PLP leader Philip 'Brave' Davis.
By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
OPPOSITION Leader Philip “Brave” Davis has dismissed criticism levelled by developer Paul Wynn on the Progressive Liberal Party’s efforts to get him to purchase the Grand Lucayan resort as "gratuitous".
Amid the Minnis administration’s difficulty selling the property, the PLP repeatedly argued it left a solid deal in place with Mr Wynn before the 2017 election.
But in an interview with The Tribune this week, Mr Wynn said “there was no deal with the prior government.”
“The deal was vague and nebulous," he said, "and they were throwing a lot of money at me that was unconscionable. It's prior to the election, need I say more? I don’t want to be that person.”
In a press statement Thursday, Mr Davis said the comment “cast aspersions on the PLP administration.”
“The PLP rejects this unfortunate intrusion into our local politics by a foreign investor but asks the public not to be distracted by this unnecessary and irresponsible comment,” he said.
“The important point in Mr Wynn’s statement is that there was in fact a framework left in place by the PLP. Clearly negotiations had to be continued. Since the election intervened in the process, it was left for the FNM administration to complete the negotiations. The FNM owes the Bahamian people an explanation as to why they were unable to close the sale, particularly where the last several months they were elevating the hopes of Grand Bahamians of an eminent closing of the sale.”
During his national address in July 2017, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said the government would get the Grand Lucayan reopened by the winter season. Its target date long missed, the future of the hotel is clouded in doubt.
The government has said it would buy the hotel rather than let it die. But that position has invited criticism in view of the government's austere fiscal policies.
Mr Davis said: “What is also relevant is that the prime minister and his minister of finance were going around saying the country is broke and now they say they are going to have to buy a hotel which the developer Mr Wynn thinks will cost over $150 million to complete. The PLP is not the government. It is the FNM that must solve this problem. All they had to do was build on the framework which we left in place. Instead they stopped, reviewed and cancelled and ducked and dodged so that now we have complete collapse with no light at the end of the tunnel.”
It is believed that CK Property Holdings/Hutchison Whampoa, owner of the Grand Lucayan, lost between $15-$20 million per year before the property closed down in the wake of Hurricane Matthew.
With the hotel's closure, Freeport has seen 59 percent of its room inventory taken out of stock.
Mr Wynn said it would be costly creating the context in which the resort could thrive in Grand Bahama, adding potential purchase of the hotel lacked “economic feasibility.”
Comments
birdiestrachan 6 years, 4 months ago
Mr. Wynn may be kissing up to doc in the hope he gets a OBAN deal. It has taken him and the Government to long to come up with this no deal story.
The FNM Government can spin as much as they like. but the ball is in their court and the people of Grand Bahama who sent five FNM's to represent them, have all eyes on the FNM and spinning will not do,
Gotoutintime 6 years, 4 months ago
I guess Brave found someone he couldn't buy--What a shock!!
Ramses_6 6 years, 4 months ago
It is clear that the leader of the opposition the "Hon" Philip Brave Davis is NOT being very truthful in his statements regarding the state of the deal that his government left in place, much like the lies told about the state that he and his government let the economy in. This is a very embarrassing for persons that can actually feel embarrassment...
CaptainCoon 6 years, 4 months ago
Typical PLP
hnhanna 6 years, 4 months ago
Davis still sleeping from 2017 cut ass
BMW 6 years, 4 months ago
The grinning idiot has been called out! LOL
Porcupine 6 years, 4 months ago
Each time Brave Davis speaks The Bahamas suffers an insult to its integrity.
sheeprunner12 6 years, 4 months ago
What did the PLP do for GB during its last term in office??????? ........ besides hiring the cook who they let spend all of the UR2.0 money????????
Jetflt 6 years, 4 months ago
You mean what has the PLP done for Grand Bahama dating back to Pindling’s day’s??? The PLP hadn’t done a damn thing for GB.
“The PLP rejects this unfortunate intrusion into our local politics by a foreign investor but asks the public not to be distracted by this unnecessary and irresponsible comment,” he said.
The man opined on the subject and through his right of free speech said what he said, and you call that “intrusion into our local politics?” Wow! You are stupider than I thought.
Just remember - you Need Wynn more than he needs you! Enough said!
joeblow 6 years, 4 months ago
It will take the lame brained PLP another election loss to figure out they need to get as far away from brave Davis as possible!
CatIslandBoy 6 years, 4 months ago
Is anybody still listening to Brave? Not even Cat Islanders who voted for you in the last election still want anything to do with this man. The FNM should be grooming their next Candidate for Cat Island now.
sheeprunner12 6 years, 4 months ago
Cat Islanders have rejected MANY good FNM native sons ....... the only FNM to win there was a Long Islander ......... Go figger
sealice 6 years, 4 months ago
HAHA .... Wyn said that no matter how the PLP tried to sugarcoat (read give the white foreign devil money) they still couldn't make the deal worth while.... why?? Freeport is dead trying to keep it alive no is a waste of time and money = The PLP killed Freeport/GB a long time ago, quite intentionally.
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