The Tribune

By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

FORT Charlotte MP Dr Andre Rollins said that Baha Mar CEO Sarkis Izmirlian is “completely justified” for criticising the government for unfulfilled promises and that politicians should refrain from speaking negatively about the hotelier in public.

During a recent interview with The Tribune, Dr Rollins said the government should be careful not to offend Mr Izmirlian and scare off other potential investors.

He also said any criticism of the resort or its CEO should be made “behind closed doors”.

“I am amazed when I hear members of the government ridiculing him. Almost belittling him in relation to the failure of that project to open when it was scheduled to open, as though Mr Izmirlian wants for that to be the case as though he doesn’t wish that it were open in December 2014 when it was expected to open,” Dr Rollins said on Wednesday.

“And what kind of messages does that send to other potential foreign investors who wonder whether governments have so little regard for the sacrifice made by these investors that they would publicly undermine the credibility of those investors at the first sight of trouble? Because you have to imagine right now that Mr Izmirlian is wondering whether he would still make that investment today knowing what he knows over these years of having gone through this process, would he still make that investment today?”

On Wednesday night, during an interview with state broadcaster ZNS, Prime Minister Perry Christie said he was “deeply concerned” about Baha Mar’s opening delays and expressed fear that there could be job losses if the resort does not open soon.

Baha Mar was initially expected to open last December but that date was delayed. In January, the resort said it would open its doors to paying customers on March 27. Three days before that date, hotel officials announced that the opening had been delayed again to early May due to ongoing construction work.

Despite assurances by that the $3.5bn luxury mega-resort would officially open soon, several pre-booked guests have claimed they were told that all reservations until August 31 have been cancelled.

The prime minister met with Mr Izmirlian on Monday to discuss the government’s concerns.

Dr Rollins, who spoke to The Tribune before the prime minister’s comments were broadcast, said just as the government is disappointed in Baha Mar for opening delays, resort executives also have the right to be disappointed in the government for years of failed promises.

“And if you have an electrical grid that is failing, you can’t blame the man for being frustrated that it is taking so long for the matter to be remedied or rectified. He would’ve expected to receive the kind of attention that comes along with a $3b investment to ensure that it has the kind of electrical supply that it can run seamlessly,” he said.

“Similarly I would imagine that he would’ve expected that a chronically burning dump that is repeatedly sending fumes that go over in the direction of Baha Mar, impairing the experience of those who are going to be asked to pay top dollars, naturally he would’ve expected that a proactive government would’ve sought to do something about it.

“I think these things should be done in private. You have these closed-door conversations. There is no need for the back and forth in the public where there are reports that the prime minister or the minister of labour and others are so critical of an investor simply because things have not gone as planned.”

Last month, while addressing a Chamber of Commerce summit at Baha Mar’s Melia resort, Mr Izmirlian said he is concerned about a “number of promises important to the future of the Bahamas” that have “not come to fruition,” specifically a reliable power supply and reduced cost of electricity.

Shortly after that, Labour Minister Shane Gibson told reporters that the Baha Mar CEO appeared “frustrated” by his “inability to deliver”.