Prime Minister Perry Christie
By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
PRIME Minister Perry Christie said yesterday there is “nothing secret” about Baha Mar and that lawyers have instructed him not to divulge relevant details because of the sensitivity of the matter and the amount of money being transacted among parties.
He criticised public figures yesterday, questioning whether they are fit for public service in view of their criticism of the government’s limited revelation of details surrounding a recently struck deal with the Export-Import Bank of China (CEXIM) to get Baha Mar remobilised.
Mr Christie’s comments came during a groundbreaking ceremony at the Bahamas Technical & Vocational Institute (BTVI) to mark the beginning of construction of a $2.3m smart classroom complex at the institution.
Though he was expected to focus on the need for technical education investments in the country, it was clear Baha Mar was on his mind.
Striking a tone of defiance and frustration, he frequently diverted his focus toward defending his government’s actions from critics who say insufficient details about Baha Mar were revealed during his evening press conference on Monday.
“As we debate Baha Mar, and they say they don’t believe me even though what I say has to be approved by the courts and held by the courts for the time being – people got to believe I’m stupid,” he said. “And when I say people, those who say that in all my years in public life, I would get up to the Bahamian people, speak to their future about Baha Mar which is the most complex, vexing issue that resulted in downgrading by Standard & Poor’s specifically and question marks by Moody’s, rating agencies, that I would get up and announce something that wasn’t true; the naivety of people in public life amazes me to the point where I question their fitness to serve.”
Sources told The Tribune Mr Christie was eager to “set the record straight” on Baha Mar, hence his comments.
His statements are unlikely to stop the criticism from opposition forces and others who have questioned the motives behind having the Supreme Court documents relating to the Baha Mar deal sealed.
However, some lawyers have noted that it’s not unusual to have documents sealed until negotiations have progressed beyond a sensitive stage.
As long as the documents are sealed, they say, it is not desirous to publicly disclose the information within them.
Mr Christie said: “Lawyers advised me that when you’re dealing with a matter that is predicated on huge inflows of capital into the Bahamas as a part of the agreement, you must restrain yourself until such time as the triggers in the agreement are pulled.
“Do I want to go through the vexation of people calling me names? As our society matures, as we wrestle with the proverbial mud of politics, we are strengthening our democracy, yes, but there comes a time when people must try to understand the economy and the discussion and the conversation should be of how are we going to advance ourselves when you hear the International Monetary Fund speaking about productivity?
“When unions are faced with challenges, Sandals, it all ties together. We have an obligation as a country to advance the economy of the Bahamas, to be able to justify the existence of institutions like BTVI because young people who are trained must feel and have the hope that they are being trained to go into the workforce and do work. In all things the proof of the pudding is in the eating. So whatever is the element of secrecy and how it intrigues people, it has to come out. And people will determine how could a bankruptcy turn into something positive outcome for the people who are affected.”
Negotiations
“When we negotiated the Baha Mar deal, our friends on the other side of the table knew there was no compromise when it comes to protecting the interests of Bahamians,” Mr Christie said. “That is why everyone who had a franchise there and was Bahamian had no chance in a new dispensation coming out of bankruptcy of being able to retain the stall that they spent millions on. Every Bahamian, every Bahamian who had an interest and spent money in there for a franchise we have protected that for them. That’s what I’m talking about: hope. That’s what I’m talking about. And it knows no colour. It knows no politics. And that’s what’s critical about our country, that we recognise that in a democratic country there will be divisions, but we don’t allow those divisions to go so deep that they challenge the humanity of our country, the continuum that should exist where we are all able to operate together in the belief that this country is for all of us and that we must carry this obligation forward in a way where the political directorate, notwithstanding looming elections will understand that when it’s my turn to govern, one day it will be yours. That’s what democracy is all about.”
Before ending his 30 minute speech, Mr Christie returned to the topic of Baha Mar, emphasising that international organisations and the Bahamian people will be able to see what his administration has negotiated.
“People of the world are looking at Baha Mar,” he said. “There is nothing secret (about the deal). I know that when I sit at the negotiating table that the IMF will look at what I negotiated. I know that the rating agencies will look at what I negotiated. I know I have to let the Bahamian people know. “There’s no secrecy. There’s no intention for that. But we have to recognise that the Bahamas lives in a world where when hundreds of millions of dollars, like a billion dollars, as part of an agreement has to be transferred to the Bahamas, you don’t jump up and talk about it until such a time that your lawyers say it is now time to talk.
