FOREIGN Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell. Photo: Dante Carrer
By LEANDRA ROLLE
Tribune Chief Reporter
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
PROGRESSIVE Liberal Party Chairman Fred Mitchell dismissed corruption allegations involving Christie administration officials during the Baha Mar saga as “salacious,” saying no proof had been provided to support the accusations.
In a video sent to The Tribune, he sought to downplay the verdict of New York Judge Andrew Borrok, who awarded Sarkis Izmirlian $1.6bn in damages and interest over his fraud and breach of contract claim against China Construction America (CCA).
Mr Mitchell had accused Mr Izmirlian, Baha Mar’s original developer, of promoting a narrative that does not align with the facts.
He urged the public to be cautious in their commentary about the ruling and advised Bahamians to be “sceptical” about anything that arises concerning the judgement.
“It is unfortunate that you have an investor having lost an investment, largely by what happened out of his own hand, now seeking to ascribe blame to others, but the main issue for us is The Bahamas government has no liability which arises out of this. Baha Mar is safe as an investment,” he said.
“And then lastly, all of the salacious stuff which came out of the develop- er’s statement about how there was a collusion with corrupt behaviour officials, there is no evidence of that either.”
Mr Izmirlian and CCA have been embroiled in a protracted legal battle over the latter’s commitment to the Baha Mar project, with Mr Izmirlian blaming the Chinese state-owned contractor for the liquidity crisis that led to his ouster as developer after CCA missed the target opening date.
The judge found that Mr Izmirlian’s fraud claim against CCA was “established beyond doubt,” noting that the contractor “knowingly and falsely” promised to meet the revised March 27, 2015, opening date for Baha Mar while concealing the unlikelihood of achieving it.
Judge Borrok ruled that the “evidence establishes” that the $2.3 million paid by CCA to Notarc Management Group, a company run by Sir Baltron’s son, Leslie, was intended to “curry favour” and “gain access” to Mr Christie’s senior policy advisor and the Bahamian government during the peak of the Baha Mar dispute.
The ruling’s findings have renewed concerns about the then-Christie administration’s handling of the Baha Mar dispute and the broader implications for governance in The Bahamas, prompting opposition calls for an independent investigation into the allegations.
Mr Mitchell dismissed the opposition’s concerns and questioned when Michael Pintard, the party’s leader, would support Bahamians and the country.
“He has a pattern of this without checking the facts,” he added.
He noted past court judgments condemning FNM members for interference in Bahamian cases, suggesting a lack of consistency in their support for the justice system.
For his part, Health and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville said the ruling will not affect his ministry’s efforts to secure funding from the China Export-Import Bank to build a new hospital.
Dr Darville said the ministry’s funding mechanism is distinct from the private agreement involved in the Baha Mar project.
“This is a country-to-country transaction where this administration is going into a business relationship with the Chinese government, directly by way of concessional loans,” he said. “These concessional loans are loans that are accessible in the Caribbean and other countries to be able to access funding from the EXIM bank at low interest rates. We don’t anticipate a similar situation.”
In a statement, CCA said the company and its co-defendants intend to appeal the court decision.
Comments
Dawes 1 month ago
Umm the only person who would believe this is Birdie. Anyone can see that there are serious issues with the manner we do business over here. Whilst they maybe able to say its technically not illegal there is a lot to be desired. But everyone also knows Fred is only concerned with one thing and thats the PLP and not the Bahamas.
Observer 1 month ago
Ok....So exactly who is judge Borrok? Were some former members of parliament employed by Mr.Izmirlian? And Who are/were they?
pt_90 1 month ago
Ny state Supreme Court justice.
The investor's agrement back on about 2011 between CCA and BML agreed that NY would be the place to litigate civil matters.
K4C 1 month ago
Anyone KNOW if LIARS pants can actually catch on fire ??
hj 1 month ago
So according to Freddie, the New York judge among others are part of the "dark forces" as he used to call them that are conspiring to embarass the PLP. Good one Freddie. Foolnishess like this have caused you to never realize your lifelong dream of becoming PM.
Sickened 1 month ago
Freddie ROFL!!! The lead clown in the world's biggest clown show.
JackArawak 1 month ago
Pure comedy. Corruption to the core. Corruption in broad daylight. Yawn.
