FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis
By SANCHESKA DORSETT
Tribune Staff Reporter
sdorsett@tribunemedia.net
THE FREE National Movement yesterday called the transfer of mega resort Baha Mar to Hong Kong-based Chow Tai Fook Enterprises Ltd on Tuesday a “great public relations exercise” with no “real significance”.
In a press statement, FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis questioned how the Progressive Liberal Party could “turn over a set of keys to a property they claim they don’t own,” and said if running a government “was just a series of photo ops and staged events this PLP government would be batting a thousand.”
However, the hand over of Baha Mar on Tuesday was executed by China Construction America (CCA), the resort’s general contractor, giving to CTFE its temporary certificate of occupancy (TCO), which now allows visitors to occupy rooms and utilise other resort amenities.
During the handing over ceremony, Prime Minister Perry Christie also hinted that Dr Minnis should be “ashamed of himself” for hoping the resort would fail in order to gain political mileage.
Meanwhile in an interview with The Tribune yesterday, FNM Deputy Leader Peter Turnquest said despite what the government may think, the FNM does not wish for the project to fail but rather the opposition party just wants all the information surrounding the deal to be made public.
The East Grand Bahama MP said despite the “handing over ceremony” the fact is, there are still no “rooms available for booking” and the resort still has no casino operator license.
In his statement on Wednesday, Dr Minnis said that Mr Christie’s suggestion that the Killarney MP wants the property to fail is “far from the truth.”
“Let’s dispose of the PLP’s notion that the FNM is opposed to the opening of Baha Mar,” Dr Minnis said. “Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, just the opposite is true. We welcome the additional rooms and attractions to our tourism product but we question the wisdom of prematurely opening the doors without one scintilla of advertisement in the market place. It is time for the Christie led government to speak truth to the Bahamian people and authorise the release of the sealed documents so that all could see what they have committed the Bahamian people to,” Dr Minnis said.
“What are they hiding? The details that have leaked out have been disturbing and lead to even more questions about this latest PLP photo op. How can the PLP state that we are weeks away from a deal being signed then hand the property over to a foreign entity prior to the finalisation of a sale? Beyond that, Bahamians deserve to know whether this new owner paid the same rate on VAT and stamp taxes that Bahamians are obligated to pay, or will these taxes be levied at all? The people have grown tired of the PLP’s empty rhetoric and broken promises, it’s long past time for the PLP to unseal their Baha Mar deal.”
For his part, Mr Turnquest said he finds it “sketchy” that a hotel that is opening in less than a month, is not taking any bookings.
“I mean it was all a great public relations exercise but the fact is there is still no booking availability so if you go online and try to book a room there is no room available,” Mr Turnquest said.
“As far as we know there has been no marketing campaign so when they say they are having an opening, does that mean that the doors are going to be unlocked or what? Because in terms of doing business we have a ways to go. We still have the whole issue of the (casino) license and will all the amenities be available to guests? When it comes to guests are they just depending on walk-ins? That being said, we wish them all the best because Bahamian jobs depend on it and the economy needs it. So certainly contrary to what the government may say, the FNM is not rooting for the project’s failure. We hope they are successful but based on the information that we have been given, it still seems sketchy.”
When asked Tuesday when the resort would begin taking guest reservations, Graeme Davis, CTFE Bahamas president, said “very, very soon” with the launch of Baha Mar’s advertising campaign.
He went on to suggest that non-paying guests would “fill” the resort on its first day of operation, explaining that guests were “invited” for Baha Mar’s celebration and ribbon cutting to commemorate its opening.
Officials plan to launch the stalled resort in phases beginning with a soft opening on April 21.
At this time the golf course, the Grand Hyatt, the convention centre and other amenities will be opened.
Mr Davis said there is a very short term booking window with an “incredible amount of pent up demand,” adding that there are no concerns in this regard.
Comments
sealice 7 years, 8 months ago
WTF did they even bother with the new developmen? couldn't they have just repainted the buildings and said instead of a new Indian population taking jobs away from bahamians in Nassau we now have a new Chinese population in the bahamas taking jobs from Bahamians.... now STFU and vote for me!!! Same crap, same building site, different foreigners invading our shores.......