“Agreements negotiated (are) predicated on huge inflows of capital. I spent a year and a half staying in my office at 1am because 1am in the morning here is 1pm over there (China); keeping staff in the office, working, negotiating, cajoling to get the right result for the Bahamas, for Bahamians who are owed millions of dollars, for Bahamians who invested millions of dollars, for young people by the thousands who need to be paid, to have their pension rights collected to National Insurance, to have their rights collected to the country, all of that. That’s what happens in today’s world.”
Comments
screwedbahamian 8 years, 2 months ago
Only the dreamer can reveal his dream as only he has seen it and therefore only he can speak to it.
Casino105 8 years, 2 months ago
Christie talks in circles. Now it's his lawyers who told him to seal the agreement. He's not to blame. There is not a reason in the business world why this agreement can't be made public. There are no other parties involved, so no competition to gain anything from this. At the news conference he said , in a few days the details will be made public. The next day he's at the court sealing the documents. So, overnight his lawyers made this decision . It's apparent he gave the Chinese things he doesn't want the Bahamian people to know about. He thinks this will help him with the election, but the people are on to his way of miss leading them. It's over Mr. Christie, after this there is nothing left to give away, to the Chinese, is there?
banker 8 years, 2 months ago
“When unions are faced with challenges, Sandals, it all ties together. We have an obligation as a country to advance the economy of the Bahamas, to be able to justify the existence of institutions like BTVI because young people who are trained must feel and have the hope that they are being trained to go into the workforce and do work. In all things the proof of the pudding is in the eating. So whatever is the element of secrecy and how it intrigues people, it has to come out. And people will determine how could a bankruptcy turn into something positive outcome for the people who are affected.”
Does anyone remember Hurricane Hannah? It blowed and rained and blowed but Traveller's Rest out west was opened. My car was drenched by waves coming over the sea wall. When I got there, the place was packed. Board games on the tables. Some of the shutters were loose in the wind, and banging away. Nobody paid nevermind. I ate my sandwich, made with Purity Bakers White Bread and some gawdawful plastic cheese, chased it with a beer and totally enjoyed it. There was an old pocketbook there -- Caine Mutiny by Herman Wouk. I asked the owner to take it with me and my request was granted. I hunkered down and read it.
I was fascinated by the typhoon (a Pacific hurricane) scene when the officers of the ship took over from Captain Queeg because he was an incompetent idiot, who at other times appeared normal. In the trial of the officers who took over the ship to save it, the defense lawyer must show that Queeg is insane. He verbally provokes him by asking sensitive questions, until Queeg starts to ramble incoherently.
Perry Crisco Butt's direct quote reminds of the insane Queeg on the stand. He rambles from topic to topic. He introduces non-sequitors. He doesn't finish thoughts. Crisco Butt goes from people calling him names immediately to strengthen democracy without a segue, and without stopping goes to the economy and throws in the IMF for good measure in the same sentence. The man is insane. There is not one coherent thread in that sentence. His head valves must have been damaged by the stroke, and he is our leader? What a joke. The rest of his statement is just as incoherent. We must be the laughingstock of the world. Read the sentences for yourself. This is embarrassing to all Bahamians.
Well_mudda_take_sic 8 years, 2 months ago
LIAR, LIAR. PANTS ON FIRE! Tell us Mr. Christie exactly what additional concessions the Chinese were able to extort from you because of your precarious political predicament. No doubt you have saddled our country with a great amount of additional debt that will break the backs of all honest hard working Bahamian taxpayers. You wrongfully allowed yourself to be coerced by the Chinese into granting significant additional concessions in an effort for you to save face knowing that your political hide is rightfully on the firing line due to your gross incompetence and corrupt tenure as PM. Mr. Christie, WE, THE BAHAMIAN PEOPLE HAVE A FUNDAMENTAL CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT MORE YOU HAVE GIVEN AWAY TO THE CHINESE AND BY CONSEQUENCE THE GREAT ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL BURDEN YOU HAVE SADDLED US AND OUR COUNTRY WITH! There can be only one reason you and your Chinese friends have cloaked what you have done in secrecy....and it is not a commercial reason at all. YOU AND YOUR CHINESE FRIENDS JUST DON'T WANT US TO KNOW THE TRUTH BEHIND WHAT YOU HAVE DONE TO ROYALLY SCREW THE BAHAMIAN PEOPLE for your own benefit and the benefit of your cronies like Allyson Maynard-Gibson!
TalRussell 8 years, 2 months ago
Comrades! It's a hard fact that many still wish damn those who looked into their crystal balls to warn both prime ministers Christie and his former law partner Papa Hubert, not to make The Bahamaland so financially dependently enthralled with Izmirlian's Baha Mar fantasy and the Chinese government and the Chinese government's owned and controlled bank and construction company.
Billions spent at Baha Mar, along with another billion dollars in taxpayers moneys.lands and concessions and now it sure sounds likes the government is about to continue with the craziness by spending another Billion dollars of state moneys. lands and concessions.