BMW 1 month ago
Facts are fact Fweddie. You are our Bahamian Donald Trump LOL
birdiestrachan 1 month ago
74 pages a half page that puts the Bahamas in a bad light the Fnm and those who follow them run with garbage the judge has become their God no doubt they need one even if he is a false God, all the man had to do was pay what he owed, The Bahamas Government had nothing to do with his money, remember Hubert 2 Was so happy to open BAR Mar even as he said he would sell it when he came to power ,but he could not sell our lucaya, the golf course was not in the deal and much of the content in the hotel was taken out , I do not understand how Dumb as hell they all are,
birdiestrachan 1 month ago
Respect to the judge but Mr Bethel and his son are also due respect they are no less,
jamesg30 1 month ago
Birdy, Birdy, Birdy. Where does one begin. Oh they are most definitely "less".
TalRussell 1 month ago
Trying recall Mr. Mitchell's response, if 'twas such when Mr Fitzgerald - the Progressive Liberal Party MP for Marathon - appeared -- also to have been requesting $20,000 a month from Baha Mar’s original developer Sarkis Izmirlian, --- Citing the $20,000 a month were necessary to cover the cost of his father’s medical treatment. -- Not a made up $20,000. -- Nor when Jerome Fitzgerald was seeking to secure millions of dollars in brokerage, trucking, and limousine contracts at Baha Mar while he sat in Cabinet as the Minister of Education, Science and Technology. -- Mr. Mitchell, where was the respect for the popoulaces' business back then? -- There was no video but what about those emails that supported the accusations. --- Yes?
pileit 1 month ago
well, well.... the day has finally come. I FULLY ENDORSE THIS POST FROM TAL! Mitchell is an odious relic of an era steeped in 1-way communique to masses of cultivated ignorance... The facts speak for themselves... I recall fondly Sarkis' love for this country and the passion he brought to that project, until running into the shark-like teeth of govt greed Yeah Mitchell, keep talking to your base base... no typo btw.
birdiestrachan 1 month ago
This is pure foolishness there is no proof that the Bethels did anything wrong , the man did not live up to his agreement if he did no one could take his property, The judge has spoken those who believes that if some one of another hue says you are guilty then you are, stand without shoes and dirty feet I still know that I am fearfully and wonderfully made and I Am loved with an everlasting love therefore God has drawn me with loving kindness, Mr Bethel and his son are the same all this against them is just FNM foolishness Hubert 1 and 2 now Pintard all dim and dimmer, and all those that follow them.
Baha10 1 month ago
As commented yesterday:
It is inappropriate for the Minister of Foreign Affairs to be so disparaging of the Court System of our closest Neigbour, primary Trading Partner, steadfast Protector, primary Benefactor and loyal Friend upon whom we are ultimately dependent.
I get it that he is also the Chairman of a Political Party, but the only way to espouse such controversial rhetoric and avoid obvious conflict of interest in the interest of preserving our much treasured US-Bahamas international relationship is to resign his Ministerial position.
… sadly from our Country’s perspective, I sincerely doubt this will happen! Sign
Porcupine 1 month ago
The best thing Mr. Mitchell could do for The Bahamas is to leave these shores. His thinking and ethics are exactly why The Bahamas is in the state it is in. My God, if you can say, as Mitchell has done, that there was no corruption involving the Bahamian government with regard to Baha Mar, Freddy either takes us for ignorant fools or he needs to check himself into Sandilands.
birdiestrachan 1 month ago
Baha 10 your advise seems like good advice for Israel ,
Sickened 1 month ago
You truly are an odd-ball buddy.
Flyingfish 1 month ago
I swear it has to be an act. Maybe if the FNM came into power he'd finally get put back in Sandilands, Since he's the PLP #1 fanboy, theymussy let him hang around & he's tryna stay out
TalRussell 1 month ago
Can you tell me if this is correct? -- Mr. Mitchell, as a whole, has demonstrated full enthusiasm -- Regardless of whatever premiership's colours t-shirt --- Serving under. -- Ask "Papa" Hubert, what he thinks if the subject experiences internal struggle? -- Can't make this up. -- Yes?
Flyingfish 1 month ago
(As I said in another post) Mitchel has absolutely no shame or integrity whatsoever. Yes, there is no admission of corruption (Corrupt people tend to lie & be secretive) but there is a clear conflict of interest that has been discovered. Yet the first thing you decide to say is to ignore it not even investigate it for assurance's sake.
You tell one of our most prolific & highly profiled investors in national history to suck it and call him names. Who the hell will invest in a country that acts this way?
