back to a more mature and civil discussion of the real issues affecting the development and its progress. All the public pronouncements not only have the ability to hurt this project but the potential to destroy the good name of the Bahamas in the investment circle which we know is a very tight circle. I would encourage all parties to return to more civil discussions.”

Mr Izmirlian, the CEO of the $3.5 billion Cable Beach resort, has been at odds with the Christie administration since June 29, when the hotel filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in a US court, a move the government said came as a surprise. Foreign Affairs and Immigration minister, Fred Mitchell recently warned Mr Izmirlian that his permanent resident status in this country could be revoked after his “attacks” against the Prime Minister Perry Christie. Shane Gibson, Minister of Labour and National Insurance, defended Mr Mitchell and suggested that the government should now begin performing “psychological evaluations” on all foreign developers seeking to do business in the Bahamas.

Mr Christie has also questioned the developer’s mental health after he released a scathing press release about the government. Mr Izmirlian said in a recent letter to his staff that he never imagined he would be “fighting” with the government over the project.

Mr Turnquest said that political leaders have an obligation to raise the level of debate in the country. “We should get away from this tendency to always want to go to the lowest possible understanding and engage in debate that is really nonsensical,” he said.

“All of the parties involved in these back and forth comments know better. They are obviously not saying these things for their own benefit or their friends benefit but they are saying it for the people they feel may not understand the intricacies of the issue and may react emotionally to what they say and that is unfortunate.”

He added: “As leaders we have an obligation to raise the level debate, raise the level of understanding of our people but you don’t do that when we are seen to be making light of situations that are genuine concerns.”