Looks at former PM Papa Hubert, who was the mastermind behind the wasteful Baha Mar spending spree and he was soon to go fishing up in Cooper's Town -leaving his mess behind him.
Now, from the sounds things going on within the PLP, so soon will PM Christie join his former law partner in retirement - with both former PM's leaving the state saddled deep in the madness of Baha Mar debt, lost lands and unpaid for special concessions.
Only in The Bahamaland, does taxpayers get build a Billion dollars 'dock.' And guess what. We don't even dare claim be the legal owners of the waterfront's waters that damn 'fancy dock' was built over. Waterfronts are reserved for the foreigners exclusive swimming and ownership - be they American, Canadian, European or Jamaican, etc, etc.
Reality_Check 8 years, 2 months ago
Mitchell must own thousands of you brain dead PLP trolls. By the way, his posting on the Wikipedia web site was hacked the other day and the "dog on dog" graphic, both looking like under gifted pot cakes with small sets of balls, looked utterly disgusting. Fweddy really needs to pay more for internet security.
Well_mudda_take_sic 8 years, 2 months ago
Many of my friends saw it too....the very animated graphic was up for nearly two full days with rockin' music before it was taken down by Wikipedia....I never laughed so hard in my life...both my sides still hurt!
proudloudandfnm 8 years, 2 months ago
Perry could lie now... muddos....
gkeato 8 years, 2 months ago
I'm telling you, the hair dye is affecting him!
John 8 years, 2 months ago
Back to basics: The Bahamaian people by way of its government, led by Perry Gladstone Christie has already invested and given over $1 billion to Bah Mar with no equity. One third of the value of the project. If the government sees the need to grant more concessions and gifts to this project then they need to come bail out every Bahamian business that is struggling, pay off every mortgage for Bahamians and cancel all VAT and property taxes for the duration of the concessions with Bah Mar. Remember the problems with Bah Mar were caused by a contractors shoddy performance and strong arming by the bank
hallmark 8 years, 2 months ago
The Prime Minister said:
"...when hundreds of millions of dollars, like a billion dollars, as part of an agreement has to be transferred to the Bahamas, you don’t jump up and talk about it until such a time that your lawyers say it is now time to talk."
So, you mean he called the big press conference to make the Big announcement without the consent of his lawyers?
TalRussell 8 years, 2 months ago
Comrade The Rt.Honourable Prime Minister, you have to stop reacting as if your PLP cabinet have earned the privilege to feel all offended by the public's reaction to your most recent Baha Mar salvation pronouncements. The pubic simply will not take you or any of cabinet colleagues at their word on anything...and PM, you're political smart enough to understand what's behind the public's mistrust. The public is not prepared to await another unfulfilled promise to disclose all in due time. PM, the public does not believe you and you know the why. PM, nothing personal or political, I am just being blunt with the reality being talked at the street corners.
TalRussell 8 years, 2 months ago
Comrade Alex-Charles to say the PM is clearly lying to the public over the Chinese deal is an overstatement not supported by the facts at hand. Where the PM tends to gets himself in deep trouble with the public is when he over-promises and then forgets to guide his ministers to deliver on what he had just promised. It's almost like he totally forgets the importance of making good on his government's promises to the public.
SP 8 years, 2 months ago
....................... PM Christie said "People got to believe I’m stupid,” ........................
By golly, Christie's finally owning up to something!
birdiestrachan 8 years, 2 months ago
Mr: Christie is doing a good job. But there will always be those who will say all manner of evil about any and every body. It is their heart condition and they can not be helped. Mean spirited. bitter and without Joy.
BaronInvest 8 years, 2 months ago
I guess "good job" is defined by what you think the outcome should be. If it's driving foreigners away, raising crime, lowering education, ruining investments and jobs he sure did a great job so far...
ThisIsOurs 8 years, 2 months ago
No birdie, he's not doing a good job, look no further than his ability to lead the members of his cabinet. They lead him. He put Shane Gibson in charge of our NIB reserves. He is not doing a good job.
asiseeit 8 years, 2 months ago
Stop talking shit, if the deal is open and transparent, let the people see. You have sealed the documents, that means you have kept them SECRET!
Well_mudda_take_sic 8 years, 2 months ago
A well written indictment of Christie and summation of his legacy as the "sole owner" of the Baha Mar debacle would reveal that none other than the evil serpent a.k.a. Sir Snake has been advising Christie behind the scenes on how best to ensure the political elite and their business cronies (in addition to Christie's Chinese friends) all make out like bandits while honest hard working Bahamian taxpayers get stuck with, better still, royally screwed by, the bill.
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