Boy if only we had a proper "Westminster Style Democracy" and not the "Wasteminster System" we have going on here. In the UK you can recall your MP before term, you can send a petition online to the parliament that they are required to look at, and in both Canada & the UK you can see how your MP votes on every bill online.
In the Bahamas Minister waste our tax money, Waste our time, and lay Waste to our country.
ExposedU2C 1 month ago
Fred Mitchell is a charlatan of the highest order. He probably has not even bothered to read the 74 page decision and order of The Honourable Andrew Borrok, Justice of The Supreme Court of The State of New York.
I also doubt Fred Mitchell has read any of the relevant transcripts of the case which was tried over the course of about 11 days (Aug 1, 2024 - Aug 15, 2024). But even if he did, Fred, being the charlatan that he is, would still refuse to acknowledge and accept that Justice Borrok's ruling, supported by the case transcripts, depositions and other relevant evidentiary filings, presents clear and convincing evidence that at least four very high ranking Bahamas government officials knew about and were duplicitously involved, with senior management personnel of Chinese Communist Party controlled enterprises, in the many instances of fraud committed against BML Properties Ltd. for the sole purpose of fleecing Zarkis Izmirlian of his mega million dollar ownership interest in the Baha Mar development project.
Pages 44, 60, 61 and 70 of the detailed court ruling contain references to the involvement of then PM, Perry Christie, and his Special Advisor at the time, Baltron Bethel. The role played by Baltron Bethel's son, Leslie, is also detailed in the ruling. The case transcripts filed with the New York County Clerk are littered with references to the nefarious roles played by these high ranking Bahamian government officials, as well as none other than Allyson Maynard-Gibson who was then serving as Attorney-General.
All of the evidence of the wrongdoing committed here by Perry Christie, Baltron and Leslie Bethel, and Allyson Maynard-Gibson is now a matter of public record for everyone to see and I am amazed at how many major news organization around the world have given extensive internet and TV coverage to this colossal scandal. The harm done here to our small nation by senior members of the PLP party is immeasurable.
rosiepi 1 month ago
Mr Mitchell is as ever offering hogwash and arrogance instead of good governance!
As the Minister of Foreign Affairs he’s disrespected his office again, and the good people of the Bahamas again in order to curry continued favour with our supreme debtors CCA. Perhaps it’s his flair for the dramatic causing him to act in his remit for foreign affairs in the most literal terms, ie. sordid and morally distasteful…
I agree with those calling on him to cease his embarrassing and scurrilous accusations as he is making a fool of himself and serves to highlight his party’s fraudulent behaviour with the Judge pointing the finger squarely at Sir Beltron & his son Leslie as the conduit to curry favour and gain access to the Christie gov’t.
As for Mitchell claiming no evidence, how ridiculous and what fools he must believe we are! The Manhattan Supreme Court Justice ruled on a $Billion+ finding without evidence? Justices don’t bandy about lightly in writing findings that include words like “this absolute sham and complete shakedown”
Bonefishpete 1 month ago
Wouldn't this be best answered by AG Ryan Pinder. Seems a legal question Not Foreign Affairs question.
ExposedU2C 1 month ago
Corrupt PM Davis tossed this live grenade to Ryan Pinder because he knows full well that Doofus Pinder is more than willing to serve as the broom that tries to keep this most explosive matter swept under the rug for as long as possible. And as many of us know, Ryan Pinder, like his father Marvin, is an operative who puts his own interests and the interests of his masters, whether they be foreign or local, ahead of the interests of the Bahamian people.
GodSpeed 1 month ago
Ah so Fred Mitchell is crooked too, guess I should have known. Trying to gaslight people with something like this? You gotta be jokin'... I remember well the published documents on Jerome Fitzgerald trying to shake down Sarkis for money.
TalRussell 1 month ago
Comrade Mr. Mitchell, heavyweight annoying, absolutely. . --- But honest. -- Yes!
ExposedU2C 1 month ago
Only his brother Matthew (or perhaps Fwreddy Boy himself) would ever consider describing the very slimy Fred Mitchell as somehow being "honest". As most of us know, there is absolutely nothing at all honest about the conniving, devious and deviant Fwreddy Boy. For decades this low life creep has been a monumental embarrassment to our small nation and he remains the object of great ridicule in diplomatic circles all around the world.
Sign in to comment
OpenID