The Tribune

By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@trbunemedia.net

FORMER Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis has questioned the Davis administration’s secrecy surrounding hiring Daniel Liu, former senior vice-president of China Construction America (CCA), as a “special envoy to China”.

Mr Liu, who was prominently mentioned in a New York State Supreme Court ruling that found the Chinese state-owned contractor “actively worked to curry favour with the Bahamian government,” said in his biography that he was appointed as a “special envoy to China” by the Davis administration in 2023. The revelation was detailed in a 16-page brochure for SilverStar Management Group Company, where Mr Liu serves as president and managing director.

 Allies of Mr Izmirlian, Baha Mar’s original developer, expressed concerns about Mr Liu’s appointment, questioning whether he has been rewarded by the government for his role in the dispute despite a recent New York court ruling that found CCA committed multiple frauds and breaches of contracts.

 In the House of Assembly, Dr Minnis pressed the government to clarify why details of Mr Liu’s hiring are being kept from the public. He asked why Mr Liu was appointed a special envoy and who authorised the position. 

 Dr Minnis referred to a December 2022 Tribune Business report, which revealed that Mr Liu had asked the son of Perry Christie’s top policy adviser to intervene when his father proposed changing The Pointe’s Heads of Agreement over how many Bahamian construction workers would be employed. E-mails tabled in the New York State Supreme Court revealed that Mr Liu made an urgent request for help within days of Sir Baltron Bethel altering the agreement’s wording to make clear that The Pointe’s 70:30 labour ratio in favour of Bahamians applied to construction workers only.

 Highlighting the need for transparency, Dr Minnis asked: “What exactly is Daniel Liu’s special relationship to the PLP? What key PLP figures did he or does he have relationships within the Christie Administration and the Davis Administration, including current and former cabinet ministers?” 

 CCA has faced controversy following a recent US ruling, where New York State Supreme Court Judge Andrew Borrok found CCA acted in bad faith, contributing to Baha Mar’s 2015 bankruptcy. Judge Borrok condemned the construction delays and described them as “an absolute sham and shakedown.” He noted that a $2.3m payment from CCA to Notarc Management Group — a company run by Leslie Miller, son of Sir Bethel — was intended to “curry favour” with the Bahamian government during the Baha Mar dispute.

 In response to the ruling, CCA secured an “emergency stay” on Monday after failing to obtain the nearly $2 billion bond required by New York Supreme Court rules for an “automatic stay.”

 Dr Minnis questioned Mr Liu’s involvement in the Baha Mar project and urged Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis to address questions about Mr Liu’s status, whether he is a Bahamian citizen and, if so, under what circumstances was he granted citizenship. Dr Minnis also questioned whether Mr Liu had a diplomatic passport and if the Security and Intelligence Branch had vetted him for the role.

 Dr Minnis called on Mr Davis to disclose his involvement in Mr Liu’s appointment and the terms of his contract, including his salary. He reiterated his call for a full investigation into issues related to Baha Mar under the Christie administration.