The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

POLICE yesterday blocked a small group of demonstrators from Rawson Square because it did not have permits to publicly oppose the government’s negotiations with Chinese investors over Baha Mar.

Led by Ali McIntosh, the “chief servant leader” of the Bahamas Constitution Party (BCP), the group is opposing alleged requests for concessions by Chinese investors to jumpstart the stalled Cable Beach resort project.

The protestors were asked to stop their impromptu demonstration in Rawson Square yesterday morning, as officers moved to “sanitise” the immediate area.

Shortly after 10am, officers acting on command, blocked off access to the square for all non-essential people.

Dozens of barricades were erected around the perimeter of the square in preparation for the arrival of parliamentarians at the House of Assembly for the 2016/2017 Budget Communication.

The small group - at that point only three protestors - was ushered away from Rawson Square. Approximately 20 minutes later, members of the group returned without placards and were allowed to enter the square.

Addressing members of the press in Rawson Square, Ms McIntosh lambasted the government for allegedly intending “to sell out the Bahamas and its people”.

“This is repugnant, it is unacceptable,” said Ms McIntosh.

She was referring to rumours that Chinese investors requested the removal of the resort’s current developer, Sarkis Izmirlian; a 30-year exclusivity with regards to Baha Mar’s casino licence; a 30-year Value Added Tax exemption; a 25 per cent increase in concessions now enjoyed by the resort and the granting of 500 citizenships to Chinese nationals attached to the project in various capacities.

The speculation came after radio talk show host Steve McKinney revealed the contents of a purported letter addressed to the Prime Minister from China Construction America, the resort’s general contractor, during a recent segment of his “Hard Copy” talk show on Peace 107.5FM.

Firing back at these claims, Mr Christie on Monday night described it as an “absolute lie” that citizenship in return for foreign investment had been agreed, saying that was a “non-negotiable position” for his government.

However, he did not speak about the other alleged requests.

The BCP is angered by the claims. “The government of The Bahamas and the government of China signed bilateral agreements in 2009 and one of those of those agreements said the government (of The Bahamas) must protect the investments of China in (The Bahamas),” contended Ms McIntosh.

“If that is so, (we believe) the government of The Bahamas would make a deal to protect the investment of China or they can sue us. So we must protest, we must say no, we must show our faces and our voices (must be heard) for the thousands and thousands of Bahamians who cannot speak for themselves,” she added.

“They cannot give away this country. They cannot sell it for cheap. And they cannot approve this deal. We demand that they do not put that on the table of the House (of Assembly) because it is unacceptable by Bahamians,” she said.

Ms McIntosh said the public should view Mr Christie’s assurances on the matter as disingenuous.

“So he can tell us that it is a lie, but he has the capacity as the Prime Minister and as a government to do so (grant citizenships). So he can tell us that willy-nilly and we can hear that, but we want the truth. We want the truth that 500 Chinese persons would not get citizenship.”