PLP leader Philip 'Brave' Davis.
By MORGAN ADDERLEY
Tribune Staff Reporter
madderley@tribunemedia.net
PROGRESSIVE Liberal Party Leader Philip “Brave” Davis yesterday touted the proposed Carnival Cruise Line port in Grand Bahama as a “PLP project”, adding the Heads of Agreement was signed before the Christie administration left office in 2017.
Mr Davis also said if the current administration had acted on this development with “more speed”, the project could have been “well advanced” and the island could have already been experiencing its economic impact.
“Last Monday night the Bahamian people were treated to a proverbial ‘dog and pony’ show under the guise of a national address by the prime minister,” Mr Davis said at a press conference.
“Last night in Freeport, there was another dog and pony show,” he continued. “This time he announced a cruise port for Freeport. Some people do not even have the grace to acknowledge other people’s ideas.
“This is a PLP project. The Heads of Agreement was signed with Carnival before we left office. Now the prime minister took the whole Cabinet up to Freeport and as far as we can tell, this is still all conceptual in their minds. More promises, promises and no action.
“All they needed to do is act on what we left behind. And if they had acted with speed, or if… they had put on more speed, the project would have been well advanced and on its way. And the economic impact being felt today if they had acted when they ought to have acted.
“Meanwhile, as the ministers are grinning from ear to ear, Grand Bahama continues to suffer.”
On Monday, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis and members of his Cabinet attended a town meeting in Grand Bahama to unveil the development, which he said will be “a significant catalyst for economic growth” on the island.
Dr Minnis said the cruise port has the potential to create more than 1,000 jobs and will become the company’s largest port in the world.
However, Dr Minnis admitted this development has long been in the works.
“The development of the Carnival cruise port has been a long time in the making. It has been discussed by successive governments, and has gone through various changes to arrive at this impressive model,” Dr Minnis conceded.
This project has been on the drawing board for more than a decade, covering both Christie administrations and the last Ingraham administration. It was originally set to be located at Williams Town before the last Christie administration signed an agreement with the cruise line to move it to eastern Grand Bahama.
The latest version moves it into the port area at a site near the University of the Bahamas at Sharp Rock.
Mr Davis also hit out at Grand Bahama’s economic troubles, adding: “The prime minister in his address also showed how out of touch he is with reality by touting a drop in unemployment in Grand Bahama, without acknowledging that every week . . . families are leaving Grand Bahama with their possessions to come to Nassau.”
Mr Davis also criticised the fact the government has not yet sold the Grand Lucayan resort since purchasing the Grand Bahama hotel last year, calling it “one of the worst real estate deals ever witnessed in this country.”
“He failed to come up with a comprehensive and overarching strategy for the resuscitation of the Grand Bahama economy,” Mr Davis said.
Comments
Sickened 5 years, 10 months ago
"That was my idea" said the 12 year old. Clap, Clap! Next!!!
Sickened 5 years, 10 months ago
Voting you PLP fools out of Government was almost every Bahamian's idea. Can you please give us our kudos??
SP 5 years, 10 months ago
Muppet Davis knows If the PLP administration had acted on this development with “more speed”, the project could have been “well advanced” and the island could have already been experiencing its economic impact!
Carnival was waiting, willing and able. More than likely Christie, wicked witch Maynard, Fitzgerald, and the usual crew of pirates were holding out on the approval while negotiating under the table graft.
sheeprunner12 5 years, 10 months ago
Davis does not trade in ideas .......... he trades in kickbacks
TheMadHatter 5 years, 10 months ago
Yes it was. In fact your idea was even better because it was to be outside the Port area.
Unfortunately, people are not able to sustain themselves off of ideas. Jesus said man cannot live by bread alone, but he did not say we could live without bread.
People who needed food to live, voted yall out of office. Next time consider a little urgency in your deliberations. Don't worry too much though. These set been in nearly 2 years and they still in the idea stage too. You would think if you had the guts to run for PM, you would have ideas already in your head long before election day. But maybe i'm just stupid and the correct way is to get elected then spend 18 months coming up with ideas.
licks2 5 years, 10 months ago
Stop blaming us for things done gone for about 18 months now. . .yinna hear. . .yinna is a retarded government. . .yall carn do nuttin right. . .so lee we alone hear!!?? Talkin bout we wase and tief money them. . .bouy yall mar them is tief them so!! Hey! Thas we idea yinna tieffin there now bouy. . .yinna ogly tief them so! We do dat 4 years ago man. . .yinna know dat we do dat! Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. . .tetetetetete!
These PLP them are soooooooooooooooooooooo dumb and childish!! This PLP leader is one big comic. . .
ThisIsOurs 5 years, 10 months ago
Are you not even the least disturbed that Minnis singlehanded maneuvered the Oban deal? He knew exactly who Kreiger was, told us "what's the big deal". Fired people, shuffled responsibilities around so only his approval would be needed. Didn't inform cabinet of the various pieces, then today says he doesn't want to talk about "nonsense", when he's the one who pushed all of it. I don't see a difference between him or Davis to be honest. Other than Davis being fully aware of the screws he's turning on the country
licks2 5 years, 10 months ago
Does he now ever. . .well you may have gotten him to admitted to something for the last. . .all of his political life. . .HE NEVER KNOW ANYTHING. . .AND STILL DON'T KNOW ANYTHING. . .IN GOVERNMENT AND OUT. . .NEVER KNOW "NUTTING NUTTING ATALL". And about them other things you are talking about. . .YOU HAVE NO DANG IDEA WHAT HAPPENED. . ."NUTTIN ATALL". . .busy body talking about things that you have no idea about. I will be a waste of time to take you any further in what you are talking about. . . you will just run on with some other dumb things that have to relevance to anything we are talking about. . .total scatter brained. . .lost jackassness!!
realitycheck242 5 years, 10 months ago
Say their idea. That may be true, but you sir are the single and most important reason why the PM and the FNM will be relected.the government in 2022. Your leadership and daily verbal jabs are like a spear in the backs of all right thinking Bahamians who dont want to see your leadership and the likes of what your.ll did to this country in power again. My advice to you is sit small and let chester be the PLP leader.
TheMadHatter 5 years, 10 months ago
It is always astounding to me that the PLP who is the Party that took us away from the Monarchy, themselves behave as a monarchy - wherein their leadership operates on a king / prince / duke methodology, knowing who is "next in line" to rule - rather than choosing their leaders with common sense. They block potential leaders from even speaking with their own members - as was done with Mr. Sears at the last PLP Convention just prior to that convention. Amazingly, their supporters seem to agree with this policy of duck tape on the mouth.
joeblow 5 years, 10 months ago
Raping the Bahamian treasury was their idea as well, but he won't take credit for that!
Economist 5 years, 10 months ago
It is clear that Mr. Davis does not know the true history and did not listen to the presentation made by Carnival. This was in the making for nearly 20 years.
Carnival spoke of successive governments. Even the PM referred to successive governments.
DWW 5 years, 10 months ago
The plp becomes less and less relevant every day. The DNA is a non starter. I hope the bahamian political land Scape can come up with a viable alternative because I lose more faith in the fnm daily
pingmydling 5 years, 10 months ago
You can now see why Davis went into politics. He is obviously an inept lawyer. Of course the same applies to his politiking. Hey Davis have you tried retirement,? it may fit you better.
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