By NEIL HARTNELL
Tribune Business Editor
nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
The prime minister was last night said to have sold his ownership interest in Bahamas Ferries after coming under fire from political opponents over changes made in the latest Emergency Powers (COVID-19) Order.
Philip Davis, the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) leader, in a statement responding to Dr Hubert Minnis’ latest national address, accused the prime minister of “looking out for his own interest” after ferry services were permitted to begin offering highly-restricted passenger services.
The changes made to section 14 in the latest Emergency Powers Order, which deals with limitations on domestic travel, allow “a ferry service” to transport passengers “within a chain of islands which are part of any Family Island”. Such operators can also travel to and from Harbour Island for the purpose of shipping pharmaceuticals, such as medicines, and “essential workers” to and from Bimini.
The prime minister never mentioned this change in his national address, and Mr Davis immediately cried foul, insinuating that a potential conflict of interest may lie behind the decision to relax restrictions on ferry services.
“We draw the public’s attention to paragraph 14 of the new order,” the PLP leader said in a statement. “In it, ferry services are exempted from the prohibition on passenger traffic. We note that the prime minister is a shareholder in Bahamas Ferries. Is the prime minister looking out for his own interest?”
However, a government spokesperson last night blunted the opposition leader’s attack. They told Tribune Business that Dr Minnis had divested his minority shareholding in Bahamas Ferries several months before, saying: “The prime minister no longer owns shares in Bahamas Ferries effective December 2019.”
Dr Minnis was listed in Bahamas Ferries’ 2017 annual returns - widely circulated on social media - as owning 305 of the company’s 5,015 ordinary shares, just six percent. However, the opposition have used this to cause controversy surrounding the award of inter-island freight transportation contracts and other deals.
And Mr Davis was not the only person to pick up on the relaxed COVID-19 restrictions for the Bahamian ferry industry. One businessman e-mailed Tribune Business: “Today the Prime Minister did not bother to detail what new businesses were now exempted. Had he done so he would have had to identify ferry services.
“Might that have anything to do with him being an investor in a business in that area? So now one can go to an island by ferry but not airplane? Look at paragraph 14. Note the exemption ‘other than a ferry service’. This did not appear in the previous Order (no. 2). Bahamas Ferries? No mention of this change at all in the 50-minute address. Under the previously announced plan ‘domestic travel’ was for a later phase.”
Mr Davis, meanwhile, blasted the Prime Minister’s address as “a study in depression and hopelessness” while also slamming the decision to again shut down the domestic gaming industry via the latest Order.
“The opening of businesses when announce last week did not exclude gaming,” he added. “The Government now has a week of experience of the 3,500 people at work in that sector, so what has happened since last week which now leads the Government to target these workers and send them to the unemployment line? Where is your heart? Is there some medical advice to the Government which has not been disclosed to us?”
Comments
moncurcool 4 years, 6 months ago
Wonder if Davis would have the morals and ethics to admit being wrong on this? Of course not, as for him is os all polictricks to bamboozle the shortminded.
BahamasForBahamians 4 years, 6 months ago
I wonder if Davis is actually wrong and if the Prime Minister did actually divest of his stake in The Ferry company that is now being perceived as being treated with preference.
Hoda 4 years, 6 months ago
Lol. I dont know who told brave davis he is some great orator. But minnis can really be tiresome to listen to - and i know he was referring to the substance.
"...so one can go to the family island by ferry and not by plane..." anyway if business x dont know why planes are problematic...but im sure ppl would fly.
moncurcool 4 years, 6 months ago
mazing how you never speak to the facts of an article and constantly bring a PLP spin. Clearly Davis will show his lack of morals by not retracting his statement. If we are going to build our country, we cannot allow those leading political parties to do this without being called to accountability. Country ought to always be over party. Right ought to be right and wrong wrong, no matter who it is.
BONEFISH 4 years, 6 months ago
Phillip Davis should simply issue an apology to the prime minister.The same way he did the accusation.
Be brave and do it. Notice the pun.
Politicians in this country simply have to grown up.
CatIslandBoy 4 years, 6 months ago
Phillip Davis is not really ":Brave".
geostorm 4 years, 6 months ago
Philip Davis just needs to keep his trap shut if he is not offering up ideas to push this country forward. Right now we are in a crisis and no one has time to listen to nonsense. Put up or shut the hell up Davis!
birdiestrachan 4 years, 6 months ago
I do not believe doc sold his shares he might have transferred them who knows.
Political spin. NO . Just truth. The man is a masterful liar. and this is a proven fact.
moncurcool 4 years, 6 months ago
Glad the scales have fallen off your eyes and you finally recognised how masterful a liar Davis is
birdiestrachan 4 years, 6 months ago
NOTE: The PM is said to have sold his owner ship interest in Bahamas Ferries AFTER coming under fire from political opponents over changes made in the latest emergency COVID 19 order.
The key word AFTER.
At the same time I do not have a problem with the PM having shares in Companies. Nothin is wrong with it.
DaGoobs 4 years, 6 months ago
No Birdie, please quote accurately. The government spokesperson said: “The prime minister no longer owns shares in Bahamas Ferries effective December 2019." So Minnis has not owned any Fast Ferries shares for 5 months or so, not since the COVID 19 Order as you want us to believe. You have a right to disagree with him and anyone else but at least please try to be honest when doing so. The real issue here is who did he sell the shares to, not when.
BahamasForBahamians 4 years, 6 months ago
Doesn't matter.. This statement is useless without empirical evidence to prove it.
We've seen the incorporated document with Hubert Minnnis having an interest. The only thing that would confirm otherwise is evidence.
Without it, it is safe to assume this is a political spin.
birdiestrachan 4 years, 6 months ago
Yes indeed something like when the PM said He did not speak to Mr: Brent Symonette about the post office deal. But Mr Symonette said he did. He called him when he was off the Island.
For some folks no need to build a ditch for them. They will dig ditches themselves and fall head long into them.
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