The Tribune

By INIGO 'NAUGHTY' ZENICAZELAYA

THE Minnis administration apparently is still in “good faith” talks with Oban Energies, over a proposed oil refinery in Grand Bahama.

And it seems like “dis ga be long” as, allegedly, discussions will continue until the HOA can be amended to the liking of the Minnis administration.

How ironic, now, Dr Minnis and Co want to pay attention to the details, dotting all i’s and crossing all the t’s.

Labour Minister Dion Foulkes, who also co-chairs the Cabinet subcommittee and this technical advisory group, informed reporters outside of Cabinet Oban officials remained committed to the $5.5bn project.

However Foulkes also added: “We are still awaiting the technical report from the Oban technical advisory committee.”

“It’s taking a little longer than I had anticipated. I have received a draft.

“It’s a fairly comprehensive document but I’ve still not received the final document.”

Minister Foulkes, can you please be a little more vague?

Seriously?

A draft?

All of this time, and all we have is a draft, still no “official” document?

More irony, had the FNM been sticklers in the first place, exercising the due diligence that they are now, in this regard, the Oban project would have either been well underway or tossed to the trash pile a long time ago.

When questioned, if there maybe something problematic looming, in the draft that may be an issue, Foulkes replied :

“I prefer to have an opportunity to present it to Cabinet for my colleagues to take a look at first and get Cabinet directions as to how to proceed.”

Thanks for that informative revaluation, Dion. Which means we continue to play the waiting game, yet again.

Foulkes also chimed in on potential funding concerns connected to the project.

“I prefer not to get into that at this point. Our main focus and my mandate as chairman of the Oban committee is to revise the Heads of Agreement to improve the environmental protection and to improve the economic benefits to The Bahamas.”

Maybe if you really got into “something” with Oban, Mr Foulkes, you might have more to show than just a draft!

And the Bahamian people might know “what’s really gern on”.

One must really now question, if the government is trying to gingerly distance itself from the controversial project after all?

One thing I must applaud is the consistency of the Minnis administration, in relation to the whole Oban affair.

Yes, consistency, especially when it comes to, meaningless, pontificating and posturing, with minimal results.

Until next week, I will leave you with a quote from legendary comedian

Groucho Marx: “Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies.”