Naughtydread 7 years, 8 months ago
So on April 21st can the public actually go into the hotel? I wouldn't mind taking a look around.
concernedcitizen 7 years, 8 months ago
Anyone who believes this hotel is opening on the the 21st of april ,,try to book a room online or call a travel agent in Florida and try to book a room ..there are still buildings to be demolished that can,t be demolished w/ a hotel full of guest b/c of the dust ,,this is an election sham
TalRussell 7 years, 8 months ago
Comrades! The Red Movement "Leader" needs step back and smell the breath of fresh air slowly resurfacing out at Cable Beach. Hundreds small and mega resorts the world over have had successful soft openings while putting the finishing touches and systems into play. However, I'd highly suggest the top brass at Baha Mar, start immediately conducting daily site tours for locals to get a better understanding of what is really happening at the properties.
I'd suggest an invite to Minnis and his political colleagues to experience a firsthand tour of the facilities.
The PM, deserves some credit?
banker 7 years, 8 months ago
Now I know that you are a brainless PLP troll. You had me fooled for awhile. I thought for a minute that you had at least an iota of cognitive abilities. I put my trust in humanity, and the PLP prostitutes who have no moral or ethical compasses have let me down. I thought that perhaps you were a REAL Bahamian and person who could think.
thomas 7 years, 8 months ago
That picture should be titled "How To Get Away With Lies."
TalRussell 7 years, 8 months ago
Comrade Thomas, if it takes few lies create new jobs, then we need to stay clear of the obstacles, the truth could present during the soft opening.
banker 7 years, 8 months ago
In your world, and in your party, lies are the norm. Truth and goodness and honesty and altruism are missing from your subhuman tendencies.
birdiestrachan 7 years, 8 months ago
Never mind Doc, Mr: Malcome Strachan will say what you meant, because you do not really know what you are saying. What it means is you will no longer be able to sell hotels that do not belong to you.. You should have gone down there to be in the photo. but oh no it greives you that the hotel will be opeing and people will be employed.,
realfreethinker 7 years, 8 months ago
Another brainless plp troll. But never had me fooled birdie.
concernedcitizen 7 years, 8 months ago
Birdie go online and book a room at Baha mar ,,book one april 2017 or December 2017 ,,you can,t !!! They will bring in some travel agents or 100 people for free ,,They are not selling rooms and that's what a hotel does ,,Birdie tell me when you make that reservation
sheeprunner12 7 years, 8 months ago
Bahamar is a hologram entity .................. The thing only exists in PLP fiction!!!!!!!! .......... There is NO real proof that the hotel has been sold, who owns it, what it cost Bahamians, who will buy its services and how it intends to improve/support our tourism product .................. it is an UGLY HOLOGRAM!!!!!!!!
realfreethinker 7 years, 8 months ago
This tells us all we need to know about the current state of Bahamar "This places Baha Mar’s likely completion at around October 2017, which is probably when CTFE’s purchase of the property will finally close, given that the timing depends on being handed a finished resort product"
Seaman 7 years, 8 months ago
Birdie......... Time will tell and prove if Mr PM is true. It will prove costly for him if he is misleading the people. The FNM will win 7-10 seats in the family islands leaving only 10 -12 in Nassau. Done deal, PLP gone. Abaco red, Grand Bahama red. Mr no show MP Curry will get a A$$ beating. Birdie.... the angry PLPs will vote the PLP out.
ohdrap4 7 years, 8 months ago
well in the print version of the newspaper we can see the full picture.
the Bahamian officials wore their sunday best, and the attorney general donned a duchess of cambridge inspired print.
the ctfe employees and/or representative were dressed like belly floppers, especially the 'curvy' girl on the second row. i wonder if they knew they were goping to be in a photo.
watcher 7 years, 8 months ago
Let's look for a moment at how the other Chinese build is going, shall we? For more than 8 months the monstrous downtown car park has been "finished", complete with signs over every ground floor space saying "Coming soon......." Everything from a cinema, a fitness club, shops and restaurants. They even have fictitious names added LOL. How many are actually occupied?
Well, zero of course.
And the sidewalk is a drab, impersonal long swathe of basic concrete, with not even a tiled finish or a patterned finish. Just a few withering plants to break up the monotony.
What faith should we have that BahaMar will be anything other than a permanent, unoccupied eyesore?
Well, zero of course.
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